Day: June 28, 2024

Kathmandu: Former Chief Justice Sushila Karki has wondered why the youths were yearning for overseas job and education even by selling entire properties here. During a programme organized to release an autobiographical book 'Smriti Ra Anubhuti' penned by Prof Dr Surendra KC here Friday, former CJ Karki viewed it was peculiar that every youth passing Grade 12 was aspiring for foreign education and job. Even the parents are hankering after this trend, she added. The former CJ observed that the book penned by Prof KC was insightful, as it has vividly mentioned the changes Nepal witnessed since 2012BS. On the occasion, author KC expressed worry how Nepal could cope with crisis while its population- over 5 million- was abroad. Similarly, former Deputy Prime Minister and UML leader Bhim Rawal commented that Prof KC's book was useful for youths. Executive Chief of Sunaulo Nepal Online, Moharaj Paudel, viewed Prof KC's book is resourceful for anyone willing to understand Nepali society and politics. Source: Na tional News Agency RSS

One person died and six were injured after a portion of the roof of the Delhi airport's Terminal-1 collapsed on cars, including taxis, amid heavy rain early Friday, leading to suspension of flight departures, according to officials. Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said he was monitoring the situation and the injured had been hospitalised. Delhi Fire Services (DFS) officials said three fire tenders were rushed to Terminal-1 (T1) of the airport after a call about the incident was received around 5:30 am. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Three people were killed in a fire that broke out at Reazuddin Bazar, one of the largest wholesale markets in Chattogram city, in the early hours of today. Two of the deceased were identified as Md Ridwan, 45, son of Shamsul Alam and Md Shahed, 18, hailed from Satkania upazila in the district. The fire originated at a shop on the first floor of Mohammadia Plaza in Riazuddin Bazar around 1.35am on Friday and it spread fast engulfing the market, Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) Chattogram Deputy Assistant Director Abdul Malek said. He said, being informed, eight fire service units rushed to the spot and doused the fire around 5.30am. The devastating fire also injured two other persons who are now undergoing treatment at Chattogram Medical College and Hospital. An investigation is underway to determine the cause and extent of the damages, the official added. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Instead of the previous single cropping pattern, the vast Barind tract has started becoming hubs of farming diversified crops, including some of the high-valued ones, during the last couple of years. Currently, various vegetables, crops and fruits, particularly mango, orange, malta, dragon and guava, are being cultivated in the areas massively. Large-scale promotion of diversified crops farming can be the best ways of ensuring water security in the drought-prone Barind area, said experts and development workers. Since ancient times, the Barind area has been drought-prone due to its geographic location but the farmers used to cultivate diversified crops to cope with the water-stressed condition. They also meet up their water demands from the natural water bodies like rivers, canals and ponds. Prof Chowdhury Sarwar Jahan of the Department of Geology and Mining at Rajshahi University said the natural surface water resources are facing an endangered condition at present due to multifarious reasons. In this situation, farmers have become dependent on groundwater for irrigating the farming fields, especially the Irri-Boro paddy which is the highly irrigation-consumed crop. Prof Sarwar Jahan, however, opined that water is being adjudged as one of the vital sources in the transformation process of development of the present barind area besides making it green during the last couple of decades. Lifting of underground water must be reduced to the minimum as the future of agriculture depends on availability of water amid a formidable threat of climate change when there is an alternative to keeping food production rate increasing. He said there should be nature-based solutions for water challenges in the region. Emphasis should be laid on the need for integrated solutions in water development plans considering political, social and local realities. Apart from this, emphasis should be given to the cultivation of drought-tolerant crops instead of depending on only Irri-Boro farming in the area to lessen the gradually mounting pressure on underground water. Large-scale promotion of less-water consuming indigenous crops could be the effective means of mitigating water-stress conditions in the drought-prone Barind area. Narrating the sufferings caused by the abnormal lowering of groundwater National Agriculture Award Winning Farmer Nur Muhammad mentioned that there are enormous scopes of increasing the acreage of various low-water consuming crops like gram, wheat, maize, lentil, burley and chickpea in the Barind tract. He mentioned that the ongoing climate change at alarming rates has severely affected indigenous crops farming