INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5221, 5221, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Kazi Nuruddin Rana, father of Buet student Fardin Noor, who was found dead in Shitalakhkhya River on November 7, last year, filed a petition seeking time to file a no-confidence petition against the DB report saying that he died by suicide.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kazi Nuruddin Rana, filed the petition before the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Shanta Islam on Tuesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The court also fixed March 16 for hearing the petition.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier, on February 6, DB police submitted the final report before a Dhaka court clearing Amatullah Bushra, a private university student, of the murder charges in the case and settling that Fardin died by suicide.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The court also fixed February 14 for hearing the final report of DB.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Besides, Advocate Habibur Rahman filed a petition seeking permanent bail to Bushra in the case.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The court also extended her bail till March 16.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">DB Inspector Yasin Shikder, also the investigating officer of the case, submitted the report to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate\'s Court of Dhaka.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fardin, a 3rd year student of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology’s civil engineering department and a resident of Qutubpur area in Narayanganj\'s Fatullah was found dead from the Shitalakhkhya River, behind a cotton mill at Siddhirganj, on November 7, three days after he went missing.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Farhad, a physician at Narayanganj General Hospital where the autopsy was done, said there were several injury marks on Fardin’s head and body.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kazi Nuruddin Rana, Fardin’s father, filed a case in connection with his son’s killing with Rampura Police Station on the same day. The case was later transferred to Detective Branch (DB) Police.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, DB police arrested Bushra from her Banasree residence in Dhaka on November 10.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After a long 38-day investigation, the DB chief said on December 14 that Fardin roamed alone around different areas of Dhaka on the night of November 4 before he went missing.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Fardin was not murdered, he committed suicide by jumping into the river from Sultana Kamal Bridge on November 4 out of desperation,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On January 8, Judge Tahsin Iftekhar of Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge\'s Court-7 granted bail to Bushra in the case after hearing a bail petition.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On January 10, Bushra walked out of the Kashimpur Women\'s Central Jail, two months after her arrest. 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, '2023-02-14 11:52:27', '2023-02-14 11:52:27'),
(5222, 5222, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh and France have marked the celebration of 50 years of their diplomatic relations by issuing commemorative stamps in both Dhaka and Paris.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen and French Ambassador to Bangladesh Marie Masdupuy released the commemorative stamp in Dhaka while French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna and Bangladesh’s Ambassador to France Khondker M Talha did the same in Paris, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh and France established their diplomatic relations in 1972 with France’s recognizing Bangladesh as an independent State on 14 February 1972. 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, '2023-02-14 12:08:16', '2023-02-14 12:08:16'),
(5223, 5223, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The European Parliament voted on Tuesday to approve a ban on new sales of carbon-emitting petrol and diesel cars by 2035, clearing the final legislative hurdle.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">EU member states have already approved the legislation and will now formally nod it into law, despite opposition from conservative MEPs, the parliament\'s biggest group.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Supporters of the bill had argued to that it would give European carmakers a clear timeframe in which switch production to zero-emission electric vehicles.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This in turn will support the European Union\'s ambitious plan to become a \"climate neutral\" economy by 2050, with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Let me remind you that between last year and the end of this year China will bring 80 models of electric cars to the international market,\" EU vice president Frans Timmermans warned MEPs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"These are good cars. These are cars that will be more and more affordable, and we need to compete with that. We don\'t want to give up this essential industry to outsiders.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But opponents argued that industry is not ready for such a dramatic cut off in production of internal combustion engine vehicles -- and that hundreds of thousands of jobs are at risk.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Our proposal is ... to let the market decide what technology is our best to reach our goals,\" said MEP Jens Gieseke, a member of the centre-right European People\'s Party.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Gieseke declared that arguments from Green and socialist MEPs that electric cars are cheaper to run had been rendered \"null and void\" by the crisis of soaring energy costs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"In Germany 600,000 people work on ICE production, those jobs are at risk,\" he declared, urging the European Commission to rethink plans to also extend the ban to trucks and buses.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Opponents also argue car batteries are produced abroad by Europe\'s competitors like the United States, but Timmermans argued that thanks to EU-backed investment European production would increase.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The law passed the Strasbourg assembly by 340 votes to 279, with 21 abstentions. 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, '2023-02-14 13:11:04', '2023-02-14 13:11:04'),
(5224, 5224, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">President-elect Mohammed Shahabuddin Chuppu and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday met the incumbent President Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prime Minister\'s sister Sheikh Rehana, wife of president-elect Dr Rebecca Sultana accompanied them, Press Secretary Joynal Abedin told UNB.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On their arrival, President Abdul Hamid and his wife Rashida Khanom welcomed them with flower bouquets.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President Hamid congratulated Shahabuddin for being elected President of Bangladesh and exchanged greetings on the phone. They also enquired of their health condition.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also briefed the President about the activities of ther government during the meeting.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shahabuddin Chuppu will be the 22nd President of Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Yesterday, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal declared the ruling party’s nominee the president-elect of Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As per the election schedule two nomination papers were submitted for Shahabuddin on Sunday and one of those was accepted as valid after scrutiny on Monday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A gazette was issued in the afternoon in this regard.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The ruling party\'s nominee was declared the next president of the country as no other political party with representation in parliament proposed any name for the presidential election.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President Hamid is set to complete his tenure on April 23 this year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Read more: Md Shahabuddin set to become next President of Bangladesh</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the constitution, a new president has to be elected within 90 to 60 days prior to the end of the incumbent president\'s tenure. 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, '2023-02-14 16:20:38', '2023-02-14 16:20:38'),
(5225, 5225, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today handed over the keys of ‘Bir Nibash’ to valiant freedom fighters, who are financially marginalized.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Prime Minister handed over keys to 5000 houses at a programme – held in Dhaka’s Osmani Memorial Auditorium – organized by the Liberation War Affairs Ministry with the Minister AKM Mozammel Huq in the chair.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The PM joined the programme virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The houses are being given away to freedom fighters as gifts from the Prime Minister, on the occasion of Mujib Borsho and 50 years of Bangladesh’s independence.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The project, ‘House construction for insolvent freedom fighters’ – approved by the ECNEC on March 21 last year – is being implemented at the cost of Tk 4,122 crore which will come from government funds.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The main objective of the project is to construct 30,000 ‘Bir Nibash’ (houses) for insolvent freedom fighters, Birangana (women freedom fighters), widows and children of martyred and late freedom fighters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Named ‘Bir Nibash’ (Home for Heroes), each 635sqft house has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a dining room, and a kitchen.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This project is an initiative of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to uplift the socio-economic status of financially marginalized freedom fighters, as well as widows and children of late freedom fighters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The cost of building each house is Tk 14,10,382, as per the official source.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Deputy Commissioners of Narail, Madaripur, Gopalganj, Gazipur and Kishoreganj, on behalf of the Prime Minister handed over the keys in their respective areas. 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, '2023-02-15 06:44:12', '2023-02-15 06:44:12'),
(5226, 5226, '<p style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court today stayed the High Court order that had asked the authorities concerned to give stall allotment to Adarsha Prokashoni to participate in the month-long Ekushey Boi Mela on condition.</b></span><br></p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">A four-member bench of the Appellate Division led by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order after hearing a petition.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">With the latest order, Adarsha Prokashoni will not be allowed to participate in the book fair.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Advocate Anik R Haque stood for Adarsha Prokashoni while Senior Advocate Attorney General AM Amin Uddin represented Bangla Academy.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">On February 8, the HC bench of Justice Md Khasruzzaman and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir passed an order asking the authorities concerned to give stall allotment to Adarsha Prokashoni to participate in the month-long Ekushey Book Fair on condition.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Counsel Anik said the court asked the Bangla Academy to give the stall allotment on condition that it cannot keep three books —‘Bangalir Mediocrity’r Sandhane’ by Faham Abdus Salam, ‘Unnoyan Bibhram’ by Zia Hasan and ‘Oprotiroddho Unnoyane Obhaboniyo Kothamala’ by Foyez Ahmad Taiyeb.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Later, Bangla Academy filed a petition challenging the HC order.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">On Monday (February 13), the Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division Justice M Enayetur Rahim set February 15 for hearing on the petition.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Advocate Anik said that though the books were not blacklisted or banned, the participation of the publishing house was restricted involving the books.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">The writers of 600 books, which were published from the Adarsha Prokashoni, will be deprived of taking part in the month-long fair, he said.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Owner Mahabubur Rahman filed a petition with the HC seeking intervention after authorities disclosed the names of the participating publishing houses except Adarsha Prokashoni on January 12. UNB</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</p>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-15 07:00:38', '2023-02-15 07:00:38'),
(5227, 5227, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Not even Kylian Mbappé\'s substitute appearance could end Paris Saint-Germain\'s slump, as it lost 1-0 at home to Bayern Munich on Tuesday in the first leg of their round-of-16 Champions League clash.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A third straight loss made it five defeats in 11 games this year for PSG coach Christophe Galtier\'s team.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bayern winger Kingsley Coman volleyed home inside the penalty area from Alphonso Davies’ left-wing cross in the 53rd minute.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Paris-raised Coman, who PSG sold to Juventus when he was 18, held his hands up to show he wasn\'t celebrating scoring against his former club — again.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“It’s the city where I was born and raised so it was difficult to celebrate here,” Coman said. “Given our performance we could have done more, but at the end it was a bit difficult so we’re satisfied with the win.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">When Bayern won the last of its six Champions League titles in 2020, it beat PSG 1-0 with Coman heading home the winner.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The World Cup superstar Mbappé made an unexpectedly quick recovery from injury and had two would-be goals disallowed for offside after coming on in the second half.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“It was difficult, unpredictable. I wasn’t supposed to play but I wanted to play and help my mates. We did everything, we worked night and day to get me some game time,” Mbappé said. “I wanted to (start the game). But sometimes you have to be satisfied with what you can do, and that’s all I could do.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The return leg is on March 8.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">PSG was eliminated by Real Madrid in the last 16 last season and may need Mbappé at this best to avoid another early exit.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“When we have our players ready and we can play our attacking game, they (Bayern) are not comfortable,” Mbappé said. “We have to retain how we finished the game. We saw that we can cause them problems.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mbappé showed no ill effects of the thigh tear he sustained two weeks ago.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He had a shot saved by Yann Sommer in the 73rd after racing through down the left. Sommer saved Neymar’s follow-up and the ball fell to Mbappé near the line, but he was well offside.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mbappé peeled away in delight after volleying Nuno Mendes’ cross from close range with 10 minutes left, but it was chalked off following a quick video review.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“That’s the new soccer, there’s VAR. If it’s offside, it’s offside, you just have to switch quickly,” Mbappé said. “The important thing is to go over there and qualify, and from what I saw that\'s possible.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bayern’s defense held firm under some late pressure, although defender Benjamin Pavard received a second yellow card was sent off for a late tackle on Lionel Messi in stoppage time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bayern immediately generated pressure from the start against a nervous-looking PSG by closing down high up the field. PSG hadn’t lost three straight games since late 2011, which was only months into the new reign of Qatari owners QSI.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Bayern really got on top of us and we struggled to hold the ball high up the pitch. The first half was very difficult for us,” Galtier said. “I knew we could use Kylian in the second half, but unfortunately we conceded this goal just before I was going to bring him on.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The dominance of Julian Nagelsmann’s team in midfield was so complete that it forced Messi to drop deep to get the ball, and Neymar was anonymous for most of the match.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We were a bit surprised by how much of the ball we had. We didn’t expect Paris to be so passive; it was a good first half,” Nagelsmann said. \"The two times they really threatened it was offside.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Midway through the first half, Neymar lay face-first on the field after a shoulder barge from a defender. English referee Michael Oliver waved play on and Sommer — although nearby — didn’t check on Neymar, who at the 2018 World Cup in Russia earned an unwelcome reputation for diving and play-acting.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bayern’s possession didn’t lead to clear chances, however, and midfielder Joshua Kimmich’s 20-meter drive was easily captured by goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 43rd.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Nagelsmann showed shrewd tactical sense by bringing on Davies and switching Coman from the left to the right flank with seamless efficiency. Bayern came close to 2-0 when former PSG striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting had a shot tipped onto the post by Donnarumma.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">PSG midfielder Warren Zaïre-Emery became the youngest player to start a Champions League knockout match at the age of 16 years, 343 days. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-15 07:28:20', '2023-02-15 07:28:20'),
(5228, 5228, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Chinese leader Xi Jinping expressed support for Iran during a visit Tuesday by its president as Tehran tries to expand relations with Beijing and Moscow to offset Western sanctions over its nuclear development.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The official Chinese account of Xi’s meeting with Ebrahim Raisi gave no indication whether they discussed Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Tehran supplied military drones to Russian President Vladimir Putin\'s government but says they were delivered before the war began.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Xi expressed support for Raisi’s government in language Beijing uses to criticize Washington’s domination of global affairs. China and Iran portray themselves, alongside Moscow, as counterweights to American power.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“China supports Iran in safeguarding national sovereignty” and “resisting unilateralism and bullying,” Xi said in a statement carried by Chinese state TV on its website.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Xi and Raisi attended the signing of 20 cooperation agreements including trade and tourism, the Chinese government announced. Those add to a 25-year strategy agreement signed in 2021 to cooperate in developing oil, industry and other fields.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">China is one of the biggest buyers of Iranian oil and a source of investment.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Iran has struggled for years under trade and financial sanctions imposed by Washington and other Western governments over what they say is Tehran’s efforts to develop nuclear weapons, an accusation the Iranian government denies. The United States government cut off Iran’s access to the network that connects global banks in 2018.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price urged China to influence Iran and lower potential threats in the region, saying that “would be in both of our interests.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The PRC has a role to play in very clearly signaling to Iran that its destabilizing activities — that its brinksmanship — is not going to be rewarded, it’s not going to be countenanced. It is not something that the international community is prepared to sit idly by and watch,” Price said Tuesday to reporters in Washington, referring to China by its official name, the People’s Republic of China.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Xi said Beijing “opposes external forces interfering in Iran’s internal affairs and undermining Iran’s security and stability,” according to the government statement. It said Xi promised to “work together on issues involving each other’s core interests,” but gave no details.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Raisi’s government didn’t immediately release details of the meeting, but the president called the two governments “friends in difficult situations” in a commentary published Monday by the ruling Communist Party newspaper People’s Daily.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, asked whether Beijing was concerned that getting closer to Iran might complicate U.S.-Chinese ties, said their “friend relations” contribute to “promotion of peace and stability in the Middle East.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Our relations do not target any third parties,” said the spokesperson, Wang Wenbin. 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, '2023-02-15 07:35:50', '2023-02-15 07:35:50'),
(5229, 5229, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said the next parliamentary election will be fair and free as she is committed to democracy and the Election Commission is completely independent.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The next election will be fair and free. I fought for democracy throughout my life,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The premier said this when a US delegation, led by Counselor of the US Department of State Derek Chollet, paid a courtesy call on her at the latter’s official residence Ganabhaban.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">PM’s Speechwriter Md Nazrul Islam briefed reporters after the meeting.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hasina said if the people vote for Awami League in the next general election, her party will take the charge of governing the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I never want to come to power through vote-rigging,” she was quoted as saying.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The PM said she always struggled for the people’s rights to food and vote.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said the first-ever EC’s reconstitution law was passed in parliament and then a neutral Election Commission was constituted on the basis of the law.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said the EC is completely independent. It has administrative and financial independence, she added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh is due to elect its next parliament by end of this year or first week of January next year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The last parliamentary election was held on December 30, 2018. 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, '2023-02-15 08:03:11', '2023-02-15 08:03:11'),
(5230, 5230, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Romania briefly scrambled military jets and neighboring Moldova temporarily closed its air space Tuesday after authorities in both countries reported mysterious weather balloon-like objects traversing their skies.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The incidents occurred at around midday local time and briefly raised concerns in the two Eastern European countries, both which border Ukraine and have been affected by Russia’s war.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Romania’s defense ministry said it deployed two jets that are under NATO command to its southeastern skies to seek an aerial object it described as being small with “characteristics similar to a weather balloon.” It had been detected initially by radar systems in Romanian airspace at an altitude of about 11,000 meters (36,000 feet).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The crews of the two aircraft did not confirm the presence of the aerial target, neither visually nor on the onboard radars,” a ministry statement said, adding that the two MiG-21 LanceR aircraft stayed in the vicinity for about 30 minutes before returning to base.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu told reporters at U.N. headquarters in New York that “the Romanian fighter jets did not find any object, even if it was spotted on the radar … so no threat for the Romanian airspace.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It was unclear whether the two incidents were related, and neither country said where they believed the objects had come from.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The events follow a string of comparable incidents this month in the U.S., in which objects detected and shot down by warplanes included a high-altitude Chinese balloon that traversed American airspace. China said it was a weather balloon that had accidentally drifted off course.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The incident in Moldova triggered widespread travel disruption and brief panic when authorities temporarily closed the country\'s airspace over what they later described as an object “similar to a weather balloon” spotted near the northern border with Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Scores of flights in the country of about 2.6 million people, one of Europe’s poorest, were canceled or rescheduled. Some were diverted to Romania.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Given the weather conditions and the impossibility of monitoring and identifying the object as well as its flight path … the decision was taken to temporarily close the airspace,” Moldova\'s aviation authority said in a statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Romania has been a NATO member since 2004 and a European Union member since 2007. Moldova is militarily neutral and thus not a potential NATO member. It\'s looking to forge closer ties with the west and was granted EU candidate status last June, the same day as Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Monday, Moldovan President Maia Sandu accused Russia of plotting to overthrow her country\'s government and derail it from its EU accession path.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova dismissed Sandu’s claims on Tuesday as “absolutely unfounded and unsubstantiated.” 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, '2023-02-15 08:28:09', '2023-02-15 08:28:09'),
(5231, 5231, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday urged the people of the country to remain alert against the evil forces so they can\'t grip Bangladesh again.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The people of the country have to remain alert and cautious so that dark clutch (of evil force) must never again grip Bangladesh,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister said this while handing over the keys of 5000 government-built houses, ‘Bir Nibash’, to the underprivileged freedom ighters of the country. A total of 30,000 houses are being built across the country under the project.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Liberation War Affairs Ministry organised the programme at Osmani Memorial Auditorium with its minister AKM Mozammel Huq in the chair.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hasina said that Bangladesh is advancing with unstoppable speed and no one will be able to stop it.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Bangladesh will be built with the spirit of the Liberation War. We will build Bangladesh as non-communal country imbued with the ideology of the Liberation War and that is our aim,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said that under the leadership of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman the people had sacrificed their blood to attain Independence in 1971.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“This is our country, we have gained our Independence sacrificing our blood under the leadership of the Father of the Nation. We will build this country as the Golden Bangladesh of the Father of the Nation, Inshallah,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Liberation War Affairs Secretary Khaja Miah also spoke at the programme.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A documentary related to the project was screened at the programme.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Tk 4,122-cr project - house construction for poor freedom fighters - was approved by the Ecnec on March 21 last year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Under the project 30,000 ‘Bir Nibash’ (houses) for poor freedom fighters, Birangana (women freedom fighters), widows and children of martyred and late freedom fighters will be built for their socioeconomic uplift.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Named as Bir Nibas, the 635-square-foot-houses, with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a dining room and a kitchen will be built for poor freedom fighters on their family homesteads.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This project is an initiative of PM Hasina seeking to uplift the socio-economic status of poverty-stricken freedom fighters, widows and children of late heroic freedom fighters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Construction of each house costs Tk14,10, 382, according to official sources.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Deputy Commissioners of Narail, Madaripur, Gopalganj, Gazipur and Kishoreganj, on behalf of the Prime Minister handed over the keys in their respective areas. 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, '2023-02-15 09:30:03', '2023-02-15 09:30:03'),
(5232, 5232, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">An Egyptian widow is struggling to afford meat and eggs for her five children. An exasperated German laundry owner watches as his energy bill jumps fivefold. Nigerian bakeries have shut their doors, unable to afford the exorbitant price of flour.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">One year after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, and caused widespread suffering, the global economy is still enduring the consequences — crunched supplies of grain, fertilizer and energy along with more inflation and economic uncertainty in a world that was already contending with too much of both.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As dismal as the war\'s impact has been, there’s one consolation: It could have been worse. Companies and countries in the developed world have proved surprisingly resilient, so far avoiding the worst-case scenario of painful recession.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But in emerging economies, the pain has been more intense.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Egypt, where nearly a third of the population lives in poverty, Halima Rabie has struggled for years to feed her five school-age children. Now, the 47-year-old widow has cut back on even the most basic groceries as prices keep rising.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“It’s become unbearable,” Rabie said, heading to her job as a cleaner at a state-run hospital in Cairo’s twin city of Giza. “Meat and eggs have become a luxury.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the United States and other wealthy countries, a painful surge in consumer prices, fueled in part by the war’s effect on oil prices, has steadily eased. It\'s buoyed hopes that U.S. Federal Reserve inflation fighters will relent on interest rate increases that have threatened to tip the world’s biggest economy into recession and sent other currencies tumbling against the dollar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">China also dropped draconian zero-COVID lockdowns late last year that hobbled growth in the second-largest economy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some good fortune has helped, too: A warmer-than-usual winter has helped lower natural gas prices and limit the damage from an energy crisis after Russia largely cut off gas to Europe. Still, oil and gas prices were high enough to cushion the impact on the energy-exporting Russian economy from the international sanctions imposed after President Vladimir Putin’s invasion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The war “is a human catastrophe,’’ said Adam Posen, president of the Peterson Institute for International Economics. “But its impact on the world economy is a passing shock.’’</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Still, in ways big and small, the war is causing pain. In Europe, for example, natural gas prices are still three times what they were before Russia started massing troops on Ukraine\'s border.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sven Paar, who runs a commercial laundry in Walduern, southwest Germany, is facing a gas bill this year of about 165,000 euros ($176,000) — up from 30,000 euros ($32,000) last year — to run 12 heavy-duty machines that can wash 8 tons of laundry a day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We have passed the prices on, one to one, to our customers,” Paar said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">So far, he has been able to keep his customers after showing them the energy bills that accompany the price increases.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Fingers crossed, it’s working so far,\" he said. “At the same time, the customers groan, and they have to pass the costs on to their own customers.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While he\'s kept his steady customers, they\'re offering less business. Restaurants with fewer customers need fewer tablecloths washed. Several hotels closed in February rather than pay heating costs during their slow season, meaning fewer hotel sheets to clean.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Punishingly high food prices are inflicting particular hardship on the poor. The war has disrupted wheat, barley and cooking oil from Ukraine and Russia, major global suppliers for Africa, the Middle East and parts of Asia where many struggle with food insecurity. Russia also was the top supplier of fertilizer.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While a U.N.-brokered deal has allowed some food shipments from the Black Sea region, it\'s up for renewal next month.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Egypt, the world’s No. 1 wheat importer, Rabie took a second job at a private clinic in July but still struggles to keep up with rising prices. She earns less than $170 a month.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rabie said she cooks meat once a month and has resorted to cheaper byproducts to ensure her children get protein. But even those are becoming harder to find.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The government urged Egyptians to try chicken feet and wings as an alternative source of protein — a suggestion met with scorn on social media but that also led to a spike in demand.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Even the feet have become expensive,” Rabie said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Nigeria, a top importer of Russian wheat, average food prices skyrocketed 37% last year. Bread prices have doubled in some places amid wheat shortages.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“People have huge decisions to make,” said Alexander Verhes, who runs Life Flour Mill Limited in the southern Delta state. \"What food do they buy? Do they spend it on food? Schooling? Medication?”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At least 40% of bakeries in the Nigerian capital of Abuja shut down after the price of flour jumped about 200%.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The ones still in the business are doing so at breaking point with no profits,” said Mansur Umar, chairman of the bakers’ association. “A lot of people have stopped eating bread. They have gone for alternatives because of the cost.’’</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Spain, the government is spending 300 million euros ($320 million) to help farmers acquire fertilizer, the price of which has doubled since the war in Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Fertilizer is vital because the land needs food,’’ said Jose Sanchez, a farmer in the village of Anchuelo, east of Madrid. “If the land does not have food, then the crops do not grow up.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It all means a slowing global economy. The International Monetary Fund dropped growth expectations this year and in 2022 that equates to about $1 trillion in lost production. Europe\'s economy, for example, “is still experiencing significant headwinds\" despite a drop in energy prices and is at risk of falling into recessio n, said Nathan Sheets, global chief economist at banking giant Citi.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The IMF says consumer prices jumped 7.3% in the wealthiest countries last year — above its January 2022 forecast of 3.9% — and 9.9% in poorer ones, up from 5.9% expected pre-invasion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the U.S., such inflation has forced businesses to be nimble.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Stacy Elmore, co-founder of The Luxury Pergola in Noblesville, Indiana, said the cost of providing health insurance for eight workers has spiked 39% over the past year — to $10,000 a month. Amid a labor shortage, she also had to raise hourly wages for her top installer from $24 to $30 an hour.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Inflation-whipped consumers began to balk at paying $22,500 for a 10-by-16-foot louvered pergola — kind of a gazebo without walls — that was sold through dealers. Sales sank last year. So Elmore pivoted to do-it-yourself models, selling directly to shoppers at a sharply reduced price of $12,580.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“With inflation so high, we’ve worked to broaden the appeal of our products and make them easier for the average person to acquire,” Elmore said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, many street vendors know they can’t pass along surging food prices to their already struggling customers. So some are skimping on portions instead, a practice known as “shrinkflation.’’</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“One kilogram of rice was for eight portions ... but now we made it 10 portions,\" said Mukroni, 52, who runs a food stall and like many Indonesians goes by only one name. Customers, he said, “will not come to the shop\" if prices are too high.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We hope for peace,\" he said, “because, after all, no one will win or lose, because everyone will be a victim.’’</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Wiseman reported from Washington and McHugh from Frankfurt, Germany. AP journalists Samy Magdy in Cairo; Chinedu Asadu in Abuja, Nigeria; Anne D’Innocenzio in New York; Iain Sullivan in Anchuelo, Spain; and Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia, contributed. 