18-10-2022

TUESDAY

DHAKA : October 18, 2022; Kartik 2, 1429 BS; Rabi-ul Awal 21, 1444 Hijri www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www.bangladeshtoday.net Regd. No. DA~2065, Vol. 20; No.151; 12 Pages~Tk. 12.00

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>Page 7

Stay united to

face any threats,

says Army Chief

BARISHAL : Chief of Bangladesh Army

General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed said on

Monday that all members of the Bangladesh

Army need to stay united to safeguard

the country and its constitution

from any internal and external threats.

He made the statement at a flag hoisting

event of four units under the 7 Infantry

Division at the Sheikh Hasina Cantonment

in Barishal.

The Army Chief said the military is

being modernised to enhance its strength

and skills in line with the force’s Goal-

2030.

“We have already earned the trust of

the United Nations and global community

by deploying modern machinery at the

UN Peacekeeping Mission. Continuing

the modernisation the Bangladesh Army

will become one of the top forces across

the world,” he added.

The newly formed units of the Bangladesh

Army are 52 Independent MLRS

Battery Artillery, 35 Beer, 163 Field

Workshop Company and 85 Field Ambulance.

A parade team led by parade Commander

Major Rezwanul Hafiz Chandan

saluted the Army Chief.

Inflation : UN expert

for increasing benefits,

wages or lives will be lost

DHAKA : As global inflation continues to

sky-rocket, and prices of the most basic

necessities become too high for millions

to afford, the UN’s poverty expert has

urged governments to index social benefits

and wages to inflation, reports UNB.

“It is not hyperbole to say that unless

governments increase benefits and wages

in line with inflation lives will be lost,” said

Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur

on extreme poverty and human rights.

Whether in Europe, where inflation has

hit a record high of 10 per cent, or sub-Saharan

Africa where food prices have surged

by nearly 24 per cent, household budgets

across the world are being stretched beyond

breaking point, meaning even more people

in poverty will starve or freeze this winter

unless immediate action is taken to increase

their income.

“As with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is

once again the most vulnerable that are

paying the price of world events. The combined

crises are expected to throw an additional

75 to 95 million people into extreme

poverty this year alone.”

Ahead of a Council of Europe event yesterday

in Strasbourg on the International

Day for the Eradication of Poverty, the Special

Rapporteur also urged governments to

act quickly to insulate homes before winter

in the Northern Hemisphere, according to

a message received here from Geneva on

Monday.

“Insulating people’s homes to keep them

warm and safe is not rocket science, and

failure to act in this area is simply down to

a lack of political will. Not only will doing

so reduce the energy bills of low-income

households, it will also considerably reduce

carbon emissions.”

The Special Rapporteur called on governments

to involve people in poverty in the

design of policies to tackle the soaring cost-ofliving,

pointing to the Guiding Principles on

Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, adopted

a decade ago, as a roadmap to follow.

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Number of visa applications

in Bangladesh up by

160% : VFS Global

DHAKA : The number of visa applications

from Bangladeshis were up by 160

percent in September this year compared

to the same period last year, reports UNB.

This information regarding international

travel from Bangladesh was revealed

in a closed group session arranged

by VFS Global, the largest visa outsourcing

and technology service provider for

diplomatic missions worldwide.

The organisation recently arranged a

programme to disclose the information.

VFS Global’s South Asian COO (Chief

Operating Officer) Prabuddha Sen disclosed

the information in a written statement.

Soubhik Mitra, General Manager

(Corporate and Communication) of the

organization and other officials were

present at the event.

From Bangladesh, there is an abnormally

high demand for and predisposition

towards international travel. Additionally,

there are more visa applications

than ever before. These are the reasons

behind it, Prabuddha Sen said.

He also said that one of the causes of

this trend is lifting international travel

restrictions following the pandemic.

Data provided by VFS Global said the

volume of visa applications has increased

compared to the first 9 months of 2021.

Visa applications increased by 160 percent

till September 2022.

The data showed that the volume of

visa applications in 2022 was the same as

in the pre-pandemic period.

VFS Global said its ‘Optional Visa at

your doorstep (VAYD)’ service has increased

9 times in 2022 compared to

2021. Under this service, applicants can

complete all visa procedures from home

or office.

VFS Global is the world’s largest visa

outsourcing and technology services specialist

for governments and diplomatic

missions worldwide.

VFS Global does not play any part in

the decision-making process behind visa

applications being granted or denied.

Investment in small-scale

farmers, rural women,

youth to get focus

DHAKA : The President of the International

Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD),

Alvaro Lario, will attend the Finance in

Common Summit co-organized by the African

Development Bank and the European

Investment Bank on October 19 and 20,

2022, reports UNB.

With the world facing tremendous challenges

such as increasing hunger and poverty,

as well as devastating climate change

impacts, the Covid-19 pandemic and the

war in Ukraine, the summit comes at a crucial

time.

The confluence of crises has had devastating

economic and social consequences,

exposing weaknesses in global food systems

and sparking a food crisis, according

to a media release received from Rome on

Monday.

As a UN agency and international financial

institution, IFAD recognizes the investment

power public development banks

(PDBs) can bring to bear on these problems.

Massive targeted investment to benefit

the world’s poorest people could make a

huge difference.

At the Summit, President Lario will

make a plea to agricultural PDBs for a major

increase in funding desperately needed

to help small-scale producers adapt to climate

change, increase agricultural production

and develop value chains for local

markets.

In partnership with Cassa Depositi e

Prestiti d’Italia and Agence Francaise de

Developpement, IFAD and other PDBs

launched the Platform for Sustainable and

Inclusive Food Systems in 2021.

This was a significant step to help PDBs

to provide financial services that meet the

needs of small-scale agricultural producers.

The platform also serves to stimulate private

sector investments in rural small and

medium enterprises that are essential for

the transformation of food systems.

Small-scale farmers in Cote d’Ivoire,

and in Africa as a whole, often hold the key

to the successful solutions needed to meet

global challenges.

Increased investments in commodity

value chains, climate resilience and employment

opportunities in rural areas help

rural people increase their incomes and improve

their food and nutrition security, and

create jobs for young people, strengthening

communities.

>Page 9 >Page 10

Chandpur Zilla Parishad election was held in a fair environment under the strict supervision

of law enforcement and administration. CCTV cameras are installed in each center. Photo :

Star Mail

Finance in Common Summit

Keep your promise

to take Rohingyas

back home, Momen

DHAKA : Foreign Minister AK Abdul

Momen has said Myanmar “should keep

their promise” for the repatriation of the

Rohingyas to their place of origin in Rakhine

State.

“We are ready to send them back.

Myanmar should keep their promise.

They should come forward and do their

part of the job,” Momen told reporters at

the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday.

Despite assurance from the Myanmar

side, not a single person was taken

back over the last five years, said the foreign

minister.

Bangladesh is hosting over 1.1 million

Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan

Char. Momen also criticised the countries

which are doing “business as usual”

with Myanmar though they talk about

human rights issues.

“These are not acceptable. If you truly

value human rights, then you need to

remain aware of it,” he said, referring to

the trade and investment relations of the

European Union and the UK with Myanmar.

Momen said Myanmar agreed to take

them back after verification and assured

that they will provide safety and security

for the Rohingyas there.

“They made a commitment to create a

condition for a safe and dignified return,”

he said, adding that the saddest thing is

that not a single Rohingya could return.

Noting Myanmar’s internal problems,

the foreign minister said where there is

a will, there is a way despite those problems.

Zilla Parishad polls were

peaceful, disciplined,

says CEC

DHAKA : Chief Election Commissioner

(CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal said on Monday

that the Zilla Parishad elections

were held very peacefully and in a disciplined

way.

“There was no report of irregularities,

violence and riots anywhere. The commission

is fully satisfied with the election,”

he told journalists after the elections

closed on Monday afternoon.

The commission organised the elections

to 57 Zilla Parishads by using Electronic

Voting Machines (EVMs) while

CCTV cameras were installed in all polling

stations across the country.

The commission monitored the polling

centrally from its headquarters in

Dhaka from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.

Monitoring the voting process

through CCTV cameras was a new experience

in conducting the election, the

CEC said adding that he believed this will

enable them to conduct a free and fair

election in the future.

“We have been saying since the beginning

that we want transparent elections.

Our responsibility is (to ensure)

if the voters can exercise their right to

vote. You see, no second person went to

the polling booth today. Voters voted in a

very orderly fashion. We have reinforced

Tiger Conservation Project

sees slow progress

KHULNA : The tiger census in the Sundarbans,

which was scheduled to begin in

October and got delayed for slow pace in

fund approval, is expected to begin in the

beginning of the next year, said officials

at the Forest Department. The Planning

Commission approved the allocation last

week, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of

Sundarsbans west zone and project director

Abu Naser Mohsin told UNB.

“Now we can get the money once

the Environment, Forest and Climate

Change Ministry releasesthe fund. Efforts

are underway for quick disbursement

of the fund,” he said.

According to the Forest Department,

the ‘Sundarbans Tiger Conservation

Project’ was approved in March this year

with an estimated cost of Tk 35.93 crore

and counting tigers at a cost of Tk 3.26

crore is a part of the project.

This project work was scheduled to

start this month, but it fell into uncertainty

as the Planning Commission delayed

to give its nod for fund allocation

CEC Kazi Habibul Awal

the monitoring. The number of cameras

has been increased,” he added.

Replying to a question on whether

it is possible to use CCTV cameras in a

large-scale election, the CEC said such

cameras are being used in small-scale

elections, but the commission will try

to enhance its capacity to use them in a

bigger election.

Monday’s voting was held in 462 centres

having 925 booths across the country

while the number of voters was 60,866.

for counting tigers. Tiger counting will

start upon release of the fund but it is not

possible to tell exactly how much time

will be required for the work of the Ministry,

said the project director.

Under the current project, 200 specialised

cameras will be used. Moreover,

some 90 cameras used in the 2018 census

will also be utilised, said Mohsin.

Other activities in the project would

include the training of 340 members of

49 village response teams and 185 members

of community patrolling groups.

“At least two tigers will be fitted with

satellite collars, which will help us monitor

parasite attacks on them and diseases.

We will collect this data, analyse and

publish a report as part of the project,”

said the forest official.

Two observatory towers will also be

established and firefighting equipment

and drones will be used under the project

as every year some tiger habitats get destroyed

in sudden forest fires during the

dry season, he said.

The South City Corporation conducted drive for the second day on Monday to evict a

large part of the illegally constructed buildings and factories in place of Buriganga Adi

Channel in Kamrangir Char of the capital.

Photo : Star Mail

TUesDAy, OCTOBeR 18, 2022

2

Dr. Khursheduzzaman (Mishri Mia) Welfare Trust has started a program to provide free procedures/operations

for various eye conditions to roughly 1000 patients in Jamalpur's Islampur

Upazila.

Photo : Courtesy

President, PM pay homage to Sheikh

Russel on his 59th birthday

DHAKA : President M Abdul Hamid and

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday

paid rich tributes to Shaheed Sheikh

Russel, youngest son of Father of Nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,

on his 59th birthday to be observed

today.

On the eve of the day, they issued

separate messages recalling the

memories of Shaheed Sheikh Russel with

due respect.

They also prayed for the eternal peace

of the departed soul of Sheikh Russel.

The President, in his message, said

Sheikh Russel, also youngest brother of

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was born

on October 18 in 1964 at the historic

Bangabandhu Bhaban at Dhanmondi

and the name 'Russel' was given by

Bangabandhu himself.

He said that Sheikh Russel was

assassinated by the killers on August 15

in 1975.

Russel was brutally killed along with

most of his family members including his

father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur

Rahman when he was a student of class

four of University Laboratory School,

said the head of the state.

Bangabandhu loved children very

much, Abdul Hamid said, adding that

Bangabandhu knew that in order to build

a happy and prosperous 'Sonar Bangla',

the new generation had to be built as

worthy citizens.

For this, it is necessary to flourish their

good qualities from childhood and they

(new generation) have to be nurtured

with the spirit of honesty, patriotism and

devotion, he said.

"On the auspicious occasion of the

birthday of Shaheed Sheikh Russel, the

youngest son of Bangabandhu, I pay my

deep respects to the memory of Russel,"

said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in

her message.

In order to properly highlight the life of

Sheikh Russel before the children,

'Sheikh Russel Day' is observed every

year, she said.

Bangabandhu's favorite author was the

famous philosopher and Nobel Prize

winner author Bertrand Russell and that

is why Bangabandhu and Bangamata

had named their little boy 'Russel', she

added.

"The first picture that comes to mind

when you hear the name Russel is the

playful childhood of a smiling and lively

little child, she said, adding that the

child's eyes were full of joy. A beautiful

face with messy hair filling the head, that

face is filled with love and affection," she

recalled.

His birthday is declared as 'Sheikh

Russel Day' so that every year, children

and teenagers could learn about the life

of the child Russel, she said.

She lauded this year's theme of 'Sheikh

Russel Day' which is 'Sheikh Russel

Nirmalar Protik Duranta Pranbanta

Nirvik'.

The prime minister said August 15 of

1975 is a fateful night as Father of the

Nation Bangabandhu and 18 members of

his family embraced martyrdom by

conspirators, betrayers and antiliberation

elements on that black night.

Tiny Sheikh Russel was not spared by the

killers, she said, adding, "Russel wanted

to live, appealed to the killers for his life,

told them of going to his mother but the

killers, assuring Russel of taking him to

his mother, killed the little boy brutally."

"Sheikh Russel is no more among us

but there is his sacred memory . . . I roam

around searching Russel in every child

and we have to build these children with

the spirit of Russel for building the

golden Bengal as dreamt by father of the

nation Bangabandhu," added the

premier.

Both the president and the prime

minister wished all the success for the

programmes taken for the birthday

celebration of Russel.

'Actor Masum Aziz

a shining star in

our cultural arena':

Shahriar Alam

DHAKA : Expressing deep

grief and sorrow at the death

of Ekushey Padak-winning

actor Masum Aziz, State

Minister for Foreign Affairs

Md Shahriar Alam on

Monday said Aziz was a

shining star of Bangladesh's

cultural arena, reports UNB.

"Actor Masum Aziz was a

shining star of our cultural

arena. He has made a lasting

place in the hearts of the

audience with his multidimensional

acting talent," he

said in a condolence message.

The State Minister said

people will remember his

quality acting for a long time.

"The death of Masum Aziz

caused an irreparable loss to

our cultural arena," he said.

The Minister prayed for the

salvation of the soul of late

Masum Aziz and expressed

his deepest condolences to his

bereaved family members.

Aziz passed away on

Monday afternoon at a

private hospital in the capital.

He was admitted to Square

Hospital with cardiac

problems on October 3 and

put on life support later as his

condition deteriorated on

Thursday morning.

Rosatom celebrates global handwashing

day with schoolchildren at Ishwardi

DHAKA : The Engineering Division of Russia's

Rosatom State Corporation organised a series

of educational events aimed at improving the

safety culture among the schoolchildren in the

Rooppur NPP construction region.

The Engineering Division of Rosatom State

Corporation of Russia is the general designer

and general contractor for the construction of

Rooppur NPP at Ishwardi.

According to a Rosatom press release, the

programme was supported by the Bangladesh

Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) and the

Public Information Centre on Nuclear at

Ishwardi.

As part of the programme, a gala event was

held at the Maniknagar Girls High School on

October 15 to celebrate global handwashing

day. The event under the slogan

"Handwashing is your superpower" was

participated by 535 students from 5 schools of

Ishwardi. The main goal is to show how simple

handwashing with soap and water can

effectively fight numerous diseases.

Before the event started, students of the

Manik Nagar Girls High School organized a

cultural program. The girls presented

traditional Bangladeshi dances, songs, and

recitations of poems among others.

Nina Dementsova, Head of the

Communications Department of

Atomstroyexport (ASE), and Engineer Md.

Ashraful Islam, Site Director of the Rooppur

NPP addressed the schoolchildren.

Dr. Muhammad Hasanuzzaman, a doctor

from the Upazilla Lalpur Medical Complex,

conducted training on disease prevention and

demonstrated the correct hand-washing

technique.Following that, all participants

properly washed their hands with soap in

specially prepared washbasins.

At the end of the event, all schoolchildren

received leaflets with simple, understandable,

and illustrative examples of personal hygiene.

On the next day, a group of students were

taken to the Square Toiletries factory in Pabna

and they practically saw the production

process of personal hygiene materials.

The programme will continue for two weeks

and as a part of the programme personal

hygiene products will be distributed among

low-income families in the Rooppur NPP

construction region.

Freight transport strike

in Sylhet from Oct 31

SYLHET : Sylhet divisional unit of Truck-Pick-up-

Covered van Owners Oikkya Parishad has called

for a 48-hour freight transport strike from October

31 demanding the resumption of stone extraction

from quarries, reports UNB.

Golam Hadi Soyful, convener of Sylhet

divisional unit of Truck-Pick-up-Covered van

Owners Oikkya Parishad and President of Sylhet

District Truck-Pick-up-Covered van Owners

Association, made the announcement at a press

conference held at a city hotel on Monday.

He said that about 15 lakh people are involved in

the stone trade in Sylhet. They are now having a

hard time due to the closure of the quarries for

almost 5 years. On October 16, the Oikya Parishad

submitted a memorandum to Sylhet's divisional

commissioner and district commissioner

demanding the opening of the stone quarries.

SAFA president visits ICMAB

DHAKA : President of South

Asian Federation of

Accountants (SAFA) H M

Henneyake Bandara paid a

courtesy visit to Institute of

Cost and Management

Accountants of Bangladesh

(ICMAB) yesterday.

Md Mamunur Rashid,

President, ICMAB welcomed

the SAFA President at the

institute. The SAFA

President met ICMAB

officials in a meeting, said a

press release.

The President of ICMAB

highlighted the education

and

professional

development initiatives of

ICMAB. SAFA President

appreciated ICMAB's new

curriculum in line with IFAC

guidelines.

He also emphasized on the

mutual professional

collaboration of regional

PAOs in South Asia for

creating professional

synergy in this region.

He assured his best

cooperation regarding

mutual professional

development between SAFA

and CMA Bangladesh. He

emphasized on research and

education of ESG and other

contemporary issues related

to professional development.

Former presidents of

ICMAB Abu Bakar Siddique,

ASM Shaykhul Islam, Vice

President Md Munirul Islam,

Chairman of Dhaka Branch

Council Dr. Syed Abdullah Al

Mamun, Vice-Chairman of

Training Committee Arifur

Rahman Meethu and senior

officials of the Institute were

present in the meeting.

12 hacked to

death in east

DR Congo

BUNIA : Suspected militiamen

hacked 12 people to death with

machetes in a village in eastern

DR Congo, a region plagued by

violence from armed groups for

years, local sources said

Saturday.

The armed men attacked the

village of Masome in Ituri

province on Friday morning,

local civil society leader Gustave

Kakani told AFP.

"The victims were women

and men, cut up with machetes.

Some bodies were decapitated,

others were found tied up. The

victims were subjected to

atrocious torture before being

executed," he added.

A fire incident occurred due to electrical short circuit at Rangpur Divisional Headquarters. Before

the fire spread, the fire service members with the help of the headquarters people were able to douse

the fire quickly.

Photo : TBT

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2022

3

Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Md Shahab Uddin addressed a program as the

chief guest on the occasion of World Food Day 2022.

Photo : PID

Biswajit Das murder case

Fugitive convict

held in city

DHAKA : Rapid Action

Battalion (Rab) on Monday

arrested a fugitive convict

who had been on the run

since his conviction in

Biswajit Das murder case in

2012.

The arrestee was

Mosharraf Hossain alias

Abdullah, 34, of

Kishoreganj. He was

sentenced to life in jail in the

case.