and its diversity creating a real threat to food production. There is no alternative to encourage the farmers to promote various cereal crops and vegetables instead of only Irri-Boro paddy on the dried land to face the water stress condition as its groundwater table has gradually been declining. Muhammad said legitimate rights of the farmers and others concerned should be protected for encouraging them towards boosting agricultural productions to meet up its gradually mounting demands. Shahidul Islam, Coordinator (Barind Region) of Bangladesh Resource Centre for Indigenous Knowledge (BARCIK) said utmost emphasis should be given on practicing sustainable agriculture to attain the sustainable development besides achieving the sustainable development goals. Simultaneously, species of diversified crops need to be protected which is the precondition to sustainable development. Ensuring water security is very important to ensure food security and biodiversity and sustainable culture. Existing adverse impacts of climate change and other natural catastrophes are posing a serious threat to biodiversity, health security and water security in the Barind area. More than 12.58 lakh community people of 2.66 lakh households are being motivated and encouraged towards promotion of less-water consuming crops to reduce the pressure on underground water in eight upazilas of Rajshahi, Naogaon and Chapainawabganj distr icts. The existing adverse impact of climate change is putting local people into trouble since the hand-driven tube-wells are not functioning here in the dry season, he added. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Two persons including a union-level Awami League (AL) leader were shot to death and two others injured in an attack by some unidentified miscreants in Shibganj upazila here on Thursday night. The deceased were identified as General Secretary of Nayalabhanga union unit of AL Md. Abdus Salam, 47, son of Md. Entaj Ali of the aforesaid union and his aide Abdul Matin Ali, 55, son of late Abdul Mannan of Ranihati Fatepur under the same upazila. On the other hand, the wounded are Md. Tito and Abdur Rahim, both are the associates of the AL leader. Locals said Abdus Salam, also a member of Zila Parishad, and his aides were sitting in front of Ranihati Degree College near the Government Ashrayan Project around 8.30 pm. All of a sudden, the miscreants opened fire and blasted cocktails on them, killing the AL leader on the spot and injuring others, the sources added. Critically wounded Abdul Matin was rushed to the Chapainawabganj Sadar Hospital where the on-duty physicians declared him dead, police and local sources said. Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Shibganj Police Station Md. Sajjad Hossain confirmed the casualties. The bodies were sent to the Chapainawabganj Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy, he added. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat today called upon the new generation to engage themselves with Awami League (AL) to build a Smart Bangladesh as it is the only party which meets the hopes and aspirations of the people of Bangladesh. "We want to build a Smart Awami League for building a Smart Bangladesh before the Smart World. That's why I urge the new generation to join and engage themselves with AL to build a Smart Bangladesh," he said. Arafat said this while talking to journalists after visiting a photo exhibition titled "From Bangabandhu to Sheikh Hasina in the flow of history" arranged by Dhaka District Awami League at its office bhaban in the capital's Tejgaon area. The photo exhibition was arranged marking the 75th founding anniversary of Awami League. Highlighting the glorious history of AL, the state minister said Bangladesh Awami League is one of the largest political parties having rich history and heritage in the South Asia. The party has a glorio us role to lead in every democratic movement and struggles for achieving the country's independence and sovereignty, he said. Marking the 75th founding anniversary of AL, Arafat penned a short write-up on why the new generation would do politics of Awami League. In answer to the question, he mentioned in his write-up that there is no other option apart from Awami League. Like AL, there is no other political party which imbues with the spirit of the Liberation War and which was born and brought up with the support of the people in the mainstream, said the state minister. He said there are some parties which were born at the hands of the military rulers from the cantonment and some others are directly anti-liberation forces. There are some other parties also which are very weak and have no capacity without making some demands, he mentioned. "Awami League is the only party which has to meet the hopes and aspirations of the people of Bangladesh. It had met the nation's aspiration for freedom." Und er the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Awami League had brought independence for the country through the Liberation War, he said, adding: "Later, the party also contributed to establish democracy through struggle and movement." And now the AL government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is making