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, '2023-02-15 11:09:01', '2023-02-15 11:09:01');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5233, 5233, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The situation of persons affected by leprosy in Bangladesh indicates that the country’s outstanding economic growth is not reaching the entire population, a UN expert said today.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She called for draft anti-discrimination laws to formally recognise leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, as a prohibited ground of discrimination.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Leprosy is hidden beneath multiple layers of systemic exclusion, structural discrimination and institutional neglect,” UN Special Rapporteur on the elimination of discrimination against persons affected by leprosy and their family members, Alice Cruz, said in a statement at the end of an eight-day visit to Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh has the fifth highest number of leprosy cases in the world, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), with relevant data indicating ongoing transmission, late diagnosis, and gaps in the health system.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“While I commend the Prime Minister’s commitment to eliminate leprosy by 2030, I am concerned that the state administration is failing to implement this promise,” the UN special rapporteur said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Adequate budget allocation with clear targets, indicators and benchmarks is essential to turn the government’s pledges into reality,” Cruz said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The UN expert expressed deep concerns about a high potential number of hidden leprosy cases, critically delayed diagnosis, ongoing transmission and disability among children and widespread disease-related discrimination and stigmatisation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She also highlighted limited access to care for those affected – including rehabilitation, reconstructive surgery, assistive devices and psychosocial support.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Cruz deplored the data gap and limited understanding of leprosy among the relevant authorities.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Fundamental principles of the right to development, such as equity, self-determination, participation and justice are not being met,” the UN special rapporteur said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Persons affected by leprosy and their families are still not enjoying the benefits of economic growth, nor are they seeing discrimination against them duly redressed,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The expert expressed concerns about reports on corruption with regard to access to disability-related benefits and other social protection schemes, limited efficiency of oversight institutions and essentially paternalistic approaches to people living in vulnerable situations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She noted that the government of Bangladesh was committed to actively engaging with the international human rights system to protect the fundamental rights of persons affected by leprosy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During her visit, Cruz met members of the government, representatives of civil society organisations, healthcare workers, and persons affected by leprosy. She visited healthcare facilities and communities affected by leprosy in Nilphamari and Bogura.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The UN special rapporteur will present her report on the visit to the Human Rights Council in June 2023. 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, '2023-02-15 11:13:25', '2023-02-15 11:13:25'),
(5234, 5234, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The government will import 1.5 lakh tonnes of TSP fertilizer from Tunisia in 2023.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) and Tunisian Chemical Group (GCT-Groupe Chimique Tunisien) signed an agreement in this regard on Tuesday at Tunis, capital of Tunisia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">BADC Chairman Abdullah Sazzad and GCT General manager Mohammed Ridha Shalgam signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">BADC has been importing TSP fertilizer from Tunisia under government to government basis since 2008.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The TSP fertilizer from Tunisia has a demand in Bangladesh due to its good quality. 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, '2023-02-15 11:18:23', '2023-02-15 11:18:23'),
(5235, 5235, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Three motorcyclists were killed when a microbus hit a motorbike at Haripur in Ghatail upazila of Tangail district on Tuesday night.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The deceased were identified as Sona Mia, 22, Alamgir Hossain, 25 and Shamim Hossain, 26 of the upazila.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">All of them were workers of a workshop.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The accident occurred at 10 pm when the microbus dashed the motorbike carrying the three people, leaving all dead on the spot.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On information, police recovered the bodies and sent those to a local hospital morgue. 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, '2023-02-15 11:23:45', '2023-02-15 11:23:45'),
(5236, 5236, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Ranbir Kapoor recently attended an event at the Galgotias University in Delhi. Since he couldn\'t be with wife Alia Bhatt on Valentine\'s Day on Tuesday, he shared a message for her and their daughter Raha at the event. He was in a black shirt and black denims paired with a black jacket and sported a heavy beard.&nbsp;</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While talking to the students from stage, Ranbir took a pause to wish Alia and Raha on Valentine\'s Day. He said amid loud cheers from the audience, \"I want to wish my two loves Happy Valentine\'s Day - my wife Alia and my beautiful daughter Raha. I love you girls, I wish you Happy Valentine\'s Day.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Alia reacted to Ranbir\'s Valentine\'s Day message by sharing the video on her Instagram Stories and wrote, \"Cutest human ever\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Alia\'s mom Soni Razdan had also wished Ranbir, Alia and her other daughter Shaheen Bhatt on Valentine\'s Day. Sharing a picture with Ranbir from Alia\'s baby shower last year and one of her pictures with Alia and Shaheen, Soni wrote, “Happy Valentines Day to my three.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ranbir and Alia came close during the making of their first film together Brahmastra. They tied the knot in April last year and welcomed daughter Raha in November. Brahmastra, which released in September, too went on to become the year\'s biggest Bollywood blockbuster.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ranbir is currently promoting his upcoming film Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar, starring Shraddha Kapoor as the female lead. The film revolves around the complicated story of Ranbir and Shraddha\'s characters who want to break up but don\'t want the other person to take the blame of making the decision. The film also stars Anubhav Singh Bassi, Dimple Kapadia, Boney Kapoor, Monica Chaudhary, Hasleen Kaur, Rajesh Jais and Ayesha Raza Mishra. It will release on Holi, March 8.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Alia had praised the film\'s trailer and written on her Instagram Stories, “truly one of my most favourite trailers!!” She also joined Shraddha to reveal Ranbir\'s hidden Instagram ID as part of the film\'s promotions. 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, '2023-02-15 11:43:19', '2023-02-15 11:43:19'),
