07-11-2022

MONDAY

DHAKA : November 7, 2022; Kartik 22, 1429 BS; Rabi-us-Sani 11, 1444 Hijri www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www.bangladeshtoday.net Regd. No. DA~2065, Vol. 20; No.168; 12 Pages~Tk. 12.00

INTERNATIONAL SPORTS ART & CULTURE

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>Page 7

PM to inaugurate

100 bridges today

DHAKA : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

will inaugurate 100 bridges for traffic

today. The Prime Minister will virtually

inaugurate the newly-constructed bridges

simultaneously from her official Ganabhaban

residence today morning.

The government has constructed 100

bridges costing Tk 879.62 crore. Of the

bridges, 45 are in Chattogram division, 17

in Sylhet division, 14 in Barisal division,

six in Mymensingh, five each in Gopalganj,

Rajshahi and Rangpur, two in Dhaka

and one in Cumilla.

“The Prime Minister will gift the bridges

to the countrymen. We are waiting for

the auspicious occasion,” the road transport

and bridges minister told the media

earlier. Quader, also the Awami League

General Secretary, said apart from making

road communication smooth and

easier by reducing travel time, the bridges

will play a vital role in strengthening

the country’s economy.

Arresting govt employees

Appellate Division clears

way for regular appeal

against HC verdict

DHAKA : The Appellate Division of the

Supreme Court (SC) on Sunday accepted

a leave-to-appeal filed by the State side

seeking halt to a High Court (HC) verdict

that cancelled the provision of taking prior

permission before arresting government

employees.

The decision means now the Attorney

General’s office would be eligible to file

the plea against the High Court. The Appellate

Division also said in its order that

the High Court verdict will remain ineffective

until the appeal is resolved.

A five-member bench of the Appellate

Division led by Chief Justice Hasan

Foyez Siddiqui gave the order on Sunday.

During the proceedings, Attorney General

AM Amin Uddin stood for the State

while Monzil Morshed represented the

petitioner.

No let-up in Dengue in BD

29 die in five days

of November

DHAKA : The Directorate General of

Health Services (DGHS) has recoded 29

deaths from dengue in the five days of the

current month till Sunday amid a sharp

rise in dengue cases in different parts of

the country, reports UNB.

Three more deaths from dengue in 24

hours till Sunday morning raised this year’s

fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease

in Bangladesh to 170, the second-highest

on record after the 179 deaths recorded in

2019. During the 24-hour period, 908 patients

were hospitalised with the viral fever,

according to the DGHS.

The gradual increase in dengue infections

has created panic among the residents

of Dhaka city. Hospitals are failing

to cope with the pressure of dengue patients

despite setting up new wards.

Doctors and health experts say that

measures taken by the city corporations

and other authorities are not proving to be

effective. The publicity and drives carried

out by the authorities to destroy larvae of

Aedes mosquito, the carrier of the dengue

virus, are appearing to be inadequate.

04:52 AM

11:45 PM

03:40 PM

05:20 PM

06:38 PM

6:08 5:16

Don’t forget dreadful days

of BNP-Jamaat arson

violence : PM

DHAKA : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

on Sunday asked the people not to forget

the terrible days of the arson violence unleashed

by BNP-Jamaat in the name of

movement.

“I would like to ask the people of the

country to be alert so that none can resort

to such incidents anymore in future,” she

said.

The premier was addressing an event

titled ‘Cries of Arson Violence: A partial

scenario of BNP-Jamaat Fire Terrorism,

Anarchy and Violation of Human Rights’

organised by Bangladesh Awami League

at National Museum Auditorium here in

the city.

She said some 500 people were burnt

to death and more than 3500 people

were injured during the arson violence

of BNP-Jamaat in 2013-15. “We tried our

best to stand beside the victims and took

steps for their treatments. But it is not

possible to wipe out the pains and sufferings

of the people who lost their dear

ones,” she added.

Hasina said those who were burned

had many dreams with their lives, but the

aspirations were burned to ashes. “I just

would like to tell the people of the country

that none should forget that awful

time,” she said.

There is no objection to healthy politics,

but such violence won’t be tolerated,

she said.

The PM said if anyone wants to do

politics, they can do healthy politics. “We

don’t have any objection (with healthy

politics). But if anyone attacks my general

people, they (attackers) will not be

spared. It (violence) can’t be tolerated.

No man can endure it,” she said.

She said every citizen irrespective of

political parties and creeds has rights to

lead life and conduct livelihood freely.

“We have the responsibility to protect the

rights,” she added.

PM Hasina said she lost her father,

mother and brothers just in a single day.

“So, we “I can feel their pain, (who lost

dear ones in the arson violence),” she

said in an emotion-choked voice.

She said the people were killed alive

setting fire to buses again and again in

2013, 2014 and 2015. “Why did they

destroy the lives of the people this way?

How could it be called a movement? We

never saw such movements before,”

She said they (AL) waged movements

on many occasions since her school life

and joined the movements against every

military dictator. “We also waged movements

against Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan

and Zia. But we, even in our dreams,

never thought killing the common people

through petrol bombs and arson attacks,”

she said.

Cox’s Bazar fishermen rejoice

as Bay swarms with Hilsa

COX’S BAZAR : The fishing community

of Cox’s Bazar is very happy with business

catching Hilsa in swarms. Fishing trawlers

are returning to the shore full of Hilsa and

other fish, bringing down the prices to a tolerable

level. Once deserted fish warehouses and

markets of the district are now buzzing with

fishermen, traders and buyers from morning

to night.

Visiting Cox’s Bazar Fisheries Landing

Station, UNB found the place in a celebratory

mood. After the onslaught of Cyclone Sitrang

and a 22-day ban on Hilsa catching, hundreds

of fishing trawlers are arriving at the

station with tons of Hilsa every day.

No one seems to have time for doing anything

else at the landing station. Some were

loading the fish into warehouses, some were

breaking ice while others were arranging the

fishes in baskets. Many traders were also seen

sending truckloads of Hilsa consignments to

different parts of the country after getting expected

prices. Talking to UNB, some fishermen

said that they had to face acute hardship

due to being unable to catch fish for the previous

couple of weeks. But now they are feeling

much more optimistic.

“Everyone in the fish business will make

profit this time as Hilsa is getting caught in

massive amounts. We’ll be able to export Hilsa

to other countries after meeting our own

demands,” said Osman Gani Tutul, President

of Cox’s Bazar Fishery Ghat Fish Traders Association.

On November 1, a total of 18 tons of Hilsa

arrived at the landing station, while the

amount was 12 tons the previous day. By way

of complaint, the fishermen said that around

400-500 Indian fishing trawlers catch Hilsa

from the bay despite a ban on doing so, which

is eating into the amount of Hilsa caught by

the local fishermen.

>Page 9 >Page 10

At a program titled 'Cries of Fire Terrorism: BNP-Jamaat's Fire Terrorism, Anarchy and Human

Rights Violation' Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday consulates the victims of fire terror

organized by Bangladesh Awami League.

Photo: Star Mail

Grameenphone

can’t sell new or old

SIM cards : BTRC

DHAKA : After indefinitely suspending

new Grameenphone SIM card sale, BTRC

now says the telecom operator cannot sell

old SIM cards either. Bangladesh Telecommunication

Regulatory Commission

(BTRC) Chairman Shyam Sunder Sikder

made the announcement at a programme

held at BTRC building on Sunday. He

said BTRC’s approval—a week ago—to

Grameenphone for selling 13 lakh old

SIM cards has been suspended today.

Action if any attempt is

made to leak questions,

says Dipu Moni

DHAKA : Education Minister Dr Dipu

Moni has said that measures will be taken

if anyone tries to leak questions of the

ongoing Higher Secondary Certificate

(HSC) exams of 2022.

The Minister said this while talking to

reporters after visiting Begum Badrunnesa

Government Women’s College exam

center in the capital on Sunday.

“We’ve taken action against some people

who had tried to leak questions of this

year’s Secondary School Certificate (SSC)

exams in Kurigram’s Bhurungamari upazila.

We’ll collectively prevent such attempts

this time too by punishing those

who’ll commit such offence,” Dipu said.

The Minister also urged the parents

not to stay outside the exam centers as

Health must be at the centre

in COP27 climate change

negotiations: WHO

DHAKA : The climate crisis continues to

make people sick and jeopardizes lives

and health must be at the core of these

critical negotiations, the World Health

Organization issued the grim reminder

on the eve of the pivotal climate talks at

COP27.

WHO believes the conference must

conclude with progress on the four key

goals of mitigation, adaptation, financing

and collaboration to tackle the climate

crisis. COP27 will be a crucial opportunity

for the world to come together and

re-commit to keeping the 1.5 °C Paris

Agreement goal alive.

The WHO welcomed journalists and

COP27 participants to

join WHO at a series

of high-level events

and spend time in an

innovative health pavilion

space.

Focus will be placing

the health threat

from the climate crisis

and the huge health

gains that would come

from stronger climate

action at the centre of

discussions.

Climate change is

already affecting people’s

health and will continue to do so at

an accelerating rate unless urgent action

is taken, WHO said in a message from

Geneva.

“Climate change is making millions of

people sick or more vulnerable to disease

all over the world and the increasing destructiveness

of extreme weather events

disproportionately affects poor and marginalized

communities,” says Dr Tedros

Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

“It is crucial that leaders and decision

makers come together at COP27 to put

health at the heart of the negotiations,”

he added.

Between 2030 and 2050, climate

change is expected to cause approximately

250 000 additional deaths per year

from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea

and heat stress, according to WHO.

The direct damage costs to health (i.e.,

excluding costs in health-determining

sectors such as agriculture and water and

sanitation), is estimated to be between

US$ 2-4 billion per year by 2030.

Dhaka court asks jail authorities to

produce ex-SP Babul on Nov 10

DHAKA : A Dhaka court on Sunday asked the

jail authorities to produce former Superintendent

of Police (SP) Babul Akhter before it in

a case filed by Police Bureau of Investigation

(PBI) Chief Banaj Kumar Majumdar under the

Digital Security Act, reports UNB.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ashek

Imam passed the order following a petition

by a counsel of the accused for showing Babul

Akhter arrested in the case. The court also

fixed November 10 for the hearing of the plea

in presence of Babul Akhter. The court also

deferred the submission of the probe report in

the case to December 8 which was scheduled

to be submitted yesterday.

On September 27, PBI Chief Banaj Kumar

Majumdar filed the case accusing four people

including Babul Akhter on charge for making

ongoing investigation on Mitu murder questionable,

spreading false information and

throwing abusive words. Banaj Kumar, also an

additional inspector general of police, lodged

the case at Dhanmondi police station.

The other accused in the case are US expatriate

and Youtuber Elias Hossain, Babul’s

father Md Abdul Wadud Mia and brother Md

Habibur Rahman Labu. Of them, Elias was

made the prime accused in the case. In the

case the plaintiff alleged that all the accused

intentionally spread false information to make

objectionable the ongoing investigation of

Mahmuda Khatun Mitu murder case through

social platforms including Youtube.

Besides, Elias from the US spread misleading

information to spoil communal harmony

of the country and tarnish the image of PBI,

the statement said.

On June 5, 2016, unidentified assailants

gunned down Babul’s wife Mitu at the port

city’s GEC intersection while she was going

to drop her son Mahir Akhter, 7, for a bus of

Chittagong Cantonment Public School and

College.

Soon after the crime, Babul filed a murder

case at Panchlaish Police Station against three

unidentified men.

The Divisional

Commissioner

and Deputy

Commissioner

of Barisal

visiting a HSC

and equivalent

examination

center in Barisal.

The exam has

been started on

Sunday across

the country.

Photo : Star Mail

MOnDAy, nOvEMbER 7, 2022

2

Court in Chattogram

Staff withdrawn for 'harassing' lawyers

CHATTOGRAM : Lawyers in Chattogram

on Sunday demonstrated and

locked the courtroom of the First

Additional District Judge's Court

protesting alleged harassment and

misconduct by court staff in the city.

Amid chaos, all the staff of the First

Additional District Judge's Court were

immediately withdrawn over the

harassment of a lawyer.

According to court sources, bench

assistant Saifuddin Parvez demanded

money from lawyer Monjur Alam

when he went to the court on Thursday

to check some documents of a case.

When the lawyer refused to bribe,

Parvez along with other staff of the

court used abusive words at Monjur

and made insulting comments about

lawyers in general.

At one point of the altercation, the

bench assistant and the other staff

attacked Monjur, leaving him injured.

As the court was closed on Friday and

Saturday, the lawyers demonstrated

and locked the courtroom and

demanded action on Sunday.

Upon receiving the information,

Chattogram District Lawyer's Association

President Abu Mohammad

Hashem and General Secretary AHM

Zia Uddin along with other leaders

rushed to the court and brought the

matter before Chattogram District and

Sessions Judge Aziz Ahmed Bhuiyan,

who then withdrew Parvez and his

accomplices.

"Lawyers of the Judge's Court are

being harassed regularly by the

court staff when they try to do their

work. Court staff demand money

from us whenever we go to check

files, submit bail bonds or confirm

bails from the High Court, and we

are insulted if we refuse to pay.

This can't go on," said Advocate TR

Khan, Chairman of Jagrata Ainjibi

Parishad.

Distribution of gifts and cash in Jaintiapur was held on Sunday morning. In the meeting,

State Minister for Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Imran Ahmed distributed

2 bundles of Wavy-tins and cash of 5 thousand taka among the 28 families affected by

poverty and flood in the upazila.

Photo: MD Ruhel

2 killed in bus-auto rickshaw

collision in Kishoreganj

KISHOREGANJ : Two people were killed and four others injured in

a collision between a CNG-run auto rickshaw and a bus in Kuliarchar

upazila of the district Sunday. The deceased were identified as

auto rickshaw driver Rifat, 26, son of late Jamal Uddin of Kishoreganj

municipality, and Johora Begum, 65, wife of late Raichh Uddin.

Mohammad Golam Mostafa, officer-in-charge of Kuliarchar police

station, said the accident occurred in the morning when the speeding

bus crashed into the auto rickshaw on Kishoreganj-Bhairab

regional highway in Maddhyarchar area of the upazila.

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2022

3

A seminar was titled 'Marrakesh Treaty Accession Celebration and Way Forward' at the auditorium

of Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics at Agargaon in the capital.

Photo : Courtesy

Associate Professor Russell Thompson, PhD, University of Melbourne visited BUP on 6

November 2022. At first, he made a courtesy call on BUP VC Major General Md Mahbub-ul

Alam, ndc, afwc, psc, MPhil, PhD. Later, he took part in an exchange meeting with the High

Officials of BUP where Pro-Vice Chancellor, Registrar, Deans of various Faculties, Chairmen

and Faculty Members were present. At the meeting, various aspects to increase research and

academic collaboration between two universities were discussed.

Photo : Courtesy

Aichi Healthcare Group

unveils brand new logo

The logo of the 'Aichi healthcare group' has

been launched with the intention of redefining

the healthcare sector and revitalizing its

reputation for excellence, a press release said.

The "Aichi healthcare group" logo was

unveiled Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, who

was a Chief guest at the event, unveiled the logo

yesterday at the premises of East West Medical

College in the capital. At the unveiling of the logo,

Aichi Healthcare Group Chairman Prof. Dr. Md.