its efforts in the journey of the country's development and progress, he said. "Under the leadership of Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the country is marching forward to achieve economic emancipation," Arafat continued. The Awami League has much more glorious roles, achievements and contributions to the country than its flaws and failures in its long journey of 75 years. Replying to a question, the state minister said the Information and Broadcasting Ministry is implementing a project across the country to present the development policies, taken to build future Bangladesh, up to union level. "To build a Smart Bangladesh, Smart Citizens are n eeded. To do this, we have to engage the people with our vision and policies. So, we are doing the work to communicate with the people to bring them under the common motto to achieve the vision of building Smart Bangladesh," he said. Dhaka District AL President Benzir Ahmed, its General Secretary Paniruzzaman Tarun, Vice-President Kazi Shawkat Hossain, Organizing Secretaries Halima Aktar Labanyo and Shakur Hossain Shaku, Office Secretary Arman Hossain Apu, Deputy Office Secretary Nahidul Alam Nadim, and Deputy Publicity Secretary Sharif Hasan were present, among others. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

A daylong training on "Agriculture Seed Development and Enhancement Techniques through Biotechnology" was held at the conference room of Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) office in collaboration with its deputy director office here today. Former Member Director (seeds and horticulture) of BADC and also the team leader (Biotechnology) Agriculturist Muhammad Azharul Islam spoke as the chief guest with BADC Deputy Director (TC) Agriculturist Sanjay Kumar Debnath in the chair. Project Director (Biotechnology) Agriculturist Dr ABM Golam Mansoor, Joint Director of research cell of BADC Agriculturist Md. Asad Hossain Khan, Training Director and CEO of Proshika Agriculturist Dr. Kayes Shamim Palash spoke as special guests. Assistant Director Agriculturist Imam Hussain moderated the training session. Deputy Project Director Agriculturist Md. Ataur Rahman, Deputy Assistant Director (TC) of Gopalganj BADC Md. Yar Ali and some selected farmers spoke on the occasion. A total of 30 far mers of the district participated in the training. Later, prizes were distributed among the winners of the quiz competitions. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif today said that the falsehood spread by BNP leaders over the cases of Khaleda Zia is not acceptable. 'BNP leaders are claiming that the government has detained Khaleda Zia by lodging false cases against her, which is not acceptable at all,' said Hanif. Terming it as a part of extreme falsehood by the BNP, he said the ruling Awami League government did not file the cases against the BNP chief; rather, the cases have been filed by the caretaker government. The court sentenced her as the BNP lawyers have failed to prove her [Khaleda Zia] not guilty. The ruling party leader made the comments while responding to a query made by journalists at his PTI road residence here this morning. About the railway connectivity between Bangladesh and India, Hanif said many countries across the world have such connectivity and it is nothing new, adding, 'Modernization and development of communication systems are the main driving force for the economic development of a country.' 'The criticism of the BNP leaders regarding rail connectivity will not bring any benefit to the country,' he added. Over the load shedding, he said, 'Although electricity production has increased to a great extent, load shedding is occurring due to problems in supply lines.' 'This problem will be resolved soon,' Hanif expressed hope. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Dhaka University (DU), the country's highest echelon of academic excellence, have chalked out elaborate programmes to celebrate its 104th founding anniversary with the theme 'Higher Education for Skill Development of Young Generation'. DU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. ASM Maksud Kamal will officially inaugurate the day-long programme as the chief guest at Payra Chattar in front of the university's Teacher-Student Center at 10 am on July 1, said a press release. Marking the day, teachers, students, officers and employees of the university, led by the VC Maksud Kamal, will gather at Smriti Chirantan Chatwar with a procession at 9.30 am on that day. Later, they will march to Payra Chatwar in front of the Student-Teacher Center with a colorful procession. The inaugural ceremony will begin at 10am by hoisting of national, DU and hall flags, releasing of pigeons and balloons and cutting of cake on the premises of Payra Chattar at Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) on the campus. After the inauguration ceremony at 10 .30 am, a discussion session will be held in the TSC Auditorium on the theme which will be addressed by the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury as chief guest. Presided over by the DU VC Dr ASM Maksud Kamal, the discussion will also be addressed by DU Pro-VC (Administration) Professor Dr Mohammad