Tipped off, a team of Rab-

2 arrested Abdullah

conducting a drive in the

city's Gulshan area on

Sunday night, said Senior

Assistant Superintendent of

Police (ASP) Md Fazlul

Haque, senior additional

director (Media) of RAB-2.

On December 9, 2012,

tailoring shop employee

Biswajit was chopped to

death by some BCL activists

near Bahadur Shah Park in

Old Dhaka during the BNPled

alliance's countrywide

road blockade programme.

On December 18, 2013, a

tribunal sentenced eight

BCL activists to death and 13

others, including Abdullah,

to life imprisonment in the

murder case. On August 6,

2017, the High Court upheld

the death sentences of

Rafiqul Islam Shakil and

Rajon Talukder and

commuted the capital

punishment of four other

convicts - Mahfuzur

Rahman Nahid, Emdadul

Haque Emdad, GM

Rasheduzzaman

Shawon

and Mir Nurul Alam Liman -

to life term.

Gazipur filling

station fire death

toll rises to 2

DHAKA : The death toll

from the Gazipur filling

station fire rose to two with

the death of another victim

at Dhaka Medical College

and Hospital (DMCH) early

Monday.

The deceased was

identified as covered van

driver Parvez, 33, of

Chandpur district.

Parvez, who sustained

86 percent burns,

breathed his last at Sheikh

Hasina National Institute

of Burn and Plastic

Surgery of DMCH around

6:30 am, said the

hospital's police outpost

in-charge Md Bacchu

Mia.

On October 13, the fire

broke out in a cylinder-laden

van while refuelling gas at

Wahed Ali Filling Station in

Gazipur's Borobari area and

then spread, leaving seven

people injured.

The seven people who

sustained burn injuries in

the fire were all standing

nearby. They were first

taken to Tahirunnesa

Memorial Medical College

Hospital (TMMC) and five

of them were shifted to

DMCH in a critical

condition.

Among them, Mithu,26

succumbed to his injuries on

Friday.

Climate disasters, debt

a vicious cycle, say 58

vulnerable economies

DHAKA : The V20 Group of Finance

Ministers from 58 climate-vulnerable

economies - representing some 1.5 billion

people including Bangladesh - Sunday

demanded reforms in the global financing

architecture as they face mounting economic

threats from climate disasters and debt.

V20 countries have at least $435 billion of

debt servicing payments due in four years at

a time when new investment is severely

needed, the Group said in its V20 Ministerial

Dialogue IX Communique.

The combination of high debt servicing

costs and climate change represents a

systemic risk to climate-vulnerable

economies that can trigger a vicious cycle

that depresses revenues and exchange rates

while increasing inflation and the cost of

capital including for investments to respond

to climate shocks themselves - all are factors

that exacerbate climate vulnerabilities.

Climate change shocks and disasters have

already eliminated $525 billion from V20

economies in the past 20 years, according to

research commissioned by the Group.

"As economic managers, it has long been

clear to us that climate change is not a distant

challenge. It has set ablaze not only many of

the world's forests but also our fragile

national budgets. Climate change is simply

compounding existing and increasingly

acute fiscal stress," Ken Ofori-Atta, Ghana's

finance minister and current V20 chair, said.

"The international financial architecture

must become fit for climate and our

development ambitions and it must support

and not detract from transformational

changes needed in the real economy towards

our common prosperity."

"Climate change has already eliminated

one-fifth of our wealth - in other words, V20

economies would be 20 percent wealthier

today had we not been suffering the daily toll

of climate loss and damage. In aggregate

dollar terms, this is half a trillion in losses.

And for the most at-risk countries, economic

losses exceed half of all growth since 2000,"

President of the Maldives Mohamed

Nasheed said.

"For the most at-risk V20 economies, the

loss exceeds total growth. We are

experiencing losses and damages from the

climate emergency every day, and yet we

have contributed the least to emissions."

Other calls from the V20 Ministerial

Dialogue IX Communique include

immediate reform of the sovereign debt

restructuring architecture.

Then, through guarantee facilities and

regulatory action, all creditor classes will be

compelled to reduce the level of debt in V20

countries for them to mobilise financing for

their climate and development goals,

according to the statement UNB received

from Washington.

The Group called on all international

financial institutions and their major donors

to consider debt flexibility to free up capital

for investment in growth-spurring climate

action. It urged multilateral financing

institutions to specify their commitment to

climate investment and to deliver at least a

doubling in international finance for

adaptation within the next 30 months, with

all multilateral development banks (MDBs)

ensuring their climate portfolios are at least

50 percent focused on climate adaptation.

Also, it said the delivery of the minimum

$100 billion a year goal is commensurate

with the emergency nature of the fallout of

the global climate breakdown as it harms

V20 economies and developing nations most

and called for clear evidence of results

through an update to the $100 billion

Delivery Plan by COP27.

HC wants list of

people encroaching

Kaptai Lake land

DHAKA : The High Court (HC) yesterday

ordered authorities concerned to prepare

and submit a list of people encroaching

Kaptai Lake banks within next one month.

A High Court division bench comprising

Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Md

Shohrowardi passed the order after holding

hearing on a writ petition filed by rights body

Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh

(HRPB).

The court asked the authorities concerned

to take necessary steps to ensure none can

encroach anymore land of Kaptai Lake. It

also issued a rule asking authorities

concerned to explain as to why it shall not

declare illegal the inaction of administration

in stopping the encroachments.

Senior Advocate Manjil Morshed moved

the plea before the court and confirmed the

matter to the newsmen.

"The court asked 12 officials concerned

including Environment Secretary, LGRD

Secretary and Director General of

Department of Environment to respond the

rule within next four weeks," Advocate

Morshed said.

Members of Jashore 49 BGB Battalion arrested a smuggler named Anil

Kumar and recovered 1 kg 165 grams of gold from his shoes. The detained

Anil Kumar is the son of Bimalendu Biswas of Bikrampur Nimatoli village

of Sirajdikhan upazila of Munshiganj district.

Photo : Courtesy

JU suspends 11

Chhatra League

activists for

torturing journalist

JAHANGIRNAGAR UNIVERSITY :

The Jahangirnagar University

authorities have suspended 11

activists of Bangladesh

Chhatra League (BCL) for six

months each in connection

with torturing a journalist.

The suspended students

are - Md Asadul Haque,

Arifuzzaman Sejan, Raihan

Habib, Mohammad Masum

Billah, Mirza Shahnoor ul

Haque Zian, Mir Hasibul

Hasan Reshad, Muntasir

Ahmed Tahrim, Md Zahid

Nazrul, Imran Bashar,

Zayed-bin-Mehdi, and AS

Nafis Hossain.

Of them, Asadul Haque

was suspended for six

months and fined Tk 5,000

tk while 10 others were

suspended for the same

period but were fined Tk

2,000 each.

The action was taken at an

emergency syndicate

meeting on Sunday

afternoon, said JU Syndicate

Member and Treasurer Prof

Rasheda Akhtar.

She said this decision was

taken as per the

recommendation of the

investigation committee and

disciplinary board formed

following the complaint.

Girls must enjoy right to decide

for themselves: Speakers

DHAKA : Girls must enjoy the right to decide

for themselves to inspire and empower

young women and girls' leadership enabling

them to become active citizens, said speakers

on Monday at Girls Summit 2022-Dhaka, in

Gazipur.

International development organisation

Plan International Bangladesh organised a

three-day girls' summit in Gazipur at a

residential space.

The objective is to train young girls in

leadership and knowledge management and

educate them about their body rights, civic

rights, and capacitate them in planning

effective campaigns in their communities.

Meher Afroz Chumki, MP, Chairman of

the Parliamentary Standing Committee on

the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs,

virtually inaugurated the summit.

She shared that girls and young women are

reaching new heights every day with their

creativity and resilience.

"Thanks to our Prime Minister's dynamic

leadership, we have successfully reduced

child marriage and increased women's

participation in various economic activities,"

Chumki said.

She also appreciated Plan International

Bangladesh and Youth Engagement for

Sustainability, Bangladesh for organizing

this summit.

Md Azharul Islam Khan, Director General

of Ministry of Youth and Sports, addressed

the opening session as the chief guest.

"I am here today because it is my

responsibility to empower girls and young

women like you. Leadership does not have

any gender, and anyone with skill and

experience deserves to be a leader," he said,

adding that he is committed to supporting

similar youth-led initiatives for gender

equality.

Kabita Bose, Country Director of Plan

International Bangladesh said leaders of

tomorrow should adopt an eagle's eye view

of future challenges.

Being confined to a limited worldview will

curb your potential as leaders. This is why,

we at Plan International Bangladesh, want

you to explore the vast world of

opportunities available and live up to your

full potential".

She also mentioned that the Girls'

Summit is a flagship event that is

celebrated in more than 80 countries

worldwide by Plan International, with

the aim of enhancing girls' leadership

skills.

Wahida Banu, Executive Director of

Aparajeyo Bangladesh, Farha Farin, Project

Officer of Bandhu Social Welfare Society,

and Aparna Barma, Director of HR and OD

of Plan International Bangladesh also spoke

at the event.

Around 70 girls and young women

within 15 to 24 years from all over Dhaka

have come together in this event to build

leadership skills through equal power and

become active citizens of this everchanging

world.

Dr. Omar Farooq, Director General of Bangladesh Technical Education Directorate inaugurating

Internship Fest 2022 cutting ribbon organized by Daffodil Polytechnic Institute in the capital. Mohammad

Abdullah Al Mahmud Zaman, Secretary, Bangladesh Technical Education Board, Md. Mosharraf Hossain,

President, Federation of Bangladesh Human Resource Organization and Mohammad Nuruzzaman. Chief

Executive Officer, Daffodil Family were present in the program.

Photo : Courtesy

Indictment hearing in two cases

against Khaleda on Nov 17

DHAKA : A court yesterday set November 17

for holding hearing on charge framing in two

cases, one for observing fake birthday on

National Mourning Day and another for

stigmatizing the War of Liberation, lodged

against BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda

Zia.

On Monday, was fixed for holding the

indictment hearings in the two cases, but

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate

Asaduzzaman Noor reset the date, allowing a

time plea of the defence.

Khaleda Zia's counsel Advocate Masud

Ahmed Talukder filed the time plea, saying

his client could not appear before the court

due to her illness.

Journalist Gazi Jahirul Islam lodged the

fake birthday case against Khaleda on

August 30, 2016.

According to the complainant, Khaleda

from 1996 was celebrating her fake birthday

on August 15, the day when Father of the

Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur

Rahman was martyred along with most of

his family members. She is doing this on

purpose only to dishonour the Father of the

Nation.

The complainant also submitted copies of

different newspaper reports on Khaleda's

birthday, copies of her passport, marriage

certificate and mark sheets, which indicates

August 15 is not her birthday in anyway.

Jananetri Parishad president AB Siddiqui

filed the other case on November 3, 2016,

against Khaleda Zia and her late husband

Ziaur Rahman for stigmatizing the War of

Liberation by rehabilitating anti- Liberation

War elements.

The BNP chief is on bail in both the cases

as Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge KM

Imrul Qayesh granted her bail on July 31,

2018.

TCB starts selling essential items

for 1 crore low-income families

DHAKA : The Trading Corporation of

Bangladesh (TCB) has started sale of

essential items at a subsidized rate among

one crore families.

The sale programme was formally

launched at an event organized by TCB at

Lalmatia in the capital on Monday.

Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah, senior

secretary to the Prime Minister's Office

inaugurated the sale programme while

Tapan Kanti Ghosh, senior secretary to the

Commerce Ministry was present.

AHM Shafiquzzaman, director general

(Additional Secretary), Directorate of

National Consumers' Right Protection,

Brigadier General Md. Ariful Hassan,

chairman of TCB, Syed Hasan Nur Islam,

councilor ward-32, Dhaka North City

Corporation, Md. Rafiqul Islam, proprietor

of Anu Enterprise, were,among others,

present at the function.

The cardholder families will be able to buy

one kg sugar at Tk 55, two kg lentils at Tk 65

per kg, two litres of soybean oil at Tk 110 a

litre and two kg onions at Tk 20 per kg

during the sales period.

Initially four items - lentil, sugar, soybean

oil and onion -will be sold across the country

including in the capital through the

designated dealers of the TCB, said a press

release.

Dengue death toll rises to 96

as two more die in 24 hrs

DHAKA : Two more dengue patients died in

24 hours till Monday morning, raising this

year's death toll from the mosquito-borne

disease in Bangladesh to 96.

During this period, 857 more patients were

hospitalised with viral fever as cases keep

rising, according to the Directorate General

of Health Services (DGHS).

Of the latest deaths, one was reported from

Dhaka division and another from Khulna

division.

The dengue death toll in Dhaka division

stands at 54, in Chattogram division it

remained static at 34, in Barishal division at

five and in Mymensingh division at 1.

Of the new patients, 523 were admitted

to different hospitals in Dhaka and 334

outside it.

One Covid-19

death, 389 positive

cases reported in

Bangladesh

DHAKA : Bangladesh

yesterday recorded one

Covid-19 death and 389

coronavirus positive

cases in 24 hours.

"Bangladesh reported

6.92 percent Covid-19

positive cases as 5,625

samples were tested

during the last 24 hours,"

a daily statement of the

Directorate General of

Health Services (DGHS)

said.

In the past 24 hours,

the combined figure of

coronavirus infection in

Dhaka district and the

capital is 260 while zero

Covid-19 death was

reported during the

period.

The official tally

showed that the virus

killed a total of 29,402

people and infected

20,32,832 so far, the

statement added.

The recovery count rose

to 19,74,852 after another

644 patients were

discharged from the

dedicated hospitals

during the last 24 hours.

From the beginning of

the pandemic, 97.15

percent Covid-19 patients

recovered among the

infected people while 1.45

percent died, the DGHS

statistics showed.

Among the 29,402

fatalities, 12,937 occurred

in Dhaka, 5,900 in

Chattogram, 2,155 in

Rajshahi, 3,735 in

Khulna, 993 in Barishal,

1,350 in Sylhet, 1,428 in

Rangpur and 904 in

Mymensingh divisions.

TUESDAy, OCTOBER 18, 2022

4

Sheikh Russel lovingly recalled by countrymen

Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam

e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com

Tuesday, October 18, 2022

Healthy habits for

health and fitness

M

any

people are in the habit of gulping down

medicines regularly. The taking of medicine for

them might be akin to the mentality of some

people who seem to appreciate wearing glasses out of a

feeling that the same improves their appearance

intellectually or they look more dignified. People on

medicines in this country, at least in some cases, cannot

even think perhaps that they can probably stay well or get

on without medicine. For some of them, taking of

medicine might even appear like a status symbol. They

enjoy talking to friends and neighbours about the number

of medicines they take, their experiences with doctors and

so on. In fact, they tend to make a hobby out of

discussing bad health or health related distresses.

Surely such people are missing the greatest of all human

blessing which is to be in a state of good physical and

mental health. With the body and mind in good health

and fitness, human enjoy to the fullest and deepest life

around them . The relish that a healthy person gets from

eating cannot be enjoyed by a constipated one or one who

suffers from gastric disorders. The mental uplift that a

healthy person gets from looking at a bunch of flowers is

not similarly felt by a person in bad health.

And we do not almost always need medicines for health

and fitness. People who exercise regularly or walk can

automatically ward off diseases like high blood pressure

or regulate other diseases like diabetes, gastritis, etc.

Physical activity, mental disciplining, etc. can add so

much to the health and fitness-mental and physical-for

most of us. Unfortunately, this plain truth is still not well

understood perhaps in our society and the outcomes are

resources wasted on medical care and the joys of living

lost.

The best ones in the realm of medicine also agree on the

concept of the mind-body connection. They maintain

that many diseases have an origin in the mind. Untreated,

the physical symptoms from such illnesses such as many

allergies, show up. But once these mental problems are

effectively treated, the physical manifestations of the

same disappear. Thus, there is a point in keeping the

mind well. Such well-being of the mind can be achieved

through mental training and exercises.

In this respect people's perception regarding being

'smart' plays a critical role. For example, nowadays a

person is regarded smart if he/ she chooses burger over

home made foods. These junk foods cause people not to

eat a proper balanced diet, instead people consume large

amounts of fat and calories.

Furthermore, with the sharing of information and ideas

across countries our concept of 'beauty' has also got a new

westernized dimension. People especially women are

being portrayed and represented in media as beautiful if

they are slim and slender in general. Therefore, social and

cultural influences coupled with peer pressure affects the

minds of the young people to become thin, slim, skinny

and beautiful. Consequently, young people (mostly

women) starve without considering the possible grave

consequences of indiscriminate starvation. Thus, people

are suffering either from under nutrition (anorexia) or

over nutrition (obesity).

Being inconsiderate about how to get the proper

vitamins and nutrition people do not find a middle

ground between the two extremes. Besides, as people do

not realize and ignore or even overlook the health

implications that over or under eating can cause for a

person, many people suffer from severe health problems

during older age such as: heart disease, diabetes and high

blood pressure, obesity and fatigue, mal-nutrition and

anorexia.

Another impact of globalization is the proliferation of

computers, televisions, video games and other various

forms of electronic entertainment which is making people

devoid of physical activity. Advancement of technology

means less physical work is needed and electronic means

of entertainment lead children and adolescents to

spending more and more of their time in front of the TV,

computers and playing video games rather than involving

in activities demanding more physical engagement.

Consequently, more and more children, adolescents

and young people with every passing day suffer obesity

and other forms of chronic diseases. Further, sleeping late

in the night has become a regular feature for the young

generation of the country. This has become a practice as

people remain busy with Internet and social networking

sites, movies, video games, etc.

The consequences of this tendency are alarming as

young people are being short of regularity and time

maintenance; thus work efficiency is also getting

decreased. Besides, health consequences are also grave as

more and more people has started to suffer from eye

problem (computer vision syndrome) due to over

exposure to radiation as they spend hours before the

screen of the computer. Furthermore, disconnection

between body time and working hours can result in

restlessness, sleep disruption, and shorter sleep duration

which may lead to heart attack, suicide and accidents.

Albeit the aggravating situation posed by the changing

lifestyle of the people in the form of increasing rate of

chronic diseases we find little concentrated efforts to

address the threatening situation.As chronic diseases

have emerged major health hazards for the people of

Bangladesh, massive information, education and

communication campaign should be driven forward to

make mass people aware of the possible grave outcomes

of continuing negative lifestyles that have become regular

for many people.

Bangabandhu's

youngest son,

Sheikh Russel, was

born in Dhaka on 18

October 1964. At the

time of his death,

Russel was a student

of Class Four at

Dhaka University

Laboratory School.

According to articles written by those

close to the family, including Prime

Minister Sheikh Hasina herself, Russel

did not get much of his father due to the

latter's political activities that sent him to

jail again and again. His house tutor says

that "the kid had sympathy for the poor.

He used to give away gifts as donations.

Whenever he found any poor being

cheated, Russel would take him to his

father and complain." Russel had strong

determination of mind. In the house tutor

Gitali's words: "Once he failed to pass in

mathematics in the half-yearly

examinations. So Sheikh Rehana

snubbed him. But when I told him that I

would take the poison, he promptly told

me to wait until next time [final exams]."

"And he did it. Showing the result card,

Russel told me not to take poison. 'I've

succeeded', he said."

On 15 August 1975, Russel pleaded to

the coup leaders that he be taken to his

mother, not knowing she had already

been killed. "The killers, in a mecabre

moment made him walk past the bodies

of his close ones. Finally, when he

confronted his mother's body sprawled in

the lobby, he burst into tears.

"Take me to Hasu Apa (Sheikh

Hasina)," he said. But Sheikh Hasina and

her younger sister, Sheikh Rehana, were

abroad at that time,

"His mind comprised a soulful blend of

merit and thoughtfulness," said Sheikh

Russel's teacher Gitali Dasgupta, recalling

her memories with the youngest son of

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Once I taught something to Russel, he

learned it for life, "she said at a webinar

organized by the web team of Awami

League.

