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(8699, 8699, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>In the ever-shifting fashion sphere, where trends wax and wane with the changing seasons, one particular change has caught the eye of experts of late: a gradual decline in popularity of high heels. When was the last time you spotted a teetering stiletto?</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Once synonymous with elegance and sophistication, the towering symbols of “femininity” have been making a quiet exit from the limelight, replaced by a new wave of comfort-driven options.</div><div><br></div><div>Could the pandemic hold the masterstroke that led to high heels’ demise? The altered course of our lives undoubtedly played a role in the downturn of the striking style.</div><div><br></div><div>Before the world stood still, high heels reigned supreme. These marvels of design not only elevated one’s stature but also evoked a sense of elegance that transcended mere clothing. High heels were billed as not just footwear but a gateway to confidence, allure, and a dash of untamed glamor.</div><div><br></div><div>“High heels alter body posture and create a distinctive walking style which can affect the way individuals carry themselves, promoting a more upright posture and enhancing perceived attractiveness and admiration from others,” Dr Carolyn Mair, cognitive psychologist and fashion business consultant, author of The Psychology of Fashion told CNN over email. ”This can contribute to feelings of confidence and a sense of being noticed and appreciated as feminine, glamorous, or professional.”</div><div><br></div><div>New priorities for a new way of life</div><div>Yet, when the pandemic tightened hit, high heels receded from their prominent perch. Interest took a noticeable dip: sales of high heels dropped by 65% year-over-year during the second quarter of 2020, according to data from market research firm NPD Group. The culprit? A seismic shift in priorities induced by a new way of living. The siren song of comfort and practicality drowned out high heels’ allure.</div><div><br></div><div>A surge in remote work blurred boundaries between business and leisurewear; grand events shrank in number, replaced by the ascendancy of the athleisure trend.</div><div><br></div><div>“As a result of the pandemic, many of us prioritized wellbeing, comfort and practicality,” Mair told CNN. “The reduced opportunities to socialize and attend formal or dressy occasions and the widespread adoption of remote work led to the shift towards more casual attire.”</div><div><br></div><div>The question remains though. Did the pandemic really cause such a monumental change in high heels’ popularity or is the decline part of a larger trend?</div><div>“As society moves towards more egalitarian ideals, there is a rejection of rigidly defined femininity that associates high heels with the primary marker of femininity,” Mair told CNN. “This shift encourages us to embrace individuality, a broader range of expressions, and reject footwear that may limit mobility and comfort.”</div><div><br></div><div>Enter: The new vanguard of footwear — a fusion of style and comfort that didn’t compromise on either. The ubiquitous presence of sneakers, loafers, and block-heeled shoes has reshaped the landscape of women’s footwear choices.</div><div><br></div><div>Reflecting a new modernity</div><div>This is reflected in the rise in popularity of various “it” styles in recent years. Designer collaborations with Valentino, Proenza Schouler, and Rick Owens breathed new life into Birkenstock’s classic Arizona sandal — the style became a go-to for comfort over the pandemic, with searches increasing by 225% during the second quarter of 2020 according to Lyst. In 2023, searches for “chunky sneakers” and “black ballet flats” have increased by 70% and 71% respectively according to fashion industry analyst Madé Lapuerta of Data, But Make It Fashion.</div><div><br></div><div>Post-pandemic then, the appetite for high heels had not fully rebounded. Despite the gradual return to normalcy, and search interest increasing by 177% compared to 2020 in the third quarter of 2021 (according to global fashion shopping platform Lyst), searches for the style generally remained notably lower than pre-pandemic levels, drive instead leaned towards the comfort of lower heels and block heels.</div><div><br></div><div>“The popularity of heels remained robust during and after the lockdown period with heels remaining one of the strongest categories,” a spokesperson for Christian Louboutin told CNN over email. “The pandemic did however prompt an appetite for a large range of heeled styles reflecting the change in lifestyle and trends, these included platforms, low and block heels.”</div><div><br></div><div>Elsewhere, sales of flats and sneakers are flying. Adidas’ Gazelle sports shoe has increased 143% in popularity so far in 2023, and four in 10 of The Lyst Index’s most popular products for Q2 2023 (and 100% of the footwear products) were flat shoes — Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 sneakers, New Balance Aime Leon Dore sneakers, Alaïa fishnet flats and The Row City Flip Flops.</div><div><br></div><div>The flat theme was ever-present on the Fall/Winter 2023 catwalks, too; pointed ballet pumps reigned at Prada and Balmain, Miu Miu and Loewe took loafers to the next level, and Burberry and Valentino streamlined sleek boots for the cooler months.</div><div><br></div><div>As we bid a temporary adieu to high heels, questions linger about their future trajectory. Will they stage a triumphant return, reaffirming their position as the epitome of allure?</div><div><br></div><div>“High heels are likely to remain a popular choice for special occasions such as parties and weddings,” says Mair.</div><div><br></div><div>However, she adds, “the evolving societal perception of beauty and femininity has encouraged a broader acceptance of diverse body types, prioritized comfort and practicality, promoted self-expression and individuality, and challenged traditional gender norms.”</div><div><br></div><div>Without a doubt the pandemic rewrote the rules of fashion, ushering in an era where comfort seamlessly intertwines with elegance, but only time will illuminate the future path of high heels. For now, the style is no longer seen as an essential marker of femininity.</div><div><br></div><div>As Greta Gerwig’s Barbie put it upon discovering her feet had become flat rather than artificially arched: “I would never wear heels if my feet were shaped like this.” - CNN</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', '<p>high heels<br></p>', 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-25 00:00:25', '2023-08-25 00:00:25'),
(8700, 8700, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Shakib Al Hasan finally joined the practice session and met all of his teammates for the first time at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium here today after being appointed as Bangladesh\'s ODI format captain.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>He returned home on Monday after playing the Canada Global T20 tournament and Lankan Premier League (LPL) but the last two days were hectic for him as he was busy with some promotional activities and shooting for TVC.</div><div><br></div><div>Upon his return to the practice session, he held a special meeting with the coaching staff and players. A BCB official said, in the meeting some special message was given like how they want to play against different opposition.</div><div>The cricketers performance in the practice session was also reviewed in the meeting after watching their videos. The information was collected through the GPS kit which was attached with players during their training.</div><div><br></div><div>This was the first time that Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) introduced GPS technology Tigers practice session.</div><div><br></div><div>The technology provided all kinds of information and the workload management of the cricketers like exactly how far a cricketer had run during practice, or what his heart rate was, even how many steps he had walked...all were transferred via GPS-technology to a laptop in the dressing room.</div><div><br></div><div>Officials said the information was as accurate as they expected. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-25 01:02:39', '2023-08-25 01:02:39'),
(8701, 8701, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Train communications with Khulna was restored on Thursday morning after seven hours following the derailment of a freight train at Basundia Singiai in Sadar upazila of Jashore district.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Sub-inspector Mizanur Rahman, in-charge of Jashore Railway Police Station, said two bogies of a Natore-bound freight train from Khulna veered off the tracks around 4 am, halting train communication.</div><div><br></div><div>A relief train rushed to the spot and conducted a salvage operation.</div><div><br></div><div>Chitra Express train from Dhaka was stranded at Jashore Railway Station following the derailment.</div><div><br></div><div>Rail link with Khulna was resumed around 11:10 am after a rescue train removed the bogies from the tracks. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-25 01:47:39', '2023-08-25 01:47:39'),
(8702, 8702, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday called for creating an enabling environment for women and girls to become agents of change in the Global South and urged all to join hands to achieve SDG 5.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“In the Global South, we must create an enabling environment for our women and girls to become agents of change. We should all join hands to achieve SDG 5,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister said this while addressing a luncheon at Sandton Convention Centre here.</div><div><br></div><div>The current chair of the BRICS hosted the lunch in honour of the heads of the states and governments attending the 15th BRICS Summit at Johannesburg, South Africa.</div><div><br></div><div>Hasina also placed five pressing issues to draw attention from the BRICS member countries and others.</div><div><br></div><div>These are:</div><div>“First, we must mitigate the adverse effects of the ongoing food, energy, and financial crises on the nutrition, health, and safety of our women and girls.”</div><div><br></div><div>Second, she said, make added efforts to keep girls in schools, secure them from cybercrimes, and reduce the growing digital divide many of them face.</div><div><br></div><div>“Third, expand scope for women’s gainful employment, decent work, wage equality, and financial inclusion.”</div><div><br></div><div>“Fourth, she said take a deeper look at women’s need for protection and resilience due to aggravating climate impacts, and</div><div><br></div><div>Fifth, promote a level playing field for women to have an active and sustained political career.”</div><div><br></div><div>The PM said that Bangladesh’s Constitution guarantees equal rights for women.</div><div><br></div><div>She mentioned Article 28(2) of the Constitution that says: Women shall have equal rights with men in all spheres of the state and of public life.</div><div><br></div><div>“We have a unique case in our National Parliament where our Speaker, Leader of the House, Leader of the Opposition, and Deputy Leader of the House all happen to be women,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>She mentioned that the Awami League government has opened the doors for women to become judges of the highest court, higher positions in civil administration, armed forces, law enforcing agencies, vice chancellors of public universities, and so on.</div><div><br></div><div>“An increasing number of women are getting engaged in politics, as 30 percent of seats have been preserved for women in the national parliament and local government bodies,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Sheikh Hasina said that she thinks education and employment are two key elements that can empower women.</div><div><br></div><div>“So, greater emphasis has been laid on female education,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>In this regard, she stated that the girls’ education up to 12th grade has been made free. Enrollment at the pre-primary and primary levels rose to 99 percent.</div><div><br></div><div>She said the female-male school enrolment ratio rose to 53:47.</div><div><br></div><div>She also said that about 25 million students have been brought under various stipend and scholarship programmes while stipend money reaches the mothers or legitimate guardians directly through their mobile phones.</div><div><br></div><div>Free books have been distributed among students up to the secondary level since 2010. The increasing rate of female education has significantly lowered the rate of child marriage, she added.</div><div><br></div><div>In primary education, she said, 60 percent of teacher posts have been earmarked for females. Until recently, a 10 percent quota was reserved for females in government jobs.</div><div><br></div><div>She said women also make up the backbone of our export-oriented readymade garments industry, with 2.5 million women directly working in the sector.</div><div><br></div><div>She mentioned that women are also doing well in business and the government offers loans, training, and market access for women in micro, small, and medium enterprises.</div><div><br></div><div>“Many of our rural women now work as IT freelancers or as partners in local digital centers,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister said that social safety net programmes of the government cover the most vulnerable women, including those with disabilities.</div><div><br></div><div>“I have made arrangements for joint ownership of homes by husband and wife under my free housing project, Ashrayan,” she stated.</div><div><br></div><div>Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and Prime Minister\'s Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman were also present among others.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-25 01:51:55', '2023-08-25 01:51:55'),
(8703, 8703, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq on Thursday said that BNP-Jamaat will make the country deserted if Sheikh Hasina is not voted to win the next general election.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“Conspiracy to turn Bangladesh into a failed state and erase Bangabandhu from the history of Bangladesh forever is still going on. To stop this conspiracy, the people\'s leader Sheikh Hasina must win in the next parliamentary election,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The minister said this while addressing a roundtable discussion titled \"August Tragedy: National and International Politics\" as the chief guest organised by Sampriti Bangladesh at CIRDAP auditorium in the capital.</div><div><br></div><div>He said BNP founder Ziaur Rahman not only spared the culprits involved in the brutal killings of August 15, 1975 and November 13, 1975 under trial he had given them jobs in Bangladesh’s embassies abroad as a reward.</div><div><br></div><div>The minister said Ziaur Rahman formed a government with Razakar, Al-Badr where Shah Azizur Rahman was made prime minister, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>At that time, the law minister announced that a high-level commission will be formed to reveal the identity of Bangabandhu\'s killers and conspirators.</div><div><br></div><div>“A draft law to set up the commission has been prepared. We will leave the commission to the people studying history, researching history and establishing the truth,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>“Bangabandhu\'s murder trial was held and the verdict of this trial has been implemented only because Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been running the government for the last 15 years,” he said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Presided over by Pijush Bandyopadhyay, convener of Sampriti Bangladesh and moderated by Member Secretary Dr Mamun Al Mahtab Swapnil, the function was also addressed by former Appellate Division Judge Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and political and security analyst Major General (retd) Mohammad Ali Sikder and many others. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-25 02:33:08', '2023-08-25 02:33:08'),
(8704, 8704, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The government has taken a decision to provide export incentives or cash assistance to 43 products in the current fiscal year 2023-24.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh Bank (BB) today issued a circular in this regard.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>According to the circular, exporters will receive cash incentives at the rate of one percent to 20 percent as they received in the past financial year.</div><div>Like the previous fiscal year, the export incentive applications will continue to undergo auditing by firms approved by the Bangladesh Bank and selected by the respective banks.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>However, if expediting the audit process requires the appointment of additional firms, a formal application must be submitted to the central bank. This application should outline the required number of audit firms, along with the justification and essential details for the decision. According to BSS reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-25 02:51:27', '2023-08-25 02:51:27'),
(8705, 8705, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The 69th National Film Awards were announced at a press conference in New Delhi today. The winners list was fairly Hindi film-heavy with RRR also featuring prominently. </b></span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><br></span></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Alia Bhatt and Kriti Sanon share the Best Actress award for their performances in Gangubai Kathiawadi and Mimi. Allu Arjun was named Best Actor for the blockbuster Pushpa: The Rise. It is the first National Award for all three actors.&nbsp;</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Rocketry: The Nambi Effect was awarded Best Film. Kriti\'s Mimi co-star Pankaj Tripathi won Best Supporting Actor and Pallavi Joshi won Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Kashmir Files which also won Best Film on National Integration. Both Pankaj Tripathi and Pallavi Joshi have won special awards before.</div><div><br></div><div>RRR won a slew of awards including Best Popular Film. It shared the Best Music prize and Kaala Bhairava won Best Male Playback Singer for Naatu Naatu; Shreya Ghoshal won Best Female Playback Singer. Gangubai Kathiawadi and Sardar Udham, which was named Best Hindi Film, also won several awards - Gangubai Kathiawadi won Best Screenplay, among other honours. Shershaah received a Special Jury award.</div><div><br></div><div>The feature film awardees were announced by jury head filmmaker Ketan Mehta.</div><div><br></div><div>The Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India\'s highest film honour, will be announced later.</div><div><br></div><div>The National Awards will be handed out by President Droupadi Murmu in a ceremony later in the year. Last year\'s winners included Suriya and Ajay Devgn who shared the Best Actor prize for their roles in Soorarai Pottru and Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior. Suriya\'s co-star Aparna Balamurali. Source: NDTV</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-25 03:02:02', '2023-08-25 03:02:02'),
(8706, 8706, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken has said the United States remains committed to advancing justice and accountability for all the people of Myanmar.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a statement marking the sixth anniversary of \"Genocide\" against Rohingya, he said the US will continue to stand in solidarity with the people of Myanmar in their aspirations for a \"democratic, inclusive, and peaceful\" future.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On August 25, the sixth anniversary of genocide against Rohingya, the United States said they stand with the victims and survivors.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Blinken reaffirmed their commitment to pursue justice and accountability for the atrocities committed by the Myanmar military.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We are deeply grateful to the Government and the people of Bangladesh for giving shelter and refuge to nearly one million Rohingya, as well as other countries in the region hosting Rohingya refugees,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The United States has provided over $2.1 billion to assist those affected by the crisis in Myanmar, Bangladesh, and elsewhere in the region since 2017, remaining the leading single largest donor of life-saving humanitarian assistance to those whose lives have been upended by the violence.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The escalation of violence throughout the country has exacerbated the dire humanitarian situation, particularly for members of ethnic and religious minority communities, including Rohingya.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Since December 2017, the United States has imposed sanctions and visa restrictions on individuals and entities most responsible for the ongoing violence, according to US Department of State. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-25 16:21:15', '2023-08-25 16:21:15'),
(8707, 8707, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">At least seven people were killed and four others were injured in a head-on collision between a sand-laden truck and a microbus in Narsingdi’s Shibpur upazila, police said on Friday.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The accident occurred at Itakhola area of the upazila at around 3:00am on Friday, said Itakhola Highway police outpost in-charge Inspector Md Kabir Hossain.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The deceased were identified as Sabuj Mia (30) of Tangail, Al Amin (32) of Tangail, Amin Mia (35) of Madaripur, Awal (38) of Madaripur, Aryan (29) of Barisal, Raju Ahmed (31) of Jamalpur and microbus driver Nasir Mia (32) of Savar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">All of them are employees of a garment factory in Savar area.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Inspector Kabir said the Sylhet-bound microbus collided head-on with a sand-laden truck coming from the opposite direction on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Five people were killed on the spot as a result of the clashes. Later, one person died while being taken to Narsingdi Sadar Hospital and another died after being admitted to the hospital.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The injured were initially taken to Narsingdi Sadar Hospital and later transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) for better treatment, said Inspector Kabir. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-25 17:14:58', '2023-08-25 17:14:58'),
(8708, 8708, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has warned the people against bringing the looters to state power.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Don\'t leave the country to the grips of looters. If that happens the country will be destroyed,” she said while addressing a civic reception accorded to her by Bangladeshi expatriates in South Africa.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister has been on a visit to South Africa to attend the 15th BRICS summit.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She also urged all to make sure that country\'s journey towards development continues without any disruption.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In this connection, the Prime Minister, also Awami League president, sought votes for \"Boat\", her party\'s electoral symbol, in the next general election from Bangladeshi expatriates for the country\'s unhindered development.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We want cooperation from you all alongside seeking vote for the boat to continue the country\'s advancement towards prosperity,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The PM called upon the expatriate Bangladeshis to consider this so that the indomitable pace of the country\'s development is not hampered.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister said the people have got independence and a strong economy by voting the Awami League to power.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the other hand “they (BNP-Jamaat) were involved in looting, corruption and killing,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She mentioned that Awami League does politics for the welfare of the people, staying beside them in their bad times and changing their fortunes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“On the contrary the BNP-Jamaat clique is doing politics of burning people to death, making money through corruption, smuggling of firearms, money laundering, looting and destruction,” she added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister said that the government had already brought back some money which was siphoned off by two sons of BNP leader Khaleda Zia while the rest of the money was frozen.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I do not know from where they are getting money by which they have again started destruction by setting fire on police vehicles and passenger buses,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said that this time, the people of the country will not spare them if they do excesses.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Due to public resistance the BNP-Jamaat clique was compelled to stop arson terrorism from 2013-2015 in which 500 people were burnt to death , she added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister said Khaleda was sentenced due to embezzlement of the orphans’ money while her son Tarique Zia was convicted in the cases of August 21, 2004 grenade attack, 10-truck arms haul, and graft.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Tarique\'s wife was convicted in graft case too. The convicts are the top leaders of the BNP and they are doing politics keeping them in the forefront,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The people will not vote for them. The people will not vote for the BNP to come to power. The masses will not bring the arson terrorists in power again.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The PM said that the Awami League government has transformed Bangladesh into a digital one and has been working to make the country developed, prosperous and Smart Bangladesh by 2041.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She called upon the expatriate Bangladeshis to make investments in Bangladesh to join hands in making the country a developed one.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She urged the expatriates to send money to the country through banking channels. She also advised them not to go abroad for jobs with fake certificates which hampers both the job seekers and the government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The PM said the expatriates can do business in Bangladesh upon their return to home after taking a loan without any guarantee from the Expatriates\' Welfare Bank.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">South African Unit Awami League President Lutfor Rahman Rupok spoke at the function while its General Secretary Abdul Awal Tansen moderated it.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Prime Minister joined the reception from the Place of Residence, Hotel Radisson Blu Hotel Sandton through a video conference. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-25 17:17:23', '2023-08-25 17:17:23'),
(8709, 8709, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A scowling Donald Trump posed for a mug shot Thursday as he surrendered inside a jail in Atlanta on charges that he illegally schemed to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia, creating a historic and humbling visual underscoring the former president\'s escalating legal troubles.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The booking photo instantly becomes part of the former president\'s legacy as he confronts criminal charges in four American cities while seeking to reclaim the White House. His aides swiftly seized on the image, fundraising off the first mug shot in American history of a former president as representative of the unfair persecution they contend Trump is encountering. His opponents, meanwhile, are likely to use it to remind voters of dangers in electing a president facing dozens of felony charges.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Trump was released on $200,000 bond and headed back to the airport for his return flight home to New Jersey, flashing a thumbs-up through the window of his sport utility vehicle as his motorcade left. Unrepentant but subdued after the brief jail visit, he again insisted that he \"did nothing wrong\" and called the case accusing him of subverting election results a \"travesty of justice.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"If you challenge an election, you should be able to challenge an election,\" he told reporters on the airport tarmac.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Trump\'s surrender to law enforcement authorities, the fourth time this year, has by now become a familiar election-season routine in a way that belies the unprecedented spectacle of a former president, and current candidate, being booked on criminal charges. But his visit to Atlanta was notably different from the three past surrenders, unfolding at night and requiring him to visit a problem-plagued jail — rather than a courthouse.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And unlike in other cities that did not require him to pose for a mug shot, a booking photo of him was taken. It depicts Trump, wearing a navy suit and red tie, angrily scowling at the camera, his brows furrowed as he stares into the lens.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Before Trumps plane had crossed North Carolina, his campaign was already using the image to solicit contributions on a fundraising site. And for the first time since Jan. 8, 2021, he made a post on X, the website formerly known as Twitter, making a fundraising plea on the platform that prevented him from using his account after he helped spark the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"\"This mugshot will forever go down in history as a symbol of America\'s defiance of tyranny,\" said a Trump campaign fundraising email.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">His jail visit created a remarkable split-screen visual during a 2024 Republican primary contest in which he remains the leading candidate, coming one day after a debate in Milwaukee where eight of his leading rivals sought to exploit Trump\'s absence by standing out from the pack.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Trump landed in Atlanta shortly after 7 p.m. and was driven to jail for the booking process. He offered a wave and thumbs up as he descended the steps of his private plane.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He completed the process in a brisk 20 minutes, providing officials as is customary with his physical measurements: 6 foot 3 inches. 215 pounds. Blond or strawberry hair. And Trump, who for four years reveled in the title of \"Mr. President,\" was given the inmate number of P01135809.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Fulton County prosecution is the fourth criminal case against Trump since March, when he became the first former president in U.S. history to be indicted. Since then, he\'s faced federal charges in Florida and Washington, and this month he was indicted in Atlanta with 18 others — including his ex-chief of staff, Mark Meadows, and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani — under a racketeering statute normally associated with gang members and organized crime.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">District Attorney Fani Willis had given all of the defendants until Friday afternoon to turn themselves in at the main Fulton County jail.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Just ahead of his surrender, Trump hired a new lead attorney for the Georgia case.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prominent Atlanta criminal defense attorney Steve Sadow took the place of another high-profile criminal defense attorney, Drew Findling, who had represented Trump as recently as Monday when his bond terms were negotiated. But by Thursday Findling was no longer part of the team, according to a person with knowledge of the change who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sadow said in a statement that \"the president should never have been indicted. He is innocent of all the charges brought against him.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Trump has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. He said in a social media post this week that he was being prosecuted for what he described in capital letters as a \"perfect phone call\" in which he asked the Republican secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, to help him \"find 11,780 votes\" for him to overturn his loss in the state to Democrat Joe Biden.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Fulton County jail where Trump surrendered has long been a troubled facility. The Justice Department last month opened a civil rights investigation into conditions, citing filthy cells, violence and the death last year of a man whose body was found covered in insects in the main jail\'s psychiatric wing. Three people have died in Fulton County custody in the past month.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He did not spend much time there. His attorneys and prosecutors had already agreed to a $200,000 bond, plus conditions that include barring the former president from intimidating co-defendants, witnesses or victims in the case.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Charles Shaw, CEO of Foster Bail Bonds in metro Atlanta, said his company put up Trump\'s $200,000 bond. Shaw said Trump paid his company 10% — or $20,000 — which is customary for bail bondsmen to charge. Shaw said he doesn\'t know Trump, but that Trump\'s Atlanta defense attorneys have a close business relationship with his company.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Unlike in other jurisdictions, in Fulton County, arraignments — in which a defendant appears in court for the first time — generally happen after a defendant surrenders at the jail and completes the booking process, not on the same day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That means Trump may have to make another trip to Georgia in the coming weeks though the Fulton County Sheriff\'s Office has said some arraignments in the case may happen virtually if the judge permits. Or Trump\'s arraignment could be waived. AP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-25 18:13:40', '2023-08-25 18:13:40'),
(8710, 8710, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said Bangladesh has attached priority to enhance further the bilateral and trade relations with African nations.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She made the statement while holding bilateral meetings with heads of the state of four countries including three from Africa on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit here.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We want to boost the bilateral and trade relations with the African nations for mutual benefits,” She said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen briefed reporters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina also sought investments in various sectors from the countries for mutual benefits.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The bilateral meetings between Sheikh Hasina and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of Mozambique Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, President of Tanzania Dr Saima Sulluhu and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi were held at Sandton Convention Centre on Wednesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A meeting was also held between Bangladesh premier and President of the New Development Bank Dilma Vana Rousseff at the same venue.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During the meetings, The Foreign Minister said, the five dignitaries highly praised Bangladesh’s remarkable development under Sheikh Hasina’s prudent leadership.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva assured Bangladesh to give all sorts of cooperation and invited the Bangladesh Premier to visit Brazil at the convenient time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said after bilateral talks with Sheikh Hasina, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has expressed his desire to visit Bangladesh again to see in person the massive development of Bangladesh citing that he had earlier visited Jessore in Bangladesh30 years back when the country was very poor.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I want to visit Bangladesh to see the massive development you have done,” she said.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During the bilateral meeting with President of Mozambique Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, Bangladesh Premier has sought investment from Mozambique on a larger scale particularly in pharmaceuticals.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President of the New Development Bank Dilma Vana Rousseff has expressed her organisation’s eagerness to provide assistance to Bangladesh particularly in the projects regarding women empowerment, saying that the bank has already sanctioned 700 million US dollars in two development schemes in Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">“I can assure you Bangladesh will get top priority from the New Development Bank as long as I am the President of the bank,” she said.&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister arrived in Johannesburg to attend the 15th BRICS Summit on August 22 at the invitation of the Current Chair of BRICS and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the sidelines of the BRICS Plus Dialogue, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo earlier exchanged pleasantries with the Bangladesh premier.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Vice-President of Uganda, Deputy Prime Minister of South Africa, Russian Foreign Minister, Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia also exchanged pleasantries with Sheikh Hasina.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The premier also joined a photo session with the heads of state and government who arrived in Johannesburg to attend the 15th BRICS Summit.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">PM\'s Speechwriter Md Nazrul Islam was present during the briefing. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-25 18:23:23', '2023-08-25 18:23:23');
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(8711, 8711, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Google, Facebook, TikTok and other Big Tech companies operating in Europe must comply with one of the most far-reaching efforts to clean up what people see online.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The European Union\'s groundbreaking new digital rules took effect Friday for the biggest platforms. The Digital Services Act is part of a suite of tech-focused regulations crafted by the 27-nation bloc — long a global leader in cracking down on tech giants.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The DSA is designed to keep users safe online and stop the spread of harmful content that\'s either illegal or violates a platform\'s terms of service, such as promotion of genocide or anorexia. It also looks to protect Europeans\' fundamental rights like privacy and free speech.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some online platforms, which could face billions in fines if they don\'t comply, already have made changes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Also read : Scientific Advisory Board for Independent Advice on Breakthroughs in Science and Technology</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Here\'s a look at what has changed:</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">So far, 19. They include eight social media platforms: Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Snapchat.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are five online marketplaces: Amazon, Booking.com, China\'s Alibaba AliExpress and Germany\'s Zalando.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mobile app stores Google Play and Apple\'s App Store are subject, as are Google\'s Search and Microsoft\'s Bing search engine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Google Maps and Wikipedia round out the list.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The EU\'s list is based on numbers submitted by the platforms. Those with 45 million or more users — or 10% of the EU\'s population — face the DSA\'s highest level of regulation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Brussels insiders, however, have pointed to some notable omissions, like eBay, Airbnb, Netflix and even PornHub. The list isn\'t definitive, and it\'s possible other platforms may be added later on.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Any business providing digital services to Europeans will eventually have to comply with the DSA. They will face fewer obligations than the biggest platforms, however, and have another six months before they must fall in line.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Platforms have rolled out new ways for European users to flag illegal online content and dodgy products, which companies will be obligated to take down quickly and objectively.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The DSA \"will have a significant impact on the experiences Europeans have when they open their phones or fire up their laptops,\" Nick Clegg, Meta\'s president for global affairs, said in a blog post.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Facebook and Instagram\'s existing tools to report content will be easier to access. Amazon opened a new channel for reporting suspect goods.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">TikTok gave users an extra option for flagging videos, such as for hate speech and harassment, or frauds and scams, which will be reviewed by an additional team of experts, according to the app from Chinese parent company ByteDance.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Google is offering more \"visibility\" into content moderation decisions and different ways for users to contact the company. It didn\'t offer specifics. Under the DSA, Google and other platforms have to provide more information behind why posts are taken down.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat also are giving people the option to turn off automated systems that recommend videos and posts based on their profiles. Such systems have been blamed for leading social media users to increasingly extreme posts.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The DSA also prohibits targeting vulnerable categories of people, including children, with ads. Platforms like Snapchat and TikTok will stop allowing teen users to be targeted by ads based on their online activities.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Google will provide more information about targeted ads shown to people in the EU and give researchers more access to data on how its products work.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Zalando, a German online fashion retailer, has filed a legal challenge over its inclusion on the DSA\'s list of the largest online platforms, arguing that it\'s being treated unfairly.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Nevertheless, Zalando is launching content flagging systems for its website even though there\'s little risk of illegal material showing up among its highly curated collection of clothes, bags and shoes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The company has supported the DSA, said Aurelie Caulier, Zalando\'s head of public affairs for the EU.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It will bring loads of positive changes\" for consumers, she said. But \"generally, Zalando doesn\'t have systemic risk (that other platforms pose). So that\'s why we don\'t think we fit in that category.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Amazon has filed a similar case with a top EU court.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Officials have warned tech companies that violations could bring fines worth up to 6% of their global revenue — which could amount to billions — or even a ban from the EU.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The real test begins now,\" said European Commissioner Thierry Breton, who oversees digital policy. He vowed to \"thoroughly enforce the DSA and fully use our new powers to investigate and sanction platforms where warranted.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But don\'t expect penalties to come right away for individual breaches, such as failing to take down a specific video promoting hate speech.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Instead, the DSA is more about whether tech companies have the right processes in place to reduce the harm that their algorithm-based recommendation systems can inflict on users. Essentially, they\'ll have to let the European Commission, the EU\'s executive arm and top digital enforcer, look under the hood to see how their algorithms work.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">EU officials \"are concerned with user behavior on the one hand, like bullying and spreading illegal content, but they\'re also concerned about the way that platforms work and how they contribute to the negative effects,\" said Sally Broughton Micova, an associate professor at the University of East Anglia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That includes looking at how the platforms work with digital advertising systems, which could be used to profile users for harmful material like disinformation, or how their livestreaming systems function, which could be used to instantly spread terrorist content, said Broughton Micova, who\'s also academic co-director at the Centre on Regulation in Europe, a Brussels-based think tank.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Big platforms have to identify and assess potential systemic risks and whether they\'re doing enough to reduce them. These assessments are due by the end of August and then they will be independently audited.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The audits are expected to be the main tool to verify compliance — though the EU\'s plan has faced criticism for lacking details that leave it unclear how the process will work.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Europe\'s changes could have global impact. Wikipedia is tweaking some policies and modifying its terms of use to provide more information on \"problematic users and content.\" Those alterations won\'t be limited to Europe and \"will be implemented globally,\" said the nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation, which hosts the community-powered encyclopedia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The rules and processes that govern Wikimedia projects worldwide, including any changes in response to the DSA, are as universal as possible,\" it said in a statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Snapchat said its new reporting and appeal process for flagging illegal content or accounts that break its rules will be rolled out first in the EU and then globally in the coming months.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It\'s going to be hard for tech companies to limit DSA-related changes, said Broughton Micova, adding that digital ad networks aren\'t isolated to Europe and that social media influencers can have global reach.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The regulations are \"dealing with multichannel networks that operate globally. So there is going to be a ripple effect once you have kind of mitigations that get taken into place,\" she said. AP/UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"5\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-25 19:00:30', '2023-08-25 19:00:30'),
(8712, 8712, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Russian President Vladimir Putin broke his silence Thursday on the plane crash a day earlier that reportedly killed mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin and other senior members of the Wagner paramilitary group.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In televised comments Putin offered his \"sincere condolences to the families of all the victims\", describing the crash as a \"tragedy\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prigozhin was registered on the plane that was carrying nine others who are also presumed to have died.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Wednesday evening\'s crash took place exactly two months after Prigozhin led a rebellion against Moscow\'s top military brass, considered by some observers to have been the biggest threat to Putin\'s long rule.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Although Moscow opened a probe into violations of air traffic rules, investigators have been silent since, as speculation of a possible assassination has grown.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ukraine\'s President Volodymyr Zelensky insisted Kyiv had nothing to do with the incident.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I think everyone knows who this concerns,\" he said, in what appeared to be a reference to Putin.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"There is a court in The Hague, there is a court of God. But Russia has an alternative (court) -- President Putin,\" he said when asked again about the air crash later Thursday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- A \'common cause\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">When Putin broke his silence on Thursday, he paid a qualified tribute to the mercenary boss and the paramilitary group he led.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I knew Prigozhin for a very long time, since the early 90s. He was a man of complicated fate, and he made serious mistakes in his life, but he achieved the right results,\" Putin said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In an address to Russians during the Wagner rebellion on June 23-24 in which he warned against \"civil war\", Putin had called Prigozhin -- once his ally -- a \"traitor\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But on Thursday, he said the Wagner members who had died in the crash had made a \"significant contribution\" to Moscow\'s offensive in Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They had shared a common cause, Putin said, adding: \"We remember that, we know that, and we will not forget that.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said the investigation into the crash would take time, but added: \"It will be conducted in full and brought to a conclusion.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Chechen strongman and Putin ally Ramzan Kadyrov paid tribute to Prigozhin\'s \"iron character\" in a message on Telegram.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But he added: \"Recently he either did not see or did not want to see the full picture of what is happening in the country.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Reasonable doubts\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some Western leaders expressed doubts that the crash had been an accident.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"There\'s not much that happens in Russia that Putin\'s not behind,\" said US President Joe Biden, after having said he did not know what happened.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">France saw \"reasonable doubts\" about the crash, while Germany said it followed a pattern of \"unclarified\" fatalities in Russia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said it was suspicious that \"a disgraced former confidant of Putin suddenly, literally falls from the sky two months after he attempted a mutiny\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Even influential pro-Kremlin figures, such as state television personality and Putin ally Margarita Simonyan, seemed to suggest that it could have been an assassination.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Among the versions that are being discussed (about the crash) is that it was staged. But personally, I\'m leaning towards the more obvious one,\" she said on social media.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russia\'s aviation authority published the passenger list for the Embraer private jet late on Wednesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It included Prigozhin and his right-hand man, Dmitry Utkin, a shadowy figure who managed Wagner\'s operations and allegedly served in Russian military intelligence.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russian police patrolled the crash site near the village of Kuzhenkino, some 350 kilometres (220 miles) north of Moscow in the Tver region.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">One woman living near Kuzhenkino said her neighbour had heard a roar and saw \"sparkling from the plane\", accompanied by fire.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"A neighbour ran up to me with shaking hands and when we went to the window I saw only one mushroom (cloud from the explosion), a black cloud,\" she said in video published by state-run news agency RIA Novosti.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Real patriot\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Video verified by AFP from the scene appeared to show the Embraer Legacy plane in a plume of white smoke as it fell from the sky.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Flightradar24 tracker website said the plane flying from Moscow to Saint Peterburg appeared on their radar until the last 30 seconds and descended \"dramatically\" at around 15:20 GMT.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some Wagner-linked Telegram channels initially suggested the plane had been shot down by Russian air defence, on a day when Kyiv struck Russia with more drone attacks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Washington, Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder said the US military had \"no information to suggest that there was a surface to air missile\" involved in the crash.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While they did not know what had caused the crash, Ryder added: \"Our assessment, based on a variety of factors, is that he (Prigozhin) was likely killed.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prigozhin appeared to enjoy some popularity in Russia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He appealed to nationalist-leaning Russians -- also suspicious of the army leadership during the Ukraine offensive -- who embraced his tough-guy style.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some even speculated that he would take part in the 2024 presidential election, which is expected to extend Putin\'s rule until at least 2030.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"He was one of the few real patriots in our country,\" Pavel Zakharov said as he laid flowers at Wagner\'s headquarters in Saint Petersburg.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Many Russians eagerly awaited Prigozhin\'s outspoken, often expletive-laden social media videos, a sharp contrast to the tightly controlled narrative of Russian officials.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Ukrainians hope death \'true\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Wagner offices were still operating and even recruiting in Russia after Prigozhin\'s rebellion, which saw his men take over a military headquarters in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don and march on Moscow.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Siberia, a region from where Wagner recruited heavily, people also laid flowers at the mercenary company\'s office in Novosibirsk.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But in Ukraine, where Wagner fighters were known for their exceptional brutality -- including extrajudicial killings of their own men -- many welcomed the news of Prigozhin\'s death.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I feel really happy that this person died, if it is true,\" government worker Iryna Kuchina told AFP in Kyiv.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prigozhin recruited tens of thousands of Russian convicts to fight in Ukraine, often thrown into the front line.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Wagner\'s future without Prigozhin remained unclear. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-25 19:44:47', '2023-08-25 19:44:47'),
(8713, 8713, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">\"We kept raising our voices in our language. The international community is not paying heed. We are conveying our message in English too. Still, they don\'t pay heed. We are disappointed. We are not just victims, we are survivors repeatedly asking them to ensure accountability,\" Sayeeda, a Rohingya, said while addressing a huge crowd at Kutupalong camp in Cox’s Bazar.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said she can never forget this day, August 25, and mentioned that in the last six years they could not visit or see their homes in Myanmar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Justice has been delayed, justice has been denied,\" a tearful Sayeeda said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We want to return home to Myanmar,\" she said. Their collective demand is that Rohingyas must be able to return to their original homes in Myanmar\'s Rakhine state.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Other demands include assurances of safety, security, and dignity — all within the upcoming summer, restoration of Myanmar citizenship with full rights like 135 other ethnic groups of Myanmar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Boni Amin, now a 10-year-old, came here from Myanmar six years ago with eight of his family members amid military crackdown there. \"I remember how houses were burned and the military forced us to leave our homes,\" the boy told UNB at the Rohingya camp in Cox’s Bazar. He said they want to return to their homes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rohingya leaders at today’s rally said they want to appeal to the Myanmar government to allow them to return and stay in Myanmar like before — peacefully coexisting with other ethnic groups as citizens.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They said the Rohingya people have a significant contribution to the economy, prosperity and stability of Myanmar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Rohingyas drew the attention of the international community and UN organizations to take positive steps regarding their repatriation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Help us go back to our homeland Myanmar; that is our country. We do not want to stay in Bangladesh any longer,\" said Musa, a Rohingya man.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Let us observe this day not only as a reminder of our shared tragedy but also as a call to action. Let our voices rise above the anguish, demanding justice for the Rohingya people. May our collective efforts pave the way for a world in which such atrocities are never repeated, and where all communities can live in harmony and security, ensuring peaceful stability and development of this region,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Talking to UNB, Nur Jahan who lost her family members, said they want justice and they want to return to their homes if their safety is ensured in Myanmar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said they want full citizenship rights in Myanmar so that they feel secure.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Rohingyas got together to commemorate the solemn occasion, Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They said their hearts are heavy with the weight of a tragedy that continues to haunt them.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Around 25,000 Rohingyas joined dozens of rallies with the biggest one held in Kutupalong camp with around 10,000 refugees amid heavy rains.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Bangladesh and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for extending hands in their darkest hour.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Rohingyas demanded exerting international pressure on Myanmar so that they could return to their homes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Six years after the Rohingya influx in Bangladesh, the government continues its efforts focusing on their safe repatriation, though some countries and international organisations are pushing for their integration in Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Our priority is that they (Rohingyas) will return to their homeland. Myanmar is also willing to take them back,” said Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, noting that Myanmar needs to ensure safety and security of the Rohingyas after their return to their place of origin.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On August 25, 2017, Myanmar’s military began carrying out violent operations against the Rohingya population in northern Rakhine state, which resulted in grave crimes under international law. Entire villages were burnt, and hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas were forced to flee into Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Foreign Minister said the government remains in a firm position regarding their repatriation to Myanmar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Momen said Bangladesh already has a huge population and it does not need a large number of people from other countries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The minister said Rohingyas came to Bangladesh in the 1970s, \'80s and \'90s but every time they returned, even during military rule in the past.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam said no one should create a barrier to trial repatriation of the Rohingyas to Myanmar, noting that such trial repatriation will help understand issues before a large-scale repatriation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“This trial repatriation is to know the areas of problems before the large-scale repatriation. It will help examine the issues for better designing a regular repatriation initiative. No one should create a barrier,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The State Minister said the Rohingyas did not say that they do not want to return; rather they always conveyed their desire for returning home whenever any foreign dignitaries met them at camps.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Responding to a question, Shahriar Alam said certainly there are challenges, arms and drug trafficking incidents increased in the camps while skilled members of the law enforcing agencies were killed and injured.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He urged all not to undermine Bangladesh’s efforts and recalled how the international media described Bhasan Char “a floating island” to undermine Bangladesh’s efforts.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The State Minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave shelter to the Rohingyas on humanitarian grounds. “We will remain committed as long as they are in Bangladesh.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, has called for renewed commitment from the international community for financial support to sustain the humanitarian response and political support to find solutions for over 1.1 million Rohingyas in Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A dignified and sustainable return to Myanmar remains the primary solution to this crisis, said the UNHCR, adding that “Rohingya refugees continue to tell us they want to return to Myanmar when it is safe for them to do so voluntarily.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The collective goal should be to ensure Rohingyas’ voluntary return to Myanmar — to their places of origin or choice, being able to move freely and access documentation, citizenship pathways, services and income-generation opportunities to rebuild their lives, UNHCR said. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-25 21:46:11', '2023-08-25 21:46:11'),
(8714, 8714, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Chinese President Xi Jinping and IndianPrime Minister Narendra Modi held \"candid and in-depth\" talks to ease tensions along their disputed frontier, Beijing said Friday, after a rare face-to-face encounter between the two leaders.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Relations between the world\'s two most populous countries have been in deep&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">freeze since a deadly Himalayan border clash that killed 20 Indian soldiers&nbsp;</span><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">and at least four Chinese troops in 2020.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Tens of thousands of soldiers have since been massed along both sides of the&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">border. They remain despite 19 rounds of talks between top military officials&nbsp;</span><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">of both countries.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The leaders met Thursday while attending the BRICS summit in South Africa in&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">what China\'s foreign ministry characterised as a \"candid and in-depth&nbsp;</span><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">exchange of views\".</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">\"President Xi stressed that improving China-India relations serves the common&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">interests of the two countries and peoples,\" a ministry spokesman said&nbsp;</span><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Friday.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The two sides should bear in mind the overall interests of their bilateral</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">relations and handle properly the border issue so as to jointly safeguard</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">peace.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">India\'s foreign secretary said Modi had highlighted unresolved issues along&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">the Line of Actual Control (LAC) that divides India\'s Himalayan region of&nbsp;</span><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Ladakh from Chinese territory, where the deadly 2020 clash took place.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">\"Modi underlined that... observing and respecting the LAC are essential for&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">normalising India-China relationship,\" Vinay Kwatra told reporters Thursday.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">India has been wary of its northern neighbour\'s growing military</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">assertiveness and disputes over the two Asian giants\' 3,500-kilometre (2,200-&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">mile) shared frontier have been a perennial source of tension.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">China also claims all of India\'s northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh,</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">considering it part of Tibet, and the Asian giants fought a full-scale border&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">war there in 1962.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Both countries have regularly accused each other of trying to seize territory&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">along their unofficial divide, known as the Line of Actual Control.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The clash in 2020 along the border dividing Tibet from India\'s state of</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ladakh led to a sharp deterioration in relations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Modi\'s government has pumped billions of dollars into connectivity projects&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">on its side of the border to boost civilian presence, and establish new&nbsp;</span><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">paramilitary battalions.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is also seeking to develop closer ties with Western countries including</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">fellow Quad members the United States, Japan, and Australia, which are&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">themselves wooing it as an alternative to China.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Nineteen rounds of military talks between Beijing and New Delhi, including&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">the latest earlier this month, have failed to make headway on the border&nbsp;</span><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">disputes.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Xi and Modi have both been present at numerous multilateral diplomatic&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">meetings since the 2020 clashes.</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">But Thursday marked the first face-to-face encounter between the two leaders&nbsp;<span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">since a brief interaction at the G20 Summit in Bali last November. AFP</span></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-25 21:53:49', '2023-08-25 21:53:49'),
(8715, 8715, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">As part of their one-point simultaneous movement, BNP’s Dhaka South and North City units brought out two separate processions with black flags in the capital’s Nayapaltan and Shymoli areas respectively on Friday.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The programme is meant for mounting pressure on the government to accept the one-point demand which includes the resignation of the Awami League government and holding the next general election under a non-party caretaker government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas inaugurated the Dhaka South city unit’s procession in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office around 4:20 pm. The procession will end at Doyaganj e after parading through different roads.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a brief address prior to launching the programme, the BNP leader said he slammed the law enforcers for repressing and arresting BNP leaders and activists.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Some ill-educated people who love money, not country, are pushing Bangladesh towards destruction with their misdeeds and repressive acts,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The BNP leader also said the law enforcers open fire on BNP leaders and activists and kill them when they take to the streets with public issues. “Why do you do that?&nbsp; Are you foreigners?”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said they have long been demanding a reduction of the prices of essential items and utility services, but the government cannot do it as it ruined the economy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The BNP leader said people will find it very difficult to survive and the country’s independence and existence will be at stake if the Awami League government stays in power any more.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In an oblique reference to India, he said this country wants to see Sheikh Hasina in power again.&nbsp; “I would like to urge them to make friends with the people of Bangladesh not with any government or party.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Abbas said the next election must be held under a nonparty natural government to restore democracy and people’s voting rights.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury inaugurated the Dhaka north city unit BNP’s procession at Shyamoli Ring Road in the city’s around 4pm. The procession is scheduled to end at Mohammadpur Bus Stand after parading different roads.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Speaking&nbsp; briefly, Khosru said the people of Bangladesh have taken a vow to oust the current regime defying all obstacles. ‘The people of Bangladesh never backed off from their position in favour of democracy and they have turned victorious all times.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Describing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as the opponent of the people of Bangladesh, the BNP leader called upon the law enforcers, government officials and employees not to take a position against the people.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said PM Hasina along with a big delegation went to South Africa by spending huge public money but failed to get membership of BRICS.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At a meeting with Bangladeshis there, Khosru said Hasina sought votes for \'boat\'&nbsp; and hurled abuses at the BNP. “She could do it staying at home as she always does it. So, what was the justification for her visit to South Africa by spending public money?”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said the government is trying to play a fresh game by conducting drives against militants.&nbsp; “This time no game over militancy will work. Awami League is the biggest terrorist and militant party. These militants, terrorists and liars can’t be allowed to hang onto power.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Thousands of leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies flocked to both spots to join the processions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Apart from BNP, Ganotantra Mancha, 12-party alliance, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote, LDP, Gonoforum and People’s Party, Samamona Peshajibi Ganatantrik Jote, Gonotantrik Bam Oikya, Labour Party, NDM, Bangladesh Sadaran Chhatra Odhikar Sanrakshan Parishad, two factions of Gono Odhikar Parishad, AB Party, Janatar Odhikar Party, Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) and NDP are observing the programme separately in different areas of the capital.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is the fifth programme of the opposition\'s one-point movement with the goal to remove Awami League from power.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier on August 18 (Friday last) the BNP and like-minded parties brought mass processions in all metropolitan cities, including in the capital, to force the government to accept their one-point demand.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On July 12 this year, BNP and the like-minded parties announced their one-point movement to realise their demands.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On July 12 last, BNP and the like-minded parties announced their one-point movement to realise their demands. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"4\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-25 22:50:30', '2023-08-25 22:50:30'),
(8716, 8716, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni today said that there is no crisis in printing the next academic year\'s textbooks for primary and secondary levels.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"As there is no such crisis this year, the tender process for printing primary school books has already been completed. Tender work is also going on for secondary schools. There is a committee to complete the tender process. These tenders are being sent to those committees for approval,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The minister said these while talking to the journalists after holding a view exchanging meeting with the administration on the law and order situation and development activities of the district at Chandpur Circuit House here.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She hoped that in the next academic year, all the textbooks will reach the upazilas on time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"And we will be able to hold the book festival (Boi Utshab) on January 1st, Insha Allah,\" she added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Lauding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her development activities in the country, she mentioned that now Bangladesh has achieved all the capabilities to be built a developed country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While talking about the upcoming general elections, Dipu Moni, also Awami League joint general secretary, said Awami League is a big party and there are many qualified candidates in this party.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She hoped that a healthy political competition will take place the upcoming elections.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Local Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kamrul Hasan, Superintendent of Police (SP) Mohammad Saiful Islam, Chandpur Municipality Mayor Zillur Rahman and Faridganj Upazila Parishad Chairman Zahidul Islam Roman were present, among others, on the occasion. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-25 22:54:47', '2023-08-25 22:54:47'),
(8717, 8717, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">As part of different anti-drug drives in the capital, members of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have arrested 49 people on charges of selling and consuming drugs during the last 24 hours till 6am today.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to a release issued by the DMP, police conducted these operations against the drug sellers and consumers in different areas under various police stations of the metropolis. They also detained a total of 49 drug traffickers and recovered huge drugs from their possession from 6am of August 24 to 6 am today.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During the anti-drug raids, police seized 2,768 pieces of contraband yaba tablets, 30 grams of heroin, 4.900 kilograms of cannabis (ganja), seven bottles of phensidyle syrup and 800 injections (drugs) from their possession, the release added.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Police filed 32 separate cases against the arrestees in these connections with respective police stations under the Narcotics Control Act. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-25 22:57:57', '2023-08-25 22:57:57');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(8718, 8718, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Amitabh Bachchan who keeps sharing insights from his personal and professional lives on Kaun Banega Crorepati, recently talked about working with his son Abhishek Bachchan and daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai on the song Kajra Re. Amitabh recently returned as the host of the show\'s 15th season. In the latest episode, a contestant asked him about Mirza Ghalib and the veteran ended up talking about Aishwarya.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the episode, after a question about Ballimaran, Amitabh said, \"Usmein hum teeno the. Tab Aishwarya humari bahu nahi thi, ab ban gayi hai. Gaane me bahu thi, Abhishek the aur hum the. Uss gaane mein bol the (Kajra Re had all three of us. Aishwarya wasn’t my daughter-in-law then, but she is now. She was my daughter-in-law in the song. It had lyrics about Ballimaran).” Amitabh further requested the crew of the show to play Kajra Re on the screen.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kajra Re</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Directed by Shaad Ali, Kajra Re featured Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek and Aishwarya dancing together for the first time. The song was from the film Bunty Aur Babli, which had the father-son duo alongside Rani Mukerji in the lead. It released in 2005. Kajra Re was one of the highlights of the film, which became even more popular when the news of Abhishek and Aishwarya\'s wedding broke.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Abhishek and Aishwarya tied the knot on April 20, 2007, in a private ceremony. They became parents to their first child, a daughter they named Aaradhya, on November 16, 2011.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Aishwarya was last seen in Mani Ratnam\'s Ponniyin Selvan: Part 2 and is yet to announce her next project. Abhishek\'s latest outing is R Balki\'s Ghoomer, which was released on August 18. The sports drama has Shabana Azmi, Saiyami Kher and Angad Bedi, and revolves around the inspiring tale of a paraplegic sportsperson (played by Saiyami Kher) who excels as a cricketer under the guidance of her coach (played by Abhishek).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Amitabh, on the other hand, will be next seen in Kalki 2898 AD with Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Kamal Haasan and Disha Patani. Directed by Nag Ashwin, the film is produced by Vyjayanthi Movies. HT</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-25 23:02:27', '2023-08-25 23:02:27'),
(8719, 8719, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Shahid Captain M Mansur Ali Foundation today paid rich tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing a wreath at his mausoleum at Tungipara in Gopalganj.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Executive members of the foundation led by its Chairman Shehrin Selim Ripon, and its General Secretary Advocate Mujibur Rahman placed a floral wreath at the mausoleum of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of the architect of Bangladesh\'s independence.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">M. Mohammad Rezaul Karim, son of Mansur Ali, Sirajganj Sadar upazila and Kazipur upazila Awami League leaders and activists, among others, were present.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">A special doa was offered seeking eternal peace of Bangabandhu and other martyrs of the August 15, 1975 carnage as well as martyrs of the War of Liberation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A special prayer was also offered wishing for longevity of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her family members.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Foundation chairman Shehrin Selim Ripon signed the visitors\' book there.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-25 23:40:27', '2023-08-25 23:40:27'),
(8720, 8720, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Mayor of Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury today paid rich tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing a wreath at his mausoleum at Tungipara in Gopalganj.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After laying the wreath, the mayor stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of the architect of Bangladesh\'s independence.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sylhet Metropolitan Awami League President Bir Muktijoddha Masiuddin Ahmed, Sylhet District Awami League President Alhaj Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury, its General Secretary Nasir Uddin Khan, Tungipara Municipality Mayor Sheikh Tozammel Haque Tutul, London Chhatra League General Secretary Sajeeb Bhuiyan and a large number of Awami League leaders and activists, among others, were present.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A special doa was offered seeking eternal peace of Bangabandhu and other martyrs of the August 15, 1975 carnage as well as martyrs of the War of Liberation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A special prayer was also offered for longevity of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her family members.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">SCC Mayor Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury signed the visitors\' book there. BSS\\</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-25 23:49:48', '2023-08-25 23:49:48'),
(8721, 8721, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>At least 10 persons died after a fire that broke out inside a stationary train compartment in Madurai railway station in the wee hour of Saturday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The Southern Railway said that an \"illegal gas cylinder\" caused the fire. Southern Railway said that an ex-gratia of ₹10 lakh has been announced to the family of deceased, as reported by PTI. Madurai District Collector MS Sangeetha told reporters that 55 people have been rescued.</div><div><br></div><div>“Today early morning at 5:30 am there was a fire accident in the coach which was halted here at Madurai railway station...They were pilgrims &amp; were travelling from Uttar Pradesh. This morning when they tried to make coffee &amp; tried to lit the gas stove, there was a cylinder blast. 55 people have been rescued &amp; as of now, we have retrieved nine bodies...Rescue operation is underway…,\" she told reporters.</div><div><br></div><div>As per the Southern Railway release, the fire broke out at 5.15 am on Saturday and the Fire service personnel who arrived at the spot half an hour later put down the blaze by 7.15 am.</div><div><br></div><div>The Southern Railway has also issued helpline numbers: 9360552608, 8015681915 to share the information related to the fire incident and causalities.</div><div><br></div><div>In a statement issued by the Railways, it said, \"This is a private party coach that was attached at Nagercoil Junction yesterday (Aug 25) by train no. 16730 (Punalur-Madurai Exp). Party coach was detached and kept at Madurai Stabling line. The passengers in the private party coach have illegally smuggled gas cylinder and this has caused the fire. Many passengers had got out of the coach on noticing fire. Some passengers had got down at platform itself,\" the release said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The party coach had started their journey from Lucknow on 17th August. They are scheduled to return to Chennai tomorrow by Tino. 16824 Kollam Chennai Egmore Ananthapuri express. And return to Lucknow from there. Any individual can book party coach using IRCTC portal. They are not allowed to carry any inflammable material like gas cylinder. The coach is to used only for transportation purpose, the statement read. - Source: Mint</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-26 20:27:39', '2023-08-26 20:27:39'),
(8722, 8722, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Sunny Deol-starrer \"Gadar 2\" has crossed Rs 400 crore mark at the domestic box office, the makers said Wednesday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Directed by Anil Sharma, the film is a sequel to the 2001 blockbuster \"Gadar: Ek Prem Katha\". The movie, a Zee Studios production, released in theatres on August 11.</div><div><br></div><div>In a press note, the makers said \"Gadar\" 2 collected Rs 12.10 crore on Tuesday that took its box office numbers to Rs 400.70 crore net.</div><div><br></div><div>They claimed that \"no other Indian film has amassed over Rs 10 crores net on second weekdays\".</div><div><br></div><div>Set in 1971, \"Gadar 2\" follows Tara Singh (Deol)\'s journey to Pakistan to rescue his son, Charanjeet Singh, played by Utkarsh Sharma, from the Pakistani Army. It also features Ameesha Patel, Manish Wadhwa and Gaurav Chopra.</div><div><br></div><div>The first film was set during the Partition. Source: ANI</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-26 21:18:21', '2023-08-26 21:18:21'),
(8723, 8723, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">More than 5 lakh leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League(BCL) from different parts of the country will participate in the student rally at Suhrawardy Udyan scheduled for September 1, said its president Saddam Hussein on Saturday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Saddam Hussein announced this at a press conference arranged by the party at Modhur Canteen of Dhaka University at 11 am.</div><div><br></div><div>It is going to be a historic student gathering where Prime Minister&nbsp; and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina will join, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Our politics is based on ideals and rules of the constitution.&nbsp; We do not believe in politics of violence, \" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"From this student rally, the students and the representatives of the young generation will express their disbelief against anti-liberation forces.&nbsp; At the same time, students will take an oath to ensure absolute victory of Sheikh Hasina in the upcoming parliamentary elections, Saddam added.</div><div><br></div><div>The BCL president said Bangladesh Chhatra League believes that the September 1 student rally will be an ultimatum to BNP-Jamaat, the eternal enemy of this country and people,&nbsp; war criminals, militants and terrorist.</div><div><br></div><div>The rally was primarily scheduled for August 31 but later it was rescheduled to September 1 considering public hassles as it is the last day of the week and there is a public exam on August 31, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>BCL general secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Enan said, \"We going through a very crucial time. This is time to determine our future and the future of country. At this crucial time we are going to arrange a huge student rally at historical Suhrawardy Udyan on September 1.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier on August 18, an extended general meeting&nbsp; of BCL was held to take preparation&nbsp; for the student rally. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-26 22:02:11', '2023-08-26 22:02:11'),
(8724, 8724, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Rescue ship Ocean Viking has saved 438 migrants in distress in the Mediterranean over the last two days, the organisation that runs it, SOS Mediterranee, said on Friday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The rescues took place in international waters off the coasts of Libya and Tunisia, the France-based NGO said.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier in the day, the NGO said that on Thursday it had \"rescued 272 people\" of 23 different nationalities from three boats in the central Mediterranean, the most perilous maritime crossing in the world for the migrants.</div><div><br></div><div>Those rescued included \"32 unaccompanied minors, nine babies and five people with disabilities\", said the organisation, which is based in Marseille, on the French Mediterranean.</div><div><br></div><div>Later Friday, it said it had rescued another 166 people when it \"went to the aid of a number of boats in distress\".</div><div><br></div><div>Those onboard were evacuated \"in coordination with the Italian coast guards in the search and rescue area between Tunisia and Lampedusa\".</div><div><br></div><div>The tiny Italian island of Lampedusa, located just 90 miles (145 kilometres) from Tunisia, is the first port of call for many migrants seeking to make the treacherous sea journey to Europe from North Africa.</div><div><br></div><div>In total, \"438 rescued people are currently on board\", SOS Mediteranee said.</div><div><br></div><div>The Ocean Viking was \"heading towards Genoa\" in northern Italy because the Italian authorities had ordered them to go to the distant port to disembark the migrants, the group added.</div><div><br></div><div>At least 2,013 people have died or gone missing so far this year attempting to cross the central Mediterranean, according to the United Nations migration agency, the International Organization for Migration.</div><div><br></div><div>That is significantly higher than its figure for the whole of 2022, which was 1,417.</div><div><br></div><div>In June, one sinking alone in the western Mediterranean cost the lives of at least 82 people, one of the deadliest incidents involving migrants in the area.</div><div><br></div><div>In July, the Italian authorities detained the Ocean Viking for 10 days at Civitavecchia, after questioning the vessel\'s safety standards, before finally releasing it. - AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-27 00:16:30', '2023-08-27 00:16:30'),
(8725, 8725, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>On Sunday, the nation will observe the 47th death anniversary of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam.&nbsp;</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Unanimously revered as the ‘Rebel Poet’ - Kazi Nazrul Islam is considered a pioneer for his enormous contributions to Bengali literature.</div><div><br></div><div>Marking his 47th death anniversary, different organisations and institutions will organize multiple programmes throughout the day commemorating the life and works of the great poet,</div><div>Dhaka University teachers, students, officials and employees will gather at the Aparajeyo Bangla in Kala Bhavan premises alongside DU vice-chancellor Professor Dr Akhtaruzzaman on Sunday at 6:15 am.</div><div><br></div><div>From there, they will visit the poet\'s tomb with a procession, offer wreaths and recite Fateha.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh Awami League will also gather at the poet’s tomb with a procession and prayer session at the graveyard of Nazrul at 7am.</div><div><br></div><div>Cultural institution Chhayanaut will organise a special cultural tribute programme at its auditorium in Dhanmondi at 7pm. The event will be simultaneously broadcasted on its Facebook group and YouTube channel.</div><div><br></div><div>Several television channels including Bangladesh Television (BTV), radio stations including Bangladesh Betar and online platforms will broadcast special programmes commemorating the life and works of the national poet.</div><div><br></div><div>Kazi Nazrul Islam, widely revered for his revolutionary and spectacular literary works in the then-Indian subcontinent, was born in Churulia village of Bardhawan in West Bengal, India, in 1899.</div><div><br></div><div>Nazrul had a brief 21-year literary career, during which he produced 2,600 songs, 600 poems, three books, and 43 essays, according to the Kabi Nazrul Institute.</div><div><br></div><div>In his early childhood, he had to work as a caretaker and as a muezzin in a mosque to support his family when his father passed away. He was forced to leave school at age nine in order to work for a professional \"Leto\" song team in Churulia, West Bengal.</div><div><br></div><div>While working with the group, he became familiar with Bangla and Sanskrit literature. A year later, he went back to school and enrolled at Matharun English School, but due to his financial hardship, he dropped out once more in Class VI.</div><div><br></div><div>After some time, police officer Kazi Rafizullah took him under his wing and enrolled him in Class VII at Darirampur School near his house in Trishal, Mymensingh.</div><div><br></div><div>Within a few years of beginning his military service in the British Army in 1917, Nazrul embarked on his literary career. He wrote his cult classic poetry \"Bidrohi\" (The Rebel) in 1921 and founded \"Dhumketu\" (The Comet), a monthly journal, in 1922.</div><div><br></div><div>Due to his frequent nationalist involvement in the Indian Independence Movement, Nazrul found himself in the clutches of colonial British authorities. He wrote the \"Rajbandir Jabanbandi\" (Deposition of a Political Prisoner) while he was incarcerated.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>His works later inspired the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, and his poems inspired many Bengali netizens and nationalists to revolt against the oppression of Pakistan.</div><div><br></div><div>Freedom, humanity, love, and revolution are recurring themes throughout Nazrul\'s remarkable literary creations. He was against radicalism and all sorts of caste, gender, and religious prejudice.</div><div><br></div><div>Nazrul also published short stories, novels, and essays, although his songs and poems have received the most praise from critics. He is renowned for his liberal use of Arabic and Persian terms in his writings and for popularizing Bengali ghazal melodies.</div><div><br></div><div>He invented his own musical genre known as \"Nazrul Geeti,\" which consists of almost 4,000 songs he penned and composed the music for, many of which were released on vinyl and HMV records.</div><div><br></div><div>When Nazrul was 43 years old and suffering from an unidentified illness, he started to lose his voice and his memory in 1942. His condition was later discovered to be \"Pick\'s disease,\" a rare and fatal neurodegenerative disease, by a medical team in Vienna.</div><div><br></div><div>At the invitation of the Bangladeshi government and then President and the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Nazrul\'s family migrated to Bangladesh and settled in Dhaka in 1972. The government of Bangladesh conferred upon him the status of \"national poet\" in the same year.</div><div><br></div><div>He was awarded the honorary DLitt by Dhaka University in 1974 and received the Ekushey Padak in 1976, for his legendary contribution to Bangla literature and culture,</div><div><br></div><div>On August 27, 1976, the rebel poet breathed his last in Dhaka and was buried next to a mosque at the Dhaka University campus, fulfilling a wish he had made in one of his poems. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-27 01:49:38', '2023-08-27 01:49:38'),
(8726, 8726, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Nine more deaths were reported from dengue in 24 hours till Saturday morning, raising the fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh to 537 this year.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>During the period, 1,960 more patients were hospitalised with the viral fever, DGHS said.</div><div><br></div><div>Of the new patients, 833 were admitted to hospitals in Dhaka and the rest outside the capital--indicating a worsening situation across the country, according to DGHS.</div><div><br></div><div>A total of 8,232 dengue patients, including 3,846 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.</div><div><br></div><div>So far, the DGHS has recorded 1, 12,184 dengue cases and 1, 03,411 recoveries this year.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) urged swift action as dengue cases surge in Bangladesh, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>“The higher incidence of dengue is taking place in the context of an unusual episodic amount of rainfall, combined with high temperatures and high humidity, which have resulted in an increased mosquito population throughout Bangladesh,” WHO said.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-27 02:07:31', '2023-08-27 02:07:31'),
(8727, 8727, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>FIFA suspended Luis Rubiales as president of Spain\'s football federation on Saturday for kissing Spanish Women\'s World Cup player Jenni Hermoso on the lips, and banned him from making contact with her.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"(We) decided today to provisionally suspend Mr. Luis Rubiales from all football-related activities at national and international level,\" said world football\'s governing body in a statement, explaining it would last 90 days, pending their disciplinary proceedings. - AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-27 02:11:15', '2023-08-27 02:11:15'),
(8728, 8728, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Saturday said that Bangladesh will lose if Sheikh Hasina is defeated in the upcoming national election.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Sheikh Hasina must win to save the country’s poor people, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Quader, also road, transport and bridges minister, came up with the remarks while addressing a food distribution programme organised marking the 48th martyrdom anniversary of the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Dhaka’s Mirpur on Saturday afternoon.</div><div><br></div><div>“There is no alternative to Sheikh Hasina,” he said, putting forward a question: who is a more competent prime minister than Sheikh Hasina in the country?</div><div><br></div><div>“BNP want the resignation of Sheikh Hasina, people don’t want Sheikh Hasina’s resignation, caretaker government and dissolution of the parliament,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Terming the BNP as a party of terrorism, corruption and killing people, he feared that the opposition party will erase the Awami League in a night if they come to power again.</div><div><br></div><div>BNP will swallow up the liberation war and democracy and turn the country into Pakistan and Afghanistan if they can grab power, the Awami League leader said.</div><div><br></div><div>Chaired by Dhaka North Awami League President Sheikh Bazlur Rahman, lawmaker Aga Khan Mintu, Organising Secretary of the party’s central committee Mirza Azam and Dhaka north unit’s General Secretary SM Mannan Kochi among others spoke at the event. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-27 03:18:51', '2023-08-27 03:18:51'),
(8729, 8729, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>In-space manufacturing may sound like science fiction but it’s happening already, albeit on a very small scale. It’s a fledgling market that analysts and several startups are projecting will take off.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“If you look at pharma, semiconductors, beauty and health products and potentially food in the sense of like new crops, we estimated the market to be above $10 billion at some point in 2030, depending on the speed of maturation,” said Ilan Rozenkopf, a partner at McKinsey.</div><div><br></div><div>Space offers a unique environment for research and development because its higher levels of radiation, microgravity and near vacuumless state allows companies to come up with new manufacturing methods or materials that are not possible on Earth.</div><div><br></div><div>The practice is not entirely new. The International Space Station has hosted several experiments from academics, government agencies and commercial customers for things such as growing human tissue, making purer semiconductors and developing new or better drugs. In the 2024 fiscal-year budget, President Joe Biden even set aside $5 million for NASA to pursue cancer-related research on the ISS.</div><div><br></div><div>But access to the ISS has always been competitive and interest continues to grow. Now, several space startups see an opportunity to satisfy in-space manufacturing demand using compact space factories. One company is Varda Space Industries in Southern California. Varda’s mission is to help pharmaceutical companies improve their drugs or come up with new drug therapies by taking advantage of the unique properties of space, and then return those materials back to Earth.</div><div><br></div><div>This occurs when super-saturated protein solutions are essentially evaporated to form a solid so scientists can study a protein’s structure.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Understanding the crystal structure of a protein can help scientists get a better idea of disease mechanisms, identify drug targets and optimize drug design. Think drugs that have less side effects, are more effective or can withstand a greater array of conditions such as not needing to be refrigerated.</div><div><br></div><div>Years of research have shown that protein crystals grown in space are much higher quality than those grown on Earth. The plan is not to make the entire drug in outer space, just what is known as the primary active pharmaceutical ingredient, or the portion responsible for the therapeutic effects of a drug.</div><div><br></div><div>“You’re not going to see us making penicillin or ibuprofen or these types of very generic mass consumption targets, given the amount of crystalline you need to create is far beyond our current capabilities,” said Delian Asparouhov, co-founder and president of Varda Space Industries. “But there is a wide set of drugs that do billions and billions of dollars a year of revenue that actively fit within the manufacturing size that we can do even on our current manufacturing facility.”</div><div><br></div><div>Covid vaccine administered, “the actual total amount of consumable primary pharmaceutical ingredient of the actual crystalline mRNA, it effectively was less than two milk gallon jugs.”</div><div><br></div><div>Across the Atlantic in Cardiff, Wales, Space Forge is working on designing its own in-space factory to manufacture next-generation semiconductors. Space Forge’s goal is to make semiconductor substrates using materials other than silicon to manufacture more efficient, higher performing chips.</div><div><br></div><div>“This next generation of materials is going to allow us to create an efficiency that we’ve never seen before,” said Andrew Parlock, managing director of Space Forge’s U.S. operations. “We’re talking about 10 to 100 X improvement in semiconductor performance.”</div><div><br></div><div>Just like with pharmaceuticals, the secret sauce to achieving this type of performance improvement in semiconductors lies in creating the perfect crystals in space. These types of advanced chips are important for industries such as 5G and electric vehicles. Similar to Varda, Space Forge plans to manufacture only part of the chips in space.</div><div><br></div><div>“Once we’ve created these crystals in space, we can bring them back down to the ground and we can effectively replicate that growth on Earth,” said Josh Western, CEO and co-founder of Space Forge. “So we don’t need to go to space countless times to build up pretty good scale operating with our FAB partners and customers on the ground.” Source: CNBC</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-27 03:46:58', '2023-08-27 03:46:58'),
(8730, 8730, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam hit solid half centuries against some tight Afghanistan bowling to take Pakistan to 268-8 in the third and final one-day international in Colombo on Saturday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Rizwan scored 79-ball 67 with six boundaries and a six while Azam knocked four boundaries and a six in his 86-ball innings of 60 to anchor Pakistan\'s innings after they won the toss and batted.</div><div><br></div><div>Pakistan have already won the series with wins in the first match by 142 runs and one wicket in the second -- both played in Hambantota.</div><div><br></div><div>The Rizwan-Azam pair added 110 runs for the third wicket to steady the innings after pacer Gulbadin Naib removed openers Fakhar Zaman (27) and Imam-ul-Haq (13) to hit Pakistan at the start.</div><div><br></div><div>Pakistan stuttered in the middle overs with four wickets lost in the space of just 27 runs, including Azam\'s wicket who scored his 28th half century.</div><div><br></div><div>Saud Shakeel was run out for nine and Shadab Khan for just three as Pakistan were left struggling at 189-6.</div><div><br></div><div>Agha Salman (38 not out) and Mohammad Nawaz (30) added 61 for the seventh wicket as Pakistan added 80 in the last ten overs.</div><div><br></div><div>Salman hit four boundaries and a six in his 31-ball quickfire knock, reports AFP.</div><div><br></div><div>Naib was the pick of Afghanistan bowlers with 2-36.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-27 04:04:10', '2023-08-27 04:04:10'),
(8731, 8731, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday left Johannesburg for home after wrapping up her South Africa visit to attend the 15th BRICS Summit.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>She attended the summit held on August 22-24 at the invitation of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.</div><div><br></div><div>A regular flight of the Emirates Airlines carrying the prime minister and her entourage members departed from the OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa at 2pm (local time).</div><div><br></div><div>PM\'s younger sister Sheikh Rehana and only daughter Saima Wazed are accompanying her.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh High Commissioner to South Africa Noor-E Helal Saifur Rahman saw the premier off at the airport.</div><div><br></div><div>The flight is scheduled to land at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA), Dhaka at 8:40 am (BD time) on August 27 after a brief stopover at the Dubai International Airport in UAE.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, South Africa unit Awami League (AL) leaders met the prime minister at her place of residence Hotel Hilton Sandton in Johannesburg before she left for the airport on way home.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister arrived in Johannesburg on August 22 to attend the summit.</div><div><br></div><div>South Africa hosted the historic summit of BRICS nations -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.</div><div><br></div><div>It was the first BRICS Summit hosted in person since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent global restrictions.</div><div><br></div><div>President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazil\'s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended it.</div><div><br></div><div>On August 23, the prime minister delivered a speech as the chief guest at the \"Bangladesh Trade and Business Summit\" jointly organized by Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) and Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA).</div><div><br></div><div>Later, she attended the \"Bangladesh Envoys Conference\" organized by Bangladesh ambassadors stationed in African countries.</div><div><br></div><div>In the afternoon, she had a bilateral meeting with Chinese President XI Jinping at the Hotel Hilton Sandton.</div><div><br></div><div>At the evening, the prime minister joined a cultural programme and \"State Banquet\" hosted by the current chair of BRICS and the South African president.</div><div><br></div><div>On August 24, she addressed on behalf of Bangladesh as a member of the \"New Development Bank of BRICS\" at the Friends of BRICS Leaders Dialogue (BRICS-Africa Outreach and the BRICS Plus Dialogues) comprising representatives from 70 countries.</div><div><br></div><div>On the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, bilateral meetings between Sheikh Hasina and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of Mozambique Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, President of Tanzania Dr Saima Sulluhu and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi were held at Sandton Convention Centre.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>A meeting was also held between Bangladesh Premier Sheikh Hasina and President of the New Development Bank Dilma Vana Rousseff at the same venue.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>During the meetings, the five dignitaries highly praised Bangladesh\'s remarkable development under Sheikh Hasina\'s prudent leadership, Foreign Minister Dr A K Abdul Momen said in a media briefing.</div><div><br></div><div>At the evening, she met the Bangladeshi expatriates living in South Africa. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-27 04:06:05', '2023-08-27 04:06:05'),
(8732, 8732, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">One of Ukraine\'s most celebrated fighter pilots and two other airmen have been killed in a mid-air crash.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Andrii Pilshchykov won fame taking part in dogfights over Kyiv during the early phase of Russia\'s invasion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Ukrainian military called the airmen\'s deaths \"painful and irreparable\" losses, and paid tribute to Pilshchykov as a pilot with \"mega knowledge and mega talent\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The crash involved two L-39 training planes flying over northern Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An investigation is under way into whether flight preparation rules were not correctly followed, resulting in Friday\'s crash in Zhytomyr Oblast. The region is west of the capital, Kyiv, and hundreds of miles from the frontline.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the deaths in his nightly video address, saying that his country would \"never forget anyone who defended the free skies of Ukraine\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Last autumn, as Russia launched hundreds of cruise missiles and drones at Ukraine, Pilshchykov - who flew under the call-sign \"Juice\" - spoke to the BBC about the pressure he felt as a MiG-29 fighter pilot tasked with trying to intercept the deadly weapons before they struck.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Intercepting the cruise missiles, your mission is to save the lives on the ground, to save the city. If you are not able, it\'s a terrible feeling that somebody will die. Somebody will die in minutes and you didn\'t prevent that,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also spoke of his lifelong \"dream\" to join the Ukrainian air force which he saw as his \"mission\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Melaniya Podolyak, a friend of Pilshchykov, also confirmed his death, posting an image of his air force badge on social media.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The crash and deaths are a major upset for Ukraine as it prepares to receive up to 61 F-16 fighter jets from its allies, in a bid to step up its counteroffensive.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Thursday, the Pentagon confirmed that English-language training for Ukrainians on operating F-16s would begin in Texas in September, with flight training expected to begin in October in Arizona. Meanwhile, other Western allies are preparing to start training Ukrainians later this month.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The training to fly F-16s is expected to take around five months.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The American decision earlier this year to supply F-16 jets represented an about-turn. This is because the US and its Nato allies - who had earlier ruled out the move - had feared this would lead to further escalation with nuclear-armed Russia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A spokesman for Ukraine\'s Air Force, Yurii Ihnat, paid tribute to Pilshchykov in a statement posted on his Facebook page.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"A year ago in the USA, Andrii met with American government officials, brought up the urgent needs of the Air Force, was in constant contact with Californian pilots, and was the main driver of an advocacy group promoting many decisions on the F-16s [supply],\" Ihnat said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"During the war, he gave dozens of interviews to Western media because he knew English well, and the most important was the topic of conversation: what can and should be talked about for Ukraine!</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"You can\'t even imagine how he wanted to fly on an F-16... but now that American planes are actually on the horizon, he will not fly them.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Andrii Pilshchykov was not just a pilot, he was a young officer with great knowledge and great talent.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"He was an excellent communicator, the driver of reforms in Air Force aircraft, a participant in many projects. I often supported his crazy ideas, which gave incredible results!\" BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-27 12:54:39', '2023-08-27 12:54:39'),
(8733, 8733, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">One person died and 46 were injured after two blasts at a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) station in Romania.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The injured included 26 firefighters who rushed to the scene, following the first explosion near the capital Bucharest on Saturday evening.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shortly after, a second blast sent a mushroom cloud billowing into the sky, rocking the forecourt in Crevedia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Authorities said at least eight of the injured had been severely burnt. They plan to send four to hospitals abroad.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">People within a 700-metre (almost half a mile) radius have been evacuated from the area.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The area is still dangerous... there is a risk of another explosion at another tanker,\" said Raed Arafat, head of Romania\'s emergency department, quoted by the AFP news agency.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Romania\'s President Klaus Iohannis described the explosions as a \"tragedy\" and said he was \"profoundly saddened\" by what had happened.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"An investigation must quickly be launched to see if rules were broken. I ask the authorities to take urgent measures for the injured so that these tragedies won\'t happen again,\" he wrote on Facebook. BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-27 13:12:38', '2023-08-27 13:12:38'),
(8734, 8734, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina returned home this morning after attending the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg of South Africa.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She attended the summit held on August 22-24 at the invitation of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A regular flight of the Emirates Airlines carrying the prime minister and her entourage members landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 8:32am after a brief stopover at the Dubai International Airport in UAE.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">PM\'s younger sister Sheikh Rehana and only daughter Saima Wazed accompanied her.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier, the flight departed from the OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa at 2pm on August 26 (Johannesburg time).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Before that, South Africa unit Awami League (AL) leaders met the prime minister at her place of residence Hotel Hilton Sandton in Johannesburg.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister arrived in Johannesburg on August 22 night to attend the BRICS Summit.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">South Africa hosted the historic summit of the BRICS nations -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It was the first BRICS Summit hosted in person since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent global restrictions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazil\'s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the summit.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On August 23, the prime minister delivered a speech as the chief guest at the \"Bangladesh Trade and Business Summit\" jointly organized by Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) and Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, she attended the \"Bangladesh Envoys Conference\" organized by Bangladesh ambassadors stationed in African countries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the afternoon, she had a bilateral meeting with Chinese President XI Jinping at the Hotel Hilton Sandton.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the evening, the prime minister joined a cultural programme and \"State Banquet\" hosted by the current chair of BRICS and the South African president.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On August 24, she addressed on behalf of Bangladesh as a member of the \"New Development Bank of BRICS\" at Friends of BRICS Leaders Dialogue (BRICS-Africa Outreach and the BRICS Plus Dialogues) comprising representatives from 70 countries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the sidelines of the BRICS Summit, bilateral meetings between Sheikh Hasina and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of Mozambique Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, President of Tanzania Dr Saima Sulluhu and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi were held at Sandton Convention Centre.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A meeting was also held between Bangladesh Premier Sheikh Hasina and President of the New Development Bank Dilma Vana Rousseff at the same venue.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During the meetings, the five dignitaries highly praised Bangladesh\'s remarkable development under Sheikh Hasina\'s prudent leadership, Foreign Minister Dr A K Abdul Momen said in a media briefing.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the evening, she met the Bangladeshi expatriates living in South Africa. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-27 14:02:42', '2023-08-27 14:02:42');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(8735, 8735, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Lionel Messi came off the bench and scored as Inter Miami began their push for the Major League Soccer playoffs with a 2-0 win at New York Red Bulls on Saturday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After a week in which Miami won the Leagues Cup and reached the final of the US Open Cup, Messi was left on the bench by coach Gerard \"Tata\" Martino but came into the game on the hour mark.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Argentine World Cup winner had limited involvement after entering with former Barcelona team-mate Sergio Busquets but made his mark on his regular season debut with an 89th minute goal.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Jordi Alba acrobatically hooked the ball into the box to Messi who twisted and turned then slipped a sublime pass with the outside of his foot to Benjamin Cremaschi whose low first-time cross was tapped in by the seven-times Ballon d\'Or winner.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Messi has now scored 11 goals in nine appearances in all competitions since joining Inter Miami.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"He\'s unbelievable, every day it\'s something new, on and off the field,\" said Miami\'s 19-year-old defender Noah Allen.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"He\'s an amazing person to play with and I am so blessed to play with him.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Martino had indicated that several of his players were in need of a break after an intense run of eight games inside a month and stuck to his word with his team selection, to the disappointment of the capacity crowd at Red Bull Arena.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A makeshift Miami had taken the lead in the 37th minute when Noah Allen played in a cross from the left and Paraguayan Diego Gomez was given time to turn and then slot home a left-foot effort.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Miami keeper Drake Callender had to make a series of saves to keep his side in the lead but with Red Bull pressure mounting, Martino opted to bring on his star man and the momentum of the game inevitably shifted.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The win lifts Miami off the bottom of the Eastern Conference and reduces the gap to the last playoff sport to 11 points with 11 games remaining.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Cincy bounce back -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Eastern Conference leaders Cincinnati bounced back from their US Open Cup last four loss to Miami on Wednesday with a 3-0 victory over New York City.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Aaron Boupendza nodded the Ohio side ahead in the 6th minute and Junior Moreno doubled the lead in the 52nd minute with a side-foot finish at the end of a swift counter.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A 59th minute header from Nick Hagglund wrapped up the win for Cincinnati who remain 11 points clear of second-placed Philadelphia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Philly enjoyed a 3-1 win at Wayne Rooney\'s D.C. United with all their goals coming in the first half through Mikael Uhre, Jack McGlynn and a penalty from Hungarian international Daniel Gazdag.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The New England Revolution, third in the East, fell to a 1-0 loss at Montreal with George Campbell grabbing the 86th minute winner.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Champions Los Angeles FC suffered a surprise 2-1 loss at Charlotte with former Burnley midfielders Ashley Westwood and Scott Arfield on target for the North Carolina side.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Westwood opened the scoring with a clever finish at the near post in the 29th minute before Mario Gonzalez levelled for LAFC in the 67th only for Arfield, a recent signing from Scotland\'s Rangers to grab the 75th minute winner.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It was a day of surprises in the Western Conference where leaders St.Louis City fell to a 2-1 defeat to Orlando City with Facundo Torres settling the encounter with a stoppage time penalty after Anthony Markanich handled in the box. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-27 14:33:03', '2023-08-27 14:33:03'),
(8736, 8736, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A key ally of former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson formally resigned Saturday, delivering a blistering attack on his successor in her resignation letter.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Former culture minister Nadine Dorries announced her intention to resign 11 weeks ago but had remained as member of parliament while she investigated why she was not given a seat in the upper house of parliament.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In her resignation letter, Dorries accused Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of abandoning \"the fundamental principles of Conservatism\" and said \"history will not judge you kindly\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dorries was unexpectedly not awarded a seat in the upper chamber of parliament, the House of Lords, in Johnson\'s resignation honours list. He rewarded fellow Brexit die-hards and even those implicated in the \"Partygate\" scandal that contributed to his downfall last year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The omission prompted accusations from Johnson\'s camp of meddling from Sunak and Downing Street.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In her letter, which she released on social media, Dorries accused Sunak of leading attacks on her resulting in \"the police having to visit my home and contact me on a number of occasions due to threats to my person.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The clearly orchestrated and almost daily personal attacks demonstrates the pitifully low level your government has descended to,\" she wrote.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She also attacked his record in Government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Since you took office a year ago, the country is run by a zombie parliament where nothing meaningful has happened,\" she wrote.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"You have no mandate from the people and the Government is adrift.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Resignation honours lists, in which key political allies of outgoing prime ministers are rewarded, are normally waved through by their successor.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Political revenge -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sunak\'s spokesman told reporters earlier it was \"entirely untrue\" that the prime minister or officials removed names from Johnson\'s list before it was sent to a House of Lords vetting committee.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The row in June over the honours prompted the resignation as MPs of both Nigel Adams, who was also omitted from the list, as well as Johnson himself.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the same time Dorries announced her intention to resign.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Political observers have interpreted the resignations as Johnson\'s revenge on Sunak for forcing him out of office last July after \"Partygate\" and a string of other scandals.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Johnson resigned as an MP claiming a stitch-up by political opponents on a cross-party inquiry probing whether he lied to parliament over the Covid lockdown-breaking parties at Downing Street.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The resignations meant Sunak\'s Tories had to face by-elections at a time when they were trailing in the polls to the main opposition Labour party and ahead of a general election next year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Conservatives lost Adams\' seat but held on to Johnson\'s constituency, aided by Labour mayor Sadiq Khan\'s contentious expansion of a vehicle pollution tax to outer London.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The government now faces the prospect of another by-election, possibly within weeks, although Dorries\' 24,000 majority in her constituency might prove more difficult for the Labour opposition party to overturn than Adams\' 20,000 majority. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-27 14:36:31', '2023-08-27 14:36:31'),
(8737, 8737, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Kylian Mbappe dominated his first home start of the season, scoring twice as Ligue 1 champions Paris-Saint Germain defeated last season\'s runners up Lens, 3-1, on Saturday.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a meeting of two teams winless in their first two league matches, PSG emphatically put their season back on track.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The victory lifted them to fourth, two points behind leaders Monaco, who drew on Friday, and Marseille who won earlier Saturday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I\'d always like things to go the way they did tonight, but in football there are always surprises,\" said PSG coach Luis Enrique.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"There was a Champions League rhythm,\" the Spaniard said. \"My players were very brave and against a team that defends well. We created a lot of chances.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mbappe, making his first home start since being reinstated to the team following a contract dispute, posed a threat from the start.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the first half, he had one shot saved by goalkeeper Brice Samba and another cleared off the line by Kevin Danso before Marco Asensio scored his first goal for the club in the 44th minute.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">PSG\'s Portuguese midfielder Vitinha surged up the field before moving the ball on to Warren Zaire-Emery who passed to Asensio just outside the box.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Spaniard curled a left foot shot in off the base of the post.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mbappe added a ferocious second after 51 minutes, meeting a return pass from Lucas Hernandez with a first-time side-foot shot from the edge of the box that rocketed past Samba.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mbappe forced another good save from Samba as PSG dominated possession.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On a rare Lens counter-attack, Elye Wahi, the club\'s record signing, who came on after 57 minutes, outpaced the home defence and forced a sprawling save from Gianluigi Donnarumma.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ousmane Dembele, making his first PSG start since moving from Barcelona, lashed an opportunity for a first goal for the club wide.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mbappe added a second in the 90th minute with a shot from near the penalty spot that took two deflections on its way into the net.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As PSG\'s defence relaxed, Wahi forced another flying save from Donnarumma before Morgan Guilavogui scored with the last kick of the match, his shot deflecting in off Milan Skriniar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"In the second half, we opened up and if you open up against this team, things happen too quickly. We didn\'t give up but there was too much difference between the two teams,\" said Lens coach Franck Haise.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier, Marseille jumped to second place after ending visiting Brest\'s winning start to season with a lacklustre 2-0 victory.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Knocked out of the Champions League in the third qualifying round by Panathinaikos at the start of the month, Marseille\'s rebuilt squad had a week to prepare.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The hosts started brightly when Chancel Mbemba opened the scoring with a header from Jordan Veretout\'s impeccable free kick after three minutes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Brest, who had opened the season with two wins, dominated the rest of the half and squandered a string of chances.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"In the first half we weren\'t organised properly, we lost too many balls and Brest were better,\" said Marseille coach Marcelino, who took over in the summer.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The introduction of Vitinha from the bench lifted Marseille who stretched their lead after 65 minutes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ismaila Sarr met a cross from Renan Lodi to score for the first time since arriving from Watford in the summer.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Vitinha created two golden chances for Veretout and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who was wasteful throughout.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It got better in the second half and after the second goal, we were the Marseille we want to be,\" said Marcelino. \"If we\'d been bad throughout, I\'d be worried.\" AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-27 14:40:16', '2023-08-27 14:40:16'),
(8738, 8738, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">North Korea has moved to further open up from strict pandemic-era isolation, with state media reporting Sunday that citizens living abroad have been allowed to reenter the country.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">State-run KCNA said that the State Emergency Epidemic Prevention Headquarters had announced that \"citizens abroad have been allowed to return home\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Those returned will be put under proper medical observation at quarantine wards for a week,\" the report said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It added that the decision had been made \"in reference to the eased worldwide pandemic situation.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">North Korea shut its borders in early 2020 in response to the coronavirus pandemic, but there have been increasing signals the country has moved towards reopening.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Chinese and Russian officials attended a military parade in Pyongyang last month -- the first foreign dignitaries to visit the country in years.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Last week a delegation of athletes was allowed to attend a taekwondo competition in Kazakhstan, while state-run Air Koryo made its first international commercial flight in three years.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The flight arrived Tuesday morning at Beijing\'s Capital Airport, with AFP reporters only seeing two North Koreans -- recognisable by their distinctive badges bearing the faces of former leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il -- come through the arrival gate. Neither spoke to media.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another Air Koryo flight bound for Pyongyang departed just after 1:00 pm, a tracking website showed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency published photos of a number of North Koreans lining up to check luggage for that flight.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Asked about the flights, China\'s foreign ministry said that it had approved restarting commercial air travel between Beijing and Pyongyang.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"During the summer and autumn flight season... the Chinese side approved flight plans for passengers such as the Pyongyang-Beijing and Beijing-Pyongyang routes of Air Koryo,\" foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a regular briefing on Monday. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-27 14:43:08', '2023-08-27 14:43:08'),
(8739, 8739, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Dhaka’s air ranked 8th most polluted among cities around the world this morning, according to Air Quality Index (AQI).</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The air in Dhaka city was categorised as ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, with an AQI score of 117 at 8:35 am.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Indonesia’s Jakarta, India’s Delhi and Uganda’s Kampala occupied the first three spots on the list, with AQI scores of 169, 167, and 164 respectively.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, between 150 and 200 is ‘unhealthy’, between 201 and 300 is said to be \'very unhealthy\', while a reading of 301+ is considered \'hazardous\', posing serious health risks to residents.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants — particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and Ozone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-27 14:56:45', '2023-08-27 14:56:45'),
(8740, 8740, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Eleven Syrian military personnel were killed, and 20 others were injured on Saturday in a rebel attack in the country\'s northwestern province of Idlib, a war monitor reported.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The attackers carried out an assault and detonated explosive devices concealed in tunnels beneath Syrian army positions in the southern countryside of Idlib, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The observatory said the attackers are from factions including the Ansar al-Tawhid group and the Turkestan Islamic Movement, both affiliates of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tension has been brewing between the HTS and the Syrian army, with both sides exchanging fire in northern Syria.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A day earlier, seven HTS members were killed by the army forces in the western countryside of Aleppo in northern Syria, according to the observatory.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Monday, Syrian forces intercepted and shot down three weaponized drones dispatched by the HTS in the northwestern provinces of Idlib and Hama, according to the state news agency SANA.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the same day, Russian airstrikes conducted in the Idlib region killed eight HTS militants, according to the observatory.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">HTS, previously known as the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, has established control over a large swathe of Idlib. XINHUA</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-27 15:16:30', '2023-08-27 15:16:30'),
(8741, 8741, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The new president of the country’s apex trade body, the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), has already written to Bangladesh Bank asking for opportunities for businesses struggling to pay instalments against loans to turn around their fortunes before declaring them as loan defaulters.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also believes heightened inflation is a global issue, rather than unique to Bangladesh, as prices of daily essentials and energy prices have witnessed spikes across the world, including the USA and Europe.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh is trying to curb inflation, but the global supply chain disruption creates crises on the supply side, which is the cause of the price hike in some cases, he pointed out.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Talking to UNB, Mahbubul Alam gave his opinions on different issues including inflation, the dollar crisis, export diversification, and the challenges in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Alam was elected as the new president of the FBCCI as a leader of the Sammilito Oikko Parishad, for the 2023-25 tenure. The election was held on July 31 and he took charge as president on August 14. He also serves as President of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce &amp; Industry (CCCI).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Beyond his business acumen, Mahbubul Alam has received recognition in the form of CIP (Trade) and CIP (Industry) Awards from the Ministry of Commerce, Bangladesh. He is also a committed philanthropist, contributing to various social causes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Internationally, he is the recipient of a \"Certificate of Merit\" from the World Customs Organization.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Alam said in the present economic reality, suppose an entrepreneur has 12 factories; among them one or two will have fallen into problems, but the other 10 would be running well. In this situation, if the business group was declared as defaulter, the entrepreneur would not run the other factories, and a large number of employees would lose their jobs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He acknowledged that in the last two years, a huge volume of loans went into default as many businessmen are not paying their instalments. The FBCCI president said, the federation (FBCCI) has already written a letter to the Bangladesh Bank (BB) to not declare any company as defaulter without understanding the reality.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He suggested running the factories as an option to get a return. He opposed wholesale declaration of loan defaulters rather than giving opportunities to improve.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Alam agreed that the businessmen have to return the loan money, otherwise the banks will be in trouble.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Regarding the dollar crisis, the FBCCI president emphasised enhancing remittance earnings by sending more skilled human resources abroad, along with the unskilled manpower already being sent.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also urged the government to develop a system through which remittances could be sent easily to Bangladesh using legal channels from the Middle East and other areas of the world.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Alam, the owner of Chattogram-based M/S Alam Trading, also emphasised enhancing the capacity of foreign missions of Bangladesh so that those missions can arrange trade fairs to display different traditions and non-traditional products as part of the export diversification campaign.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Regarding SDG achievement, the FBCCI president said the capacity of domestic businesses must increase to compete with global manufacturers in the age of free trade.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Alam said, “Despite different types of obstacles and unfavourable environment, the entrepreneurs of Bangladesh have survived and continued running their businesses even during the Covid-19 pandemic period.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The FBCCI president emphasised massive research and innovation activities involving youths for Bangladeshi companies to cope with the requirements of the 4th Industrial Revolution,</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, he doesn’t buy into the hype that Artificial Intelligence or machine learning will affect employment in Bangladesh, as he believes many jobs still exist that require a human hand.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The FBCCI president also focused on increasing domestic rearing of chicken, pigeons, cows, and goats which will help to meet a large portion of the consumption demand for eggs, milk, and meat.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is not possible to supply readymade products, eggs, meat, milk, and other essential items to everyone, he said. Some people have to develop self-dependency when it comes to agricultural items, he pointed out. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-27 16:04:28', '2023-08-27 16:04:28'),
(8742, 8742, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A United States military aircraft crashed during drills in Australia\'s Northern Territory on Sunday with around 20 people on board, according to local media.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Australia\'s Defence Department confirmed the Osprey vertical takeoff aircraft had been carrying US \"defence personnel\", and said that it appeared no Australian soldiers were involved.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"At this critical early stage, our focus is on the incident response and ensuring the safety of those involved,\" the department said in a statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The aircraft was involved in drills near the Tiwi Islands north of Darwin, and several people have reportedly been rescued, according to Australian public broadcaster ABC.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An emergency services incident map for the Northern Territory said there had been an \"aircraft crash\" on Melville Island, some 60 kilometres (37 miles) north of the Australian mainland on Sunday morning.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Osprey was taking part in the Predators Run exercises, a joint series of warfighting drills held between the US and Australian militaries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ospreys are tilt-rotor aircraft that combine the vertical takeoff ability of a helicopter with the speed of a turboprop plane, according to the US Air Force. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-27 17:33:29', '2023-08-27 17:33:29'),
(8743, 8743, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A man and his child were dead and two people were injured in a landslide caused by heavy rains in Sholoshahar area of Chattogram early today.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The deceased Md Sohel, 35, and his daughter Bibi Jannat, 7, were residents of IW Colony — for low income families — in Sholoshahar area.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Locals said the port city experienced heavy rains on Saturday night and early today which caused the landslide in the area. A heavy chunk of a hill fell on Sohel’s tin-roofed house when they were asleep.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Nur Alam Ashiq, in-charge of Chattogram Medical College Hospital police outpost, said two people who sustained injuries in the landslide were brought to the hospital where physicians declared them dead around 7:35 am.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to Chattogram Fire Service Control Room, on getting information of a landslide, a team rushed to the spot and rescued four people from under the debris of a house and sent them to hospital.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Deaths due to landslides in the hilly Chattogram, Rangamati, Bandarban, Khagrachhari and Cox’s Bazar during the monsoon are reported every year. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-27 17:53:48', '2023-08-27 17:53:48'),
(8744, 8744, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">An aircraft incident involving U.S. military personnel occurred mid-morning on Sunday during an exercise in Australia\'s Northern Territory, Australia\'s Defence Ministry said, while a broadcaster said there were no reports of deaths.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sky News Australia reported a v-22 Osprey helicopter with about 20 U.S. Marines on board had crashed off the coast of Darwin.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) said multiple military personnel had been rescued from an aircraft crash on the Tiwi Islands, north of Darwin, and that there were no reports of fatalities.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Initial reports suggest the incident involves United States defence personnel and that Australian Defence Force members were not involved,\" the ministry said in an emailed statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It said the incident occurred on Melville Island north of Darwin during Exercise Predator’s Run 2023.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was previously scheduled to hold a press conference at 0520 GMT, his office said. HT</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-27 18:16:21', '2023-08-27 18:16:21'),
(8745, 8745, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today called for stamping out the poisonous trees of the communal forces for developing a modern and civilized nation.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We have to eliminate the poisonous trees of the communal forces from the country by motivating with the non-communal spirit inspired with the ideology of the National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam”, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The ruling party leader said this while replying to the query of a&nbsp; &nbsp;journalist after paying tribute at the graveyard of the National Poet of his 47th death anniversary in the city here.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;Quader added : “Communalism is still a hindrance on the way of progress&nbsp; and growth of an independent nation…so, we have to be united against these evil forces.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">To mark the day, the senior ruling party leader urged those people who are truly Bangalees would have to be motivated with the non-communal spirit, adding “we will have to pledge on the day that we must have to wipe out the poisonous trees of the communalism under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina”.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Remembering the incidents occurred in the month of August, the minister said it is a tragic period for the Bengali nation , even national poet&nbsp; Kazi Nazrul Islam also passed&nbsp; away during this month. The poet will remain in our heart forever”, he told the journalists.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Nazrul&nbsp; is still relevant to us and even was in before”, he noted.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier,&nbsp; Quader at first paid tribute on behalf of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the grave of the National Poet at Dhaka University, and later&nbsp; along with the central leaders on behalf of the ruling Awami League.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Awami League presidium member Kazi Jafar Ullah, Dr Mostafa Jalal Mahiuddin and Shahjahan Khan, Joint General secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Organizing Secretary Ahmad Hossain, Science and Technology Affairs Secretary Engineer Abdus Sabur, Office Secretary Barrister Biplob Barua, among others, were present. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"4\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-27 18:50:17', '2023-08-27 18:50:17'),
(8746, 8746, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The 47th death anniversary of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, widely revered for his limitless contributions to Bangla literature, is being observed in a befitting manner across the country today.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Also celebrated as the ‘Rebel Poet’, Kazi Nazrul Islam is considered a pioneer in Bangla literature.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Marking his 47th death anniversary, several organisations and institutions are holding multiple programmes throughout the day commemorating the life and works of the great poet.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dhaka University teachers, students, officials and employees gathered at the Aparajeyo Bangla on Kala Bhaban premises alongside DU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Akhtaruzzaman early in the morning.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">From there, they visited the poet\'s grave with a procession, offered wreaths and recite Fateha. Moreover, recitation of the holy Quran will be held at the university’s central mosque following Asr prayers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh Awami League also paid tributes at the poet’s grave with a procession and prayer.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An Awami League (AL) delegation led by its General Secretary Obaidul Quader paid homage to the poet on behalf of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the party.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Quader urged all to be imbued with the ideologies of the National Poet to uproot communal forces from the country as they are the barriers towards development and advancement of Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A delegation of the BNP led by senior leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi also paid tribute to the Rebel Poet at his grave.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Cultural institution Chhayanaut will organise a special tribute programme at its auditorium in Dhanmondi at 7 pm. The event will be simultaneously aired on its Facebook group and YouTube channel.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Several television channels, including Bangladesh Television (BTV), radio stations, including Bangladesh Betar, and online platforms are broadcasting special programmes commemorating the life and works of the National Poet.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kazi Nazrul Islam, widely revered for his revolutionary and spectacular literary works in then-undivided India, was born in the Churulia village of Bardhaman in West Bengal, India, in 1899.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Nazrul had a brief 21-year-long literary career, during which he produced 2,600 songs, 600 poems, three books, and 43 essays, according to the Kabi Nazrul Institute.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In his early childhood, he had to work as a caretaker and as a muazzin in a mosque to support his family when his father passed away. He was forced to leave school at the age of nine in order to work for a professional \"Leto\" music group in Churulia, West Bengal.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While working with the group, he became familiar with Bangla and Sanskrit literature. A year later, he went back to school and enrolled at Matharun English School, but due to financial hardship, he dropped out once more in Class six.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After some time, police officer Kazi Rafizullah took him under his wing and enrolled him in Class seven at Darirampur School in Trishal, Mymensingh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Within a few years of beginning military service in the British Army in 1917, Nazrul embarked on his literary career. He wrote the classic \"Bidrohi\" (The Rebel) in 1921 and founded \"Dhumketu\" (The Comet), a monthly journal, in 1922.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Due to his nationalist stance in the Indian Independence Movement, Nazrul found himself in the clutches of colonial British authorities. He wrote \"Rajbandir Jabanbandi\" (Deposition of a Political Prisoner) while he was incarcerated.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">His works later inspired the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, and his poems inspired many to revolt against the oppression of Pakistan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Freedom, humanity, love, and revolution are recurring themes throughout Nazrul\'s remarkable literary creations. He was against radicalism and the constraints of caste, gender, and religious prejudice.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Nazrul also published short stories, novels, and essays, although his songs and poems have received the most praise. He is renowned for his liberal use of Arabic and Farsi terms in his writings and for popularizing Bangla ghazals.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He invented his own musical genre known as \"Nazrul Geeti,\" which consists of almost 4,000 songs he penned and composed music for, many of which were released on vinyl and HMV records.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 1942, when Nazrul was 43 years old and suffering from an unidentified illness, he started to lose his voice and memory. His condition was later discovered to be \"Pick\'s disease,\" a rare and fatal neurodegenerative disease, by a medical team in Vienna.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the invitation of the Bangladeshi government and then President and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Nazrul\'s family migrated to Bangladesh and settled in Dhaka in 1972. The government of Bangladesh conferred upon him the status of \"National Poet\" in the same year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He was awarded the honorary DLitt by Dhaka University in 1974 and he received the Ekushey Padak in 1976, for his legendary contribution to Bangla literature and culture,</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On August 27, 1976, the Rebel Poet breathed his last in Dhaka and was buried next to the mosque on Dhaka University campus, fulfilling a wish he had made in one of his poems.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-27 19:14:56', '2023-08-27 19:14:56'),
(8747, 8747, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Three constables were killed and three others injured after a train hit a police van in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The incident took place in Sitakunda upazila at Fakirhat Level Crossing in Solimpur Union on Sunday afternoon.</div><div><br></div><div>The identities of the deceased and injured could not be known yet.</div><div><br></div><div>Officer-in-charge (OC) (Investigation) Abu Syed, of Sitakunda Police Station, confirmed the matter to media.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-27 21:28:06', '2023-08-27 21:28:06'),
(8748, 8748, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">In response to the floods in Bangladesh earlier this month, the European Union has released €300 000 to assist the flood-affected population in the Southeast region of the country.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The aid will focus on the Bandarban region, as one of the hardest-hit districts.</div><div><br></div><div>The funding will be used to provide emergency cash assistance to allow beneficiaries to immediately cope with their urgent needs, mainly in terms of food and shelter.</div><div><br></div><div>The funding will be managed by the UN’s World Food Program (WFP), which will coordinate operations in the area with the Bangladesh Red Cross in order to ensure the largest possible coverage, said the EU Embassy in Dhaka on Sunday.</div><div><br></div><div>Since 5 August, heavy rainfall has caused flash floods and landslides in the Southeast of Bangladesh, with a particularly harsh impact on Bandarban, where around 80% of the municipal area was flooded.</div><div><br></div><div>The floods have severely impacted food security, causing widespread damage to food stocks and harvests, as well as the death of livestock and loss of livestock’s feed.</div><div><br></div><div>Individual shelters in the most affected areas have also experienced extensive damage. In Barbadan alone, it is estimated that 15,600 homes have suffered severe damages.</div><div><br></div><div>This new funding comes in addition to the over €30 million provided by the EU this year in humanitarian aid to Bangladesh, notably in response to the Rohingya refugee crisis, but also to reduce the impact of natural hazards.</div><div><br></div><div>In May, after devastating Cyclone Mocha hit the coastline of Bangladesh, the EU responded though the IFRC Pilot Programmatic Partnership with €350 000 for immediate assistance to affected people, both in the refugee camps and among the host population.</div><div><br></div><div>For both Cyclone Mocha and the recent floods, the EU’s department for civil protection and humanitarian aid operations (DG ECHO) activated an Anticipatory Action project through WFP, allowing 5,300 households in Teknaf District to have access to multi-purpose cash transfer ahead of the two disasters. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-28 00:45:14', '2023-08-28 00:45:14');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(8749, 8749, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen on Sunday said there is no reason to be disheartened over Bangladesh not being included in the BRICS block of developing economies as it remains a part of the New Development Bank (NDB).</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“There are many issues — political and regional, and there is the issue of maintaining balance,” he told reporters while responding to a question.</div><div><br></div><div>The foreign secretary said if they look at the tangible outcome of BRICS over the last 15 years, only NDB is visible. “You can assess that. Since we remain a part of the NDB, there is no reason to feel disheartened.”</div><div><br></div><div>Masud Bin Momen said this is the first phase and Bangladesh hopes to be included in the next phase. “In the meantime, we also got time to some extent.”</div><div><br></div><div>He said there was an effort to make a geographical balance and there were more interested countries but they also did not get (BRICS) membership. “It’s an ongoing process.”</div><div><br></div><div>Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Egypt and Ethiopia were the six countries invited to join the BRICS at the just concluded summit.</div><div><br></div><div>These countries are set to join BRICS from January 1, 2024, to make an 11-nation bloc.</div><div><br></div><div>The announcement came after two days of talks at the summit in Johannesburg involving Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Russian President Vladimir Putin participated in the discussions virtually.</div><div><br></div><div>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina attended the BRICS Summit at the invitation of South African President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa.</div><div><br></div><div>BRICS is a consensus-based organization that needs all members to agree on decisions.</div><div><br></div><div>The bloc was originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India and China in 2009 and South Africa joined in 2010.</div><div><br></div><div>BRICS currently represents around 40% of the world’s population and more than a quarter of the world’s GDP, with that is set to increase, according to AP.</div><div><br></div><div>BRICS has a stated aim to amplify the voice of the Global South. All five current members and dozens of developing countries represented at the recent summit repeatedly called for a fairer world order and the reform of international institutions like the United Nations, the IMF and the World Bank. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-28 03:36:50', '2023-08-28 03:36:50'),
(8750, 8750, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The government has so far spent Tk400 crore on dengue treatment this season, Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque said on Sunday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The government is providing dengue treatment free of cost in government hospitals and spending an average of Tk50,000 per patient in the country, the minister disclosed at a discussion meeting on how to combat dengue at a city hotel in the capital this afternoon.</div><div><br></div><div>Zahid Maleque said that 70 percent of the dengue patients have received treatment in the country\'s government hospitals. And the remaining 30 percent received treatment in private hospitals.</div><div><br></div><div>Generally, two types of dengue patients are treated in hospitals. Some of them require platelets and ICU service and some are cured only by taking medicine, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Regarding the risk to women, the health minister said that though the women are affected less compared to last year but dying more.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Women are dying more because they delay getting treatment. Maybe they are not being noticed. Of the total patients, 65 percent are male patients in the country,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Around 65 percent of total deaths from dengue this year are female patients, the health minister informed.</div><div><br></div><div>The minister also said that half of the dengue patients are outside Dhaka.</div><div><br></div><div>So far, the DGHS has recorded 1, 12,184 dengue cases this year, the highest ever.</div><div><br></div><div>Among others, Dr. Anwar Hossain Howlader, Secretary of the Health Services Department of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Khurshid Alam , director general of DGHS, Additional Director General Professor Dr. Ahmedul Kabir, were also present on the occasion. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-28 04:03:27', '2023-08-28 04:03:27'),
(8751, 8751, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">China\'s summer this year has seen both extreme heat and devastating floods.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And the flooding this time around has struck areas where such weather has been unheard of, with scientists - blaming climate change - warning that the worst is yet to come.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I\'ve never seen a flood here in my whole life,\" says 38-year-old Zhang Junhua, standing next to a vast patch of rice, now completely useless. \"We just didn\'t expect it.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">His family and friends are safe, he says, because they were given plenty of warning to get to higher ground, but everyone in his village now has some tough months ahead.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">What\'s more, the devastation in north-east China\'s Heilongjiang Province has had a major impact on food supplies for the whole country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This month, 40% of the area\'s famous Wuchang rice crop has been wiped out, visibly flattened by the volume and speed of the water. Places which should appear lush and green are today brown and dead.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The fields where we planted our crops were all submerged. We can\'t plant again this year,\" says another farmer, Zhao Lijuan, as she smiles and tries to be philosophical about the impact on her community.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The losses are incalculable. We have tens of thousands of acres of rice fields here,\" the 56-year-old says, adding: \"When I saw the water come here, I cried. It laid waste to everything and I am scared the typhoons will be back.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At least 81 people have been killed in the recent floods, including some trying to rescue others.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But the economic pain has been much wider, in a country already struggling to recover following three years of strict coronavirus control measures.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And, if the government wants to measure the immediate cost of not addressing climate change urgently, it need look no further than its own statistics.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a little over a decade, the number of floods being recorded in the country has increased tenfold.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the summer of 2011, there were six to eight monthly floods listed in China. Last year, more than 130 were recorded in July and 82 in August.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to Dr Zhao Li from Greenpeace East Asia, the increase in flood numbers can be partially explained by China developing better systems to monitor and record flood data.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But she says global warming is still clearly a major contributing factor.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Warmer temperatures can enhance evaporation rates, resulting in more moisture in the atmosphere,\" she says. \"This increased moisture content can lead to more intense rainfall and more frequent and severe storms, including hurricanes and cyclones.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A Greenpeace study from two years ago, using UN climate panel mapping, found that more heatwaves and extreme rainfall would effectively extend summer by one month during this century in the provinces around Beijing and Shanghai. In the Pearl River delta, it would be by more than 40 days.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Chinese government\'s own Meteorological Administration officials have reported that extreme high temperatures and extreme precipitation have definitely increased since the mid-1990s.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, in the face of potential catastrophes, Dr Zhao Li from Greenpeace warns that human beings are not ready for what is just around the corner.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We are not prepared for extreme weather events. Recent experiences from the floods underline that,\" Dr Zhao says.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It\'s an immense and perhaps unrealistic task to upgrade all infrastructure to be able to face a flood that is the worst in hundreds of years. However, climate change is bringing those once-a-century events into rotation with a frequency that shows we will soon have to control a disaster again.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Officials in China tried to ease the impact of recent floods by using a system of dams of waterways to change their direction. BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-28 12:58:29', '2023-08-28 12:58:29'),
(8752, 8752, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">French authorities are to ban the wearing in school of abaya dresses worn by some Muslim women, the education minister said on Sunday, arguing the garment violated France\'s strict secular laws in education.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It will no longer be possible to wear an abaya at school,\" Education Minister Gabriel Attal told TF1 television, saying he would give \"clear rules at the national level\" to school heads ahead of the return to classes nationwide from September 4.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The move comes after months of debate over the wearing of abayas in French schools, where women have long been banned from wearing the Islamic headscarf.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There have been reports of abayas being increasingly worn in schools and tensions within school over the issue between teachers and parents.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Secularism means the freedom to emancipate oneself through school,\" Attal said, describing the abaya as \"a religious gesture, aimed at testing the resistance of the republic toward the secular sanctuary that school must constitute.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"You enter a classroom, you must not be able to identify the religion of the students by looking at them,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A law of March 2004 banned \"the wearing of signs or outfits by which students ostensibly show a religious affiliation\" in schools.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This includes large crosses, Jewish kippas and Islamic headscarves.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Unlike headscarves, abayas -- a long, baggy garment worn to comply with Islamic beliefs on modest dress -- occupied a grey area and faced no outright ban until now</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The debate has intensified since a radicalised Chechen refugee beheaded teacher Samuel Paty, who had shown students caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed, near his school in a Paris suburb in 2020.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The CFCM, a national body encompassing many Muslim associations, has said items of clothing alone were not \"a religious sign\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The announcement is the first big move by Attal, 34, since he was promoted this summer to handle the hugely contentious education portfolio.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Along with Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, 40, he is seen as a rising star who could potentially play an important role after Macron steps down in 2027. HT</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-28 13:01:38', '2023-08-28 13:01:38'),
(8753, 8753, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A white man wearing a mask and firing a weapon emblazoned with a swastika gunned down three Black people Saturday in what the sheriff described as a racially motivated attack in Jacksonville, Florida. The shooter, who had also posted racist writings, then killed himself. Here\'s what is known about the killings:</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The shooting happened Saturday afternoon at a Dollar General store in New Town, a predominantly Black neighborhood of Jacksonville, Florida. The store is near Edward Waters University, a historically Black school with about 1,000 students. The school said the man was spotted on campus by a security guard shortly before the shooting and asked to leave when he refused to identify himself. He was seen putting on his bullet-resistant vest and mask before he drove away. Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said Sunday that it does not appear that he intended to attack the school.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ryan Palmeter, 21, who lived in neighboring Clay County with his parents. Sheriff Waters said Palmeter had been involved in a 2016 domestic violence incident that did not lead to an arrest and was involuntarily committed for a 72-hour mental health examination the following year. Palmeter used two guns — a Glock handgun and an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle. Waters said they were purchased legally earlier this year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Angela Michelle Carr, 52, who was shot in her car outside; store employee A.J. Laguerre, 19, who was shot as he tried to flee; and customer Jerrald Gallion, 29, who was shot as he entered the store. No one else was injured.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Racism. During the attack, Palmeter texted his father and told him to break into his room and check his computer. There, the father found a suicide note, a will and racist writings from his son. The family notified authorities, but by then the shooting had already begun, the sheriff said. Officials say there were writings to his family, federal law enforcement and at least one media outlet. At least one of the guns had swastikas painted on it. Sheriff Waters said that the shooter made clear in his writings that he hated Black people.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After the shooting, the school was put on lockdown for several hours and the students were kept in their dorm rooms for their safety. The school says no students or staff were involved in the shooting.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">REACTION FROM AROUND THE NATION:</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Florida State Rep. Angie Nixon: “We must be clear, it was not just racially motivated, it was racist violence that has been perpetuated by rhetoric and policies designed to attack Black people, period.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan: “I’ve heard some people say that some of the rhetoric that we hear doesn’t really represent what’s in people’s hearts, it’s just the game. It’s just the political game. Those three people who lost their lives, that’s not a game. That’s the reality of what we’re dealing with. Please let us stop viewing each other as pieces on a game board, and let us please start to see each other’s humanity. “</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">READ: 3 US Marines killed, 20 injured in an aircraft crash in Australia during a training exercise</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rudolph McKissick, senior pastor of the historic Bethel Church in Jacksonville: “As it began to unfold, and I began to see the truth of it, my heart ached on several levels.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis: “This guy killed himself rather than face the music and accept responsibility for his actions. He took the coward’s way out.\" —</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">LaTonya Thomas, a Jacksonville resident riding a charter bus home after the 60th anniversary commemoration of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom: “It made the march even more important because, of course, gun violence and things of that nature seem so casual now. Now you have employees, customers that will never go home.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Attorney General Merrick B. Garland: \"No person in this country should have to live in fear of hate-fueled violence and no family should have to grieve the loss of a loved one to bigotry and hate. One of the Justice Department’s first priorities upon its founding in 1870 was to bring to justice white supremacists who used violence to terrorize Black Americans. That remains our urgent charge today. The Justice Department will never stop working to protect everyone in our country from unlawful acts of hate.” AP/UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-28 13:58:27', '2023-08-28 13:58:27'),
(8754, 8754, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Ex-US President Barack Obama has written a letter of support for Dr Muhammad Yunus, expressing his hope that the Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist can continue to do his \'important work\'.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dr Yunus, the founder of Grameen Bank, shared an image of the letter signed by Obama on his verified Facebook page on Sunday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I have long been inspired by your efforts to empower people through offering them the means to lift their families and communities out of poverty. As I said when having the opportunity to meet you in the White House in 2009, your work has inspired millions to imagine their own potential,” said the letter from the 44th president of the United States.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“During this period, I hope it gives you strength to know that many whose potential you invested in, and those of us who care about a more equitable economic future for all, are thinking of you, and I hope that you continue to have the freedom to do your important work,” it reads.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The current US president, Joe Biden, served eight years over two terms as vice president to Obama, who is still thought to wield tremendous influence within the ranks of the Democrat party in particular, and US politics in general.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Also on Sunday, 34 eminent citizens of the country expressed \'deep concern\' over the government’s motives through a series of recent developments that have gone against Bangladesh\'s first and till now only Nobel laureate, in a case filed with Dhaka\'s No.3 Labour Court.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On August 20, a full bench of the Appellate Division cleared the way for the criminal case to continue against Dr Yunus and his co-defendants, by rejecting a petition to prevent the case from proceeding. The trial commenced two days later.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a statement circulated to news outlets, the group of concerned citizens called upon the government to stop all sorts of harassment against Dr Yunus. It notes his lawyers\' contention that the allegations brought in the case are civil in nature, yet the government has pursued a criminal case.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The government’s role in disposing of the case with abnormal haste has become evident recently,\" the statement said. It also alleges that Dr Yunus has already been subjected to harassment in the case.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Harassing him in the garb of legal and administrative measures is hampering his work and sending a negative message to the world, the statement adds.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to case documents in the public domain, the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) visited Grameen Telecom and uncovered various violations of the labour law.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They said 101 workers were supposed to be made permanent, but were not. Workers\' and welfare funds were not constituted. Additionally, 5% of the dividends of Grameen Telecom was supposed to accrue to the workers, but that didn\'t happen, the case filed by the DIFE in September 2021 alleged.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dr Yunus chaired the Board of Trustees of Grameen Telecom, which is registered as a trust. The others accused in the case are his fellow trustees Ashraful Hasan, Md Shahjahan and Noor Jahan Begum. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-28 14:00:36', '2023-08-28 14:00:36'),
(8755, 8755, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">While sports fanatics of the sub-continent gear up for the India versus Pakistan blockbuster in Asia Cup in cricket, India\'s Neeraj Chopra and Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan produced a thriller of a contest in the early hours of Monday in Budapest, leaving fans on the edge of their seat, in the men\'s javelin final at World Athletics Championships which eventually ended in both the players scripting history.&nbsp;</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Separated by less than a metre in the nail-biter, Neeraj became India\'s first ever gold medallist at the World Championships while Nadeem, who finished second, became the very first medallist for Pakistan in the history of the competition.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After opening the summit clash with a foul attempt, Neeraj soared to the gold medal position with his best throw of 88.17 m in his second attempt. Nadeem, the reigning Commonwealth Games champion, shrugged off a slow start to pose a stiff competition with his season-best throw of 87.82 m in his third attempt which immediately saw him take the second position. The two remained intact at the top of the table till the very end with Czech Republic\'s Jakub Vadlejch securing the bronze with the best throw of 86.67 m.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After the historic gold medal win, Neeraj and Nadeem shared a hug. Later, as the Indian and Jakub posed in front of the cameras with their respective flags, as it has been the ritual, Nadeem was missing from the frame. The silver medallist was left with the Pakistan flag, but Neeraj, in a million-dollar act, invited him for the photographs as the pair stood together with the Indian flag behind.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This was the first time India had as many as three participants in the final with Kishore Jena (best of 84.77 m) having finished fifth while DP Manu (best of 84.14 m) finished sixth.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">India now has medals of all colours with Neeraj being the owner of two of them. He had bagged the silver medal at the World Championships last year. Before his two medals, India\'s last medalist was Anju Bobby George, in the 2003 World Championships, getting a bronze for the women\'s long jump.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With the win, Neeraj is now an Olympic champion and the reigning World Championships gold medallist, making him only the second Indian after the legendary shooter Abhinav Bindra -- to simultaneously hold the Olympics and Worlds title. Bindra had won the World Championships title when he was 23, and the Olympics gold at 25. He is also the third javelin thrower in the history to hold the Olympics and World Championships titles at the same time after the iconic Jan Zelezny of Czech Republic and Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway. HT</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-28 14:17:53', '2023-08-28 14:17:53'),
(8756, 8756, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">\"Calcium and Vitamin D are the most common nutrients associated with preventing osteoporosis:, but there is a whole array of other nutrients that contribute to building and maintaining strong bones! Here are some lesser-known heroes of osteoporosis nutrition,\" writes Nutritionist Lovneet Batra in her recent Instagram post.(Freepik)</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Magnesium: It is incorporated into the bone matrix and is thought to contribute to bone strength.&nbsp; (Unsplash)</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Potassium: Promotes renal calcium retention and protects against bone loss by maintaining an acid-base balance. (Pixabay)</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Vitamin C: A powerful antioxidant in fruits and vegetables may reduce oxidative stress and inhibit bone resorption(Unsplash)</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Phosphorous: Adequate intake of phosphorus is essential for bone formation during the growth ages, because low serum phosphate levels limit the formation and mineralization of bone. Plus, low serum phosphorus levels can be regarded as an indicator of malnutrition, which is a risk factor for osteoporosis and fracture. (Pixabay)</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Vitamin K: A vitamin present in green leafy vegetables, it helps maintain bone health through its role in the carboxylation (activation), of important bone proteins.(Unsplash)</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Zinc: Part of the structure of more than 200 enzymes and is essential for the normal synthesis of collagen and bone mineralization.(Unsplash)</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Vitamin B12: Necessary for synthesis of DNA, may stimulate osteoblast activity and bone formation. Other B vitamins connected with B12, in metabolic pathways include folate and vitamin B6.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Protein: Protein intake can positively affect bone health through the absorption of calcium, and increased secretion of insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) as well as lean body mass.(Unsplash) HT</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"6\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-28 14:21:31', '2023-08-28 14:21:31'),
(8757, 8757, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of former member of Awami League Central Working Committee, former president of Mymensingh district Awami League, former religious affairs minister and valiant freedom fighter Principal Motiur Rahman.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a condolence message, the Prime Minister said that Motiur Rahman was a dedicated leader of Bangladesh Awami League.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Motiur Rahman performed his organisational duties, remaining steadfast to the ideals of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the politics of the Awami League — defying uncountable inducement and repeated imprisonment,” she said.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina said that Motiur Rahman, who led the Mymensingh district Awami League for more than three decades, served as a trainer and successful organiser of freedom fighters during the Liberation War.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He was awarded Ekushey Padak in 2022 for his outstanding contribution in the Liberation War.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The death of Principal Motiur Rahman is an irreparable loss to the party, and I lost a faithful political companion with his demise,” she added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Premier prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul of Principal Motiur Rahman and expressed her deepest sympathy to the bereaved members of his family. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"4\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-28 14:52:50', '2023-08-28 14:52:50'),
(8758, 8758, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">With an air quality index (AQI) score of 154 at 9:30 am today, Dhaka ranked 3rd on the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the AQI, Dhaka’s air quality was categorised as ‘unhealthy’.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The United Arab Emirates\' Dubai and Indonesia’s Jakarta occupied the first two spots on the list, with AQI scores of 176 and 167, respectively.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, between 150 and 200 is ‘unhealthy’, between 201 and 300 is said to be \'very unhealthy\', while a reading of 301+ is considered \'hazardous\', posing serious health risks to residents.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants — particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and Ozone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-28 15:28:51', '2023-08-28 15:28:51'),
(8759, 8759, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">President Mohammed Shahabuddin has expressed profound shock at the death of former religious affairs minister and freedom fighter Motiur Rahman.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a condolence message on Monday, the President said that the nation will forever remember Motiur Rahman\'s contributions to the Liberation War and education sector.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also said that the country suffered an irreparable loss at the death of the Ekushey Padak awardee.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The president prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family members.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Veteran Awami League politician Motiur Rahman breathed his last around 11 pm on Sunday while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Mymensingh at the age of 81.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Born in 1942 in Akua village in Mymensingh Sadar upazila, he served as a member of the advisory committee of the Bangladesh Awami League until his death.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Besides, he taught at Nandina College in Jamalpur and later at Nasirabad College in Mymensingh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He founded Alamgir Mansur Mintu Memorial College in 1969 and served as its principal until 2002.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Motiur Rahman was a two-time MP, nominated by Awami League for Mymensingh-4 constituency.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 2014, he was appointed the minister of religious affairs. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-28 16:20:32', '2023-08-28 16:20:32'),
(8760, 8760, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Tropical Storm Idalia formed Sunday in the Caribbean, buffeting southeastern Mexico with wind and rain, as forecasters predicted it will strengthen to a hurricane before reaching Florida later in the week.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The storm, which is not forecast to make landfall in Mexico, will travel across the Gulf of Mexico before reaching northwest Florida, the US National Hurricane Center said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Idalia will create \"increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and hurricane-force winds along portions of the west coast of Florida and the Florida Panhandle beginning as early as Tuesday,\" the NHC warned.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"There is considerable spread in the model intensity guidance, ranging from minimal to major hurricane status before landfall on the northeast Gulf coast,\" the NHC added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At 2100 GMT Sunday, Idalia was swirling in the Caribbean, headed northeast with maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers (40 miles) per hour, the NHC said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, home to Cancun and other coastal tourist resorts, Idalia dumped rain and put a damper on one of the last weekends of summer vacation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Storm surge and hurricane watches have been issued for parts of Florida\'s coast and scattered flash flooding can be expected, the NHC said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Heavy rainfall is meanwhile expected across parts of the eastern Yucatan in Mexico and western Cuba.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Last weekend, Hilary, which at one point rose to a Category 4 hurricane on the five-point Saffir-Simpson scale, hit the state of Baja California on Mexico\'s Pacific coast as a tropical storm, causing one death and damaging infrastructure.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hurricanes hit Mexico every year on both its Pacific and Atlantic coasts.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Scientists have warned that storms are becoming more powerful as the world gets warmer with climate change. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-28 16:58:13', '2023-08-28 16:58:13'),
(8761, 8761, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The body of a one and half years old boy, who went missing after falling into a canal in waterlogged Agrabad area of Chattogam city after heavy rains, has been recovered after 17 hours.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The body was recovered around 9 am on Monday, said Kafil Uddin, an officer of Agrabad Fire Station.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The deceased was identified as Yashin Arafat, son of Saddam Hussain of the area.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier on Sunday afternoon, the boy fell into an unprotected drain in waterlogged Agrabad area while playing on the street outside the house.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On information, fire service officials started a rescue operation but failed to trace him.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The fire service diving team and city corporation cleaning staff launched the rescue operation again on Monday morning and recovered the body around 9am, added the fire service officer.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The body was handed over to the family members.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier on August 7, a college student named Nipa Palit died after falling into an open drain in Islamiahat Badamtala area of Chattogram City Corporation as the road went under water after heavy rains. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-28 17:11:46', '2023-08-28 17:11:46'),
(8762, 8762, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">New Zealand have given captain Kane Williamson a two-week deadline to prove his fitness for the one-day World Cup starting in October, head coach Gary Stead said Monday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The batsman tore the cruciate ligaments in his right knee playing for Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League in April.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 33-year-old has recovered well and is batting in the nets, with a place in New Zealand\'s 15-man squad now in sight.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We\'ve got about two weeks from now until we name that side,\" Stead told New Zealand media.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We\'re going to give him every chance to use that full amount of time. He\'s in full rehab mode, he\'s back batting in the nets again, which is great to see.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"He\'s progressing really well, but there\'s a lot of work for him still to do to make sure he gets where we need him to be.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Williamson has scored more than 6,500 runs in one-day international cricket and led New Zealand in their nail-biting defeat to England in the 2019 World Cup final.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">New Zealand play England in their opening game of the World Cup in Ahmedabad on October 5.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As part of his recovery bid, Williamson is with the squad on their white-ball tour of England.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Of course we want him at the World Cup, but there is that bigger picture that we want Kane Williamson fit for the rest of his career,\" added Stead.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"There will be honest conversations that Kane and I will have around exactly where he is at.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">All-rounder James Neesham has withdrawn from the Twenty 20 squad for the series against England, which starts Wednesday, to return home ahead of the birth of his first child. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-28 17:14:59', '2023-08-28 17:14:59'),
(8763, 8763, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">At least 13 people were killed after heavy rains lashed central Tajikistan, the latest natural disaster to hit the mountainous Central Asia country, the presidency said Monday.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The deaths occurred in areas just south and east of the capital Dushanbe, where storms on Sunday had caused \"mudslides, falling rocks and landslides\" in around a dozen districts, a spokeswoman for the country\'s emergencies ministry told AFP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Because of the heavy rains, a natural catastrophe happened yesterday and caused the deaths of 13 people, including 11 in Vahdat and two in Rudaki district,\" the office of President Emomali Rahmon said in a brief statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Risks of further landslides \"remain high\", the ministry spokeswoman said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tajikistan, the poorest of ex-Soviet nations in Central Asia, is vulnerable to natural catastrophes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In February, dozens of avalanches as well as landslides and rockfalls struck Upper Badakhshan, an autonomous region in the south bordering Afghanistan, China and Kyrgyzstan that is surrounded by the Pamir Mountains. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-28 18:46:38', '2023-08-28 18:46:38');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(8764, 8764, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday assured that relevant authorities of Bangladesh will give due consideration to a proposal of Danish shipping and logistic giant Maersk Group for constructing and operating a new container terminal at Laldia of Chattogram.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister made the assurance when Chief Executive Officer of the Maersk Group Robert Maersk Uggla along with Danish Charges D’Affaires in Bangladesh Andres B Karlsen called on her at her office.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prime Minister\'s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed the reporters after the call on.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Over 50 Danish Companies are working in Bangladdsh, and Maersk Group is now interested to construct and operate APM terminal at Laldia,”&nbsp; Hasina said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The PM said that a national committee has been formed to formulate logistic policy for the development of ports.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In this regard, she mentioned that two ports- Chattogram and Mongla are already in operation while the government is developing another named Paira Port and it will will come in to operation soon.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“India, Nepal and Bhutan have been given opportunities to use these ports for the mutual benefits,” the prime minister said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There will be many opportunities and advantages in the ports particularly in the Paira port, she added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pointing out contribution of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman&nbsp; for the development and welfare of the nation, Sheikh Hasina said, the great leader struggled throughout his life for the economic emancipation of the people.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During the meeting, the Maersk Group CEO said, there are great potentials in the areas of container shipping and logistic support in Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Maersk Uggla welcomed vision of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to establish smart Bangladesh and said it will be reflected in Chattogram sea port, according to the press secretary.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He expressed keenness to invest for the development of port and logistic supports in Bangladesh saying there are many opportunities in this sectors.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In this context, the Maersk Group CEO mentioned that H&amp;M, M&amp;S, Walmart and other big companies are interested to import more RMG products from Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said that there are many opportunities to diversify cooperation, while the Danish government is very much supportive in the logistic policy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah and Chairman of Chattogram Port Authority Rear Admiral Mohammad Sohail were present. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-28 19:04:18', '2023-08-28 19:04:18'),
(8765, 8765, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Rajinikanth\'s Jailer on Sunday crossed the ₹600 crore mark worldwide. As per film trade analyst Manobala Vijayabalan, Jailer has grossed ₹607.29 crore globally. Moreover, the action film has collected an estimated ₹315.95 crore nett in India in all languages so far, as per a report by Sacnilk.com.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>Jailer grosses over ₹600 crore</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As per Sacnilk.com, on Sunday, Jailer collected an estimated ₹7.5 crore nett in India in all languages. The Tamil film, which has been dubbed in Hindi, Kannada and Telugu and was released on August 10, entered the ₹600 crore club on day 18 of its release. The film is reportedly only the second Tamil film after 2.0 (2018) to achieve this feat; Jailer grossed ₹10.25 crore worldwide on its third Sunday in theatres.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">On Monday, Manobala wrote on X (earlier known as Twitter), “Jailer worldwide box office. ₹600 Jailer. HOUSEFULL shows even on 3rd Sunday helps the film to go past the magical ₹600 crore mark on the 18th day... 2.0 was the FIRST film to enter this club from Tamil Cinema on the 10th day of its run. Week 1 – ₹450.8 crore. Week 2 – ₹124.18 crore. Week 3 Day 1 – ₹7.67 crore, Day 2 – ₹6.03 crore, Day 3 – ₹8.36 crore. Day 4 – ₹10.25 crore. Total - ₹607.29 crore.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>About Jailer</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Rajinikanth film, directed by Nelson, also stars Vasanth Ravi, Tamannaah Bhatia, Yogi Babu, Ramya Krishnan and Vinayakan in key roles. The film also marks the Tamil debut of Kannada superstar and late actor Rajkumar\'s son Shiva Rajkumar. Veteran Malayalam actor Mohanlal also makes a special appearance in the film, as does Jackie Shroff.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rajinikanth was last seen in the 2021 film Annaatthe, co-starring Nayanthara, Khushbu and Keerthy Suresh. The actor recently celebrated Jailer\'s box office success at a bash in Chennai that was attended by the film\'s cast and its makers. Pictures of a special cake from the success party were shared online, along with inside photos from the celebration. HT</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-28 19:15:40', '2023-08-28 19:15:40'),
(8766, 8766, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Biman Bangladesh Airlines is working to expand its international routes to enhance air connectivity for Bangladeshi passengers, Managing Director and CEO of the national flag carrier, Shafiul Azim, has said.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“We have taken initiatives to operate flights on some important routes across the globe including to New York, Chennai, Bengaluru, Los Angeles, Rome, Male, and Guangzhou.”</div><div><br></div><div>The Biman CEO shared the information during an exclusive interview with UNB</div><div><br></div><div>“Gradually we will be able to start flights on these routes. We are evaluating and working on how to start flights on each of these routes within the shortest possible time,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Biman currently operates regular flights to 19 destinations around the world. “We have a fleet of 21 aircraft including Dreamliners. Ten new aircraft are being purchased from Airbus,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>New aircraft from Airbus will facilitate the expansion of routes and will open up new directions in coordination with other countries, the Biman CEO hoped.</div><div><br></div><div>With the addition of the new aircraft, the number of flights on popular routes can also be increased, which would in turn create a more competitive market and help in reducing ticket prices.</div><div><br></div><div>The Biman CEO said, “We are working on expanding our network not only in Asia but also in western countries, especially in Europe.”</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, Biman has already done everything to launch direct flights from Dhaka to New York, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>He further said some formal work is going on with Civil Aviation, Federal Aviation Authority and their Department of Transport.</div><div><br></div><div>If everything goes well, all activities regarding flight operations on the new routes, including New York, are scheduled to be completed by the end of this year.</div><div><br></div><div>He said that Biman Bangladesh Airlines and Gulf Air have recently started a partnership – set to revolutionise travel between Bangladesh and the Gulf region.</div><div><br></div><div>As a result, passengers can travel from Dhaka to Bahrain and Bahrain to Dhaka with onward connection to Chattogram and Sylhet via both airlines (Biman and Gulf Air).</div><div><br></div><div>In addition, it will benefit both airlines through enhanced operational efficiency and shared expertise in the aviation industry, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>“We are starting flights to Narita (Tokyo), Japan from September 1. Chennai is also being considered as a destination. Apart from this, we are going to resume flights to Guangzhou in China by the middle of September. Besides, we are trying to establish communication and code sharing with other countries through Narita in Japan,” the Biman CEO said.</div><div><br></div><div>Regarding the launch of flights to Japan, he said that Bangladesh has very good bilateral relations with Japan, and they have investments here.</div><div><br></div><div>“We are launching a direct Dhaka-Narita (Tokyo) flight from September 1, 2023 and it is a major achievement for us,” the Biman Bangladesh Airlines CEO said, adding, “Bangladeshi students are going to study in Japan and Japanese businessmen are coming here. Besides, many people travel to Japan from neighbouring countries. We have a good air network with the West compared to the East. Through Dhaka-Narita (Tokyo) direct flights, a new horizon will open,” CEO Azim added.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, Biman will take initiative for improvement of the Bangladesh-Japan tourism sector, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>At the same time, “we are moving forward with marketing strategies so that passengers from neighbouring countries can travel to and from Japan via Dhaka,” the Biman Bangladesh Airlines CEO added.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-28 21:42:07', '2023-08-28 21:42:07'),
(8767, 8767, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A Dhaka court set October 26 for submitting probe report in a graft case filed against former chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Judge (in-charge) Faisal Atiq Bin Kader of Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge\'s Court set the date as investigation agency Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) couldn\'t submit the report today.</div><div><br></div><div>The ACC on March 31, 2022, filed the case under sections 4 (2) and 4 (3) of the money laundering prevention act and section 5 (2) of the anti-corruption act.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the case documents, Ananta Kumar Sinha bought the house at a cost of around Taka 2.40 crore.</div><div><br></div><div>As the ACC couldn\'t identify any legal source of the money paid for the home, it believes that the money was earned illegally or laundered from Bangladesh. - BSS</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-28 21:48:47', '2023-08-28 21:48:47'),
(8768, 8768, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Cabinet on Monday gave the final approval to the draft of Cyber Security Act, 2023, keeping the offences under its four sections as non-bailable.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The offences are related to intrusion into key information infrastructures, damaging computers and computer systems, cyber terrorist activities, and hacking related crimes.</div><div><br></div><div>The approval came from the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office in the city.</div><div><br></div><div>The draft cyber security act has been designed to replace the existing Digital Security Act, 2018.</div><div><br></div><div>\"In the draft law, the offences under four sections are non-bailable, the offences under the remaining sections are bailable,\" said Cabinet Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain while briefing reporters after the meeting.</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;“The intrusion into important information infrastructures and others are in the section-17, while damaging computers and computer system are in the section-19, cyber terrorist acts and committing such crimes are in the section-27, and hacking related crimes are in the section-33,” he said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The Cabinet Secretary said the already filed cases will run under the existing law– Digital Security Act as a provision was incorporated in the proposed law.</div><div><br></div><div>In the draft cyber security act 2023, the offences and punishment provisions have been cited in the section 17-33.</div><div><br></div><div>On August 07, the Cabinet in principle approved the cyber security act 2023 with a total of 60 sections.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, the Cabinet meeting on Monday also cleared the draft of National Parliament (Reserved Women Seat) Election (Amendment) Act, 2023, raising the security money for a candidate to Tk 20,000 from Tk 10,000 and extending the election timeframe to 90 days from the existing 45 days.</div><div><br></div><div>The draft law was placed to harmonise the provisions related to security deposit and election timeframe of the National Parliament (Reserved Women Seat) Election 2004 with the provisions of other laws, said Mahbub Hossain.</div><div><br></div><div>Noting that each MP candidate from a general constituency needs to deposit Tk 20,000 as security money and the election to a vacant constituency needs to be arranged within 90 days as per the laws, he said adding that now the same provisions were proposed in the draft law.</div><div><br></div><div>The Cabinet in principle approved the draft of Land Reform Act, 2023 keeping a provision that any individual can’t be owner of more than 60 Bighad lf arable land with few exceptions.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, another new provision was incorporated in the proposed law regarding modernisation of land management and database, said the top bureaucrat.</div><div><br></div><div>The proposed law was framed bringing some changes in the Land Reform Ordinance, 1984, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>“The punishment for violating the law was raised to Tk one lakh in fine or one-month jail from the existing Tk 2,000 fine,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Now no individual can be the owner of 60 Bighas of land anymore in the future, said Mahbub Hossain.</div><div><br></div><div>The Cabinet in principle approved the draft of Dr MA Wazed Miah Agricultural University Act, 2023 to establish a university in Natore.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The meeting gave the final approval to the draft of Trade Organisation (Amendment) Act, 2023 subjected to vetting by the Legislative Division, aiming to bring some changes in the existing law of 2022.</div><div><br></div><div>In case of any problem to hold the election, the existing committee of any trade organisation can continue its operation till one year after expiry of its tenure in line with the draft law, said the Cabinet Secretary.</div><div><br></div><div>But now the committee can run operations till six months after the expiry of its tenure in such circumstances as per the existing law, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The Cabinet cleared the draft of New Development Bank, 2023 subjected to vetting of the Legislative Division in order to give the legal protection of the bank and its activities in Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh has recently become a member of the New Development Bank, a multilateral bank established by the BRICS states. The share of Bangladesh in the bank is one percent.</div><div><br></div><div>Moreover, the Cabinet gave the final approval to the drafts of the Land Crime Prevention and Remedy Act, 2023 and National Foundation for Development of Disabled Persons Act, 2023, while it approved in principle the draft of Bangladesh Patent Act, 2023.</div><div><br></div><div>The meeting endorsed the draft Memorandum of Understanding to be signed between Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates on entry visa requirements. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-29 02:53:04', '2023-08-29 02:53:04'),
(8769, 8769, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Three US marines who were killed in a fiery helicopter crash during a military drill in Australia have been identified.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The MV-22B Osprey came down on a remote island north of Darwin on Sunday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Captain Eleanor LeBeau, 29, Corporal Spencer Collart, 21, and Major Tobin Lewis, 37, were killed and the 20 other people on board - all US marines - were injured.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The cause of the crash remains under investigation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a statement on Tuesday, the commanding officer of the Marine Rotational Force Darwin said the force was \"deeply saddened\" by the loss of such \"respected and beloved\" marines.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Capt LeBeau - originally from Illinois - was piloting the Osprey and had served in the marines for five years, while Cpl Collart - from Virginia - enlisted in 2020.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Maj Lewis - from Colorado - was a highly decorated leader with over 15-years\' experience in the marines, and was the executive officer on board the aircraft.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Our thoughts and prayers remain with the families and with all involved,\" Colonel Brendan Sullivan said, adding that his team remained focused on ongoing recovery and investigative efforts.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The aircraft had been participating in Predators Run, a training exercise involving 2,500 troops from the US, Australia, the Philippines, East Timor and Indonesia, when it crashed on Melville Island.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Soon after, air traffic control were heard discussing a \"significant fire\" at the site, according to audio obtained by local media.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">All 20 marines who survived the crash were taken to hospital. One remains in a critical condition, and another two are in hospital but stable.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The incident is the second fatal helicopter crash during joint exercises in northern Australia in less than a month.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On 29 July four Australian soldiers died after their 45 MRH-90 Taipan crashed off the coast of Queensland while participating in Exercise Talisman Sabre, the largest bilateral military training exercise between Australia and the US.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The latest incident is one of several recent crashes involving an Osprey - a helicopter and turbo-prop plane hybrid.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Four marines were killed in a crash in Norway last year, and three others died in 2017 when their aircraft clipped the back of a transport ship off northern Australia. BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-29 03:37:37', '2023-08-29 03:37:37'),
(8770, 8770, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for his military to be constantly ready for combat to thwart its rivals\' plots to invade his country, state media said Tuesday, as the U.S., South Korea and Japan held a trilateral naval exercise to deal with North Korea\'s evolving nuclear threats.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The U.S. and South Korean militaries have been separately holding summer bilateral exercises since last week. North Korea views such U.S.-involved training as an invasion rehearsal, though Washington and its partners maintain their drills are defensive.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kim said in a speech marking the country’s Navy Day on Monday that the waters off the Korean Peninsula have been made unstable \"with the danger of a nuclear war” because of U.S.-led hostilities, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He cited the U.S. drills with its allies, the deployment of more powerful U.S. weapons assets in the waters near the Korean Peninsula, and a recent U.S.-South Korean-Japanese summit where an agreement to boost defense cooperation was reached to counter North Korea\'s nuclear program. Kim called President Joe Biden, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida “the gang bosses” of the three countries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The prevailing situation requires our navy to put all its efforts into rounding off the war readiness to maintain the constant combat alertness and get prepared to break the enemy’s will for war in contingency,” Kim said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tuesday’s South Korean-U.S.-Japanese drills in international waters off South Korea’s southern Jeju island involved naval destroyers from the three countries. The training was aimed at mastering procedures for detecting, tracking and sharing information about incoming North Korean missiles, South Korea’s navy said in a statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The U.S. and South Korean militaries began the 11-day bilateral drills on Aug. 21. The annual Ulchi Freedom Shield training is a computer-simulated command post exercise. But they included field exercises this year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">North Korea typically responds to U.S.-South Korean military drills with its own missile tests. Last Thursday, its second attempt to launch a spy satellite into space failed. The day the drills began, KCNA said Kim had observed the test-firings of strategic cruise missiles.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Since the beginning of 2022, North Korea has carried out more than 100 weapons tests, many of them involving nuclear-capable missiles designed to strike the U.S. and its allies South Korea and Japan. Many experts say North Korea ultimately wants to use its boosted military capabilities to wrest greater concessions from the U.S.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The North’s testing spree has forced the U.S. and South Korea to expand their drills, resume trilateral training involving Japan and enhance “regular visibility” of U.S. strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula. In July, the United States deployed a nuclear-armed submarine to South Korea for the first time in four decades.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier this month, the leaders of the U.S., South Korea and Japan held their first-ever stand-alone trilateral summit at Camp David. During the meeting, they announced they intend to put into operation by year’s end the sharing of real-time missile warning data on North Korea and hold annual trilateral exercises.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kim has been pushing hard to expand his nuclear arsenal and introduce a slew of sophisticated weapons systems.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During his Navy Day speech, Kim said that military units of each service would be given new weaponry in line with the government’s decision to expand the operation of tactical nuclear weapons. He said the navy would become “a component of the state nuclear deterrence carrying out the strategic duty.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This suggests North Korea would deploy new nuclear-capable missiles to its navy and other military services.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">State media reports and photos showed Kim visiting the navy headquarters with his daughter, reportedly named Ju Ae and aged about 10. It was her first public appearance since mid-May. Kim has brought her to a series of public events since November, sparking speculation about her political status.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">South Korean officials say Kim hasn\'t anointed her as his heir. They believe Kim likely attempts to use his daughter\'s public appearance as a way to show his people that one of his children would one day inherit his power in what would be the country’s third hereditary power transfer. AP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-29 03:47:32', '2023-08-29 03:47:32'),
(8771, 8771, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Dhaka has once again topped the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality, with an AQI of 174 at 9:20 am today.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The air was classified as \'unhealthy\', according to the air quality and pollution (city) ranking.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An AQI between 151 and 200 is considered \'unhealthy\' while 201-300 is \'very unhealthy\', and 301+ is considered \'hazardous\', posing severe health risks to residents.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The United Arab Emirates\' Dubai and Indonesia\'s Jakarta occupied the second and third spots in the list, with AQI scores of 166 and 160, respectively.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">As per World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-29 03:50:00', '2023-08-29 03:50:00'),
(8772, 8772, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The overall number of Covid-19 cases around the world has now crossed 694 million.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the latest global data, the total Covid-19 case count is 694,499,245, while the death toll reached 6,910,960 this morning.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US has reported 107,992,789 Covid-19 cases so far, while 1,173,422 people have died from the virus in the country — both highest counts globally.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">India reported a single-day rise of 44 new Covid-19 cases, according to Union Health Ministry data.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Active cases currently stand at 1,502, according to the data updated at 8 am on Saturday.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the ministry data, the Covid-19 case tally was recorded at 4,49,96,963.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, France and Germany have registered 40,138,560 and 38,428,685 Covid-19 cases so far, occupying the third and fourth positions in the world number-wise, and 167,642 and 174,352 people have died in the European countries, as per Worldometer.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Covid-19 situation in Bangladesh</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh reported 21 more Covid-19 cases in 24 hours till Monday morning.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With the new numbers, the country\'s total caseload rose to 2,045,307, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, the official death toll from the disease remained unchanged at 29,476 as no new fatalities were reported during this period.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The daily Covid-19 case test positivity rate stands at 2.14 percent as 983 samples were tested. The recovery and death rates remained unchanged at 98.41 percent and 1.44 percent, respectively. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"6\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-29 03:54:16', '2023-08-29 03:54:16'),
(8773, 8773, '<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Brazilian police are investigating after nine bodies -- most charred and at least three belonging to children, according to local media -- were discovered in two rural homes.</span><br></p><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Five of the bodies were burnt beyond recognition, two partially, and two others not at all, a statement from police in the northeastern Bahia state said Monday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A child who survived was taken to hospital with severe burns, it added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Police did not elaborate on the causes of death nor the focus of the criminal investigation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The bodies were found at two houses in Mata de Sao Joao, some 60 kilometers (37 miles) from the state capital, Salvador.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Police have interviewed neighbors and victims\' family members and friends.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The news website G1 evoked the possibility of a settling of scores between rival drug gangs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bahia state last year recorded 6,600 murders -- the second highest rate in Brazil at 47.1 per 100,000 inhabitants.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The national average is 23.4 per 100,000 according to a public safety watchdog. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-29 04:00:34', '2023-08-29 04:00:34'),
(8774, 8774, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Atletico Madrid dismantled city rivals Rayo Vallecano 7-0 in Monday night with a ruthless display and their largest ever away win in La Liga.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Antoine Griezmann opened the scoring early on, before his strike partner Memphis Depay netted the second from close range from Saul Niguez\'s cross.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Atletico lost the Dutch forward to injury in the first half, but Nahuel Molina slid home the third to kill the game before half-time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Substitute Alvaro Morata netted in the 73rd minute and then again after Angel Correa grabbed the fifth, with Marcos Llorente finishing the rout late on.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">\"We had a great game from the start, with a lot of intensity,\" Antoine Griezmann told Movistar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"They\'re three important points and I\'m very happy with the team\'s work today.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Atletico\'s emphatic victory took them second in the table, two points behind leaders Real Madrid.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rayo had started the season well, with two wins in their first two matches, but were brought crashing back down to earth by Diego Simeone\'s side.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"They were better in every way,\" said Rayo midfielder Oscar Valentin.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We are not this bad -- we just have to continue and forget about what happened today.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier Getafe snatched a 1-0 home win over Alaves, their first triumph of the season. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-29 04:34:23', '2023-08-29 04:34:23'),
(8775, 8775, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will address a press conference this afternoon&nbsp; to apprise the media of the outcome of her recent visit to South Africa.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The press conference will be held at her official Ganabhaban residence at 4pm on Tuesday,\" said Prime Minister\'s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim yesterday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Sunday last, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina returned home after attending the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg of South Africa.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She attended the Friends of BRICS Leaders Dialogue (BRICS-Africa Outreach and BRICS Plus Dialogue) in Johannesburg on August 22-24 at the invitation of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-29 05:01:24', '2023-08-29 05:01:24'),
(8776, 8776, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A strong, deep 7.1-magnitude earthquake and several aftershocks rattled Bali and other Indonesian islands on Tuesday, the USGS reported, sending panicked tourists into the streets but causing no major damage.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The quake struck at a depth of around 515 kilometres off the northeastern coast of Bali at around 3:55 am local time (1955 GMT Monday), according to the US Geological Survey.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The tremors were felt across Bali, and also in the nearby islands of Lombok and Sumbawa.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bali residents said a second aftershock sent \"longer and stronger\" tremors than the first.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"When the first earthquake struck, I woke up my husband. Not long after that, the second earthquake struck, so we immediately took our children outside,\" said Ardylla Yuliacitra, 31.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The first earthquake made me sway like on a boat, and the second made my house tremble.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The USGS reported a 5.4-magnitude and a 5.6-magnitude aftershock within minutes of the initial quake.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hotels evacuated their guests as staffers checked beaches for fear of a possible tsunami.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We calmed (guests) and provided mineral water and towels for those who were evacuating. Then after 15 to 20 minutes, when things felt safe, the staff invited guests to return to their rooms,\" said Nimas Ayu, spokesperson of the Artotel hotel in Bali\'s eastern Sanur area.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The epicentre was 181 km northeast of the Gili islands off Lombok, a short boat ride from Bali.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Indonesian authorities ruled out a tsunami and said no immediate damage was reported.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Our teams are carrying assessments as they are still collecting reports from the people,\" the Bali disaster mitigation agency said in a statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Indonesia experiences frequent earthquakes due to its position on the Pacific \"Ring of Fire\", an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In November, a 5.6-magnitude quake hit the populous West Java province on the main island of Java, killing 602 people.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A major earthquake off Indonesia\'s Sumatra island on December 26, 2004, set off an Indian Ocean tsunami that killed more than 230,000 people as far away as Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-29 05:04:20', '2023-08-29 05:04:20'),
(8777, 8777, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">US and Chinese officials will hold a fresh round of talks on contentious trade issues Tuesday, the third day of a visit to Beijing by US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Raimondo\'s trip to China is the latest by a senior US official in recent months as Washington seeks to defuse tensions with the world\'s second-largest economy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Monday she met with commerce minister Wang Wentao, with the two sides agreeing to set up a working group to iron out the laundry list of trade disputes between them.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They also agreed to set up what Washington called an \"export control enforcement information exchange\" -- described as a platform to \"reduce misunderstanding of US national security policies\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The information exchange will convene for the first time at Beijing\'s Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday, Washington said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a statement on the talks, the Commerce Department said that \"Secretary Raimondo emphasized the importance of ensuring open lines of communication between the United States and China and took concrete steps to deliver on that goal\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Beijing painted a less rosy picture, saying Wang had raised \"serious concerns\" over Washington\'s trade curbs on Chinese businesses.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Those included \"US Section 301 tariffs on Chinese goods, its semiconductor policies, restrictions of two-way investment, discriminatory subsidies, and sanctions on Chinese enterprises\", Beijing\'s commerce ministry said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Washington defends the policies as necessary to \"de-risk\" its supply chains.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Wang warned they \"run counter to market rules and the principle of fair competition, and will only harm the security and stability of the global industrial and supply chains\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Raimondo is set to meet with vice premier He Lifeng and culture minister Hu Heping on Tuesday, and pay a courtesy visit to Premier Li Qiang.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She will then head to China\'s economic powerhouse Shanghai, before leaving the country on Wednesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Healthy competition\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Raimondo is one of a number of senior US officials to visit China in recent months -- part of an effort by Washington to improve its working relationship with its largest strategic rival.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Relations between the two countries have plummeted to some of their lowest levels in decades, with US trade curbs near the top of the list of disagreements.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This month, Biden issued an executive order aimed at restricting certain US investments in sensitive high-tech areas in China -- a move Beijing blasted as being \"anti-globalisation\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The long-anticipated rules, expected to be implemented next year, target sectors such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen sought to reassure Chinese officials about the expected curbs during a visit to Beijing last month.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And Raimondo on Monday told Chinese officials that while there was \"no room to compromise or negotiate\" on US national security, \"the vast majority of our trade and investment relationship does not involve national security concerns\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We seek healthy competition with China. A growing Chinese economy that plays by the rules is in both of our interests,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In June, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken travelled to Beijing, where he met President Xi Jinping and said progress had been made on a number of key sources of contention. US climate envoy John Kerry also visited China in July. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-29 05:45:11', '2023-08-29 05:45:11'),
(8778, 8778, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Farmers and agricultural experts expect optimum output of country’s second major crop aman rice through introducing supplementary irrigation in view of late monsoon rains in parts of north and northwestern regions.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Lesser than expected rainfall in late July and early August had initially exposed farmers in the two regions to uncertainty about this year’s aman production, which was particularly crucial this year due to global grain supply challenges.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“But they (famers) were quick enough to opt for supplementary irrigation using the irrigation pumps as advised by concerned government bodies and agriculture experts,” Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) director general Dr M Shahjahan Kabir told BSS.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Farmers at several areas said aman seedlings grew older as they waited for rainfall to soften the soil reducing their quality a little but enhanced production was expected to cover the quality issue with the use of supplementary irrigation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I was forced to plant aman seedlings of over 20 days old on 10 kathas of land after days of waiting for rain. It increased my farming cost, but I expect yield to high in volume to cover the cost,” a farmer of Babutoli village of Mymensingh said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The BRRI chief said the use of irrigation pumps instead of natural rains could raise the aman production cost as high as 5 percent but it was crucially needed for the country’s food security in view of the global scenario.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to meteorological department records the country this year witnessed 35-50 percent less rainfall than usual during the season though parts of Bangladesh like southeastern port city of Chattagram saw 28 percent higher than natural downpour inundated twice.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Agriculture extension department (DAE) officials said over 77 percent plantations were completed on an average by now across the country while at places 97 percent of cultivation areas were covered.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;“We are expecting 1.65 crore tonnes of aman output (this year)”, DAE director general Badal Chandra Biswas said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">DAE earlier set a production target of 1.71 crore tonnes of aman in 2024 while the last year’s actual production was 1.63 crore tonnes. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-29 06:11:25', '2023-08-29 06:11:25');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(8779, 8779, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">President Mohammed Shahabuddin today expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Kazi Shahid Ahmed, publisher and editor of the now-defunct newspaper \"Dainik Ajker Kagoj\", founder of Gemcon Group and prominent sports organizer.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a condolence message, he recalled with respect the contribution of Kazi Shahid to the field of journalism in the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The nation will remember him with due respect for long,\" the Head of the State said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed profound sympathy to the bereaved family. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-29 07:35:45', '2023-08-29 07:35:45'),
(8780, 8780, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Kazi Shahed Ahmed, publisher and editor of the now defunct Ajker Kagoj newspaper and Chairman of Gemcon Group.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a condolence message on Tuesday, the Foreign Minister said Kazi Shahed Ahmed was a pioneer in modern journalism and played a pivotal role in ushering in a new era in the sector.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He was a successful business entrepreneur, sports organiser, and literary enthusiast.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kazi Shahed also made a notable contribution in literature and left several literary works for the countrymen.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The nation will remember his outstanding contribution with deep respect, Momen said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Foreign Minister prayed for the eternal salvation of the departed soul and expressed sympathy to the bereaved family members.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kazi Shahed Ahmed breathed his last at 7:15 pm on Monday. He was 83.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Born in Jashore in 1940, Kazi Shahed was one of the founding platoon commanders of the Bangladesh Military Academy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He started his business career with the establishment of Gemcon Group in 1979. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-29 07:59:36', '2023-08-29 07:59:36'),
(8781, 8781, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Peace in Ukraine cannot be achieved by establishing a ceasefire and maintaining the status quo, French President Emmanuel Macron said.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">\"Peace in Ukraine cannot be achieved through a mere ceasefire that would confirm the actual situation on the ground. In that case, it would mean preparing for another war. There [needs to be] a lasting peace based on respect for Ukraine\'s sovereignty and international law,\" Macron pointed out, addressing an annual conference of French ambassadors.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The French leader called on diplomats to step up efforts to pave the way for \"lasting peace,\" adding that Paris would continue to provide humanitarian assistance to Kiev and \"work to restore Ukraine.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Paris meeting brings together the heads of French diplomatic missions in 160 countries and the country\'s representatives to 15 international organizations. TASS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-29 08:02:46', '2023-08-29 08:02:46'),
(8782, 8782, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday suspended former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s sentence in the Toshakhana case and ordered his release from jail.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A division bench of the IHC, comprising Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Tariq Mehmood Jahangir, announced the much-anticipated reserved decision, The Express Tribune reported.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The court said that the copy of the judgement will be available shortly.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Monday, the counsel for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the defendant in this case, concluded his arguments.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A heavy contingent of police and paramilitary Frontier Constabulary is present inside and outside IHC premises, The Express Tribune reported.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Separately, the former premier’s sisters Aleema and Uzma Khan also reached the court.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, a petition has been submitted on behalf of the PTI chief by his lawyer Suleman Safdar, praying to the court to restrain the Federal Investigation Agency, National Accountability Bureau and the police from arresting him in any other case.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Khan’s legal team has requested the court to hear this plea today.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">When the IHC bench resumed hearing the case on Monday, ECP’s counsel Amjad Pervaiz presented detailed arguments responding to the points raised by Khan’s lead counsel Latif Khosa.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the first hearing of the case on August 25, Khosa had argued that Imran’s sentence should be suspended in view of an unauthorized filing of a complaint by the ECP; lack of jurisdiction; the fact that Imran was sentenced to only three years in prison; that the trial court deprived him of the right of defence and that it delivered the order without hearing arguments about the complaint’s maintainability. THD</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-29 08:55:05', '2023-08-29 08:55:05'),
(8783, 8783, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Years of disrupted schooling have left Ukrainian children struggling to learn language, maths and reading skills in the wake of the pandemic and Russia\'s invasion, the United Nations warned Tuesday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Youngsters within the country and refugees forced to flee abroad are now facing a fourth straight year of disruption, the UN children\'s agency, UNICEF, said, as the school year begins in Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Continued attacks on education inside Ukraine and low-level enrollment in refugee-hosting countries have left many of Ukraine\'s 6.7 million three-to-18-year-olds struggling to learn, said Regina De Dominicis, UNICEF\'s regional director for Europe and central Asia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They are showing signs of widespread learning loss, including a deterioration in Ukrainian language skills, reading and mathematics, she said after visiting the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Inside Ukraine, attacks on schools have continued unabated, leaving children deeply distressed and without safe spaces to learn,\" De Dominicis said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Not only has this left Ukraine\'s children struggling to progress in their education, but they are also struggling to retain what they learnt when their schools were fully functioning.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">UNICEF cited survey data which found around half of teachers reporting a deterioration in students\' Ukrainian language proficiency, mathematics skills and foreign language abilities.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And it said enrollment data showed only one third of children were learning fully in-person, with a third learning completely online and the remainder through a mixed approach.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">UNICEF said online learning could help in the short-term but was not a proper long-term replacement for in-person teaching, considered critical for social development.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The agency cited national survey data showing that two thirds of pre-school-age children were not attending, rising to three quarters in frontline areas.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Schools\' crucial wartime role -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">UNICEF said Ukrainian refugee children were facing another uncertain academic year, with more than half not enrolled in national education systems across seven host countries, citing language barriers, difficulty in accessing school and overstretched education systems.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While some may be attempting to study online, \"some refugee children may have completely abandoned their education\", the agency said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"In times of crisis or war, schools provide far more than a place of learning,\" said UNICEF.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"They can provide children who have already endured loss, displacement and violence with a sense of routine and safety, a chance to build friendships and get help from teachers.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They can also provide access to nutrition, vaccines and support services, it added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">UNICEF said it was working with partners in Ukraine and host countries to help increase access to quality learning, including through rehabilitating schools and providing catch-up classes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It has a target of supporting 300,000 children at risk of learning losses in Ukraine over the coming school year. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-29 09:16:49', '2023-08-29 09:16:49'),
(8784, 8784, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam on Tuesday said Bangladesh has an independent judicial process.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“They can observe the process,” he told reporters regarding those who wrote a letter in favour of Nobel laureate Dr Yunus.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The state minister wanted to know whether allegations against any person cannot be investigated.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“They must have the guts and courage to accept the verdict,” he said, describing the development as “frustrating.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The state minister for foreign affairs also said calling for suspension of court proceedings is “unheard of” and mentioned that the court will take independent decision based on evidence.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said the government did not and will not influence the judicial process.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">More than 160 global leaders, including over 100 Nobel laureates, wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, expressing their deep concern about the safety and wellbeing of Prof Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh’s first and so far, only Nobel laureate.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Addressed directly to the PM, the letter is signed by Nobel laureates, elected officials, business figures, and civil society leaders. The signatories applauded Bangladesh’s remarkable progress since its independence in 1971. However, their collective concern arose from the “perceived threats to democracy and human rights” that have recently emerged within the country. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-29 09:42:50', '2023-08-29 09:42:50'),
(8785, 8785, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said no attempt was made from Bangladesh to become right now a member of BRICS as it was more interested in joining the bloc\'s New Development Bank.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>“We didn’t have any such thought that we would get the membership right now or we would obtain the membership going there for the first time (on the first attempt). We neither made any such attempt nor told anyone (for it),” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The premier said this while addressing a press conference at her official residence Ganabhaban on the outcome of her recent visit to South Africa and her participation in the 15th BRICS Summit there.</div><div><br></div><div>BRICS, is a grouping of the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. However, the BRICS leaders in the recent summit in South Africa expanded the grouping with a decision to include six more countries as members. They are Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.</div><div><br></div><div>Noting that she had meetings with all the heads of BRICS states and governments during her visit to South Africa, Hasina said, “We didn’t go to tell anyone to make us a member (of BRICS) right now.”</div><div><br></div><div>The PM said she knew that questions would arise in this regard particularly from the opposition parties that Bangladesh failed to obtain the membership despite making attempts.</div><div><br></div><div>“It is not right that Bangladesh wants something, but will not get it. We’ve at least raised our dignity on the international stage. So, we’ve this scope,” she said, replying to a question from reporters over BRICS membership.</div><div><br></div><div>She said the BRICS President told her that they would add more countries as its members in phases.&nbsp; When the membership would be given next time, if Bangladesh wants it could apply for it , she added.</div><div><br></div><div>“So, we’ll think of it at that time. We told the President when we get the scope, we’ll become a member,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister said her government’s goal was to join the New Development Bank and joined it as there is a flexibility over the dealing of currencies.</div><div><br></div><div>“We’d a larger focus on it (bank). There is no binding that all dealings will be based on dollars. A larger flexibility is there. So, we’re more interested for it (joining the bank),” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The PM attended the summit in Johannesburg on August 22-24 at the invitation of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. According to UNB reportsd&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-29 13:11:35', '2023-08-29 13:11:35'),
(8786, 8786, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan remained in prison on Tuesday despite his graft conviction being suspended, his lawyers said, claiming that a \"manipulation of justice\" was keeping him behind bars.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Khan\'s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party said the Islamabad High Court overturned a lower court\'s decision to jail him for three years, a judgment that kept him from contesting upcoming elections.</div><div><br></div><div>His lawyers said he was granted bail and they were initially hopeful he would be released from Attock Jail, a century-old prison around 60 kilometres (40 miles) west of Islamabad, where the 70-year-old has been held for three weeks.</div><div><br></div><div>However, they said on Tuesday afternoon Khan remained in detention because of a previous arrest, made in secret, over a case alleging he had leaked classified state documents.</div><div><br></div><div>One of his lawyers told reporters outside the prison, which was surrounded by patrolling police units, that Khan was \"on judicial remand\" and would appear before a special court in Islamabad on Wednesday.</div><div><br></div><div>\"He was arrested prior to today\'s court ruling. The exact date of his arrest remains unclear,\" another lawyer, Gohar Khan, told AFP by phone.</div><div><br></div><div>Another, Muhammad Shoaib Shaheen, said \"his legal team was intentionally left uninformed and kept in the dark\".</div><div><br></div><div>\"This constitutes a manipulation of justice,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>- \'Countless devotees\' -</div><div>Khan\'s three-year sentence was handed down this month by a judge who found him guilty of failing to properly declare gifts he received while in office.</div><div><br></div><div>That was only one of more than 200 legal cases that have embroiled Pakistan\'s most popular politician since he was ousted by a parliamentary vote last year.</div><div><br></div><div>Khan, a former cricket star, has also been previously denied bail in at least nine other cases, including three in anti-terrorism courts and six in the district courts in Islamabad.</div><div><br></div><div>Rights monitors say authorities use vexing and repetitive legal proceedings as a tactic to quash dissent in Pakistan.</div><div><br></div><div>Pro-PTI lawyers chanted \"Release Imran Khan!\" and \"Khan your devotees are countless!\" outside court as initial news of his sentence suspension broke.</div><div><br></div><div>The party later said nine activists had been arrested outside Attock Jail.</div><div><br></div><div>- Khan behind bars -</div><div><br></div><div>The charismatic Khan claims his ousting and subsequent legal cases have been orchestrated by the powerful military establishment to deny him a second term.</div><div><br></div><div>Khan was also briefly jailed on graft charges in May, sparking days of civil unrest, but since then his PTI party has been targeted by a major crackdown that has vastly diminished his street power and seen most of his senior leadership jump ship or be locked away.</div><div><br></div><div>Islamabad said it was targeted by \"anti-state\" violence during the backlash over that arrest.</div><div><br></div><div>But rights groups say authorities used overly broad anti-terror laws to suppress PTI, while the domestic media reported pressure to censor or smear Khan on the airwaves.</div><div><br></div><div>While Khan was imprisoned this month, Pakistan\'s parliament was dissolved at the request of his successor Shehbaz Sharif to pave the way for a caretaker government that will usher in elections.</div><div><br></div><div>No date for the polls has been announced.</div><div><br></div><div>Khan surged to power in 2018 on a wave of popular support, an anti-corruption manifesto and the backing of the powerful military establishment.</div><div><br></div><div>When he was ousted in April 2022, analysts said it was because he lost the support of the same generals who handed him the keys to power.</div><div><br></div><div>He was replaced by a shaky coalition of the dynastic parties that have historically ruled Pakistan.</div><div><br></div><div>But, as an opposition politician, he waged an unprecedented campaign against the influential generals, who have staged at least three successful coups leading to decades of martial law. According to AFP reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-29 15:46:01', '2023-08-29 15:46:01'),
(8787, 8787, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Referring to a recent statement made by 160 global dignitaries for suspending legal cases filed against Dr Muhammad Yunus Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said the judiciary of Bangladesh is quite independent and law will take its own course.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“If the gentleman (Dr Yunus) had so much self-confidence that he had committed no crime, he would not be begging for a statement at that international level,” she said in reply to a question at a news conference at Ganobhaban, her official residence.</div><div><br></div><div>The PM asked those who made the statement to send international experts and lawyers to assess all documents to see whether there is any injustice or inconsistency there.</div><div><br></div><div>“Our country has laws, courts and labour laws, labour courts. The laws will take their own courses,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Hasina said they (the dignitaries) should send the experts and lawyers to go through all the documents of their client to see if there is any wrongdoing or wrongful prosecution. “If they send the experts and lawyers, many more things will get revealed, which still remain untouched. Many such things will come out,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Participatory election means participation of people: PM</div><div>In reply to another question the prime minister said a participatory election means to her is the participation of people.</div><div><br></div><div>She said the people will vote in the election and those who will be elected in that election will come to the government.</div><div><br></div><div>“Whose participation to say participation now? Is it the vote of thieves or robbers? Or is it the participation of corrupt, money launderers, August 21 grenade attackers, killers of the father of the nation, war criminals of 1971? Is it what the people want?” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Sheikh Hasina said it is absurd that the election would be valid only when they join it and otherwise it wouldn’t be. BNP got only 30 seats in the 2008 national election. Since then, they actually don\'t participate in elections anymore, rather they did just business by selling nominations</div><div><br></div><div>“Didn’t the people participate in the local government elections and many parliamentary by-elections spontaneously? People have participated in these. So, these were participatory elections,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The PM spoke to the media to explain the outcome of her recent South Africa visit to attend the 15th BRICS summit. According to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-29 15:51:49', '2023-08-29 15:51:49'),
(8788, 8788, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Reports from Russia say there has been a drone attack on the airport of the north-western city of Pskov.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The local governor said the military was repelling an attack. He uploaded video showing a large fire while an explosion could also be heard.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An unconfirmed Russian media report says four Ilyushin 76 transport planes were damaged at the airport.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pskov is more than 600km (372 miles) away from Ukraine, close to the border with Estonia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ukraine has not said it was involved in the incident but it rarely comments on attacks inside Russia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In recent weeks the country is believed to have increased its use of explosive drones to attack targets inside Russia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In other developments:</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russia\'s military said its forces had destroyed four rapid Ukrainian boats carrying a total of about 50 soldiers in an operation on the Black Sea around midnight Moscow time (21:00 GMT). Ukraine did not comment immediately.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Russian military said it had downed three Ukrainian drones over the southern region of Bryansk and one over the central region of Oryol</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russia\'s Tass news agency reported that airspace above Moscow\'s Vnukovo airport had been closed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The defence ministry is repelling a drone attack on Pskov\'s airport,\" Pskov regional governor Mikhail Vedernikov said on Telegram.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mr Vedernikov, who said he was at the scene of the attack, added: \"According to preliminary information, there are no victims.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tass, quoting emergency services, reported the damage to the aircraft.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"As a result of the drone attack, four Il-76 aircraft were damaged,\" it said. \"A fire broke out and two planes burst into flames.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There were no immediate reports on other Russian state news agencies of planes being damaged.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A drone attack on Russia\'s Belgorod region killed three people last week, hours after another drone hit central Moscow, Russian officials said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It came just days after a flagship Russian long-range bomber was destroyed in a Ukrainian drone strike near the city of St Petersburg.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pskov region was previously targeted by drones in late May.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Although Ukraine has not said it carried out specific drone strikes, President Volodymyr Zelensky has previously said that attacks on Russian territory are an \"inevitable, natural and absolutely fair process\" as the war with Russia continues. BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-30 01:34:28', '2023-08-30 01:34:28'),
(8789, 8789, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Russia said on Wednesday its forces had destroyed four Ukrainian boats carrying up to 50 troops in the Black Sea.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An aircraft \"destroyed four high-speed military boats with landing groups of Ukrainian special operations forces with a total number of up to 50 people\" in the Black Sea around midnight Moscow time (2100 GMT) Russia\'s defence ministry said in a statement on Telegram. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-30 03:12:24', '2023-08-30 03:12:24'),
(8790, 8790, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Coach Gerardo \"Tata\" Martino expects Lionel Messi to return to Inter Miami\'s starting lineup when they host Nashville on Wednesday, aiming to continue their push for a Major League Soccer playoff spot.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Messi and his former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets both came off the bench in the second half of Saturday\'s 2-0 victory over Red Bulls in New York, Messi scoring another memorable goal despite his abbreviated minutes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Martino had said they both needed the rest.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Argentine superstar Messi, who arrived to massive fanfare in July, had played eight games within a month for Miami in their triumphant Leagues Cup campaign and a US Open Cup semi-final win.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">But on Tuesday, Martino indicated the breather had been enough.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">\"The game he needed, the key game for him to have a bit of recovery was the last one in New York, the same with Busquets,\" Martino said. \"If there are no issues, he should start.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Messi\'s appearance off the bench marked his first MLS regular-season minutes and he didn\'t disappoint, delivering a delightful 89th-minute goal.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Jordi Alba acrobatically hooked the ball into the box to Messi who twisted and turned then slipped a sublime pass with the outside of his foot to Benjamin Cremaschi whose low first-time cross was tapped in by the seven-times Ballon d\'Or winner.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">\"I think it\'s the first time I\'ve watched an assist no less than 10 times ... I really can\'t understand how he saw Cremaschi,\" Martino said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Messi has now scored 11 goals in nine appearances in all competitions since joining Inter Miami, who are currently in 13th place in the Eastern Conference 11 points out of the last playoff spot with 11 games remaining. AFCoach Gerardo \"Tata\" Martino expects Lionel Messi to return to Inter Miami\'s starting lineup when they host Nashville on Wednesday, aiming to continue their push for a Major League Soccer playoff spot.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Messi and his former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets both came off the bench in the second half of Saturday\'s 2-0 victory over Red Bulls in New York, Messi scoring another memorable goal despite his abbreviated minutes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Martino had said they both needed the rest.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Argentine superstar Messi, who arrived to massive fanfare in July, had played eight games within a month for Miami in their triumphant Leagues Cup campaign and a US Open Cup semi-final win.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">But on Tuesday, Martino indicated the breather had been enough.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">\"The game he needed, the key game for him to have a bit of recovery was the last one in New York, the same with Busquets,\" Martino said. \"If there are no issues, he should start.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Messi\'s appearance off the bench marked his first MLS regular-season minutes and he didn\'t disappoint, delivering a delightful 89th-minute goal.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Jordi Alba acrobatically hooked the ball into the box to Messi who twisted and turned then slipped a sublime pass with the outside of his foot to Benjamin Cremaschi whose low first-time cross was tapped in by the seven-times Ballon d\'Or winner.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">\"I think it\'s the first time I\'ve watched an assist no less than 10 times ... I really can\'t understand how he saw Cremaschi,\" Martino said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Messi has now scored 11 goals in nine appearances in all competitions since joining Inter Miami, who are currently in 13th place in the Eastern Conference 11 points out of the last playoff spot with 11 games remaining. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-30 03:15:54', '2023-08-30 03:15:54'),
(8791, 8791, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">John Paul Nohelj has lived in Steinhatchee for two decades. For him, the northwest Florida town set among marshes and forests is paradise on Earth, and he won\'t leave -- despite being in the crosshairs of a churning hurricane.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Little does he care about the evacuation order issued by authorities for his county and several others along Florida\'s Gulf coast, where Hurricane Idalia is forecast to roar ashore early Wednesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sitting on the porch of his creaky wooden home, Nohelj appears unfazed by what could be a looming disaster.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I\'ve lived on the coast of Florida my whole life and this is where I love to be,\" the 71-year-old, who breathes with the help of an oxygen tank, tells AFP Tuesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"If you live near the water, you\'re gonna get a wet butt once in a while,\" he says, downplaying the hurricane threat that has many of his neighbors scrambling to evacuate to safer regions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Steinhatchee is a quiet pocket of Florida. It has some 1,000 residents, lush trees, beautiful wooden homes and abundant water, notably the river that runs through town and into the nearby Gulf of Mexico.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Idalia is forecast to strengthen into a major Category 3 hurricane by early Wednesday, gaining a force that the National Hurricane Center (NHC) warns could lead to catastrophic destruction.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dozens of people in town were finalizing preparations before the storm made landfall. Most are evacuating the town and heading inland -- but not before trying to salvage some of their belongings and fortify their homes before leaving.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Stephanie Moon, 37, has loaded as much furniture as she can into a moving truck with the help of friends. She lives alone across the river with her dog Molly, and decided pull up stakes and head to Georgia, the state just north of Florida where she aims to ride out the storm with relatives.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I just hope our beautiful little town is still here after the hurricane, and that we come back to hopefully not a whole lot of devastation,\" she says.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the town center, several residents hustle in and out of the only grocery store still open, Maddie\'s Market, next to a gas station. Like many houses, the storefront\'s windows are boarded up with plywood to protect them from gale-force winds.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But there is another fear here: flooding.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Storm surges could reach as high as 15 feet (4.5 meters) in this rural region of Florida known as the Big Bend.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Jody Griffis, co-owner of a local high and dry boat storage facility, joined several employees in a race against the clock.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They used forklifts to raise 25 boats to dry slots inside a huge building -- out of danger from potentially rising waters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I hope that this is still there when I get back on Thursday, and that nobody gets hurt,\" said the 56-year-old Griffis, who planned on retreating to safer ground but vowed to return for the inevitable post-hurricane clean-up.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Such a commitment to the community is a hallmark of Steinhatchee, several residents said -- a value that will soon be put to the test with the hurricane\'s imminent passage. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-30 03:18:52', '2023-08-30 03:18:52'),
(8792, 8792, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Russian officials accused Ukraine of targeting six Russian regions with drones early Wednesday in what appears to be the biggest drone attack on Russian soil since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine 18 months ago.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Drones hit an airport in the western Pskov region and started a massive fire there, the governor and local media reported. More drones were shot down over Oryol, Bryansk, Ryazan, Kaluga and the Moscow region surrounding the Russian capital, according to the Defense Ministry.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The strike in Pskov hit an airport in the region\'s namesake capital and damaged four Il-76 transport aircraft, Russia’s state news agency Tass reported, citing emergency officials.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pskov regional Gov. Mikhail Vedernikov ordered all flights to and from the airport canceled Wednesday so damage could be assessed during daylight.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Footage and images posted on social media showed smoke billowing over the city of Pskov and a large blaze. Vedernikov said there were no casualties, and the fire has been contained. Unconfirmed media reports said between 10 and 20 drones could have attacked the airport.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pskov was the only region where officials reported damage. Three drones were shot down over the Bryansk region, according to the Russian military, and two over the Oryol region, its Gov. Andrei Klychkov said. Two were downed over the Ryazan region, one more over Kaluga, and one more over the Moscow region, officials said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">No damage or casualties were registered in those regions, although some Russian media cited residents of the Bryansk region as saying that they heard a loud explosion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Also on early Wednesday, Russian-installed officials in the annexed Crimea reported repelling an attack of drones targeting the harbor of the port city of Sevastopol. Moscow-appointed governor of Sevastopol Mikhail Razvozzhayev said it wasn\'t immediately clear how many of the drones have been destroyed. It wasn\'t immediately clear if the attack caused any damage. AP/UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-30 03:21:57', '2023-08-30 03:21:57'),
(8793, 8793, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The men found dead in two wildfires that ignited in eastern Washington earlier this month have been identified, and the number of homes destroyed has been confirmed at more than 350.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Carl Grub, 86, died on Aug. 18 near an intersection in Medical Lake west of Spokane in the area of the Gray fire, which started that day, according to a Friday news release from the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office. Grub\'s cause and manner of death is still pending.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Grub, with his brother, founded The Jensen Memorial Youth Ranch, where he taught kids interested in agriculture how to care for and raise livestock, KREM-TV reported. Earlier this year, the Junior Livestock Show of Spokane had been dedicated to Grub.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The world needs more people like Carl,” the Junior Livestock Show of Spokane wrote on its Facebook page. “He will be greatly missed.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Aug. 20, Alex Brown died in Elk, Washington, north of Spokane in an area burned by the Oregon fire. Brown, 49 died from thermal and inhalation injuries, and his manner of death listed as accidental.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The fires sparked on Aug. 18 during critical fire weather conditions. The Gray fire started west of Medical Lake, prompting mandatory evacuations and burning around Interstate 90, closing it in that area for more than two days.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">About 240 homes and 86 other kinds of structures were destroyed in the Gray fire, Lily Mayea, public information officer with Northwest Team 7 on the Gray fire, said Tuesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The human-caused blaze has scorched 15.75 square miles (40.79 square kilometers) and was 85% contained as of Tuesday. Evacuations remain in place for some people, although none as of Tuesday were mandatory.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Oregon fire began east of Elk and has burned 16.9 square miles (43.77 square kilometers) with 79% containment as of Tuesday. As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, all evacuation notices connected to the Oregon fire have been lifted, said Bill Queen, public information officer with Pacific Northwest Incident Management Team 3 on the Oregon fire.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said 126 primary residences and 258 outbuildings were destroyed in the blaze.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Gov. Jay Inslee on Aug. 19 declared a statewide emergency because of the two fires and others burning around the state. AP/UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-30 03:29:48', '2023-08-30 03:29:48'),
(8794, 8794, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh\'s opening batsman, Litton Das, has been ruled out of the ACC Asia Cup 2023 due to an unfortunate bout of viral fever. His absence has prompted a swift reshuffle in the Bangladesh squad, with Anamul Haque Bijoy stepping in as his replacement.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed the development on Wednesday morning (August 30, 2023).</div><div><br></div><div>The opener\'s inability to travel to Sri Lanka with the Tigers’ Asia Cup squad and his ongoing struggle to overcome the lingering fever have ultimately led to his withdrawal from the much-awaited competition.</div><div><br></div><div>The National Selection Panel of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has called upon Anamul, a 30-year-old right-handed batter, to fill the void left by Litton.</div><div><br></div><div>An experienced campaigner, Anamul boasts an impressive track record, having featured in 44 ODIs and accumulating 1254 runs, including three centuries. His latest appearance in an ODI match for Bangladesh dates back to December last year when he faced India on the field.</div><div><br></div><div>Minhajul Abedin, Chairman of BCB’s National Selection Panel, shared insights into the thought process behind Anamul’s selection. \"He (Anamul) has been in the runs in domestic cricket, and we have continued to monitor him in the Bangladesh Tigers programme. He was always in our consideration,\" Minhajul remarked.</div><div><br></div><div>Minhajul went on to explain, \"Due to Litton’s unavailability, we needed a top-order batter who could keep wicket, and Anamul got the nod.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh will take on Sri Lanka on August 31 in their opening Asia Cup match in Kandy. Following that, they will travel to Pakistan to play their second Asia Cup match against Afghanistan.</div><div><b><br></b></div><div><b>Bangladesh squad for 2023 Asia Cup:</b></div><div>Shakib Al Hasan (Captain), Najmul Hossain Shanto, Tawhid Hridoy, Mushfiqur Rahim, Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Taskin Ahmed, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Nasum Ahmed, Mahedi Hasan, Mohammad Naim, Shamim Hossain, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Anamul Haque Bijoy . UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/kh</div></div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-30 04:43:41', '2023-08-30 04:43:41');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(8795, 8795, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Dhaka has topped the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality for the second consecutive day with an AQI of 176 at 8:58 am today (August 30, 2023).</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The air was classified as \'unhealthy\'.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An AQI between 151 and 200 is considered \'unhealthy\' while 201-300 is \'very unhealthy\', and 301+ is considered \'hazardous\', posing severe health risks to residents.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Indonesia’s Jakarta, India’s Kolkata and Pakistan\'s Lahore occupied the second, third and fourth spots on the list, with AQI scores of 163, 158 and 154, respectively.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As per World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-30 04:45:51', '2023-08-30 04:45:51'),
(8796, 8796, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Abdul Kuddus, Awami League lawmaker of Natore-4 constituency, died at a hospital in Dhaka today. He was 77.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kuddus, president of Natore district unit of Awami League, had been undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of United Hospital where he breathed his last at 7:22 am, said Shariful Islam Ramjan, general secretary of Natore district Awami League.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He left behind his wife, a son and a daughter, and a host of relatives to mourn his death.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier on Saturday, the Awami League leader fell ill and was brought to Dhaka.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He had been suffering from old age complications including respiratory problem.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kuddus, a freedom fighter, was elected MP of Natore-4 constituency five times. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-30 05:05:57', '2023-08-30 05:05:57'),
(8797, 8797, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Eleven airline passengers and crew were hospitalized Tuesday following severe turbulence on a Delta flight from Milan to Atlanta, the US-based airline said.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Delta Care Team members are mobilizing to connect with customers on Delta Flight 175 that experienced severe turbulence before landing safely in Atlanta Tuesday,\" a spokesman said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Our priority is taking care of our customers and crew who sustained injuries.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is unclear how many total people out of the 151 passengers and 14-member crew were injured beyond the 11 taken to hospital, or what the extent of the injuries are for those hospitalized.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Major Hurricane Idalia is currently whipping up fierce winds off the US Gulf Coast and forecast to make landfall in Florida early Wednesday, and another storm, Hurricane Franklin, is swirling in the Atlantic. But neither Delta nor the US aviation regulator attributed Tuesday\'s turbulence to the hurricanes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Federal Aviation Administration, which reported that the turbulence occurred some 40 miles (64 kilometers) from the Atlanta airport, will investigate the incident, a spokesman told AFP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Scientists have reported that so-called \"clear-air turbulence\" -- which is hard to predict and happens without obviously bad weather, typically occurring above 15,000 feet -- is becoming more frequent due to climate change. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-30 05:33:30', '2023-08-30 05:33:30'),
(8798, 8798, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">On the eve of India hosting the G20 summit in New Delhi, China released a so-called “standard map” coopting parts of eastern Ladakh as per the rejected 1959 line and Arunachal Pradesh in the Middle Kingdom apart from Taiwan and the South China Sea.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This cartographic expansion by Beijing duly amplified by Chinese propaganda through social media was immediately rebutted and rejected by the Modi government as Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India and parts of Aksai Chin were occupied by Mao’s China in the 1950s even before the disastrous 1962 war. While India was signing the Panchsheel Agreement in 1954, China was building a highway linking occupied Tibet with occupied Sinkiang (called Xinjiang) through Aksai Chin with the then government rather oblivious to the facts.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The timing of the release of the map by China clearly has ominous portends as it poses serious questions on whether President Xi Jinping is inclined to attend the G20 summit in the Indian capital or has other plans. We are told that China releases the standard map every year but it is the first time that India has lodged a serious protest with Beijing, rejecting the territorial claims of the Middle Kingdom.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The larger question is why did Beijing release the so-called standard map and get it amplified by its propaganda media through social media platforms ? The answer lies in the recently concluded BRICS summit in Johannesburg, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a brief interaction with President Xi Jinping at the leaders’ lounge of the summit. It is understood that China wanted a bilateral meeting with India on the sidelines of the summit and push for normalization of ties without conceding an inch on the pending problems of Depsang Bulge and Demchok in Eastern Ladakh. Given the schedule restraints of PM Modi, the formal meeting between the two leaders could not take place and was limited to a brief interaction only.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Even during the brief interaction, PM Modi raised his concerns over the border issue, clearly indicating that the road to normalization of ties goes through disengagement and de-escalation on the East Ladakh border and resolution of the remaining two friction points.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is evident that President Xi Jinping is miffed with Prime Minister Modi’s unambiguous response that normal ties can only resume after PLA withdraws its forces from occupied Aksai Chin and that Indian Army’s patrolling rights are restored in Depsang Bulge and in CNN junction in Demchok. It is not very difficult to presume that China released the so-called standard map to teach India a lesson. It is another matter that the Modi government has totally rejected the Chinese territorial claims.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">By deliberately releasing the so-called standard map on the eve of G20, China has clearly indicated that it treats India as an adversary and will put coercive pressure on India for having close ties with the US and Quad powers. This means that China will keep the military pressure up all along the 3488 km LAC and also arm its tributary state Pakistan to put pressure on India’s western borders. With the PLA throwing both the 1993 and 1996 bilateral peace and tranquility agreements into dustbin by May 2020 transgressions in East Ladakh, India has to be prepared for the worst with China as Modi’s India has bigger ambitions than playing second fiddle to Communist China by becoming a regional power. India will respond to Chinese cartographical expansion in time. HT</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-30 05:48:42', '2023-08-30 05:48:42'),
(8799, 8799, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The United Nations human rights office says at least 183 people have been killed in clashes in Ethiopia’s Amhara region since July as Amhara fighters resist efforts by the federal government to disband them.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The U.N. office on Tuesday also said the human rights situation in Ethiopia is deteriorating, with more than 1,000 people reportedly arrested under a state of emergency declared early this month over the unrest.</div><div><br></div><div>“Many of those detained were reported to be young people of Amhara ethnic origin suspected of being Fano supporters,” the U.N. office said, referring to the name of the Amhara militia. “Since early August, mass house-to-house searches have reportedly been taking place, and at least three Ethiopian journalists covering the situation in the Amhara region have been detained.”</div><div><br></div><div>The U.N. statement said detainees have reportedly been held in improvised detention centres without basic amenities. It called for those arbitrarily detained to be released and for authorities to stop “mass arrests.”</div><div><br></div><div>The human rights office called for an end to the fighting as the military retakes towns that had been seized by the Amhara fighters and militia members flee into rural areas.</div><div><br></div><div>In one of the deadliest incidents, a health official earlier this month told The Associated Press that an airstrike on a crowded town square in the Finote Selam community killed at least 26 people. The federal government didn’t comment.</div><div><br></div><div>Amhara fighters had fought alongside the military in the two-year conflict in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region that ended in November with a peace agreement. The conflict spilled into the Amhara region when Tigray forces at one point tried to approach the capital, Addis Ababa.</div><div><br></div><div>Ethiopia’s government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has struggled for years to contain various conflicts often along ethnic lines. The country, Africa’s second most populous, has long been seen as an important security partner in the Horn of Africa, but the government has criticized or limited outside efforts — including by U.N. investigators — to understand the toll of abuses in the conflicts. AP/UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/kh</div></div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-30 06:46:01', '2023-08-30 06:46:01'),
(8800, 8800, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Natore district Awami League (AL) President, Member of Parliament from Natore-4 (Gurudaspur-Baraigram) constituency and valiant freedom fighter Professor Abdul Quddus.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a condolence message, the prime minister said Abdul Quddus was a dedicated leader of Bangladesh Awami League.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Throughout his life, he (Quddus) has performed his organisational responsibilities by remaining steadfast to the ideals of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the politics of Awami League,\" she recalled.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Abdul Quddus gained place in the hearts of the common people of his constituency as well as the entire Natore district, said Sheikh Hasina.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The death of this valiant freedom fighter and Member of Parliament is an irreparable loss to the nation, and I lost a faithful political companion at the demise of him,\" she added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The premier prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed her deepest condolences to the bereaved family members. BSS&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-30 07:27:00', '2023-08-30 07:27:00'),
(8801, 8801, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League (AL) Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud today expressed profound shock and sorrow at the death of AL lawmaker of Natore-4 constituency Abdul Quddus.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a message of condolence, the minister said, \"Quddus was a close associate of Bangabandhu\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He was elected lawmaker for five times and he was a state minister of fisheries and livestock ministry during 1996-2001 AL tenure, he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hasan, who is now visiting London to attend Parliamentary Security Intelligence Forum, prayed of eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Abdul Quddus died at a hospital in Dhaka today. He was 77.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Quddus, President of Natore district unit of AL, had been undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of United Hospital where he breathed his last at 7:22am. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-30 07:30:38', '2023-08-30 07:30:38'),
(8802, 8802, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Regional Security at the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Mira Resnick, is likely to be in Dhaka next week to discuss issues of mutual interest.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She will likely arrive in Dhaka on September 4 as Bangladesh and the United States are taking preparations to hold the next round of security dialogue, a foreign ministry official told UNB.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Resnick oversees the Bureau’s Office of Regional Security and Arms Transfers, which manages over $40 billion annually in government-to-government defense equipment transfers through Foreign Military Sales, Third Party Transfers, and Excess Defense Articles.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Resnick is also responsible for the Bureau’s Office of Security Assistance, which manages approximately $6.5 billion in US security sector assistance annually; coordinates State Department oversight, planning, and input for over $9 billion in the Defense Department security sector assistance programs; and provides State Department input for Department of Defense planning and military activities.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The security dialogue covers a wide range of issues related to partnership between the two countries including strategic priorities and regional security issues, defense cooperation, civilian security cooperation, UN peacekeeping, counter-terrorism, and countering violent extremism.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh is likely to reiterate its call to return Rashed Chowdhury, a convicted killer of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, to Bangladesh to face justice. The Rohingya issue may also come up for discussion as a threat in the regional and global contexts.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the 8th Security Dialogue held between the two countries at US Department of State in April last year, the two sides had “constructive discussions” on defence agreements like GSOMIA and ACSA as the US is keen to enhance security cooperation with Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) and Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA) are “essential” to enable a closer defense relationship, expand opportunities for defense trade, information sharing, and military-to-military cooperation between the United States and Bangladesh. These issues are likely to come up for discussion as follow up, a diplomatic source told UNB. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">bnbd24/kh</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-30 08:38:54', '2023-08-30 08:38:54'),
(8803, 8803, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas on Wednesday (August 30, 2023) made a courtesy call on Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Khandkar Golam Faruq.&nbsp;</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Several concerns including recent anti-insurgency operations and arrests, law and order in Dhaka were discussed during the meeting.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The officials expressed hope that the two countries\' friendship and mutual cooperation will grow in the future.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Senior DMP officials and US Embassy officials were present at the meeting. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-30 11:09:44', '2023-08-30 11:09:44'),
(8804, 8804, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Transparency International Bangladesh has rejected the Cabinet-approved Cyber Security Act, 2023 and said&nbsp; freedom of expression and independent journalism will still be at risk.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The draft of the Cyber Security Act-2023 includes controversial sections of the controversial “Digital Security Act-2018”, although some changes have been made in terms of punishment and non-bailable clauses, TIB experts said during a presentation on Wednesday.</div><div><br></div><div>If the draft becomes a law, a person will face legal harassment if he publishes opinions and information through digital media, they said.</div><div><br></div><div>TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Advisor and Executive Management Professor Dr Sumaiya Khair were present at the press conference titled \"Digital Security Act and Draft Cyber Security Law: A Comparative Review\" at TIB Dhanmondi office.</div><div><br></div><div>TIB\'s Outreach and Communication Department Director Sheikh Manzur-e-Alam and Data Protection Officer Dr Md Tariqul Islam conducted the comparative review.</div><div><br></div><div>According to sections 8, 9, 10, and 11 of the proposed law, if the cyber security is threatened, the concerned authority will ask the BTRC to remove both the data and information and 8(2) states that if the law enforcement agencies believe that any information violates the economic activities, security, defence, religious values or public order of the country or incites racial hatred or hatred.&nbsp; If so, law enforcement agencies can take action.</div><div><br></div><div>There is no specific definition of these things in this law, so there is ample scope for interpretation and misinterpretation here. In this case, we have to rely on the explanation of law enforcement, which is very dangerous.</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;“After all, only the name of the Digital Security Act is being changed to the Cyber Security Act. We need to be able to monitor the crimes and frauds that are taking place in cyberspace without curtailing our freedom of expression,” the presentation said.</div><div><br></div><div>“According to the cyber security policy, security in cyberspace was talked about by 2021, but the cybercrime that has happened in the country so far shows that our technical skills have not increased and we have failed to ensure cyber security,” it added.</div><div><br></div><div>While the proposed law has provided some hope for cyber security, after the draft was published, it appeared that the title had changed, but no changes had been made to the areas of concern, which is very disappointing.</div><div><br></div><div>TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said, \"If the draft cyber security law is passed in the Parliament, there will be a huge risk of it becoming a black law like the Digital Security Act and thereby violating the fundamental rights of the people guaranteed by the Constitution.</div><div><br></div><div>“The elements of the draft law, such as the right to freedom of expression, freedom of speech, conscience, thought and media, remain in effect similar to the Digital Security Act. So it\'s not unreasonable to think that this, like its predecessor, is going to become a restrictive law,\" he said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;“The situation shows that we are moving to the point of criminalising the rights to freedom of expression, speech and media clearly enshrined in the Constitution. Therefore, the level at which the law is in place cannot be acceptable,\" he added.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>He suggested reviewing the draft law in the light of international experience involving all stakeholders, including experts from the relevant sectors, civil society and the media. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-30 15:55:46', '2023-08-30 15:55:46'),
(8805, 8805, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel beneath the Karnaphuli River is getting ready for vehicular movement, as its 100 percent construction work has been completed so far.</b></span><br></div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>\"Now the finishing touch is going on and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to open the tunnel in October next,\" said Project Director (PD) Md Harunur Rashid Chowdhury while talking to journalists.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>\"If everything goes well, the tunnel will be opened next October,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>On August 14, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader confirmed that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel, constructed in Chattogram, on October 28.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>According to project details, the tunnel will directly connect the Chattogram Port with Anwara upazila, which will directly link Cox\'s Bazar with Chattogram.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Two tubes having 35-feet width and 16-feet height have been constructed within an 11-metre gap so that heavy vehicles can pass through the tunnel easily.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The length of the tunnel is 3.40 kilometres with an approach road of 5.35 kilometres alongside a 740-metre bridge linking the main city, port and western side of the river with its eastern side.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Bangabandhu\'s daughter, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the boring work of the first tunnel tube on February 24, 2019.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Chinese President Xi Jinping jointly laid the foundation stone of the tunnel on October 14, 2016. China Communications Construction Company Ltd is working as the contractor of the project.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The tunnel will connect the proposed Asian Highway with Dhaka-Chattogram-Cox\'s Bazar Highway along with reducing the distance by 40 km. Vehicles in this tunnel will run at a speed of 80 km per hour, according to the details of the project.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Bangabandhu Tunnel is being built at a cost of Taka 10,374 crore. The tunnel project is being implemented with joint funding from the governments of Bangladesh and China. The Exim Bank of China is giving a loan of Taka 5,913 crore with a two per cent interest rate while the Bangladesh government is funding the remaining portion. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-30 16:02:10', '2023-08-30 16:02:10'),
(8806, 8806, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Fiery centuries from Babar Azam and Iftikhar Ahmed, followed by a three-wicket haul from Shadab Khan guided Pakistan to a massive 238-run victory over Nepal in the opening match of Asia Cup 2023 on Wednesday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Opting to bat first, Pakistan lost some initial wickets but Babar and Iftikhar stabilized their side\'s innings.</div><div><br></div><div>Babar scored 151 while Iftikhar remained unbeaten at 109. Apart from them, Mohammad Rizwan also scored 44.</div><div><br></div><div>For Nepal, Sompal Kami scalped two wickets while Sandeep Lamichhane and Karan KC took one wicket each. Source: NDTV&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-30 16:13:15', '2023-08-30 16:13:15'),
(8807, 8807, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Army officers who seized power in a coup in Gabon on Wednesday have named General Brice Oligui Nguema as the West African state\'s transitional leader.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Gen Nguema was earlier carried triumphally through the streets of the capital Libreville by his troops.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The deposed President, Ali Bongo, has appeared in a video at his home, calling on his \"friends all over the world\" to \"make noise\" on his behalf.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The former French colony is one of Africa\'s major oil producers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mr Bongo\'s overthrow ended his family\'s 55-year hold on power.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Army officers appeared on TV in the early hours of Wednesday to say they had taken power.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They said they had annulled the results of Saturday\'s election in which Mr Bongo was declared the winner but which the opposition said was fraudulent.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The officers also said they had arrested one of Mr Bongo\'s sons for treason.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Watch: Sitting in what he calls his residence, Ali Bongo calls on supporters to \"make noise\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Within hours, generals met to discuss who would lead the transition and agreed by a unanimous vote to appoint Gen Nguema, former head of the presidential guard.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Crowds in Libreville and elsewhere celebrated the army\'s declaration.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But the coup was condemned by the UN, the African Union and France, which had close ties to the Bongo family.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There has long been simmering resentment of the Bongo family - it ruled Gabon for 55 years - and there has been public discontent over broader issues such as the cost of living.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"At first I was scared, but then I felt joy,\" a resident of Libreville, who requested anonymity, told the BBC. \"I was scared because of the realisation that I am living through a coup, but the joy is because we\'ve been waiting for so long for this regime to be overthrown.\" BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-31 01:44:52', '2023-08-31 01:44:52'),
(8808, 8808, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">North Korea says it has fired two short-range tactical ballistic missiles to simulate nuclear strikes on military targets in South Korea.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">State media said the tests had been conducted as a warning against the US deployment of strategic bombers to the region.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">South Korea reported two missiles landing in the sea.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The launches coincide with annual joint military drills held by South Korea and the US.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pyongyang has long denounced the drills as a war rehearsal.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The North\'s army said the missiles had been fired late on Wednesday in a \"tactical nuclear strike drill simulating scorched earth strikes at major command centres and operational airfields\" in South Korea.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The drill is aimed to send a clear message to the enemies,\" the army added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The launches come a day before South Korea and the US end 11 days of combined military drills.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The drills involved at least one US B-1B strategic bomber flying above the Korean Peninsula, according to South Korean media.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">North Korean leader Kim Jong-un observed a drill on Tuesday preparing his top commanders for all-out war with the South, according to state media.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The drill simulated repelling a sudden invasion, then launching a counter-attack to occupy \"the whole territory of the southern half\", the report said. BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-31 02:48:51', '2023-08-31 02:48:51'),
(8809, 8809, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Yet another coup in Africa - just five weeks after Niger\'s President Mohamed Bazoum was taken hostage by the troops of his own presidential guard, Gabon\'s Ali Bongo also finds himself detained in his own residence.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A sudden statement on national television in the early hours of Wednesday, to declare Mr Bongo the winner of last Sunday\'s election, was followed within minutes by a second surprise broadcast, as a clutch of soldiers announced the seizure of power in the former French colony.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later in the day, as footage of celebrating crowds emerged - after the new junta had lifted the internet shutdown imposed by Mr Bongo\'s regime on the eve of the polls and maintained the shutdown throughout an opaque vote \"count\" - the deposed head of state appeared in an online video sent from his place of confinement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Looking bewildered, he appealed - in English - for friends outside to \"make noise\", in apparent hope that external pressure might reverse the shock turn of events, a prospect that seems remote.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But even if Mr Bongo himself was caught unprepared by the coup, perhaps Africa and the world should not have been.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 26 July overthrow of Mr Bazoum in Niger gave ample warning that West and Central Africa\'s \"coup-epidemic\" had not run its course.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In January last year, it had been the turn of Burkina Faso\'s President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré to be deposed by soldiers - whose leader was then himself dethroned by lower ranking counterparts on 30 September, just eight months later.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And before that, 2021 had brought two coups in West Africa. In May, Col Assimi Goïta, already author of a previous military takeover in Mali, had staged a second putsch to reassert his own power.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Then in September Guinea\'s special forces fought their way into the Sékhoutouréyah palace in Conakry to take President Alpha Condé into custody.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And we should not forget Chad where, following the April 2021 death in battle of long-time strongman Idriss Déby Itno, a military council stepped in to ensure the succession of his son and, thus, the continuation of the regime.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">What on earth is happening in West and Central Africa - and in former French colonies in particular?</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Six years ago the departure into exile of the electorally-defeated Gambian ruler Yahya Jammeh left every country in West Africa under multi-party constitutional rule.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the centre of the continent some authoritarian regimes survived, but the era of military takeovers seemed long past.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Yet the past three years have seen seven coups in five countries - plus the strong-armed military assumption of power in Chad.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are common factors that have, at the very least, created conditions in which soldiers have felt they can step in with relative impunity, and often with the support of a large slice of the urban population, especially frustrated young people.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Across much of West and Central Africa, younger citizens have become widely disenchanted with the traditional political class, even with those who have been legitimately elected to office.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Such disillusionment is fuelled by a raft of issues - a shortage of jobs and even informal economic opportunities for both graduates and those less educated, perceived high levels of corruption and privilege among the elite, as well as resentment at the persistent influence of France in the many countries where it is the former colonial power.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But there is also deep resentment at the way many civilian rulers manipulate electoral processes or constitutional rule to prolong their hold on power. The scrapping of presidential term limits - after controversial amendments to constitutions - is a source of especially sore feelings.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And such abuses also undermine the moral authority of bodies such as the African Union - or the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), often labelled an \"incumbent presidents\' club\" - in seeking to force coup leaders to restore elected civilian rule.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Central African regional bloc to which Gabon belongs does not even have serious pretentions to establish or sustain governance standards across member states.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But while all these factors create a climate in which soldiers have felt increasingly emboldened about seizing power, claiming to offer a \"fresh start\", each coup has also been driven by specific national or narrow local motivations - and the takeover in Gabon is no exception. vBBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-31 02:51:15', '2023-08-31 02:51:15'),
(8810, 8810, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Hurricane Idalia tore into Florida at the speed of a fast-moving train Wednesday, splitting trees in half, ripping roofs off hotels and turning small cars into boats before sweeping into Georgia and South Carolina as a still-powerful storm that flooded roadways and sent residents running for higher ground.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"All hell broke loose,\" said Belond Thomas of Perry, a mill town located just inland from the Big Bend region where Idalia came ashore.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Thomas fled with her family and some friends to a motel, thinking it would be safer than riding out the storm at home. But as Idalia\'s eye passed over about 8:30 a.m., a loud whistling noise pierced the air and the high winds ripped the building\'s roof off, sending debris down on her pregnant daughter, who was lying in bed. Fortunately, she was not injured.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It was frightening,\" Thomas said. \"Things were just going so fast. ... Everything was spinning.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After coming ashore, Idalia made landfall near Keaton Beach at 7:45 a.m. as a high-end Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds near 125 mph (205 kph). The system remained a hurricane as it crossed into Georgia with top winds of 90 mph (150 mph). It weakened to a tropical storm by late Wednesday afternoon, and its winds had dropped to 65 mph (100 kph) by Wednesday evening.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As the eye moved inland, high winds shredded signs, blew off roofs, sent sheet metal flying and snapped tall trees. One person was killed in Georgia. No hurricane-related deaths were officially confirmed in Florida, but the Florida Highway Patrol reported two people dying in separate weather-related crashes just hours before Idalia made landfall.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The storm was bringing strong winds to Savannah, Georgia, Wednesday evening as it made its way toward the Carolinas. It was forecast to pass over Charleston, South Carolina, early Thursday morning before turning east and heading out to the Atlantic Ocean.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Idalia spawned a tornado that briefly touched down in the Charleston suburb of Goose Creek, the National Weather Service said. The winds sent a car flying and flipped it over, according to authorities and eyewitness video. Two people received minor injuries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Along South Carolina\'s coast, North Myrtle Beach, Garden City, and Edisto Island all reported ocean water flowing over sand dunes and spilling onto beachfront streets Wednesday evening. In Charleston, storm surge from Idalia topped the seawall that protects the downtown, sending ankle-deep ocean water into the streets and neighborhoods where horse-drawn carriages pass million-dollar homes and the famous open-air market.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Preliminary data showed the Wednesday evening high tide reached just over 9.2 feet (2.8 meters), more than 3 feet (0.9 meters) above normal and the fifth-highest reading in Charleston Harbor since records were first kept in 1899.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Florida had feared the worst while still recovering from last year\'s Hurricane Ian, which hit the heavily populated Fort Myers area, leaving 149 dead in the state. Unlike that storm, Idalia blew into a very lightly inhabited area known as Florida\'s \"nature coast,\" one of the state\'s most rural regions that lies far from crowded metropolises or busy tourist areas and features millions of acres of undeveloped land.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That doesn\'t mean that it didn\'t do major damage. Rushing water covered streets near the coast, unmoored small boats and nearly a half-million customers in Florida and Georgia lost power. In Perry, the wind blew out store windows, tore siding off buildings and overturned a gas station canopy. Heavy rains partially flooded Interstate 275 in Tampa and wind toppled power lines onto the northbound side of Interstate 75 just south of Valdosta, Georgia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Less than 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of where Idalia made landfall, businesses, boat docks and homes in Steinhatchee, Florida, were swallowed up by water surging in from Deadman\'s Bay. Police officers blocked traffic into the coastal community of more than 500 residents known for fishing and foresting industries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">State officials, 5,500 National Guardsman and rescue crews were in search-and-recovery mode, inspecting bridges, clearing toppled trees and looking for anyone in distress.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Because of the remoteness of the Big Bend area, search teams may need more time to complete their work compared with past hurricanes in more urban areas, said Kevin Guthrie, director of the Florida Department of Emergency Management.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"You may have two houses on a 5-mile (8-kilometer) road so it\'s going to take some time,\" Guthries said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The National Weather Service in Tallahassee called Idalia \"an unprecedented event\" since no major hurricanes on record have ever passed through the bay abutting the Big Bend.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the island of Cedar Key, downed trees and debris blocked roads, and propane tanks exploded.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">RJ Wright stayed behind so he could check on elderly neighbors. He hunkered down with friends in a motel and when it was safe, walked outside into chest-high water. It could have been a lot worse for the island, which juts into the Gulf, since it didn\'t take a direct hit, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It got pretty gnarly for a while, but it was nothing compared to some of the other storms,\" Wright said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Tallahassee, the power went out well before the center of the storm arrived, but the city avoided a direct hit. A giant oak tree next to the governor\'s mansion split in half, covering the yard with debris.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Valdosta, Georgia, Idalia\'s fierce winds uprooted trees and sent rain flying sideways. Jonathon Wick said he didn\'t take the approaching hurricane seriously until Wednesday morning, when he awoke to howling winds outside his home. After rescuing his young nephews from a trampoline in their back yard where the water rose to his knees, he brought them to his car and was climbing into the driver\'s seat when a tree toppled right in front of the vehicle.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"If that tree would have fell on the car, I would be dead,\" said Wick, who ended up getting rescued by another family member.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">One man was killed in Valdosta when a tree fell on him as he was trying to clear another tree out of the road Wednesday, said Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk. Two others, including a sheriff\'s deputy, were injured when the tree fell, Paulk said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">More than 30,000 utility workers in Florida were gathering to make repairs as quickly as possible in the hurricane\'s wake. Airports in the region, including Tampa International Airport, planned to restart commercial operations either Wednesday afternoon or Thursday. By midday Wednesday, more than 900 flights had been canceled in Florida and Georgia, according to tracking service FlightAware.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At 8 p.m. EDT Wednesday, Tropical Storm Idalia was about 60 miles (95 kilometers) west of Charleston, South Carolina, the National Hurricane Center said. It was moving northeast at 21 mph (33 kph).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Officials in Bermuda warned that Idalia could hit the island early next week as a tropical storm. Bermuda on Wednesday was being lashed by the outer bands of Hurricane Franklin, a Category 2 storm that was on track to pass near the island in the north Atlantic Ocean.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President Joe Biden called the governors of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina on Wednesday and told them their states had his administration\'s full support, the White House said. AP/UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-31 03:18:15', '2023-08-31 03:18:15');

INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(8822, 8822, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Seventeen more deaths were reported from dengue in 24 hours till Thursday morning, raising the fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh to 593 this year.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>During the period, 2, 308 more patients were hospitalised with the viral fever, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).</div><div><br></div><div>Of the new patients, 950 were admitted to hospitals in Dhaka and the rest outside it, according to DGHS.</div><div><br></div><div>A total of 8, 378 dengue patients, including 3, 817 the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.</div><div><br></div><div>So far, the DGHS has recorded 1, 23808 dengue cases, 11, 4837 recoveries.</div><div><br></div><div>The country logged 281 dengue deaths in 2022 – the highest on record after 179 deaths recorded in 2019. Also, it recorded 62,423 dengue cases and 61,971 recoveries last year. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-31 12:28:39', '2023-08-31 12:28:39'),
(8823, 8823, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>President Md Shahabuddin will visit Indonesia to attend the 43rd ASEAN Summit to be held in Jakarta Convention Center on September 5-7.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen briefed the media at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday regarding President Shahabuddin\'s engagements in Jakarta.</div><div><br></div><div>Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has invited Bangladesh as chair of Indian Ocean Rim Association.</div><div><br></div><div>Foreign Minister Momen will accompany the President during the visit.</div><div><br></div><div>There will be a bilateral meeting between Bangladesh and Indonesia at the president-level, said the Foreign Minister, adding that two MoUs on cooperation in the areas of energy and health could be signed.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh is the current president of IORA.</div><div><br></div><div>Indonesian President Joko Widodo will chair 12 meetings during the 43rd ASEAN Summit.</div><div><br></div><div>The series of the 43rd ASEAN Summit will be held in plenary and retreat formats, including the 26th ASEAN-China Summit, the 24th ASEAN-the Republic of Korea (ROK) Summit, the 26th ASEAN-Japan Summit, the 11th ASEAN-U.S. Summit, the ASEAN-Canada Summit, the 26th ASEAN Plus Three Summit, the 20th ASEAN-India Summit, the 3rd ASEAN-Australia Summit, the 18th East Asia Summit, and 13th ASEAN-the United Nations Summit.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, East Asia Summit and ASEAN Plus Three Summit will be held on September 7.</div><div><br></div><div>A number of bilateral meetings between ASEAN leaders will also be held on the sidelines of the 43rd ASEAN Summit. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-31 12:36:23', '2023-08-31 12:36:23'),
(8824, 8824, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>As the nation gears up for the upcoming national election, a total of nine megaprojects encompassing roads, bridges, railways, and aviation are scheduled for inauguration within the tenure of the current government.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The first and most visible of these is the Dhaka Elevated Expressway, to be followed in due time by the Metrorail project’s remaining segment, Purbachal Expressway, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel (Karnaphuli Tunnel), Airport’s Third Terminal, Khulna-Mongla Rail Project, Cox\'s Bazar Rail Link, Akhaura-Agartala Rail Link, and Padma Bridge Rail Link.</div><div><br></div><div>Dhaka Elevated Expressway</div><div><br></div><div>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the first phase of the project on September 2.</div><div><br></div><div>Dhaka Elevated Expressway project director, AHMS Akhtar, told UNB that the construction of the expressway is being completed in three phases. Ninety-eight percent of the first part up to Banani and 54 percent of the work from Banani to Moghbazar have been completed, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The section from the Airport to Farmgate is ready for inauguration in September. Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said that on the occasion of the opening of the 11.5 km elevated expressway from Kaola to Farmgate on September 2, a rally will be held at the old grounds of the trade fair in Agargaon.</div><div><br></div><div>Metrorail</div><div><br></div><div>Metrorail’s Agargaon to Motijheel section is going to be inaugurated on October 20.</div><div><br></div><div>Obaidul Quader mentioned that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the Agargaon to Motijheel section of the Metrorail on October 20, followed by a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital at 3pm on that day.</div><div><br></div><div>Additionally, the construction work of MRT Line 5 Northern Road will be inaugurated on September 16, with a gathering in Savar. From the last week of October, Dhaka residents will be able to travel from Uttara to Motijheel in just 38 minutes.</div><div><br></div><div>Karnaphuli Tunnel</div><div><br></div><div>The main construction of the Bangabandhu Tunnel under the Karnaphuli River in Chattogram has been completed. This project is set to be inaugurated on October 28, marking Bangladesh\'s entry into the tunnel era.</div><div><br></div><div>Obaidul Quader announced that on the occasion of the inauguration of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel on October 28, a gathering will be held on the other side of the tunnel.</div><div><br></div><div>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will also inaugurate 140 bridges and 12 overpasses from the newly constructed road building on October 22. Additionally, the Vehicle Inspection Centre (VIC) will be inaugurated virtually, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Purbachal Expressway</div><div><br></div><div>The Purbachal Expressway will connect the rest of the city to the new city of Purbachal through a 12.3-kilometer-long, 12-lane expressway in the heart of the capital. Simultaneously, the Dhaka-Sylhet and Dhaka-Chattagram highways will experience reduced traffic congestion and improved communication with the eastern part of the country.</div><div><br></div><div>Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) Chairman Anisur Rahman Mia said that a 100-feet-wide canal is also being dug from Kuril to Balu river on both sides of this expressway. This effort aims not only to resolve traffic congestion in and waterlogging in the Bashundhara and Khilkhet area.</div><div><br></div><div>According to Rajuk, approximately TK 10,329 crore are being invested in this government-funded project. The project is nearing completion after 8 years since it was approved at the Ecnec meeting on September 22, 2015.</div><div><br></div><div>Third terminal of the airport</div><div><br></div><div>Civil Aviation Authority Chairman Air Vice Marshal (AVM) M Mafidur Rahman told UNB that the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport will have a soft opening on October 7. The new terminal will be opened by the prime minister.</div><div><br></div><div>As it will be partially inaugurated on that day, passengers will be able to fully utilise the terminal by the end of 2024.</div><div><br></div><div>He further mentioned that approximately 85 percent of the terminal\'s construction work has been completed, with interior decoration currently underway. He expressed optimism that 90 percent of the project will be completed before the soft opening.</div><div><br></div><div>Cox\'s Bazar Rail Link Project</div><div><br></div><div>The direct rail link between Dhaka and Cox\'s Bazar is in its final stages of construction. As of now, 88 km of railway line has been laid from Dohazari in Chattagram to Cox\'s Bazar, with only 12 kilometres remaining. Currently, the overall progress of the project stands at 87 percent.</div><div><br></div><div>The inauguration of this railway project has been delayed due to the renovation of the Kalurghat bridge and railway damage caused by landslides in Bandarban.</div><div><br></div><div>Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan said that flood-damaged sections are being repaired promptly, and an opening date will be announced soon.</div><div><br></div><div>Akhaura-Agartala Rail Link Project</div><div><br></div><div>This project, being implemented with the Indian line of credit, might be jointly inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Narendra Modi during her visit to India in September.</div><div><br></div><div>The Akhaura-Agartala project\'s progress has exceeded 90 percent, with the railway line fully laid.</div><div><br></div><div>The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for this project was signed during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina\'s visit to India in January 2010. The project, initiated in 2016, has been extended four times until June 2024. The total cost of the project is TK 477.81 crore, with government funding of Tk 57.5 crore andIndian debt of Tk 420.76 crore.</div><div><br></div><div>Khulna-Mongla Railway Line</div><div><br></div><div>As of now, 99% of the project has been completed.</div><div><br></div><div>Nurul Islam Sujan said that there will be a separate inauguration program during the Prime Minister\'s visit to India for the G20 summit.</div><div><br></div><div>This project is coming to an end 13 years after its approval at the Ecnec meeting in 2010.</div><div><br></div><div>Padma Bridge Rail Link Project</div><div><br></div><div>The Mawa-Bhanga section\'s progress stands at 96 percent, while the Dhaka-Mawa section is at 79 percent completion. The section up to Jessore’s Bhanga is also at 79 percent completion, with the inauguration planned for June 2024.</div><div><br></div><div>The estimated cost of the Padma bridge rail link is TK 39, 247 crores.</div><div><br></div><div>Nurul Islam Sujan told UNB that it will be officially inaugurated on a date chosen by the Prime Minister after September 20. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-31 14:21:16', '2023-08-31 14:21:16'),
(8825, 8825, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said on Thursday that the people should know about the masterminds of the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members in 1975.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“Masterminds (Kushilabs) should be identified. We need to know who helped from behind the scenes as well as who were the beneficiaries of the killing,” the home minister said in Dhaka as he joined a discussion as the chief guest.</div><div><br></div><div>He said that justice has been delivered, but some of the killers are still at large.</div><div><br></div><div>“We have identified those killers who are still absconding, and we hope to bring them back to face justice,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>He said that after the brutal killing of the Father of the Nation and his family members they had hoped to turn around when Bangabandhu\'s daughter Sheikh Hasina returned to the country in 1981.</div><div><br></div><div>“We kept in our hearts that Bangabandhu\'s murder will get justice. We have been able to see that,” the minister said.</div><div><br></div><div>He came up with the remarks while addressing the discussion meeting organised to mark the 48th martyrdom anniversary of Father of the Nation and the National Mourning Day at Bangladesh Police Auditorium in Rajarbagh in the capital on Thursday.</div><div><br></div><div>The minister said that perpetrators have time and again targeted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to kill her.</div><div><br></div><div>“There was another assassination attempt on Sheikh Hasina on August 21 in 2004. They tried to kill the prime minister (Sheikh Hasina) 21 times,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun said that Bangabandhu inspired people to participate in the war of independence with love and compassion.</div><div><br></div><div>He said that it was Bangabandhu’s love for the people to make it possible.</div><div><br></div><div>“Bangabandhu had spent the best time of his life in prison during the Pakistan period. He loved the people of the country as he believed that an independent sovereign country was necessary for human development. So, he fought for freedom,” the IGP said.</div><div><br></div><div>The IGP said that they want to build smart police.</div><div><br></div><div>“The Prime Minister gave us everything including logistics. We are already working to eliminate terrorism and militancy. We have made this country investment-friendly by preventing and controlling militancy,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>He said that once again the attempt is being made to take Bangladesh backwards.</div><div><br></div><div>“Every member of Bangladesh Police is determined to keep the situation under control. Bangladesh Police is ready to stop any mischief and any attempt to take the country backwards,” the IGP said.</div><div><br></div><div>He warned that strict action will be taken if there is an attempt to deteriorate the law and order situation.</div><div><br></div><div>Sheikh Kabir Hossain, member of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Trust, presented a keynote speech in the programme organised by Bangladesh Police Service Association.</div><div><br></div><div>President of Bangladesh Police Service Association and Chief of&nbsp; Special Branch (SB) Additional IGP Md Monirul Islam presided over the programme. Senior secretary of the public security Division of the Home Ministry Md Mostafizur Rahman, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Khandkar Golam Faruq, RAB Director General M Khurshid Alam, General Secretary of Bangladesh Police Service Association, Superintendent of Police (SP) Dhaka District Asaduzzaman also addressed the function.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-31 16:19:47', '2023-08-31 16:19:47'),
(8826, 8826, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh faced a substantial batting collapse in their inaugural Asia Cup match against Sri Lanka on Thursday in Kandy.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Opting to bat after winning the toss, Bangladesh could only muster a total of 164 runs, losing all their wickets. The team\'s last four wickets fell for a mere two runs, painting a grim picture of their batting performance.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh\'s opening pair, consisting of Mohammad Naim and debutant Tanzid Hasan Tamim, failed to lay a solid foundation. Tanzid faced a duck, while Naim managed a mere 16 runs from 23 balls.</div><div><br></div><div>Najmul Hossain Shanto, batting at number three, displayed some resilience by contributing 89 runs off 122 deliveries. However, the rest of the Bangladeshi batters struggled against the skillful Sri Lankan bowling attack.</div><div><br></div><div>Captain Shakib Al Hasan\'s contribution was limited to just 5 runs, and both Towhid Hridoy and Mushfiqur Rahim reached double-digit scores but couldn\'t sustain their innings.</div><div><br></div><div>Towhid fell victim to the bowling of Lankan captain Dasun Shanaka, missing the ball that went on to hit his stumps. Shanaka\'s successful appeal for an lbw decision after a review added to Bangladesh\'s woes. Mushfiqur was dismissed by a well-executed short ball from Matheesha Pathirana.</div><div><br></div><div>Towards the tail end of the batting lineup, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Mahedi Hasan, and Taskin Ahmed struggled to provide the required contribution to the team\'s total.</div><div><br></div><div>In the end, Bangladesh was dismissed for 164 runs in 42.4 overs.</div><div><br></div><div>Sri Lanka\'s Pathirana proved to be the main tormentor, taking four wickets for 32 runs in 7.4 overs, while Maheesh Theekshana secured two wickets. According to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-31 17:04:50', '2023-08-31 17:04:50'),
(8827, 8827, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A special court on Thursday granted permission to Pakistan\'s embattled former prime minister Imran Khan currently held at Attock Jail to speak to his sons.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Khan, 70, had filed a petition before Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain, seeking permission to speak to his sons Suleman Khan and Qasim Khan on the phone.</div><div><br></div><div>Judge Zulqarnain approved the plea and instructed the prison authorities to facilitate the telephonic conversation between the applicant and his sons in accordance with the law, the Dawn newspaper reported.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Instant application is allowed. Superintendent District Jail Attock is directed to make necessary arrangements for phone calls between the accused and his sons in accordance with jail rules and manual\", the judge said in his brief order.</div><div><br></div><div>The development comes a day after Judge Zulqarnain on Wednesday extended Khan\'s judicial remand till September 13 in a case related to the alleged disclosure of state secrets, dashing the former prime minister\'s hopes of quick release from jail despite being granted bail a day earlier in a corruption case.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier in the day, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) sought responses from the Law Ministry and other respondents on Khan\'s plea against the recent decision to move the cipher case hearing from Islamabad to Attock Jail.</div><div><br></div><div>IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, who presided over the hearing, asked: “Was the court venue shifted?” Khan\'s lawyer answered that the court designated to hear cases filed under the Secrets Act was that of a magistrate.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Authorising an anti-terrorism court judge to hear cases filed under the Official Secrets Act is wrong\", Khan\'s counsel asserted.</div><div><br></div><div>He urged the court to issue notices to the respondents seeking their response on the matter, which the chief justice allowed.</div><div><br></div><div>He requested the court to fix the next hearing for the coming week as it was an urgent matter, to which Justice Farooq agreed and adjourned the hearing till the next week.</div><div><br></div><div>The date for the next hearing has yet to be finalised.</div><div><br></div><div>The hearing of the case on Wednesday took place at Attock District Jail following approval by the Law Ministry amid security concerns expressed by the Interior Ministry.</div><div><br></div><div>Authorities decided on Tuesday to hold the hearing of the case inside the Attock jail where Khan has been kept since August 5 after his conviction in the Toshakhana corruption case.</div><div><br></div><div>Khan’s sentence was suspended by a two-member bench of the Islamabad High Court on Tuesday, but he was not allowed to walk free, as Judge Zulqernain hearing the cipher case ordered that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief be kept in prison and produced for hearing on Wednesday.</div><div><br></div><div>His party has criticised the decision to conduct hearings in Attock jail.</div><div><br></div><div>In March last year, ahead of the vote of no-confidence that resulted in his ouster, Khan pulled out a piece of paper allegedly the cipher from his pocket and waved it at a public rally in Islamabad, claiming it was the evidence of an \'international conspiracy\' being hatched to topple his government.</div><div><br></div><div>However, during the interrogation with the joint investigation team (JIT) in the jail on August 26, Khan denied that the paper he waved at a public gathering last year was the cipher. He also admitted to losing the cipher, saying he couldn\'t recall where he kept it.</div><div><br></div><div>His principal secretary Azam Khan stated before a magistrate and the FIA that the Khan used it for his ‘political gains’ and to avert a vote of no-confidence against him.</div><div><br></div><div>The purported cipher (secret diplomatic cable) contained an account of a meeting between US State Department officials, including Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu, and Pakistani envoy Asad Majeed Khan last year.</div><div><br></div><div>Of late, Khan has come under increased scrutiny following the publication of a purported copy of the secret cable by the US media outlet The Intercept, with many in the previous government led by Shehbaz Sharif pointing fingers at the PTI chief for being the source of the leak. - PTI</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-31 17:20:12', '2023-08-31 17:20:12'),
(8828, 8828, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen on Thursday said they \"remain concerned\" over the possibility that their overarching priorities with SDGs, climate action and humanitarian action may take a backseat on the global agenda with \"growing conflicts and military takeovers\" in different parts of the world.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>\"We count on the Indian G20 leadership to help arrest that possibility and add momentum to international collective action leveraging its global standing and outreach for the benefit of our One Earth and One Humanity,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Speaking at the closing session of an event titled “G20 Summit: Dhaka to New Delhi” at the Foreign Service Academy, the Foreign Secretary also emphasised on the importance of including the voice of the youths in shaping their shared future.</div><div><br></div><div>A student from the Department of Economic at Dhaka University also spoke at the event.</div><div><br></div><div>Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen spoke as the chief guest at the Inaugural session of the discussion.</div><div><br></div><div>Masud Momen said they are confident that the upcoming G20 Summit will help set the tone for critical issues facing the international community as the UN Secretary General leads them to the Summit of the Future next year.</div><div><br></div><div>In Bangladesh, he said, they look forward to sharing their perspectives at the upcoming multilateral forums as they navigate the current uncertain times in the global context with far-reaching ramifications in the national context.</div><div><br></div><div>The Foreign Secretary said they shall continue to raise their voice for resilient and inclusive growth within the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through fit-for-purpose reforms of multilateral institutions.</div><div><br></div><div>There were three panel discussions on women and development; green development and digital development.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We need to redouble our efforts in these and other fronts so that we can, not only reach our SDGs by 20230, but actually realise the vision of the Prime Minister’s 2041 aspiration of making a developed Smart Bangladesh,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The Foreign Secretary said India has indeed made a paradigm shift in its G20 Presidency by bringing the mostly peripheral Global South to the front and centre of its agenda.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We have witnessed a similar trend at the just concluded BRICS Summit in Johannesburg where the focus was preponderantly on Africa,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>These two Summit level meetings on the eve of the upcoming 78th session of the UN General Assembly perhaps signal a fresh move by the Global South to reinvigorate multilateralism in a way that truly reflects their cause, said Masud Momen, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>This year, the international community is expected to take stock of progress with Sustainable Development Goals, Paris Climate Agreement and Universal Health Coverage, among other issues, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-08-31 17:27:01', '2023-08-31 17:27:01'),
(8829, 8829, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">More than a dozen people nationally have been charged with threatening election workers by a Justice Department unit trying to stem the tide of violent and graphic threats against people who count and secure the vote.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Government employees are being bombarded with threats even in normally quiet periods between elections, secretaries of state and experts warn. Some point to former President Donald Trump and his allies repeatedly and falsely claiming the 2020 election was stolen and spreading conspiracy theories about election workers. Experts fear the 2024 election could be worse and want the federal government to do more to protect election workers.</div><div><br></div><div>The Justice Department created the Election Threats Task Force in 2021 led by its public integrity section, which investigates election crimes. John Keller, the unit\'s second in command, said in an interview with The Associated Press that the department hoped its prosecutions would deter others from threatening election workers.</div><div><br></div><div>\"This isn\'t going to be taken lightly. It\'s not going to be trivialized,\" he said. \"Federal judges, the courts are taking misconduct seriously and the punishments are going to be commensurate with the seriousness of the conduct.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Two more men pleaded guilty Thursday to threatening election workers in Arizona and Georgia in separate cases. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department would keep up the investigations, adding, \"A functioning democracy requires that the public servants who administer our elections are able to do their jobs without fearing for their lives.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The unit has filed 14 cases and two have resulted in yearslong prison sentences, including a 2 1/2-year sentence Monday for Mark Rissi, an Iowa man charged with leaving a message threatening to \"lynch\" and \"hang\" an Arizona election official. He had been \"inundated with misinformation\" and now \"feels horrible\" about the messages he left, his lawyer Anthony Knowles said.</div><div><br></div><div>A Texas man was given 3 1/2 years earlier this month after suggesting a \"mass shooting of poll workers and election officials\" last year, charges stated. In one message, the Justice Department said, the man wrote: \"Someone needs to get these people AND their children. The children are the most important message to send.\" His lawyer did not return a message seeking comment.</div><div><br></div><div>One indictment unveiled in August was against a man accused of leaving an expletive-filled voicemail after the 2020 election for Tina Barton, a Republican who formerly was the clerk in Rochester Hills, Michigan, outside Detroit. According to the indictment, the person vowed that \"a million plus patriots will surround you when you least expect it\" and \"we\'ll … kill you.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Barton said it was just one of many threats that left her feeling deeply anxious.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I\'m really hopeful the charges will send a strong message, and we won\'t find ourselves in the same position after the next election,\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Normally, the periods between elections are quiet for the workers who run voting systems around the U.S. But for many, that\'s no longer true, said Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat who has pushed back against conspiracy theories surrounding elections.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I anticipate it will get worse as we end this year and go into the presidential election next year,\" Griswold said.</div><div><br></div><div>Griswold said the threats come in \"waves,\" usually following social media posts by prominent figures about false claims the 2020 election was stolen or blog posts on far-right websites. While the nation is more informed about the threats to election workers, she worries that there haven\'t been enough prosecutions and states haven\'t taken enough action to protect workers.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Do we have the best tools to get through the next period of time? Absolutely not,\" Griswold said.</div><div><br></div><div>Election officials note that there have been thousands of threats nationwide yet relatively few prosecutions. They say they understand the high bar to actually prosecute a case but that more could be done.</div><div><br></div><div>Liz Howard, a former Virginia election official now at the Brennan Center for Justice\'s elections and government program, called on the Justice Department to hire a senior adviser with existing relationships with election officials to improve outreach.</div><div><br></div><div>About 1 in 5 election workers know someone who left their election job for safety reasons and 73% of local election officials said harassment has increased, according to a Brennan Center survey published in April.</div><div><br></div><div>The task force has reviewed more than 2,000 reports of threats and harassment across the country since its inception, though most of those cases haven\'t brought charges from prosecutors who point to the high legal bar set by the Supreme Court for criminal prosecution. Communication must be considered a \"true threat,\" one that crosses a line to a serious intent to hurt someone, in order to be a potential crime rather than free speech, Keller said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We are not criminalizing or frankly discouraging free speech by actions that we\'re taking from a law enforcement perspective,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The task force\'s work is unfolding at a time when Trump and other Republicans have accused the Biden administration of using the Justice Department to target political opponents, although the task force itself hasn\'t been targeted publicly by Republicans.</div><div><br></div><div>Many GOP leaders have sharply criticized the federal prosecutions of Trump and of rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and Trump himself faces a federal indictment in Washington, D.C., and a state indictment in Georgia over his efforts to overturn 2020 election results. He has denied wrongdoing and said he was acting within the law. A series of federal and state investigations and dozens of lawsuits have not uncovered any evidence the election was rigged.</div><div><br></div><div>Trump is the front-runner for the GOP nomination for president in 2024 and continues in his speeches and online posts to argue the 2020 election was rigged.</div><div><br></div><div>For many election workers, the threats have been a major driving factor to leave the job, hollowing out the ranks of experience ahead of 2024, said Dokhi Fassihian, the deputy chief of strategy and program at Issue One, a nonpartisan reform group representing election officials.</div><div><br></div><div>About 1 in 5 election officials in 2024 will have begun service after the 2020 election, the Brennan Center survey found, reports AP</div><div><br></div><div>\"Many are deciding it\'s just not worth it to stay,\" Fassihian told. </div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-01 03:07:18', '2023-09-01 11:55:28'),
(8830, 8830, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the much-awaited elevated expressway\'s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport-Farmgate section for traffic tomorrow.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The Prime Minister will inaugurate the expressway at a programme to be held at the old trade fair ground at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar here at 3.30pm tomorrow,\" project director of Dhaka Elevated Expressway AHMS Akter told BSS today.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The airport-Farmgate section will be opened to traffic the next day of the inauguration, the official added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said the length of this section is about 11.5 km. There are 15 ramps for boarding. Out of these, two ramps at Banani and Mohakhali will remain closed for the time being. The maximum speed limit for traffic on the expressway will be 60 km per hour.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Three wheelers, bicycles and pedestrians will not be allowed to move on the expressway, while motorbikes cannot run on it right now.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier, the road transport and bridges ministry fixed the toll rates for the Dhaka Elevated Expressway\'s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport-Farmgate section ranging from Taka 80 to Taka 400.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Under category 1, the toll rate for car, taxi, jeep, sports utility vehicle, microbus (under 16 seats) and light truck (under 3 tonnes) for crossing the airport-Farmgate section from any point is Taka 80.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The toll rate for medium truck (up to six wheels) for crossing the route from any point is Taka 320 under category 2.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Under category 3, the toll rate for truck (over six wheels) for crossing the route from any point is Taka 400. The toll rate for any bus (16 seated or above) for crossing the route from any point is Taka 160 under category 4.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The total length of the elevated expressway is 46.73km covering Kawla, Kuril, Banani, Mohakhali, Tejgaon, Moghbazar, Kamalapur, Sayedabad, Jatrabari to Kutubkhali on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Initially, the speed limit on the expressway will be 60km per hour and vehicles need 10 minutes to travel the 11km distance from the HSIA to Farmgate.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With an 11.5km mainline and 11km ramp, the length of the part will be 22.5km. Initially, 13 out of 15 ramps in this part will be opened. The ramps at Banani and Mohakhali will be opened once their construction is complete.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The total expenditure of the project is estimated at Taka 8,940 crore, while the viability gap funding is Taka 2,413 crore, which will be provided by Bangladesh government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The First Dhaka Elevated Expressway (FDEE) Company Ltd is the investor company. Italian Thai Development Public Company Ltd has 51 percent shares, China Shandong International Economic and Technical Co-operation Group (CSI) holds 34 percent while Sinohydro Corporation Ltd 15 percent shares.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As per the project, the first contract was signed on January 19, 2011 and the reviewed agreement was signed December 15, 2013 and the project completion period was July 2011-June 2024.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Construction of the second phase Banani Railway Station to Moghbazar Railway Crossing is progressing fast.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the last 15 years, several infrastructure projects have been initiated in Bangladesh. Considering the size, budget, and economic impact, many of these projects have been termed mega-projects.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;The government has also identified a few of them as fast-track projects. Among these, the Padma Multipurpose Bridge, Bangladesh\'s first metro rail project MRT Line-6 and Chandra-Elenga four-lane highway were completed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel, the first and longest underwater road tunnel in South Asia, is expected to be ready for traffic soon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The other projects-Padma bridge rail link, Chattogram-Cox\'s Bazar rail link, Rooppur nuclear power plant, Matarbari 1200MW coal-fired power plant, the Payra deep sea port, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Railway Bridge on the river Jamuna are extremely crucial to the country\'s economic growth and hence the key focus of the government now is their timely completion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After the Awami League government came to power in 2009, it took up several monumental development projects with the view to transforming the country\'s communication, transport and power infrastructure.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina\'s government has introduced modern transport system Dhaka Metro Rail partially and opened the Padma Multipurpose Bridge and other mega projects. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-01 04:14:34', '2023-09-01 04:14:34'),
(8831, 8831, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Biman Bangladesh Airlines is set to resume its much waited direct Dhaka-Narita-Dhaka flight tonight aspiring to make the&nbsp; Bangladesh Japan direct air connectivity as a profitable route.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The inaugural flight will take off from Dhaka\'s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 11:45pm local time and reach Narita International Airport in Japan on September 2 at 9:15 am local time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">State minister for civil aviation and tourism M Mahbub Ali will inaugurate the inaugural flight as the chief guest while Japan ambassador to Bangladesh Iwama Kiminori to be present.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Biman Board of directors chairman Mostofa Kamal Uddin, Principle Secretary of the Prime Minister office Mohammad Tofazzel Hossain Miah, civil aviation and tourism secretary Md Mokammel Hossain, and Civil Aviation Authority Chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman will also join the opening ceremony.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Dhaka-Narita could be a promising route for Biman Bangladesh Airlines as we are expecting passengers from our neighboring countries travelers apart from the local passengers,” Shafiul Azim, Managing Director and CEO of Biman Bangladesh told BSS today.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said Biman has already offer lucrative packages with more weight on baggage for its Narita route to attract travelers from Nepal and Kolkata.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Besides Bangladesh, there are about 41,000 Indians, and 1.40 lakh Nepalese nationals living in Japan. So, passengers from India and Nepal can fly to and from Japan via Dhaka in only six hours,\" Biman\'s chief said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Besides, he said, currently many Japanese companies have been extending to their business here while numbers of Bangladeshi students are enrolling in different Japanese universities.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the Ministry of Justice, Japan, till 2022, there were 20,954 Bangladeshis living in Japan.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Biman Chief said the national flag carrier is planning to carry its passengers to Australia, the west coast of the United States and Canada with the help of other carriers via Japan through code sharing.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We are exploring with other airlines interlinking or code sharing so that we can offer our passengers different routes beyond Japan like a 360 degree airline,\" Azim said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said currently Biman is working with Japan Airlines Ltd (JAL), All Nippon Airways and Air Canada for code sharing.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Code sharing is a marketing arrangement in which an airline places its designator code on a flight operated by another airline, and sells tickets for that flight. Airlines throughout the world continue to form code-share arrangements to strengthen or expand their market presence and competitive ability.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Biman will operate weekly three flights with Dreamliner 787-8 and 787-9 aircrafts.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The flight will depart from Dhaka every Friday, Monday and Wednesday and from Narita every Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Currently the national flag carrier is negotiating with Airbus, to purchase 10 brand new planes from the European aircraft manufacturer.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At present, Biman has a total of 21 aircraft in its fleet, of these, four are Boeing 777-300 ER, four are Boeing 787-8, two are Boeing 787-9, six are Boeing 737 and five are Dash 8-400 aircraft. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-01 07:01:46', '2023-09-01 07:01:46'),
(8832, 8832, '<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">“Due to the government\'s development programmes for the country, A\'s public support has increased more than before,” he said this while visiting the old trade fair ground on the eve of the inauguration of the Kaola- Farmgate section of Dhaka Elevated Expressway.</span><br></p><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">PM Hasina is scheduled to inaugurate the expressway on Saturday. It will then be opened to commuters on Sunday, according to project officials.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“AL government has proved through development activities that it keeps its words,” added Quader, also the General Secretary of the ruling party.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Far from toppling the government, the BNP is worried about its own existential crisis,\" the AL leader&nbsp; said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Awami League is on alert to protect the lives and property of the people against&nbsp; terrorism or violence in the name of movement,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">BNP leaders and workers do not have faith in the party’s programmes. It is not possible to wage a movement with black flags, added Quader. \"It becomes a mourining procession.\" UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-01 08:12:09', '2023-09-01 08:12:09'),
(8833, 8833, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Sri Lanka has paid another $100 million in the second installment out of $200 million loan given by Bangladesh in a currency swap, a Bangladesh Bank spokesperson said on Friday.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Last month Colombo paid $50 million in the first installment of the loan repayment.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh lent $200 million from its foreign exchange reserves to Sri Lanka during its economic crisis.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The remaining $50 million is due to be repaid within the current year, said Bangladesh Bank Executive Director and Spokesperson Mesbaul Haque.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh extended the dept repayment time to let Sri Lanka time to revive its economy. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-09-01 08:20:49', '2023-09-01 08:20:49');