Moazzem Hossain and Group Managing

Director Ulfat Jahan Moon were also present.

With the new logo, four Health care

providers-Aichi Hospitals Ltd., East West

Medical College & Hospital, East West

Nursing College & Institute, and Update

Dental College & Hospital-plan to combine

their services under one roof.

Speaking at the launching ceremony

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said, "I am

glad that "Aichi Healthcare Group" is

celebrating the unraveling of its corporate

identity on November 6, 2022. The Aichi

Healthcare Group should continue its efforts

to provide medical education, advanced

cutting edge-based treatment with the latest

innovations to the community."

"The Aichi Healthcare Group has emerged

as a premier healthcare industry extending

healthcare facilities to the countless patients in

Bangladesh. Aichi group has been serving

more than millions of patients which has

already fulfilled the motto 'Believe in care'. I

hope and believe that the diverse activities of

the group will contribute to further enrich its

contributions," he added.

Prof. Dr. Md. Moazzem Hossain, the

chairman of Aichi Healthcare Group said, "It's

a matter of immense pleasure that Aichi

Healthcare Group is going to inaugurate to

express its Healthcare identity as "Aichi

Healthcare Group" on the successful and

effective support to the healthcare system in

Bangladesh by publishing a souvenir."

"I believe that this special issue not only

provides an outlet to the latent creative

potential of the employees but also proudly

showcases the milestones the Aichi Healthcare

group has achieved in the field of medical

science," he added.

"The new logo better symbolizes our

fundamental values that stand for I-CARE,

which means Integrity, Courage, Adoptability,

Respect, and Empowerment," stated Group

Managing Director and MD East West Medical

College& Hospital &Chairman of Dental

College& Hospital Ulfat Jahan Moon.

Dhaka’s air quality ‘unhealthy’

as winter approaches

DHAKA : Dhaka's air quality

continued to be in the

'unhealthy' zone Sunday

morning.

With an air quality index

(AQI) score of 186 at 8:26

am, the metropolis ranked

second in the list of world

cities with the worst air

quality.

An AQI between 101 and

200 is considered

'unhealthy', particularly for

sensitive groups.

India's Delhi and China's

Beijing occupied the first

and third spots in the list,

with AQI scores of 226 and

170, respectively.

An AQI between 201 and

300 is said to be 'poor', while

a reading of 301 to 400 is

considered 'hazardous',

posing serious health risks to

residents.

In Bangladesh, the AQI is

based on five criteria

pollutants-Particulate

Matter (PM10 and PM2.5),

NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.

Dhaka has long been

grappling with air pollution

issues. Its air quality usually

turns unhealthy in winter

and improves during the

monsoon.

Air pollution consistently

ranks among the top risk

factors for death and

disability worldwide.

Breathing polluted air has

long been recognised as

increasing a person's

chances of developing a

heart disease, chronic

respiratory diseases, lung

infections and cancer,

according to several studies.

As per the World Health

Organization (WHO), air

pollution kills an estimated

seven million people

worldwide every year,

largely as a result of

increased mortality from

stroke, heart disease,

chronic obstructive

pulmonary disease, lung

cancer and acute respiratory

infections.

Jatiyatabadi

Mahila Dal

leader held

in city

DHAKA : Members of Rapid

Action Battalion (RAB) on

Sunday detained General

Secretary of Jatiyatabadi

Mahila Dal Sultana Ahmed

from her residence in the

city's Gulshan.

Sultana was later shown

arrested in a case filed at

Paltan police station under

the Digital Security Act, said

Salahuddin, officer-incharge

(OC) of Paltan Model

police station. She was sent

to a court after the arrest, the

OC added.

However, the OC did not

provide any information

about the allegations

brought in the case.

Bangladesh

reports another

Covid death,

46 cases

DHAKA : Bangladesh

reported another Covid-19-

linked death and 46 fresh

cases in 24 hours till Sunday

morning.

With the new numbers,

the country's total fatalities

rose to 29,426 and caseload

to 2,035,828, according to

the Directorate General of

Health Services (DGHS).

The daily case test

positivity rate dropped to

1.00 per cent from

Saturday's 1.96 per cent as

4,621 samples were tested

during the period.

The latest deceased was a

man from Sylhet division.

The mortality rate

remained unchanged at 1.45

percent while the recovery

rate rose to 97.38 per cent.

In October, the country

reported 60 Covid-linked

deaths and 10,043 cases.

Bangladesh registered its

highest daily caseload of

16,230 on July 28 last year

and daily fatalities of 264 on

August 10 the same year.

Education and employment facilities

for people with disabilities demanded

Rights activists at a programme called

for taking necessary steps for ensuring

education and employment facilities for

the people with disabilities (PwDs), who

comprise over 9% of the total

population, a press release said.

Most of the PwDs are poor, so they

need support for improving they

condition. Bangladesh would not be

able to achieve its SDGs if they remain

neglected, as SDGs mainly focused on

leaving none behind, they added.

"All the structures and mass

transports should also be made

accessible for them for ensuring their

rights", they said addressing a seminar

titled 'Marrakesh Treaty Accession

Celebration and Way Forward' at the

auditorium of Bangladesh Bureau of

Statistics at Agargaon in the capital.

Supreme Court lawyer Musherraf

Hossain Mazumder, Adviser of VIPS,

said PwDs are now taking to the path of

suicide due to lack of employment. He

urged authorities concerned to take

necessary steps for solving their

unemployment problem.

Md. Saidul Huq, Executive Director

of Blind Education and Rehabilitation

Development Organization (BERDO),

underscored the need on building a

rights-based discrimination free

society, which can ensure the rights of

all the people.

In her address, Shaheen Anam,

Executive Director of Manusher Jonno

Foundation, said that it is the

constitutional duty of the State to

uphold the rights of backward section of

people.

Visually Impaired People's Society

(VIPS) and Manusher Jonno

Foundation (MJF) jointly organized the

event on Saturday.

The event was told that Bangladesh

has ratified the 'Marrakesh Treaty' of

the World Intellectual Property

Organization (WIPO) to facilitate access

to published works for the blind,

visually impaired or people with print

disabilities.

Ambassador and Permanent

Representative of Bangladesh to the UN

Md Mustafizur Rahman presented the

documents of the ratification of the

Treaty to WIPO Director General Daren

Tang at WIPO headquarters in Geneva

on Sept 26. By ratifying the treaty,

Bangladesh became the 116th nation in

the world to sign the agreement to

improve the access to books and

reading for the country's people with

disabilities.

KM Khalid, State Minister for

Cultural Affairs, attended the seminar

as the chief guest, while Muhammad

Jafor Iqbal, eminent educationist, as

guest of honour.

In his speech, the minister lauded the

initiative, hoping that all concerned

would work together for improving the

condition of PwDs.

Chaired by Nasrin Jahan, President of

VIPS; Daud Mia, Registrar, Copy Rights

Division; Dr. Muhammad Anwar Ullah,

Joint Secretary, Planning Commission;

Jafor Raja Chowdhury, former

Registrar, Bangladesh Copy Rights

Division; Mansur Ahmed Chowdhury,

founder president of VIPS; among

others, spoke at the event.

HC declares cabinet committee's recommendations

on journalists, workers' income tax illegal

DHAKA : The High Court (HC)

yesterday declared the

recommendations made by the

cabinet committee in the 9th Wage

Board Award for journalists and

workers of newspapers and news

agencies regarding income tax and

gratuity illegal, a press release said.

A High Court division bench

comprising Justice Md Ashfaqul

Islam and Justice Md Shohrowardi

passed the order, declaring

absolute a rule issued in this regard

in 2020.

Senior Advocate Dr Qazi Akter

Hamid, aided by Advocate Rezaul

Haque Reza and Didarul Alam,

took part in the hearing for the

petitioner while Deputy Attorney

General Qazi Moinul Ahsan stood

for the state.

According to the cabinet

committee recommendations for

the 9th Wage Board, income tax

levied on the salaries of journalists,

press workers and administrative

employees must be paid from their

respective income.

Journalists, press workers and

administrative employees working

at newspapers and news agencies

of all categories will get a yearly

gratuity equal to their one month of

basic salary based on their last

month's draw, for their service

ranging six months or more.

Mohammad Mahbubuzzaman,

general secretary of the Bangladesh

Sangbad Sangstha-BSS Employees'

Union, filed the writ petition on

November 23, 2020, challenging

the aforesaid two provisions of the

9the Wage Board.

The High Court after holding a

hearing on the matter issued the

rule on November 25, 2020, asking

authorities concerned to explain

why it shall not declare illegal and

beyond legal jurisdiction the

recommendations made by the

cabinet committee.

The court had asked cabinet,

information and labour secretaries

to reply to its order in four weeks.

Confirming today's judgment to

newsmen, Senior Advocate Dr Qazi

Akter Hamid said the 9th Wage

Board headed by Justice Mohammed

Nizamul Huq had proposed that

income tax levied on the salaries of

journalists, press workers and

administrative employees of the

newspapers and news agencies have

to be paid by the concerned owners or

news agencies.

It also recommended that the

journalists, press workers and

administrative employees working

at newspapers and news agencies

of all categories will get a yearly

gratuity equal to their two months

of basic salary based on their last

month's draw, for service ranging

from six months or more.

But the cabinet committee had

made two recommendations the

other way, asking the journalists

and employees to pay income tax

by themselves and keeping

provision of getting yearly gratuity

equal to their one month of basic

salary, Advocate Hamid added.

"The journalists, press workers

and administrative employees of

the newspapers and news agencies

had so far got as fringe benefit the

money paid against their income

tax. We have Appellate Division

judgment in this regard too. Apart

from this, according to the BSS

Service Rules, journalists, and

employees were getting yearly

gratuity equal to their two months

of basic salary.

The recommendations made by

the cabinet committee are contrary

to the BSS service Rules," Advocate

Dr Qazi Akter Hamid further said.

The 122nd meeting of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of Southeast University Trust (SEUT) was held

recently in the BoT Conference Room at the permanent campus of the university at Tejgaon. The

meeting was presided over by Rezaul Karim, Chairman of BoT, SEUT. The BoT discussed various

academic and administrative issues and took important decisions. The members of BoT provided

valuable guidance to the management of the university, reviewed the progress of various activities

and focused on future plans of the university.

Photo : Courtesy

The logo of the 'Aichi healthcare group' has been launched with the intention of redefining the

healthcare sector and revitalizing its reputation for excellence.

Photo : Courtesy

moNDay, November 7, 2022

4

Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam

e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com

monday, November 7, 2022

Portending a political

super storm

The rumblings of a perhaps gathering political

super storm are once again being heard in

Bangladesh. The specter of politically induced

turmoil to affect its economy is once again becoming a

live concern.

Bangladesh has been blessed with 'relative' political

stability for nearly the last four years. Relative in the

sense that business losses in the form of work days lost,

production stoppages, snags in distribution processes,

et cetera, that usually have a retarding impact on

business, were few in number in this period compared

to the periods of political upheavals that the country

witnessed many times in the past decades that left

their deep scars on the economy in the form of under

productivity and underinvestment and hence the

lingering of mass poverty.

The economic growth in Bangladesh leaves a lot

desired. The fruits of growth are also not percolating

down extensively to the grass roots to make the desired

substantial dent on the poverty situation. Nonetheless,

whatever growth that occurred, helped very notably

by political calm, aided countrymen from facing worst

times in the economic sense.

The main political opposition to the government has

declared their intention to wage mass movement from

the coming winter months starting from December. In

fact, the long threatened all out movement against the

government by the main opposition party could be

triggered even sooner if the planned political rallies by

them are sought to be confronted or frustrated.

Thus, in the absence of mediating good influence on

the two sides there is a strong likelihood of this political

super storm to pass over Bangladesh in the coming

winter months.

And everybody knows what such a storm would

mean : hartals or work stoppages in industries and

services (even for days at a stretch), disruption in the

dispatch and receiving of raw materials and finished

products, hazards in maintaining the normal level of

export and import activities thereof, great hardships in

the life of daily wage earners and a lot more in inviting

adversities on the economy.

It has been a long standing feature of political

movement in this country that the same cannot be

waged in isolation from economic activities. Political

actions leading to violence and paralysis of normal

conditions (hartals) must have their repercussions in

the form of battering the economy. That is why

political stability is such a desired state from the

perspective of all stakeholders in such stability.

Many times in the past, from different forums, strong

advocacies were noted to devise a system for good to

compartmentalize the political steam, i.e. resolving

political issues through the approved political process

in a manner that leaves the economy unhurt. But the

same have fallen on deaf ears.

The only welcome development was that periodic

elections, peaceful power transfers and again relatively

peaceful completion of their tenures by elected

governments seemed to be getting accepted as ways

and means of changes in political power in Bangladesh

from the nineties.

This, very significantly, created the vital enabling

conditions for the country's businesses to get on with

their tasks smoothly which in turn paid off in the form

of the economy making steady progress and all

sections of people gaining from such pacific conditions.

But this trend could be smashed with the probable

upcoming political upheaval to be engineered in the

coming months. The tragedy is : the vulnerable

Bangladesh economy would be hit not by a natural

calamity over which nobody has any control but by

persons and organizations deliberately to settle

political scores regardless that the economy (which

everyone should have a stake in saving) could be the

most unwanted victim of their actions.

The economy would be subjected to shock and awe

tactics to facilitate the designs of those opposed to the

incumbents in power when, ironically, among other

things, they say they have economy revitalizing issues

prominently in their calculations for wanting the

unseating of the government before its legitimate

tenure runs out. The contradiction between the goals

and the reality is so transparent. How the economy

will be revitalized when the effects of some weeks or

months of political violence may leave it much

weakened ? Every economy needs to consolidate its

gains and move ahead. Even common sense dictates

such a course.

The movement to topple a government before the

time allowed to it to remain legally in power, calls for

very extraordinary developments or the descending of

too unbearable hardships on the lives of people. It does

not seem that unacceptable or unbearable conditions

exist in Bangladesh for the opposition to bypass the

constitution and engage in revolutionary politics to

unseat an elected government in power. For its leaders

now to employ unconventional tactics to dislodge the

incumbents in power and when their own records in

governance was not decisively better, amounts to

hypocrisy.

It should be high time for chamber leaders and all

others concerned to voice their opinion about the

economic costs to be incurred as fall-outs from the

impending political storm. Chamber leaders must not be

content issuing statements in newspapers about the

losses to their enterprises and the economy from fresh

political instability. They should be rather out in the field

mobilizing public opinion against the same and sitting

across the table with the political personalities to impress

on them the self defeating course of realizing political

ambitions by clobbering the economy in the process.

Bribery and corruption escalating frustration in public minds

Bribery and

corruption has

not decreased in

this country, but

has increased.

Law and order

agencies,

passports,

BRTA, land

offices, subregistry

offices,

police stations, court premises etc., all

offices are accepting bribes. Bribery has

become the status quo to get any services

from public offices. Absence of bribery

would be a rare case. The no-bribery

situation creates fear of not getting

service. Bribery makes the logistics of all

the work harder. Not only does the

recipient now get complacent in

accepting bribes. He who gives bribes

also gets absolute peace. Because, being

able to pay a bribe means that the job is

done well or the job is matched. Briebary

is the new normal now.

