Category: General

Mohammed Monirul Moula, Managing Director and CEO of the bank addressed the program as chief guest while, Muhammad Qaisar Ali, Additional Managing Director of the bank addressed the conference as special guest.

J.Q.M. Habibullah, FCS, Deputy Managing Director, Md. Altaf Hossain, Abul Faiz Muhammad Kamaluddin & Abu Naser Mohammed Nazmul Bari, Senior Executive Vice Presidents, Miftah Uddin, Executive Vice President and Khaled Mahmud Raihan, Senior Vice President of the bank also addressed the conference.

The meeting attended by the head of branches and officials under Bogura Zone was presided over by Md. Abdus Sobhan, head of Bogura Zone.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Public transport services resumed in Bangladesh on Thursday, with the government easing the lockdown curbs for a week ahead of the Muslim festival of Eid-ul-Azha.

A reality check by UNB in Dhaka revealed that several buses left their depots in the morning and were plying on several busy stretches of the national capital — Mirpur Road, Uttara, Banani, New Market and Mohakhali areas to name a few.

Buses — both intra-city and inter-district — were, however, seen carrying passengers with 50 percent of their seating capacity. But such was the morning rush that several areas of the city witnessed traffic snarls, giving commuters a harrowing time on the roads.

Abu Raihan Mohammad Saleh, joint commissioner (traffic north) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said, “Due to the strict lockdown, many people couldn’t step out of their houses. As soon as the lockdown restrictions were eased, people took full advantage of the same.”

“However, police and other law enforcement agencies are keeping a strict vigil on the roads to ensure strict adherence to all Covid-safety protocols,” he added.

A number of inter-district buses entering and exiting the city also contributed to the traffic jams.

Traffic Inspector Akter Hossain said, “A huge pressure of vehicles has been seen since morning as all vehicles have started plying on the roads.”

Besides, train and launch services also resumed operations across the country, keeping 50 percent of the seats empty, apparently to facilitate the movement of people ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.

On July 12, Railways Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujon said that the train tickets will be available online only to avoid any rush at the counters.

On June 22, authorities suspended the movement of all passenger vessels in Narayanganj, Gazipur, Munshiganj, Manikganj, Madaripur, Rajbari and Gopalganj to curb the spread of Covid in these districts.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) announced its decision to suspend the movement of launches, speed boats and trawlers on June 21, following the Cabinet Division’s circular on the imposition of lockdown in these seven districts.

However, the restrictions won’t apply on the movement of cargo vessels and emergency services. And legal action will be taken against violators, according to the BIWTA notification.

On July 13, the Bangladesh government decided to ease all lockdown restrictions in the country for eight days ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.

In a notification on Tuesday morning, the Cabinet Division said that the lockdown restrictions would be lifted from July 14 midnight to the morning of July 23.

However, strict restrictions will resume from July 23 and will continue till August 5, as per the order.

A record rise in the number of Covid cases and fatalities in recent days prompted the government to enforce a nationwide stringent lockdown.

All modes of public transport, including road, river, rail and air, remained suspended during the lockdown.

Covid-19 situation

Still in the middle of Covid-19 crisis, Bangladesh lost 210 more lives to the deadly virus, while another 12,383 people contracted it in 24 hours till Wednesday morning.

The new numbers took the country’s death tally to 17,052 and the caseload to 10,59,538, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).

The fresh cases were detected after testing 42,490 samples during the period, bringing down the case positivity rate slightly to 29.14% from Tuesday’s 29.21%.

However, the case fatality rate remained unchanged at 1.61% during the 24-hour period.

The country saw a record number of 13,768 Covid cases on Monday and the highest-ever 230 deaths on Sunday.

So far, 897,412 people have recovered from Covid, taking the country’s recovery rate to 84.70%, which is on the decline compared to other indicators.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Renowned Indian filmmaker Anurag Kashyap praised the much-talked-about Bangladeshi film ‘Rehana Maryam Noor’ in the first show at the 74th Cannes Film Festival, after watching the film at its premiere.

