01-05-2022

sunday

DhAkA: May 1, 2022; Baishakh 18, 1429 BS; Ramadan 29,1443 hijri

www.thebangladeshtoday.com; www.bangladeshtoday.net

Regd.No.DA~2065, Vol.20; N o. 06; 12 Pages~Tk.8.00

international

Ukraine cracks down

on 'traitors' helping

Russian troops

Zohr

04:05 AM

12:00 PM

04:31 PM

06:30 PM

07:50 PM

5:24 6:28

>Page 7

DHAKA : Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers

and Exporters Association (BGMEA) president

Faruque Hassan said all readymade

garments (RMG) factories under the organization

have paid bonus of Eid-ul-Fitr to

workers alongside their wages.

He also said, "100 percent of the factories

have given festival allowances and advance

salaries for the month of April 2022 to the

workers as per the decision of the government.

Eid holidays have been

provided in 100 percent of the

factories".

He thanked the RMG entrepreneurs

for paying salarybonus

to the workers despite

having many difficulties, said a

press release.

The BGMEA president said,

"As per the directions of the

Prime Minister, the Home

Minister and the Minister of

State for Labor and

Employment, factory owners

have staggered holidays zonewise

on different dates, resulting

in less pressure of traffic on the highways

than previous occasions, as per media

reports."

He thanked the government for taking various

steps, especially managing the construction

works of the development projects without

interrupting vehicular movement flow, to

reduce traffic congestion on the highway and

ensure easy and safe travel of garment workers

during Eid holidays.

He also requested the government to complete

the development projects in the shortest

possible time to accelerate the economic

growth of the country.

Faruque thanked Bangladesh Bank for

sports

John Coates ends 32

years as Australian

Olympic boss

>Page 9

City dwellers are leaving the capital at the last moment to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr with their relatives. The

launches are leaving from Sadarghat terminal. The picture is taken from Postagola area. Photo : Star Mail

Salary, Eid bonus paid to workers in

all RMG factories:BGMEA President

Families of enforced

disappearance victims are

in serious trouble:BNP

DHAKA : BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam

Alamgir on Saturday said the family members of the victims

of enforced disappearance, including that of Ilias Ali, are

going through serious problems in absence of their near and

dear ones. Talking to reporters after visiting the house missing

BNP leader Ilias Ali in the city's Banani area, he also

alleged that the government has so far not taken any initiative

to trace the victims of enforced disappearance because of its

own involvement in these incidents.

"The situation would have been different had the government

taken any initiative to find out the people who were subjected to

enforced disappearance. But no such effort of the government

was seen since it is involved (in these incidents)," Fakhrul said.

He said people saw that law enforcers had picked up BNP

leader Ilias Ali and his driver from Banani area a decade ago in

the capital. "It's very clear that this incident happened through

this government. As the government has no step to find out the

victims of enforced disappearance, their families are being

deprived of all facilities and facing serious ordeals."

Fakhrul along with BNP joint secretary general Sayed

Moazzem Hossain Alal went to Ilias' house at noon and talked to

his wife Tahsina Rushdir Luna and other family members. He

also presented them with the Eid gifts on behalf of BNP Acting

Chairman Tarique Rahman.

keeping banking services open on April 29

and April 30, at the request of BGMEA, to

facilitate payment of garment workers'

salaries, festival allowances and exportimport

activities.

He thanked the National Board of

Revenue for keeping custom houses open

during holidays from April 29 to May 4

(except Eid day) to facilitate export-import

activities.

He also thanked the Textile Department of

the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) for

keeping services open on the weekend on

April 30 for the interests of the RMG sector.

He said that as the Covid situation is better

this year than that of in the last two years

hence more workers are going home to celebrate

Eid with their families this year.

"We wish every worker and factory owner

would reach home safely and celebrate Eid

with their families," he added.

The BGMEA president urged all homebound

people, including garment workers to

follow health safety guidelines rules, including

wearing masks.

Muhith: A gifted

economist who was

a prolific writer !

DHAKA : Former

finance minister AMA

Muhith was not only a

gifted economist but

also a prolific writer.

Bangladesh, Emerge of a

Nation (1978), American

Response to Bangladesh

(1996), An Agenda for

Good Governance (2007),

History of Bangladesh: A

Subcontinental Civilisation

(2016), Bangladesh in the

Twenty-First Century:

Towards an Industrial

Society (1999) and Smritir

Monikothay (2014) are

some of his popular

books.

Five of his books were

published by University

Press Limited (UPL), one

of the leading publishing

houses in Bangladesh.

Mahrukh Mohiuddin,

the owner of UPL, said

Muhith was always interested

in research work.

"In spite of his busy

schedule, he was actively

engaged in research

work. If the editor had

any suggestions on any

of his manuscripts,

Muhith would welcome

them."

"My father, Mohiuddin

Ahmed, who published

his books, told me that he

had at times rejected

Muhith's manuscript but

he was never offended.

That was his spirit," said

Mahrukh.

arts & Culture

Folk singer Chishti

Biplob appears with a

beautiful song on Eid

>Page 10

Historic May Day today

DHAKA : The historic May Day will be observed

today in the country and elsewhere across the

world with due respect.

The day is being observed across the globe

since 1886 commemorating the supreme sacrifices

of the workers at Hay Market, Chicago, in

the USA for eight-hour working day and upholding

the rights of the working people.

To press home their demands, working people

had to sacrifice their valuable lives in tragic bomb

attacks and police atrocities on May 1, 1886 and

the following days. This year's theme of the day is

'Sramik-Malik Ekota, Unnayanaer Nishchoyota'.

President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister

Sheikh Hasina on Saturday issued separate messages

on the occasion of the historic May Day.

They extended their greetings to all working people

of the world, including Bangladesh, wishing

success of all programmes on the occasion.

In his message, the president said Father of

Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

had fought for the rights of hard-working people

throughout his life. Bangabandhu was a true

friend of working people and therefore, after

independence, 'May Day' received state recognition

and he declared May Day a public holiday,

he added.

Bangabandhu set up a wage commission to

ensure fair rights of the workers and he also

announced a new salary structure for the workers,

Hamid said.

In 1972, under the initiative and strong leadership

of Father of Nation, Bangladesh became a

member of the International Labor Organization

(ILO) and ratified 29 conventions, including 6

core conventions of the ILO, which is a rare

occurrence, the head of the state said. The article

14 of the constitution of Bangladesh promises to

ensure the fundamental rights of all citizens and

to free the peasants and workers from all forms

of exploitation, he continued.

In order to survive in today's competitive

world, he said, the government needs to be more

dedicated to increasing factory production by

maintaining good relations between workers as

well as owners.

SUnDAY, MAY 1, 2022

2

Free Eid Shopping' for those

who dream of shopping; Helal

Akbar Chowdhury Babar

S M AKASH, BUREAU CHIEF, CHATTOGRAM

Since the spread of the coronavirus,

many people have been coming

forward along with the government's

support for the unemployed and

helpless people. But it is not that

common to arrange free Eid shopping

for the marginalized people. Like the

previous year, Durbar Tarunya, a social

organization for the poor, helpless and

destitute people, has taken a different

initiative titled "Free Eid Shopping"

with the slogan "Eid shopping for all,

rich and poor are brothers".

The program was conducted on

Friday April 29 at Halishahar Garibe

Newaz High School in Chattogram

under the chairmanship of

Muhammad Abu Abid, Central

President of Durbar Tarunya.

Through the 'Free Eid Shopping'

initiative of Durbar Tarunya, more than

3000 poor and helpless people will be

able to buy any item of Eid clothes free

of cost according to their desire, choice,

and size.

Muhammad Abu Abid, the founder

of Free Eid Shopping and the central

president of the organization, said,

"Like last year, this year too we have

arranged this free shopping for the

marginalized people in the society.

Many people donate clothes for

Zakat. The first thing we want is for

low-income people to never suffer

from an inferiority complex. Many

children will shop from here, for

whom shopping was just a dream.

We are trying to make dreams come

true." According to the sources,

Durbar Tarunya has delivered Eid

clothes to more than 1000 middle

class people in the dark of night in

Two motorcyclists were killed in a separate road accident at Sarail in

Brahmanbaria.

Photo : Alamgir Mia

Mexico Caribbean beaches may see

worst sargassum since 2018

MEXICO CITY : Mexican authorities say the

problem of foul-smelling sargassum - a

seaweed-like algae - on the country's

Caribbean coast beaches is "alarming."

The arrival of heaps of brown, foulsmelling

sargassum on the coast's normally

pristine white sand beaches comes just as

tourism is recovering to pre-pandemic levels,

though job recovery in the country's top

tourist destination has been slower, reports

UNB.

With more algae spotted floating out at

sea, experts fear that 2022 could be as bad or

worse than the catastrophic year of 2018, the

biggest sargassum wave to date.

"We can say the current situation is

alarming," said Navy Secretary Jose Ojeda,

who has been entrusted with the apparently

hopeless task of trying to gather sargassum

at sea, before it hits the beaches.

The Navy currently has 11 sargassumcollecting

boats operating in the area. But the

Navy's own figures show that the portion

they have been able to collect before it hits

the beach has been falling.

In 2020, the Navy collected 4% of

sargassum at sea, while 96% was raked off

beaches. But that figure fell to 3% in 2021,

and about 1% so far in 2022.

Allowing the algae to reach the beaches

creates not only a problem for tourists, but

for the environment, said Rosa Rodriguez

Martinez, a biologist in the beachside town of

Puerto Morelos who studies reefs and coastal

ecosystems for Mexico's National

Autonomous University.

So much algae is reaching the beaches that

hotels and local authorities are using

bulldozers and backhoes, because the

normal teams of rakes, shovels and

wheelbarrows are no longer enough.

"The heavy machinery, when it picks it

(sargassum) up, takes a large amount of sand

with it," contributing to beach erosion,

Rodriguez Martinez said. "There is so much

sargassum that you can't use small-scale

equipment anymore, you have to use the

heavy stuff, and when the excavators come

in, they remove more sand."

Rodriguez Martinez worries that 2022

could be worse than 2018, the previous peak

year. "In the last few days there have been

amounts washing up, and in places, that I

didn't see even in 2018," she said.

However, the University of South Florida

Optical Oceanography Lab said in a report

that "2022 is likely going to be another

moderate or major sargassum year," with

observable amounts in all waters lower than

in 2018 and 2021.

But given the vagaries of ocean currents, it

may just be a very bad year for Mexico.

Rodriguez Martinez is already suffering the

effects herself, at her beachside offices.

"Where I am, I'm about 50 meters (yards)

from the beach and the smell is very

unpleasant," she said. "Right now my head is

hurting and another friend said her head

hurts, and I said it must be the (hydrogen)

sulfide gas from the sargassum, no?"

The problem comes just as resorts like

Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulm are

recovering from the brutal two-year drop in

tourism caused by the coronavirus

pandemic. Not all beaches have been hit

equally; many in Cancun and Isla Mujeres

are often free of much sargassum, but much

of the Riveria Maya has been hit hard.

this project as well as in the last two

years.

Helal Akbar Chowdhury Babar, the

inventor of Covid Prevention Booth in

the country and former Deputy

Finance Secretary of Bangladesh

Awami Juba League, visited the shops

of Free Eid Shopping as the chief guest.

The purpose of all those present, he

said, is shopping for those whose only

dream is 'Free Eid Shopping' which is a

unique example in the service of

humanity.

"I welcome such a great initiative, I

consider myself fortunate to be present

at such an event."

Debashish Pal Debu, Muhammad

Abul Kalam Azad and Md. Jasim

Uddin, a member of the managing

committee of Garibe Newaz High

School were present as special guests at

the event.

Allegations

raised against

Su-Basati NGO

STAFF REPORTER

Allegations of financial

irregularities have been

raised against the Su-Basati

NGO in Mirpur for violating

the constitution, managing

the family system by an

expired committee and

forging the signatures of its

members.

Kamrul Islam Chowdhury,

Director (Institution) of the

social services department

said, he had received the

complaint and had formed a

three-member inquiry

committee headed by the

Director General. The

investigation has already

been completed. I hope I will

be able to submit the report

next week.

A member of the NGO,

who did not want to express

his name, said that on the

basis of the allegations, the

investigation committee of

the department dissolved

the steering committee on

January 4 this year and

appointed an administrator.

Two bank accounts of the

NGO were suspended. The

department later

reconstituted the committee

in February, but no report

has been submitted so far.

According to the

complaint, the constitution

of the NGO states that

elections should be held

every two years, but the

family members abuse their

power and hold important

positions through

compromise. Since its

inception, Fakhrul Islam

Siddique has held important

positions like president and

vice-president along with his

niece Tasnima Siddique and

his daughter Fahima

Siddique Ima.

Journalists' rights, dignity are

not yet established: DUJ

DHAKA : Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) yesterday said

although hundreds of years have passed since the great May

Day, the rights and dignity of the journalists have not been

established all over the world till now.

DUJ President Sohel Haider Chowdhury and General

Secretary Akhter Hossain said this in a joint statement issued

yesterday on the occasion of the historic May Day.

The journalist leaders said that although many

organizations have taken advantage of the news media from

the government, they are reluctant to meet the just rights and

demands of journalists.

The DUJ leaders called upon the journalists to be united in

the struggle for the establishment of their rights and dignity,

being imbued with the spirit of May Day.

AL leaders's wife Rizia

Begum passes away

DHAKA : Rizia Begum, wife of former Awami League (AL)

president of Chandanaish upazila and Bir Freedom Fighter

Late Advocate Mostafizur Rahman Chowdhury, passed away

yesterday while undergoing treatment at a hospital in

Chattogram.

She was 82, family sources said.

She is survived by her two sons, four daughters and a host

of friends, relatives, well wishers and admirers to mourn her

death.

Awami League (AL) General Secretary and Road,

Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday

expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Rizia

Begum.

In a condolence message, the minister prayed for the

eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed deep

sympathy to the bereaved family.

8 children killed in

vehicle accident in

Egypt's Nile Delta

CAIRO : At least eight

children died Saturday when

a passenger tricycle

overturned and sank in an

irrigation channel in Egypt's

Nile Delta, authorities said.

The accident took place in

the city of Itay el-Baroud in

the Mediterranean province

of Beheira. The children

were workers at a factory in

the city, around 140

kilometers (87 miles) north

of the capital of Cairo, a

police statement said,

reports UNB.

The three-wheeled vehicle

was carrying at least 13

people when it overturned

and sank in the channel

early Saturday.

Coast Guard members seized banned nets worth at Tk 135 crore in

Chandpur.

Photo : Courtesy

UP chairman, son held for

torturing Ctg AL leader

CHATTOGRAM : Chattogram District police

arrested Haidgaon Union Parishad(UP)

Chairman B M Jashim and his son

Mushfique Uddin from their Haidgaon

residence under Patiya Upazila of the district

early hours of Saturday for beating a local

Awami League (AL) leader tied with tree.

Rashedul Islam, Officer-in-Charge (OC)

(Investigation) of Patiya Thana told BSS that

a team of police raided Jashim's residence at

Haidgaon and arrested them on early

Saturday.

"Police have been trying to arrest the other

people involved with the incident," he said.

Jiten Kanti Guha, former senior Vice

President of Haidgaon Union Awami

League, was tied with a tree by rope beside

the road on Friday afternoon and beat up

him severely.

Earlier on April 29, Jashim and his

associates allegedly tortured Jiten Kanti

Guho, Vice President of Haidgaon Union AL

as his name was not put on the banner of the

Union AL's Iftar party held at Gauchia

Community Center.

They tortured Jiten reportedly after tying

up his hands around a tree, in broad day

light.

Hands tied behind his back, no clothes on

his body, bloody Jiten Guha's picture spread

on social media. The incident caused a

strong condemnation in the region.

Victim's younger brother Tapash Kanti

Guha filed a case with Patiya Thana against

six people. BM Jasim won in last UP election

as Chairman as a rebel candidate of AL.

Lavrov: 1 million evacuated from Ukraine

LVIV, Ukraine : Russia's foreign minister says

Moscow has evacuated over 1 million people

from Ukraine since the war there began,

reports UNB.

The comments Saturday by Sergey Lavrov

in an interview with Chinese state news

agency Xinhua come as Ukraine has accused

Moscow of forcefully sending Ukrainians out

of the country. Lavrov said that figure

included more than 300 Chinese civilians.

Lavrov offered no evidence to support his

claim in the interview.

Lavrov also said that negotiations continue

between Russia and Ukraine "almost every

day." However, he cautioned that "progress

has not been easy."

Lavrov in part blamed "the bellicose rhetoric

and inflammatory actions of Western

supporters of the Kyiv regime" for disrupting

the talks. However, Russian state TV nightly

has had guests suggest that Moscow use

nuclear weapons in the conflict.

On the occasion of Holy Eid-ul-Fitr, for the extremely poor families 10 kg

of VGF rice has been distributed to each at free of cost in Amragachhia

Union of Patuakhali district

Photo: TBT

SUNDAY, MAY 1, 2022

3

Palak calls for Bangladesh,

India to work as

knowledge partners

DHAKA : State Minister for ICT Division

Zunaid Ahmed Palak has expressed his

interest to work jointly with India as

knowledge partner to make Tripura a smart

state alongside making Bangladesh a smart

country.

"As we both share the common culture,

environment and weather, we can formulate

policies together for smart education,

medical service, agriculture and

environment to build an innovative nation,"

he said this while addressing a conference on

"Digital Bangladesh IT Business Summit

2022" at Agartala in Tripura, last night, an

official release said.

Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority and

Bangladesh's Assistant High Commission in

Agartala organized the conference jointly.

Palak chaired the summit, while Tripura's

Chief Minister Biplob Kumar Deb addressed

the function as chief guest.

Tripura Information and Cultural Affairs

Minister Sushant Chowdhury, Home Affairs

Minister Ram Prosad Paul, Bangladesh Hi-

Tech Park Authority Managing Director Dr

Bikarna Kumar Ghosh and Bangladesh

Assistant High Commissioner in Tripura Arif

Mohammad addressed the function, among

others.

Bangladesh State Minister Palak in his

speech gave hints that Bangladesh ICT

industries entrepreneurs may invest in the

special economic zone in Tripura.

"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has turned

Bangladesh into a middle income country

within just 13 years through her honesty,

foresightness and bravery," Palak said

adding that Bangladesh and India share

relations of trust, friendship and warmth, so

that we want to strengthen this more and

march forward together.

Motorcyclist crushed

under wheels of

train in city

DHAKA : A motorcyclist was

killed as a train hit him at a

rail crossing in the city's

Banani area on Thursday

night.