The more the harassment, the higher

the amount of bribe. So many offices

have unnecessarily long queues or work

serials. This scenario is common in the

passport office and BRTA. In some

offices, the amount of bribe is fixed

according to the scope of work. Access to

services is a civil right. This right has

been taken away by bribery and

corruption.

A statistic says that the amount of

bribery has increased a lot. It is more

than 10 thousand crore taka a year.

Bribery-corruption has decreased in

number, the amount of money has

increased a lot. In order to save work, the

state has to pay bribes to various smallscale

officials, then it seems that

corruption has increased! But in the

offices of big bosses, ministers and

bureaucrats behind closed doors, no one

even notices the waste of crores of

money. It is not easy to say that more

visible corruption means more

corruption.

In this country, the traffic police stand

at every intersection, taking 20-50 taka.

It's a bribe. In our country people pay

bribes so that they can break the law at

their convenience. People can pay bribes

easily, so laws are broken more often in

the country. Again people have to pay

bribes to get fair service. If people have to

get services in return for bribes, what can

be more painful and shameful than that.

The prevalence of corruption in the

public and private sectors is undoubtedly

alarming. Bribery, corruption,

embezzlement, looting, and fraud are on

the rise. Every day there are many

complaints of corruption in various

fields. Corruption is on the rise so it is

THE Sindh government recently

informed the ECP of its inability to

hold local elections soon, citing

the shortage of police personnel as the

key reason. In the same vein,

amendments to the Sindh Local

Government Act were deliberated in the

provincial cabinet.

The amendments propose that the

Karachi mayor become the chair of the

Sindh Solid Waste Management Board

and the Karachi Water and Sewerage

Board, and lead the governing body of

the Karachi Development Authority. But

these would be cosmetic reforms. The

provincial administration would still

retain control of land allotment and

development matters, housing, disaster

management, urban transportation, law

and order, building and zoning control,

urban and regional planning, heritage,

etc. No elected local tier will have

oversight in these matters.

The trust deficit between local political

entities and the provincial

administration, their competition for

the control of development and

management initiatives, and the

absence of a meaningful dialogue

explain this situation.

With the exception of the Jamaat-i-

Islami, no political party is actively

demanding local elections or calling for

resource allocations for local tiers or

better local governance. Electoral

success may be a means for the JI to gain

ground in other government tiers. But

despite its efforts, it has not succeeded

in making Karachi's governance a

rallying point for the masses.

Also read: Will the new local

government make Karachi great again?

The MQM, which once styled itself as

now necessary to keep the public service

sector clean and corruption free. The

growing corruption is visible to the

naked eye. The government has almost

doubled the salaries of government

officials to reduce corruption. Increased

a lot of facilities for the public servants. It

is undoubtedly the government's

goodwill against corruption. Prime

Minister Sheikh Hasina has repeatedly

given special instructions to secretaries

to reduce bribery and corruption. She

said, 'The rate at which the salary of the

government officials and employees of

Bangladesh has increased in the pay

scale is rare in the world. Therefore,

attention should be paid to ensure that

people get services'. It is not heard that

corruption has decreased anywhere in

the service sector. Rather, there have

been allegations of forced bribery along

with various irregularities in the service

sector from the victims. As the victims of

the service sector know, it is almost

impossible to get services without

bribery. TIB's current report shows how

dire the picture of corruption has

become. That said getting services

without bribery is now almost

impossible.

There is more or less corruption in all

the countries of the world, there is a

custom of bribery. Even accepting the

relative truth of this statement, there is

no excuse for denying the prevalence of

corruption in the state and social system

of Bangladesh. The important thing is

that this corruption has created a great

sense of despair in the minds of the

people. The root cause of this pessimism

is that various institutions of the state

and social system have deviated from

their effective role. The activities of these

institutions are not able to reassure the

people. These institutions are supposed

to be the main basis of a democratic and

independent social system. Foremost

among these institutions in our social

system are the education system, judicial

system, government and private

bureaucracy, national parliament,

government and opposition political

parties and the private sector. We have

driven these institutions through a

Nayeem Islam NIbIr

process of gradual destruction or

ineffectiveness over the past few decades.

The most worrying thing is that every

sector from small to big seems to be

covered in corruption and bribery.

Nothing matches without a bribe. The

TIB survey of 16 important service

sectors of the country has revealed the

dire picture of corruption and bribery.

TIB conducted this survey in education,

health, local government administration,

land, agriculture, law enforcement

agencies, judicial services, electricity,

banking, BRTA, tax and customs, NGOs,

passport, insurance, gas services.

According to the survey, 89 percent of

the people of the country think that no

service is available without paying bribes

in these institutions. According to the

In this country, the traffic police stand at every intersection,

taking 20-50 taka. It's a bribe. In our country people pay

bribes so that they can break the law at their convenience.

People can pay bribes easily, so laws are broken more often in

the country. again people have to pay bribes to get fair service.

If people have to get services in return for bribes, what can be

more painful and shameful than that.

Dr NomaN ahmeD

data of the survey, the rate of bribery

victims (obliged to pay bribes) last year

was 49.8 percent.

Bribe trade goes on more or less

throughout the year. But since this

kind of lobbying is done more in the

last period of the government, there is

a busy traffic of lobbyists in the related

offices including the secretariat. A class

of professional lobbyists have also

developed around these tasks. Bribery

in administration is now at the

forefront of recruitment and transfer

trade.

In particular, there are no end of

complaints that people are being

recruited in exchange for huge sums of

bribes as the written test is not

mandatory for the fourth class posts. And

in most cases, recruitment corruption

cannot be proven, so the concerned are

completely careless.

To answer the question of how to free

the country from this totalitarian grip of

corruption, we need to understand why

corruption occurs or how the process of

spreading corruption increases. Overall,

there is a correlation between the

prevalence of corruption and the decline

of moral values. Admittedly, the erosion

of values alone cannot explain the

rampant corruption in Bangladesh.

The extent of corruption in Bangladesh

is unparalleled in the desperation it

creates in the minds of the people.

Local democracy

the sole arbiter of local government

(LG), is reeling from internal crises. The

PTI, with its electoral strength in

Karachi, has failed to use its popularity

to come up with an agenda for reform.

Ironically, Sindh's ruling party may be

set to capture the office of mayor with its

low-value but high-visibility ventures

such as a few public buses and road

repair works.

Grassroots democracy requires more

than cosmetic reforms.

Despite its significance for local

governance, no political party has

successfully evolved a charter of local

democracy which could appeal to all. In

its heyday, the MQM was tagged as the

harbinger of LGs but its focus remained

on the urban areas. Interestingly,

military dictatorships helped instal

elected LGs in the country, presumably

to project their 'legitimacy'. In other

words, such LGs became a façade for

'democracy' and enabled despotic

regimes to establish basic engagement

with the masses.

Elected federal and provincial

governments saw the LG tier as a

competitor, not a collaborating arm.

Each tier of government uses power and

resources to show performance. Highvisibility

interventions become the

battleground for showing progress, with

legislators inaugurating street and road

works, water supply projects and power

supply lines, as well as distributing relief

goods to publicly project performance. It

is ironic that MNAs, MPAs and senators

receive development grants to spend on

very rudimentary municipal tasks. One

needs to rationalise the role of various

tiers of government and also question

the allocation of development funds to

legislators.

Present-day governance depends largely on

contracting essential tasks to commercial

enterprises. Procurement of services,

management and maintenance tasks, regulatory

functions, monitoring and evaluation are

important functions where government agencies

engage private service providers through public

procurement laws.

Present-day governance depends

largely on contracting essential tasks to

commercial enterprises. Procurement of

services, management and maintenance

tasks, regulatory functions, monitoring

and evaluation are important functions

where government agencies engage

private service providers through public

procurement laws.

LG institutions require capacity in

small- to medium-scale maintenance

and development works. Previously, the

departments had sufficient capacity to

undertake basic road repairs, clean

Corruption is not only in the upper

echelons, but in almost every aspect of

daily life people are forced to participate

in the process of corruption. The reason

for this participation is, in all cases, not

just greed but in many cases the pursuit

of a minimum living. Added to this

helplessness are instances unfolding

before our eyes, where those involved in

corruption are not punished, but people

are made to pay for being honest.

The idea has gradually become

stronger among the people that there is

no glory in being ethical in the society,

rather there is a lot of suffering. The

definition of right and wrong is not clear

even in civil society. On the other hand,

there are many advantages to being on

the illegal route. The more this idea

develops in the minds of the people, the

more the frustration grows, the more the

hostility towards the society and the state

system increases. As a result of this

disillusionment, we have become a

leading country in corruption year after

year.

Bangladesh is a major corrupt

country, this idea has been created in

the minds of the people of the country.

Because, the state and social system

did not allow its various institutions to

play an effective role. The failure of

these institutions of the society and the

state has created severe depression in

the minds of the people of the country,

creating obstacles to build a broad

public opinion against corruption.

As long as these institutions are

not able to play their role

effectively, we will have to see the

glory of the widespread violence of

corruption in the society. We have

to change the idea of corruption

that we have created. And that

should be done by turning words

into action. Most of the time those

who commit corruption escape

punishment in various ways.

Complaints of corruption are not

taken into account in most cases,

the person involved in corruption is

not punished, as a result it is not

possible to prevent corruption. We

have to get out of this situation.

Strictness of laws should be

increased to prevent corruption.

Above all, those involved in such

crimes must be punished. Only

then will this country become the

golden Bengal of the father of the

nation's dream.

The writer is a young generation

political leader and columnist in

Bangladesh. He can be reached at

nayemulislamnayem148@gmail.com

sewers and local drains, fix local water

supply, parking management, allocate

spaces for hawkers in public spaces etc.

But because of the recruitment of

political favourites by different

governments and a general decline in

administrative capacity, the current

structure of local institutions may not

deliver even through elected

representatives. Be si des the

technology of communication, record

keeping and routine administration

have changed drastically. A complete

overhaul is required for existing local

institutions to keep pace.

The political equation in Karachi can

only be balanced through an open

dialogue. Under the leadership of the

provincial government, a 'Karachi

Steering Committee' can be notified.

Such a body is recommended in almost

all Karachi development plans and can

include elected provincial assembly

representatives (preferably from

various political parties), chief

executives of service delivery agencies,

academia, civil society, media and

autonomous agencies. Action should

have mutual consensus. Power and

resource sharing among various tiers of

government, training and capacity

building of councillors, a 'Greater

Karachi Region Plan' to address present

and future needs and a mechanism to

address the collective complaints of

residents could be a starting point.

Many of these issues are vital not only

for LGs but also the provincial and

federal administrations.

The writer is an academic and

researcher based in Karachi.

MOndAy, nOveMber 7, 2022

5

MAttHA busby

When a southern Mexican state effectively outlawed sales of sugary

drinks and sweets to children to protect public health, the ban made

international news. But few people in Oaxaca - even some fizzy drinks

distributors and shop owners - are aware of the rule and the authorities

have not enforced the potentially unpopular measure, despite tens of

thousands of deaths nationally a year linked to sugary beverages, as

obesity and diabetes rates soar.

Oaxaca might be known as the culinary capital of Mexico, but like

elsewhere in the country, diets have shifted towards ultra-processed

foods and higher meat consumption - as well as sugary drinks. Today

the state has the highest rate of child obesity in Mexico and the second

highest among adults.

The ban on selling fizzy drinks to children, announced in 2020, was

earmarked to be implemented within a year, but there has been

inaction. Campaigners say the ban would probably face stiff opposition

from industry if it was imposed.

"Femsa, which bottles Coca-Cola in Mexico, has enormous power,"

says Alejandro Calvillo, director of Consumer Power, a campaigning

association. "It operates more than 20,000 Oxxo convenience stores

across the country, as well as gas stations and many other businesses.

"The regulation is very difficult to implement," Calvillo says of the

Oaxaca policy, adopted by nearby Tabasco. "It was primarily about

sending a message."

Coca-Cola is the most popular refresco in Mexico. "Siente el sabor

(Feel the taste)," read billboards across the country, while the national

football team is sponsored by the brand, whose lobbying power appears

unrivalled.

A president was previously a regional head of the company, and the

most recent ex-head of state, Enrique Peña Nieto, posed with a can

bearing his name. Coca-Cola "employs strategies to prevent, delay or

weaken the regulations that restrict its activities", the political magazine

Proceso alleged last year. Coca-Cola said its practice of hiring former

government officials was about "attracting and retaining the best

talent".

Mexico is now fourth in world rankings of the consumption of soft

drinks per capita. It was first until the sugar tax was implemented, with

137 litres consumed per person every year.

Karen Akins, director of El Susto, a 2019 documentary that detailed

the techniques used to promote Coca-Cola - the most accessible product

in many parts of Mexico - says while making the film she met people

who consumed large amounts of fizzy drinks who were unaware they

had type 2 diabetes. "People who were blind or had limbs amputated

often have no idea that it was due to their high blood sugar level," she

says.

Amid the worsening public health crisis, the current federal

government seems to be taking a different tack, after continued

criticism of neoliberal policies such as the North American Free Trade

Agreement, which appears to have contributed to the national obesity

rate rising from a fifth of the population in 1996 to three-quarters today.

Mexico's deputy health secretary, Hugo López-Gatell, denounced

fizzy drinks as "bottled poison" in 2020 as Covid took hold. "Obesity,

diabetes and hypertension are silent diseases that can lead to major

Soft drinks spur health

crisis in Mexico

Mexicans were urged to cut down on fizzy drinks to limit the effects of Covid.

complications," he said. His warning came weeks after president

Andrés Manuel López Obrador implored his compatriots to avoid junk

food as the obesity risk became increasingly clear.

In 2017 the village of Yalálag, deep in the mountains three hours east

of Oaxaca City, banned the sale of potato chips in stores and barred

distributors. In 2020, it was one of many communities to seal itself off

from outsiders and during the pandemic deliveries were stopped. The

ban effectively extended to sugary drinks and other unhealthy foods for

several months.

Gradually, however, it all found a way back in and the stores have

returned to their normal stock. "The children are our future but we are

going to have serious problems if we continue down this path," says

Vidal Aquino, the former councillor who introduced the crisp ban.

Photo: Artur Widak

"Obesity, diabetes and cancer are spreading from the cities in Mexico to

all corners of the country." But the unique experiment had an impact. A

public health campaign urging locals to avoid processed food has begun

to bear fruit, as the rudimentary health system comes under strain from

largely preventable type 2 diabetes. One in six Mexicans live with

diabetes - up 10% between 2019 and 2021, according to the

International Diabetes Foundation.

"There is more awareness not to consume soft drinks or fast food due

to the illnesses they can bring, especially at a time of weakness during

the pandemic," one municipal official said. "This year the health

secretary proposed both to not let in the distributors and for them to

fund the disposal of packaging in Oaxaca." But, they claimed, "no

support has been offered".

Outside Yalálag, Coca-Cola has faced more scrutiny since the sugar

tax in 2014 - watered down under alleged pressure from drinks

manufacturers - and the requirement since 2020 for large-font warning

labels on high-sugar products.

In April, more than 10,000 units of products, including Coca-Cola,

were withdrawn from shops in Mexico City by the government for

failing to abide by the labelling rules. In August, the supreme court voted

down a 2019 ban passed by Oaxaca on plastic bottles on the basis that

it infringed on federal powers, after two companies linked to Coca-Cola

Femsa successfully appealed. State lawmakers wanted to reduce

environmental pollution - just 3% of 300m tonnes of plastic is recycled

nationally.

"Coca-Cola does campaigns promoting their work in communities

when it is one of the companies that generates the most plastic waste

and extracts the most groundwater," La Jornada newspaper said last

month. Lori Dorman, from Berkeley Public Health, was quoted as

saying: "Big soft drink companies have copied big tobacco's strategies

and tricks to distract the public from their dangers."

In 2018 Coca-Cola reduced the sugar in its main product in Mexico

by 30%. That came more than a century after it allegedly removed

cocaine from the drink (Coca-Cola denies cocaine was ever an

ingredient, though the DEA claims it was) as its addictive qualities

became more widely understood - an extract of the coca leaf is still what

gives the beverage its distinctive taste.

In 2015 Coca-Cola shot a controversial advert that it later pulled amid

allegations of racism and of "trying to impose an alien consumer

culture". In the advert, white actors delivered plastic bottles as gifts to

jubilant locals after building a Christmas tree.

Across Oaxaca, which has the most Indigenous language speakers of

any Mexican state, Consumer Power has been working with

organisations to highlight the risks of highly processed foods. "We are

generating a revaluation of the local foods that are necessary for us to

recover, and taking notice of our important links to the Earth," Unitierra

de Oaxaca, food education organisation, said in October.

State lawmaker Magaly López Domínguez, who introduced the

prohibition of junk food (comida chatarra) for children in Oaxaca, says

it is a "disgrace" that the health department has done "absolutely

nothing" to enforce legislation.

"The authorities are effectively defending the interests of large

transnational companies," she says. "Their impotence makes me want

to cry. It's as if they cannot do anything to prevent the world's

billionaires from continuing to enrich themselves at the cost of the

health of our children."

But López Domínguez is glad that public consciousness appears to be

shifting. "It seems to me that today there are many more people who

distrust junk food companies."

A Coca-Cola spokesperson told the Guardian: "Our goal is to have a

positive impact on the communities in which we operate. We believe

businesses like ours can play a leading role in finding solutions for some

of society's most critical challenges. In Mexico, we are committed to

working hand in hand with local and federal authorities, civil society

organisations and communities in the country to drive positive change

in key areas such as recycling, water management and encouraging

moderate sugar consumption."

Can an activist convince the Taliban

to allow teaching on TV?

IsAbel CHOAt

Jamila Afghani was settling

into her new home in

Kitchener, Ontario, when

she found out that the

Taliban had raided her office

back in Afghanistan.

Uniformed officers had

barged into a counselling

service for women in Kabul,

accused the staff of running

"a ministry of women" and

taken one of the employees

away for questioning.

Afghani had chosen the

premises in the capital in

part because of its proximity

to the Ministry of Women's

Affairs, where she had good

contacts who supported her

work championing the

rights of women and girls.

When the Taliban replaced

the women's ministry with

the Ministry for the

Propagation of Virtue and

the Prevention of Vice,

Afghani's organisation

found itself working under

the nose of the morality

police. Last month's incident

was a chilling reminder of

the daily humiliations

women face as the Taliban

obliterates them from public

life.

A few weeks after the raid,

Afghani was awarded the

Aurora humanitarian prize

at a ceremony in Venice in

recognition of her 25-plus

years educating girls and as

founder of the Noor

Educational and Capacity

Development Organization

(Necdo). Her acceptance

speech, via video from

Canada, was tearful: "My

country, my people, are

passing through the darkest

days of history "Today

children are not allowed to

go to school; my sisters are

not allowed to go to their job

because they are women …

sometimes we believe there

is no humanity in this world

any more."

Afghani has reopened the

Necdo office, but is

Jamila Afghani, who is now living in Ontario, Canada.

hypervigilant, an eye always

on the office CCTV, and

checking on colleagues - all

from thousands of miles

away. She feels guilty she

can't be there in person.

"Every day I'm working

until 4am. I try my best to

say, 'I'm with you.'" Afghani,

who was left disabled after

contracting polio as a child,

fled Afghanistan with her

husband and three children

11 days after the Taliban took

control of Kabul on 15

August 2021. Despite

holding visas for multiple

countries, the family

couldn't get on a flight out.

"Kabul airport has four

entrances; we tried all of

them on different days, but it

was so crowded, it was too

dangerous. One day my

daughter almost suffocated

in the crush, we could not

get water for her."

Eventually the Norwegian

ambassador to Afghanistan,

Ole Andreas Lindeman,

arranged her escape to

Norway. They were relieved

to be in a safe place but the

climate made it difficult for

Afghani, who uses crutches,

to get out, and the language

proved challenging. "I was

very isolated, I was stuck in

the house for months of the

year while it snowed," she

says. A year later they

relocated to Canada.

Afghani's children hope

they can settle now, but she

is determined to return to

Afghanistan as soon as

possible. "Even when my

Photo: Handout

children say, 'No, we are fed

up with moving around', I

say, 'You stay with your

father, I will go back'. I have

no other choice: as long as

I'm alive I have to struggle."

It is the sixth time she has

been a refugee. The first,

after the Soviet invasion of

Afghanistan, still gives her

nightmares. Her disability

meant she could not leave on

foot through the mountains

to Pakistan with her siblings,

so her father enlisted a

friend to take Afghani by

road. She was disguised as a

Pashtun but the border

guards weren't fooled.

Forced to turn back, they

were shot at by Russian

forces. "I was unconscious

for hours. When I woke up I

was bleeding from a bullet

wound by my right ear; the

taxi driver was crying and

shouting for help. The car

was on the edge of the

mountain. I opened the door

and looked down a cliff

face," she says. She spent the

rest of the journey holding

her father's dead friend and

was too traumatised to try

again.

It was years until she and

her mother were able to join

their family in Pakistan.

Once there, determined to

continue her studies - and

against her father's wishes -

she went to university,

gaining a degree and two

master's. "Education

changed my life," she says.

"I was really worried

[about challenging him],"

she says. "Friends suggested

not to do it, but the

knowledge I have from

studying Islamic law gave

me strength to debate. He

realised it was difficult for

him to turn the conversation

and he changed his mind. It

was really empowering and

a turning point in my life."

Inspired by the exchange,

she established a project to

persuade religious leaders

that women's rights are

within the teachings of Islam

which reached 6,000 imams

in 22 provinces.

By 2021 she had opened

dozens of literacy centres

and more than 100,000 girls

were enrolled. "We had at

least 10 centres in each

province, and about 2,000

teachers in our

membership," says Afghani.

Necdo also provided support

to victims of domestic

violence, and having to close

the centres was crushing for

thousands of women in its

network.

One of the worst moments

in the past year was hearing

that one teacher, a mother of

four, had killed herself. "She

was a very dignified woman;

she did not share with us,"

Afghani says. "If you are a

single mother [under] the

Taliban regime, how will you

survive in this society?"

The suicide prompted

Afghani to launch

counselling services. So far

600 women have had

therapy sessions, but there

are thousands more in need.

Part of the $1m (£860,000)

Aurora prize money will hire

counsellors. "We are

contacted every day by

women asking for help;

many of them express

suicidal thoughts," says

Afghani, who admits it takes

its toll. "My children call me

'the river' because I'm always

crying.

Aid agencies distributes cash

in drought-hit Ethiopia

Fred HArter

Outside a village in the Dasenech district

of southern Ethiopia, a queue has formed

in front of a narrow bench beneath a tree,

where clerks are checking documents and

handing out packets of banknotes, each

worth about 4,500 Ethiopian birr (£76).

The distribution is being overseen by

the International Rescue Committee

(IRC), a humanitarian organisation based

in the US. Kulo Arikulo, like others in the

queue, says the support has come just in

time.

Her family owned 50 head of cattle and

80 goats, but four consecutive failed rainy

seasons have dried up rivers and the

pastureland has turned to dust. Most of

the herd died from thirst, and the few

surviving animals were sold to buy food.

When that money ran out, she collected

leaves, roots and seeds to feed her six

children, but she says these are becoming

harder to find. "The last four years we

couldn't harvest anything, so this money is

helping our family to survive," Arikulo

says.

The people in this little queue are

among the 36 million people left facing

hunger by the drought gripping the Horn

of Africa, where more than 8.9 million

livestock across the region have died in

one of the region's worst climate-related

emergencies of the past 40 years.

In addition, it has happened at a time

when aid funding is also drying up:

according to the UN Office for the

Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in

Ethiopia, just $850m (£750m) has been

pledged of the $1.66bn the UN says is

needed to respond to drought in the

country. Heaping yet more pressure on

communities are soaring food prices and

the Covid pandemic.

Oxfam predicts hunger will kill one

person every 36 seconds in east Africa

between now and the end of the year "as

the worst-hit areas hurtle towards

famine". Francesco Rocca, the president

of the International Federation of Red

Cross and Red Crescent Societies, has

labelled the failure of donors to release

funds as "morally unacceptable".

"People have been going through one

shock after another," says Frank

McManus, the IRC's country director for

Ethiopia. "We've already had four rainy

seasons fail and there's a real possibility

the next season and the one after that

could fail too."

Governments and humanitarian

organisations in east Africa are

increasingly using the relatively new aid

concept of giving cash, so that people can

buy what they need, rather than in-kind

aid, such as sacks of rice and bottles of oil,

which brings its own problems of

distribution and impacts local markets.

Sometimes cash is provided in the form of

vouchers that can only be spent on certain

items.

Cash transfers became more frequent

during the Covid pandemic. In 2020, as

countries locked down, the number of

people receiving money or voucher-based

assistance increased by 240%, to about 1.1

billion people - 14% of the global

population - according to the World Bank.

That year cash and vouchers worth

$6bn accounted for about 19% of global

humanitarian aid, up from less than 1% in

2004.

Last year Kenya introduced a cashtransfer

scheme to help people affected by

the dry conditions, and Niger is piloting a

similar programme.

McManus says cash is faster and more

efficient than distributing food and

medicine to beneficiaries. "If you do

traditional in-kind aid, you have to buy the

materials, truck them to where they are

needed and hire warehouses to store

them," he says. "Whereas with cash,

there's a lot less supply chain costs."

Michel Saad, the head OCHA Ethiopia,

says it means people can buy from local

traders, helping money circulate, but

crucially also provides "more dignity" for

those in need, compared with the

traditional sack of grain.

"Communities know what they need

better than humanitarian actors," Saad

says. "So when we give cash, it's allowing

them to be in charge of their own personal

lives and say, 'We believe we need to

address this problem or that problem.'

Basically, it's putting people at the centre."

The 1,320 beneficiaries of the IRC's

programme in Dasenech, close to

Ethiopia's borders with South Sudan and

Kenya, are due to receive a total of 13,500

Ethiopian birr over three monthly

instalments.

Those in the queue say they have just

received their second tranche of cash.

They spent most of the first on food and

medicine, paying back loans from

neighbours, and helping other members

of their community.

the beneficiaries are due to receive 13,500 ethiopian birr (£228) over three monthly instalments.

Photo: Fred Harter

MONDAy, NOvEMBER 7, 2022

6

A human chain and protest meeting was held to protest the attack on Humayun Kabir Khan, Acting

Headmaster of Rasulpur Government Primary School of Matlab Uttar Upazila. Photo: Arafat al-Amin

Human chain and protest meeting

against attack on teacher in

ARAfAT Al-AMIN, MATlAB CORRESPONDENT:

A human chain and protest meeting

was held to protest the attack on

Humayun Kabir Khan, Acting

Headmaster of Rasulpur Government

Primary School of Matlab Uttar Upazila

in Chandpur with the slogan 'Safe

workplace is not our demand – it is our

right'. On Sunday morning, a human

chain was held at the upazila campus

and a protest meeting was held at Bottola.

More than 500 teachers from 182

primary schools gathered in this

program organized by Matlab North

Branch of Bangladesh Primary School

Assistant Teachers Association.

Currently, the teacher Humayun Kabir

and his daughter are undergoing

treatment at Upazila Health Complex

Hospital.

Under the chairmanship of

Chandpur District Assistant Primary

Teachers Association President Abdul

Baten Pradhan and under the joint

supervision of teacher leaders Anwarul

Kabir and Mahfuzur Rahman, former

presidents of Upazila Teachers

Rural road project

removes physical

bottleneck in

Rajshahi

RAJSHAHI: Physical

bottleneck towards

improving rural accessibility

coupled with enhancing the

sustainability of rural

transport and market services

has been removed to a greater

extent as a result of

implementation of a rural

road network project in the

region.

The six-year project titled

“Improvement of Rural

Roads, Bridges, Culverts

and other Infrastructure of

Backward Upazilas” was

implemented in Rajshahi

division a couple of years

back. Local Government

Engineering Department

(LGED) has implemented

the scheme in 53

disadvantaged upazilas of

Rajshahi, Naogaon, Natore,

Chapainawabganj, Pabna,

Sirajganj and Bogra districts

at a cost of around Taka

425-crore. KM Zulfiker Ali,

Additional Chief Engineer

of LGED, told BSS that

105.70-km upazila roads,

323-km union roads and

502.74-km village roads

were improved.

Besides, 1,000-meter

bridges and culverts on the

improved roads connecting

important places of upazila

and every union with Union

Parishad and next higher

road network were

constructed.

Apart from, 15.75-km

submergible roads and 4-

km road protection

infrastructures were

constructed.

The rural level improved

infrastructures have already

started reducing transport

costs, improving marketing

system, increasing

production and marketing

facilities of agricultural

products which are

contributing a lot to socioeconomic

development of

the project area.

Association Mozaffar Hossain and

Chayed Ahmed Bulbul, Mamunur

Rashid, Nur Alam Siddiqui, Kohinur

Akhtar, Sukhranjan Biswas, Salma

Parveen, Kulsoom Akhtar, Khair

Uddin, Shah Alam, Ashekuzzaman,

Tahmina Akhtar, Farid Uddin, Mohsin

Mia, Abdul Halim, Abdul Hannan,

Rajeev Dhali, Shyamal Kumar Bhai etc

gave a speech.

It is reported that during the

investigation process of the

management committee president's

complaint against the acting

headmaster of the school on November

3, the people supported by SMC

president Mohiuddin Zaman beat the

acting headmaster Humayun Kabir

and his daughter. The local people

rescued the head teacher Humayun

Kabir and his daughter and admitted

them to the local upazila hospital and

they are still undergoing treatment in

the hospital.

The speakers in the human chain

and protest meeting said that

teachers are the craftsmen of nation

building. If the teacher is insulted

then the nation is not left to be

insulted. Beating a teacher is a

despicable act. Therefore, we strongly

protest and condemn this incident.

Speakers also said that those who

beat teacher Humayun Kabir Khan

should be brought under the law and

punished. If not, more severe

movement will be made.

Even class skipping will be decided.

We want the incident to be resolved

through fair investigation. And so

that such tragic events do not happen

again in the future. Then the

movement of teachers' society will

continue. Later, when Upazila

Nirbahi Officer Ashraful Hasan was

informed in writing about the attack

on the teacher and the human chain,

he assured to cooperate in the system

of fair trial through proper

investigation, Meanwhile, Upazila

Education Officer Iqbal Hossain

Bhuiyan said, I have heard the

incident. It is very sad that this

happened. The investigation will be

reported to the authorities through a

preliminary report.

Protests were held and memorandum was given to the PM on Sunday for

the removal of portraits of Dharmapasha Upazila Parishad Chairman

Mozammel Hossain Rokan and local parliament member Moazzem

Hossain Ratan.

Photo: AK Milon

Memorandum given to the PM

AK MIlON, SUNAMGANJ CORRESPONDENT:

In protest against the installation of portraits

of Dharmapasha Upazila Parishad

Chairman Mozammel Hossain Rokan and

local parliament member Moazzem Hossain

Ratan on the government-funded mural of

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu and

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the heart of

the newly formed Madhyanagar Upazila of

Sunamganj, ignoring the approved design by

the Ministry of Local Government and

demanding its removal. . The memorandum

was presented to Prime Minister Sheikh

Hasina through Deputy Commissioner

Jahangir Hossain.

On Sunday afternoon, the convenor of the

Madhyanagar upazila branch of the

Sammilita Sangskritik Jote Russell Ahmed

went to the office of the Deputy

Commissioner and lodged this complaint to

the Prime Minister.

According to the source of the complaint, a

mural with the pictures of Father of the

Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur

Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

was constructed at Madhyanagar Upazila

area without any tender at a cost of Tk 10

lakh through quotation, but the picture of the

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh

Mujibur Rahman wasn’t constructed in this

mural and only 3 lakh taka was used. Beside

the picture of the PM, there is the picture of

Upazila Parishad Chairman Mozammel

Hossain Rokan and local parliament

member Moazzem Hossain Ratan. This

enraged the people there. People have hold

many protests against this saying their

picture beside the PM is an insult to the PM

and the father of the nation. Immediately

people demanded the removal of local

parliament member Moazzem Hossain

Ratan and his Brother Mozammel Hossain

Roken's photo.

60 sacks fertilizer seized,

dealer fined in Rajshahi

RAJSHAHI: Upazila administration has

seized 60 sacks of fertilizer and penalised its

dealer Taka one lakh on charges of selling

fertilizer in black market in the district

yesterday, reports BSS.

The dealer was identified as Nazrul Islam,

Owner of Rahima Traders at Azizpur

crossing under Tanore upazila in the district.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Pankaj Chandra

Debnath told the local journalists that they

found Nazrul Islam selling 60 sacks of

fertilizer consisting of 40 sacks of DAP, 15

sacks of urea and five sacks of MoP in black

market.

He also said the dealer was fined Taka one

lakh and the seized fertilizers were sold in

auction.

Woman

found dead in

Chattogram

water tank

CHATTOGRAM: The

body of a 21-year-old

woman was recovered from

a water tank of a house at

Bandartila in Chattogram

city on Saturday night,

reports UNB.

The deceased was

identified as Marjina Akter,

daughter of Wahidul Gazi of

Bauphal upazila in

Patuakhali district.

Abdul Karim, officer-incharge

of Export Processing

Zone (EPZ) Police Station,

said Marjina along with her

husband Md. Hasan and

seven-month-old baby used

to live on the 4th floor of a

building.

Marjina remained missing

since Thursday afternoon.

Getting no whereabouts,

Hasan lodged a general

diary with EPZ Police

Station on Friday.

On Saturday night, the

residents of the building

complained to the house

owner about bad odor from

the water tank of the

building.

On information, police

went to the spot and

recovered the decomposed

body of Marjina.

National Cooperative

Day observed in Sreepur

M.R.JINNAH, SREEPUR CORRESPONDENT:

51th National Cooperative

Day-2021 was observed in

Sreepur upazila under

Magura district on

Saturday in a befitting

manner. The programme

organized by Sreepur

Upazila administration and

Cooperative department.

Marking the day National

Flag and cooperative Flag

were hoisted jointly by

Sreepur Upazila Nirbahi

officer (Additional-charge)

Shyamananda Kundu and

Sreepur Sadar Union

Parishad Chairman Md.

Moshiar Rahman at the

premises of Sreepur Upazila

Parishad. Later a discussion

meeting was held at Upazila

Parishad conference room.

Sreepur Upazila Nirbahi

officer (Additional-charge)

Shyamananda Kundu

presided over the discussion

meeting. While Sreepur

Upazila Parishad Chairman

Mia Mahmudul Gani Shain

was present and spoke as

the chief guest, Among

others Sreepur Upazila

Parishad Vice Chairman

Nargis Sultana, Upazila

Awami League president

Md Abul Kalam Azad,

Formar Upazila Freedom

Fighter Commander Ikram

Ali Biswas, adviser of

Joka Danis A,S.M

Sifuzzaman, Sreepur Sadar

Union Chairman Md.

Moshiar Rahman was

present and spoke in the

program. Sreepur upazila

Cooperative officer

Sharoshoti Rani dash

delivered welcome speech.

People of all walks of life

attended the event.

Over 3.39-cr Covid-19

jabs administered in

Rangpur

RANGPUR: The number

of administered Covid-19

jabs rose to three crore 39

lakh 48 thousand and 20 in

Rangpur division with the

inoculation of more than

11,231 doses as the first,

second and booster doses

on Saturday, reports BSS.

"Among the administered

Covid-19 jabs on Saturday,

8,762 doses were

inoculated to the children

aged 5-11 years with the

first doses," Acting

Divisional Director

(Health) Dr. Md. Habibur

Rahman said yesterday.

So far, a total of 10,98,695

children aged 5-11 years of

3,248 primary level

educational institutions

were administered with the

first dose of the Covid-19

jabs in the division.

Madarganj Municipality inaugurates

Streetlight installation

JUlfIKAR BABlU, MADARGANJ CORRESPONDENT:

500 street lights installation have been

partially inaugurated under Atsahar

Development Project of Jamalpur district.

Last Thursday in the evening, street lamp in

3 wards of the municipality was officially

inaugurated. In the inaugural parts 85 street

lights from Balijuri FM high school junction

of 1st Ward of Madarganj Minicipality area

to Mitalibazar near Municipal plaque.

On the other hand, Madarganj Mayor

Mirza Golam Kibria Kabir inaugurated 65

street lights from Madarganj Thana Mor to

Amlitala bot-tola Mor in 7th and 8th ward of

the municipality. Municipal Councilor and

Panel Mayor Md Shawkat Ali, Councilor Md

Abu Saeed Sebu, Councilor Md Kamrul

Islam, Municipal Engineer Md Parek

Ahmed, Md Kajal were present at that time.

Madarganj town mayor Mirza Golam

Kibria Kabir said that the work of this

project is progressing at an expense of 2.45

crore taka. In addition, comprehensive

development work has been carried out in

the urban area. The paving work of many

roads in the city has already been

completed.

500 street lights installation have been partially inaugurated under

Atsahar Development Project of Jamalpur district. Photo: Julfikar Bablu

51th National Cooperative Day-2021 was

under Magura district on Saturday.

observed in Sreepur upazila

Photo: M.R.Jinnah

Speedboats collide in Kaptai Lake:

Bodies of 2 students recovered

KAPTAI: The bodies of two students, who

went missing after a collision between two

speedboats in Kaptai lake on Friday, have

been recovered, reports UNB.

The deceased were Liton Chakma, 20, and

Elina Chakma, 20, residents of Baghaichhari

and Borokol upazilas respectively and

students of Higher Secondary Certificate

level of Open University. The body of Liton

was recovered by fishermen early Sunday

while and the body of Elina by fire service

workers on Sunday morning. Ariful Islam,

officer-in-charge of Langadu police station,

said they in association with the fire service

men carried out search operation till

Saturday evening since Friday afternoon but

failed. On Friday afternoon, seven people

were injured and two others went missing in

a head-on collision between a passenger

carrying speedboat and a goods-laden boat

in Kaptai Lake.

The passenger carrying boat was heading

towards Langadu upazila from Rangamati

Sadar. Seven out of total nine passengers of

the boat managed to swim ashore while the

reset went missing.

2 killed in bus-auto rickshaw

collision in Kishoreganj

KISHOREGANJ: Two people were killed

and four others injured in a collision between

a CNG-run auto rickshaw and a bus in

Kuliarchar upazila of the district Sunday,

reports UNB.

The deceased were identified as auto

rickshaw driver Rifat, 26, son of late Jamal

Uddin of Kishoreganj municipality, and

Johora Begum, 65, wife of late Raichh

Uddin. Mohammad Golam Mostafa, officerin-charge

of Kuliarchar police station, said

the accident occurred in the morning when

the speeding bus crashed into the auto

rickshaw on Kishoreganj-Bhairab regional

highway in Maddhyarchar area of the

upazila.

The accident left the duo dead on the

spot and four others critically injured, he

said.

The injured are now undergoing treatment

at Jahurul Islam Medical College Hospital in

Bajitpur upazila, he added.

Two people were killed and four others injured in a collision between a

CNG-run auto rickshaw and a bus in Kuliarchar upazila. Photo: UNB

Monday, noveMber 7, 2022

7

US to send $400 million more

to Ukraine in military aid

The U.S. is sending Ukraine $400 million more in military aid and establishing a security assistance

headquarters in Germany that will oversee all weapons transfers and military training for Ukraine,

the Pentagon announced Friday.

Photo : Internet

WASHINGTON : The U.S. is sending

Ukraine $400 million more in military

aid and establishing a security assistance

headquarters in Germany that will

oversee all weapons transfers and military

training for Ukraine, the Pentagon

announced Friday, reports UNB.

Notably, the $400 million in aid

includes funding for additional air

defenses to help Ukraine better defend

itself against escalating R ussian missile

and drone attacks that have badly

damaged the country's power and water

infrastructure.

"We recognize the acute need for air

defense at this critical moment when

Russia and Russian forces are raining

missiles and Iranian drones down on the

civilian infrastructure of this country,"

White House national security adviser

Jake Sullivan said at a press conference in

Kyiv Friday following a meeting with

Ukrainian President Volodymyr

Zelenskyy. Sullivan is one of the highest

ranking U.S. officials to visit Kyiv, and his

trip had not been previously announced

for security reasons.

The $400 million in aid also includes

contracts for 1,100 Phoenix Ghost drones,

funding to refurbish 45 tanks and an

additional 40 riverine boats.

The Phoenix Ghost drone is an armed

"kamikaze drone" that explodes on

contact with its target. The T-72 tanks are

being pulled from existing defense

industry inventory in the Czech Republic

- paid for by The Netherlands - and will

have advanced optics, communications

and armor packages. They are part of a

total package of 90 of the T-72 tanks that

will be sent to Ukraine through 2023, the

Pentagon said.

Additional air defense will be provided

through Hawk surface-to-air antiaircraft

missiles that will be refurbished

provided to Ukraine to assist in its air

defenses against drones. The missile

system is no longer in use by the U.S. but

the missiles, once refurbished, will give

Ukraine another medium-range air

defense option, Singh said. Hawk

missiles have a longer range than the

Stinger anti-aircraft missiles the U.S.

has previously provided.

Record-breaking

November heat in

Canada's Montreal

MONTREAL : Temperatures

in Montreal reached an alltime

high for November on

Saturday, as residents

accustomed to bundling up for

intense Canadian winters were

hit with a wave of

unseasonable warmth, reports

BSS.

Montreal, the largest city in

Quebec province, saw

temperatures exceed 23

degrees Celsius (73 degrees

Fahrenheit), beating the last

record set for the month in

2020.Average temperatures

normally hover around 8C this

time of year. Already in

October temperatures were 2C

above normal.

Power blackouts hit Ukraine

amid heavy Russian shelling

KYIV : Ukraine's state

electricity operator on

Saturday announced

blackouts in Kyiv and seven

other regions of the country

in the aftermath of Russia's

devastating strikes on energy

infrastructure.

The move comes as

Russian forces continue to

pound Ukrainian cities and

villages with missiles and

drones, inflicting damage on

power plants, water supplies

and other civilian targets, in a

grinding war that is nearing

its nine-month mark, reports

UNB.

Russia has denied that the

drones it has used in Ukraine

came from Iran, but the

Islamic Republic's foreign

minister on Saturday for the

first time acknowledged

supplying Moscow with "a

limited number" of drones

before the invasion. Hossein

Amirabdollahian claimed,

however, that Tehran didn't

know if its drones were used

against Ukraine and stated

Iran's commitment to

stopping the conflict.

Ukrenergo, the sole

operator of Ukraine's highvoltage

transmission lines,

initially said in a an online

statement Saturday that

scheduled blackouts will take

place in the capital and the

greater Kyiv region, as well as

several regions around it -

Chernihiv, Cherkasy,

Zhytomyr, Sumy, Poltava

and Kharkiv.

Later in the day, however,

the company released an

update saying that scheduled

outages for a specific number

of hours aren't enough and

instead there will be

emergency outages, which

could last an indefinite

amount of time.

Ukraine has been grappling

with power outages and the

disruption of water supplies

since Russia started

unleashing massive barrages

of missile and drone strikes

on the country's energy

infrastructure last month.

Moscow has said those

came in response to what it

alleged were Ukrainian

attacks on Crimea, the region

that Russia illegally annexed

in 2014. Ukraine has denied

those allegations.

According to Ukraine's

presidential office, at least

three civilians were killed and

eight others were wounded

over the past 24 hours by

Russian shelling of nine

Ukrainian regions, where

drones, missiles and heavy

artillery were used.

In the Russian-occupied

Kherson region, where a

Ukrainian counteroffensive is

underway, the Russian

military continue to abduct

local residents, the

presidential office said.

GD-1783/22 (6x4)

GD-1781/22 (15x4)

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2022

8

Shahjalal Islami Bank's Training Academy organized two-days long training workshop on

"Leadership Development for Mid-Level Management Team" for the Bank Officials on 05-06

November 2022. The Managing Director & CEO of Shahjalal Islami Bank Limited Mosleh Uddin

Ahmed inaugurated the training workshop. There were 40 officers from different Branches and

Corporate Head Offices of the Bank participated in the training workshop. The Additional Managing

Director of the Bank Mian Quamrul Hasan Chowdhury was present as Special Guest and the

Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md. Shafiqur Rahman was also present as Special Invitation Guest in the

occasion. The Chief Speaker of the training workshop Abdul Alim Munshi, FCMA discussed various

aspects of leadership in details. Among others the Principal of Shahjalal Islami Bank Training

Academy Md. Saidur Rahman was present in the program.

Photo : Courtesy

MTB wins the ‘Best Workplace for Diversity and

Inclusion in Banking in Bangladesh 2022’ Award

Mutual Trust Bank Limited

(MTB) wins the 'Best

Workplace for Diversity and

Inclusion in Banking in

Bangladesh 2022' from

renowned International

Finance Magazine for its

exemplary practices for

ensuring gender balance,

equality, equity and diversity

within its workforce. The

Bank received such

S.Africa gets $497m

from World Bank to

move away from coal

JOHANNESBURG : South

Africa, one of the world's

largest greenhouse-gas

emitters, has been granted

financing of $497 million to

decommission one of its

largest coal-fired power plants

and convert it to renewable

energy, the World Bank said.

In a statement overnight

Thursday, the bank said the

newly-closed Komati power

station about 170 kilometers

(105 miles) northeast of

Johannesburg will be

repurposed using solar and

wind sources, supported by

batteries for storage.

The project aims at easing

carbon emissions and

creating economic

opportunities in the area,

which has been home to one

of Africa's largest coal plants

for over 60 years.

"Closing the Komati plant

this week is a good first step

toward low carbon

development," said World

Bank Group President David

Malpass.

South Africa secured $8.5

billion in loans and grants at

the UN climate talks last year

from a group of rich nations to

finance its switch to greener

energy.

But it remains heavily

dependent on coal, which

generates 80 percent of its

electricity. The power sector

accounts for 41 percent of

national CO2 emissions.

Africa's most industrialised

economy has been suffering

sweeping power outages

caused by failures at stateowned

energy firm Eskom's

ageing and poorly maintained

infrastructure.

recognition for the first time

since its inception, a press

release said.

As a socially responsible

financial entity, inclusion

and diversity are at the top of

MTB's objectives. Our

purpose is to help

employees prosper through

inclusivity and diversity.

Therefore, we established

inclusivity and equality

through a series of

initiatives. MTB's Aporajita,

is dedicated to the

development of all female

employees both in personal

and professional lives.

Gender balance in any

organization is not easy in

Bangladesh's socioeconomic

context, despite

that MTB is doing its part to

improve gender balance

Oil-rich Saudi launches

first electric vehicle

company

RIYADH : Saudi Arabia

announced on Thursday

the launch of its first brand

of electric vehicles, part of

a broader push to diversify

the economy of the world's

biggest oil exporter,

reports BSS.

The company, known as

Ceer, "will contribute to

Saudi Arabia's efforts

towards carbon emissions

reduction and driving

sustainability to address

the impact of climate

change," the official Saudi

Press Agency said.

It is a partnership with

Foxconn, China's biggest

private sector employer,

which "will develop the

electrical architecture of

the vehicles", SPA said.

Ceer "will design,

manufacture and sell a

range of vehicles for

consumers in Saudi Arabia

and the MENA region,

including sedans and

sports utility vehicles," it

said, adding the company

was expected to create

"30,000 direct and

indirect jobs".

Ceer vehicles "are

scheduled to be available

in 2025", SPA said.

In April, Saudi Arabia

announced a deal with USbased

Lucid Motors, which

is setting up a factory in

the kingdom, to purchase

up to 100,000 electric

vehicles over the next

decade.

Like the Lucid deal,

Ceer is backed by the

Saudi sovereign wealth

fund chaired by Crown

Prince Mohammed bin

Salman, whose Vision

2030 reform agenda

depends on rapid

economic diversification.

"Saudi Arabia is not just

building a new automotive

brand, we are igniting a new

industry and an ecosystem

that attracts international

and local investments,

creates job opportunities

for local talent, enables the

private sector, and

contributes to increasing

Saudi Arabia's GDP over

the next decade," Prince

Mohammed said Thursday.

Last year, ahead of the

COP26 climate-change

summit, Saudi Arabia

pledged to achieve net zero

carbon emissions by 2060,

sparking scepticism from

environmental campaigners.

Saudi officials have

lately stressed the need

for more investment in

fossil fuels, arguing that

focusing on climate

change at the expense of

energy security would

exacerbate inflation and

other economic woes.

within. Female participation

is about 19% which is

significantly above the

banking industry. While

15% women are in executive

positions. Besides insurance

covered maternity leave

policy, MTB offers seven

days of paternity leave for

the new fathers to perform

their paternal duties. MTB

views this as its contribution

to fostering parity in

executing family

responsibilities.

On this occasion, MTB's

Managing Director & CEO

says, "We care for our

employees. We treated them

as the most valuable asset of

the bank. We believe their

contributions drive MTB to

its current position. MTB

possesses a workforce with

diverse personnel, points of

view and approaches which

enable us to establish a

culture of inclusivity and a

sense of belonging. We have

designed measures to

balance work with private

life, such as consultations

with our employees on their

well-being, guidelines on

'flexiworking', maternity and

paternity leave etc. We will

continue to work together in

the same direction so

everyone can prosper and

realise their dreams."

Italy raises public

deficit forecast for

2023: govt source

MILAN : Italian far-right

Prime Minister Giorgia

Meloni on Friday raised next

year's public deficit forecast

in order to pour money into

measures to support families

and businesses, a government

source said.

Like other countries in

Europe, Italians will face a

tough winter with rising

interest rates, soaring

inflation and higher energy

prices.

Meloni, who came to

power last month, pledged

during the election campaign

to control expenditure in

country long plagued by low

growth and huge debt.

On Friday, after a cabient

meeting, the government

agreed to increase the public

deficit to 4.5 percent of GDP,

a source told AFP.

It is above the 3.4 percent

forecast by her predecessor

Mario Draghi in September,

but in line with what Italian

media had reported she

would do.

This means an extra 21

billion euros, according to an

economics roadmap adopted

by the cabinet Friday

evening.

Meloni's government also

raised the forecast for

economic growth this year to

3.7 percent, up from Draghi's

prediction of 3.3 percent.

It comes after Italy posted

better-than-expected

quarterly growth on Monday.

Economy Minister

Giancarlo Giorgetti has kept

Draghi's forecast of 0.6

percent growth in 2023.

G7, Australia agree

on fixed price for

Russian oil

LONDON : The Group of

Seven (G7) and Australia

have agreed to set up a fixed

price for Russian oil rather

than introduce a floating

rate that is also being

discussed, Reuters reported

on Thursday citing own

sources.

The countries expect to

make a decision on a price

cap for Russian oil in late

November.

According to the source,

the G7 and Australia "agreed

the price cap will be a fixed

price that will be reviewed

regularly rather than a

discount to an index."

Following a meeting of

finance ministers from the

Group of Seven on

September 2 in Berlin, the

G7 club agreed to introduce

a proposed price cap on

Russian oil to limit the

country's revenues from its

export. For doing this the G7

member states seek to

establish a broad coalition

and urge all countries that

still seek to import Russian

oil and petroleum products

to commit to doing so only at

prices at or below the price

cap.

Dhaka central and East Zone along with 6 corporate branches of Islami Bank Bangladesh

Limited organized a discussion program on 'Compliance of Shari'ah in Banking Operations' on

6 November 2022, Sunday at Islami Bank tower. Mohammed Monirul Moula, Managing

Director & CEO of the bank addressed the program as the chief guest. Mufti Sayeed Ahmed, Vice

Chairman of Shari`ah Supervisory Committee of the bank addressed as chief discussant.

Presided over by Mahmudur Rahman, Head of Dhaka central Zone, Md. Shamsuddoha,

Executive Vice President of Shari'ah secretariat presented the keynote. Md. Aminur Rahman,

Head of Dhaka East Zone addressed the welcome speech and Md. Mahbub-a-Alam, Head of

Head office complex corporate branch thanked the audience. Investment clients of the bank

attended the program.

Photo : Courtesy

A daylong training workshop for the officials of National Bank Limited was held at National

Bank Training Institute yesterday. Deputy Managing Director of the bank Hossain Akhtar

Choudhury was present in the workshop as the chief guest.

Photo : Courtesy

Padma Bank organizes Workshop

on Money Laundering

Padma Bank conducts a 3-

hour-long Workshop on the

Prevention of the Credit

Back Method of Money

Laundering - Awareness

and Responsibilities of

Bankers. The program was

held at the Bank's Learning

& Talent Development

Center, Mirpur, on

Saturday, November 05,

under the supervision of the

AML & CFT Division, a

press release said.

A total of 55 participants

from different relevant

Divisions of the Bank's

Corporate Head Office

attended the program.

Tarek Reaz Khan, Managing

Director & CEO, formally

inaugurated the Workshop

where Deputy Managing

Director & CAMLCO, Zabed

Amin, Bangladesh Financial

Intelligence Unit (BFIU)

Joint Director Khandaker

Ashif Rabbani, and other

Senior Officials of the Bank

were present.

inaugural program was

moderated by Deputy

US sees strong job gains

in October as wages

move higher

WASHINGTON : US job

gains topped expectations in

October, according to official

data released Friday, as hiring

remained resilient and wages

moved ever higher,

underscoring the challenges

in lowering rampant inflation.

The data comes days ahead

of critical midterm elections,

where decades-high inflation

has propelled economic

issues to the top of voters'

minds and President Joe

Biden faces a battle to avoid

losing control of both

chambers of Congress.

The figures will provide

little comfort to the Federal

Reserve, which has been

battling to cool the economy,

as policymakers fear high

prices will become

entrenched and rising pay will

create an upward spiralinflicting

more harm on

families and businesses.

American employers added

CAMLCO Rashadul Karim.

In his speech, the Managing

Director & CEO underscored

the necessity of performing

due roles and responsibilities

at the individual levels to

prevent credit back money

laundering.

261,000 workers last month,

far more than economists had

forecast, though the pace was

lower than the 315,000

increase in September, which

was revised much higher than

originally reported by the

Labor Department.

The jobless rate rose twotenths

to 3.7 percent,

according to the closelywatched

US employment

report.

Biden cheered the data

which showed 10 million jobs

have been created since he

took office in January 2020,

but he recognized the

hardship Americans face due

to higher prices.

"Inflation is our top

economic challenge... The

global inflation that is raging

in other countries is hitting us

as well," Biden said in a

statement on Friday.

He said policymakers will

"do what it takes to bring

After the inaugural

program, the Joint Director

of BFIU conducted the main

Workshop. During his

presentation, he focused on

the theoretical and practical

aspects of credit back money

laundering and the

inflation down."

Average hourly earnings for

private sector workers

jumped another 12 cents or

0.4 percent last month, to

$32.58, the report said.

Wages have increased 4.7

percent over the last 12

months as firms have had to

compete to find and retain

workers in the tight labor

market.

That pace is slightly slower

than in September, which the

Fed will welcome, but many

employees are pushing for

increases to avoid losing

ground to elevated consumer

costs.

US markets rallied

following the latest data,

which raised hopes of a soft

landing for the economy.

Major indices closed higher

on Friday, despite the Fed's

pledge that interest rates will

need to rise further to quell

inflation.

necessary awareness and

responsibilities the bankers

need to possess and deliver

respectively to deter the

credit back method of

money laundering. The

Workshop concluded with a

Q/A session.

MonDAY, noveMber 7, 2022

9

Leicester City's Youri tielemans scores his side's first goal during the

match against everton.

photo: Ap

Leicester win at Everton

to climb out of bottom 3

SportS DeSk

Leicester City secured a

hard-fought 2-0 win at

Everton thanks to goals

from Youri Tielemans and

Harvey Barnes created by

the outstanding James

Maddison as the Foxes

moved out of the Premier

League relegation zone at

Goodison Park yesterday,

reports UNB.

The victory moved

Leicester, who started the

day in 18th spot, up to 13th

on 14 points after 14 games,

level on points with

Everton but two places

above them on goal

difference.

The hosts started well

and almost took the lead in

the sixth minute with

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

winning the ball and

sliding it into the path of

Alex Iwobi who flashed his

shot across the face of the

goal and wide, setting the

tone for the Toffees.

Seeking to make an

impression and perhaps

win a spot in England's

World Cup squad,

Leicester playmaker

Maddison put in a superb

attacking display in the

first half. He had a good

opportunity in the 14th

minute, pulling his shot

wide, and went close again

just before the half-hour

mark but this time his

effort was turned behind

for a corner. However,

Maddison did manage to

tee up Tielemans as the

clock ticked towards 45

minutes, and the Belgium

Barcelona bid

farewell to

emotional Pique

with Almeria win

SportS DeSk

Barcelona enjoyed a 2-0 win

over Almeria yesterday but

the night belonged to

defender Gerard Pique's

who was playing his last

game at the Camp Nou after

he announced he will retire

from football when LaLiga

breaks for the World Cup

next week, reports UNB.

Barca, who won with

second half goals from

Ousmane Dembele and

Frenkie de Jong, climbed to

the top of the standings on

34 points from 13 games,

two ahead of Real Madrid

who have a game in hand

and will visit Rayo Vallecano

on Monday. After missing

several chances in the first

half, including a penalty for a

handball that Robert

Lewandowski put wide,

Dembele broke the deadlock

right after the break, slotting

a precise shot into the

bottom corner from a

counter-attack.

In the 62nd minute, De

Jong was well positioned

inside the area to score off a

rebound from goalkeeper

Fernando Martinez and

wrap up the points for

Barcelona.

At a sold-out Camp Nou

where everything

surrounding the game was

about the long-serving

Pique, including the Barca

players' shirts which carried

the word "Sempr3",

"Forever" in Catalonian,

with Pique's number 3

replacing the letter E.

The 35-year-old Pique,

who started the game as

captain, won 30 trophies,

including three Champions

League and eight LaLiga

titles, with Barca.

He played well and almost

scored in the first-half with

two towering headers from

corners against a defensive

Almeria side who only had

one shot on target in the

match. Pique was

substituted in the 83rd

minute, walking off the pitch

in tears to a standing ovation

from the 92,605 fans - the

highest attendance at the

Camp Nou so far this season

- who packed the stadium to

say goodbye to a club great.

midfielder took a touch

before unleashing a

brilliant dipping shot that

arched over goalkeeper

Jordan Pickford into the

net. Calvert-Lewin wasted

a great chance to put

Everton level early in the

second half when Iwobi

played him in, but he fired

straight into the legs of

keeper Danny Ward.

Maddison struck the

right-hand post with a

venomous effort on the

hour and, though he could

not get the goal his efforts

deserved, set up Barnes to

drill in the second goal

after 86 minutes to wrap

up a much-needed three

points. "I think if you look

at the first seven games we

conceded 22 goals, the last

seven we've conceded

three," said Leicester boss

Brendan Rodgers after his

team's third win in four

games. "It is continual

growth, it is a long season.

After the start we had the

players have responded

brilliantly and are playing

with confidence again," he

told Sky Sports. "We just

want to keep climbing the

table and see where we can

finish before the (World

Cup) break," Rodgers

added. Everton boss Frank

Lampard took the defeat

on the chin. "A difficult

game. You have to respect

the way they play and they

deserved the win on that,"

he said, adding that striker

Calvert-Lewin, another

England hopeful, would be

assessed after picking up

an injury.

GD-1789 (10 x 4)

MONdAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2022

10

Apurba, Momo in romantic

drama ‘Phul Photanor Din’

TBT REPORT

Ziaul Faruq Apurba and

Zakia Bari Momo have

recently acted together in

a single-episode drama

after three years. Before

that, they acted in several

dramas together and the

on-screen couple was

loved by audiences.

After a long pause, they

act as a couple again in the

romantic drama 'Phul

Photanor Din', directed by

SR Majumder. The shoot

took place in Apanghar, a

shooting house in Uttara.

It wrapped up on 2

November.

"Nowadays, there is a

trend of acting in pairs in

single-episode dramas in

Bangladesh and the

audience really likes this

kind of drama as well. I

enjoy working with Momo

as a co-artist, because she

is good at what she does,"

Apurba said.

"I feel comfortable

around Apurba while

acting. I loved both the

story and my character in

this drama," Momo said.

Apurba and Momo will

act in another singleepisode

drama on 11

November. Their next

project together will be

called 'Apon Je Jon' and

will be directed by

Shahjahan Sourav.