In a recent chat with the film’s producer Jeremy Chua and actress Azmeri Haque Badhon, the ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’-famed popular filmmaker said, “‘Rehana Maryam Noor’ is one of the most powerful films that came out from our part of Asia. It’s been completely supreme and I saw the film.”

“What a wonderful job altogether – the acting, dialogues, the way the film was shot, the writing, the lighting design, music, direction – everything is great. My congratulations to Bangladesh for its entry to Cannes, the actress (Badhon), the producer, the director and everyone associated with the film,” Kashyap said.

Badhon posted some parts of Anurag Kashyap’s chat with the ‘Rehana Maryam Noor’ team on her social media handles, including the 20-25 minute chat where ‘Rehana Maryam Noor’ producer Jeremy Chua and executive producer Ehsanul Haque Babu were present, alongside Kashyap and herself.

Anurag Kashyap is a recipient of four Filmfare awards and widely regarded for some of his critical and commercial success in Bollywood including “No Smoking,” “Gangs of Wasseypur,” “Dev.D”, “Black Friday” and others.

Bangladesh’s maiden entry in the official selection at the Cannes film festival, ‘Rehana Maryam Noor’ is scripted, edited and directed by Abdullah Mohammad Saad. The story of this 1 hour and 48 minutes long film revolves around Rehana Maryam Noor, an assistant professor at a private medical college, played by Badhon.

Other cast members are Saberi Alam, Afia Zahin Zaima, Afia Tabassum Varna, Kazi Sami Hasan, Yasir Al Haq, Jopari Louis, Farzana Bithi, Jahed Chowdhury Mithu, Khushiyara Khushbu Oni and Abhradit Chowdhury.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock will supervise different activities including that of veterinary medical teams at cattle markets under the two city corporations in Dhaka.

The Ministry issued a circular in this regard on Thursday.

The Ministry has formed nine monitoring teams under nine Deputy Secretary level officials to monitor designated cattle markets under Dhaka North and South City Corporations.

Meanwhile four monitoring teams, 20 veterinary medical teams and one expert medical team of the Directorate of Livestock under the Ministry will work in these cattle markets, said the circular.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Countries across the globe are continuing to move towards a seamless and efficient trading environment, within and beyond national borders, by simplifying and digitalizing formalities in international trading, helping to sustain international trade despite the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a survey released by the United Nations regional commissions on Wednesday.

The United Nations Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation is produced biennially by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), the Economic Commission for Latin America and Caribbean (ECLAC), the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).

The Survey covers not only the trade facilitation measures in the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, but also digital trade facilitation measures associated with the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific, a UN treaty which entered into force earlier this year.

The Survey also pays closer attention to sectors and groups with special needs, such as the agricultural sector, small and medium enterprises and women traders.

A new module on trade facilitation during times of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic was integrated this year.

Many developing countries have made rapid progress in streamlining trade procedures, particularly in Asia and the Pacific.

The Survey, covering 143 countries, shows that the global average implementation rate of trade facilitation and paperless trade measures at 65 per cent.

Based on 128 common countries, it is an increase of 5 percentage points from an average of 61 per cent to 66 per cent in the last Survey in 2019.

In 2021, developed economies have the highest implementation rate (82 per cent), followed by countries in South-East and East Asia (75 per cent).

Pacific Islands have the lowest implementation rate (44 per cent).

In the Asia-Pacific region, implementation increased by nearly 6 percentage points since 2019, with most progress made in Pacific Island Developing Economies, although they have the lowest implementation rate of all subregions.

Many of the measures included in the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement have been largely implemented.

However, implementation of measures to achieve cross-border paperless trade remains much lower than that of others in large part because these measures – such as electronic exchange of customs declaration or certificate of origins across borders – require trust and closer collaboration among countries.

“Implementation of cross-border paperless trade remains a challenge everywhere, even though the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how useful it can be to exchange documents electronically to reduce physical contacts and the spread of the virus,” according to Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP.

“I encourage all leaders to take advantage of all available global and regional mechanisms to make progress, such as the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement and the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific.”

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said the Army Headquarters Selection Board-2021 needs to pick qualified people for promotion aiming to build a strong military.

“I believe that the selection board will select qualified people for promotion through wisdom and prudent analyses rising above the personal liking and disliking. You’ll have to find out the able leadership maintaining neutrality by remaining free from all influences,” Hasina said while addressing the meeting of the selection board.

The Prime Minister joined the meeting, held at Army Multipurpose Complex, virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban.

PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.

Hasina said she is happy to know that TRACE (Tabulated Record and Comparative Evaluation) Method is followed in the case of promotion of Army officers, which is a manifestation of a comparative assessment of various aspects of their professionalism.

“Right persons will have to be promoted for various important appointments such as command, staff and trainers. This will increase the acceptance to all,” she said.

The PM said the Awami League government always governs the country as the servant of people, never as a ruler. A disciplined and modern army plays a very helpful role in consolidating democracy, she said.

“That’s why its leadership must be entrusted to professional and responsible officers who are always ready for supreme sacrifices to protect the sovereignty [of the country], being imbued with the ideology of the great Liberation War,” she added.

“Discipline is the backbone of the Army. At the same time, it’s necessary to find honest, fair-minded, righteous, people-friendly and humane officers who are successful in various fields of their career,” she added.

Hasina said Bangladesh Army had started its progress due to the sincere efforts of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. In the continuation of the progress journey, the army has now become a highly professional, efficient and modern force due to intensive care from her government, she said.

“Our army has been working very efficiently in various development and public welfare activities, including containing the recent Corona pandemic, which is really commendable. Not only in the country, our Army has brought a rare honour and dignity to the country from the world stage,” she said.

Chief of Army Staff General S M Shafiuddin Ahmed delivered the welcome speech at the virtual function.

Assuming power in 1996, Hasina said her government have been taking initiatives to modernise the armed forces and established National Defence College (NDC) in 1996, Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) in 1998, Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operation Training (BIPSOT) and Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC).

In order to enhance the organisational capacity of the army, the government has added a significant number of units and institutions alongside three new formations in its organizational structure. In 2016, the government established Bangladesh Peace Building Center (HPC), she added.

Talking about the country’s economic progress, Hasina said the poverty rate was brought down to 20.5 percent while per capita income has been raised to US 2,227 dollars. The government brought 99 percent of people under electricity coverage, she said.

The six-day activities of the selection board started on Thursday in order to award promotion to Army officers.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Detectives detained four people on Thursday for selling oxygen cylinders at Pabna General Hospital premises spreading false information about oxygen crisis at the hospital.

Police also seized 14 oxygen cylinders from them.

The accused were identified as Masudur Rahman, 45, Kazi Akash, 25, Afzal Hossain, 25 and Jibon Hossain, 22, all hailing from the city’s Shalgaria area.

They were produced before a mobile court led by executive magistrate Mamun Sarker which sentenced them to 15-day imprisonment each.

Police Superintendent of Pabna Mohibul Islam Khan said drive will be conducted against those who will try to take advantage of the Covid-19 situation and spread propaganda about the government hospitals.

He said there is no oxygen crisis at the hospital and if needed patients can seek help from political and social organizations who supply oxygen cylinders for free to Covid-19 patients in the district.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Locals on Thursday found a dead dolphin floating in the Chandaria Canal at Boalkhali upazila of Chattogram.

Local resident Yusuf told UNB that they first saw the dolphin’s carcass floating in the canal at around 11 am and tried contacting the relevant authorities.

“ It is approximately about 7 feet long and probably found its way in the canal from Karnafuli river in search of safe haven or food,” he said.

The body of the dolphin has not been retrieved yet as of filing this report on 7:10 pm Thursday.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Nazmun Nahar confirmed the information.

“The body will be sent for postmortem after being recovered. The real cause of death can only be known after that,” she said.

Earlier on July 6, locals recovered a dead dolphin from Chandkhali Canal, a branch of the River Halda, at Hathazari upazila in Chattogram.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

We are all familiar with a one-off contest between the champions at the club level. However, international football does not have such a competition, with the exception of the confederations cup, which is contested every four years. A ‘Super Cup’ between the Copa America 2021 and UEFA EURO 2020 winners is now being proposed. If all goes according to plan, we may see a match between South America and European football champions later this year. The Maradona Super Cup would be the name of the trophy. The Prediction of the one-off tie between Argentina vs. Italy is discussed in this article.

Argentina vs. Italy: Who is favorite to win Maradona Super Cup?

Argentina and Italy are two of the world’s football superpowers. So, they always enter any competition as title contenders. Argentina have won 17 major trophies at the international level, including two World Cups (1978 and 1986). On the other side, Italy, have won six major trophies, including four World Cups (1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006).

Argentina and Italy have met each other 15 times in a head-to-head battle. Italy have won five times, Argentina have won four times, and four games have ended in a tie. Argentina haven’t lost a match against Italy since 1987.

They have met five times in the World Cup. Argentina won a match against Italy at the 1990 World Cup, while Italy have won two matches against Argentina. In their last meeting on March 23, 2018, Argentina defeated Italy 2-0 in a friendly match at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester.

Argentina have won the South American Championship for the first time in 28 years, beating Brazil 1-0 in the Copa America 2021 final. Argentina had previously won the Copa America in 1993. Argentina appeared in five finals despite failing to win a trophy in the previous three decades, including four Copa America (2004, 2007, 2015, and 2016) and the 2014 World Cup.

On the other side, Italy have won the European Championship for the second time after defeating England in a penalty shootout in the Euro 2020 final. Italy won its first European Championship in the year 1968. Aside from that, the Italian national team were having a difficult time following their 2006 World Cup victory. They have gained a lot of confidence after winning a major tournament for the first time in 15 years.

Given the overall strength of the two squads, Italy will edge over Argentina. Because Italy have some of the best footballers in the world while Argentine have a fantastic team understanding. Led by Messi, the relatively less talented Argentina team is capable of flourishing against any opponent.

Because the Maradona Super Cup will be a one-off affair, the side that can perform at its best on any given day will be crowned champion. The ideal playing XI for both teams if the match is held in the near future.

Probable Starting XI (Argentina)

Emiliano Martinez (GK), Molina, Pezzella, Tagilafico, Romero, Rodríguez, Paredes, Di María, Gómez, Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez

Probable Starting XI (Italy)

Donnarumma (GK), Di Lorenzo, Spinazzola, Chiellini, Bonucci, Jorginho, Barella, Verratti, Chiesa, Insigne, Immobile

Verdict

In honor of the late football legend Diego Armando Maradona, the proposed Maradona Super Cup between Argentina and Italy will most likely be held in the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Naples. The associations of European Football and South American Football are already in talks to arrange a date for the showdown between the Copa America 2021 and UEFA EURO 2020 champions. Italy will be a strong candidate to win the one-off contest as they have a more balanced squad than Argentina. However, Lionel Messi’s Argentina will do everything to win the tie as a homage to Diego Maradona. It will definitely be a fascinating contest.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Nineteen more Covid patients have died at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) in the last 24 hours, health officials said on Thursday .

Of the deceased, five were confirmed Covid patients, while14 others had symptoms of the virus, said hospital director Brigadier General Shamim Yazdani.

Six of the patients were from Rajshahi district, three from Chapainawabganj, two each from Natore and Naogaon and six from Pabna districts.

Some 267 people died of Covid-19 at the corona unit of RMCH from July 1 to July 14.

Besides, 56 more new patients have been admitted to the hospital with Covid symptoms in the past 24 hours. Currently, 507 patients are undergoing treatment at the 454-bed hospital.

RMCH has been one of the most stretched hospitals in the country during the second wave of Covid-19, particularly since the latter part of May when the deadly Delta variant of the virus was identified in multiple samples in Rajshahi division.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Android is the unbeatable, most popular operating system for smartphones. It is currently running on more than 3 billion mobile phones all around the world. On June 9 of this year, Google introduced the second Beta version of the imminent latest update Android 12. This new update seems to bring some major changes in the overall Android features. This article will elaborate on some of the crucial changes the world is going to observe in Android 12. Let’s get started.

What is Android 12?

Android 12 is the name of the 12th major release of the Android smartphone operating system. Including all the beta versions released, the Android 12 will be the 19th version of the operating system.

It is developed by the Open Handset Alliance, which is a pack of around 84 companies to determine the open standards for smartphones. HTC, Qualcomm, Dell, and Intel are a few of the major names among the alliance members. Google has led the alliance in developing the Android 12.

On February 18, 2021, the Google team announced the upcoming Android update releasing the first developer preview. After delivering two more developer reviews on March 17, and April 21, Google gave away the first Beta version on May 18. Afterward, a second Beta version came out on June 9 to let the world taste a share of the final Android 12 release.

Rumors about Android 12

The hype and sensation created by both Beta version releases are incomparable to that of any other Android update. Peoples’ hope and expectation have given birth to loads of rumors about the features that might be in the Android 12. Here are some of them:

Scrolling Screenshot

Typical screenshot feature will only let people capture what is on one screen. But with the scrolling screenshot feature enabled, they can also capture the extended part of a page or document by scrolling it.

Internal Name

Though google left that trend for naming official Android versions by a dessert. But they still follow the trend internally to use as a code name. It is a rumor that the internal code name for Android 12 will be “snowcone.”

App Pairs

This feature will let users open and run two different apps simultaneously via an Edge panel.

Network Restriction

Android 12 can have a more controlled management system for network distribution. Users can set which apps can connect with the internet and which can’t.

Authentic Key Features of Android 12

In Beta versions, Google has confirmed some of the features that will surely come to light with the Android 12 final version. From the user interface, design to privacy options, there is a dramatic overhaul to take place in the world of the Android operating system. Let’s deep dive into some of the greatest features in Android 12.

Visual Modifications

Google has announced that the greatest change in Android 12 will be around its visual properties. According to the company, the visual aspect of the Android will be changed as it has never been done before.

It will have a new color extraction system that can lift the different design elements from the installed wallpaper. When a user sets a new wallpaper, the entire color of the theme and overall system will change based on the dominating color of the wallpaper. It will give a unique vibe to every user’s phone.

Clock on the Lock Screen

One of the first things every user will notice is the change in the lock screen clock of his Android phone. It will be a digital clock and much bigger than the typical one. It will be placed at the center of the total screen.

Notifications

Some design modifications have also been introduced to the notifications. The window for the notifications has a major change in its style. Notifications will be shown in groups for each app. Also, notifications from non-conversational apps will be shown in a different group. There will also be a convenient snooze option for notifications.

PIN Code Keypad

You will get a freshly designed keypad for imputing PIN code when swiping the screen for unlocking the phone. It will look more minimal, and the buttons are rounded, a bit large with pastel shades. It is assumed that the dialer of the original final version will follow the same design.

Quick Setting

The drop-down menu that appears from the top and shows quick settings, notifications won’t have those round toggle buttons anymore. There will be round cornered large rectangle controls instead.

Change in Setting Menu

The primary setting list has also gone through massive tweaks, and mostly, the design and navigation have been simplified. Icons and labels are larger now. Google has removed the extra subheading list of features in the quick setting menu. Additionally, when users reach the bottom or top, they will get a slight bouncy animation.

Privacy Dashboard

It is considered one of the major and best changes in Android 12. The Privacy Dashboard will allow users to see the apps that are using different permissions. This feature lets users know which permissions are being accessed by the apps. Furthermore, they will also provide their approximate locations instead of the exact. Some quick toggle buttons have been introduced to control the access of location, camera, and mic.

Media Player

The media control widget that comes down with the drop-down menu while playing music in the background has been enlarged. Now it spans, covering most of the width. The layout of the widget is also adjusted as it is now more centered. While playing music, by tapping a small icon at the corner of the widget, users can bring up a new playback popup window. It will let users quickly rock the volume and pair a new Bluetooth speaker.

Afterpiece

Apart from these features, there are still many features uncovered, as we have discussed only some of the major ones here. The upcoming Android 12 will change how people use their android phones in many ways. However, Google has emphasized more on the design and the privacy functions. Users are hoping that the company will be able to shed all the complaints against it about its less privacy concern with the release of Android 12.

Source: United News of Bangladesh

Australia came back strong in the fourth match of the T20I series against the Windies after losing the series with two games to spare on Monday. The Windies are 3-1 up in the series, with the fifth match scheduled for Friday (July 16). It was a great match between these two teams, with Australia winning by just four runs. Mitchell Marsh had an exceptional outing in this match. He received the player of the match award for his all-round display, which helped Australia to victory. The fourth match report of the WI vs. AUS 2021 T20I series is discussed in this article.

The Fourth Match Report: WI vs. AUS 2021 T20 Series

Australia were desperate to win this match or risk losing the Twenty20 series to the Windies 5-0 for the first time in their cricket history. This would have been humiliating for a big team like Australia.

Thankfully for Australia, all-rounder Mitchell Marsh rose to the occasion, contributing both with the bat and the ball. It was his all-around effort that proved to be the most crucial in the game. Australia eventually won the match by 4 runs.

Australia elected to bat first after winning the toss in the fourth game of the series against the Windies at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in Gros Islet, St Lucia. Matthew Wade returned to the pavilion in the second over after scoring only 5 runs.

Mitchell Marsh walked in to bat after his departure and put on a 114-run stand with skipper Aaron Finch for the second wicket.

The Marsh-Finch duo was aggressive from the start, bringing the total to 126 in the 12th over. Finch was dismissed after a 53-run innings, while Marsh remained at the crease until the 18th over before succumbing to Fabien Allen. Australia scored 189/6 thanks to Mitchell Marsh’s 75 from 44 balls. For the Windies, Hayden Walsh took three wickets.

The Marsh-Finch duo was aggressive from the start, bringing the total to 126 in the 12th over. Finch was dismissed after a 53-run innings, while Marsh remained at the crease until the 18th over before succumbing to Fabien Allen. Australia scored 189/6 thanks to Mitchell Marsh’s 75 from 44 balls. For the Windies, Hayden Walsh took three wickets.

The Windies got off to a flying start while chasing the target. Openers, Lendl Simmons and Evin Lewis smashed 62 runs in 29 balls. Though after the departure of Evin Lewis (31) in the fifth over, things started to turn in Australia’s favor.

The West Indies lost two more key wickets within the following five overs, including Chris Gayle and Andre Fletcher. Meanwhile, Lendl Simmons stood firm and was determined to lead the Windies to victory. However, he failed to remain at the crease till the end. Simmons fell to Mitchell Marsh in the 16th over after a gutsy 72 off 48 balls knock. Marsh had made a crucial breakthrough at the right time.

After he left, everyone assumed Australia would comfortably win the match. Though, the match still had a few twists and turns left in it. Andre Russell and Fabien Allen came alive in the death overs and pushed the Windies close to the target. However, they ended up scoring 185/6, 5 runs short of victory. Australia’s best player of the match, Mitchell Marsh took the most three wickets in the innings.

Source: United News of Bangladesh