Reflecting on Sheikh Russel, Novelist

Selina Hossain said, "I consider him as

the child symbolizing the dream of

freedom. Since his childhood, he had

patriotism inherited from his family."

Actor and Sampriti Bangladesh

Convener Pijush Bandyopadhyay, "When

the child Russel wanted to go to his

mother, the killers brought him to his

mother and killed him. It is not an instant

decision. It was all well-planned. They

knew it very well that the blood of

Bangabandhu and Bangamata ran

through his body and so he "shouldn't be

spared".

October 16 marks 60 years since

the Cuban missile crisis - the

13-day standoff between the

United States and the Soviet Union

widely regarded as the closest we ever

came to global nuclear war. On this

anniversary, as we veer terrifyingly

close to the brink of Armageddon once

again, we should look to that crisis to

guide us in resolving our present one.

On October 7, US President Joe

Biden warned that in the Ukraine war,

"for the first time since the Cuban

missile crisis, we have a direct threat

to the use of nuclear weapons." The

warning is well founded.

Top Kremlin ally Ramzan Kadyrov,

head of the Chechen Republic,

recently wrote that Russia should

consider "the use of low-yield nuclear

weapons." Russian TV and military

blogs echo such suggestions. And

Russian President Vladimir Putin has

stressed that he is willing to use "all

means" in the conflict.

It's impossible to know whether

Putin is willing to follow through on

his threat. Harvard Kennedy School

professor Matthew Bunn pegs the

chances at about 10-20%. But we do

know how to reduce the risk of

catastrophe. The Cuban missile crisis

proved that even in the face of

potential nuclear devastation, deescalation

is possible and diplomacy

can prevail.

Experts and scholars have relitigated

the crisis for decades. But in recent

years, archives and memoirs have

clarified the picture of what happened

during those 13 days starting on

October 16, 1962.

The tale is clearly articulated in

Gambling with Armageddon, a 2020

book by Pulitzer-winning historian

Martin J Sherwin that The New York

Women Affairs Secretary of Bangladesh

Awami League central committee Meher

Afroz Chumki, MP, said, "We don't know

what Russel would have become growing

up. But we know that his family lived only

in service of people. Therefore, we can

understand how much the children of this

family could contribute had they

remained alive."

Prof Nasreen Ahmad, Pro-Vice-

Chancellor (Academic) of Dhaka

University, said, "The day Sheikh Russel

was born, I had the same feeling like

Sheikh Rehana that my baby brother was

born. When I think of Russel, August 15

flashes through my mind.

"That was a diabolical moment. We

were close enough, heard the ratting

sound of firing. Just imagine what went

through the mind of that kin. How could

they pierce his heart with bullets? How

could they be so void of any feeling?

Didn't their hands tremble? Didn't their

heart shudder? The only prayer I have on

this day, 'Wherever he is, let him be in

peace."

The 1975 coup leaders led by executed

colonel Faruq Rahman and fugitive

Coloner Rahid, among others, did not

spare Bangabandhu's most loving child,

TARApADA ACHARjEE

10-year-old Sheikh Russel. They also

killed little Arift Serniabat and Sukanto

Abdullah, kin of Bangabandhu, possibly

because they were male heirs of the

Sheikh family and future leaders.

Russel wanted to live very much and

had possibly thought he would survive if

he could go abroad to his sisters.

But, instead of having a little mercy of

pity on a child begging for his life, they

Sheikh Russel's merciless killing resonate another

sad reality about the vulnerability and insecurity of

our children. 50 years on, hundred of our children

have become victims of murder, rape, physical and

mental torture and in recent times the intensity of

torture on our children has become despicable.

Times declared "should become the

definitive account" of the event. The

book offers urgently relevant lessons,

both about the circumstances that can

bring humanity to the edge of

annihilation and how we can step back

from that brink.

One chilling reminder of how crises

are sometimes averted was offered by

the late US secretary of state Dean

Acheson in 1969. Reviewing Thirteen

Days, Robert F Kennedy's posthumous

memoir, Acheson, who advised thenpresident

John F Kennedy during the

Cuba crisis, strikingly contended that

nuclear war was averted thanks to

"plain dumb luck."

Sure enough, it has since come to

light that a nuclear missile came close

to being fired not once but twice - once

by the US 498th Tactical Missile

Group on Okinawa, Japan, and once

by a Soviet submarine in Cuban

waters. In both instances, the

resistance of a single individual

derailed a launch.

Of course, the world cannot rely on

luck alone to prevent nuclear disaster.

In 1962, according to political scientist

Graham Allison, JFK put the odds of

nuclear war "between one in three and

even." If Kennedy's assessment was

accurate, then after just a few more

shot him. He was the last person to be

killed on that dark night, the most

shameful chapter in the country's history.

Sheikh Kamal, the eldest son, was the first

man to be shot dead.

Muhitul Islam, personal assistant to

Bangabandhu, in his deposition to a court

in the Banglabandhu Murder case, said

that some army men consoled Russel

saying that he was being taken to his

mother.

Dr M A Wazed Miah, the prime

minister's late scientist husband, gave a

description of Russel's killing in his book,

'Some happenings surrounding

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib and

Bangladesh.

He wrote "Amidst the killing spree,

Russel ran downstairs and sought refuge

in the Staff Room of the President

KATRINA VANDEN HEUVEL

comparable confrontations, "the

likelihood of nuclear war would

approach certainty."

Humanity cannot afford to spin the

cylinder again in this game of Russian

roulette; we must unload the gun. Our

only path forward is de-escalation.

And de-escalation, as Sherwin makes

clear, begins with dialogue.

During the Cuban missile crisis,

During the Cuban missile crisis, people such as

General Curtis LeMay argued that negotiation was

tantamount to appeasement. But level-headed

discussion is essential to avoiding certain doom. To

sacrifice it in the name of jingoistic posturing is not

just absurd; it's potentially apocalyptic.

people such as General Curtis LeMay

argued that negotiation was

tantamount to appeasement. But

level-headed discussion is essential to

avoiding certain doom. To sacrifice it

in the name of jingoistic posturing is

not just absurd; it's potentially

apocalyptic.

As the late Soviet leader Nikita

Khrushchev recalled, "The biggest

tragedy, as [my military advisers] saw

it, was not that our country might be

devastated and everything lost, but

that the Chinese or the Albanians

might accuse us of appeasement or

weakness.… What good would it have

done me in the last hour of my life to

know that though our great nation and

the United States were in complete

ruins, the national honor of the Soviet

Union was intact?"

Today, as the world faces the threat

of obliteration once more, figures of all

(Bangabandhu). Abdur Rahman Roma,

who had been taking care of Russel for

long, held the child's hand at that

moment. After some time, one solidier

took Russel away saying he would be sent

out of this house. Russel cried and begged

to spare his life for the sake of Allah. A

sentry couldn't stand this heart-touching

begging anymore and hid him in the

sentry box at the main gate of the house.

But after about half an hour, an army

Major saw Russel and took him upstairs

and killed him in cold blood with a

revolver."

For whatever reason Sheikh Russel was

murdered, his assassination also testifies

the unimaginable brutality of a few beasts

disguised as army officers at that time

who were hell-bent to wipe-out our

Father of the Nation and his family from

earth. The sinister attempt to do so, had

miserably failed. On the contrary, Sheikh

Russel, with his childish charm and

innocent looks, appears to be ever

glowing under various banners of youth

and sports establishments in today's

Bangladesh. The killers could not wipe

out the bloodline of our Father of the

Nation.

Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh

Hasina is now the fourth time Prime

Minister of Bangladesh-who has not only

leading the country as a 'Role Model' of

development but also pledged to

implement the unfinished task of her

father to build `Sonar Bangla'. We

remember Sheikh Russel with much

affection placing him close to our hearts.

Sheikh Russel's merciless killing resonate

another sad reality about the vulnerability

and insecurity of our children. 50 years on,

hundred of our children have become

victims of murder, rape, physical and

mental torture and in recent times the

intensity of torture on our children has

become despicable. Over the past five

decades Russsel has become the iconic

symbol of every single oppressed child of

Bangladesh. He not only claims justice for

his murder, rather he has become the silent

voice demanding rights and justice for our

children. Otherwise Russel is the tale of a

child's powerful legacy demanding rights

and justice.

Let us build a safe and secured society

for our children to remove the scar of the

brutal murder of Sheikh Russel. Let us

take a solemn pledge to love and protect

our children's right to live.

Sheikh Russel-we badly miss you on this

day. May The Almighty bless you in heaven

beside your parents and brothers.

The writer is columnist Tax Advisor,

General Secretary,

Sadhu Nag Mahasay Ashram,

Narayanganj.

Cuban missile crisis of 60 years ago still with us today

stripes are calling for dialogue to

prevent doomsday. A small but

growing list of progressive members of

the US Congress (along with several

peace advocacy organizations) are

increasingly focused on how best to

promote de-escalation and dialogue,

inspired by a truth that Ukrainian

President Volodymyr Zelensky has

himself maintained: This war "will

only definitively end through

diplomacy."

Pope Francis issued an

unprecedented statement calling for

global leaders "to do everything

possible to bring an end to the war."

Even former US secretary of state

Henry Kissinger has reiterated the

importance of dialogue. As he recently

argued, "This has nothing to do with

whether one likes Putin or not…. We

are dealing, when nuclear weapons

become introduced, with a historic

alteration in the world system. And a

dialogue between Russia and the West

is important."

We cannot waver from the

conviction that nuclear weapons must

never be used again under any

circumstances.We would be wise at

this grave moment to recall the lessons

of history - encapsulated in Sherwin's

work - and repeat, loudly and often,

the November 1985 declaration of US

president Ronald Reagan and Russian

president Mikhail Gorbachev, restated

as recently as January by the leaders of

the five nuclear-weapons states: "A

nuclear war cannot be won and must

never be fought."

Katrina vanden Heuvel is the editorial

director and publisher of the Nation

and is president of the American

Committee for US-Russia Accord

(ACURA)

TUESday, oCToBEr 18, 2022

5

JoHN QUiGGiN

After dealing with multiple natural

disasters, and facing the need for huge

investment in an overloaded

electricity system, it's not surprising

the Queensland government is in

search of extra revenue ahead of next

week's budget. The obvious source,

already flagged by the treasurer,

Cameron Dick, is an increase in

royalty rates for coal.

These rates, set on a sliding scale

according to the price of coal, have

been frozen for the last 10 years, as

promised by the Newman LNP

government after a small increase in

2012. With the 10-year freeze now

expired, resources groups are

lobbying intensely for no changes to

the existing regime. But there is a

logical case for increasing royalties on

coal, which is currently trading at

spectacularly high prices.

For most commodities, the high

prices we are now observing would be

a signal of favourable prospects. For

coal, it's the opposite. World coal

consumption peaked in 2014, and is

Australia needs to transit from coal based energy

predicted to decline steadily over the

next decade. Many countries have

already ended the use of coal to

generate electricity, or will do so in the

next few years. Metallurgical coal,

used in making steel, will last a bit

longer. But the coal-based blast

furnace technology is already facing

the prospect of replacement by coalfree

techniques using renewable

hydrogen.

While coal demand has flattened

out, new investment in coalmines has

dropped far more rapidly. Investors

can see that there is no long-term

future in coal. Witness BHP's inability

to sell its Mt Arthur coal mine, which

it announced on Thursday would

close in 2030. Meanwhile, global

financial institutions have abandoned

the industry, pledging not to finance

or support new coalmine projects.

In these circumstances, there is only

Coal is on the way out, but a good deal of money can be made in the

meantime.

limited supply response available to

meet temporary increases in demand,

Photo: daniel Munoz

like those arising from the strong

economic recovery after Covid,

followed by sanctions imposed on

Russia. The result is the sharp

increase in prices we have seen

recently.

Coal is on the way out, but a good

deal of money can be made in the

meantime, while high prices last.

Most major corporations, with a longterm

future in mind, have abandoned

the industry. Those that remain need

to reap profits fast, which is why they

are more determined than ever to

resist any increase in taxation.

But the same analysis applies to

royalties, the price paid by miners to

the public as owners of the coal

resource. Usually there is a trade-off

in setting royalty rates, between

maximising revenue while protecting

the long-term future of the industry.

However, this no longer applies.

Investment in new coalmines is in

long-term decline, whether or not

royalty rates are increased.

Queensland's focus must be on

gaining additional revenue while

export demand remains strong and

using it to transform our energy

system. The transition to a carbonfree

energy system will require big

capital expenditures. In particular,

public investment in carbon-free

energy through CleanCo needs to be

greatly expanded.

As well as decarbonising our own

electricity grid, the government needs

to plan for the future of regions which

currently rely on coal exports as a

major source of employment. Many

of these are well suited to produce

solar, wind and hydrogen.

From the government's viewpoint,

the impending decline of coal is both

a challenge and an opportunity. The

challenge is the need for a transition

to a future beyond coal, both as a

source of energy in Australia and as a

major export commodity. The

opportunity is to use the current

period of high coal prices to finance

the transition to a decarbonised

economy.

Can hydrogen power be a climate solution

FioNa

Gary FULLEr

We are taught at school

that hydrogen burns to

produce water. This is

part of its image as clean

fuel. But new analysis is

providing warnings for

the engineers who will

create and operate our

future energy systems.

In 2021, the UK

government launched its

hydrogen strategy,

providing a roadmap to

kickstart a hydrogen

economy by 2030 that

visualises a future where

hydrogen could be

powering the boilers that

heat our homes, fuelling

our transport and

providing heat for

chemical and steel

production.

The first problem for

engineers is that burning

hydrogen does not

produce water only. It

could lead to a

continuation of the

current nitrogen dioxide

pollution from burning

fossil fuels such as diesel

and fossil gas.

The second problem

comes from hydrogen

leakage. Two government

reports show hydrogen is

a climate-heating gas,

a hydrogen hybrid power plant in Wittenhof, Germany.

with a 100-year global

warming potential that is

about 11 times greater

than carbon dioxide.

Unlike carbon dioxide,

hydrogen does not have a

direct effect on climate.

Instead, it affects other

pollutants.

Increased hydrogen in

our air means that

methane, the secondmost

important global

warming gas, would stay

in our air for longer and

have more impact.

More hydrogen would

also change the amount of

ozone in our atmosphere.

This is the third-most

important climatewarming

gas. Close to the

ground, ozone harms our

health and attacks plants,

reducing crop yields.

Increased hydrogen

would also change the

amount of water vapour

in the atmosphere and

affect our stratosphere,

adding to the climate

impact.

Hydrogen leakages are

likely to come from

production and from the

start up and shut down of

turbines and our home

boilers. It may also leak

from pipe networks where

hydrogen will be mixed

with fossil methane as a

step towards hydrogenpowered

villages and then

towns.

Prof Dick Derwent, the

co-author of Air Quality

and Climate Change: the

Basics, who was not part

of the government

reports, said: "Hydrogen

offers a possible role in a

low-carbon economy

where a natural gas

distribution network is

already available.

"Our work has shown

official UK data

underestimates methane

emissions from the gas

distribution network.

They are getting worse not

better with time.

Photo: Bernd Settnik

"Neither government

nor the gas industry in the

UK have any idea what

the natural gas leakage

rate is, so why do we

expect hydrogen leakage

to be any different? It

could well be that

hydrogen distributed to

the domestic sector could

be problematic."

It is clear from the

government reports that

burning hydrogen instead

of fossil fuels will be

climate-beneficial but,

regardless of how

hydrogen is made,

maximising the climate

benefits will require

minimising hydrogen

leakage.

HarvEy

European governments

have been accused of

seeking to exploit the fossil

fuel reserves of the

developing world, while

failing to help them tackle

the climate crisis.

Campaigners made the

charge as the latest round of

UN climate negotiations

ended in stalemate on

Thursday night in Bonn,

Germany.

Few countries have

produced the plans on

tougher emissions cuts they

promised in November at

the Cop26 summit in

Glasgow, Scotland, and

finance and help for poor

countries to adapt to the

impacts of climate

breakdown are still lacking.

How countries choose to

react to the war in Ukraine

and to soaring energy prices

- by boosting renewable

energy and improving

energy efficiency, as the

International Energy

Agency has advised, or by

seeking fresh sources of

fossil fuels - will be decisive

in determining whether the

world manages to stay

within the 1.5C threshold

(the target of limiting global

heating to 1.5C above preindustrial

levels).

Some EU member states,

including Germany, are

making plans to expand

imports of fossil fuels to

replace the vast quantities

of gas Europe currently

buys from Russia, which is

fuelling the war machine of

Vladimir Putin.

But Harjeet Singh, a

senior climate impacts

adviser at Climate Action

Network International, said

it was "hypocritical" for

Germany and others to

"source new fossil fuels

abroad while denying

support to developing

countries from climateinduced

superstorms and

rising seas".

Rachel Rose Jackson, a

director of climate research

and policy at Corporate

Accountability, pointed out

this was the 30th

anniversary of the signing

of the UN Framework

Convention on Climate

Change (UNFCCC). "Thirty

Patricia Espinosa, the executive secretary of the UN Framework

Convention on Climate Change, addresses the conference in Bonn.

Photo: andreas rentz

UN climate talks end in stalemate

years on, global north

countries are still

dangerously addicted to

fossil fuels. While

pontificating about 'keeping

1.5 alive' , they are failing on

a monumental scale to

decrease their own fossil

fuel use."

Chiara Martinelli, the

director of Climate Action

Network Europe, said:

"European countries

urgently need to massively

ramp up their climate and

energy targets, rather than

displace oil and gas from

Russia with those from

developing countries,

further locking them into

fossil fuels. That's what a

climate leader should do."

Developing countries at

Bonn voiced concern that

wealthy countries had been

slow to propose

commitments on "loss and

damage", the term for the

impacts of the climate crisis

that are too severe to be

adapted to. They want a

funding mechanism to help

their societies and

economies to recover but so

far there has been little

progress on the issue.

Alden Meyer, a senior

associate at the E3G

thinktank, said the G7 must

step forward with funding

plans to help poor countries

cope with the impacts of the

climate crisis when it meets

in Germany this month.

"G7 leaders must respond

to the clear call by

developing countries to

sharply scale up finance for

loss and damage, and they

should instruct their

finance ministers to

develop concrete proposals

on how to fulfil their pledge

made last December to help

'shift the trillions' for

developing country

decarbonisation," he said.

The UN said important

technical work had been

done at the Bonn

conference on 6-16 June.

The first steps were taken

on a "global stocktake",

stipulated in the 2015 Paris

agreement as a way to

review global progress

towards the 1.5C target.

The Bonn conference,

known as an intersessional

to the annual conference of

the party meetings under

the UNFCCC, parent treaty

to the 2015 Paris

agreement, was intended to

provide a bridge between

Cop26 and this year's

Cop27 in Sharm el-Sheikh,

Egypt.

Patricia Espinosa, the

executive secretary of the

UNFCCC and the world's

top official on the climate

crisis, said: "While much

work remains, parties have

made progress in several

technical areas here in

Bonn. Such steps are a key

part of negotiations and

important to achieve our

overall goals.

"The world is moving

closer to an overall shift

towards implementation of

the Paris agreement. Major

political decisions, notably

on finance for loss and

damage, need to be taken at

Cop27. We now need to

ensure that Sharm el-

Sheikh will truly be the

place where important

promises of the Paris

agreement are turned into

reality."

This was Espinosa's last

UN climate conference, as

she will reach the end of her

second three-year term on

15 July. There was an

emotional tribute from

delegates in the hall.

Delegates at the

conference also recognised

the new scientific reports

presented by the

Intergovernmental Panel

on Climate Change this

year. Espinosa was

presented with a T-shirt

bearing the slogan "Science

does not negotiate" at the

closing session of the talks.