The deceased was identified

as Md Feroz Ahmed Abir, 28,

son of late Khairul Ahmed of

Balubari area under Sadar

police station of Rangpur

district.

Dhaka Medical College

Hospital (DMCH) police

outpost's Inspector Bacchu

Miah confirmed the news to

BSS saying that the accident

took place at around 10 pm on

Thursday while the victim was

crossing the railway track in

Banani, leaving him critically

injured. He was rushed to

DMCH where the duty doctor

declared him dead at around

11:45 pm.

Bacchu Miah further said

the body of the deceased has

been kept at DMCH morgue

for autopsy.

Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University Prof Dr Md Akhtaruzzaman placing floral wreath on the coffin

of AMA Muhith.

Photo : Courtesy

Probe report on DSCC

mayor in New Market-clash

case June 14

DHAKA : A Dhaka court set

June 14 for submitting probe

report in a case lodged over

allegedly spreading falsehood

about Mayor of Dhaka South

City Corporation (DSCC)

Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor

Taposh.

The falsehood was spread

on clash between Dhaka New

Market traders and Dhaka

College students.

Dhaka Metropolitan

Magistrate Ashek Imam

passed the order after taking

first information report (FIR)

into cognizance.

Earlier, DSCC Mayor's

personal assistant Monirul

Islam filed a case against

unknown Facebook users

under the Digital Security Act

with Shahbagh Police Station

on April 28.

DIU tops in Bangladeshi

Universities in Times Higher

Education Impact Rankings 2022

As per Times Higher

Education (THE) Impact

Rankings results 2022

released on 27 April,

Daffodil International

University (DIU)has

obtained top position

among Bangladeshi

Universities and a

prestigious position in the

range of 301 to 400 among

1406 universities

worldwide, a press release

said.

It is worth mentioning

that DIU is placed first

among twelve Public and

Private universities ranked

from Bangladesh. THE

Impact rankings measured

the achievement of the

United Nations

Sustainable Development

Goals attained by the

participated universities

and ranked accordingly.

It is really an outstanding

achievement that DIU has

been ranked 85th among

1180 universities ranked

globally in Quality

Education (SDG-4). It is a

recognition of the

university's continuous

efforts for development of

teaching and learning as

well as knowledge

acquisition culture based

on collaborative

philosophy and

importantly supported by

the communication

technologies.

Obtaining 70 percent

score in Partnership for the

Goals (SDG 17) is another

milestone of DIU in this

year's THE Impact

Rankings. It signifies

strong collaboration and

relationships with the

national and international

organizations and the

Government of Bangladesh

to carry out academic and

research activities, and

address

social,

environmental and

economic issues through

partnerships.

On, Saturday, Bangladesh Coast Guard ship "Kamruzzaman" returned to BCG Base Mongla after taking

part in National Level Pollution Response Exercise (NATPOLREX) held in Goa India. Photo : Courtesy

DHAKA : Chief of Bangladesh Army Staff

General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed returned

home on Thursday from his official visit

to the United States America (USA).

During the visit, from April 20 to 22,

the army chief met with Gen James C

McConville, chief of staff of the US Army,

Gen Daniel R Hokanson, chief of the

National Guard Bureau, Gen Joseph M

Martin, vice chief of staff of the Army, and

Gen Eric Smith, assistant commandant of

the Marine Corps, said a press release.

During the meeting, they talked about

the common interests of the two

Army chief returns

home after US visit

countries' armies, such as UN

peacekeeping missions, humanitarian aid

after a disaster and training issues.

Shafiuddin Ahmed was inducted into

the Hall of Fame as a graduate of the Near

East South Asia (NESA) Centre at the

National Defence University in the

United States.

On April 25-26, he met with the

military adviser and police adviser incharges

of the UN Headquarters. During

this time, he also met with the leading

personalities of the Department of Safety

and Security (UNDSS), the Department

of Operational Support (UNDOS), and

the Department of Political and Peace

Building Affairs (UNDPPA).

The UN officials praised the

peacekeeping activities of the

Bangladeshi peacekeepers. They talked

about ways to increase Bangladeshi

peacekeepers and equipment in UN

missions and get rid of old equipment.

Sunday, May 1, 2022

4

Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam

e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com

Sunday, May 1, 2022

Observing Eid-ul-Fitr

We are very close to the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Eid-ul-Fitr,

the religious festival for Muslims will be observed with joy very soon by

those who fasted and carried out the other Koranic dictates faithfully

throughout this month. They will also be joined by others who did not fast but

would nonetheless like to participate in the celebration.

But even in joy Muslims are expected to be not far from their religion. For even

on the occasion of religious festival, Muslims are required to be dutiful to the

aspects of caring and sharing for the have nots and the poor in society. The other

name for this is social justice for the poor.

Islam, the last of the great religions that blessed mankind, declared certain

basic purposes. The first one is to save errant humans from the folly of the

conception that God is not one .The other cardinal principles of Islam stress the

equality and fraternity of all human beings. Finally, Islam seeks a community in

which its members are at peace based on socio-economic and distributive

justice. And this is also the aim of most lay economists.

Islam enjoins on its true followers not to celebrate Eid selfishly for one's own

sensual pleasure. Indeed, Eid-ul-Fitr comes after a month long period of

spiritual training at the end of which Muslims are supposed to become better

human beings in every way-restrained in their immoral or unkind actions,

enlightened in the path of truth and justice and sensitive about the pains and

wants of unfortunate human beings.

Therefore, on Eid day, the ones who have truly followed the rigors of Ramadan

are expected to demonstrate behavior very close to the core values of their faith.

But this is exceptionally the case. Ramadhan, as also other religious activities,

are observed in Bangladesh and also in many other Islamic countries through

mainly decorative or ritualistic behaviour that fall short of the intended spirit of

Islam.

Resourceful Muslims the world over in many cases make a pretension of

serving their faith by letting some crumbs fall from their tables for the poor on

Eid day and not much beyond. If they really wish to prove their religiousness,

then they ought to hard think what their religion actually ordains and act

accordingly. This would involve a metamorphosis of their character to really

serve the poor in society, to introduce pro-poor legislation to decisively set in

motion policies for the improvement of conditions of the poor and to pool

together resources and charities for constructively meeting the needs of poverty

alleviation and not just satisfying in a limited way the cravings for basic

consumption of the poor.

People in Bangladesh are preponderantly Muslims by identity. But a big

section of the Bangladesh population remains poor and backward. The roots of

this degraded existence of these countrymen can be traced to the behavior of the

elite classes whose routine or ritual observance of Islam seek to be convincing

but such observance is nowhere near the sacrifices that Islam demands from its

real followers.

Not only the elites, the practicing of Islam by common people of Bangladesh

in many cases is also confined to rituals and skewed practice which should

explain why they do not derive the benefits or strengths of their faith. In the

countrysides and also in urban areas of this country, religious teachers teach

people that only religious education and not technical education can ensure their

salvation in this life and hereafter.

They are also against freedom of women-specially women's modern

education, against birth control and a life outside the homes for females. The

taboos are meant to save Islam when, ironically, Islam first heralded women's

emancipation, before all others, centuries ago. People in very large number in

Bangladesh love to be the disciples of peers (Islamic holymen) and pay regular

tribute to them.

They adore a fatalistic and resigned way of life believing this to be the Islamic

ideal when fourteen centuries ago, when Islam was at its zenith in terms of

spreading civilization and progress round the world, its adherents were at the

forefront spreading science, knowledge and the merits of a scientific mentality to

an European continent then sunk in ignorance Then, there is also the aspect of

the spread of fanatical Islam in Bangladesh polity that the West calls

fundamentalism and which is opposed to modernism and progress. But the

Holy Koran repeatedly urges the true believers to be middle-of-the roaders or

not to be extreme in their attitude.

Therefore, what is at stake for the real Islamists in Bangladesh is to establish

Islam-as it should be-so that every Eid can be a happy one for the greatest

number of Bangladeshis in all respects and for Bangladesh and its people to look

forward to a better and better future in the times to come.

Well-off people in Bangladesh are seen donating clothes, cash, foods and other

goods among the poor on religious occasions such as the holy month of

Ramadan and the Eids. Charities during religious occasions and at other times

have a role in helping the poor. But the charitable goods are mainly of a

consumptive nature. Therefore, one is inclined to thinking whether the poor

would be benefited greater and in a long lasting way if the resources spent on

disparate individual charities could be pooled together for systematic poverty

alleviation.

Institutionally, different organizations can mop up individual contributions

and then utilize the same in a planned manner on behalf of the poor. For

example, one organization can spend charitable resources to set up a school for

the children of the poor, another can establish a vocational institution so that the

poor can train and find jobs and add to human resources, another institution

can set up a medical center devoted exclusively to the poor and so on. Perhaps

such institutional charities-catering to the longer term needs of the poor-can

play a more useful role in wider and sustainable improvement in their conditions

than the present scattered acts of individual charities that satisfy mainly basic

consumption needs.

The giving of zakat or charity by resourceful Muslims to the poor is one of the

pillars of Islam. But Islam does not encourage zakat as a demonstration of

wealth and ego satisfaction. Zakat should be rightly given without any

demonstration effect of the same, humbly and without drawing attention. But

the rules are more violated than observed that give rise to tragedies. Thus, one is

shocked to see sometimes deaths and injuries from stampedes during

distribution of zakat clothes or money at this time of the year.

It is not that Bangladeshis generally are discharging their zakat obligation in

such an irresponsible way. But that many people are not practicing the

religiously approved manner of giving zakat and causing harms, requires that

they should be made conscious and admonished into changing their ways. The

imams of the mosques can play a truly useful role in this matter by reiterating

in their sermons at prayer time in mosques during Ramadan how zakat

resources need to be distributed to conform with true Islamic injunctions .

Government can utilise the mass media to make people more conscious of their

responsibilities in this regard.

According to Islamic ideals, the best way to give zakat is to make people

enabled and productive to earn a living so that they do not ultimately feel the

need for taking zakat. One recalls in this connection, the story of Prophet

Mohammed (SM) giving an axe to a poor man to use for cutting down trees to

earn a living. He was not given alms which he would consume and ask for more.

Thus, there is a lesson here for Muslim societies. Indeed, there are examples

of the ideal course of mobilizing of zakat funds in countries such as Malaysia

where zakat resources are pooled together to build schools, orphanages,

vocational training centers, dwelling units, hospitals, businesses and other

organizations entirely for providing free services to the poor. We can emulate

this example in Bangladesh to cater to the all round needs of a great many

number of poor people than giving zakat that satisfies only temporary

consumption needs.

A significant part of the total number of well over 160 million Bangladeshi

are considered to have an existence above the internationally defined poverty

line. Thus, there is a vast number of people in this country eligible for paying the

religiously mandated zakat from their incomes and wealth. And out of the 60

per cent above the poverty line, at least 5 to 8 per cent are very very rich. There

is, therefore, the potential to receive and pool together a huge amount of money

on a regular basis as zakat and utilize the same in a planned manner for

sustainable poverty alleviation.

If, say, the government's Social Welfare Ministry takes an initiative to form a

centrally organized and conducted zakat fund and issues a sufficiently strong

appeal to members of the public to donate to it after explaining through similar

effective publicities about the importance of contributing to such a fund, then it

may expect a reasonably good response at the outset.

After engaging in convincing works with the pooled money in building true

assets for the poor for some years and giving publicity to such projects so that

people may suffer from no information gap, it may be that this mode of giving

zakat will turn out to be very successful from people's highly enthusiastic

participation.

May Day: The day of celebration of the international labor movement

Great May

Day.1st of

May is the

day of celebration of

the international

labor movement

every year. This day

of workers' sacrifice

for the realization of the rights of working

people is celebrated all over the world.

Day of hard-working people, the day of

International Solidarity of the Working-

Class people. The day is celebrated with

due dignity and importance in all

countries of the world including

Bangladesh. May Day is the day to initiate

revolutionary change in working class

society around the world. Their chains

were unraveled by the establishment of

May Day when they were trapped in the

web of class discrimination. As a result,

class inequality of the society started

disappearing gradually. Billions of

workers have been freed from the

aggressive sting of illegal greedy people

who capitalize on the weak points of

capitalism. A society free from

discrimination and exploitation gave the

whole world a gift this May Day. The ups

and downs of the workers' relationship

with the employer came to a head only

due to the recognition of May Day.

Due to the Corona epidemic, all May

Day events in the world, including

Bangladesh, was limited to avoid public

gatherings last year. On the occasion of

May Day, programs have been taken up

by various labor organizations in

Bangladesh in this year. The program

includes workers' rallies, processions,

discussion meetings, seminars and

cultural events. In different countries of

the world, working people and workers'

organizations celebrated the day by

organizing processions and processions

in the streets. May 1st is a national

holiday in about 80 countries of the

world including Bangladesh. In many

other countries it is celebrated privately.

Every year on the first of May this day is

celebrated worldwide. This is the day of

celebration of the international labor

movement. In different countries of the

world, working people and workers'

organizations celebrated the day by

organizing processions and processions

in the streets. 1886 to 2022, not only the

dignity, value and fair wages of labor,

but also 136 years of the movement for

fixing reasonable working hours. In the

last 136 years, human society and

civilization have changed a lot. Health

care and safety benefits in the workplace

and the legitimate and legal rights of

every workers.

Matters relating to healthcare and

safety under labor law include: hygiene,

ventilation and heating systems,

artificial humidity, crowding, lighting

systems, fire incidents, overweight,

working on or near buildings and

equipment, explosives or flammable

gases and dust, hazards. Smoke

warnings, personal protective

equipment, risk assessment and

Shift the Focus onto Worst Forms of child labour: Child labour rife among informal, small businesses

Although International Labour Day

is about discussinglabour Rights

and ethically children shouldn't be

a labour; we cannot ignore the fact that

there are 160 million child labourers

worldwide with 79 million (nearly half) in

hazardous work that directly endangers

their health. Whilst child labour takes

many forms, there is an urgency to

eliminate the worst forms of child labour

(WFCL) - all forms of slavery, sex work,

pornography, illicit activities or work,

which by its very nature will harm the

health of a child.

Laws and policies exist in Bangladesh to

address hazardous and exploitative child

labour. Yet still, the policy gap exists,

often forgetting about the informal

sectors where most of the children are

working in the worst forms of labour. At a

national level, the government, civil

society, and private sectors responsible

for child labour law enforcement must

coordinate and focus on turning the

existing policies and laws into action and

to ensure child rights and business

principles at the workplace.

Progress towards the UN global goal to

'eliminate child labour in all its forms by

2025' will not be made in countries with a

significant child labour problem unless

attention is focused where the most

dangerous forms exist - small businesses

in the informal sector.

Based on research from Child Labour

Action Research programme

(CLARISSA),which has documented the

widespread use of children as young as six

years old working in Bangladesh inmost

harmful working conditions in small,

informal businesses like leather supply

prevention measures. There is no

denying the fact that nothing can be

produced without labor. But how long

will the working hours be. How long will

a worker get if he works for how long.

What will be the life of a child after the

release of working life and future labor?

From the accumulated anger of so many

questions, there was a demand for 8

hours working day. Behind this demand

was another demand - I want a wage for

working 8 hours so that I can live a

standard life with my family. But no

matter how justified the workers'

demands may be, the conflict of profits

and wages is so intense that the

government and the bosses sought to

suppress the movement, not through

negotiations but through brutal

repression and bloody bloodshed. On

that day, workers gathered at market to

demand eight hours of work daily.

Police opened fire on the workers after

an unidentified man hurled a bomb at

them. As a result, about 10-12 workers

and police were killed. The first congress

was held in Paris in 1889, on the

centenary of the French Revolution.

There, Raymond Lavin proposed to

celebrate the anniversary of the Chicago

protests internationally in various

countries from 1890 onwards.

The resolution was formally adopted

by the Second Congress in 1891. This

was followed by the May Day riots of

1894. Later, a resolution was adopted

on this occasion at the International

Conference of Socialists held in

Amsterdam in 1904. The resolution

called on all socialist democratic parties

and trade unions (trade unions) to

organize a procession on May 1 around

the world to demand eight hours of daily

work and to establish peace. At that

conference, all trade unions around the

world decided on May 1 to "not work

compulsorily." In many countries,

working people demand that May 1 be

observed as a public holiday, and in

many countries this is effective. For a

long time, socialists, communists and

some extremist organizations have

chosen May Day as the main day for

their demands. An employer is obliged

to provide practical and relevant

training on the health and safety of its

subordinates and to ensure a safe and

healthy environment for the workers in

the workplace. Providing periodic

medical care to workers engaged in such

hazardous work who are at risk of bodily

chain in Bangladesh. Business closures

due to the Covid-19 pandemic pushed

child labour further underground and left

child workers in even worse conditions.

The leather industry is a major

employer in Bangladesh. Through the

research and the documentation of life

stories with children, it is evident that

there are thousands of small businesses

that exist within the informal leather

supply chain and children are often

required to undertake dangerous work.

At the start of the pandemic, the leather

sector faced huge difficulties with

lockdowns causing the closure of most

factories and workplaces for three

months. This left children in the leather

sector without work and pushed families

into crisis, with reduced income

impacting their ability to buy food and

pay rent.

Life story quote from a child labour

from leather sector in Bangladesh

*Pavel (pseudonym) is 15 years old:

"My father helped me find the job. Now, I

do lots of works; like dyeing, drying,

placing the leathers in the big drum,

bringing dye or oil, using medicines etc.

But the process of using acid has to be

done under the supervision of seniors. I

Syed Faruk HoSSain

azMi akTer

injury, poisoning or serious illness may

not be performed by them unless

proven appropriate for the job.

Inspectors have an important role to

play in supervising and monitoring

occupational health and safety.

Workers must have suitable eye

protection or eye cover for eye

protection where there is a risk of eye

damage due to projected or scattered

particles or fragments in the production

process or due to excessive light or heat.

Where there is a risk of physical injury,

Matters relating to healthcare and safety under labor law include:

hygiene, ventilation and heating systems, artificial humidity, crowding,

lighting systems, fire incidents, overweight, working on or near buildings

and equipment, explosives or flammable gases and dust, hazards.

Smoke warnings, personal protective equipment, risk assessment and

prevention measures. There is no denying the fact that nothing can be

produced without labor. But how long will the working hours be. How

long will a worker get if he works for how long.

poisoning or serious illness, it is the

employer's responsibility to provide

protective equipment for each worker in

the event of a malicious operation. If

equipment is provided for personal

protection but is not used, the worker

will be responsible. Although the

demand for an eight-hour working day

and the working environment have

improved somewhat, the security and

human rights of the workers in their

professional life have not been achieved

yet. The ongoing Corona epidemic was

once again evident. May Day has been

celebrated as a public holiday in

Bangladesh since independence. On the

occasion of the day, the President and

the Prime Minister give speeches.

Various governmental and nongovernmental

organizations carry out

various programs including

processions, workers' rallies, discussion

meetings, seminars, cultural programs

to mark the day.

On May Day, various organizations,

including political parties, trade unions

and workers' federations, held separate

programs. Every year on this day

workers are given free medical care. The

present government is a worker friendly

government. The government has taken

important decisions to implement the

rights of workers. As a result, workers

are now much better off than at any

time in the past. 'The present

government has implemented various

programs to ensure friendly and good

relations between employers and

workers, safe working environment and

social security. It is essential to pay the

salaries and bonuses of the workers on

time ahead of Ramadan and Eid. It is

very important for the workers to be

united in realizing any just demand. Bad

times will not last long. Nature will be

normal again; our beloved world will be

safe. We have to work for the welfare of

the country and the people in any

do whatever my company tells me to do.

At work, I get many cuts and wounds

because of carrying heavy goods on my

head, often I suffer from shoulder ache.

This is a risky job. I need to process the

leather; after that, I need to carry the

processed leather on my head to load the

vehicle with leather. Each day I need to

work for two to three hours under the

direct sun. I do not feel uncomfortable

Based on research from Child Labour action research programme

(CLariSSa),which has documented the widespread use of children as young

as six years old working in Bangladesh inmost harmful working conditions in

small, informal businesses like leather supply chain in Bangladesh. Business

closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic pushed child labour further

underground and left child workers in even worse conditions.

due to the smell of leather. Medicines

reduce the smell of leather. These leathers

are used for making jackets."

Yet, as we have seen during the

pandemic, simplistic responses like

shutting down sectors can expose

children to greater harm as it does not

eradicate the reasons why children end

up working in exploitative environments.

Children only engage in the worst forms

of child labour when they have no other

choice - for example, if their parents can't

work, or they need to buy food.

There is no alternative of working with

children to understand the complex

reasons why they engage in the worst

forms of child labour, progress can be

made by listening to the voices of the

small business community to understand

the best levers and biggest constraints for

situation. Workers have already lost

their jobs in various countries due to

fear of corona infection. Many

expatriate workers have returned to the

country in groups from different

countries including the Middle East

after losing their jobs. It is unknown at

this time what he will do after leaving

the post. The life of these workers has

come down to misery. The workers'

struggle was the hardest in Corona's

dire situation. This struggle was the

struggle for survival. Many working

people have already lost their jobs in the

moment of financial crisis. According to

statistics, millions of people will lose

their jobs in the future. Terrible black

days will come down in their lives.

Maintaining mutual understanding

and cordiality between workers and

employers is very important in the

economic development of a laborintensive

developing country like

Bangladesh. In the midst of this terrible

crisis, there were cuts in the private

sector at home and abroad. Despite calls

from the government not to lay off

workers, the reality was different. Faced

with a terrible financial crisis, the future

of the workers was uncertain.

Bangladesh and the whole world were

waiting to get rid of this terrible

situation. The epidemic will end soon.

People's lives will be normal - this was

everyone's wish. Great May Day and its

significance.

Today is the first of May. May Day is a

day of signing the rights and demands of

millions of working people around the

world. With May Day gaining

international recognition, the working

class around the world has changed

dramatically. The impact of this day on

employer-worker relations is farreaching.

As a result, the daily working

hours of the workers are reduced from

18 hours to 8 hours. Through this the

workers of all the countries of the world

began to get the proper status of their

labor. They go ahead and assert their

rights. Hardworking people begin to be

liberated from their chained lives. May

Day is celebrated by the workers with

great enthusiasm and fervor. They

organized various ceremonies in

memory of their predecessors. The

workers of Bangladesh celebrate the

great May Day in a joyous atmosphere.

The significant contribution of the

historic May Day has kept today's

working class at bay. The consciousness

of fighting against any injustice is now

the adornment of the workers. May 1,

the year of bloodshed, is now the day for

everyone to take the oath of allegiance

against injustice and oppression. The

key to moving forward. On May Day, all

working people seek to pledge to initiate

developmental change by further

strengthening their bonds of

brotherhood.

The Writer is Deputy Registrar,

Jagannath University

meaningful and tangible change. To have

the maximum impact in terms of

reducing immediate harm to children, we

must have a very strong focus on children

in the worst forms of child labour,

typically in small and medium

enterprises, especially in the informal,

unregulated sectors.

Global brands, the visible parts of their

supply chains, and governments are often

prioritised in conversations about how to

address child labour. Yet, millions of

working children are caught in hidden

and invisible spaces, often within small

businesses mostly in the informal, sector.

Dealing with the informal sector is a far

more complex challenge than engaging

with a handful of large exporters, yet it is

essential as this is where the most

exploitative and dangerous forms of child

labour are found.

By listening to children and raising

awareness with their employers there

may be immediate, and low-cost actions

that can be taken to reduce the risk to

them, for example, creating a safer,

healthier working environment.

CLARISSA is inviting governments,

civil society organisations and

international agencies to shift

international and national policies and

interventions to focus on the prevalence

of worst forms of child labour within

small businesses (mostly in the informal

sector).

The Writer is Advocacy &

Communications Expert, Child Labour

Action Research programme

(CLARISSA), Dhaka Ahsania Mission.

SuNdAy, MAy 1, 2022

5

NICole PAjer

Have you recently bent down and felt a twinge in your knee? Or

maybe you heard a popping sound during your latest round of

squats and thought, "Oh, that's new."

Knee pain is a common condition that afflicts millions of us

every day. The issue can be caused by a number of things

including slips and falls, sports-related injuries, exercising with

improper form, and plain old aging.

While many forms of knee pain are transient, discomfort in

the knee area can sometimes linger. In fact, 1 in 4 Americans

suffer from chronic knee pain. The good news? There are

exercises, products and strategies you can use to help you live

your best life when faced with knee pain.

"Pain is often the result of inflammation in an area," said Dr.

Natasha Trentacosta, a pediatric and adult sports medicine

specialist and orthopedic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe

Institute.

When knee pain strikes, she often tells her patients to try

taking a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) like

aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen. "Follow the instructions on the

product and check with your doctor to make sure there are no

contra-indications," she said. Trentacosta also recommends

Voltaren gel, a topical NSAID, as it may be less abrasive on the

stomach for sensitive patients.

"For acute, debilitating pain, a doctor may administer a

corticosteroid injection into the knee joint to help decrease acute

inflammation quickly, usually within days," Trentacosta added.

This provides quick relief but is not something that medical

professionals like to use repeatedly in the same area within short

periods of time, she said.

"Movement helps keep blood circulating, can increase

flexibility and prevents muscles from stiffening up," said Dr.

Jacob Hascalovici, co-founder and chief medical officer at

Clearing and a clinical assistant professor at Albert Einstein

College of Medicine.

He added that it's safe for you to move with your physician's

permission and that, in general, movement won't typically

worsen most knee conditions.

"Try to take a long, slow walk, go swimming, do 30 minutes of

yoga or perform some other kind of low-impact workout several

times a week," Hascalovici said.

"Cryotherapy or use of ice and cold to decrease swelling and

ease pain has been used for many years to relieve ailments in the

knee and body," Trentacosta said.

She suggested applying ice for 15-20 minutes 3-4 times a day

in the setting of an acute knee injury. "This can help reduce pain

and swelling in the joint, especially in the first 48-72 hours of an

injury," she explained.

If the injury is recent, go beyond icing and follow PRICE,

which stands for: protection, rest, ice, compression and

elevation.

"Traditionally these methods are used for the first 72 hours

after an injury," said David Fields, owner of Reactivate Therapy,

Tips to relief from knee pain

If you have a knee injury, muscle aches, cracking, popping or other issues, you need this advice.

Photo: Getty

a physical therapy center in Oklahoma. "Protection and rest so

you don't irritate or reinjure. Ice to bring down the temperature.

Compression to combat swelling. Elevation to decrease the

blood pressure to the affected limb."

This combination, he explained, works to reduce the natural

inflammatory response that your body mounts to an injury.

A little extra padding can make everyday activities more

comfortable. When attempting kneeling yoga postures or

stretches that require you to kneel, place a yoga pad under your

knee for extra support.

You can also use a knee pad in additional settings. "Place the

pad under your knees when kneeling on hard surfaces, like

gardening or cleaning or repairs at home," Fields said. "And if

you are moving around a lot, you may want to consider knee

pads that stay on your knees."

The shoes you wear can make a big difference in how your

knees feel.

"Focusing on the base, aka your feet, will likely help align your

knees and prevent overextension of ligaments and tendons and

conditions like arthritis from becoming a problem," said Dr.

Ebonie Vincent, a foot and ankle surgeon based in California

and star of TLC's "My Feet Are Killing Me."

A 2021 study found that people who walked in shoes that were

supportive experienced a reduction in knee pain. In another

study, women who wore high heels experienced additional knee

strain, putting them at higher risk of knee osteoarthritis. Look

for a good pair of stable, supportive walking shoes like these

expert-recommended ones from Vionic.

If your shoes aren't comfortable, add an insole. Orthotics, like

these from Dr. Scholl's, are a good starting point. "Having a

sturdy pair of inserts that support the arch as well can be an

additive and even necessary support for some," Vincent said.

"Happy knees are dependent on the balance of all the muscles

around them, above them and below them," explained Joy

Puleo, a certified pilates teacher and education program

manager at Balanced Body.

To keep knees healthy, Puleo stressed the importance of

balancing strength between the inner and outer thigh,

maintaining strong and healthy quads and hamstrings, and

working the deep muscles of the glutes. Puleo recommended the

following exercises.

Inner thigh circles: Put one forearm on the ground and prop

yourself onto one side, with your shoulder directly above your

elbow. Bend your top leg so the knee points upward and the foot

is flat on the ground. Keep your top hip aligned with the bottom

one and the bottom leg straight. Lift your bottom leg up to meet

your top knee. Lower and lift the bottom leg or make circles with

the bottom leg. The inner thigh of the bottom leg, as well as your

abs, should be doing most of the work. Do several leg lifts, then

lift your bottom leg up and hold, before doing 10 circles in either

direction. Repeat on the other side.

Shoulder bridges with a ball: Lie flat on your back with your

knees bent and a ball or towel in between them. Your heels must

be directly below your knees. Squeeze the ball and raise your

hips from the ground. Don't arch your back; lift by squeezing

your bottom and legs at the back. Pull your navel up your spine

as you raise your hips. Do 10 bridges in succession before

holding at the top. Then squeeze your ball or towel using your

inner thigh in a 10-pulse routine. Repeat three times.

Clams: Lie flat on your side, bending your legs and placing one

on top of the other. Raise your heels from the ground. Keeping

your bottom leg stationary and stable, squeeze your upper thigh

and gluteal muscles to open up the top leg, just like a clam.

Position your knee so it is pointed skyward but without your top

hip having to fall back. Your hips should also be stacked when

doing this exercise. Do 10-20 reps per set, then repeat on the

other side. "Modern custom knee braces are designed to absorb

unequal force and distribute weight more evenly upon the

knee," said Dr. Matthew Crooks, a pain management physician

in Scottsdale, Arizona.

When worn during activity, knee braces can reduce stress and

pain and can help you to be more active in situations where knee

pain has previously affected mobility. (Not sure where to start?

This knee brace by Vive Health is a good beginning point.)

Be mindful, however, that braces are not meant to be a longterm

solution. "They are a preventative measure against reinjury

to allow you to heal," Fields said. They should also not be worn

all of the time - only when performing tasks that require knee

support. "If the problem persists, you need to seek the help of a

professional," Fields added.

"Most knee pain is self-limited, which means it will go away

without medical intervention, especially in kids and young

adults," said Dr. Robert Blais, a board-certified orthopedic

surgeon with Texas Orthopedics, Sports & Rehabilitation

Associates. Seniors, on the other hand, are more prone to

lingering knee pain. Blais recommended seeing a medical

provider for pain that interferes with sleep, limits activity and/or

requires daily use of medications to alleviate pain.

"Pain that lasts longer than two weeks should be evaluated,"

he said. Pain after injury that does not get better with a few days

of rest should also be of concern.

Beth KrIetSCh

How drinking affects body

during a flight

Ordering beer, wine or a

cocktail while flying is a

common move. For some,

having an alcoholic beverage on

the plane is a travel day

essential to relax, take the edge

off, celebrate a vacation or even

to fall asleep on a long flight.

But is this really the best

option? Alcohol can leave you

groggy and dehydrated. When

consumed in excess, it may

lower inhibitions and lead to

unruly behavior, which we saw

a lot of when people reacted

negatively to federal mask

mandates.

We reached out to some

experts in medicine and

nutrition, and asked if alcoholic

beverages were a good idea

while flying. Here's what we

found out about how alcohol

affects your body while you're

up in the air.

There's no easy answer to this

question, experts say. Ordering

a beer or wine while flying is a

personal decision that might

work for one person and not for

the person sitting next to them.

"If a person is on edge due to

flying in general - and doesn't

become more so with alcohol -

sometimes having a beverage

might relax them or make the

process feel a little bit more

pleasant or more ordinary,"

said Wendy Bazilian, a

registered dietitian nutritionist.

It's tempting to order a drink

in hopes that it will help you fall

asleep and get some muchneeded

rest on an overnight

flight. But this isn't necessarily

the greatest idea, according to

the experts we spoke to. "Even

though you think it relaxes you,

your sleep will be disrupted and

you likely will not get into REM

sleep, the type of sleep that is

restorative," said Amy Shapiro,

a registered dietitian at Real

Nutrition.

Drinking on a flight doesn't

promote restorative sleep but

can help some people fall

asleep, Bazilian points out. "If

in moderation … if she or he

believes it helps a little to ease

into sleep, then that can be

fine."

Alcohol is a diuretic, which

means your body will increase

its output of urine. If you don't

drink additional water to make

up for this fluid loss, you may

quickly become dehydrated,

Shapiro said.

"There is usually very little

food available on most flights -

or it is not particularly

appetizing - and it would be

easy to drink too much on a

relatively empty stomach," said

Dr. Karen Jubanyik, an

associate professor of

emergency medicine at Yale

University School of Medicine.

It would be very easy to drink

the same amount you drink at

home, but without adequate

food intake, this amount might

be too much, she said.

There's also the fact that most

people are pretty sedentary on

a flight, rarely leaving their seat.

When you do get up, you may

find you're feeling the effects of

alcohol more than expected.

We all know that drinking

alcohol can lower inhibitions.

This could cause an individual

to become loud and

disrespectful to the flight crew

and fellow passengers. People

with lowered inhibitions may

have a harder time staying calm

when annoyed by small

inconveniences and actions of

people nearby, like a fully

reclined seat back. "If someone

has lowered inhibitions, they

may speak their mind or start a

confrontation with another

passenger over relatively small

things, which can also land

them in trouble," Jubanyik

said.

"Progressive intoxication can

lead to slurred speech, trouble

with coordination and trouble

Given the potential side effects, such as dehydration and lowered inhibitions,

is it really worth it to order alcohol on a plane? here's what experts

have to say.

Photo: Collected

walking," Jubanyik said. "Just

walking to and using the

bathroom or exiting the plane

could be difficult."

Sipping a cocktail while

commuting home from a work

trip or while en route to a

vacation doesn't carry a ton of

benefits, but you can still enjoy

a drink while flying if it's a

behavior that works for you.

"It can be helpful in relaxing

you or easing anxiety in the

beginning, and since many

people are anxious flyers, this

can help," Shapiro said, while

also pointing out that drinking

too much can lead to increased

anxiety and have a boomerang

effect, so it is important to know

your limit.

Sometimes you may just

want to order a drink simply

because you feel like having one

(many of us regularly do so

after work or on the weekends),

and this is fine when done in

moderation and with a few tips

in mind.

If you plan to drink alcohol

on a flight, pack some snacks

and make sure to eat a meal

before boarding if you know

there won't be any in-flight food

service.

"Eating food alongside

alcohol can help maintain

energy and steady blood sugar

while your body processes the

alcohol," Bazilian said.

The experts we spoke to

recommend alternating each

alcoholic drink with at least one

or two glasses of water. "This

will help you to remain

hydrated and to feel the

negative effects less," Shapiro

said. Electrolyte drinks can also

help, and if you have the

chance, fill up your water bottle

in the airport before takeoff.

Water and other nonalcoholic

drinks aren't always readily

available throughout the flight,

so sometimes it's just easier to

carry your own.

"It is particularly a bad idea to

drink alcohol if you will be

renting a car and will need to

drive upon arriving at your

destination," Jubanyik said.

"Even if not technically drunk,

driving in an unfamiliar

location will likely require

additional attention and

reaction time than one needs in

their local environment."

It's easy to drink quickly on a

flight or to grab another drink

simply as a way to pass time.

Along with staying hydrated

and taking a breather between

drinks, Bazilian recommends

paying close attention to how

much alcohol you're

consuming. "One of those little

alcohol bottles on a plane is

typically 1.5 or 1.7 ounces, not a

1-ounce pour, and the minibottles

of wine may be more

than a 3-ounce pour. Just be

aware that one drink [on a

flight] may be more than you

count as one when you're on

the ground."

AShley BroAdwAter

Many people experience

irritable bowel syndrome, but

not everyone is thrilled to talk

about it (understandably so).

There are three types of IBS:

IBS with constipation (IBS-C),

IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D)

and IBS with mixed bowel

habits (IBS-M). Whether you

can't go or you go too much,

the bloating, cramps, gas and

other bathroom-related

problems are no fun -

especially since they're

chronic and can worsen

anxiety and depression.

There's no single definitive

cause of IBS, though you

might've heard about stress

being a factor. While this is

true, there are some other,

lesser-known contributors to

IBS. Below, experts break

down what they are.

SIBO is when you have too

much bacteria in your small

intestine, which affects your

overall digestion. Although

SIBO and IBS are "different

medical conditions, they

commonly coexist," Marilia

Chamon, a registered

nutritionist, gut health

specialist and founder of

Gutfulness, told HuffPost.

Chamon pointed to a small

study that found 78% of

people with IBS had

overgrowth of bacteria, and

eliminating it helped 48% of

those individuals. Another

study backed this up, noting

that proper treatment may

help gastrointestinal

symptoms improve in people

with both SIBO and IBS.

Not sure if SIBO is a

contributing factor for you or

not? Dr. James Lee, a

gastroenterologist with

Providence St. Joseph

Hospital in California, said

that it "can be identified by

noninvasive breath tests," and

that "effective treatments are

available once diagnosed."

Ask your gastro or primary

care doctor if you qualify for a

diagnostic test. If you do have

SIBO, treatments such as

surgery, antibiotics and

nutritional supplements can

help. Some signs you may

want to get that breath test

include bloating, pain,

cramps, constipation,

diarrhea, multiple food

sensitivities, improvement in

symptoms with the use of

antibiotics, and vitamin B12

and iron deficiencies,

according to Chamon.

"A much less known cause

is suffering from an acute

gastrointestinal infection,"

said Dimitar Marinov, an

assistant professor at the

Sneaky issues that could

contribute to IBS

Stress is a huge factor in IBS, but it's certainly not the only cause.

Photo: Catherine Mcqueen

Medical University of Varna,

Bulgaria. While there isn't

exact data on how common

this is, Marinov pointed to

data that suggests postinfection

IBS (or PI-IBS) may

play a role in up to 32% of IBS

cases.

Although the mechanisms

that lead to PI-IBS aren't fully

understood, Marinov said

inflammation and changes in

the gut are believed to be

among them.

Lee said infections such as

Campylobacter and Giardia

specifically can cause people

to develop IBS symptoms.

"After the acute episode of

infection is over, these

patients develop possible

autoimmune responses,

leading to diarrhea and

bloating as well as pain," he

told HuffPost.

You treat PI-IBS the same

way you'd treat regular IBS:

stress management, pain

management, therapy and

even antidepressants. You

also want to make sure you're

controlling any acute

infection. For Campylobacter

and Giardia, the main thing to

do is stay hydrated.

Symptoms include having

diarrhea, experiencing

abdominal cramps, needing

"to go" more often, seeing

blood or mucus in your stool

and losing weight, Marinov

said. Talk to your doctor

ASAP if you experience any of

this, especially if your

symptoms start to worsen.

Diet can be a major

contributor of IBS symptoms,

so it's one to be aware of. But

which foods are the worst

triggers? Wheat, dairy, eggs

and beans, per Lee.

However, cutting out entire

food groups can lead to eating

disorders. In fact, up to 98%

of people with eating

disorders meet the criteria for

functional gastrointestinal

disorders, the most common

of which is IBS. So here comes

the chicken-and-egg question:

Which comes first? This

study, which involved a

sample size of more than 230

participants, suggests eating

disorders can increase the risk

of developing IBS.

Next steps: Lee said a low-

FODMAP diet is often

recommended for people with

IBS. Foods you can eat on that

diet include almond milk, rice,

oats, potatoes, cucumbers,

zucchini,

oranges,

strawberries, pineapple and

more.

The FODMAP diet

encourages you to stop eating

high-FODMAP foods such as

onions, garlic, apples, peaches

and others, then slowly

reintroduce them so you can

see which ones cause

symptoms. Since this diet can

be triggering - a 2019 study

showed that greater

adherence to a low-FODMAP

diet is associated with eating

disorder behavior - talk to a

therapist, doctor or dietitian

who can assess you for eating

disorder risk first or give you a

healthier plan instead.

Your thyroid is a gland in

your neck that releases

hormones, which regulate

bodily functions. So if it's not

working as it should, other

functions - like going to the

bathroom - won't be working

so well, either.

"When it becomes

underactive, it decreases

gastrointestinal mobility and

slows down transit time,

resulting in constipation,"

Chamon said of the thyroid.

"In addition, decreased

gastrointestinal motility can

also result in SIBO, and

studies have found that over

50% of individuals with

hypothyroidism tested

positive for SIBO."

Next steps: If you've been

diagnosed with IBS-C or IBS-

M, running a thyroid panel

might be worth it, Chamon

said, especially if you're

having other thyroid-related

symptoms. These include

being sensitive to the cold,

slow movements and

thoughts, muscle aches, dry

skin, brittle nails, irregular or

heavy periods, loss of libido

and more. While there's some

mixed evidence on whether

treating thyroid issues will

improve IBS symptoms, a

physician will be able to

determine your best course of

treatment for both problems.

Your doctor may decide to put

you on specific supplements

to help improve your thyroid,

or they may offer another

plan.

SUNDAY, MAY 1, 2022

6

Muradnagar upazila chairman Dr Ahsanul Alam Sarker Kishore distributing Eid gifts of Prime

Minister among the destitute people.

Photo : Mossarraf Hossain Monir

1.23 lakh poor families get

VGF rice in Rajshahi

RAJSHAHI : Around 1.23 lakh poor

and distressed families were brought

under Vulnerable Group Feeding

(VGF) programme in Rajshahi district

this year on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr

festival.

Under the programme, 1,228.48

tonnes of rice were allocated for

distribution among the beneficiary

families in all 72 union parishads under

nine upazilas and 14 pourasabhas

(municipalities) in the district.

Each of the card-holders received 10-

kg of rice this time as per the list

prepared earlier under the existing

social safety net programme.

Meanwhile, distribution of the VGF

rice was almost completed before the

end of the holy month of Ramadan and

One held with

2,721 bottles

of alcohol in

Dinajpur

RANGPUR : Rapid Action

Battalion (RAB)-13 arrested

one person with 2,721 bottles

of illegal alcohol from

Ramnagar village in Sadar

upazila of Dinajpur district on

Thursday night.

The arrested person was

identified as Md. Abdul

Hanna, 48, of Dinajpur

district.

"Acting on a tip-off, an

operational team of the Crime

Prevention Specialized

Company of RAB-13 seized

the alcohol and arrested the

man from the spot," said a

press release issued by Senior

Assistant Director (Media) of

RAB-13 Flight Lieutenant

Mahmud Bashir Ahmed.

Another Shree Tapan, ring

leader of a gang of illegal

alcohol traders' syndicate, of

the same village could not be

arrested during the raid.

During

primary

interrogation, the arrested

person admitted that he had

been involved in trading

alcohol in connivance with his

other cohorts under the

leadership of absconding

Shree Tapan for a long time.

After filing a case in this

connection against the

detainee, the elite force

handed him over to Dinajpur

Sadar police station.

Two held with

10-kg ganja

in Bogura

BOGURA : Rapid Action

Battalion (RAB)-12 in a raid

seized 10 kilograms of ganja

and arrested two persons

from a passenger bus in

Santahar area in front of

Bashirpur Eidgah ground

under Santahar municipal of

the district on Thursday.

The arrested were

identified as Tareq Hossain,

27, son of Abul Khai,

resident of Nawapara village

in Laksam of Cumilla district

and Arif Hossain, 21, son of

Abdul Malek of Kagghar

Hajipara of the same

upazila.

the Eid festival as well.

The government through the

Ministry of Disaster Management and

Relief has allocated a requisite quantity

of rice in the district.

As per direction and supervision of

the district administration, the

concerned upazila administrations

with the assistance of local public

representatives and union level

committees distributed the rice among

the listed VGF Card holder families for

the last couple of days.

District Relief and Rehabilitation

Officer (DRRO) Shalah-Uddin-Al

Wadud told BSS that distribution of

VGF rice was completed within the

stipulated time so that the beneficiary

poor and distressed families could

celebrate the Eid-ul-Fitr in festive

mood.

Respective union parishads prepared

the list of the distressed people in their

areas and rice will be distributed with

approval of the concerned UNOs,

Wadud added.

"We are very much satisfied with the

successful distribution of the VGF rice

on time," said Deputy Commissioner

Abdul Jalil. He said instructions were

given to the Upazila Nirbahi Officers

(UNOs) along with project

implementation officers (PIOs) to

distribute the rice to the beneficiaries

smoothly within the scheduled time. "We

were very much conscious about the

quantity and quality of rice scheduled to

be distributed," he added.

On Saturday, leaders and activists of Kashiani Upazila Chhatra League

blockaded road in Gopalganj in protest of attacking on Sheikh Masum, general

secretary of Kashiani Upazila Chhatra League. Photo : S M Nazrul Islam

RANGPUR : Overcoming the two-year

long stresses of the Covid-19 pandemic,

char people are preparing to celebrate the

Eid-ul-Fitr amid festivity and passion in

riverine char areas of Rangpur region.

Officials, development experts and

public representatives said char people

have come out of the Covid-19 pandemic

strains with various initiatives of the

government, including the social safety

net programs.

They are now engaged in diverse

income generating and daily normal

activities like before the outbreak of the

pandemic.

Even around 13 years ago, char people

had to live in untold miseries and struggle

for survival for lack of job and

employment as the vicious cycle of

poverty gripped their fortunes.

Besides, social curses like child

marriage, dowry and repression on

women and superstitions along with

malnutrition and lack of pure drinking

water and hygienic sanitation had made

their life miserable.

"With effective interventions of the

government, char people have improved

livelihoods and eradicated social curses,"

said Chairman of Rangpur-based

research organisation 'Northbengal

Institute of Development Studies' Dr.

Syed Samsuzzaman.

A considerable transformational

change has taken place in socioeconomic

conditions of char people following

implementation of the government's

massive social safety-net and other

programs and developments by other

organisations.

"Despite the tough situation caused by

the Covid-19 pandemic, massive

government interventions helped them in

turning around again. Most of them are

busy in purchasing clothes and other Eid

items to celebrate the Eid-ul-Fitr

festivity," he said.

Chairman of Laksmitari union in

Gangachara upazila of Rangpur Abdullah

Al Hadi said many char people living on

the Teesta riverbed in the union are

purchasing clothes and other Eid items

for family members after overcoming the

Covid-19 stresses.

"It has become possible following

economic progress of char people as a

result of successful implementation of

massive social safety-net and other

programs of the government in the last 13

years," Hadi added.

Chairman of Astomirchar union in

Chilmari upazila of Kurigram Sohrab

Hossain said char people are preparing

now to celebrate the Eid-ul-Fitr festivity

following their socioeconomic

development.

Chilmari upazila chairman and heroic

freedom fighter Shawkat Ali Sarker, Bir

Bikram, said thousands of people living

in char villages of Rangpur region are

1,400 Imams,

Khatibs get

financial support

in Rajshahi

RAJSHAHI : A total of 1,400

Imams, Khatibs, Muezzins,

Khadems and Hafezs of all

mosques in the city were

given financial assistance as

Eid greetings to make sure

their celebration of the Eidul-Fitr.

Each of them was given

Taka 1500 like the previous

couple of years. Rajshahi

Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman

Liton formally distributed

the support at the city

bhaban conference room

Friday afternoon.

Speaking on the occasion,

Mayor Liton said the present

government under the

dynamic leadership of Prime

Minister Sheikh Hasina has

been working relentlessly to

ensure food security to the

jobless and other hardest-hit

people.

Many other poor, helpless,

distressed and lessincoming

and rootless

people were also given

financial support to mark

the forthcoming Eid-ul-Fitr

in Rajshahi city.

He urged all other

development and volunteer

organizations to stand

beside the distressed people.

In another function held at

Nawdapara area on Friday

afternoon, the mayor also

distributed eight sewing

machines, 2,500 sarees and

1,500 lungees among the

deserving people as gifts to

mark the forthcoming Eid.

400 families get

food assistance

in Natore

NATORE : A total of 400 poor

and distressed families of

Sadar upazila of the district

received food assistance from

Janata Bank Limited on the

occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr.

Ajit Kumar Pal, Director of

Janata Bank Limited, handed

over the food assistance

among the poor and

distressed families of

Baraharishpur area yesterday

morning.

Tapas Kumar Majumder,

General Manager of Janata

Bank Limited, Rajshahi

Divisional Office, General

Manager (Audit and

Inspection) Head Office, Md.

Jahangir Hossain Joarddar,

Deputy General Manager,

Sanjay Kumar Maitra, among

others, were present on the

occasion. Each family were

given 3-kg miniket rice, one

kg polao rice, 3-kg onion, one

kg lentil, sugar, gram, 2-liters

of soybean oil, vermicelli and

powdered milk.

Eid passion prevails in char

areas of Rangpur region

preparing to celebrate the Eid-ul-Fitr

festivity after winning the vicious cycle of

poverty.

"Successfully overcoming the Covid-19

pandemic shock, the char people are

purchasing Eid clothes and other items at

Chilmari Bazar and other markets to

celebrate the Eid-ul-Fitr festivity,"

Shawkat added.

Talking to BSS, Senior Coordinator

(Agriculture and Environment) of RDRS

Bangladesh Mamunur Rashid said char

people have overcome the Covid-19

pandemic strain and are purchasing

clothes and other goods to celebrate the

Eid-ul-Fitr festivity.

"Many char people have changed their

fortunes through various income

generating activities with assistance of

the government, NGOs and donor

agencies in the last 13 years," Rashid

added.

Editor of the Weekly Juger Khabar

published from Chilmari in Kurigram SM

Nurul Amin Sarkar said "An Eid fervor is

prevailing in riverine char areas where

people are preparing to celebrate the Eidul-Fitr

in a festive mood."

Char people Anwar Hossain and

Kobiza Begum of village Paschim

Mohipur in Gangachara upazila of

Rangpur said they have already

purchased Eid clothes and other items for

their family members to celebrate the

Eid-ul-Fitr festivity.

Litchi starts appearing

in Rajshahi markets

RAJSHAHI : With 15 more days left to

appear the Bangla month of Jyestha,

commonly known as "Modhumash", the

juicy fruit litchi has started appearing in the

local markets including Rajshahi city and its

adjacent areas in limited scale.

But due to its less quantity, the present

price is beyond the purchasing capacity of

the commoners.

The summer season will bring many other

juicy fruits like mango and jackfruit naturally

in the region by mid of the next month and

June abundantly that will infuse dynamism

into the local economy like the previous

years.

Seasonal traders set up makeshift shops at

different points in the city especially Shaheb

Bazar, Bindurmore, Laxmipur Bazar, Sheroil

Bus Terminal, Railway Station and Court

Bazaar with the eye-catching fruit.

In the advent of the season, every 100 litchi

fruits are being sold at Taka 400 to 450

based on quality and size.

Sellers said the price is high as the supply is

scanty but it will be reduced to some extent

when the supply will be enhanced within the

next couple of days.

Trader Shamim Hossain in Shaheb Bazar

area said many farmers are harvesting

immature litchi with the hope of getting

more money.

Dr Alim Uddin, principal scientific officer

of Fruit Research Station, told BSS that only

the local varieties of litchi have started

appearing in the markets at present. But, the

Bombay variety is expected to come to the

markets within the next couple of weeks

abundantly.

He said many people are getting benefits

by growing litchi as China-3 (hybrid),

Bombay and Madrazi are the most popular

varieties in the region. Litchi is grown well in

Rajshahi and Dinajpur districts but 'litchi of

Ishwardi' is very delicious and famous across

the country, Dr Alim added.

In addition to commercial farming, high

yielding China-3, Bombay and Madrazi

variety litchis are also being cultivated on

homestead lands.

He said commercial farming of some of the

fruits especially mango and litchi are

gradually increasing in the region.

Dr Alim, however, mentioned that

satisfactory flowering was seen in many of

the trees in the region including Ishwardi,

which is famous for litchi production, during

the current season that will create a positive

impact on total production.

Abdur Razzaque of Kapasia village said all

of his 30 litchi trees on one bigha of land

bloomed in scanty this year and there were a

low number of 'guti' (young litchi) on the

branches.

Sharing his personal experience, he said a

five-year-old tree can produce around 100 to

150 kilograms of litchi which are equivalent

to 2,000 to 6,000 pieces of fruits in number.

Most of the families at Bargachhi, Bagsara,

Charghat and Bagha have become

economically solvent by cultivating the fruit.

Deputy Director of the Department of

Agriculture Extension (DAE) Khayer Uddin

Mollah said many people became self-reliant

by cultivating litchi in recent years.

He said there are hundreds of litchi

orchards on more than 1,000 hectares of

land which produces huge yields. This

production meets the local demand as well

as being consigned to other parts of the

country every year, Khayer Mollah added.

At the initiative of Kishoreganj (Nilphamari) Press Club, a reception has

been held for 6 meritorious students who got admission in medical college.

Photo : Mafe Mohiuddin

District police set up Refresh Camp

on Highway side in Gobindaganj

GAIBANDHA : Traffic Division of District

police has set up a refresh camp on Highway

side at Pantapara area of Gobindaganj upazila

in the district on Thursday with the slogan

"Sometimes it is better to reach late than not

early. "

An inaugural function at the arrangement of

District Police was also held at the area

yesterday afternoon.

Superintendent of police (SP) Muhammad

Towhidul Islam addressed the function and

formally inaugurated the camp as the chief

guest and upazila chairman Abdul Latif

Prodhan spoke at the event as the special guest

while traffic inspector (Admin) Nur Alam

Siddique Sohag moderated the ceremony.

SP Muhammad Towhidul Islam in his

speeches said the district police observed that

long time driving without rest is one of the

main reasons for occurring frequent accidents

on the highway.

Taking the matter into cognizance, the

district police took initiative to set up refresh

camp for the drivers and helpers of the long

distance buses and trucks on the highway side

of the district, the SP also said.

Accordingly, the refresh camp was set up at

the area of the upazila on Thursday, the SP said

adding that more refresh camps might be set

up in phases in future to avoid accidents on the

highway.

Traffic inspector (Admin) Nur Alam

Siddique Shohag said the drivers of long

distance buses and trucks would make interval

here for a while.

Later, leaflets inscribed with the awareness

affairs statements were distributed to the

drivers to avoid and reduce road accidents.

DB police arrested a drug dealer named Mohammad Azimul Islam (28) along

with 4 bottles of foreign liquor from Tunirhat Bazar of Kamat Kajaldighi

Union under Panchagarh Sadar Upazila.

Photo : Md Anamul Haque

7

SUNdAY, MAY 1, 2022

UN works to broker civilian

evacuation from Mariupol

Viktor appeared nervous as masked Ukrainian security officers in full riot gear, camouflage and

weapons pushed into his cluttered apartment in the northern city of Kharkiv. His hands trembled

and he tried to cover his face.

Photo : AP

Ukraine cracks down on ‘traitors’

helping Russian troops

KHARKIV : Viktor appeared nervous

as masked Ukrainian security officers

in full riot gear, camouflage and

weapons pushed into his cluttered

apartment in the northern city of

Kharkiv. His hands trembled and he

tried to cover his face, reports UNB.

The middle-aged man came to the

attention of Ukraine's Security Service,

the SBU, after what authorities said

were his social media posts praising

Russian President Vladimir Putin for

"fighting with the Nazis," calling for

regions to secede and labeling the

national flag "a symbol of death."

"Yes, I supported (the Russian

invasion of Ukraine) a lot. I'm sorry. ...

I have already changed my mind," said

Viktor, his trembling voice showing

clear signs of duress in the presence of

the Ukrainian security officers.

"Get your things and get dressed," an

officer said before escorting him out of

the apartment. The SBU did not reveal

Viktor's last name, citing their

investigation.

Viktor was one of nearly 400 people

in the Kharkiv region alone who have

been detained under anti-collaboration

laws enacted quickly by Ukraine's

parliament and signed by President

Volodymyr Zelenskyy after Russia's

Feb. 24 invasion.

Offenders face up to 15 years in

prison for collaborating with Russian

forces, making public denials about

Russian aggression or supporting

Moscow. Anyone whose actions result

in deaths could face life in prison.

"Accountability for collaboration is

inevitable, and whether it will happen

tomorrow or the day after tomorrow is

another question," Zelenskyy said. "The

most important thing is that justice will

be served inevitably."

Although the Zelenskyy government

has broad support, even among many

Russian speakers, not all Ukrainians

oppose the invasion. Support for

Moscow is more common among some

Russian-speaking residents of the

Donbas, an industrial region in the

east. An eight-year conflict there

between Moscow-backed separatists

and Ukrainian government forces had

killed over 14,000 people even before

this year's invasion.

Some businessmen, civic and state

officials and members of the military

are among those who have gone over to

the Russian side, and Ukraine's State

Bureau of Investigations said more

than 200 criminal cases on

collaboration have been opened.

Zelenskyy has even stripped two SBU

generals of their rank, accusing them of

treason.

A "registry of collaborators" is being

compiled and will be released to the

public, said Oleksiy Danilov, head of

Ukraine's Security Council. He refused

to say how many people were targeted

nationwide.

Under martial law, authorities have

banned 11 pro-Russian political parties,

including the largest one that had 25

seats in the 450-member parliament -

the Opposition Platform For Life,

which was founded by Viktor

Medvedchuk, a jailed oligarch with

close ties to Putin.

Authorities say pro-Russian activists

in southeastern Ukraine, the scene of

active fighting, are acting as spotters to

KYIV, Ukraine : The United Nations

doggedly sought to broker an

evacuation of civilians from the

increasingly hellish ruins of Mariupol

on Friday, while Ukraine accused

Russia of showing its contempt for the

world organization by bombing Kyiv

when the U.N. leader was visiting the

capital.

The mayor of Mariupol said the

situation inside the steel plant that has

become the southern port city's last

stronghold is dire, and citizens are

"begging to get saved." Mayor Vadym

Boichenko added: "There, it's not a

matter of days. It's a matter of hours."

Ukraine's forces, meanwhile, fought

to hold off Russian attempts to advance

in the south and east, where the

Kremlin is seeking to capture the

country's industrial Donbas region.

Artillery fire, sirens and explosions

could be heard in some cities. And a

senior U.S. defense official said the

Russian offensive is going much slower

than planned in part because of the

strength of Ukrainian resistance.

On Thursday, Moscow's forces

launched a missile attack on a

residential high-rise and another

building in Kyiv, shattering weeks of

relative calm in the capital following

Russia's retreat from the region early

this month.

U.S.-funded broadcaster Radio Free

Europe/Radio Liberty said one of its

journalists, Vira Hyrych, was killed in

the bombardment. Ten people were

wounded, one of them losing a leg,

authorities said.

The missile strike came barely an

hour after Ukrainian President

Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a news

conference with U.N. Secretary-

General Antonio Guterres.

"This says a lot about Russia's true

attitude toward global institutions,

about attempts of the Russian

leadership to humiliate the U.N. and

everything the organization

represents," Zelenskyy said.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the

attack was Russian President Vladimir

Putin's way of giving "his middle

finger" to Guterres.

In an apparent reference to the Kyiv

bombing, Russia's military said it had

destroyed "production buildings" at the

Artem defense factory.

The missile strike came just as life in

Kyiv seemed to be getting back a little

closer to normal, with cafes and other

businesses starting to reopen and

growing numbers of people going out

to enjoy the arrival of spring.

Volodymyr Fesenko, a Ukrainian

political analyst and head of the Kyivbased

Penta Center think tank, said the

attack carried a message: "Russia is

sending a clear signal about its

intention to continue the war despite

the international pressure."

Getting a full picture of the unfolding

battle in the east has been difficult

because airstrikes and artillery

barrages have made it extremely

dangerous for reporters to move

around. Both Ukraine and the

Moscow-backed rebels fighting in the

east also have introduced tight

restrictions on reporting from the

combat zone.

But so far, Russia's troops and the

separatist forces appear to have made

only minor gains.

The U.S. believes the Russians are "at

least several days behind where they

wanted to be" as they try to encircle

Ukrainian troops in the east, said the

senior U.S. defense official, who spoke

on condition of anonymity to discuss

the American military's assessment.

As Russian troops try to move north

out of Mariupol so they can advance on

Ukrainian forces from the south, their

progress has been "slow and uneven

and certainly not decisive," the official

said.

In the bombed-out city of Mariupol,

around 100,000 people were believed

trapped with little food, water or

medicine. An estimated 2,000

Ukrainian defenders and 1,000

civilians were holed up at the Azovstal

steel plant.

Palestinian assailants shoot dead

Israeli guard in West Bank

JERUSALEM : Palestinian assailants

shot and killed a security guard at the

entrance of a Jewish settlement in the

occupied West Bank late Friday, the

Israeli military said, in a fresh attack that

could further fuel Israeli-Palestinian

tensions that have soared in the past two

months, reports UNB.

The Israeli military said early Saturday

that the attackers arrived at Ariel

settlement entrance and shot the guard in

his post before fleeing the scene. The

military launched a pursuit of the

suspects in the West Bank.

In a separate incident, Israeli troops

shot and killed a 27-year-old Palestinian

man during clashes at Azoun village near

the town of Qalqilya early Saturday, the

Palestinian Health Ministry said.

A string of Palestinian attacks in Israel

and the West Bank over the past two

months have left 14 Israelis dead.

Hamas, the militant group ruling Gaza,

praised the attack but stopped short of

claiming responsibility for it.

"The operation proves that revolution is

raging all over the West Bank," said

spokesman Hazem Qassem. "This is a

practical implementation of our people's

declaration that Jerusalem is a red line."

Tensions increased this month at a

major Jerusalem holy site, with

Palestinian worshippers clashing daily

with Israeli police. The site contains Al-

Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in

Islam, and increasing numbers of

Palestinians go there to pray during the

Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Earlier Friday, Palestinians hurled

stones and Israeli police fired rubbercoated

bullets at the site, which has seen

a wave of unrest in recent weeks.

The police say Palestinians inside the

Al-Aqsa Mosque compound began

hurling stones and fireworks around

dawn in the direction of a heavily guarded

gate that leads to the Western Wall, the

holiest place where Jews can pray. The

police advanced into the compound,

firing rubber-coated bullets.

The violence ended around an hour

later after other Palestinians in the

compound intervened, convincing the

stone throwers and the police to pull

back. The Palestinian Red Crescent

emergency service said more than 40

people were wounded, with 22 requiring

treatment at local hospitals. It said Israeli

forces prevented first responders from

entering the compound during the

clashes, and that one of its medics was

beaten by police.

The police did not immediately

respond to a request for comment, but

said in a statement they had arrested

three people. The Al-Aqsa Mosque

compound is built on a hilltop that is the

most sacred site for Jews, who refer to it

as the Temple Mount because it was the

location of the Jewish temples in

antiquity. It has long been a flashpoint in

the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Palestinian assailants shot and killed a security guard at the entrance of a Jewish settlement in the

occupied West Bank late Friday, the Israeli military said, in a fresh attack that could further fuel

Israeli-Palestinian tensions that have soared in the past two months.

Photo : Internet

The United Nations doggedly sought to broker an evacuation of civilians from the increasingly hellish

ruins of Mariupol on Friday, while Ukraine accused Russia of showing its contempt for the world

organization by bombing Kyiv when the U.N. leader was visiting the capital. Photo : Internet

4 cadets at Canada's

Royal Military College

die in accident

KINGSTON : Four cadets at

Canada's Royal Military

College died Friday in an

accident involving a motor

vehicle, reports UNB.

"Their families have now

been notified," Commodore

Josee Kurtz told a news

conference. "As you can

appreciate the entire RMC

community is devastated by

this tragic loss."

The officer cadets have been

identified as Jack Hogarth,

Andrei Honciu, Broden

Murphy and Andres Salek.

Kurtz released few details

about the accident. A

Department of National

Defense release said the

accident occurred around 2

a.m.

"An investigation into this

incident by the Canadian

Forces National Investigation

Service is ongoing," Kurtz

said.

The campus is located on

the Point Frederick peninsula,

where Lake Ontario meets the

St. Lawrence River.

Prime Minister Justin

Trudeau extended

condolences to the families

and friends of the four cadets.

"My heart breaks for the

families and friends of the

four cadet officers who lost

their lives early this morning

in Kingston," Trudeau said in

a statement on Twitter.

The four students were

completing their Bachelor of

Arts degrees. Hogarth and

Salek were studying military

and strategic studies and were

going to become armored

officers in the army.

Biden, Mexican

president confer on

migration, diplomacy

WASHINGTON : President Joe Biden and Mexico's Andres

Manuel Lopez Obrador agreed in a phone call Friday to do more

to promote "just, humane and effective efforts to reduce

irregular migration" at the southern border, the White House

reported after their nearly hourlong conversation, reports UNB.

Lopez Obrador tweeted that the conversation was "cordial"

and that they "spoke of issues of interest to the bilateral

relationship." The agenda also included the upcoming Summit

of the Americas in June in Los Angeles, and the end of

coronavirus restrictions on asylum seekers trying to come to the

U.S.

The two leaders also talked about addressing the root causes of

migration through development initiatives in Central America

and Mexico, according to a statement from the Mexican

president's office. They discussed the need to guarantee safe and

sustainable ways of life for their citizens and migrants, as well as

expanding legal pathways for migrants and refugees.

"In view of the unprecedented flows of migrants from

throughout the hemisphere to our two countries, the presidents

reiterated the need to build stronger tools for managing regional

migration surges," the White House said in a statement.

Lopez Obrador, for his part, called on the U.S. government to

invite all nations of the Americas to the summit "without

excluding anyone." The Biden administration has suggested that

Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua are unlikely to be invited.

Both the U.S. and Mexico want to accelerate development and

infrastructure projects along their shared border to continue

strengthening North American supply chains and the crossborder

agricultural and commercial activity, the statement said.

The meeting came at a moment of international and domestic

tensions, as the war in Ukraine has contributed to inflation

worldwide amid concerns about likely shortages of oil, natural

gas and food. Moreover, the expected end on May 23 of the

public health ban on asylum seekers could trigger a rush of

migrants to the U.S.-Mexico border. That would exacerbate

tensions over immigration ahead of U.S. midterm elections to

decide if Democrats retain control of the House and Senate.

The Trump administration imposed the so-called Title 42

restrictions on asylum seekers in March 2020 as the coronavirus

pandemic began to accelerate. Officials said at the time that the

ban was to protect public health, but immigration control

advocates also saw it as a way to seal the border to migrants, a

longstanding priority of then-President Donald Trump. Mexico

is viewed as a key partner in managing the increase in migrants

once the ban is lifted.

India gets a

new Army

chief

NEW DELHI : General Manoj

Pande on Saturday became

the first officer from the Corps

of Engineers to take over as

the new Indian Army chief.

General Pande, who was

previously the Vice Chief of

the Army, succeeded General

MM Naravane on his

superannuation. He had

earlier headed the Eastern

Army

Command

headquartered in the city of

Kolkata.

An alumnus of the coveted

National Defence Academy,

General Pande was

commissioned in the Indian

Army's Corps of Engineers

way back in December 1982,

reports UNB.

Earlier in the day, the

outgoing Army chief called on

Indian President Ram Nath

Kovind, the commander-inchief

of the military, and the

Defence Minister.

"General Manoj Mukund

Naravane, Chief of the Army

Staff, along with his wife Smt

Veena Naravane, called on

President Ram Nath Kovind

and First Lady Smt Savita

Kovind at Rashtrapati

Bhavan," the President's

Office tweeted.

Defence Minister Rajnath

Singh also tweeted:

"Wonderful meeting with

Army Chief, Gen MM

Naravane, who's retiring

today after serving the nation

for 42 yrs. His contributions

as a military leader has

strengthened India's defence

capabilities

preparedness."

and

SunDAY, MAY 1, 2022

8

Walton launches Gaming and

RGB headphones

Bangladeshi tech giant Walton has

launched two models of attractively

designed high-quality gaming and

RGB headphones. The headphones

were launched under Walton's sound

device packaging 'Chorus'.

The new Walton gaming

headphone modeled as GN01 is

priced at only 1,445 BDT while the

RGB headphone modeled as GR01

will cost only 1,745 BDT. Customers

can buy the black colored headphones

from all Walton Plaza, distributor

showrooms, IT dealer and mobile

dealer showrooms across the county

along with it online shop E-Plaza

(eplaza.waltonbd.com).

Walton IT Product's Chief Business

Officer Touhidur Rahman Rad said

that the new headphones with 50mm

drivers provide crisp rich sound.

Their soft soundproofing earmuffs

ensure a long time wearing comfort

while soft leather ear cups allow for

long gaming sessions without fatigue.

The multi-platform compatibility

headphones provide high-quality

sound which are suitable for online

chatting, video calls and gaming. The

headphones have 20-20KHz

frequency range and sensitivity rate

115±3dB at 1KHz. The frequency of

the microphone of both headphones

is 100-10KHz while sensitivity rate is -

42±3dB at 1KHz.

The cable length of the gaming

headphone is 2 meter and it has with

3.5mm jack while the cable length of

the RGB headphone is 2.3 meter and

it has 3.5mm jack and USB as well.

Customers will get 12 month

warranty on the Walton headphones.

For enhancing the joy of Eid more, Samsung is adding

offers in Galaxy A03 and Galaxy Z flip 3 5G

With Eid-ul-Fitr knocking at our doors,

most of the shopping-lovers have

started browsing offers in search for the

best deals possible. From dresses and

accessories to smartphones and

gadgets, many customers take the

occasion of Eid as a chance to bring in

something new to their lives. And now,

Samsung Mobile is bringing in offers

you cannot turn your back to!

Be it high-end or not, Samsung has

something for everyone. This year the

leading smartphone brand has come

up with offers on smartphones of

different price segments, leaving no

person out. The Samsung Galaxy A03,

a device usually priced at BDT 11,999,

can now be purchased with a cashback

of BDT 1000! The Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G,

on the other hand, usually available for

BDT 1,11,999, is now up for sale with a

cashback of BDT 10,000! The

campaign can be availed anytime till

the day before Eid-ul-Fitr 2022.

French growth

crashes to zero

in first quarter

PARIS : French economic

growth fell to zero in the first

quarter of the year as

households reduced their

consumption due to rising

inflation and the war in

Ukraine, the national

statistics agency said Friday.

The result was weaker than

expected, with the central

bank forecasting year-on-year

growth of 0.25 percent,

underlying the economic

difficulties being faced across

Europe.

The annual inflation rate

accelerated to 4.8 percent in

April, up from 4.5 percent the

month before, statistics

agency INSEE said in a

separate statement.

The zero growth figure puts

an end to France's strong

economic rebound from the

Covid-19 pandemic and poses

a challenge to President

Emmanuel Macron, who was

re-elected last weekend.

Economic growth had been

clocked at 0.8 percent in the

last quarter of 2021 and 3.0

percent in the third.

European economies have

been badly affected this year

by supply problems linked

first to the pandemic, then the

war in Ukraine-as well as

sanctions imposed on Russia

following its February 24

invasion of its neighbour.

Many consumers say they

are cutting back on their

purchasing because of

rocketing prices that have

seen the cost of fuel reach

record levels.

The Galaxy A03 exemplifies value. At

the price point of only BDT 11,999, the

device comes with exceptional features

for the ideal utilitarian device. It comes

with a dual camera setup consisting of a

48MP Main Camera and a 2MP Depth

Camera, all accompanied by a 5MP

Front Camera. With an amazing

display, a power efficient RAM and one

powerful processor, the device is one of

its kind. It's safe to say, looking at all

that it has to offer, the device is

definitely more than just "affordable".

So, if you have been looking to delve

into the world of smartphones, or

simply deciding on an Eid gift for your

beloved Nanabhai, there cannot be a

better time for making the purchase

than now, in terms of value!

Serving the flipside of the segment,

the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is a device no less

than a statement! Samsung's newest

addition to its premium family of Flip

phones signifies utility and style. Be it

your skinny jeans or a small purse for

the party, the device can slip into any of

it with utmost ease. With its top-notch

flagship features and splendid camera,

this device is the perfect one for your

exclusive outlook. If you were planning

to upgrade your smart piece of tech this

Eid, it's your time to check out the Z

Flip 3!

Besides these amazing cashback

offers, Samsung has also come up with

an irresistible campaign to step up the

Eid excitement. Apart from discount

offers and 0% EMI facility, customers

can get an opportunity to win a 4 night/5

days' stay in Dubai with Samsung's Eid

special campaign! Moreover, lucky

winners can also receive a brand-new

Suzuki Gixxer SF 150! This campaign

will continue till May 01, 2022. This Eid,

make no delay and grab your desired

Samsung device from any of the

Samsung outlets or online stores. With

Samsung, nobody shall miss out!

Students from the faculty of medicine and sciences take part in an antigovernment

demonstration in Colombo on April 29, 2022. Photo : Internet

Crisis-hit Sri Lanka hikes

medicine prices

COLOMBO : Cashstrapped

Sri Lanka

announced a 40 percent

price hike for dozens of

commonly used medicines

on Saturday as the island

nation labours through its

worst economic crisis in

decades.

Months of lengthy

blackouts and acute

shortages of food, fuel and

pharmaceuticals have

sparked widespread protests

calling for the government's

resignation.

Hospitals have already

cancelled routine surgeries

after running out of

anaesthetics, and Saturday's

directive applies to 60

medicines in short supply.

Antibiotics, nonprescription

painkillers and

medications for heart

conditions and diabetes will

all be subject to the price rise,

health minister Channa

Jayasumana said.

It is the second time in six

weeks that pharmaceutical

prices have been raised. In

mid-March a 30 percent

increase was imposed.

Industry officials said the

latest hike was necessary to

offset the impact of fuel

prices, which have doubled

since December.

Official figures released

Friday showed Sri Lanka's

inflation rate at nearly 30

percent in April, a seventh

consecutive record high.

Sri Lanka has run out of

foreign currency to import

sorely needed essential

goods.

The government this

month announced a default

on its $51 billion foreign debt

and asked citizens abroad to

donate money to help the

island out of its economic

predicament.

Sri Lanka has asked for an

International Monetary

Fund bailout, which could

take up to three months to

arrive.

Covid vaccine

maker

AstraZeneca sees

profit slump

LONDON : British Covid

vaccine maker AstraZeneca

on Friday announced a 75-

percent slide in firstquarter

net profit on higher

costs linked to its takeover

of US biotech firm Alexion.

Profit after tax slumped

to $386 million (366

million

euros),

AstraZeneca said in a

statement.

Revenue however surged

56 percent to $11.39 billion,

helped by sales of Alexion

medicines

plus

AstraZeneca's Covid-19

vaccine and other drugs.

But the UK group has

faced vast costs following

its $39-billion takeover of

Alexion.

AstraZeneca on Friday

said it had taken a hit

totalling $775 million after

Alexion reached a legal

settlement with Chugai

Pharmaceutical.

Astra added that it plans

a new strategic research

and development centre in

Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Chinese tech

shares surge

on signs of

state support

BEIJING : Shares of major

Chinese tech companies

soared Friday after a

meeting in which top

officials called for the

"healthy development" of

the sector, fuelling hope

among investors that a

damaging state crackdown

may ease.

Beijing has embarked on

a sweeping clampdown

over the past year that has

clipped the wings of its

biggest internet firms.

But in a meeting of the

government's decisionmaking

body on Friday,

officials concluded it was

"necessary to promote the

healthy development of the

platform economy" and

"complete its rectification",

according to the official

Xinhua news agency.

In the Politburo meeting,

chaired by President Xi

Jinping, officials also said

there was a need to

"respond to market

concerns in a timely

manner", Xinhua reported.

Shares of Chinese tech

firms rocketed in Hong

Kong, with JD.com and

Alibaba rising around 15

percent, while Tencent

shares jumped 11 percent.

"Stocks are oversold and

there is speculation of the

potential end to the

crackdown on these

companies," said Justin

Tang, head of research at

United First Partners, told

Bloomberg News.

China's top officials also

pledged efforts to meet

economic targets-a signal

that authorities could

increase stimulus, with

economic activity battered

by harsh Covid-19 controls

to try and stamp out

outbreaks in key cities.

On Friday, leaders also

stressed the need to

"effectively manage and

control key risks," and

push for the stable and

healthy development of the

real estate market, Xinhua

said.

Beijing has been working

to boost confidence in the

economy and reassure

markets in a series of

recent statements.

But analysts caution that

China's strict anti-virus

measures-which have

snarled travel and supply

chains-could still hamper

the announced support

measures.

Nepal bans foreign liquor and

TVs to avert forex crisis

Nepal banned imported liquor, playing cards

and nearly a dozen other "non-essential"

goods to address the Himalayan country's

widening trade deficit and declining foreign

currency reserves, officials said Wednesday.

Falling remittances and tourism earnings,

combined with a blowout budget deficit,

have severely dented Nepal's fiscal position

during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The central bank has said reserves are only

sufficient to cover just over six months of

imports, down from 10 months in mid-2021.

A commerce ministry directive on Tuesday

announced prohibitions on the import of

several items including diamonds, large

televisions, expensive mobile phones and

tobacco until July.

"This is a short-term measure taken to

prevent the economic condition of the

country from going bad," ministry joint

secretary Narayan Prasad Regmi told AFP.

"The government has decided to curb

imports of certain luxurious and nonessential

goods as the recent surge in

imports has put pressure on our economy."

The central bank had already verbally

directed private lenders not to issue letters of

IMF board approves two-year

$9.8b credit line for Colombia

WASHINGTON : The IMF's

Executive Board on Friday

approved a two-year, $9.8

billion credit line for

Colombia that the South

American country can use to

help its economy weather

shocks from abroad.

"The new arrangement

under the Flexible Credit

Line will reinforce market

confidence and provide

added insurance against

external risks," such as high

inflation and the fallout from

the war in Ukraine, IMF

Deputy Managing Director

Antoinette Sayeh said in a

statement.

"The authorities intend to

continue to treat this new

With Eid-ul-Fitr knocking at

our doors, most of the

shopping-lovers have

started browsing offers in

search for the best deals

possible. From dresses and

accessories to smartphones

and gadgets, many

customers take the occasion

of Eid as a chance to bring in

something new to their lives.

And now, Samsung Mobile

is bringing in offers you

cannot turn your back to!

Be it high-end or not,

Samsung has something for

everyone. This year the

leading smartphone brand

has come up with offers on

smartphones of different

price segments, leaving no

person out. The Samsung

Galaxy A03, a device usually

priced at BDT 11,999, can

now be purchased with a

cashback of BDT 1000! The

Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G, on the

other hand, usually

available for BDT 1,11,999, is

now up for sale with a

cashback of BDT 10,000!

The campaign can be

availed anytime till the day

before Eid-ul-Fitr 2022.

The Galaxy A03

arrangement

as

precautionary and to

gradually phase out use of

the instrument, conditional

on a reduction of global

risks."

The new credit line cancels

a previous $17.2 billion

arrangement agreed to in

September 2020 to help the

country cope with

disruptions caused by the

Covid-19 pandemic.

Colombia has had a

Flexible Credit Line since

2009 and the IMF board has

renewed it every two years,

providing the country with

money that could be

deployed to head off a crisis.

Sayeh noted that Colombia

exemplifies value. At the

price point of only BDT

11,999, the device comes

with exceptional features for

the ideal utilitarian device. It

comes with a dual camera

setup consisting of a 48MP

Main Camera and a 2MP

Depth Camera, all

accompanied by a 5MP

Front Camera. With an

amazing display, a power

efficient RAM and one

powerful processor, the

device is one of its kind. It's

safe to say, looking at all that

it has to offer, the device is

definitely more than just

"affordable". So, if you have

been looking to delve into

the world of smartphones,

or simply deciding on an Eid

gift for your beloved

Nanabhai, there cannot be a

better time for making the

purchase than now, in terms

of value!

Serving the flipside of the

segment, the Galaxy Z Flip 3

is a device no less than a

statement! Samsung's

newest addition to its

premium family of Flip

phones signifies utility and

style. Be it your skinny jeans

credit for luxury goods earlier in April.

Nepal's trade deficit rose by nearly 34.5

percent on-year to $9.35 billion in mid-

March, while forex reserves have fallen

below $10 billion.

Petroleum tops its list of imports, with

Nepal spending $1.54 billion between July

last year to March 2022.

The import ban is aimed at pre-empting

the situation now faced by regional

neighbour Sri Lanka, which is enduring its

worst economic crisis in decades after

running out of foreign exchange to pay for

imports.

The South Asian island nation has suffered

months of lengthy blackouts and acute

shortages of food, fuel and pharmaceuticals,

with angry protests demanding the

government's resignation.

Economist Kalpana Khanal said Nepal's

import restrictions were a good "short-term

measure" to shore up the country's fiscal

position.

"However, the government should

prioritise long-term measures to boost

foreign investment and export earnings," she

added.

"has very strong economic

fundamentals" and "the

authorities remain firmly

committed to maintaining

very strong macroeconomic

policies going forward,"

noting its economy is

recovering from the

pandemic and the

government is working to

raise living standards.

"With a robust recovery

underway but risks tilted to

the downside, Colombia has

taken steps to normalize

policies from a crisis footing

and manage higher inflation,

while strengthening public

finances and reducing

external imbalances," she

said in her statement.

For enhancing the joy of Eid more,

Samsung is adding offers in Galaxy

A03 and Galaxy Z flip 3 5G

or a small purse for the

party, the device can slip

into any of it with utmost

ease. With its top-notch

flagship features and

splendid camera, this device

is the perfect one for your

exclusive outlook. If you

were planning to upgrade

your smart piece of tech this

Eid, it's your time to check

out the Z Flip 3!

Besides these amazing

cashback offers, Samsung

has also come up with an

irresistible campaign to step

up the Eid excitement.

Apart from discount offers

and 0% EMI facility,

customers can get an

opportunity to win a 4

night/5 days' stay in Dubai

with Samsung's Eid special

campaign! Moreover, lucky

winners can also receive a

brand-new Suzuki Gixxer

SF 150! This campaign will

continue till May 01, 2022.

This Eid, make no delay

and grab your desired

Samsung device from any of

the Samsung outlets or

online stores. With

Samsung, nobody shall miss

out!

SUndAY, MAY 1, 2022

9

Raducanu overcomes early

stutter on Madrid clay

Australian sport ushered in a new era Saturday when powerbroker John Coates stood down as president

of the country's Olympic Committee after 32 years at the helm.

Photo : Internet

John Coates ends 32 years

as Australian Olympic boss

MADRID : US Open champion Emma

Raducanu rallied back from 2-5 down

in the first set before switching gears to

post a 7-6 (7/3), 6-0 result against

Czech Republic's Tereza Martincova

and set up an intriguing second round

with fellow 19-year-old Marta Kostyuk.

Playing just her second ever tourlevel

tournament on clay, the British

No.9 seed converted all four break

point opportunities she created and

saved six of seven break points on her

own serve on her way to the 96-minute

win - her second success over

Martincova in two weeks.

"I was definitely just getting adjusted

to the courts and the surroundings,"

Raducanu said of the opening set.

"She also came out swinging very

well, so I was definitely feeling a little

bit like I've got to dig in here. I'm very

proud of the way that I managed to

make the most of what I had on the day,

and then I definitely settled in the

second set."

Naomi Osaka passed her first claycourt

test of the season with flying

colours, snapping the nine-match

winning streak of Anastasia Potapova

with a smooth 6-3, 6-1 victory to reach

the second round.

The former world No.1, who received

entry into the tournament via a

wildcard, needed just 61 minutes to

ease past Russia's Potapova, who was

coming off a title run in Istanbul last

week and won nine consecutive

matches on clay coming into their

showdown.

"I wouldn't say it was an easy match,

I feel like I just adjusted a little bit. It's

really good to be playing on clay again,"

said Osaka.

She next takes on home favourite

Sara Sorribes Tormo or last year's

Roland Garros runner-up Anastasia

Pavlyuchenkova.

Earlier in the day, former US Open

champion Bianca Andreescu recorded

her first top-50 victory on clay with a 6-

4, 3-6, 6-0 dismissal of American

Alison Riske.

"I have to say that compared to last

year, this year is much, much better. I

was in quarantine last year because I

caught Covid, so to be here actually

playing the tournament this year is

incredible," said Andreescu, who takes

on Australian Open finalist Danielle

Collins in the second round.

No.4 seed Maria Sakkari survived a

tough two-hour 30-minute duel with

American power-hitter Madison Keys,

saving five out of seven break points en

route to a 6-7(8/10), 6-3, 6-4 result.

"Obviously Madi is a big-hitter, I

think conditions suit her well here,"

Sakkari told reporters in Madrid on

Friday.

"When I saw the draw, I was like,

'F***, that's a first round', you know.

There are a lot of tough first rounds

here. "I just trusted my game, first set

we couldn't break each other so it was

pretty even. I was unlucky in a few

moments in the tiebreak. But overall I

think it was a very positive match to get

myself back into the winning feeling.

SYDNEY : Australian sport ushered in

a new era Saturday when powerbroker

John Coates stood down as president of

the country's Olympic Committee after

32 years at the helm.

Coates, 71, rose to prominence when

he helped Sydney win its 2000 Games

bid and is credited with shaping the

Olympic movement globally in the

decades since.

He told the Australian Olympic

Committee's annual meeting in Sydney

those Games were among his career

highlights, along with creating financial

security for the AOC.

"In my 32 years as president, we've

followed what has become known as

the Bach mantra: 'Change or be

changed'," he said.

An emotional Coates said the

Olympic committee's role was to help

Australians chase their dreams.

"Today, with a full heart, I thank you

for giving me the chance to live mine."

Ian Chesterman, Chef de Mission for

Australia's 2020 Tokyo Olympic

Games team, was elected as Coates'

successor.

A congenital hip dislocation meant

Coates was unlikely to become an elite

sportsman-although he was a capable

schoolboy rowing cox-but his love of

sport saw him excel as an

administrator. He twice masterminded

successful Olympic bids-Sydney 2000

and Brisbane 2032 -- and was known to

be as competitive as the athletes he

represented.

He courted scandal by revealing the

Ugandan and Kenyan Olympic

committees were offered AUS$48,000

($33,900) before the 2000 Olympics

host-city vote-but only if Sydney won.

When the ballot was counted, Sydney

beat Beijing by two votes, 45 to 43.

Coates has not always had

harmonious relationships with sports

bodies and politicians.

A tense 2021 press conference with

Queensland Premier Annastacia

Palaszczuk-during which he ordered

her to attend the opening ceremony of

the Tokyo Olympics-saw him labelled a

"mansplaining dinosaur" on social

media.

On the whole, though, the Olympics

boss was widely respected for what he

achieved for Australia.

"He has made an enormous

contribution to Australian sport over

decades," said John Wylie, who as

chairman of the Australian Sports

Commission clashed publicly with

Coates in 2017.

IOC President Thomas Bach, who

travelled to Sydney for Coates' farewell

celebration, praised his long-time

colleague for his contribution to sport.

"You are a champion, mate," Bach

told Coates.

Coates will remain vice-president of

the International Olympic Committee

until the 2024 Games in Paris and is

still president of the Court of

Arbitration for Sport.

Boris Becker jailed by British

court over bankruptcy

LONDON : Former tennis

star Boris Becker was on

Friday jailed for two and a

half years after being found

guilty by a British court of

charges relating to his 2017

bankruptcy.

The six-time Grand Slam

champion, 54, will serve

half of the term having

being convicted at

Southwark Crown Court in

London over his transfer of

huge amounts of money

from his business account.

He also failed to declare a

property in Germany and

concealed 825,000 euros

($866,500) of debt and

shares in a tech firm.

He was acquitted earlier

this month of a further 20

charges, including nine

counts of failing to hand

over trophies and medals

he won during his glittering

tennis career.

Becker told jurors he did

not know the whereabouts

of the memorabilia,

including two of his three

Wimbledon men's singles

trophies.

Judge Deborah Taylor

had released Becker-who

won Wimbledon as an

unseeded teenager-on

conditional bail ahead of

her sentencing decision on

Friday.

He arrived early for the

hearing, wearing a striped

purple and green tie in the

Wimbledon colours, a

white shirt and a charcoal

grey suit.

He held hands with his

partner Lilian de Carvalho

Monteiro as he walked into

court past a bank of waiting

reporters and cameras.

The former world

number one told the jury

how his $50 million (o40

million) career earnings

were swallowed up by a

costly divorce from his first

wife Barbara Becker, child

maintenance payments and

"expensive lifestyle

commitments".

Becker said he was

"shocked"

and

"embarrassed" when he

was declared bankrupt in

June 2017 over an unpaid

loan of more than o3

million on his estate in

Mallorca, Spain.

The German, who has

lived in Britain since 2012,

said he had cooperated with

trustees trying to secure his

assets, even offering his

wedding ring, and relied on

the advisers who managed

his life away from tennis.

But the former player,

who was supported in court

by his partner and eldest

son Noah, was found guilty

of four charges under the

Insolvency Act.

Giving evidence, Becker

said he earned a "vast

amount" of money during

his career, paying cash for

several properties.

But the German, who

went on to coach current

world number one tennis

player Novak Djokovic,

work as a TV sports

commentator and act as a

brand ambassador for firms

including Puma, said his

income "reduced

dramatically" following his

retirement in 1999.

Becker, who was resident

in Monte Carlo and

Switzerland before moving

to the UK, said his financial

commitments included his

o22,000-a-month rented

house in Wimbledon,

south-west London.

He also owed the Swiss

authorities five million

francs (about $5.1 million)

and separately just under

one million euros in

liabilities over a conviction

for tax evasion and

attempted tax evasion in

Germany in 2002.

He said bad publicity had

damaged "brand Becker",

meaning he struggled to

make enough money to pay

off his debts.

His lawyer Jonathan

Laidlaw said at the time of

his bankruptcy that Becker

was too "trusting and

reliant" on his advisers.

Becker, with a shock of

strawberry-blond hair,

shook up the tennis world

in 1985 when he became

Wimbledon's youngest

men's singles champion at

17 and repeated the feat the

following year.

Nicknamed "Boom

Boom" Becker for his

ferocious serve, he won

Wimbledon for a third time

in 1989.

He also won the

Australian Open twice and

the US Open during his

glittering career, becoming

the top-ranked player in the

world in 1991.

Becker turned to

commentary after his

retirement, landing a highprofile

role on the BBC, but

he returned to the court in

2013 to guide Djokovic,

helping the Serb win six

more Grand Slam trophies

before the pair parted ways

in 2016.

Former tennis star Boris Becker was on Friday jailed for two and a half

years after being found guilty by a British court of charges relating to his

2017 bankruptcy. Photo : Internet

US Open champion Emma Raducanu rallied back from 2-5 down in the first set before switching

gears to post a 7-6 (7/3), 6-0 result against Czech Republic's Tereza Martincova and set up an intriguing

second round with fellow 19-year-old Marta Kostyuk.

Photo : Internet

Sheikh Jamal DC

beat Muktijoddha

SKC in BPL

DHAKA : Lieutenant Sheikh

Jamal Dhanmondi Club

recorded their seventh victory

in the TVS Bangladesh

Premier League football

beating Bangladesh

Muktijoddha Sangsad Krira

Chakra by 2-1 goals held on

Friday at Bir Flight Lieutenant

Matiur Rahman Stadium

(BFLMRS) in Munshiganj.

In the day's match,

substitute Nigerian forward

Musa Najere and Gambian

forward Solomon King

Kanform scored one goal each

for Sheikh Jamal who led the

first half by 1-0 goal. Foreign

recruit defender Aboubacar

Baki Camara scored the lone

goal for Muktijoddha Sangsad

KC.

Musa Najere opened an

account scoring the first goal

for Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi

Club in the 28th minute while

after the breather Solomon

King Kanform doubled the

lead scoring the second goal

for the winning side in the

66th minute of the match.

Camara pulled one back

scoring a lone goal for

Muktijoddha Sangsad KC in

the 70th minute of the match.

With the day's feat, Sheikh

Jamal Dhanmondi Club stand

at second position in the

league table with 27 points

from 13 matches, five points

behind of table topper

Bashundhara Kings, while the

freedom fighters, who are

struggling to improve their

position in the league table,

remained at their previous

credit of seven points playing

the same number of matches.

Earlier, in the first phase,

Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi

Club blanked Muktijoddha

Sangsad Krira Chakra by 3-0

goals held at Shaheed Ahsan

Ullah Master Stadium in

Tongi.

British tycoon Ratcliffe

makes $5.3 billion bid

for Chelsea

LONDON : British

businessman Jim Ratcliffe

has made a o4.25 billion

($5.3 billion) offer to buy

Premier League club

Chelsea, his company Ineos

said on Friday.

The club's Russian owner

Roman Abramovich put the

Blues up for sale on March 2

before being sanctioned the

following week by the British

government over Russia's

invasion of Ukraine.

The lengthy sale was

believed to be close to a

conclusion, with New York

bank the Raine Grouphandling

the process for

Abramovich-reported to be

set to announce their

preferred bidder.

But Ratcliffe has now

thrown his hat into the ring,

with a bid that would mean

o1.75 billion of investment

into Chelsea over 10 years

while a further o2.5 billion

has been committed to a

charitable trust to support

victims of the war in

Ukraine.

It has been reported that

Ratcliffe's offer is the biggest

so far for the London club.

Ratcliffe founded

chemicals company Ineos,

which is known for its

sponsorship of British

cycling's Team Ineos.

The 69-year-old explored

a potential bid for Chelsea in

2019, but instead purchased

French club Nice.

"This is a British bid, for a

British club," an Ineos

statement said. "We will

invest in Stamford Bridge to

make it a world-class

stadium, befitting of Chelsea

FC.

"This will be organic and

ongoing so that we will not

move away from the home

of Chelsea and risk losing

the support of loyal fans.

"We will continue to invest

in the team to ensure we

have a first-class squad of

the world's greatest players,

coaches and support staff, in

the men's and women's

games.

"And we hope to continue

to invest in the academy to

provide opportunity for

talented youngsters to

develop into first class

David Silva

extends Real

Sociedad stay

MADRID : Veteran Spanish

midfielder David Silva has

signed a one-year extension

with La Liga's Real Sociedad

until the end of the 2022-

2023 season, the 36-yearold

World Cup winner said

on Friday.

Silva joined Manchester

City after helping Spain to

the 2010 World Cup and

played a key role in four of

City's Premier League

triumphs before switching

to Real in 2020.

"It was an easy decision

with a club like this and their

fans," he said of the San

Sebastian outfit in the

Basque Country.

Real Sociedad won the

2020 Copa del Rey and are

currently sixth in the league

table with five games

remaining.

players."

Los Angeles Dodgers coowner

Todd Boehly, former

Liverpool chairman Martin

Broughton and Boston

Celtics co-owner Steve

Pagliuca are the figureheads

of the other three

consortiums bidding to buy

the 2021 Champions League

winners.

"We believe that London

should have a club that

reflects the stature of the

city. One that is held in the

same regard as Real Madrid,

Barcelona or Bayern

Munich. We intend Chelsea

to be that club," the Ineos

statement said.

"We are making this

investment as fans of the

beautiful game, not as a

means to turn a profit.

"The club is rooted in its

community and its fans. And

it is our intention to invest in

Chelsea FC for that reason."

Chelsea hope to have a

new owner in place by the

end of May as boss Thomas

Tuchel looks to plan for next

season.

Due to the sanctions on

Abramovich, Tuchel is

currently unable to offer new

contracts to existing players

or sign players from other

clubs.

Chelsea defenders

Antonio Rudiger and

Andreas Christensen are

both expected to leave on

free transfers at the end of

this season.

Once the Raine Group

selects a preferred bidder,

the government must then

grant a new licence to allow

the sale to be completed.

SUNdAY, MAY 1, 2022

10

Popular celebrities in Eid special dramas

TBT REPORT

Popular celebrities of the country

will appear in multiple dramas on

television and OTT platforms on

upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr. The trailers

of the upcoming Eid special dramas

have already been growing the

curiosity among the fans, reports

UNB.

Here are some of the dramas:

Help Me

Kajal Arefin Omi is a very popular

name in the romantic-comedy

genre. This Eid, he is going to

present mystery-based drama

'Help me', starring Afran Nisho and

Mehazabien Chowdhury. The

drama will be released on Dhruba

TV's YouTube channel.

Keno Ami

Ziaul Faruq Apurba and Tasnia

Farin-starrer 'Keno Ami' will be

aired on Ntv on the fourth day of

Eid at 11:10 pm. Written by Masum

Rezwan, the drama is directed by

Mehedi Hasan Johnny.

Other Half

Lux star Bidya Sinha Saha Mim

has teamed up with Tahsan Khan

in a drama titled 'Other Half'.

Mabrur Rashid Bannah has

directed the drama in the story of

Mosabber Hossain Mueed. The

drama will be aired on the third day

Eid on Ntv at 7:55 pm.

Wedding Crash

Former radio jockey and rising

star Mushfiqur R Farhan will be

seen with Tanjin Tisha for the first

time in 'Wedding Crash'. Zakaria

Soukhin directed this drama

produced under the banner of

CMV. The audience can enjoy this

romantic drama on CMV's

YouTube channel.

Jhukir Moddhe Achi

Mosharraf Karim and Sallha

Khanam Nadia will be seen in Eid

comedy-drama 'Jhukir Moddhe

Achi'. Written by Jewel Elin, Shams

Karim directed the play. The drama

will be aired on Banglavision on the

fourth day of Eid at 9:25 pm.

Bachelor Ramadan

Bachelor Point, a drama series by

Kajal Arefin Omi, has gained a huge

popularity especially among the

young generation. Aalong with

Mishu Sabbir, Marjuk Russell,

Ziaul Haque Palash, and Chashi

Alam, all the stars of this drama

series will be seen in 'Bachelor

Ramadan' this time. Although Omi

is staying in the direction of the

drama, the story will be brand new.

This drama can be seen on Dhruba

TV's YouTube channel.

Shuruta Shundor

Mizanur Rahman Aryan, a

popular drama director, has

made the drama 'Shuruta

Shundor' with a nice solution to

the eternal complexity of conjugal

life. Starring Towsif Mahbub and

Tasnia Farin, the drama will be

aired on Channel i on the second

day of Eid at 9:35 pm.

‘Fantastic Beasts 3’ video shows off

Hogwarts room of requirement

Folk singer Chishti Biplob appears

with a beautiful song on Eid

TBT REPORT

Folk singer Chishti Biplob appeared with a wonderful song for

the audience on Eid. The song was written and composed by

Chishti Biplob himself.

The music of the song was directed by Shimul Deep Bijan.

The song was released on Chishti TV YouTube in the form of

an excellent music video on Thursday.

The song is titled 'Ek Allah Ek Ishwar Emon Kothar Mala.

The song reveals secret of all the creations. S Kamal Parvez was

the video director and DOP in the song.

When asked, Chishti Biplob said, "The song is written by

me." This is my favorite song, so I am releasing the song in the

market for the upcoming Eid. I hope the song will be

appreciated by everyone.

Regarding the song, music director Shimul Deep Bijan said,

"The lyrics of the song are very nice, all in all, the song is

amazing." Chishti sang the song very well. I hope the song will

be appreciated by everyone.

My childhood dream isto become

a vocalist: Shopnil Raj

TBT REPORT

Talented and emerging vocalist

Shopnil Raj said that, 'my childhood

dream was to be a vocalist, the people of

the country would love me as an artist.

Born and raised in Uttar Adampur

village of Dashmina upazila of

Patuakhali district, this artist is currently

busy with original songs and stage

programs.

He has already added more thaan

twenty-five original songs to his

collection. Several songs have received

high praise and appreciation.

Shopnil's first song was sung at Antora

Academy in the capital Dhaka. Later, he

learned music from Ustad Uttam Kumar

at Bulbul Fine Arts Academy. Later,

towards the end of 2015, he started his

musical career with the mixed album

'Moner Akash'. Later, he performed

several more solo songs.

So far, Shopnil has worked with a

number of talented lyricists and

composers. Among them are lyricists

like Aich, Plabon Qureshi, Prosenjit

Mandol, SM Sohel, Tutul Khan, Al-

Amin Khan and many more.

When asked, Shopnil Raj said, "Song

is my dream and pursuit, I want to find

myself in the middle of the song, as long

as I am alive, I am with the song and I

will stay. I wish everyone love and

blessings."

A recent clip from Fantastic Beasts:

The Secrets of Dumbledore reveals a

new look at Hogwarts' famous Room

of Requirement. After a nearly 4 year

absence from the big screen, Warner

Bros.' Harry Potter prequel series

returns next month with The Secrets

of Dumbledore. The movie looks to

further the wizarding battle that's

brewing between the forces of the

light, led by Albus Dumbledore (Jude

Law), and the villainous Gellert

Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen,

taking over from Johnny Depp). At

the center of it all is magizoologist

Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne),

who once again finds himself roped

into one of Dumbledore's schemes.

The Fantastic Beasts franchise is

at a critical point right now. Despite

being the prequel to one of the most

beloved sagas of all time, fan

reception to Fantastic Beasts has

been decidedly mixed. The second

installment, 2018's The Crimes of

Grindelwald, earned the worst

reviews and box office numbers of

any Wizarding World movie yet. So

far, Fantastic Beasts 3 is tracking

below even Crimes of Grindelwald

at the box office, though that could

change as the film is scheduled to

debut in the middle of April.

The latest clip from Fantastic

Beasts 3, shared online by Warner

Bros. UK, could entice some viewers

who are on the fence about the new

movie. Taking things back to

Hogwarts, the clip sees Newt, Jacob

(Dan Folger), Theseus (Callum

Turner), and newcomer Lally

(Jessica Williams) meet Dumbledore

in a location Harry Potter fans will

know well: The Room of

Requirement. The clip offers a small

hint of a new plan Dumbledore has in

the works, though the rest will be

saved for the film itself.

The Room of Requirement first

came into play in Harry Potter and

the Order of the Phoenix, when the

titular boy wizard (Daniel Radcliffe)

assembles a secret club for his

classmates to learn defensive magic.

The Room of Requirement is

remarkable because of its ability to

transform itself into anything a

person needs.

Source: Collider

Urvashi opens up about

working with SRK

Actress Urvashi Rautela was spotted with Bollywood star

Shah Rukh Khan at Baba Siddique's Iftar party on April 17.

After that fan went to trend the 'Pagalpanti' actress on social

media along with SRK and wanted to see them romancing

on screen.

When Urvashi Rautela was questioned about the same.

She says: "I feel my fans love me so much that they now

know me. I would really wish and wait for the opportunity

to share screen opposite Shahrukh Khan. It's any actress'

dream. Hope that happens soon. Keeping my fingers

crossed."

Urvashi Rautela who was crowned Miss Diva Universe

2015 and later represented India at the Miss Universe 2015

pageant and was also first youngest judge for Miss Universe

Pageant 2021 enjoys 48 millions followers on social media.

Urvashi Rautela adds: "Social media has turn out to be a

easy way to stay in touch with fans. I can't be more blessed

to have so much of love. I just wish to keep my audience

entertain and keep winning hearts. They are like family to

me."

The actress will be next seen opposite American singersongwriter

Jason Derulo in an upcoming music video and a

Bollywood film 'Inspector Avinash' opposite Randeep

Hooda.

Source: Hindustan Times

H O R O S C O P E

ARIES

Freedom is a key aspect of life today,

Aries. You might find that your

brain wants to break free and

pursue more independent ways of thinking.

Don't worry if such ways of thinking lead you

into unknown territory. This is a sign that this is

probably where you need to be. Your witty

banter could take a sudden twist that surprises

both you and the people you're talking to.

TAURUS

People are apt to be as stubborn as you in

their thinking today, Taurus. This could

be a recipe for disaster if you aren't

careful. Open the floodgates a bit wider

and take in more of the opinions of others. Don't

automatically assume that other people have to

conform to your viewpoint to resolve an issue. More

than likely, there needs to be some give and take from

all involved.

GEMINI

You could find yourself staring at a

stranger for just one extra second as you

pass on the street today, Gemini. Your

tendency toward the new and bizarre is

stronger than usual, and you're being pulled into

different mental directions. Go ahead and introduce

yourself to that stranger. Perhaps he or she will

become a business partner or new best friend. You

never know until you ask.

CANCER

As you work slowly and steadily toward

your goals, realize that there are apt to

be unexpected obstacles along the way,

Cancer. You can't possibly plan for

everything, so don't get discouraged today when

some crazy variable pops out of nowhere. Your

mental process may be thrown for a loop, and you

might find that you go into a frenzy. There's a

valuable lesson to be learned here - patience.

LEO

Leo: It's generally quite clear that you

aren't afraid to tell people what you

think, Leo. Maybe it's time to be more

expressive about how you feel. It could

be that your mental process is a bit off today, jolted

by an unexpected situation or person. Make sure

you incorporate some of your instincts and

emotions into your reaction to the situation. Don't

rely on your brain alone to have all the answers.

VIRGO

Today could be filled with unexpected

twists, turns, and bends in the road that

you may not be prepared for, Virgo.

Apparently someone forgot to install the

sign that warns of sharp curves ahead. Be on the

lookout for unexpected forks in the road. When you get

to them, take them, to coin a phrase. Your brain could

receive a jolt from an outside source that reminds you

to keep things real.

LIBRA

You could be thinking some bizarre

thoughts today, Libra. They might lead

you in a direction that doesn't quite

pertain to your current situation. Don't

be afraid to explore these strange realms, because they

could give you some important insight that you

wouldn't have realized otherwise. Wisdom can be

found in the unlikeliest of places, so don't discount

something because it seems a bit off the wall at first.

SCORPIO

Your thinking is solid and clear today,

Scorpio, but other people could

challenge your mental power. Don't

let others put seeds of doubt in your

head about the way you approach a problem. Keep

your mind open to alternative solutions, but don't

beat yourself up for your current mental track. You

might need to modify your strategy, but don't

sacrifice your principles or values.

SAGITTARIUS

You could get the feeling that something is

wrong today when it isn't, Sagittarius. It's

probably just your perspective that needs

some adjusting. Pull out your binoculars and focus a bit

more so you can stand back yet have the power to

examine the details closely. Don't automatically assume

there's a clear distinction between right and wrong.

There are likely a great many shades of gray, too.

CAPRICORN

Your sensitive nature is likely to pick

up a disturbance in your thinking

today, Capricorn. Suddenly, a blast of

unexpected information could come

your way and throw a monkey wrench in your

mental process. Try not to get thrown off balance by

the sudden jolt. You'll find that you can incorporate

some of this new knowledge in a way that gives you

a greater advantage.

AQUARIUS

You might experience some mental

distractions that pull you in different

directions today, Aquarius. There could

be a stubborn internal/ external battle

brewing. Realize that being in the middle is to your

advantage. Look at the situation as a way to learn

something about yourself and others. Understanding

your opposition's viewpoint will help you. Incorporate

the old and the new into your way of thinking.

PISCES

It could be difficult for you to think

straight today, Pisces. Your brain is

probably working in short, erratic bursts

that keep you guessing about which way

to proceed. Avoid confusion during the day by

periodically centering and separating yourself and your

feelings from the drama around you. Don't pretend you

understand something if you don't. If a situation

doesn't make sense, go ahead and question it.

Bagat Union Parishad Chairman Md Motiar Rahman Khan distributing rice among the poor people

in Madhukhali yesterday.

Photo : Shajahan Helal

Bangladesh lost a

learned, prudent

person at Muhith's

death: Hasan

DHAKA : Information and

Broadcasting Minister Dr

Hasan Mahmud yesterday

paid rich tributes to former

finance minister Abul Maal

Abdul Muhith, saying the

country lost a learned,

prudent and polite person

at his demise who

contributed a lot to the

economic sector.

The minister told the

reporters after paying

homage by placing wreath

on the coffin of veteran

Awami League (AL)

politician Muhith in front of

Central Shaheed Minar in

the capital.

Hasan said the former

finance minister of the

government was fully a

gentleman.

He had extended his all

out cooperation to the

prime minister in

graduating Bangladesh to a

developing country from

the least developed one and

in its progress facing all

obstacles, he added.

He said Muhith, in his

long exchequered career,

delivered the national

budget for a record 12

times.

His death is an

irreparable loss to the

country, said Hasan, also

Awami League joint general

secretary.

The minister prayed for

eternal peace of the

departed soul and conveyed

deep sympathy to the

bereaved family.

Sharif scion takes

charge of

Pakistan's most

powerful province

ISLAMABAD : The son of

Pakistan's Prime Minister

Shehbaz Sharif took charge

of Punjab province

Saturday, the country's

most politically important

region, further bolstering

the dynasty's grip on power.

Nepotism and cronyism

are deeply entrenched in

the Muslim-majority nation

of more than 220 million

people, with power mostly

shared between two

families - - the Sharifs and

the Bhuttos-for much of

Pakistan's history.

It comes weeks after

cricket superstar turned

politician Imran Khan was

ousted from power in a noconfidence

vote when the

usually feuding families

formed an opposition

coalition.

Hamza Shehbaz Sharif

took over as chief minister

of Punjab-the country's

richest, most populous and

politically influential

province-after weeks of

deadlock. The region's

governor and a Khan

loyalist refused to swear in

the new chief, elected by the

provincial assembly,

forcing Lahore High Court

to step in. "Today a monthlong

political crisis in

Punjab has come to an

end," the 47-year-old Sharif

told reporters after he was

sworn in.

Ukraine fights to hold off Russian

advances in south, east

KHARKIV : Ukrainian forces fought to hold

off Russian attempts to advance in the south

and east, where the Kremlin is seeking to

capture the country's industrial Donbas

region, and a senior U.S. defense official said

Moscow's offensive is going much slower

than planned.

While artillery fire, sirens and explosions

were heard Friday in some cities, the United

Nations sought to broker an evacuation of

civilians from the increasingly hellish ruins

of Mariupol, where the mayor said the

situation inside the steel plant that has

become the southern port city's last

stronghold is dire, reports UNB.

Citizens are "begging to get saved," Mayor

Vadym Boichenko said. "There, it's not a

matter of days. It's a matter of hours."

Getting a full picture of the unfolding

battle in the east has been difficult because

airstrikes and artillery barrages have made it

extremely dangerous for reporters to move

around. Both Ukraine and the Moscowbacked

rebels fighting in the east also have

introduced tight restrictions on reporting

from the combat zone.

But so far, Russia's troops and the

separatist forces appear to have made only

minor gains in the Donbas in the month

since Moscow said it would focus its military

strength in eastern Ukraine.

In part because of the tenacity of the

Ukrainian resistance, the U.S. believes the

Russians are "at least several days behind

where they wanted to be" as they try to

encircle Ukrainian troops in the east, said the

senior U.S. defense official, who spoke on

condition of anonymity to discuss the

American military's assessment.

As Russian troops try to move north out of

the bombed-out city of Mariupol so they can

advance on Ukrainian forces from the south,

their progress has been "slow and uneven

and certainly not decisive," the official said.

The British Defense Ministry offered a

similar assessment, saying it believes

Russian forces in Ukraine are likely suffering

from "weakened morale," along with a lack

of unit-level skills and "inconsistent air

support."

Russian forces have "been forced to merge

and redeploy depleted and disparate units

from the failed advances in northeast

Ukraine," the British ministry said in a tweet

Saturday as part of a daily report on the war.

It did not say on what basis it made the

evaluation.

In Mariupol, around 100,000 people were

believed trapped with little food, water or

medicine. An estimated 2,000 Ukrainian

defenders and 1,000 civilians were holed up

at the Azovstal steel plant.

The Soviet-era steel plant has a vast

underground network of bunkers able to

withstand airstrikes. But the situation has

grown more dire after the Russians dropped

"bunker busters" and other bombs.

"Locals who manage to leave Mariupol say

it is hell, but when they leave this fortress,

they say it is worse," the mayor said.

U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq said the

organization was negotiating with

authorities in Moscow and Kyiv to create the

conditions for safe passage. This time, "we

hope there's a slight touch of humanity in the

enemy," the mayor said. Ukraine has blamed

the failure of numerous previous evacuation

attempts on continued Russian shelling.

Emotional Pentagon spokesman

slams Putin's 'depravity'

WASHINGTON : An emotional Pentagon

spokesman lashed out Friday at Russian

President Vladimir Putin's "depravity" in

Ukraine, questioning how any moral person

could defend bombing hospitals and

summary executions of innocent people,

reports BSS.

John Kirby, the former US Navy admiral

who has briefed journalists on camera five

days a week since the war began on February

24, lost his composure momentarily as he

spoke of atrocities committed in Ukraine.

"It's hard to look at what he's doing in

Ukraine, what his forces are doing in

Ukraine, and think that any ethical, moral

individual could justify that," Kirby said

haltingly, when asked how the US

government assessed the Russian leader's

mental state.

"I can't talk to his psychology. But I think

we can all speak to his depravity," he said.

Kirby, spokesman for the State

Department in 2015-2017 and for the

Defense Department since early 2021, is

known for his fluid, knowledgeable and factheavy

answers to journalists, as well as for

avoiding hyperbole and discipline to not say

more than he is allowed to.

An iftar mahfil has been organized by Kishoreganj district police. The event

was presided over by Superintendent of Police Md Mashrukur Rahman Khaled

(BPM) Bar at Moksedpur Police Lines Drill Shed in the district headquarters

recently.

Photo : Shah Sarwar Jahan

President, PM

greet countrymen

on Eid-ul-Fitr

DHAKA : President M

Abdul Hamid and Prime

Minister Sheikh Hasina

yesterday greeted the

countrymen as well as the

Muslims across the world on

the eve of the holy Eid-ul-

Fitr, the greatest religious

festivals of the Muslim

Ummah.

They issued separate

messages praying for

continued peace, progress

and prosperity of the

country, the Muslim

Ummah, the interfaith

harmony and global peace.

In a message on the holy

Eid-ul-Fitr, the greatest

religious festival of the

Muslim Ummah, the

President called upon

countrymen to celebrate the

Eid festival maintaining

proper health rules.

"Eid-ul-Fitr is one of the

major religious festivals of

Muslims. This Eid comes to

us with a message of

immense happiness and joy

after a month of fasting and

restraint. It is a joyous day

when the joy is spread out

amongst all and in all parts

of the Bengal and in the

world," the head of the state

said.

Abdul Hamid said people

of all classes and professions

join in a row and share their

joy on this Eid day.

Eid develops a bond of

friendship, harmony and

unity among all, he said.

Hamid called on the

affluent quarter of the

society to stand by the side of

the poor during this time.

The President hoped that

the teachings of Eid-ul-Fitr

will spread among all to

build a prosperous

Bangladesh.

Prime Minister Sheikh

Hasina, in her message,

prayed for continued peace,

progress and prosperity of

the country's people and the

Muslim Ummah.

"Eid teaches a unique

lesson of peace, compassion

and brotherhood. Forgetting

violence and hatred, people

are bound by the bonds of

equality, friendship and

harmony. Eid carries a

message of joy in the lives of

all irrespective of rich and

poor. The joy of Eid is for all

of us," the premier said.

She prayed to Almighty

Allah that may the selfpurification,

restraint,

friendship and harmony of

the Muslims prevail in the

life of the individual, family,

society and the state.

260 Eid jamaats

to be held in Ctg

CHATTOGRAM : Around

260 Eid congregations are

scheduled to be held this

year at the traditional and

temporary venues in the city

under the supervision of

Chattogram Central Eid

Jamaat Committee (CCEJC)

and the Chattogram City

Corporation (CCC) on the

holy occasion of Eid-Ul-Fitr.

Local administration, CCC

and CCEJC sources said

preparations to construct,

and decoration of Eid

venues have already started

in the city under the

auspices of Chattogram

district administration,

Metropolitan Police, and

other religious organizations

for peaceful celebration of

the festival with due

solemnity and religious

fervour. The CCEJC has

finalized to hold a total of 93

Eid congregations at

different venues in the city

between at 8 am and 8.30

am. The main Eid

congregation will be held at

Jamiutul Flah and MA Aziz

stadium at 8 am and 9 am

respectively.

The other main Eid

Jamaats will be held at

different venues including

Andarkillah Shahi Jame

Mosque, Laldighi Maidan,

Parade ground, Pologround

Maidan, Shah Amanat Shah

® Dargah Maidan, Port

Colony Jam-e-Mosque,

Metropolitan Police line

Maidan, Agrabad Jamboree

field and Baizeed Bostami ®

Dargah maidan at the same

time.

GD-833/22 (3 x 3)

SUNDAY, MAY 1, 2022

11

How China is using metal

barriers to fight COVID

TAIPEI, Taiwan : Several districts in

Shanghai put up metal barriers last weekend

as part of the city's battle against a COVID-19

outbreak, in a move that drew protests and

anger from some residents.

Workers in white head-to-toe protective

gear erected mesh wire fences and metal

sheets to block off roads, residential

communities and even the entrances of some

apartment buildings. A majority of the city's

25 million residents had already been

prevented from leaving their homes during a

month-long lockdown, though some

neighborhoods have since opened up.

The barriers are deployed to ensure control

over movement and often leave only a small

entrance that can be easily guarded.

The barriers are new to Shanghai but have

been deployed throughout the pandemic in

other cities across China. For example, early

in 2020, some neighborhood committees -

the lowest rung of local government - erected

metal sheets and fences in parts of Beijing to

control access points to homes. Wuhan,

where the first cases of COVID-19 were

reported in December 2019, also erected

metal barriers across the city.

How they have been deployed varies.

Sometimes the government sets up fencing

around entire neighborhood blocks, leaving

just one or two entrances. In other cases,

they build fences in front of individual

residential complexes.

The fencing has been widely deployed in

border regions as well, including in Suifenhe,

a city in the northeast that borders Russia.

The metal barriers there block off entire

streets. Shanghai had not erected metal

barriers on a wide scale during the past two

years of the pandemic, priding itself on more

targeted measures that did not rely on

lockdowns. That changed in the latest

outbreak, which is driven by the highly

transmissible omicron BA.2 variant. Central

authorities enforced a lockdown for the

entire city that prevented people from

putting even "one foot out the door,"

according to a widely propagated slogan.

Many Shanghai residents were upset about

barriers blocking the entrances to their

apartment buildings and some angry citizens

circulated videos online showing protests. In

one video verified by the AP, residents

leaving a building in Shanghai's Xuhui

district broke down a mesh fence barricade

at the front entrance and went angrily

looking for the security guard they believed

to be responsible for putting it up.

Shanghai is using a tiered system in which

neighborhoods are divided into three

categories based on the risk of transmission.

Those in the first category face the strictest

COVID-19 controls and are the main target

of the barriers.

However, some neighborhood officials

in Shanghai put up barriers in areas that

aren't part of the strictest category. One

resident called the police to protest the

sealing off of roads near his apartment

building, saying his residence wasn't part

of the first category. He and two other

residents in his building complex tried to

stop the workers from erecting the metal

barriers, but they were stopped by a

worker in the neighborhood committee.

The police officer told the residents they

had no right to leave the apartment,

according to the man's account, which he

posted on WeChat.

"This deep, deep feeling of powerlessness.

Who can tell me: Is there any hope for this

place?" he wrote. He declined to be named.

Transport movement on Dhaka-Tangail-Bangabandhu bridge highway

remains normal on Saturday.

Photo : Nasir Uddin

sunday, dhaka: may 1, 2022; Baishakh 18, 1429 Bs; ramadan 29, 1443 Hijri

People of all walks of life on saturday paid glowing tributes to former Finance minister Abul maal

Abdul muhith at the Central shaheed minar in the capital.

Photo : tBt

People pay last respect to Muhith

at Central Shaheed Minar

DHAKA : People of all walks of life on

Saturday paid glowing tributes to former

Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul

Muhith at the Central Shaheed Minar

in the capital.

Muhith's body was taken at the Central

Shaheed Minar around 12.30pm to allow

the people to have the last glimpse of this

eminent politician, economist, language

veteran and valiant freedom fighter.

On behalf of President Md Abdul

Hamid, his Military Secretary Major

General SM Salahuddin Islam and on

behalf of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,

her Military Secretary Brigadier General

Kabir Ahmed paid glowing tributes to

Muhith by placing wreaths at his coffin.

On behalf of Parliament Speaker Dr

Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Sergeant at

Arms Commodore M Nayeem Rahman

laid wreath at Muhith's coffin.

Muhith's brother Foreign Minister Dr

AK Abdul Momen along with other family

members was present on the occasion.

Momen said his brother worked with

utmost sincerity and honesty for welfare

of the people.

He sought 'doa' from everyone for eternal

peace of the departed soul of the celebrated

son of this soil.

Awami League General Secretary and

Road Transport and Bridges Minister

Obaidul Quader, Information and

Broadcasting Minister and Awami

League Joint General Secretary Dr

Hasan Mahmud, Jatiya Samajtantrik

Dal President and Chairman of

Parliamentary Standing Committee on

Information and Broadcasting Hasanul

Haq Inu also paid their last tributes to

Muhith.

Different political, social and cultural

organizations and professional bodies

and individuals also paid tributes to the

former finance minister. Later, his body

was taken on the premises of Dhaka

University central mosque where his second

namaz-e-janaza was held.

People from all strata joined the janaza.

From there, Muhith's body was taken to

his birth place in Sylhet. He will be laid to

eternal rest at his family graveyard in

Raynagar in Sylhet today.

Earlier, his first namaj-e-janaza was

held in city's Gulshan Azad mosque at

11:05am yesterday.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen,

Planning Minister MA Mannan, State

Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid,

former Education Minister Nurul Islam

Nahid, former Chief Whip ASM Firoze,

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Director

General (DG) Chowdhury Abdullah Al

Mamun, Muhith's son Shahed Muhith,

and people from all walks of life took part

in the janaza.

Muhith breathed his last at 12:56 am

yesterday at the United Hospital in

Dhaka at the age of 88.

Eid-ul-Fitr

Nat’l Moon sighting

committee to meet today

DHAKA : The National Moon Sighting

Committee will meet on Sunday evening

to fix the date of Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest

religious festival of Muslims.

The Islamic Foundation issued a press

release on Saturday saying the meeting

will be held at the foundation's Baitul

Mukarram office after Maghrib prayers

for reviewing information on the sighting

of Shawwal moon. Mohammad Faridul

Haque Khan, State Minister for Religious

Affairs and also president of the committee,

will preside over the meeting, it added.

People have been requested to inform

the committee through the following

phone and fax numbers if they see the

Shawwal moon anywhere in Bangladesh

sky. The phone numbers are: 02-

223381725, 02-41050912, 02-41050916,

and 02-41050917 while the fax numbers

are 02-223383397 and 02-9555951.

They also can report to the concerned

upazila nirbahi officers or the deputy commissioners.

No gas in parts of Dhaka, Savar

and southern districts for 48

hrs from 10 pm on May 3

DHAKA : Gas supply will remain suspended

for 48 hours from 10 pm on May

3 in different areas in Dhaka city and its

adjoining areas. According to Titas Gas

Transmission and Distribution Company

Limited, the areas which will have no gas

supply during the period include Amin

Bazar, Hemayetpur, Savar EPZ, Ashulia,

Manikganj, Dhamrai.

In addition, some areas of Dhaka city

may experience low pressure in gas supply

during the same period which include

Gabtoli, Mazar Road, Kalyanpur, Shymoli,

Mirpur, Mohammadpur, and Dhanmondi,

Titas, said a press release.

Eid journey to end in comfort: Quader

DHAKA : Road Transport and Bridge

Minister Obaidul Quader on Saturday said

this year's Eid journey will end in comfort

as the overall condition of country's roads

and highways is better than ever before.

Quader, also the ruling Awami League

(AL) general secretary, expressed this

hope to the newsmen after visiting

Mohakhali Inter-District Bus Terminal

yesterday, reports BSS.

The minister said the road condition at

present is better than any time in the past.

For instance, he said, vehicles are plying

on Gazipur route smoothly, where there

was heavy traffic tailback earlier.

"This time people's Eid journey will be

comfortable," Obaidul Quader hoped.

Referring to the alleged extra bus fare

during the Eid trip of home-bound people,

the minister said the mobile court conducted

by the Bangladesh Road Transport

Authority (BRTA) on Friday fined four bus

counters for taking extra fares.

The mobile courts are taking action

against realizing extra transport charges

from the home-bound people responding

to the passengers complain.

Replying to a query over extracting

excessive transport fare during Eid,

Obaidul Quader said, "There is no time to

think whether the allegations are false . . . I

am now asking the BRTA Chairman to

increase the surveillance and take action in

this connection."

2-month ban on Hilsa catching

to end Saturday midnight

DHAKA : Fishermen have taken preparation

to resume fishing as two-month

long ban on catching, selling, transportation

and hoarding of delicious hilsa

fish will end Saturday midnight, reports

UNB.

Fishermen in different districts including

Chandpur are preparing their fishing

nets and trawlers to start catching hilsa in

the rivers after 12 am.

UNB Chandpur correspondent reports:

Netting of hilsa was restricted in five sanctuaries

across the country during this period.

A festive mood is prevailing in the fishermen

para as around 52,000 fishermen

will resume fishing from the midnight.

Like previous years, the ban was

imposed on a70-kilometer long area from

Matlab Uttar Shatnol to Haimchar

Charbhairabi area in Chandpur and

44,035 fishermen got government aid.

During a reality check at Ananda Bazar,

Harina, Bahria, Laxmipur in Sadar upazila

on Saturday, the UNB correspondent

found fishermen are taking preparation to

go for fishing and already they have

repaired their fishing boats.

Imam Hossain Bepari, 62, a fishermen,

said the movement of hilsa has declined

due to hidden chars in the river.

Golam Mehedi Hasan, an officer of fisheries

department, said this year, the production

of hilsa may increase this year.

Earlier, a two-month government ban

on hilsa catching, selling, hoarding and

transporting began on March 1, with a

view to boosting its production.

The ban covers hilsa sanctuaries in six

districts-Barishal, Chandpur, Laxmipur,

Bhola, Shariatpur and Patuakhali .

Illegal sand lifting

threatens Bridge

AzAm PArvez, rAngPur CorresPondent

A bridge in Panbari area mostly known as

Dwip area is under threat as sand is being

extracted from Ghaghat river in Rangpur

city. At the same time, the road is getting

damaged due to the movement of trucks

loaded with sand on that road. The residents

of the village have suffered due to

this.

A man named Alam has also filed a case

against the villagers who requested to

extract and sell the sand.

It has been seen on the spot that a group

of traders has been extracting sand from

Ghaghat river for a long time in Panbari

village of ward 31 of Rangpur city. As a

result, the bridge is under threat. Even the

houses on the banks of the river are under

threat due to long-term extraction of sand

from the river.

The residents of the village said that

those who are heads are coming here and

doing business. If we request them not to

extract the sand, they say, 'we are extracting

sand from our own land, what do you

have in it? You can't stop'. The villagers

also added that they have money, they

have power, we are poor people, we can't

protest with them.

Another resident said that the magistrate

came at the point next to the bridge

five or seven times and the police came

numerous times.

A person named Ansarul Islam said,

"We have formed human chain, protested

and barricaded to stop sand extraction.

Even, I became the number one accused

in an extortion case which was filed

against me in this regard. And I have taken

bail" .

Ward-31 councilor Shamshul Haque

said, "I have heard that sand is being

extracted. Necessary steps will be taken in

this regard.

Regarding this, Deputy Commissioner

Asib Ahsan said, there is no official sand

mahal in the metropolitan area. If anyone

is extracting sand illegally, the

Metropolitan Police will take action. If

they ask us for help, we will cooperate.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of

Police (Media) of the Metropolitan Police

Sajjad Hossain said, "If anyone comes to

us with a written complaint in this regard,

we will definitely take legal action."

Macron says France

to 'intensify' military,

humanitarian

aid to Ukraine

PARIS : French President

Emmanuel Macron said on

Saturday that France would "intensify"

its supply of military and

humanitarian support following a

conversation with his Ukrainian

counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.

Zelensky thanked France for

"large-scale military shipments that

contribute to the Ukrainian resistance,"

Macron said, adding "that

this support will continue to intensify,

as will the humanitarian assistance

provided by France".

"The mission of French experts

contributing to the collection of

evidence to fight against impunity

and allow the work of international

justice concerning crimes committed

in the context of the

Russian aggression will continue,"

he said.

The United States, France, the

Czech Republic and other allies

have provided Kyiv with hundreds

of long-range artillery pieces to help

it counter Moscow's offensive in the

Donbas.

Paris is sending its ultra-modern

Caesar canons.

The French presidency said on

Saturday that aid to Ukraine

amounted to "more than 615 tonnes

of equipment, including medical

equipment, generators for hospitals,

food aid, shelter aid and emergency

vehicles".

Newly re-elected Macron said he

wanted to "work actively during his

second term to restore Ukraine's

sovereignty and territorial integrity,

always maintaining close coordination

with its European partners and

allies".

01-05-2022

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?