Samad, Pro-VC (Academic) Prof. Dr. Sitesh Chandra Bachar and Treasurer Professor Momtaj Uddin Ahmed, among others. Senate and syndicate members of the university, deans of various faculties, provosts of various halls, chairpersons of departments along with teachers-students, alumni and officers-employees will participate in the discussion meeting. At the beginning of the discussion meeting, the cover of the 2nd volume of the book titled 'Smaranika' and 'Dhaka University, History and Heritage' will be unveiled. On this day, the road from Nilkhet to Fuller Road area will be restricted for vehicular movement from 9:30 am to 10:30 am and thus, all are requested to use alternative roads. On the oc casion of the celebration, no classes will be held from 8.00 am to 1.00 pm on that day, but the examinations will be held as usual. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Two brothers were killed as a sand-laden truck hit their motorcycle in front of Sumatra Filling LPG Station on Kalshi Road in city's Mirpur cantonment thana area around midnight on Thursday. The deceased were identified as Sifatur Rahman Safin alias Rahul, 22 and his younger brother Rafi, 16. Bachchu Miah, officer-in-charge (OC) of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) police outpost, confirmed the matter today saying that Both were sons of Zahirul Islam Ponir, a resident of Baunia Badh area of Mirpur. Sub-Inspector (SI) Tajul Islam of Cantonment Police Station said that they were heading towards Kalshi area from ECB Chattar and suddenly a truck hit the motorcycle, leaving them critically injured. They were rushed to Kurmitola General Hospital and subsequently transferred them to DMCH, he said, adding that Rahul was declared dead around 3.30 am while Rafi succumbed to his injuries around 8:30am today, he said. The bodies were handed over to the family, he said. The driver fled the spot with the tru ck, he said, adding that legal action was taken in this regard. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader today urged the country's young generation to come forward to resisting all evil forces. He made the call while inaugurating a colourful cycle rally, marking the 75th founding anniversary of the AL, and the "Cycling for Health" campaign. Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Md Atiqul Islam organised the campaign at Manik Mia Avenue in the capital. Quader, the road transport and bridges minister, formally inaugurated the rally and campaign. Speaking on the occasion, he said India is a tested friend of Bangladesh. Claiming that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina does everything for the greater interest of the country, he said the premier does not get involved in friendship with any country ignoring the country's interest. The AL general secretary said the AL has no master abroad but BNP has its mater. "We have friends abroad. India is our tested friend of 1971. You (BNP leaders) do not hold the spirit of the independence in hearts. So, you do no t bear the spirit of the 1971 too," he added. Calling upon the young generation to join the AL, Quader said the Awami League is such an organisation which led the independence struggle of the country. All the achievements and development were taken place in the country under the AL's leadership, while the struggle for economic emancipation continues under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he said. "We will fulfill the promise of employment for youth that we made in our election manifesto. The Awami League will bring the youth of the country to the path of light," the road transport minister said. The cycle rally started from the avenue with participation of around 1,500 cyclists and ended at Dhanmondi 32 after parading several streets. Later, they paid tribute at the mausoleum of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman there. At the inaugural event, DNCC mayor Atiqul Islam said there was no alternative to cycling for a healthy body. He hoped to make separate lanes for cycling under the DNCC area and continuing the rally in the future. Textiles and Jute Minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak, AL Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Office Secretary Biplob Barua, Deputy Office Secretary Sayem Khan, President of the Dhaka City AL Bazlur Rahman and DNCC councillors, among others, were present at the ceremony. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Russia, as a major power, remains an important pillar of the United Nations' work, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in an interview with TASS First Deputy Director General Mikhail Gusman. "The Soviet Union and Russia were absolutely essential for the United Nations to be formed. And they are a fundamental pillar of the work of the UN. Of course, it's a big country; it's a big power," the UN secretary-general said. He also said problems that problems in the UN "normally come from big powers." "Which means that it is very important to keep a very open frank dialogue, and to have a relationship that is always aiming at solving our problems instead of aggravating them," the UN chief said. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha