Day: May 23, 2024

Dr Nomita Halder, Managing Director of Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) and also a former private secretary to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, visited NGO 'Unnayan' and handed over agricultural materials among farmers in Terokhada, Khulna on Wednesday. The materials were distributed among marginal farmers with an aim to generate more employment and fulfill the sustainable agricultural development targeted by the government, said a press release. She also inspected various programs taken by the NGO, including village committee, mother and child forum and talked with officials concerned. She later attended a consultation meeting with Unnayan officials at Azogara project office, chaired by Executive Director of Unnayan SM Mostafizur Rahman. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Twelve people have been injured when a jeep they were travelling in met with an accident at Jama Hilltop of Khatyad rural municipality-2 today. The jeep (Ga 1 Ja 8249) was carrying students of Bhawani Secondary School at Kolti, Himali rural municipality-5 in Bajura on an excursion to the Rara Lake in Mugu. Among the injured are nine students, two teachers and the jeep driver, said Deputy Superintendent of Police at the District Police Office, Birendra Thapa. All the injured except the jeep driver are in normal health condition, it is said. The driver and the owner of the jeep Lal Bahadur Bhandari are receiving treatment at the local health post. The jeep fell 25 metres from the road. Airline staff injured after aircraft hits him Meanwhile, in a separate mishap, an employee working at the Rara Airport in Mugu was injured when the nose part of a Twin Otter airplane belonging to Sita Air hit him. Sita Air's Mugu station chief Dhirendra Bham, who was signaling to the pilots for takeoff at the time, was injured after he moved towards the plane when the pilot called him, DSP Thapa said. Bham has been flown to Nepalgunj on the same aircraft for medical treatment. Source: National News Agency Nepal

Former president of Ukhia Upazila Awami League Prof Hamidul Haque Chowdhury passed away today. He was 62. Hamidul breathed his last while undergoing treatment at a hospital in India this morning, said a press release signed by AL office secretary Barrister Biplab Barua. He, also Ukhia Upazila Parishad chairman, left behind his wife, a son, three daughters and a host of relatives and admirers to mourn his death. Awami League (AL) General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader expressed profound shock and sorrow at the death of Hamidul. In a condolence message, Quader prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family members. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Kathmandu: Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has announced a 28-member preliminary squad under captainship of Indu Varma today for ACC Women's Asia Cup. The Asian Cricket Council is organising the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka from July 19-28. Sabnam Rai, Rubina Chhetri, Sita Rana Magar, Khusi Dangol, Bindu Rawal, Kabita Kunwar, Rubi Podar, Laxmi Saud, Yashoda Bista, Kirtika Marasini, Soni Pakhrin, Rajmati Airee, Helisha Gurung and Samjhana Khadka are the squad members. Similarly, other members are Alisha Khadiya, Kabita Joshi, Apsari Begam, Kajol Shrestha, Sangita Rai, Arati Mahato, Roma Thapa, Sabitri Dhami, Mamata Chaudhary, Karuna Bhandari, Puja Mahato, Asmina Karmacharya and Doli Bhatta. Nepal is in Group 'A' in the championship. India, Pakistan and United Arab Emirates are in Group 'A' while Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Thailand are in Group 'B'. Source: National News Agency Nepal

Today is 2568th Budhda Janaynti or Lumbini Day. On the presence of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', a special ceremony is taking place in Buddha's birthplace, Lumbini, today. Noting that Budhda Jayanti is a common celebrations of all people being not limited to Buddhist community, Vice-chairperson of Lumbini Development Trust Lharkyal Lama expressed his commitment to develop the holy Lumbini. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Lumbini Development Trust Chairman and Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Hit Bahadur Tamang, Lumbini Province Chief Minister Jokh Bahadur Mahara, high officials, heads of diplomatic missions and officials are scheduled to visit Lumbini to attend the special ceremony. Treasurer of the Trust and coordinator of publicity management sub-committee Dhundiraj Bhattarai said various programmes would be organized in Lumbini, Ramgram, Kapilvastu and Devdaha. A cultural programme was organized in partnership with the India n Embassy on Wednesday evening. Mahaparitran recitation is being done at Mayadevi temple since last evening. This morning, a prayer meeting and procession was held with the participation of international monks and nuns. Treasurer Bhattarai told RSS that the tri-national motorcycle rally (Nepal, India and Sri Lanka) is scheduled to take place from Lumbuni today itself. Source: National News Agency Nepal

Kathmandu: The government has established the National Cyber Security Centre under the Digital Nepal Framework 2076 BS. The Centre aims to facilitate the government to meet its aspiration for a digital Nepal. The Centre based in the old building of the Home Ministry in Singha Durbar has already started its works, according to Ministry under-secretary and cyber security chief Raj Kumar Maharjan. It is mandated to investigate issues concerning cyber security, promote cyber security, increase public awareness on the matter, make cyber security preparations, identify relevant challenges, and prevent them among others. It, established under the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, remains the Digital Forensic Research Centre. It may be noted that a meeting of the Council of Ministers on January 23 this year decided to establish the Centre. It is handled by 12 employees and the government decided to have the Centre citing increasing cyber insecurity of late in the country. Source: National New s Agency Nepal

A restaurant operated by a Nepali in Portugal has won an international award. The restaurant is run by one Tanka Sapkota from Baglung who earns a fame as the Italian Chef. The Forno d' Oro Pizza Restaurant has been ranked in the 12th position among the 50 best pizzerias in Europe and the 10th among the world's Neapolitan pizza. Sapktoa said he is very pleased to have been awarded in the competition among prestigious restaurants and feels that his success is the pride of Nepal and the Nepali as well. He dedicates his achievement to the hard work and dedication of the entire restaurant staff and the support and cooperation of his relatives, costumers and well-wishers. Source: National News Agency Nepal

Kathmandu: The Advertisement Board has said misleading advertisements have been found to be published and disseminated in various media, including the social platforms, of late and appealed to one and all to refrain from this. The Board said it found in course of carrying out monitoring of various media that misleading advertisements have been placed there for selling at exorbitant price goods and articles including several types of tea, oil, shampoo, drugs, mentioning the drugs can cure any type of health issues. Noting that even the name of the person and company producing these goods or services were not mentioned in these advertisements, Board's spokesperson Nishan Raj Gautam said the Board has also received complaints about such advertisements. According to him, the Clause 15 (b) of the Advertisement (Regulation) Act, 2076 BS has made a provision, according to which any audio, visual and audio-visual advertisement material should be vetted by the Board before disseminating such materials. Similarly, he said besides the provisions made in Clause (5) of the Regulations for Regulating Advertisements, 2077 BS, the Clause 9 of the Act also has the provision which stipulates for clearly mentioning the name and address of the advertiser. The Board spokesperson reiterated that the media have been urged to promptly stop broadcasting or publishing the advertisement materials that are being disseminated against these statutory provisions, and to publicise such advertisement materials only after taking permission from the Board. He warned of initiating legal action if the advertisements are continued to be publicized without taking permission. Source: National News Agency Nepal

Continuous use of saline and untreated water posed serious health hazard to shipping workers of inland waterways as most of the workers suffer from various skin diseases and intestinal problems. '80 percent of the workers employed in the inland waterways are suffering from skin infections and various types of complex intestinal diseases and stomach pains,' according to a survey of the Bangladesh Shipping and Communication Reporters Forum (SCRF). SCRF revealed the summary of the report today suggesting mandatory installation of water treatment plant in all types of public and private vessels. According to SCRF, the report had been prepared based on a year-long survey and research on over 100 workers of 10 kinds of vessels and concerned physicians. These vessels include- passenger launches, cargo ships, excavators, dredgers, dumb barges and houseboats. The report said in addition to high prevalence of salinity, most of the rivers in Bangladesh coastal areas are suffering from severe pollution around the ye ar. River waters are the main source for the shipping workers for their everyday use as vessels are not equipped with water treatment system. Low-paid workers are not in a position to have their water purifying gadget on their own while no public or private organization provide them with the free clean water system. Doctors said, long-term use of saline and polluted water is leading to many skin diseases including skin cancer. A variety of complex intestinal disorders is also occurring, including liver cirrhosis, bacillary dysentery, dysentery, stomach ulcers and regular diarrhea among the workers. To solve this crisis, SCRF recommended making it mandatory to install water system plants in all types of public and private water vessels. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Kathmandu: Chairperson of Agriculture, Cooperative and Natural Resources Committee under the House of Representatives, Dr Arzu Rana, has pointed out the need of collaboration of all to fulfill sustainable development goals, as the expected level of progress has not been achieved in attaining the SDGs. In the second day session on 'Climate Justice, Equality and Local Voice: Gender and Youth' under the International Expert Dialogue on Mountain, People and Climate Change began here from Wednesday, she shared that the report regarding the sustainable development released by the United Nations mentioned that the progress of sustainable development goals was not satisfactory. Rana pointed out the need of boosting the capacity by identifying challenges brought by climate change, stressing that climate change-related policy should be effectively implemented. Saying climate related programme should be run using local knowledge and political consensus should be formed, Chairperson Rana underscored, "Climate change r elated agreements should have legally binding provision." Similarly, Justice of the Supreme Court, Sapana Pradhan Malla, stressed the need of ensuring people's right to live in clean environment. Stating that Nepalis have not been able to live in clean environment, Malla mentioned that court's efforts for the implementation of their fundamental rights would be continued. Likewise, Dr Popular Gentle Bhusal, climate expert to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', underlined that all mountainous countries in the world should be univocal to resolve the problems as mountain areas have been mostly affected. "There is a big ditch in climate policy implementation but the government is active for its effective implementation", he said. Chief Executive of Civil Society Coalition for Climate Change, Pakistan, Aisha Khan, expressed the view that good learnings made on climate change impacts and its solution should be exchanged among the countries. Sharing that study and research was necessary on the issue of environmental crisis of the country, climate campaigner Anjali Chalise stressed on mobilizing youths for the same. Meanwhile speaking in second day session on 'Leading Adaption Locally: Mountain to Marin Ecosystem' today, former Foreign Minister Dr Bimala Rai Paudyal, laid emphasis on the need of increasing grants for climate adaption programme to lessen negative impacts of climate change. She expressed the view that a process should be simplified to bring grants from climate fund, adding the received grants should be distributed addressing the women and marginalized community. Former Minister Paudyal explained that social discrimination should be ended addressing the problems brought by climate change. Source: National News Agency Nepal

Awami League (AL) General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said that it will be revealed through investigation whether the deceased MP of Jhenaidah-4 constituency, Anwarul Azim Anar, was involved in any illegal activities. "I cannot say anything before the investigation is completed. There is no room for criminals in Awami League," he said while speaking at a meeting with the newly formed Youth and Sports Sub-committee members at the Dhaka district Awami League office in city's Tejgaon. Quader said Anwarul Azim Anar was nominated for the third time due to his popularity. The local people of his constituency are shocked at his death, he said. He said, "Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina does not spare any wrongdoer, even if they are from the party. Her policy regarding crime is of zero tolerance." Quader also said, "Why did this issue not come up in any investigative report by journalists in our country before his death?" The AL general secretary said Ziaur Rahman rehabilit ated the killers of Bangabandhu and provided them with jobs at different embassies. "Why did Ziaur Rahman give the scope to killers to flee the country?" he questioned. He said BNP had shut down the way of trial of killers' thorough fifth amendment of the constituency. "Why did you stop the trial of killers constitutionally? I want to know about it from Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir," said Quader. He said BNP is now alleging that Chhatra League and Jubo League leaders are involved in money laundering. But the reality is that BNP is well-known for siphoning off money, he said, adding, "Who were involved in siphoning money to Singapore and the USA? Tarique Rahman and Koko were involved. Some money was recovered from Singapore." About the country's sports arena, Quader said there is no reason of becoming hopeless about the sports. Youth and Sports sub-committee chairman Mozaffar Hossain Paltu chaired the meeting while co-chairman Harunur Rashid, member secretary and whip Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and state minister for cultural affairs Nahid Izhar Khan, among others, were present. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Kathmandu: Climate change experts from home and abroad have underlined the need to strengthen the roles of locals in efforts aiming to mitigate the impact of climate change. They have pressed for enhancing the capacity of local communities to pursue an effective implementation of policies on climate change reduction and its adaptation. The speakers stressed on this in a session on "Locally-led Adaptation: From Mountain to Marine Ecosystem" under the two-day international expert dialogue on "Mountain, People, and Climate Change" underway in the capital since Wednesday. Food and Agricultural Association (FAO) Nepal representative Ken Simizu called for prioritising the implementation of inclusion-based policies on climate change mitigation and adaptation. The good practices for climate change mitigation undertaken at the local level should be promoted by keeping the locally-available resources at the center, only climate finance is not sufficient to tackle problems caused by climate change. Professor Dr Lin feng Fan from the Chinese Academy of Science stressed the need that the government's entire policies and programmes aiming to mitigate climate change impacts should be guided by the resilience-based approach. Mountain regions are at risk of landslides and avalanches due to climate change. Such incidents are expected to be complex and result in a significant loss, according to FAN who expressed concerns over a rising sea level due to the impact of climate change. He pressed the need to intervene in the rise of sea levels with the implementation of effective strategies, policies, and plans. Dr Pam Pearson, the Director of the International Climate Cryosphere Initiative, warned that if the level of something persists, the sea level will increase, posing more threats to the low-lying settlements. He called for making the local level aware that snow melting is a consequence of climate change and has led to the rising level of seawater and protecting snow is a must to prevent the sea level from further rising. Dr Gopal Kumar, natural resource expert of International Water Management Institute, India, insisted on the need to awaken the local related organizations to implement the local adaption and mitigation at the local level effectively. Time demands us to think about ways to promote green ecology and bring programmes capable of increasing the efficiency of local levels in the mitigation of climate change problems, according to him. Source: National News Agency Nepal