(5237, 5237, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Chief Election Commissioner&nbsp; Kazi Habibul Awal termed the ongoing controversy over President-elect Md Sahabuddin unexpected.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He made the remarks at a press conference on Wednesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Md. Shahabuddin is qualified to be president as per our constitution, laws, and court rulings. Controversy like this about the president is unexpected,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In his long career he served as a district judge, a commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission, and a member of the AL Advisory Council.&nbsp; He is also a valiant freedom fighter.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Read more: Md Shahabuddin declared President-elect of Bangladesh</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The controversy surrounding Shahabuddin is whether the post of the country’s head of state is an office of profit. Constitutional experts are divided on this subject.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Monday the Election Commission declared Shahabuddin, a nominee of ruling Awami League, elected as the country’s 22nd president unopposed. 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, '2023-02-15 14:03:48', '2023-02-15 14:03:48'),
(5238, 5238, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The United States has assured Bangladesh that the implementation of the Burma Act will not contribute to any violence which is “not desired at all” in the region.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US side mentioned about the Burma Act during Counselor of the US Department of State Derek Chollet’s just-concluded visit though there has been no specific proposal from the US side to Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We said there are issues to look into so that there is no further instability. They (US side) assured us that their efforts will be there to (help Myanmar) return to democratic process,” said Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen while responding to a specific question.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Briefing reporters at the Foreign Service Academy on Wednesday evening, he said there was no proposal from the US side regarding the Burma Act.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Counselor Chollet has emphasized continued US support to Bangladesh in addressing Rohingya issues.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Overall, the Burma Act requires little change in US policy in Myanmar. However, it does give the Biden administration the discretionary authority to make major changes, if it wishes to do so.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In addition, the Burma Act should also be viewed as an indication that Congress thinks that the Biden administration should take a more active role in supporting the pro-democracy forces in Myanmar in their efforts to overthrow the SAC and establish a democratic government in the country, according to Michael F. Martin, an adjunct fellow (non-resident) with the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the Rohingya issue, Counselor Chollet said they are continuously working and trying to help Bangladesh, which is hosting over 1 million Rohingyas, and also trying to deal with the root cause of the crisis in Myanmar. 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, '2023-02-15 14:38:06', '2023-02-15 14:38:06'),
(5239, 5239, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Newly appointed Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh, Kiminori Iwama, today said that he will encourage Japanese companies to expand their business in Bangladesh to help the country achieve expected economic growth.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Japan wants to be more involved in Bangladesh’s national development,” said the ambassador in a meeting with Local Government and Rural Development Minister Tajul Islam on Wednesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The ambassador expressed interest in investing in Chattogram municipality’s drainage system.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“A number of Japanese companies are interested in investing here,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Also Read: Japan, IOM sign $5.7 million assistance to Rohingyas, host communities in Bangladesh</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Stating that there’s a similarity between Narayanganj city and Japan’s Naruto city, he said, “There can be a city-to-city partnership agreement that will benefit both the cities.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The ambassador also said Japan wants more skilled labor from Bangladesh.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He noted that Japan will increase investment in the special economic zone at Araihazar if infrastructure and other facilities are increased.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The relations between the two countries will be strengthened more by investing in large projects like the Matarbari power plant, said the ambassador.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tajul Islam stressed the exchange of assistance in the information and technology and cultural sectors.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They talked about a number of ongoing projects in Bangladesh that are being supported by Japan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They both emphasized strengthening cooperation in development work. 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, '2023-02-15 15:10:42', '2023-02-15 15:10:42'),
(5240, 5240, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">India has assured Bangladesh of extending its cooperation for importing hydropower from Nepal and Bhutan through India, said Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen Wednesday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Talking to reporters at the Foreign Service Academy, he said they also discussed the \"practical problem\" in terms of transmission lines inside Bangladesh as there is a need for expanding the transmission network and boosting its capacity.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Masud, who held foreign office consultations (FOCs) with Indian counterpart Vinay Kwatra, said India will help Bangladesh if any specific project is taken for expanding the transmission network and boosting its capacity within Bangladesh to supply electricity smoothly.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh will also explore whether Indian lines of credit (LoCs) can be used if any specific project is taken in consultation with the relevant ministry for the expansion of transmission lines inside Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, Nepal\'s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Rajendra Lingden Tuesday in a meeting with the Indian foreign secretary discussed matters of mutual interests, including cooperation in the energy and water resources sector.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During the FOCs, Kwatra and Masud had wide-ranging discussions covering all aspects of Bangladesh-India ties.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Both sides agreed to further strengthen their ongoing cooperation, in diverse areas, including the India-funded concessional LoCs, trade and investment, connectivity, power and energy, defence and security, and people-to-people ties.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kwatra concluded his official visit to Bangladesh Wednesday evening.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During the visit, the Indian foreign secretary called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and conveyed the Indian prime minister\'s message of the country\'s continued commitment to the bilateral relationship, upholding Bangladesh as the pivot of India\'s \"Neighbourhood First Policy\' and a key partner of \"Act East Policy.