BoB Ward

The UK is facing its first heatwave of the

summer, and while many will be

basking in the hot weather it is also a

warning of challenges to come,

particularly for those who live and work

in our biggest cities.

Extended periods of high

temperatures are becoming more

frequent and intense all over the world

because of climate change, and we are

learning just how much our

metropolitan areas struggle to cope with

heat.

Our cities were designed for cooler

climates, but as temperatures climb

with rising greenhouse gas levels they

need to be transformed to prevent hot

weather from threatening lives and

livelihoods.

Cities are particularly at risk during

heatwaves because of the urban heat

island effect. The dark-coloured,

human-made surfaces of buildings and

roads tend to absorb sunlight and trap

heat. As a result, the temperature of

urban areas is often several degrees

higher than the surrounding

countryside. The very fabric of our

urban areas makes them prone to

overheating.

And the high temperatures can be

deadly, particularly for people with

underlying health conditions, such as

Rising temperature puts urban centers at huge risk

respiratory illness. Cities can also

become suffocating because bright

sunlight often leads to higher levels of

air pollution. And sweltering offices

make workers less productive, creating

a hit to the economy.

We cannot simply bulldoze our cities

and build them again in a way that is

better suited to our warming climate, so

we have to retrofit and adapt them.

Although it might seem tempting to

rely on air conditioning, this would lead

to huge increases in electricity use.

Large, hot cities, even in rich countries

such as the US, can suffer blackouts in

the summer owing to the power load as

homes and offices try to maintain

comfortable room temperature. And air

conditioning can be prohibitively

expensive for people on lower incomes

to install and operate, exacerbating the

climate injustice between the haves and

have-nots.

And of course, air conditioning units

simply transfer heat from inside

buildings into the surrounding area,

making the outdoors even hotter. We

have to take a different approach.

Instead of desperately removing

excess heat from our city buildings, we

will need to prevent the sun's rays from

creating the problem in the first place.

Offices and homes will need tinted glass,

blinds or shutters fitted to keep out

sunlight. And white roofs should

become standard to reflect the sun's rays

rather than absorb them.

New and retrofitted old buildings will

need to be designed to increase

ventilation with natural flows of air to

keep internal temperatures down. These

are features of well-designed cities in

People at Primrose Hill with high air pollution visible over

London.

Photo: Justin Tallis

hot countries, which we must adopt. We

need building regulations that force

developers to design buildings so that

they do not overheat.

Public transport systems, particularly

underground trains, will need to be

fitted with ventilation and air

conditioning. The London

Underground already encourages

passengers to carry water during

journeys on hot days to avoid

dehydration, but the heat can also lead

to mechanical and electrical failures on

the network.

Road surfaces will need to be treated

to prevent them melting, and train

tracks and overhead cables will need to

be made of materials that do not expand

and change shape too much in

sweltering temperatures. In recent

summers we have already seen the

chaos that high temperatures cause to

our rail system.

But people who live or work in cities

also need to change their behaviour to

protect themselves from hot and humid

weather. Once temperatures exceed

40C (104F) even fit and healthy people

can be at risk if they exert themselves

too much. So we have to get used to

simply avoiding direct heat at certain

times. More cities will need to follow the

example of those closer to the equator

by banning construction and other

strenuous work during the middle of

summer days. It is high time that

Englishmen left the mad dogs alone to

brave the midday sun.

London is already following many

other cities by setting up "cool spaces"

where the capital's residents can find

respite during hot weather. And it is also

planting more trees help to filter out

sunlight and stop pavements from

becoming unbearably hot.

Our cities should also develop

stronger social support systems so that

help and advice is offered to those most

at risk from heat, particularly older

people. Care homes must be a priority

for measures to counteract overheating.

But most of all, our cities need

integrated heat risk-management

strategies, which bring together all the

many public- and private-sector players,

at both national and local levels. They

may need to follow the example set by

Miami, Phoenix and Athens to appoint

chief heat officers to coordinate action.

We will all need to change our attitude

to summers. Yes, they are opportunities

to enjoy the hot weather. But unless we

adapt to our warming climate, our cities

will become ever more unbearable and

perhaps even inhospitable.

tueSday, oCtober 18, 2022

6

Programmes taken to celebrate

Russel's birthday in Rangpur

leaders including whip Shamshul Haque Chowdhury Mp and zilla parishad Chairman Mohammad

abdus Salam are praying after the inauguration of the 1,000-seat auditorium funded by zilla

parishad in patiya.

photo: Kawsar alam

1000 seat auditorium opens in Patiya

KawSar aloM, patIya CorreSpoNdeNt:

The newly constructed 1000-member

Zila Parishad Auditorium has been

inaugurated in Patiya Upazila. On

Sunday afternoon, Bangladesh

Parliament Secretariat Whip Shamshul

Haque Chowdhury MP and Zilla

Parishad Chairman Abdus Salam

inaugurated the auditorium built with

the funding of Zilla Parishad next to

Patiya Upazila Parishad. Later, Whip

Shamshul Haque Chowdhury MP

spoke as the chief guest in the

discussion meeting under the

chairmanship of Zilla Parishad Chief

4 establishments

fined in Dighinala

Md SoHaNur raHaMaN,

dIGHINala CorreSpoNdeNt:

The upazila administration

has fined institutions and

individuals under the

Consumer Rights Protection

Act in Dighinala Upazila of

Khagrachari.

On Monday, several

establishments in Boalkhali

New Market area of the

upazila were fined under the


Act due to unsanitary

environment and expired

medicines, said Tatzim

Chakma, prosecutor of the

case and upazila sanitary

inspector. At that time,

Upazila Nirbahi Officer

(UNO) and Executive

Magistrate Muhammad

Arafatul Alam said, 'Due to

unsanitary environment and

expired medicine, a total of 3

cases were registered against

1 bakery, 1 pharmacy and 2

food hotels under Sections

51 and 53 of the Consumer

Rights Protection Act, 2009.

A fine of TK 3000 was fined

in total.

He also said, "Instructions

were given in the campaign

to provide clean service to

everyone in Dighinala

upazila, which is rich in

tourism."

Road accident

kills construction

worker

S M Nazrul ISlaM, GopalGaNj

CorreSpoNdeNt:

A construction worker

named Saiful Sheikh (25)

was killed by a bus in

Kashiani, Gopalganj. The

accident took place in

Bhatiapara flyover area of

Kashiani upazila on Monday

morning on Dhaka-Khulna

highway. The deceased

Saiful Sheikh is the son of

Motaleb Sheikh of village

Purbopara of Ward No. 3 of

Tungipara Upazila of

District.

Kashiani's Bhatiapara

Highway Police OC Abu

Naeem MD Tofajzel Haque

said that the construction

worker was doing

renovation work on the side

of the culvert in the

Bhatiapara flyover area of

Kashiani upazila next to the

highway. A high-speed

passenger bus of Narail

Express bound for Dhaka

from Narail hit him around

9 am. The worker died on

the spot. Police intercepted

the killer bus but the bus

driver escaped. He also said

that the body was recovered

and sent to Gopalganj 250-

bed general hospital morgue

for autopsy.

Nirbahi Officer Sabbir Iqbal.

Chittagong Zilla Parishad Chairman

Abdus Salam, Patiya Upazila Chairman

Motaherul Islam Chowdhury,

Municipal Mayor Ayub Babul, Upazila

Executive Officer Atiqul Mamun,

Assistant Commissioner Bhumi

Rakibul Islam, Upazila Vice Chairman

Dr Timir Baran Chowdhury, Alamgir

Khaled, Alamgir Alam, MNA Nashir,

Chairman Aminul Islam Tipu,

Councilor Gofran Rana, Sarwar Kamal

Rajiv, Ghiyas Uddin Azad, Jasim Uddin

etc. spoke as special guests.

Chief guest Whip Shamshul Haque

Chowdhury MP said, this is the first

auditorium with 1000 seats in Patia at

the upazila level. There is no

auditorium with more than 500 seats at

the upazila level. Prime Minister

Sheikh Hasina gave this gift to Patiya

because she loves Patiya. The people of

Patiya will be forever grateful to the

Prime Minister for this.

Chittagong Zilla Parishad Chairman

Abdus Salam said, Patiya is an upazila

rich in history and tradition. People of

this area will benefit in many ways as

such a big auditorium is built in Patiya.

I am glad to have made this auditorium

with the funding of Zilla Parishad at a

cost of about 21 crores.

1 bakery, 1 pharmacy and 2 food hotels were fined under Sections 51 and 53 of the

Consumer rights protection act, 2009 on Monday. photo: Md Sohanur rahaman

Ruman wins chairman election

for the 2nd time

rafIqul ISlaM adHar, SHerpur CorreSpoNdeNt:

Awami League's rebel candidate Humayun

Kabir Ruman has been elected chairman for

the second time in the Sherpur Zilla Parishad

elections. District Returning

Officer and District

Commissioner Sahela Akhtar

announced the results after

the counting of votes on

Monday afternoon.

Humayun Kabir Ruman,

the winning candidate of the

Zilla Parishad election, got

549 votes with the

motorcycle icon. His nearest

rival Awami League

nominated candidate,

District Awami League General Secretary

Advocate Chandan Kumar Pal got 187 votes

in Pineapple icon. Another candidate Zakaria

Vishu got 5 votes in Sunglass icon each. In

addition, the winning candidates for the post

of general members are Mohammad Mosa

Mia in the 1st ward, Md. Mahmudul Hasan

Mukta in the 2nd ward, Chanwar Hossain in

Ward No. 3., Hafizur Rahman Khokon in

Ward No. 4 and Abu Taher in Ward No. 5.

Advocate Farhana Parveen Munni has

already been elected unopposed in Ward No.

1 (Sherpur Sadar and Sreebardi)

and Umme Kulsoom Renu has

won in Ward No. 2 (Nakla,

Nalitabari and Jhenaigati).

Earlier on Monday, polling for

Zilla Parishad elections started

from 9 am, which continued till

2 pm. The voting was done

through EVM in 10 polling

booths in 5 Upazila Parishad

auditoriums of the district. An

Executive Magistrate as well as a

Judicial Magistrate was on

mobile patrol at each center during the

election.

Sufficient armed police and striking force

including Ansar were deployed in each center

to maintain law and order. There were 743

total voters in 5 upazila Parishad, 4

municipalities and 52 unions in the district.

a construction worker named Saiful Sheikh (25) was killed by a bus in

Kashiani, Gopalganj on Monday.

photo: S M Nazrul Islam

raNGpur: The local administrations,

Awami League and its associate bodies,

other institutions and organizations

have taken programmes to celebrate

the 59th birthday of Shaheed Sheikh

Russel in a befitting manner on

Tuesday, reports BSS.

Officials said the district

administration has chalked out

programmes to celebrate the 59th

birthday of Father of the Nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur

Rahman's youngest son Shaheed

Sheikh Russel, also the youngest

brother of Prime Minister Sheikh

Hasina.

The programmes include bringing

out a huge rally with participation of

officials, politicians, students, teachers,

professionals, sociocultural activists,

civil society members and common

people from Zila School to the Town

Hall premises.

Later, high officials of the local

administrations will place wreaths at

the portrait of Sheikh Russel at the

Jaggery trader

fined TK 3

lakh in Natore

lalpur CorreSpoNdeNt:

Sagar Hossain (35), a

jaggery trader was fined 3

lakh taka and evidence of

making 85 maunds of

adulterated jaggery were

destroyed during market

surveillance operation under


Act in Lalpur, Natore.

On Monday morning,

Mehedi Hasan Tanveer,

Assistant Director of

National Consumer Rights

Protection Directorate,

Natore, conducted the

operation in collaboration

with RAB-5.

Mehedi Hasan Tanveer

said in this regard, 'Sagar

Gur Bhandar' has been fined

a total of Tk 3 lakh for the

crime of making adulterated

jaggery mixed with

prohibited substances in

food products and

producing or processing the

product by illegal process

under Section 42 and 43 of


Act, 2009.

He also said that in this

operation, 3 thousand kg of

adulterant, 280 kg of

chitagur, 65 kg of

hydrosulphate, 20 kg of

alum, 10 kg of dalda, 5 kg

chert, 2 kg of textile chemical

dyes were destroyed. In the

public interest, such

operations will continue to

prevent the production,

storage and sale of

adulterated food products.

Public Library Munch on the Town

Hall premises followed by releasing 58

balloons there in the city.

A health camp will be set up in front

of the Collectorate Surovi Uddyan to

conduct diabetic tests and health

checkups free of cost tomorrow.

Resident children at Government

Shishu Paribars and unprivileged and

slum dweller children will be taken to

Entrainment Park, Children Park and

Rangpur Zoo and 'Vinnojagat' tourist

spot.

After the Johr prayers, doa mehfils,

munajats and special prayers will be

offered at all mosques, temples,

pagodas, churches and other places of

religious worships seeking divine

blessings for eternal peace for the

departed souls of Sheikh Russel and

other martyrs, including Father of the

Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur

Rahman.

Children will travel Rangpur Police

Lines School and College ground with

flags bearing pictures of Sheikh Russel

and charity football and rugby matches

will be arranged there for boys and girls

at 4 pm.

Deputy Commissioner Md. Asif

Ahasan will preside over a discussion

on the life of Sheikh Russel at the

District Shilpokola Academy

auditorium in the city.

Later, prizes will be distributed there

among winners of essay and drawing

competitions organized marking

celebrations of Sheikh Russel's

birthday in a function to be followed by

a cultural function.

Rangpur City Corporation will

celebrate the 59th birthday of

Shaheed Sheikh Russel through

placing wreaths at his portrait

followed by doa mehfil and

discussion at the City Bhaban

tomorrow. Similarly, Begum Rokeya

University, different educational

institutions and sociocultural

organizations, have taken

programmes to celebrate the day in a

befitting manner in the city.

a jaggery trader was fined 3 lakh taka and evidence of making 85 maunds of adulterated

jaggery was destroyed in lalpur on Monday.

photo: lalpur Correspondent

300 martyred family members attain

self-reliance in a Rajshahi village

rajSHaHI: Around 300 people both

male and female of martyred families

have attained economic emancipation

through income-generating activities

related to handicrafts and handloom

industries at Thanapara village in

Charghat upazila of the district, reports

BSS.

On April 13, 1971, a brutal attack by

Pakistan invaders killed about 400

unarmed men and injured many others

in the Thanapara village that was later

declared as a widow village after

independence.

Representatives of the Swallows in

Sweden came to work for the victims of

the Liberation War in the devastated

village in a post-war time in 1972.

In order to create self-employment

opportunities, they first established

weaving and initially started training 13

widows. At present Thanapara

Swallows Development Society (TSDS)

employs about 350 rural backward

women through handicraft projects.

The women behind these stocks are

making garments through the works of

yarn dyes, weaving fabrics, hand

embroidery and sewing and the

garments are exported to almost eight

countries of the world.

Children's day care and primary

education activities are being carried

out with productive children, including

fair wages, improved working

conditions, transparency and

accountability, child labor avoidance,

gender equality and timely training.

2 fresh Covid-19 cases diagnosed,

30 healed in Rangpur

raNGpur: Two fresh Covid-19 cases were

diagnosed and 30 more patients healed

during the last 24 hours ending at 8 am

today in Rangpur division, reports BSS.

Health officials said the two new Covid-19

positive cases were reported after testing 43

new samples at the positivity rate of 4.65

percent.

"The total number of Covid-19 patients

rose to 64,915 in the division," said

Divisional Deputy Director (Health) Dr Md

Habibur Rahman.

The number of recovered Covid-19

patients rose to 63,549 with the healing of 30

more patients during the last 24 hours in the

division. The number of casualties remained

Nazrul Islam Bachhu, one of the local

elites, said the women workers by

themselves do all the dyeing with hands

without involving any machine. 10

women are working full time under the

supervision of a dyeing master.

He also said many of the beneficiary

people were brought under educational

programmes besides imparting training

on agriculture, fish farming and

vocational crafts for making them

income-generators.

TSDS Executive Director Raihan Ali

told BSS that they are working to

eliminate the causes of poverty in the

remote village and to alleviate suffering.

He said the Thanapara village with

areas of concentration focusing on skills

development for the affected women

which led to the establishment of the

handicraft program and the marginal

women are becoming self-reliant

through producing the products and

selling those to the international

markets. Ali said their mission is to

empower the poor and underprivileged

population by eradicating illiteracy,

creating health awareness and selfemployment,

raising awareness among

the landless for the rights of land and

empowering women by creating

economic and social awareness.

Vision of the venture is to establish a

democratic society by developing the

socio-economic condition of the poor.

Raihan Ali said the embroidery

section is focusing on hand stitching.

Traditional skills and cultural designs

steady at 1,292 as no new death was reported

during the last 24 hours.

Meanwhile, more 58,872 doses of Covid-

19 jabs were administered as the first, second

and booster doses on Sunday raising the

number of inoculated vaccines to three crore

31 lakh 90 thousand and 632 doses in the

division.

Among the administered Covid-19 jabs on

Sunday, 53,300 children aged 5-11 years got

the jabs as the first doses in the division.

"Among the total administered Covid-19

jabs so far, 1,40,70,590 doses were

inoculated as the first doses, 1,32,54,078 as

the second doses and 58,65,964 as the

booster doses," Dr Rahman added.

are being used for making the products.

All the raw materials like threads and

cloth are eco friendly. In this section, 50

women are working full time.

Apart from this, modern machineries

are also being used for stitching,

overlocking and finishing.

Subsequently, each of the finished items

go through acceptance quality label

performance to ensure quality of the

products. There are 35 tailors, including

three cutting masters, in the tailoring

unit. Jahanara Begum, 54, one of many

other rehabilitated beneficiaries, has

been working in the TSDS for around 35

years and made her family self-reliant.

Her mother had joined the factory after

two years of her father's killing in the

barbaric attack.

Begum said they become self-reliant

in the long-run as a result of

establishing different income

generating projects for self employment

contributing to the efforts of poverty

alleviation.

"Our weaving section is famous for its

unique technique as we still run the

traditional handloom for woven the

fabric," she added. They use the same

yarn that they have dyed in the dyeing

section for making the cloth. So, the

clothes made are also eco-friendly. She

opined that utmost emphasis has been

given on advancing and promoting the

equal status of women in the family, as

well as in society, through incorporating

gender issues and awareness-raising

activities and programs.

TUeSDAy, OCTOBeR 18, 2022

7

China's President Xi Jinping, center, sits after giving a speech during the opening ceremony of the 20th National Congress of

China's ruling Communist Party in Beijing, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022. The overarching theme emerging from China's ongoing

Communist Party congress is one of continuity, not change. The weeklong meeting is expected to reappoint Xi as leader, reaffirm

a commitment to his policies for the next five years and possibly elevate his status even further as one of the most powerful

leaders in China's modern history.

Photo : AP

California city rests easier

after serial killings arrest

STOCKTON : Residents of Stockton,

California, were able to rest easier

following the weekend arrest of a man

suspected of killing six men and

wounding a woman in a series of

shootings over a period of three

months in Northern California, the

city's mayor said Sunday, reports UNB.

Mayor Kevin Lincoln said he shed

tears of relief when he was informed

that the suspect who police believe had

terrorized Stockton since July was

taken into custody around 2 a.m.

Saturday.

Wesley Brownlee was dressed in

black, wore a mask around his neck,

had a handgun and "was out hunting"

for another possible victim when he

was arrested while driving around the

Central Valley city, where five of the

shootings took place, Police Chief

Stanley McFadden said at a Saturday

news conference.

"The city was able to sleep a little bit

better last night," Lincoln said Sunday

morning. "No resident of this city

Iran doubles toll

to eight killed in

Tehran prison fire

PARIS : Eight Iranian

inmates were killed in a fire

that raged through Tehran's

notorious Evin prison, the

judiciary said Monday,

doubling the official toll from

the blaze that further stoked

tensions one month into

protests sparked by the death

of Mahsa Amini.

Authorities in the Islamic

republic have blamed the fire

late Saturday on "riots and

clashes" among prisoners,

but human rights groups said

they doubted the official

version of events and also

feared the real toll could be

even higher.

The judiciary authority's

website Mizan Online said

Monday that four Evin prison

inmates injured in the fire

had died in hospital, after

reporting the previous day an

initial toll of four dead from

smoke inhalation.

Gunshots and explosions

were heard during the

dramatic blaze from inside

the complex as flames lit up

the night sky and smoke

billowed from the building, in

video footage posted on social

media channels.

The Iranian authorities

have accused "thugs" of

torching a prison clothing

depot and reported clashes

between prisoners, and then

between inmates and guards

who intervened to put an end

to the violence.

Hundreds of the protesters

arrested in recent weeks have

been sent to Evin, infamous

for the ill-treatment of

political prisoners, which also

holds foreign detainees and

thousands jailed on criminal

charges.

should have to walk around town

looking over their shoulder in fear."

The mayor credited residents of

Stockton who called in hundreds of

tips to investigators that eventually led

to the arrest of the 43-year-old suspect.

It wasn't immediately clear on

Sunday whether Brownlee, of

Stockton, had an attorney to speak on

his behalf. He was expected to be

arraigned Tuesday on murder charges.

"This person caused a lot of hurt,

caused a lot of trauma," Lincoln said.

"My prayer, my hope, as mayor is that

our community begins the process of

healing as a result of the serial

killings."

Police had been searching for a man

clad in black who was caught on video

at several of the crime scenes in

Stockton, where five men were

ambushed and shot to death between

July 8 and Sept. 27. Four were walking,

and one was in a parked car.

Police believe the same person was

responsible for killing a man 70 miles

(113 kilometers) away in Oakland in

April 2021 and wounding a homeless

woman in Stockton a week later.

Investigators have said ballistics

tests and video evidence linked the

crimes. A police photo showed the

black-and-gray weapon allegedly

carried by the suspect. It appeared to

be a semi-automatic handgun

containing some nonmetallic

materials.

At Saturday's news conference, a

moment of silence was held for the

victims.

Juan Vasquez Serrano, 39, was killed

in Oakland on April 10, 2021, and

Natasha LaTour, 46, was shot in

Stockton on April 16 of that year but

survived. The five men killed in

Stockton this year were Paul Yaw, 35,

who died July 8; Salvador Debudey Jr.,

43, who died Aug. 11; Jonathan

Hernandez Rodriguez, 21, who died

Aug. 30; Juan Cruz, 52, who died Sept.

21; and Lawrence Lopez Sr., 54, who

died Sept. 27.

There is significant radioactive contamination at an elementary school in

suburban St. Louis where nuclear weapons were produced during World

War II, according to a new report by environmental investigation consultants.

Photo : Internet

Radioactive waste found at

Missouri elementary school

FLORISSANT : There is significant

radioactive contamination at an elementary

school in suburban St. Louis where nuclear

weapons were produced during World War

II, according to a new report by

environmental investigation consultants.

The report by Boston Chemical Data Corp.

confirmed fears about contamination at

Jana Elementary School in the Hazelwood

School District in Florissant raised by a

previous Army Corps of Engineers study.

The new report is based on samples taken

in August from the school, according to the

St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Boston Chemical

did not say who or what requested and

funded the report.

"I was heartbroken," said Ashley

Bernaugh, president of the Jana parentteacher

association who has a son at the

school. "It sounds so cliche, but it takes your

breath from you."

The school sits in the flood plain of

Coldwater Creek, which was contaminated

by nuclear waste from weapons production

during World War II. The waste was

dumped at sites near the St. Louis Lambert

International Airport, next to the creek that

flows to the Missouri River. The Corps has

been cleaning up the creek for more than 20

years.

The Corps' report also found

contamination in the area but at much at

lower levels, and it didn't take any samples

within 300 feet of the school. The most

recent report included samples taken from

Jana's library, kitchen, classrooms, fields

and playgrounds.

Levels of the radioactive isotope lead-210,

polonium, radium and other toxins were "far

in excess" of what Boston Chemical had

expected. Dust samples taken inside the

school were found to be contaminated.

Inhaling or ingesting these radioactive

materials can cause significant injury, the

report said. "A significant remedial program

will be required to bring conditions at the

school in line with expectations," the report

said.

China's party congress

promises continuity,

not change

BEIJING : The overarching

theme emerging from

China's ongoing Communist

Party congress is one of

continuity, not change.

The weeklong meeting,

which opened Sunday, is

expected to reappoint Xi

Jinping as leader, reaffirm a

commitment to his policies

for the next five years and

possibly elevate his status

even further as one of the

most powerful leaders in

China's modern history.

A look at what's happened

so far, and what's to come:

This is not an inflection

point for the party. That

happened 10 years ago when

it named Xi as leader,

though it wasn't evident at

the time.

Since then, Xi has

reoriented China both

domestically and

internationally. The military

has staked claims to

disputed territory while

diplomats have become

more assertive, saying China

won't be bullied by the U.S.

and others.

Xi has brought back

stronger state control over

the economy and society,

expanding censorship and

arrest to stifle dissent. An

unprecedented crackdown

on corruption has brought

down hundreds of senior

officials, including some

potential political rivals.

Saudi defends oil

policy in face of

US charges

RIYADH : Saudi Arabia has

rejected US accusations of

aligning itself with Russia

amid the Ukraine war by

making oil production cuts to

drive up crude prices, insisting

it was purely a business

decision.

"We are astonished by the

accusations that the kingdom

is standing with Russia in its

war with Ukraine," the Saudi

defence minister, Prince

Khaled bin Salman, tweeted

late Sunday.

The Saudi-led OPEC+

cartel-which includes Russiahas

angered Washington by

deciding to cut production by

two million barrels per day

from November, adding

further pressure on soaring

crude prices.

"It is telling that these false

accusations did not come

from the Ukrainian

government," Prince Khaled

wrote. "Although the OPEC+

decision, which was taken

unanimously, was due to

purely economic reasons,

some accused the kingdom of

standing with Russia.

"Iran is also a member of

OPEC, does this mean that the

kingdom is standing with Iran

as well?" he asked, referring to

Saudi Arabia's regional rival.

Postal worker holdup

leads to muscle car

theft ring arrests

DETROIT : Thieves are using cloned key

fobs to steal Dodge muscle cars and other

high-powered vehicles directly from

dealerships and even automakers in

Michigan, then selling them for tens of

thousands of dollars less than their value,

according to authorities and court records.

For one Ohio-based theft ring, it all came

crashing down after a January holdup of a

U.S. postal worker led authorities to connect

several men to brazen car thefts in the

Detroit area, long home to the country's

biggest automakers, including Dodge, which

is now owned by international conglomerate

Stellantis.

Investigators then discovered that new

Chargers, Challengers, Durangos and Ram

pickups worth $50,000 to $100,000 were

turning up in Ohio, Indianapolis and East

Cost shipping ports after being sold on the

street for $3,500 to $15,000, according to a

criminal complaint.

Thieves in the Detroit area are primarily

going after Dodge vehicles with Hellcat

engines, including Chargers and Challengers

- "the fast ones," Sgt. Jerry Hanna with the

Macomb Auto Theft Squad said.

"If a patrol car gets them, they are not

stopping and they're faster than patrol cars.

They're 150 mph all day," he said.

Instead of stealing them off the street,

they're driving them straight off dealership

and assembly plant lots.

Just this year, about a half-dozen vehicles -

primarily Dodge Ram TRX pickups - were

taken from a lot outside an assembly plant in

Macomb County.

After security measures were stepped up

at some lots with Dodge vehicles, more

than a dozen 2022 Ford F-150 Raptor

pickup trucks were swiped from a plant lot

in June in suburban Dearborn. More than a

dozen Ford Mustangs were stolen in early

September from the automaker's assembly

plant in Flat Rock, southeast of Detroit.

Thieves have targeted Dodges by using

handheld electronic "pro pads" - a

locksmith's tool that can clone keys by

plugging into interior ports in the vehicles,

according to the federal complaint in the

Ohio case. Authorities weren't looking for

stolen vehicles when they stopped Devin

Rice on Jan. 31 after a postal worker in

Shaker Heights, outside Cleveland, was

robbed at gunpoint of a mailbox key. But

court records show that a search of his car

and then his home turned up not just stolen

mail, bogus checks, and credit and debit

cards, but also a Ram pickup, a Range

Rover SUV and a Dodge with a Hellcat

engine - all stolen.

Rice and others were indicted in federal

court in Ohio in June. Jaylen Harris,

Lavelle Jones and Hakim Benjamin are

charged with conspiracy and interstate

transport of stolen vehicles. Rice, Harris

and Jones also are charged with mail theft.

Their trials are scheduled next year.

Harris' attorney declined comment. The

AP left email and phone messages seeking

comment from attorneys for Benjamin,

Rice and Jones.

Harris told the FBI that he and Jones had

been in contact through Instagram with

people in the Detroit area to get stolen

vehicles, according to the complaint. Harris

said those thieves "were also selling to

buyers in other areas, including Chicago

and Indianapolis," the complaint said.

Videos posted on social media show how

the high-horsepower vehicles outpaced and

evaded police.

A judge stated in a detention order that

"Benjamin drove a 2022 Dodge Challenger

valued at $95,000 at 120 mph down Ohio's

State Route 2 on a Sunday evening in

February."

"Spike strips were eventually needed to

remind Benjamin that the law required him

to comply with police orders" the judge

wrote.

About two years ago, police in Ohio's

Ottawa County began noticing the vehicles

blasting along state Route 2. The sheriff's

office got calls about reckless driving, Capt.

Aaron Leist said.

"These cars are going 140-150 mph. All

have the Hellcat engines. We had a lot of

pursuits. We did not catch them all," he

said. Investigators learned the vehicles

mostly were being stolen in the Detroit area

and taken to Cleveland. Some also were

destined for Memphis, Tennessee, Leist

said.

Pro-Kremlin officials on Sunday blamed Ukraine for a rocket attack that

struck the mayor's office in Donetsk, a city controlled by the separatists, while

Ukrainian officials said Russian rocket strikes hit a town across from the

Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, among other targets. Photo : Internet

Ukraine: Rockets strike mayor's

office in occupied Donetsk

KYIV : Pro-Kremlin officials on Sunday

blamed Ukraine for a rocket attack that

struck the mayor's office in Donetsk, a city

controlled by the separatists, while

Ukrainian officials said Russian rocket

strikes hit a town across from the

Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, among

other targets.

The attacks came as Russia's war in

Ukraine nears the eight-month mark. Kyiv

also reported holding the line in continued

fierce fighting around Bakhmut, where

Russian forces have claimed some gains

amid a seven-week Ukrainian

counteroffensive that has led Russian troops

to retreat in some other areas.

On the front line, "the key hotspots in

Donbas are (neighboring towns) Soledar

and Bakhmut, where extremely heavy

fighting continues," Ukrainian President

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video

address Sunday.

Those towns and Donetsk are in the

industrialized Donbas region, where

Russian-backed separatists have been

fighting Kyiv since 2014. The Donetsk

region is among four that were illegally

annexed by Russia last month.

Zelenskyy accused Russia of including

convicts "with long sentences for serious

crimes" in its front-line troops in return for

pay and amnesty - something Western

intelligence officials have also asserted.

The municipal mayor's building in

Donetsk was seriously damaged by the

rocket attack. Plumes of smoke swirled

around the building, which had rows of

blown-out windows and a partially

collapsed ceiling. Cars nearby were burned

out. There were no immediate reports of

casualties. Kyiv didn't claim responsibility

or comment on the attack.

Kremlin-backed separatist authorities

have accused Ukraine of numerous strikes

on infrastructure and residential targets in

the occupied regions using U.S.-supplied

long-range HIMARS rockets.

Last week, the Kremlin launched what is

believed to be its largest coordinated air and

missile raids yet on Ukraine's infrastructure.

The wide-ranging attacks included the use

of self-destructing explosive drones from

Iran, and killed dozens of people.

Zelenskyy's office said Moscow was

shelling towns and villages along the front

line in the east Sunday, and that "active

hostilities" continued in the southern

Kherson region.

The rockets at Nikopol, across from the

Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, damaged power

lines, gas pipelines, and a raft of civilian

businesses and residential buildings,

Ukrainian officials said. Russia and Ukraine

have for months accused each other of firing

at and around the nuclear plant, which is

Europe's largest. It's run by its preoccupation

Ukrainian staff under Russian

oversight.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2022

8

SIBL signed on a trade facilitation

deal with Indian Exim Bank

Mercantile Bank Limited has recently been awarded ISO 27001:2013 certificate by a renowned certification

agency Bureau Veritas Certification Holding SAS-UK branch for its outstanding performance and fulfilling the

requirements of ISO standards. Md. Quamrul Islam Chowdhury, Managing Director and CEO of Mercantile

Bank Limited received the certificate from Mukut K. Barua, National Business Manager - Commodities, Industry

& Facilities Division of Bureau Veritas (Bangladesh) Pvt. Limited and Brig. Gen. (Retd.) Ali Ahmed Khan,

Chairman of iota (BD) Consulting Limited at Bank's Head Office in Dhaka. The authority certifies that Mercantile

Bank has been audited and found to be in accordance with the requirements for adopting and implementing

global standards and practices to ensure the effectiveness, efficiency, confidentiality, and integrity of its day-today

information security operations. The Information Security Management framework of MBL is now benchmarked

with international standards for ensuring enhanced service assurance to its customers and thus

strengthening its journey towards Secured Banking Services. Additional Managing Director Mati Ul Hasan,

Deputy Managing Directors Adil Raihan, Shamim Ahmed and Hasne Alam, CFO Tapash Chandra Paul, PhD,

SEVPs Ashim Kumar Saha, Shah Md. Sohel Khurshid, Mohammad Iqbal Rezwan, Company Secretary Abu

Asghar G. Haruni, CTO Muhammad Mahmud Hasan and Chief Information Security Officer Md. Faisal Hossain

from MBL and K.B.M. Tareq, Regional Sales Manager (Certification) from Bureau Veritas and Md. Golam

Kibria, Founder & CEO, Hasain Ahmed, Head of IT Services from iota (BD) Consulting Limited along with other

senior executives and officers were present on the occasion.

Photo : Courtesy

Marcel will be the best brand in Bangladesh: Electronics

traders at Cox’s Bazar distributor summit

The distributors of domestic

electronics brand Marcel

were optimistic that Marcel

would be the top electronics

brand of Bangladesh, says a

press release.

They expressed the hope at

the 'Marcel Distributor

Summit 2022' held at the

five-star hotel 'Sea Pearl

Beach Resort and Spa' in

Cox's Bazar on Saturday last

(October 15, 2022)

Around 1,000 electronics

traders from different parts of

the country took part in the

conference.

In the conference,

important discussions were

held about the business

strategies in the wake of the

ongoing global economic

slowdown post-Covid. Marcel

authorities and higher

Sterling rises with UK finance minister

set to unveil spending plans

officials provided necessary

guidelines to distributors

regarding the electronics

product business in the

changing circumstances.

The summit was

inaugurated by the company's

Vice-Chairman SM Shamsul

Alam, Director SM Ashraful

Alam, Managing Director and

CEO Golam Murshed.

Among others, Additional

Managing Director Abul

Bashar Howladar, Deputy

Managing Directors Nazrul

Islam Sarker, Amdadul

Hoque Sarker, Eva Rizwana

and Mohammad Humayun

Kabir, Plaza Trade's CEO

Mohammad Rayhan,

Marcel's Head of Sales Dr.

Md. Shakhawat Hossen

Senior Executive Directors

Md. Yusuf Ali, Md. Firoj

HONG KONG : Sterling rose

Monday as Britain's new

finance minister prepared to

announce new tax and

spending measures aimed at

calming markets after a

botched debt-fuelled budget

by his predecessor sent

shivers through trading

floors.

Jeremy Hunt was put in

place on Friday after Prime

Minister Liz Truss sacked

Kwasi Kwarteng as she

battles to save her political

career just weeks after taking

the keys to Downing Street.

Hunt is tipped to tear up

the previous plans and

warned at the weekend of tax

hikes as he dramatically

reversed course on rightwing

Truss' radical

programme.

"It does indicate that they

are moving back to some

degree of fiscal probity and

employing a slightly more

prudent fiscal outlook," said

Peter Kinsella, of Union

Bancaire Privee UBP SA.

The pound held above

$1.12, having sunk Friday

owing to the uncertainty in

Westminster, while a news

conference by Truss did very

little to reassure nervous

investors.

Bonds also rallied on the

first day without the Bank of

England support put in place

in response to turmoil caused

by Kwarteng's mini-budget.

"There is no question that

Alam, Anisur Rahman

Mollick, Mostafa Nahid

Hossain, Sohel Rana,

Mahfuzur Rahman and Al

Imran, Executive Directors

Md. Shahjada Salim,

Shahjalal Hossain Limon,

Abdullah Al Mamun, Monirul

Haque, Shahiduzzaman Rana

also attended the summit.

The event was moderated

by Marcel's Brand

Ambassador film actor Amin

Khan.

Addressing the summit, SM

Shamsul Alam said, "You

(distributors) should not be

afraid amid the present global

recession. Don't give up.

Don't lose faith. The world is

constantly changing. So, our

business strategy also needs

to change with time. And

thus, we have to apply

Best distributors were awarded at the 'Marcel Distributor Summit' by the company's

board of directors and higher officials.

Photo: Courtesy

recent events have shattered

confidence in the... current

government, and trust once

foregone is usually very

difficult to get back," said

CMC Markets' Michael

Hewson.

"The wider question now is

what happens next with

respect to any new budget,

and whether new Chancellor

Jeremy Hunt can stabilise

the ship at a time when global

interest rates are rising

anyway."

The calm also lifted

equities, with London in

positive territory in the

morning. There were also

gains in Paris and Frankfurt.

Asia started the week in

mixed fashion as Friday's

modern techniques in

business."

SM Ashraful Alam said,

"Marcel is the second largest

electronics brand in

Bangladesh. And it will be the

best brand of the country

soon. In this regard we will

provide all necessary

supports to you (distributors).

The domestic electronics

market is growing day by day.

Why should we give the

domestic market share to the

foreign brands? We will meet

the market demands with our

domestically produced goods

and will also be the top brand

in this market."

Golam Murshed said, "We

want distributors to be well. It

is our responsibility to solve

their problems. We have

always been beside them and

will be. Let's trust each other.

Problems and crises will

come. But you have to deal

with them with patience and

proper strategies. Amid the

global recession, our business

strategies have to be

modernized. And then our

business will be sustainable.

We hope that the present

global recession will be over

soon and the economic

conditions will return to

normalcy."

In the summit, the best

distributors of different

regions were awarded. The

summit was included various

joyful events such sea-beach

parties, splendid cultural

programs.

rally petered out.

The latest strong US

inflation reading ramped up

bets that the Federal Reserve

will hike borrowing costs by

75 basis points twice more

before the end of the year,

stoking concerns the world's

top economy will flip into a

recession.

All three main indexes on

Wall Street finished sharply

lower Friday.

There was a little

disappointment among

investors after Chinese

President Xi Jinping at the

weekend reasserted his

commitment to the zero-

Covid strategy of lockdowns

that has hammered the

economy this year.

Shahjalal Islami Bank Ltd

has signed an agreement with

Export Import Bank of India

under its Trade Assistance

program (TAP) for avail of

Export Import Bank of India,

Head Office, Mumbai Tarun

Sharma has inked on the deal

on behalf of their respective

organizations.

Under this agreement the

facility shall offer to Shahjalal

Islami Ltd. additional lines of

credit to support trade

transaction under which

Exim Bank shall issue

guarantees favoring

confirming banks for

confirming Letters of Credit

issued by the bank and

Credit Suisse to

pay $495 mn in

US to settle

securities case

ZURICH : Credit Suisse said

Monday it would pay $495

million to settle a row over

mortgage-backed securities

dating back to the 2008

financial crisis.

Switzerland's secondbiggest

bank said it had

agreed with New Jersey

authorities to make the

"one-time payment... to fully

resolve claims" for

compensation, and said it

had already provisioned the

amount.

In the claim filed in 2013,

Credit Suisse was criticised

for not having provided

sufficient information on the

risks relating to $10 billion

of mortgage-backed

securities.

Subprime mortgages,

credit granted to borrowers

often with poor credit

histories or insufficient

income, were packaged into

financial products and sold

to investors.

But as borrowers

defaulted on many of those

mortgages, investors had no

way of telling what portion

of the loans in the

derivatives were bad.

Those products were at the

heart of the 2008 financial

crisis, which sparked a

global recession and brought

the international financial

system to the brink of

collapse.

Credit Suisse said the final

settlement with the New

Jersey Attorney General

allowed it "to resolve the

only remaining RMBS

(residential mortgagebacked

securities) matter

involving claims by a

regulator and the largest of

its remaining exposures on

its legacy RMBS docket".

Shares rose after the

statement on the SMI, the

flagship index of the Swiss

Stock Exchange.

Speculation has been

growing ahead of an update

scheduled by the new chief

executive for later this

month.

extending buyers credit

against such instruments.

This is a strong step towards

widening the international

acceptability of the bank.

Among others, the

Additional Managing

Director & COO of Shahjalal

Islami Bank Ltd. M. Akhter

Hossain, the Head of

International Division of the

Bank Mohammad Abdul

Majid, the Deputy General

Manager, Head Office,

Mumbai PushpeshTyagi, the

Resident Representative

Priyanshu Tiwari and the

Chief Manager, Dhaka

Representative Office of

Export Import Bank of India

Alok Bora and other officials

of respective organizations

were also present in the

signing ceremony.

Southeast Bank Limited signed a Remittance Disbursement Agreement with Mondial

Bony Service S.p.A, an Italy based Money Transfer Company at Napoli, Italy for distributing

inward wage-remittance. Md Jahangir Kabir, Senior Vice President and

Head of International Division of Southeast Bank Limited and Dr. Salvatore Riccio,

President of Mondial Bony Service S.p.A, Italy signed the agreement on behalf of their

respective organizations. Under this agreement, Bangladeshi Expatriates from Italy

can send their hard-earned money through Mondial Bony Service S.p.A, Italy and

their beneficiaries can withdraw remittances from any branch, sub-branch and agent

out-lets of Southeast Bank Limited.

Photo : Courtesy

Tunisian protesters denounce ‘coup’,

demand president’s removal

TUNIS : Thousands of Tunisians

demonstrated Saturday in the capital Tunis,

denouncing a power grab by President Kais

Saied and demanding accountability for the

country's long-running economic crisis, AFP

correspondents said.

Saied staged a dramatic power grab in July

last year and later pushed through a

constitution enshrining his one-man rule, in

what critics have called a return to autocracy

in the only democracy to have emerged from

the Arab Spring.

Protesters in central Tunis chanted,

"Down, down", "Revolution against dictator

Kais" and "The coup will fall."

The march was organised by the National

Salvation Front, a coalition of opposition

parties including the Islamist-inspired

Ennahdha that had dominated Tunisia's

parliament before its dissolution by Saied.

Ali Laarayedh, Tunisia's former prime

minister and a senior Ennahdha official, told

AFP that the protest was an expression of

"anger at the state of affairs under Kais

Saied".

"We are telling him to leave."

Saied's power grab was welcomed by some

Tunisians tired of what they saw as a

fractious and corrupt system established

after the 2011 revolution that ousted late

dictator Zine El Abidine Ali.

But a worsening economic situation,

compounded by supply shortages in the

wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in

February, has agitated many in the North

African country of 12 million.

If Saied stays, "Tunisia will have no future,"

said Laarayedh, citing growing despair,

poverty and unemployment.

The National Salvation Front has

announced it will boycott a December vote to

elect a new parliament with limited powers.

Ennahdha's deep ideological rival, the

secular Free Destourian Party (PDL), also

organised a protest in the capital on

Saturday.

Saied "is doing nothing, and things are

only getting worse", said Souad, a pensioner

in her 60s at the secular party's

demonstration.

Some of the protesters carried empty

containers to symbolise the rising cost of

water due to inflation, which hit 9.1 percent

in September.

Around 1,500 people joined the

Ennahdha-led demonstration, while nearly

1,000 attended the PDL protest, the interior

ministry told AFP.

In public remarks, Saied has argued he was

working to "correct" economic troubles he

had inherited from Tunisia's post-Ben Ali

leadership.

Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited organized an orientation program for newly recruited 100 field officers under

Rural Development Scheme on Sunday, at Islami Bank Tower. Muhammad Qaisar Ali, Managing Director

(Current Charge) of the Bank was present at the program as the Chief Guest. Md. Omar Faruk Khan, Additional

Managing Director addressed the program in the closing session. Presided over by S. M. Rabiul Hassan,

Principal of Islami Bank Training and Research Academy, Mohammed Shabbir, Deputy Managing Director,

Mostafizur Rahman Siddiquee, Chief Human Resources Officer, A.S.M Rezaul Karim & Miftah Uddin, Senior

Executive Vice Presidents and Nazmus Sakib Md. Rezaur Rahman, Executive Vice President addressed the program

in different session. M. Zubayer Azam Helali, Head of Rural Development Division addressed the welcome

speech.

Photo : Courtesy

tUeSDAY, oCtoBeR 18, 2022

9

Bayern's Serge Gnabry in action against Freiburg during their Bundesliga match in Munich

Sunday.

Photo: AP

Union fairytale continues as

Bayern thrash Freiburg

SPoRtS DeSK

Union Berlin's fairytale run at the top of

the Bundesliga continued Sunday after

a howler from Borussia Dortmund

goalkeeper Gregor Kobel helped them

to a stunning 2-0 win over Edin Terzic's

side, reports UNB.

Two first-half goals from Janik

Haberer put Union into dreamland in

front of a raucous home crowd as they

extended their five-week run at the top

of the table and pulled four points clear

of Bayern Munich, who moved second

with a thumping 5-0 win at home over

Freiburg.

"We are performing so consistently.

Sometimes we get the rub of the green,

but today it was no coincidence that we

won," said Haberer, as he was hugged

by Union's mascot in the bowels of the

stadium after the game.

The visitors got off to a nightmare

start after Kobel handed Union the

opener on a silver platter.

As he stepped up to receive a routine

backpass from Raphael Guerreiro,

Kobel slipped on the grass in his own

penalty area, allowing Haberer to tap

the ball into the empty net.

"It was lucky for us that he slipped,

but when you're at the top, that's when

you get the luck," said Union defender

Timo Baumgartl.

Haberer doubled the lead shortly

afterwards, smashing the ball into the

bottom corner after Union had danced

through the lethargic Dortmund

backline.

Terzic brought on three attacking

players at half-time to try and force a

fightback, but it was Union who

continued to have the better chances.

Baumgartl forced a sharp save from

Kobel early in the second half and only

a desperate challenge from former

Union defender Nico Schlotterbeck

denied Andras Schaefer a few minutes

later.

Dortmund pushed hard in the final 15

minutes, forcing three brilliant saves

from Union keeper Frederik Ronnow.

"We are not where we want to be at

the moment," said Terzic, whose side

are now seven points behind Union in

eighth. Champions Bayern are back on

course, meanwhile, after they

leapfrogged Freiburg into second with

only their second win in seven league

games.

"From the first second to the last

today, we showed who is boss," said

Bayern striker Eric-Maxim Choupo-

Moting after his side rampaged to

victory in Munich.

Freiburg started brightly but Bayern

quickly took control of the game, Serge

Gnabry putting them in front with a

powerful header after just 13 minutes.

Choupo-Moting doubled the lead on

the half-hour mark, with Leroy Sane

picking up his second assist of the

evening.

Sane got on the scoresheet himself

just after half-time when he found the

bottom corner with a thundering shot

from the edge of the area.

Any faint hope for Freiburg was

buried just two minutes later, when

Sadio Mane sent a dainty chip over the

head of goalkeeper Mark Flekken to

make it 4-0. Mane then produced a

slick backheel to set up Marcel Sabitzer

for Bayern's fifth late on.

In Sunday's early game, former

Dortmund striker Steffen Tigges struck

twice to lead Cologne to a 3-2 win over

Augsburg.

Augsburg took the lead with their

first chance of the game, Florian

Niederlechner squeezing the ball past

goalkeeper Marvin Schwaebe after a

long ball into the box.

Tigges levelled the scores with a

brilliant first-time finish just after halftime,

and was then involved in the

build-up to Cologne's second, as Denis

Huseinbasic put the home side ahead.

Augsburg remained brutally efficient

when they did get forward, and Daniel

Caligiuri swept in an equalizer just a

few minutes later.

Yet Tigges remained a thorn in the

visitors' side until the death, prodding

home the winner with just nine

minutes to play.

Lesson learned for Ancelotti as Real

Madrid beat Barcelona

SPoRtS DeSK

Carlo Ancelotti learned his

lesson, and Real Madrid

won the "clasico" on Sunday,

reports UNB.

After an embarrassing 4-0

loss at home to Barcelona

last season, the Madrid

coach made sure he didn't

try anything different with

his team this time as Madrid

won 3-1 to take the lead of

the Spanish league.

It also handed Barcelona

another painful blow four

days after the Catalan club's

hopes of advancing in the

Champions League all but

ended.

Ancelotti had used

midfielder Luka Modric in

the "false nine" position in

attack last season and

Barcelona took advantage to

rout Madrid at the Santiago

Bernabeu Stadium.

"I thought about what

happened last season, when

I tried something different,"

Ancelotti said. "For this

match, I didn't try to come

up with anything, I left the

players in their positions

and Modric played a

spectacular match in

midfield."

Karim Benzema and

Federico Valverde scored

first-half goals, and Rodrygo

added another in secondhalf

stoppage time as the

defending champions won

the first "clasico" of the

season to move three points

ahead of Barcelona in the

league standings. The rivals

had entered the match tied

on points, with Barcelona

ahead on goal difference.

It was Madrid's sixth win

in the last seven "clasicos,"

with the only setback the 4-0

result the last time the teams

met at the Bernabeu.

Sunday's defeat was

another frustrating setback

for Barcelona after it was

held 3-3 by Inter Milan at

home on Wednesday to be

virtually eliminated from

the Champions League

with two rounds left in its

group stage.

"We had our chances, but

we are going through a bad

moment and nothing goes

our way," Barcelona coach

Xavi Hernández said. "We

need to change this dynamic

as soon as possible."

Barcelona didn't advance

to the knockout stage of the

Champions League last

season, its first without

Lionel Messi, but

elimination this time would

be extra disappointing

considering the club went on

a spending spree to boost its

squad with players such as

Roberto Lewandowski and

Raphinha.

Lewandowski, the league's

leading scorer, wasted his

greatest chance in the first

half, missing high from near

the goal line.

Barcelona dominated

possession and created

scoring chances, but it was

Madrid that capitalized on

its opportunities and took

advantage of Barcelona's

defensive struggles.

"We knew how to suffer

when they controlled

possession, but we were

effective up front and scored

the three goals," Modric

said.

Benzema opened the

scoring in the 12th minute

with a shot from inside the

area, off the rebound from a

save by goalkeeper Marc-

André ter Stegen in a oneon-one

situation with

Vinícius Júnior. It was

Benzema's first goal in six

matches. He also had a goal

disallowed for offside in the

second half.

Real Madrid's French forward Karim Benzema (L) with teammate Uruguayan midfielder

Federico Valverde after scoring his team's first goal during their Spanish League

football match against FC Barcelona at Santiago Bernabeu stadium. Photo: AP

Unbeaten Madrid defeat Barcelona

in Clasico to top La Liga

SPoRtS DeSK

Reigning champions Real Madrid beat

Barcelona 3-1 in the Clasico to overtake

their fierce rivals at the top of La Liga on

Sunday, reports UNB.

Karim Benzema opened the scoring in

the 12th minute by converting a rebound

after Marc-Andre ter Stegen saved from

Vinicius Junior, with Fede Valverde

drilling home the second from the edge of

the box before the break.

Ferran Torres pulled one back for

Barcelona in the final stages after good

work by Ansu Fati, but Rodrygo won and

converted a late penalty to ensure Carlo

Ancelotti's side inflicted Barcelona's first

domestic defeat of the season.

Madrid ended the Catalans' sevengame

winning streak in the league and

added to the still-raw pain of their

struggles in Europe, where they are on

the verge of Champions League

elimination.

Barcelona, who spent heavily in the

summer to try and catch up with their

rivals, now trail them by three points. The

Catalans had conceded just one league

goal in eight games before the Clasico but

shipped double that tally in the first half,

leaving Madrid as the division's only

unbeaten side.

"We knew there would come a time in

the game where we had to suffer, because

they move the ball well, and that's when

each of us had to give more, defend well,

Top-ranked

Swiatek beats

Vekic for WTA

San Diego title

SPoRtS DeSK

World number one Iga

Swiatek captured her 11th

career WTA title and her

eighth of the year on Sunday

by outlasting 77th-ranked

Donna Vekic in the San

Diego Open final, reports

BSS.

Three-time Grand Slam

champion Swiatek defeated

the 26-year-old Croatian 6-

3, 3-6, 6-0 for her WTA-best

64th match victory of 2022.

"It was a really tight match

and pretty long," Swiatek

said. "We felt the intensity

for sure. At the end I wanted

to be the one who played the

last ball in."

Swiatek took her prior

titles this year at the US and

French Opens as well as

Qatar, Indian Wells, Miami,

Stuttgart and Rome.

The 21-year-old Polish

star bounced back in her

ninth championship match

of the year after losing last

week's final at Ostrava to

Czech Barbora Krejcikova.

In a rain-halted semi-final

delayed to Sunday afternoon,

Vekic rallied from 4-2 down

in the third set when showers

struck to defeat 19th-ranked

American Danielle Collins,

this year's Australian Open

runner-up, by 6-4, 4-6, 7-6

(7/2).

That left her only a short

rest break before facing

Swiatek for the title, but she

tested the top-ranked star

through two sets.

Swiatek broke in the sixth

game and held twice to

capture the first set after 40

minutes when Vekic netted

a backhand.

In the second set, Vekic

broke on a forehand

crosscourt winner for a 4-2

lead and held twice to force a

third set. It caused Swiatek

to step up her form.

"I wanted to give it all, and

knowing how Donna can

serve, I wanted to be more

loosened up on my return

games-not think, just relax

and let my instincts take

over," Swiatek said.

She broke on a forehand

winner to seize a 2-0 edge in

the decider, broke again in

the fourth game and

captured the match after

one hour and 47 minutes

when Vekic double faulted

away a last break.

Vekic was in her first WTA

final since she won her third

career title last October at

Courmayeur, Italy.

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland at the San Diego open, on oct 14, 2022.

Photo: AP

Mbappe insists he ‘never asked

to leave’ as PSG down Marseille

SPoRtS DeSK

and we did it," Madrid midfielder Luka

Modric told DAZN. "In attack we were

convincing, we scored three goals and I'm

very happy for our performance, I think

we had a great game."

After a damaging draw with Inter

Milan midweek that left Barcelona's

European hopes hanging by a thread,

Xavi made changes, including Jules

Kounde returning in place of Gerard

Pique.

Last season Barcelona's best moment

came at the Bernabeu, as Xavi's side

earned a surprising 4-0 win, but this visit

found them at their lowest ebb since the

Spanish World Cup winner took charge.

"The feeling I have right now is that

we're in a negative dynamic where

nothing is going for us," Xavi told DAZN.

"I can't be happy with anything, losing in

the Bernabeu 3-1 is very bad.

Vinicius probed in the opening stages

down the left flank against the

unconvincing Sergi Roberto and that was

where Madrid's opening goal came from

after 12 minutes.

The masterful Toni Kroos held off

Sergio Busquets and threaded a neat pass

down the wing, with Vinicius leaving

Roberto for dead. Ter Stegen denied the

Brazilian winger, but Benzema was on

hand to slam home the rebound.

The French forward had gone five

games without a goal, but ended his

drought on the big stage, showing

typically perfect timing as he is expected

Kylian Mbappe insisted

Sunday he has "never asked

to leave" Paris Saint-

Germain despite

widespread reports last

week that he would seek a

move away from the Qatarowned

club as soon as

possible, reports UNB.

The 23-year-old France

superstar was speaking in

the wake of PSG's 1-0 win

over Marseille, in which he

set up Neymar for the only

goal as his side moved three

points clear at the top of

Ligue 1.

"I am very happy. I have

never asked to leave in

January," he said while

insisting that he was not

"implicated directly or

indirectly" in the rumors

about his future.

The story emerged on

Tuesday, hours before PSG's

1-1 Champions League draw

with Benfica in which he

scored.

"I didn't understand why

the story came out on the

day of a game. I was as

shocked as everyone,"

Mbappe claimed.

"People can think I was

involved but I wasn't at all."

Several sources assure

that the noise about Mbappe

wanting to leave PSG -

despite only signing a new

three-year contract in May

after lengthy negotiations -

came from the entourage of

the player himself.

Mbappe has openly

admitted that he has not

enjoyed his position in the

Paris attack this season,

saying he plays with "more

freedom" when on

international duty.

But he insisted that there

was no truth that he wanted

to leave Paris, saying: "It is

completely false. I am very

happy."

Neymar's goal against

Marseille came in first-half

stoppage time as PSG beat

their bitter rivals at the Parc

des Princes to maintain their

unbeaten start to the season.

The game also featured a

red card for Marseille

defender Samuel Gigot, who

was dismissed in the second

half for scything down

Neymar.

It was a welcome return to

winning ways for PSG after

three straight draws and a

week overshadowed by the

doubts about Mbappe's

future. PSG are three points

clear of surprise package

Lorient, who drew 0-0 on

Saturday with Reims.

Lens are five points

behind the leaders in third,

with Marseille another point

adrift now in fourth.

Mbappe lined up for the

Parisians alongside Neymar

and the returning Lionel

Messi in attack and was

twice denied by fine Pau

Lopez saves in the first half.

"He created lots of

chances. He was in his

favorite position most of the

time. He just lacked a bit of

luck and came up against a

good goalkeeper," coach

Christophe Galtier told

broadcaster Amazon Prime.

"Obviously I have

understood Kylian and that

he wants to be in his favorite

position," said Galtier, who

switched from a back three

to a back four against

Marseille.

"That is also why we tried

to play with a different

system, but believe me when

I say everything is fine in the

dressing room.

to win the Ballon d'Or in Paris on

Monday.

Vinicius was booked for complaining

about a push from Roberto as Barcelona

began to earn a foothold in the game, but

another individual error quickly pulled it

away from them.

Eric Garcia's loose header found

Vinicius in a dangerous area and Madrid

toyed with Barcelona's defense, dragging

them one way before Ferland Mendy

passed the ball back across for Valverde

to drill home from the edge of the area.

Madrid continued to push forward

after the break and Benzema curled home

a third, but it was ruled out for offside.

At the other end La Liga's top scorer

Robert Lewandowski sent a free-kick into

the wall and appealed for a penalty after

Dani Carvajal collided with him in the

box, but the referee was not interested.

Substitute Fati angled a strike wide

from outside the area but Madrid were

largely comfortable, sitting back and

keeping Barcelona at arm's length until

Torres struck.

Fati's brilliant run and cross for the

Spanish winger gave Barcelona a lifeline,

but Madrid sealed the win when Garcia

trod on Rodrygo in the area and he beat

Ter Stegen from the spot.

"We are very disappointed," Barca

defender Kounde told DAZN. "I don't

think we had a bad game but in the first

half we failed where they are strong, on

transitions.

"I have players with big

characters but they are great

professionals."

Messi hit the underside of

the crossbar from a first-half

free-kick for PSG, who lost

Danilo Pereira to injury in

the first half.

Marseille, who beat

Sporting Lisbon in the

Champions League in

midweek, were a threat

when they got forward but

could not find a response to

Neymar's goal.

"I am not frustrated," their

coach, Igor Tudor, told

Amazon Prime.

"It finished 1-0 but it could

have been maybe 5-5 or 4-5

or 6-4. Paris deserved this

win."

Elsewhere, Lyon's slump

continued as they went

down 3-2 to Rennes in their

first game since appointing

former PSG boss Laurent

Blanc as their new coach.

Blanc succeeded the

sacked Peter Bosz last week

to return to French football

more than six years after his

departure from Paris, where

he won three Ligue 1 titles in

three seasons.

He is now charged with

reviving the fortunes of the

seven-time former French

champions but a brace from

Martin Terrier and an

Amine Gouiri goal gave

Rennes the victory which

leaves them fifth.

Alexandre Lacazette

scored twice for Lyon who

are now 10th after seeing

their run without a win

extended to six games.

Monaco are sixth after a 1-

1 draw with Clermont in

which they were hindered

by the early sending off of

Malian midfielder

Mohamed Camara.

TUEsdAY, OcTOBER 18, 2022

10

Apurba, Mahi

pairs up in ‘Kaal

Theke Shuru’

TBT REPORT

Popular actor Ziaul Faruq Apurba has

paired up with new generation actress

Samira Khan Mahi in a new drama

titled 'Kaal Theke Shuru'. Written by

Mezbah Uddin Sumon, the play has

been directed by Maidul Rakib.

In the meantime, the shooting of the

project has been completed at

different locations of the capital's

Uttara area. The play will be aired on

a private satellite channel soon.

Apurba said about the first work

with Mahi, "Mahi is doing well among

the newcomers. She has an effort to

do well and she tries to understand

the character. Best wishes to her."

Samira Khan Mahi said, "I was very

excited to work with Apurba for the

first time. The first thing that I like

about him is that he is a very goodhearted

and humble person. He is

very cooperative. That's why I love

working with him. Undoubtedly, he is

a very talented artiste. I'm very

optimistic about the drama."

Anne shares blunt thoughts on

potential Devil Wears Prada 2

Anne Hathaway shares

her blunt thoughts on a

potential The Devil Wears

Prada 2, noting that while

the sequel's script exists, it

won't happen.

Anne Hathaway is

strongly against a sequel

to the hit comedy 2006

film, The Devil Wears

Prada, saying blatantly

that the sequel is not going

to happen. The Devil

Wears Prada was

incredibly successful,

primarily because of the

big names tied to it,

including Meryl Streep,

Anne Hathaway, and

Emily Blunt, as well as the

incredible performance

the actors gave. The movie

was nominated for two

Oscars as well, one for

Streep for Best Actress in a

Leading Role and one for

the movie's costume

design. Fans of all ages

and demographics went to

the theaters to see it,

acclaiming it for its

comedic but accurate

portrayal of a stressful

work environment.

In The Devil Wears

Prada, Hathaway stars as

Andrea Sachs, an aspiring

journalist who takes on

the position of one of the

assistants to the incredibly

critical fashion designer

and difficult boss Miranda

Priestly, played by Streep.

Andrea struggles to not

become sucked into the

world of fashion and the

politics that come with it

while trying to maintain

healthy relationships with

her family, friends, and

boyfriend Nate. In the

end, Andrea realizes that

she does not like the

person this job has turned

her into, so she quits and

makes amends with those

she hurt. The Devil Wears

Prada is a reflection on the

importance of not losing

yourself to your career,

and that stepping away is

a perfectly healthy option,

which may not translate

well for a sequel.

Despite the original

film's success, Anne

Hathaway shared her

blunt thoughts on why

The Devil Wears Prada 2

won't happen with

Entertainment Tonight.

The star noted that the

film already exists and

that rather than hold out

hope for a follow-up,

audiences should revisit

the original. See

Hathaway's full comment

below:

There's not going to be a

sequel. It's not gonna

happen. It's just like, we

can't do it. It's not gonna

happen. It exists. There

are other films. There will

be other films. We can just

watch that one [The Devil

Wears Prada] again.

The modern age of

Hollywood films is so

heavily tied to sequels and

revivals, that it makes

sense that fans would

almost expect a sequel to

The Devil Wears Prada.

However, to Hathaway's

point, a sequel for this

movie should not happen,

as there is no plot to

continue from the first

film, with Andrea learning

that the brutal world of

fashion design is not for

her and parts with

Miranda after the latter

betrays Nigel's trust and

ruins a future career

option for him. Though a

Devil Wears Prada sequel,

the film adaptation ended

on a much more finite

note than its source

material, leaving little

room to pick up the story.

A sequel would either go

back on the character

development of the last

film or try to replicate the

same story with a new

cast, something that is

blatantly unoriginal and

uninteresting when

compared to the first film.

Additionally, it would be

hard to produce The Devil

Wears Prada 2 given

Hathaway and Streep

have seen their star

profiles skyrocket further,

and thus leaves their

schedule packed on

projects they're invested

in. If Hathaway and

Streep are not interested

in making a sequel, then

the movie will likely not be

up to par with the

expectations of the

audience, making

Hathaway right to feel

that The Devil Wears

Prada will never be getting

a sequel.

Source: Collider

Despite some event hiccups, Suman

still creates magic for Dhaka fans

After 13 years, Dhaka

audiences got another chance

to listen to the widely popular

West Bengal singer-lyricistcomposer

Kabir Suman's

timeless songs on Saturday

evening. The concert

celebrated 30 years of

Suman's ground-breaking

album "Tomake Chai",

reports UNB.

Though the concert was

scheduled to begin at 4:30

pm, audiences had to wait in

long queue past the time to

enter the venue at Dhaka's

Institute of Engineers

Bangladesh (IEB).

One of the waiting fans told

UNB, "I was expecting a

better arrangement for a

legendary musician like Kabir

Suman in Dhaka." After the

long wait, all was forgiven

when a humble Kabir Suman

took the stage - in an

auditorium filled to the brim.

"I'm from India but my

language is Bangla, which is

the national language of

TBT REPORT

Dhaka Lit Fest (DLF),

celebrating its 10th edition,

has announced the first list of

25 speakers which includes

Nobel Prize-winning authors

Orhan Pamuk and Abdul

Razak Gurnah.

The festival is scheduled to

take place from 5 to 8

January, 2023 at the Bangla

Academy.

Over 200 speakers are

expected to attend the 2023

edition. The first list further

includes Nuruddin Farah,

Amitav Ghosh, Hanif

Kureishi, Rodrigo Rey Rosa,

Pankaj Mishra, Tilda

Swinton, Jon Lee Anderson,

Onjali Rauf, Sarah

Churchwell, Gitanjali Shree,

Daisy Rockwell, Esther

Freud, Matthieu Aikins,

Alexandra Pringle, Andrey

Kurkov, Asma Khan, Dame

Sarah Gilbert, Anisul Hoque,

Bangladesh. It's another kind

of bliss to be able to sing in

Bangla, surrounded by native

speakers," Suman's

introductory comments drew

applause from the audience.

The 73-year-old musician

who mostly depends on

wheelchair now to move

around, said that he cannot

play the guitar like before but

his hands still have a good

grip over the keyboard.

"… I'm still able to sing,

that's enough. Sometimes I

feel like singing while lying

down," said Kabir Suman.

After exchanging

pleasantries with the Dhaka

audience, Suman talked

about his album "Tomake

Chai" that was released in

1992, when he was 43.

At the time, the whole room

listened in absolute silence as

Suman's voice made everyone

forget the world outside, as he

sang "Ek ek ta din mosrin…"

One after another, he sang,

"Purano shei din-er kotha",

Mashrur Arefin, Jaya Ahsan,

Kamal Naser Chowdhury,

Zafar Iqbal and Marina

Tabassum.

Other than the two Nobel

Prize-winning authors, the

10th edition will feature

internationally acclaimed

prize-winning speakers;

winners of the Pulitzer,

International Booker,

Neustadt International,

PEN/Pinter, Prix Médicis,

Academy Award, Windham-

Campbell Prize, Albert Medal,

"Haal chherona bondhu",

"Tomake obhibadon

priyotoma" and "Bhebona

kinchho amay".

After that he took a break

for 15 minutes but the master

lyricist-musician with an

inhaler in hand said, "I'm not

fortunate enough to breathe

my last here, in Bangladesh."

After some pause, he kept

the concert going again.

Kabir Suman will sing again

at the same venue on October

Waterstones Children's Book

Prize, Aga Khan Award, etc.

As well as a diverse mix of

conversations and dialogues,

there will be film screenings,

art exhibitions, music, and

cultural shows over the fourday

period.

Sadaf Saaz, writer,

producer and co-director of

the DLF, said, "We will have

four magical days sharing our

love of reading and literature,

discussing wide-ranging

18 (Bangla Kheyal) and on

October 21 (Modern Bangla

Songs). Organizers of the

Kabir Suman concerts were

not given permission to hold

the events at Bangladesh

National Museum in

Shahbagh - which was

originally set to host the

events - by DMP.

With already sold out

tickets, the venue was later

changed to IEB with the same

schedule.

Dhaka Lit Fest to celebrate its 10th edition on January 5

topics and ideas from

different perspectives, as well

as film screenings, live music

and performances."

Ahsan Akbar, writer, and

co-director of the

programme, said, "For the

past two years we have been

working hard to gather some

of the best minds from

around the globe. With the

diverse mix of speakers from

home and abroad, we are

excited to host an

unforgettable festival of

scintillating conversations.

The long-awaited 10th

edition of DLF will be very

special!" K Anis Ahmed,

writer, and co-director of the

fest, said, "We are committed

to our core values as ever, and

with our 10th edition we will

continue to celebrate

pluralism of both identities

and ideas and champion the

freedom to express."

Malaika Arora had the best walk at Lakme Fashion Week

Diet Sabya posted a video

featuring Malaika Arora and

Jennifer Lopez's ramp walk

with the caption, "Same

energy. Best walk at fashion

week! Haters can argue with

the wall." Their followers and

Malaika's fans agreed with the

statement and rushed to the

comments section to shower

the Chaiyya Chaiyya Girl with

compliments. While the video

showed Malaika walking the

ramp in a bralette, skirt and a

flowy cape jacket, Jennifer

Lopez's clip is from a Versace

show that celebrated the 20th

anniversary of her green

'Jungle' dress. Check out the

video below and see the two

diva's iconic and unmatchable

energies on the ramp.

Netizens flooded the

comments section of the post

with compliments for

Malaika. One user wrote, "The

iconic green dress and

Malaika. You are so on point

with the observation of the

energy of both these women

on the ramp." Another added,

"Malla just owned the ramp.

Learn from her." Some called

her 'the best', and others said

they 'loved Malaika's

confidence'. "She's the

moment right now," one user

commented.

While many fans

complimented Malaika's

ramp walk, some thought that

her outfit restricted her from

showing her true potential.

"Yes, good energy but looked

like Malaika's skirt wasn't

letting her take the big bold

steps like JLo. Malla's vibe

was big bold though," one

netizen wrote.

What do you think of

Malaika Arora's ramp walk as

the showstopper?

Malaika Arora is currently

dating Arjun Kapoor. The

couple made their

relationship official in 2019.

Source: Hindustan Times

H O R O s c O P E

ARIEs

Expanding your mind could be of

interest today, Aries. You might decide

to plan a trip to a place you've always

wanted to visit, if possible. Or you

could decide to go back to school for an advanced

degree. Either way, you're likely to spend the day

considering the idea and doing a lot of research. At

some point you will want to get in a workout to rid

your system of some of the day's tension.

TAURUs

Generally, Taurus, you tend to be

interested in what makes everything

tick, from the human mind to the

workings of the Universe to religion.

Today that interest could be piqued by something

you read or hear. You might want to delve into a field

of interest and learn whatever you can about it. You

could have some insights that are as valid as anyone

else's, so write them down!

GEMINI

Stimulating conversations could take

place with partners of all sorts, Gemini,

from business to exercise to romantic.

Some new and useful information

could come your way that you will want to explore

further. This is a great day to execute legal papers or

enter into any kind of agreement or commitment.

It's a good time to sign up for an online class or

workshop. Make good use of the energies of the day.

cANcER

Some stimulating discussions could

take place today. Your energy is likely

to be very high, Cancer. You may want

to throw yourself into your work,

particularly if it involves paperwork. You might also

want to get in a workout, try your hand at writing, or

read about the latest discoveries concerning optimal

health. Books, magazines, and the Internet could

prove especially useful.

LEO

Today you might decide to do some

writing, Leo. This could be job related,

but it's more likely personal, either

correspondence with friends and

colleagues or creative. Some stimulating discussion

could take place with friends, romantic partners, or

children that could set your mind buzzing with new

ideas. This is a great day to attend or participate in a

solo sport.

VIRGO

Some people who share your interests

could call you today. You might want to

take a walk while on the phone with

each other, but you will probably get

into some stimulating debates. Don't be surprised if

you both talk at once! New books that you will want

to read could come to your attention. In the evening,

stream some movies on whatever subject you've

discussed.

LIBRA

Your mind will be especially quick and

active today, Libra, and you're likely to

want to spend much of the day involved

in intellectual activities like reading,

writing, or teaching. Communication with others

should be a powerful part of your day, so you will

probably spend time on the phone. You will want to

write down many of the ideas you hear. You will find

most of them interesting and want to remember them.

scORPIO

Today you might decide to tackle your

financial paperwork and get it all

done. This is a great day for that,

Scorpio, although you might be a little

too ambitious and not get as much done as you'd

like. This is a good time to make use of any writing

talent, because ideas could be coming to you thick

and fast. Expect many of letters or phone calls in

this busy and stimulating day.

sAGITTARIUs

Your mind is usually quick, agile, and

hungry for information, Sagittarius.

Today it's likely to be even more so

than usual. Your curiosity is high, and

you could go to unusual lengths to satisfy it. You

might also feel particularly energetic and want to get

in a good workout. This is a good idea. Exercise can

clear your head and give you a better perspective on

new ideas and information.

cAPRIcORN

You generally tend to be sensitive and

intuitive, Capricorn, but today you

might be even more so. Reading about

people from other places and times

might cause you to tune into their thoughts and

feelings and receive new insight into human nature.

Creative projects, particularly writing, benefit from

this. If you want to remember what you come up

with, write it down.

AQUARIUs

A virtual group meeting or social event

could bring up so many new and

interesting ideas that you may not be able

to digest them all, Aquarius. Some new

friends who share your interests might want to continue

the discussions. Your mind is especially quick today.

You could well grasp unusual concepts that usually

don't interest you. But watch your step - you might be so

preoccupied that you could have an accident.

PIscEs

A lot of paperwork might need

attention today, Pisces. You might

throw a lot of your focus and energy

into getting it all done. Stimulating conversations

with colleagues could keep your mind occupied so

you avoid boredom. You could take a walk at the end

of the day since you're apt to encounter so much

new information that you will want to clear your

head in order to absorb it all.

Russian President Russian troops in the occupied regions of southern Ukraine.

TUeSDAy, OCTOBeR 18, 2022

11

Free medical camp and discussion meeting was held in Haor Upazila Austagram of Kishoreganj. It

was organized by Union for Supreme Social Advancement (USSA) and courtesy of Mehrab Health

and General Hospital was held on Monday morning at West Alinagar Government Primary School

premises. In the presentation of social worker Abu Saeed and Under the chairmanship of health

inspector Ali Akbar, Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr. Md. Umar Khusru was present

as the chief guest.

Photo: MD Nazrul Islam

Biden turning to Trump-era rule

to expel Venezuelan migrants

WASHINGTON : Two years ago,

candidate Joe Biden loudly

denounced President Donald Trump

for immigration policies that inflicted

"cruelty and exclusion at every turn,"

including toward those fleeing the

"brutal" government of socialist

Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela.

Now, with increasing numbers of

Venezuelans arriving at the U.S.-

Mexico border as the Nov. 8 election

nears, Biden has turned to an

unlikely source for a solution: his

predecessor's playbook.

Biden last week invoked a Trumpera

rule known as Title 42 -- which

Biden's own Justice Department is

fighting in court - to deny

Venezuelans fleeing their crisis-torn

country the chance to request asylum

at the border.

The rule, first invoked by Trump in

2020, uses emergency public health

Around 1,000 patients receive

free eye surgery on Prime

Minister's birth anniversary

Dr. Khursheduzzaman

(Mishri Mia) Welfare Trust

has started a program to

provide

free

procedures/operations for

various eye conditions to

roughly 1000 patients in

Jamalpur's Islampur

Upazila. On the occasion of

the 75th birth anniversary of

Prime Minister Sheikh

Hasina, a four-day eye camp

was set up to perform this

surgery, a press release said.

An inaugural ceremony for

this camp was held in front of

the Dak Bungalow of the

Zilla Parishad in Islampur

last Saturday. It will continue

till today. Dr. Ishtiaque M.

Syed, a professor in the

physics department at

Dhaka University and the

principal of Amar Ekushe

Hall, served as the chief guest

at the opening of the eye

camp.

In the inaugural speech,

congratulating and wishing

the Prime Minister Sheikh

Hasina's long life, SM

Shahinuzzaman, a Trustee of

the Dr. Khursheduzzaman

(Mishri Mia) Welfare Trust

Board said "We are

expressing our unity in the

fight to create a developed

and wealthy Bangladesh

through this eyecamp,

Through different eye

camps, the trust has offered

various eye treatment

services to about 6,000

individuals since the start of

this year. Patients with

cataracts, swollen muscles,

and ocular tract infections

were located in such camps

and scheduled for surgery.

authority to allow the United States

to keep migrants from seeking

asylum at the border, based on the

need to help prevent the spread of

COVID-19.

Under the new Biden

administration policy, Venezuelans

who walk or swim across America's

southern border will be expelled and

any Venezuelan who illegally enters

Mexico or Panama will be ineligible

to come to the United States. But as

many as 24,000 Venezuelans will be

accepted at U.S. airports, similar to

how Ukrainians have been admitted

since Russia's invasion in February.

Mexico has insisted that the U.S.

admit one Venezuelan on

humanitarian parole for each

Venezuelan it expels to Mexico,

according to a Mexican official who

was not authorized to discuss the

matter publicly and spoke condition

of anonymity. So if the Biden

administration paroles 24,000

Venezuelans to the U.S., Mexico

would take no more than 24,000

Venezuelans expelled from the U.S.

The Biden policy marks an abrupt

turn for the White House, which just

weeks ago was lambasting Florida

Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov.

Greg Abbott, both Republicans, for

putting Venezuelan migrants

"fleeing political persecution" on

buses and planes to Democratic

strongholds.

"These were children, they were

moms, they were fleeing

communism," White House press

secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at

the time.

Biden's new policy has drawn swift

criticism from immigrant advocates,

many of them quick to point out the

Trump parallels.

Ex-PM Khan says Pakistan

by-election 'a referendum'

on his popularity

ISLAMABAD : Former Pakistan prime

minister Imran Khan is a candidate for seven

of eight national assembly seats up for grabs in

a key by-election Sunday, a vote he says is "a

referendum" on his popularity.

The by-election is the latest twist in political

wrangling that began after Khan's April 10

ouster via a parliamentary no-confidence vote.

It comes as the nation grapples with the

aftermath of devasting monsoon floods that

affected more than 30 million people and left a

third of the country under water.

Candidates can stand for multiple seats in

Pakistan elections. If they win more than one

they choose which to keep, and a separate vote

must later be held for those forfeited.

It is rare, however, for a candidate to stand

for as many seats as Khan is doing Sunday, and

his disruptive move is clearly to gauge his

popularity.

"This is not just a simple election, it's a

referendum," he told a rally late Friday in

Karachi, the bustling port city in the south of

the nation of 220 million.

Khan has held dozens of rallies since being

ousted-drawing crowds of tens of thousandsand

has vowed soon to announce the date of a

"long march" of his supporters on the capital,

Islamabad.

He is demanding the coalition government

of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif calls an

immediate general election rather than wait

until October next year.

"If he wins most of the seats, he will press the

government more," political analyst Hassan

Askari Rizvi told AFP.

"But the government will reject the election

call, claiming it doesn't reflect the national

will."

Khan has already scored a string of recent

by-election victories, with his Pakistan

Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party seizing control in

July of the state assembly in Punjab, the

country's most populous province.

He has, so far, also emerged largely

unscathed from a series of court cases against

him and his party.

Pakistan's courts are often used to tie up

lawmakers in tedious and long-winding

proceedings that rights monitors have

criticised for stifling political opposition.

Khan blames the current government for

soaring inflation, although most analysts

agree Sharif inherited the country's economic

woes.

Catastrophic flooding this summer put onethird

of Pakistan under Vladimir Putin said last

week's strikes were in retaliation for the bombing

of a bridge connecting the Crimean peninsula

with the Russian mainland. Putin blames Ukraine

for masterminding the blast, which suspended

traffic over the bridge and curtailed Moscow's

ability to use the bridge to supply water,

displaced eight million people, and caused at

least an estimated $28 billion in damage.

The United Nations has warned of a "second

wave" of catastrophe, with the risk that deaths

from water-borne disease and malnutrition

will outstrip the 1,700 drowned and

electrocuted in the initial cascade.

Khan rode to power in 2018 on a populist

platform promising social reforms, religious

conservatism and Strikes in central Kyiv had

become a rarity in the last several months after

Russian forces failed to capture the capital at the

beginning of the war. put Kyiv as well as the rest of

the country back on edge as the war nears nine

months. Monday's become more common

occurrences in urban centers. fighting

corruption, overturning decades of rule by two

feuding political dynasties interspersed with

military takeovers.

But, under his tenure, the economy

stagnated and he lost the support of the army,

which was accused of helping to get him

elected.

Two die as

house catches

fire in Rajbari

RAJBARI : Two people,

including a nine-year-old

girl, were burnt to death in a

fire that broke out at their

house in Goalundo upazila

of Rajbari on Sunday night.

The deceased were

identified as Boro Bibi, 90,

and Tasmia Aktar, residents

of the upazila.

The fire broke out at their

tin-shed house in

Beparipara village around 9

pm following gas cylinder

blast while Boro Bibi and

Tasmia were asleep, said

Swapan Kumar Majumder,

officer-in-charge (OC) of

Goalundo Ghat police

station.

On information, a team of

Goalunda fire service

doused the fire after an hour,

said leader of Goalunda fire

station Sabekul Islam.

The fire fighters also

recovered two charred

bodies from the house, he

added.

At least 122 dead in Iran

crackdown on Mahsa

Amini protests: IHR

NICOSIA : At least 122

people have been killed in

Iran's crackdown on more

than a month of nationwide

protests sparked by the deah

of Mahsa Amini, the Oslobased

group Iran Human

Rights said Monday.

The Iranian security forces

also killed at least another 93

people during separate

clashes in the city of

Zahedan, in the

southeastern province of

Sistan-Baluchistan, IHR

said in a statement.

The group, updating an

earlier toll of 108 dead, said

that among those killed

nationwide were 27

children.

The group's director,

Mahmood Amiry-

Moghaddam, condemned

what he called "the reckless

state violence which has

even targeted children and

prisoners, along with the

false narratives presented by

Islamic Republic officials".

Protests erupted across

Iran on September 16, when

Amini died three days after

falling into a coma following

her arrest in Tehran by the

morality police for an

alleged breach of the Islamic

republic's strict dress code

for women.

Ukraine: Explosions

rock Kyiv a week

after Russian strikes

KYIV : Explosive-laden

suicide drones struck

Ukraine's capital as families

were preparing to start their

week early Monday, the blasts

echoing across Kyiv and

sending people scurrying to

shelters.

Kyiv city mayor Vitali

Klitschko said the capital's

central Shevchenko district

was hit, damaging several

apartment blocks and setting

fire to a non-residential

building. There was no

immediate word on casualties.

The drones' intended targets

weren't immediately clear but

Russian strikes over the past

week have hit infrastructure,

including power facilities.

Witnesses posted videos of

drones buzzing across bright

morning skies over Kyiv and

of what sounded like gunshots

of people trying to shoot them

down.

Explosions were heard from

the same central Kyiv district

where a missile strike a week

ago tore a hole in a children's

playground. Social media

posts showed smoke billowing

in the early morning light.

Russian forces struck Kyiv

with Iranian Shahed drones,

wrote Andrii Yermak, the

head of the Ukrainian

president's office, in a post on

the Telegram social media

site. Russia has repeatedly

been using the so-called

suicide drones in recent weeks

to target urban centers and

infrastructure, including

power stations.

30 Bangladeshi companies to participate

in Fashion World Tokyo

DHAKA : Under the market development

initiative of the Export Promotion Bureau

(EPB), thirty reputed exporters belonging to

the apparel industry are participating in the

Fashion World Tokyo, Japan scheduled to be

held from October 18 to 20 at the Tokyo Big

Sight, Tokyo, Japan.

Reed Exhibitions Japan Ltd, one of the

world's reputed event organizers, is

organizing the event, said a press release.

Japan is the 11th largest export destination

of Bangladesh. In FY 2021-22, Bangladesh

exported goods worth US$1353.85 million to

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) on Monday arrested a fugitive convict who

had been on the run since his conviction in Biswajit Das murder case in

2012. Photo : Courtesy

we`ÿ r/Rb-213(2)/17/10/2022

GD-1687/22 (6x3)

Japan which is 14.38 percent more than the

previous financial year.

To retain the prevailing market share and

explore the new market destination, Fashion

World Tokyo plays a pivotal role.

EPB has been participating in the fair with

a good number of exporters along with

leading sector players for over a decade.

EPB believes that the economic downturn

of the country can be successfully faced

through augmentation of the export and in

this case, this fair will play an outstanding

role.

Over 50 including cops injured in

clash between villagers in Sylhet

SYLHET : More than 50 people including

policemen were injured during a clash

between two groups of Lamakazi in

Bishwanath upazila on Sunday night.

Police eventually managed to disperse the

mob after spreading tear gas shells and firing

blank shots in the area, said Kabir Hossain

Dhala Miah, a chairman of the local union

parishad.

During the clash, a number of shops and

vehicles were vandalised, he added.

He said the clash ensued around 8:30 pm

following an altercation over the collection of

toll money at the Lamakazi bus stand. Later

it divided the villagers into two groups,

creating a skirmish in the area, leaving at

least 50 people injured.

On information, police rushed to the spot

and managed to bring the situation under

control around 11 pm.

Several cops including Biswanath Police

Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Gazi Ataur

Rahman were injured during the clash as the

agitating mob also attacked them, added the

chairman.

Additional police forces have been

deployed in the area as a tense situation is

still prevailing in the area, he added.

Tuesday, Dhaka : October 18, 2022; Kartik 2, 1429 BS; Rabi-ul-Awal 21 , 1444 Hijri

'Stop war, stop politics

with food', PM says at

World Food Forum

Foreign Minister Abdul Momen saw the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam Haji Hassanal Bolkiah off at

Hazrat Shahjalal Int’l Airport on Monday in Dhaka.

Photo: PID

Forced retirement as info secretary

Never seen BNP leader Tarique

Rahman directly : Mokbul

Md Mokbul Hossain on Monday denied

seeing BNP acting Chairman Tarique

Rahman directly, a day after he was sent

on early retirement as the information secretary

in "public interest."

"I've never seen Tarique Rahman physically

and have no intention to see him. I've

never made any compromise with morality

in my life and I'm not even prepared for

this situation," he said while talking to

reporters at the Secretariat, reports UNB.

No details have been available about his

alleged connection with Tarique, who has

been living in London with his family since

September 2008. In his absence he was

tried and convicted in deadly grenade

attack on then-opposition leader Sheikh

Hasina's rally in Dhaka on August 21,

2004 and in a money laundering case.

On Sunday Mokbul was shown the

door in "public interest' nearly a year

before he was due to retire from government

service triggering speculations

about the real reason.

Asked about different allegations

brought against him, Mokbul requested

the reporters to publish if they get anything

like this.

Corona vaccination program going on for children aged five

to eleven years. The photo was taken from Sadarghat Dhaka

Collegiate School on Monday.

Photo : Star Mail

Rohingyas relocation

963 more reach Bhasan Char

NOAKHALI : Another batch of 963

Rohingyas reached Bhasan Char in the

fourteenth phase on Monday.

With this, the total number of

Rohingya population at the Bhasan

Char reached 30,079, said Lieutenant

Hashem, in-charge of Bhasan Char

Rohingya Camp, reports UNB.

The Rohingya men, women and children

left Cox's Bazar for Bhasan Char

in four naval ships and reached Bhasan

Char around 5pm , he added.

After the Navy briefed them about

life in Bhasan Char there, they were

relocated to clusters 88, 89 and 90,

said Nawsher.

Muhammad Imdadul Haque officerin-charge

of Bhasan Char police station

said health workers conducted

Replying to a question about his visit to

London where he met some people,

Mokbul said "We went there in the month

of March as a team. Why have you raised

this question now? Ashequn Nabi was incharge

of our press and if you (journalists)

ask him it would be clear."

Ashequn Nabi Chowdhury is the minister

(press) at Bangladesh High

Commission in London.

Moqbul also said that "If it is proved that

I was in contact with BNP, please put me

on the dock ..... It is impossible for a person

who holds Bangabandhu as his ideal, can

make any connection with the BNP."

"I have no idea why I have been sent on

early retirement but the government has

the right to do it. There is no scope to anything

against it. I am always ready to stand

before the court."

Responding to a query about the allegation

brought against him that he has a connection

with another party, Mokbul said

"As a journalist you can investigate it. I

have no connection with any anti-government

activities and if there is any, you

(journalist) can publish it. I have no complaints

about it."

medical tests of the Rohingyas after

they reached there. Later, the

Rohingyas were transferred to their

own clusters.

On March 29, a batch of 1,096 more

Rohingyas was relocated to Bhasan

Char in the thirteenth phase.

In addition, 306 Rohingyas who

tried to go to Malaysia illegally by sea

were rescued from the sea and taken to

Bhasan Char.

Bangladesh is currently hosting

over 1.1 million Rohingyas in camps

in Cox's Bazar and Bhasan Char.

Most of them have come to this

country since August 25, 2017, when

the Myanmar military launched a

brutal offensive targeting the

Muslim ethnic minorities.

Brunei Sultan

leaves Dhaka

ending 2-day visit

DHAKA : Sultan of Brunei Darussalam

Haji Hassanal Bolkiah left here for his

country by a special VVIP flight on

Monday morning. Foreign Minister Dr

AK Abdul Momen saw him off at Hazrat

Shahjalal International Airport.

He also handed over an album to the

Sultan containing photos of his two-day

state visit that ended Sunday evening.

The Sultan arrived here on Saturday

afternoon and held meetings with

President Abdul Hamid and Prime

Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday and

Sunday respectively.

The two countries signed four bilateral

cooperation documents including a memorandum

of understanding (MoU) on

energy cooperation after his official talks

with the Prime Minister on Sunday.

Next general polls to

be free, fair : Taposh

DHAKA : Dhaka South City Corporation

(DSCC) Mayor Barrister Fazle Noor

Taposh yesterday said the ongoing Zilla

Parishad elections are being held in a free

and fair manner and the next general election

will also be like that, reports BSS.

"The way Zilla Parishad elections are

being held, I am expecting the next general

election will also be free and fair.

Election Commission arranged substantial

security measures in polling centres

and I have casted my ballots within a very

short time through EVM," he said.

The Mayor said this while talking to

newsmen after casting his ballots at

Ambagicha Government Primary School

in Keraniganj yesterday morning.

The polling started simultaneously in five

centres in Dhaka district at 9 am. Dhaka

Deputy Commissioner M Shahidul Islam,

who is observing his duty as returning officer

in this election, inspected the polling at

Ambagicha centre at around 10 am.

"Each centre is being monitored centrally

through CCTV cameras. Adequate

numbers of law enforcing agencies members

have been deployed. The total number

of voters in Dhaka district is 1,019

including DSCC and DNCC mayors," the

Dhaka DC said.

Barishal Mayor

Sadik calls UNO 'stupid'

during Zila

Parishad election

BARISHAL : Barishal City Corporation

(BCC) Mayor Serniabat Sadik Abdullah

had an incident with Barishal Sadar

Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md

Moniruzzaman while entering a polling

centre during the ongoing Zila Parishad

election, reports UNB.

In a video shared from the Barishal

mayor's Facebook page, it was seen that the

mayor tried to enter Barishal Zila School

polling centre with a group of public representatives

and the UNO barred him.

"Have I entered the polling centre yet?

Why are you creating a scene? Am I a child

who doesn't know the rules? Why are you

talking like a stupid person?" Sadik asked

Moniruzzaman during an angry outburst.

Shocked, the UNO then tried to recollect

himself by telling Sadik that he didn't say anything

to him. Later, the UNO told journalists

that the news of an altercation between him

and the Barishal mayor was "unfounded".

DHAKA : Prime Minister Sheikh

Hasina on Monday once again called for

stopping the Russia-Ukraine war blaming

the conflict for disrupting the global

food supplies leading to increased cost

of food.

She made the fervent appeal in a

keynote speech at the five-day World Food

Forum 2022 at the headquarters of the

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

in Rome, Italy. The theme of this year's

WFF (October 17-21) is "Healthy Diets,

Healthy Planet."

Speaking virtually from her official residence

Ganobhaban, Hasina said that

more than 800 million people or 10 percent

of the world's population are estimated

regularly go to bed hungry, reports

UNB.

"Things have now become worse with

the Ukraine war, and subsequent sanctions

and counter-sanctions, which have

disrupted global food supplies and raised

the cost of food," she said.

She said that she had repeatedly

appealed to the international community

to stop war, stop politics with food, and

stop wastage of food.

"If, on the other hand, a fraction of the

money invested on manufacturing

weapons was spent on food production

and distribution, no one would go hungry

in this world," she said.

"Instead, please ensure food supply to

BNP aims to create chaos

in country:Hasan

DHAKA : Information and Broadcasting

Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud yesterday said

BNP wants to crate anarchy in the country.

"With a view to creating anarchy, BNP is trying

to wage their so called movement but they cannot

execute it successfully," he said.

Hasan said these while replying to reporters

after attending a meeting with artists, directors

and producers of television at his secretariat

office here.

Additional Secretary (Broadcasting) of the

ministry Khadiza Begum was present.

He said BNP leaders, earlier, said Khaleda

Zia is very sick and she would not remain alive

if she is not taken abroad.

Making such kind of emotional comments,

BNP tried to engage people in their movement

but they failed, he said.

Noting that the world is facing a crisis situation

due to Russia-Ukraine conflict and Covid-

19 pandemic, Hasan said Bangladesh is not an

isolated island from the world and that is why

it is also facing the impacts.

In this perspective, the minister said, BNP is

trying to create confusion among the people's

minds by spreading rumours and falsehood.

"We dealt with their anarchies in 2013, 2014

and 2015. So, it is nothing new to us," he said.

Rejecting a demand of BNP over caretaker

government issue, the minister said the issue

has been settled more than 10 years ago. But,

BNP is talking on this issue throughout the 10

years, said Hasan, also Awami League joint

areas of food shortage, and famine. As

human beings, we must believe that everyone

has a right to survive with food and

have a decent life," she said.

She stated that "In real sense, there is no

dearth of food in our planet.The scarcity is

simply manmade".

She alleged that politics and business

interests with food, challenges of climate

change, and pest and disease attacks are

all putting pressure on the planet's agrifood

systems.

She mentioned that this deprivation is

most unfortunate in the world of abundant

resources which is boosted by

remarkable contributions of science and

technology.

Talking about the agricultural development

of Bangladesh, the prime minister

said that after the assassination of the

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh

Mujibur Rahman, the agricultural programmes

and all other development initiatives

that he had taken came to a halt.

Thereafter, a couple of decades followed

without progress.

She mentioned that coming to

power in 1996 she, following the footstep

of Bangabandhu, immediately

began short, medium and long term

plans of Bangladesh's overall development,

and particularly agriculture as

food self-sufficiency came first before

all other necessities.

general secretary.

He said BNP is doing politics only centering

caretaker government, Khaldea Zia's sickness,

her knee pain, Tarique Rahman's punishment

and the election commission but they didn't

raise voice for any public issue.

Replying to another query over an order of

sending information and broadcasting secretary

Mokbul Hossain to retirement, the minister

said, "I heard it yesterday at the ministry. I

don't know what is the integral reason and the

Public Administration Ministry can say it."

The Public Administration Ministry can

recruit one on contractual basis if any secretary

goes to retirement, he mentioned.

Besides, the ministry can send anyone into

retirement before completion of his or her job

tenure, he said, adding that a notification has

been issued by the Public Administration

Ministry to this end.

He said the work of the ministry is going on

as usual as he attends office every day.

"And I supervise all works completely. I also

review the implementation progress after giving

any decision," he said.

Earlier in the meeting, Hasan said, "I'm trying

with my utmost devotion and ability to

develop the country's television industry and

artists after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

gave the responsibility of the ministry upon

me. The ministry was also discussed about

introducing TV award in national level like

National Film Award."

Actor Masum

Aziz passes away

DHAKA : Ekushey Padak winning actor

and dramatist Masum Aziz passed away

yesterday afternoon while undergoing

treatment at a city hospital, reports UNB.

Family sources said Masum Aziz was

kept on life support from Thursday as his

condition deteriorated.

He left behind his wife, two children and

a host of relatives and admirers to mourn

his death. He was a renowned name on

stage, television and films. He was suffering

from cancer and cardiac issues for a

long time.

Masum Aziz started his journey as an

actor in 1972. Alongside commendable stage

performances, he has been honoured with

the National Film Award for his performance

in "Ghani" in 2006. In addition, he was

awarded the Ekushey Padak this year for his

contribution to acting.

State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM

Khalid and Environment, Forest and

Climate Change Minister Md Shahab

Uddin expressed profound shock and sorrow

at the death of Masum Aziz.

In a condolence message, they prayed

for the eternal peace of the departed soul

and conveyed deep sympathy to the

bereaved family.

Those dreaming to

oust govt thru rallies

living in fools'

paradise: Quader

DHAKA : Awami League (AL) General

Secretary and Road Transport and

Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday

said those, who think that they would

be able to topple the government through

some rallies, are living in a fools'paradise.

"AL is not a political party that came

floating in the stream of water (rather) its

roots are deeply rooted into the soil and

connected with the people of this country.

It is not possible to topple the government

with a few rallies," he said referring to BNP

leaders. The AL general secretary made

the remarks at a press conference at his

residence in the city.

Noting that BNP is daydreaming about

creating another One Eleven, he said, "The

daydream about creating another One

Eleven will bring no result. Repetition of

One Eleven will never take place in

Bangladesh".

Referring to BNP Secretary General

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Quader said

the apex court of the country abolished the

caretaker government system; it was not a

decision of the AL government.

"Only Almighty Allah and the country's

people know who will be in the state

power and who will not be in power till

2041," the AL general secretary added.

Under the family card program, TCB is distributing essential products at low cost

to one crore families. The photo was taken from Basabo area in the capital on

Monday.

Photo : Star Mail

18-10-2022

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