Dwayne Johnson's daughter

Simone makes WWE TV debut

Simone Johnson is following in the

footsteps of her family as the daughter of

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson stunned

the pro wrestling audience Tuesday

night with her WWE TV debut. Simone

who goes by the stage name Ava Raine

was revealed as the last member of Joe

Gacy's faction, The Schism. Joe Gacy's

addressed the crowds as he introduced

Ava.

Before Simone other members

including Rip Fowler and Jagger Reid

had already been revealed as members

of the group. Raine stood on the podium

between Fowler and Reid and after she

removed her mask, the crowd appeared

to be shocked. Ava spoke about gaining

acceptance and said, "The love and

acceptance The Schism has given me,

defies any preconceived notions of who

I'm supposed to be. This family

completes me. I am Ava Raine." Raine's

real name is Simone Johnson. She is the

daughter of The Rock and his first wife

Dany Garcia.

Simone Johnson's debut is special

given that she follows the footsteps of

her family legacy of dad Dwayne

Johnson, her grandfather Rocky

Johnson and her great-grandfather

Peter Malvia while making her entry as

the first fourth-generation wrestler in

the history of the sport. Taking to

Twitter, Ava also paid homage to her

roots as she wrote, "4 roots 1 tree."

Before her WWE TV debut, Ava has

been training at the WWE Performance

Center in Orlando where pros like John

Cena and the Bella Twins learned the

sport.

Ava had previously faced backlash

over her ring name in May. She wrote

about the same on Twitter and said, "I

probably sound like a broken record &

hopefully this is the last I'll mention this

but I don't understand why people being

portrayed as separate individuals from

their family name is such a heated topic.

A name doesn't discredit any prior

accomplishments from any family."

In the meantime, Simone's father, The

Rock has been busy with his acting

career and recently starred in DCEU's

Black Adam, thus making his superhero

debut. The actor's powerful superhero

film has been trending also for its

Superman tease. It has now been

confirmed that Henry Cavill will return

as Superman after his cameo in Black

Adam.

Following the success of the first film,

Black Adam producers have spoken

about a sequel to the newly-released

superhero film starring Johnson being

in the works and that it will come sooner

rather than later. Source: Collider

Bhupen Hazarika's songs inspired

our freedom fighters : KM Khalid

Remembering the late Indian singer,

cultural icon and politician from Assam

Dr Bhupen Hazarika on his 11th death

anniversary, State Minister for Cultural

Affairs KM Khalid said Hazarika's

songs played an influential role during

the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh,

reports UNB.

"During our Liberation War, songs of Dr

Bhupen Hazarika inspired our freedom

fighters. He was not only a prolific cultural

icon but also a politician and even served as

MLA of Assam. He passionately created

meaningful melodies that transcended the

barriers," Khalid said.

To mark his death anniversary, a

Bangladesh-India ceremony was held in

the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy

(BSA)'s National Theatre Hall

auditorium Saturday, which Khalid

joined as the chief guest.

Cultural Secretary of the Awami

League and member of the

Parliamentary Standing Committee on

Ministry of Cultural Affairs Asim Kumar

Ukil, Cultural Affairs Secretary Md Abul

Monsur and Chief Coordinator of

Friends of Bangladesh ASM Shamsul

Arefin were also present.

Bhupen Hazarika's sister-in-law and

singer Manisha Hazarika and Byatikram

Release date

of ‘Karagar

Part 2’ revealed

TBT REPORT

Amitabh Reza Chowdhury's web series

'Bodh' has been released on the OTT

platform Hoichoi. The release date of

'Karagar Part 2' directed by Syed Ahmed

Shawki has been revealed through this

series.

Even after watching the last scene of

the last episode of the 'Bodh' series, those

who wait for 'Karagar Part 2' will see the

release date of the series flashed on the

screen.

'Karagar Part 2' is going to release on

MASDO President Soumen Bharatiya

joined the event as the speakers.

"I often wondered why Bhupen Da

wandered around here and there - from

Assam to Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangladesh

and so on. Later I realised, he brought

Assam to the world through his

remarkable and majestic literary

creations," Manisha said.

Bhupen Hazarika used to travel to

Bangladesh regularly and study the folk

culture of the nation, crafting an everlasting

cultural bond with the country. BSA DG

Liaquat Ali Lucky was a close acquaintance

of Hazarika and often performed his songs

as a singer.

Lucky said: "While serving as the Dhaka

December 15. OTT platform Hoichoi

confirmed the matter with a mystery

story - as if searching for one event,

another event emerges.

The second and final episode of the

hotly debated series will release in

December, the news had already been

University Central Student's Union's

cultural affairs secretary, I travelled the

nation singing Dr Bhupen Hazarika's

songs. Also, Bhupen da complimented me

and gave me the title 'Bhupen of

Bangladesh' after listening to my rendition

of his songs."

The cultural segment of the event was

joined by several revered artists from

Bangladesh and Assam. Dhaka Cultural

Group performed group songs, BSA dance

group performed dance recitals with the

songs "Aaj Jibon Khuje Pabi" and "Sajiye

Dupati Mathar Khopati." Singers Yasmin

Ali, Dilbahar Khan and Liaquat Ali Lucky

performed songs of Hazarika at the event.

From Assam, singers Mayukh

Hazarika, Mismi Bose, Mainu Devi,

Geetanjali Kakati and Dwipasikha

Bharali performed several popular tracks

of the revered artist, including "Dil Hum

Hum Kore," "Manush Manusher

Jonno," "Ami Ek Jajabor" and more.

Regarded as the bard of the

Brahmaputra, Bhupen Hazarika was born

on September 8, 1926, in the Assamese

town of Sadiya.

The Bharat Ratna recipient died on

November 5, 2011, at Kokilaben

Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai

at the age of 85.

announced by Hoichoi. Now the release

date has been revealed.

Afzal Hossain, Chanchal Chowdhury,

Intekhab Dinar, Tasnia Farin, Nayeem,

Bijori Barkatullah, and many others

starred in 'Karagar' directed by Syed

Ahmed Shawki.

Took me two months to gain weight,

a year to lose it : Sonakshi

In order to play a voluptuous

woman in her latest release

'Double XL', Bollywood

actress Sonakshi Sinha took

two months to gain weight

but the toughest part was

losing those extra kilos.

'Double XL', which also

stars Huma Qureshi', is a

film based on self-love and

body positivity, is directed

by Satram Ramani. The film

hit the screens on

November 4.

Talking about her body

transformation for the film,

Sonakshi in a conversation

said: "It took me two months

to put on weight which was

not a big deal but it took me a

year to get rid of the weight I

had put on. There are two

ways to do it. You

either do it the

healthy way or the

unhealthy way.

However, I went the

health way."

Life is a full circle

for Sonakshi, who

started off as a

costume

designer

before

making her

debut in

acting

in

the year 2010 with the

Salman Khan-starrer

'Dabangg', as she

plays Saira

Khanna, a

fashion designer

in the movie.

She calls the

film her "life

story".

The 35-

year-old

actress also

shared her

mantra to

deal with

trolls and

bodyshamers.

"Whether

you are

short, tall,

thin, fat, dark or fair, you are

likely to get body shamed.

People say what they want to

say just ignore it. Don't waste

your energy," said the

daughter of veteran star

Shatrughan Sinha.

Talking to media, the

actress,who launched her own

beauty brand in 2022, shared

that 'Double XL' is a very

personal film for her.

"It's a very personal film

for me and I want to remind

everyone that women are

slammed for many things,

but don't let anyone pull you

back," added the actress,

who released her debut

single 'Aaj Mood Ishqholic

Hai' in 2015.

Source: Hindustan Times

H O R O s c O P E

ARIEs

Some close friends could turn you on to a new

interest or perhaps a group you might want to join.

Intellectual stimulation through those closest to

you could open the way to new plans and

innovations. You might want to try combining artistic interests

with technology, Aries, perhaps expanding your knowledge of

photography, computer graphics, or filmmaking. Success and good

fortune through such activities are strongly indicated.

TAURUs

Sudden, unexpected news could arrive

today, perhaps by mail or phone. You

could host a virtual group meeting of

some kind. A lot of exciting information

and stimulating conversation could take

place, Taurus, bringing fresh ideas that spark new

interests. Expect a very busy but productive day,

looking ahead toward the future rather than back

toward the past.

GEMINI

Short journeys in your neighborhood,

perhaps connected with a group you're

associated with, could take up a lot of

your time today, Gemini. Fascinating

and stimulating emails or calls could

arrive. Books and magazine articles could provide

information that sends you in a new direction in

some way. Write down your ideas! You will want to

remember them all.

cANcER

Technology could pave the way for you to

greatly increase your income, possibly

through new skills or investments. This is

likely to be a very positive development,

setting the stage for future financial success. Some

unusual, interesting dreams could come your way,

bringing unexpected revelations about you and your past

- and possibly your future. Write them down! They could

hold important messages for you from your higher self.

LEO

A surprising revelation, either from

within or from sources like books, the

Internet, or communications from others

could set you in an entirely new direction.

You will have an increased sense of freedom, as well as

a clearer and more progressive outlook. You might

consider some pretty heavy changes in your life, Leo,

but don't make any final decisions or arrangements

today. Wait before putting your ideas into action.

VIRGO

Discoveries made through occult sciences

such as astrology or numerology could

see you embrace some rather

revolutionary ideas about yourself, the

world, and life. You could become involved with a

group associated with metaphysical studies or take an

online class or workshop of some kind. This could

mean a new direction for you in some way, Virgo. It

might greatly enhance your life and thinking.

LIBRA

Sudden lucky breaks could come your

way today, Libra, possibly through

friends or groups with which you're

involved. A long-term goal you've been

working toward might bring unexpected but

wonderful results. Virtual group activities,

particularly those involving social or political issues,

could take up a lot of your time. This promises to be

a busy, productive day. Expect the unexpected!

scORPIO

Today you might feel the desire to break

free from your daily routine, Scorpio,

particularly regarding career matters.

You might consider developing a

business of your own, one that would give you a lot

more freedom than you currently have. This is a good

day to start looking into it. You might find that there are

more possibilities out there than you expected.

sAGITTARIUs

A sudden and unexpected opportunity

to take a journey by air could come your

way today, Sagittarius. This might be

something you've wanted for a long

time finally manifesting. Certainly, adventure is in the

air, although it might be mental adventure as much as

physical. Some information could come your way that

catapults you into a new and exciting field of interest.

This promises to be a thoroughly stimulating day.

cAPRIcORN

Technology could pave the way for you to

greatly increase your income, possibly

through new skills or investments. This is

likely to be a very positive development,

setting the stage for future financial success. Some

unusual, interesting dreams could come your way,

bringing unexpected revelations about you and your past

- and possibly your future. Write them down! They could

hold important messages for you from your higher self.

AQUARIUs

The unexpected need to take a journey

by air or spend a lot of time working

could bring about an inconvenient

separation from your partner. While the

reasons for this situation and the projected outcome

are very positive, it can cause a temporary upset in

your relationship. Don't worry about it. The upset will

pass, particularly when the desired results are

attained. Concentrate on the matter at hand.

PIscEs

Is your workplace upgrading its

equipment? Are you in the process of

increasing your technology skills?

Today's planets show that success and advancement

through technology are definitely in the offing for

you, Pisces. If you've been thinking about purchasing

a computer, do it today if you can. Whatever your

goals, you can harness current innovations to help

them along. Give it some thought!

MONdAy, NOveMber 7, 2022

11

Japan PM pledges to boost

military capacity

SAGAMI BAY : Prime Minister Fumio

Kishida pledged Sunday to beef up Japan's

naval and military capacity, warning that

nations must prepare to face aggressors.

Kishida also condemned Russia's war in

Ukraine and denounced North Korea's

recent blitz of missile tests, one of which

flew over Japan for the first time since 2017

and prompted a rare evacuation warning.

"We must prepare ourselves for an era

when actors emerge to disobey rules and

use force or threats to destroy the peace and

safety of other nations," Kishida said as he

addressed Japan's international fleet

review. The leader's remarks come as

Tokyo is drafting security plans that may

call for doubling the nation's defence

spending within five years. That would represent

a sea change in Japan, where the

pacifist constitution limits its military

capacity. "We will accelerate realistic discussions

on what's needed to defend our

people by keeping all options on the table,"

Kishida said. "The enhancement (of

Japan's naval capacity) cannot wait, including

construction of new naval ships, bolstering

our missile defence capacity and

improvement of the work conditions and

compensations for our (military) personnel,"

he said.

He did not name China but said that "the

national security environment surrounding

our nation is growing more severe including

the East China Sea and South China

Sea," where Beijing has taken assertive

positions in territorial disputes with countries

including Japan. Kishida added that

Japan will ensure transparency of its military

spending.

Naogaon Atrai Thana Police arrested 7 people including 5 drug dealers in separate operations. They

were arrested from different areas of the upazila on Saturday night. Meanwhile, the police recovered

heroin and ganja from the arrested persons.

Photo: Omar Faruk

Man sentenced to

life for raping minor

girl in Kishoreganj

KISHOREGANJ : A man was

sentenced life imprisonment

for raping a minor girl in

Kishoreganj on Sunday.

Kishoreganj Women and

Children Repression Prevention

Tribunal-1 Judge Mohammad

Habibullah pronounced

the order.

The court also

imposed a Tk 1 lakh fine on the

accused Riyad, 31. According to

the case complaint, on June 15,

2018, the accused raped a 16-

year-old girl at Karimganj

upazila. When the girl became

pregnant, her mother filed a

case against the accused at

Karimganj police station.

Centenary Reunion' of

DU English Department

on Nov 18

DHAKA : The centenary

reunion of the former students

of Dhaka University's

English department will be

held on November 18 in the

Capital's Pan Pacific Sonargaon

Hotel.

Former students of the

Department have been asked

to do registration by November

10 to participate in the

reunion, said a press release

here today.

Interested people can complete

their registration

process by paying the fixed

amount at Sonali Bank.

Iraq considers reinstating

conscription

BAGHDAD : Iraqi lawmakers were due to examine

on Sunday a bill seeking to reestablish military

conscription in the country, nearly 20 years

after its abolition.

Service in the armed forces was mandatory

in Iraq from 1935 up until 2003, when a USled

invasion toppled former dictator Saddam

Hussein. The bill would pave the way for the

conscription of young men aged 18 to 35, for

terms between three and 18 months depending

on their education level, MP Yasser Iskander

Watout told AFP.

They would receive allowances ranging from

600,000 to 700,000 Iraqi dinars (more than

$400), added Watout, who serves on the legislature's

defence committee.

It would take two years after the passing of the

law to fully restore conscription, Watout said,

adding that only-sons and breadwinners would

be exempted.

Since Saddam's overthrow Iraq has suffered

sectarian conflict and the Islamic State

group's takeover of large swathes of territory,

before the jihadists' defeat in late 2017 by

Iraqi forces backed by a US-led military

coalition.

That anti-IS coalition continued a combat

role in Iraq until last December, but roughly

2,500 American soldiers remain in Iraq to

offer training, advice and assistance to national

forces.

The bill was initially submitted by the defence

ministry in August 2021, under the government

of then-prime minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi.

Iraq later that year elected a new parliament,

which only last month swore in a government led

by Mohammed Shia al-Sudani after a year of

political paralysis.

Despite the declared victory over IS, members

of the group continue to stage intermittent

attacks on government forces and the former

paramilitary Hashed al-Shaabi, now integrated

into the regular forces.

This persistent "terrorist threat" prompted MP

Sikfan Sindi to call, in a recent interview with

state news agency INA, for the reinstatement of

military service.

Though it is unclear whether the bill would

receive much backing in parliament, it has

already drawn a backlash within the legislature

and beyond.

"The militarisation of society will not create

patriotism," lawmaker Saeb Khidr of the minority

Yazidi community, which was brutalised by IS,

told AFP.

In a country where nearly four out of 10 young

people are unemployed, former electricity minister

Louai al-Khatib suggested it was more important

to "create centres for professional training"

rather than reinstate conscription.

Discussion on Fateha-e-Yazdaham

holds at National Mosque today

DHAKA : On the occasion of hijri-1444

Fateha-e-Yazdaham, a discussion and doa

mahfil will be held at Baitul Mukarram

National Mosque today after Johr prayers.

Islamic Foundation (IF) will arrange the

programme titled "Life and activities of

Bara Pir Hazrat Gawsul Azam Shaikh Syed

Abdul Kader Zilani (RA)", said a press

release.

Hazrat Maulana Abdur Razzak, khatib

of Gawsul Azam Jame Mosque, will participate

in the discussion as a speaker.

GD-1788/22 (7x4)

GD-1782/22 (8x4)

GD-1787/22 (8.5x4)

Monday, Dhaka : November 7, 2022; Kartik 22, 1429 BS; Rabi-us-Sani 11 , 1444 Hijri

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader opened two lanes of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) flyover

from Tongi in Gazipur City Corporation to Uttara House Building in Dhaka on Sunday. Photo : Star Mail

BNP doesn't

accept anything

easily: Hasan

DHAKA : Information and

Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan

Mahmud yesterday said BNP had told

that they would not go to the 2018 elections

under the party government, but

later, the party took part in the polls after

muddling the water, reports BSS.

They (BNP) don't accept anything easily,

but they accept everything after creating

troubles, he said to reporters while

replying to a query after exchanging

views with the leaders of Bangladesh

Climate Change Journalists Forum

(BCJF) marking the COP-27 at the meeting

room of his ministry at Secretariat in

the capital.

BCJF president Kawsar Rahman, general

secretary Motahar Hossain and joint

secretary Masud-ul Haque, among others,

addressed the meeting.

Hasan said this time too, the BNP is

telling that they would not take part in

the polls. But, the reality is that many

BNP leaders are eagerly waiting to take

part in the next polls, he added.

Referring to an exhibition titled

'Agnisanthrasher Artanad' organized by

Awami League today at the National

Museum, the minister said, "I just came

here from the programme.

The BNP's arson terrorism victims,

families of deceased and the cries of

injured people brought tears to all there.

The foreign envoys were there. I could

not hold back tears. The journalists also

couldn't. Even, the premier too could not

hold back her tears."

He said all demanded the trial of the

killings of their husband or their child or

their father in their lifetime. The children

of those fathers who were killed in 1977

without any trial said that they don't

know where the grave of their father is,

he added.

The minister said the children have

also demanded to the premier that they

want to know where their father's grave

is and said the murders should be

brought to justice.

DSCC evicts

188 illegal shops

in Nilkhet

DHAKA : Dhaka South City

Corporation (DSCC) conducted a

mobile court drive to evict a total of

188 illegal shops from its three-storied

Roadside market or Tula Market

in the capital's Nilkhet area on

Sunday.

The drive was led by Md

Muniruzzaman, Estate Officer and

Executive Magistrate of DSCC.

During the drive, only 35 shops on the

first floor of the market were found to be

legal.

Thirty-eight shops on the first floor

were extended illegally, while 75 shops on

the second floor and another 75 shops on

the third floor were being run without

permission.

"A vested group had built these shops

illegally without taking any approval from

us. All of these shops excluding the 35

legal ones on the first floor will be taken

down. The drive will continue until it's

done," said Muniruzzaman.

The drive was supervised by DSCC's

Chief Estate Officer Rasel Sabrin and will

resume on Monday.

No more mega projects

before polls : Quader

GAZIPUR : Road Transport and

Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on

Sunday said the government will not

take any new mega project before the

next national election.

"As per the directive of the Prime

Minister there is no plan to take any mega

projects before the election as it will be

held in December, 2023 or

January,2024," he said while inaugurating

the two lanes of the flyover under

Bangladesh Rapid Transit (BRT) project

in Tongi of Gazipur.

Expressing grief over the suffering of

people caused by the under-construction

BRT project, the minister said already 80

per cent work of the project has been completed

and the sufferings will end soon.

Criticising BNP, the Awami League general

secretary said, "BNP had not taken

any mega project and during their tenure

no development work was done. Who will

go to power and who will take safe exitpeople

will decide it."

After opening of the two lanes, people of

37 districts will be benefited, said State

Minister for Youth and Sports Zahid

Ahsan Russell, who was present there.

Alamgir Hossain, deputy commissioner

(traffic) of Gazipur Metropolitan Police,

said traffic congestion will be reduced and

the Dhaka-bound passengers will be able

to easily reach their respective destinations

using the flyover.

According to the BRT authorities,

once the project is implemented, it will

be an environment friendly and safe

transportation system in Gazipur, Tongi

and Uttara areas.

Under the 20.5 km project of BRT, a 4.5

km elevated expressway, six elevated stations,

ten lanes Tongi Bridge is under construction

involving Tk 4268.32 crore.

Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM

Mozammel Huq, Dhaka North City

Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam, deputy

commissioner Anisur Rahman, among

others, were present.

Successful divisional rallies show

people turning around : Fakhrul

DHAKA : BNP Secretary General Mirza

Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Sunday that

the people are turning around against the

misrule of the government with desperation

to remove the monstrous regime.

Fakhrul made the remark while

attending a meeting organised by

Nagorik Oikya at the National Press Club

on Sunday afternoon.

"People have started turning around

against the government. Seeing the divisional

rallies I have that feeling that the people

are ahead of us," he said. "People have

joined the rallies defying all the obstacles in

Barishal, Khulna and Mymensingh."

He said that when every mode of transportation

was cut off in Barishal ahead of

the rally, people have crossed the river by

swimming and spent the night under the

open sky to attend the rally. "This has

inspired us, and we have started believing

that people want change," said Fakhrul. The

BNP leader said the government has now

started the process of suppressing movement

by filing politically motivated cases.

He said RAB detained general secretary

of Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal Sultana Ahmed

from the city while 110 people including

BNP's foreign affairs committee member

Ishraque Hossain have been sued in

Barishal. Bhola's BNP President Golam

Nabi Alamgir has also been sued, he said.

Fakhrul said BNP is moving forward with

the decision to hold a simultaneous movement

with patriotic political parties.

"We believe if we want to oust this terrifying

monster and form a people's government,

the movement will be much stronger.

It is not necessary to form an alliance for

that," he added.

Govt fixes cost

of dengue test

DHAKA : Health Minister Zahid Maleque

on Sunday said from now the NS-1 antigen

test to identify dengue patients will

cost Tk 100 at government hospitals and

Tk 300 at private hospitals.

This means people will not get the free

dengue testing facility at hospitals anymore,

even as the number of dengue cases

remains high in the country, reports UNB.

The minister said this replying to journalist's

questions after attending a meeting

titled 'Review on ensuring community

level mental health services,' in the city.

He said a direction has been given in this

regard to all hospitals, that is in effect now.

Earlier in 2019, the year of the worst

dengue outbreak in the country till now,

dengue test was made free for all by the

government.

Also from now on CBC (complete blood

count) and IgM (Immunoglobulin M)

tests will cost Tk 250 at Government hospitals.

The Directorate General of Health

Services (DGHS) recorded 29 deaths from

dengue in the first five days of November,

amid a sharp rise in dengue cases in different

parts of the country.

The directorate has recorded 43,107

dengue cases and 39, 569 recoveries so far

this year.

On Thursday, the country reported nine

dengue deaths, the highest death toll from

dengue in a day this year.

T20 World Cup

India beat Zimbabwe,

will face England

in semis

MELBOURNE : Suryakumar Yadav

smashed a 23-ball half-century as India

topped Group 2 with a 71-run win over

Zimbabwe in the T20 World Cup on Sunday.

Yadav scored 61 not out off 25 balls as

India finished with 186-5 in 20 overs.

In reply, Zimbabwe were bowled out for

115 in 17.2 overs, with Ravichandran

Ashwin returning figures of 3-22. Hardik

Pandya (2-16) and Mohammed Shami (2-

14) shared four wickets. With the Super

12s completed, India finished as Group 2

winners to set up a semifinal clash with

England in Adelaide on Thursday.

Earlier on Sunday, South Africa crashed

out of the tournament following a stunning

loss to the Netherlands in Adelaide,

allowing Pakistan to slip into the semifinals.

Pakistan beat Bangladesh by five

wickets, also at the Adelaide Oval.

New Zealand will take on Pakistan in the

first semifinal in Sydney on Wednesday.

At the MCG, India had won the toss and

opted to bat first. Rohit Sharma's poor run

of form continued and he was out for 15.

Lokesh Rahul scored a second consecutive

half-century as he and Virat Kohli

(26) put on 60 off 48 balls for the second

wicket. Rahul scored 51 off 35 balls,

including three fours and three sixes.

India then lost their way in the middle

overs, losing three wickets for 14 runs.

Rahul, Kohli and Rishabh Pant (3) were all

dismissed in the space of 10 deliveries, as

India reached 101-4 in 13.3 overs.

Yadav then took centre stage as he

smacked India's fourth quickest half-century

in T20s. He hit six fours and four sixes

to accelerate the scoring. He put on 65

runs off 35 balls with Hardik Pandya (18)

for the fifth wicket.

India scored 59 runs in the last four

overs. Yadav was named player of the

match for his scintillating knock.

In reply, Zimbabwe struggled to get

going against India's pacers. They were

reduced to 36-5 in 7.3 overs.

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) on Sunday (6 November) demolished illegal shops at a

roadside market in Nilkhet.

Photo : Star Mail

Employers will have to pay

journalists' income tax:HC

DHAKA : The owners of newspapers and

other media institutions will have to pay

the income tax of their journalists and

other employees, the High Court ruled

on Sunday, reports UNB.

The HC bench of Justice Md

Ashfaqul Islam and Justice Md

Shohrowardi passed the order declaring

the Cabinet recommendation on

gratuity and income tax in the 9th wage

boardas illegal. As per the rule, journalist-employees

would get two gratuities

in a year equal to the basic salary of a

month.

Lawyer Kazi Aktar Hamid and lawyer

Didarul Alam appeared for the writ petitioner

while Deputy Attorney General

Kazi Mainul Hasan for the state. On

January 29 in 2018, the 9th Wage Board

of 13 members was formed headed by

retired Justice Md Nizamul Huq of the

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.

Later, Justice Nizamul submitted a

report to the then Information Minister

Hasanul Haq Inu on November 4 of the

same year, recommending a maximum

increase of 85 percent in the salaries of

journalists.

Bangladesh ended another T20 World Cup campaign with nothing

much to cheer up. They showed another dismal batting display in

their last Super 12 match against Pakistan and lost by a big margin

of five wickets on Sunday in Adelaide.

Photo : UNB

T20 World Cup

Bangladesh end campaign with

another dismal batting display

DHAKA : Bangladesh ended another T20

World Cup campaign with nothing much

to cheer up. They showed another dismal

batting display in their last Super 12 match

against Pakistan and lost by a big margin

of five wickets on Sunday in Adelaide.

While Bangladesh ended the World Cup

with only two wins, Pakistan marched to

the semifinals as the second team after

India from Group 2.

Pakistan had to chase down a target of

128 and they did it with ease. They have

lost some important wickets occasionally,

but that did not harm their chase.

Mohammad Rizwan led the charge by

scoring 32 while Mohammad Haris posted

31.

For Bangladesh, Nasum Ahmed, Shakib

Al Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman and

Ebadot Hossain bagged a wicket each.

Bangladesh won the toss and opted to

bat first and they posted a moderately

below-par total of 127 for 8 wickets with

Najmul Hossain Shanto registering a slow

54 off 48 balls.

Shanto and Liton Das opened the

innings for the Tigers in this match and

Liton hit an early six and indicated to play

DHAKA : US Deputy Assistant Secretary

Afreen Akhter has said Washington is

working "very closely" with Bangladeshi

civil society actors to deliver free and fair

elections in the country, reports UNB.

"Our USAID mission is working very

closely," she told reporters at the Ministry

of Foreign Affairs, after her meeting with

Secretary (Maritime Affairs Unit) Rear

Admiral (Retd) Md Khurshed Alam.

The US official said they discussed maritime

security and how they can cooperate

with Bangladesh and other forms of maritime

cooperation in the region during the

meeting.

She said they also discussed a range of

Then in January 2019, the Cabinet

Committee related to the implementation

of the 9th Wage Board was reconstituted,

making Road Transport and Bridges

Minister Obaidul Quader convener of the

board. The government announced the

9th Wage Board through gazette notification

on September 12, 2019.

But, according to chapter 12 of the notification

regarding the cabinet committee

recommendations for the 9th Wage

Board, journalists and employees have to

pay income tax from their own income

and will receive a gratuity yearly equal to

the basic salary of a month.

On November 23 in 2020,

Mohammad Mahbubuzzaman, general

secretary of the Bangladesh Sangbad

Sangstha (BSS) employees' association,

filed a writ petition with the HC challenging

the cabinet committee recommendations.

On November 25 of the same year, the

court issued a rule asking why the cabinet

committee recommendations should not

be declared illegal. The information and

labour secretaries were made respondents

to the rule.

something big today. But he fell prey to

Shaheen Afridi inside the powerplay for 10

off eight balls.

It was a short ball from Shaheen and

Liton tried to pull it off but ended up giving

a regulation catch to Shan Masood.

Bangladesh didn't lose any more wickets

inside the first 10 overs, but in the 11th

over, they suffered a double blow when

Soumya Sarkar fell while playing a reverse

of Shadab Khan, off the next ball, Shakib

suffered a controversial lbw.

TV replays showed the ball was touching

Shakib's bat before hitting his pads, and

the bat was not grounded as well. But the

umpire called him out. Shakib left the field

in utter disbelief with a golden duck that

put Bangladesh into further trouble.

Mosaddek Hossain made only five off

11 balls and Nurul Hasan Sohan also

suffered a three-ball duck. Their dismissals

made it tough for Bangladesh to

go for a big total.

But Afif Hossain was unbeaten for 24 off

20 balls. He helped Bangladesh to pass

100-run mark in this match.

Eventually, Bangladesh ended up on 127

for eight.

Working closely with civil society for

fair elections : Visiting US official

bilateral issues, including US support for

"free and fair" elections in Bangladesh.

"Very exciting to be here to talk about a

whole range of issues," said Akhter, who is

Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau

of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA)

for Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan,

and the Maldives, as well the Office of

Security and Transnational Affairs.

She most recently served as a Senior

Adviser to SCA Assistant Secretary Don

Lu. Previously, Akhter was the National

Security and Foreign Affairs Adviser to

U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen.

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter

Haas was also present.

07-11-2022

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