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The foreign secretary also called on Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and conveyed the greetings of the external affairs minister.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The two sides agreed to enhance their cooperation and consultations on regional and international issues of shared interest.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In this context, India looks forward to active participation of Bangladesh as the \"guest country\" at various events during India\'s presidency of G-20.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Both sides also agreed to extend reciprocal support to each other\'s upcoming candidature for non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In recent years, especially in the last decade, Bangladesh and India have sustained a high level of engagement, including at the leaders\' level.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The visit of India\'s Foreign Secretary helped further strengthen the multifaceted partnership between the two countries, reinforced their time-tested ties and provided an opportunity to comprehensively review progress in the bilateral relationship, said the Indian side. 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, '2023-02-15 16:32:58', '2023-02-15 16:32:58'),
(5241, 5241, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said the armed forces are being developed appropriately to give fitting reply if the country comes under attack by any external forces.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“If external forces attack, we have to face that. For that we have to build up appropriate armed forces and accordingly we have taken various steps,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister said this while addressing the 10th Tigers’ Reunion of the East Bengal Regiment at Bangladesh Military Academy (BMA).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said that Bangladesh does not want to engage in war with anyone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We believe in the policy of friendship to all and malice to none. This policy was formulated by the Father of the Nation,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Briefly describing various development activities of the government to modernise Bangladesh Army, she said that Sheikh Russell cantonment has recently been established in Mawa-Jazira while construction of new cantonments is under way in Mithamin, Rajbari and Trishal.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Construction of Army Aviation Forward Bases at Chattogram and Cox\'s Bazar and Aviation School at Lalmonirhat is also in progress,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She mentioned that the government has added new composite brigade and para commando brigade in the army.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Sophisticated and up-to-date weapons are being procured for each force,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said that the government wants to transform Bangladesh as a country of peace.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“For that we have adopted zero tolerance policy against terrorism and militancy,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The PM said that Bangladesh has faced COVID-19 pandemic successfully.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But she mentioned that Russia-Ukraine war and subsequent sanctions caused economic recession across the globe where developed countries have also been affected.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Food prices in various countries increased excessively, and there is trouble in getting foods also,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said that the land of Bangladesh is fertile while people are very much skilled.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I want that every citizen of the country will cultivate whatever land one has so that the blow of world economic recession can not hit Bangladesh,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hasina said that the government has increased country’s food production and ensured food security.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“It is true, but alongside of that we have to continue this (increased food production) until this (Russia-Ukraine) war stops and the world get rid of the economic recession,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She urged all to work hard ensure that the global economic recession does not affect Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the programme the PM took salute and also inspected the parade riding on an open jeep.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She witnessed the spectacular parade of a smartly-turned out contingent of East Bengal Regiment followed by a colourful cultural programme. 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, '2023-02-16 06:40:58', '2023-02-16 06:40:58'),
(5242, 5242, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A joint rescue team of Bangladesh continues to play its part in the rescue effort in Turkey for the sixth day following last Monday\'s earthquake, the deadliest such disaster since the country\'s founding 100 years ago.</span><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Bangladesh team has so far wrested a 17-year-old girl from the rubble and recovered 22 bodies, Shahjahan Sikder, deputy assistant director of the fire service headquarters media cell, said Wednesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The rescuers were among thousands of local and overseas teams, including Turkish coal miners and experts aided by sniffer dogs and thermal cameras, who scoured pulverized apartment blocks for signs of life.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Bangladesh team consisting of 34 members from the army and 12 from the fire service left Dhaka Wednesday at 10pm and reached Turkey\'s Adana Military Air Base Thursday at 9:46pm.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, they reached Adiyaman city in southeastern Turkey and started search and rescue operations, Shahjahan said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Tuesday that more than 35,000 people died in Turkey as a result of last week\'s earthquake. Confirmed deaths in Turkey surpassed those recorded from the Erzincan earthquake in 1939 which killed around 33,000 people.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The quake and hundreds of aftershocks, some nearly as powerful as the first, struck southeastern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6, killing more than 39,000 and reducing whole swaths of towns and cities inhabited by millions to fragments of concrete and twisted metal, reported AP yesterday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While the death toll is almost certain to rise even further, many of the tens of thousands of survivors left homeless were still struggling to meet basic needs, like finding shelter from the bitter cold. 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, '2023-02-16 07:17:20', '2023-02-16 07:17:20'),
(5243, 5243, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Dhaka’s air quality is in the \'very unhealthy\' zone this morning (February 16, 2023).</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With an air quality index (AQI) score of 220 at 8:50 am, the capital of Bangladesh ranked second in the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pakistan’s Lahore and India’s Delhi occupied the first and third spots, with AQI scores of 245 and 190, respectively.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An AQI between 151 and 200 is considered ‘unhealthy’ while between 201–300 is ‘‘very unhealthy’, and 301–400 is \'hazardous\', posing severe health risks to residents.</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, '2023-02-16 07:29:27', '2023-02-16 07:29:27'),
(5244, 5244, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The High Court on Thursday asked the authorities concerned not to force students to disclose their marital status in admission form in educational institutions.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The HC bench of Justice Naima Haider and Justice Md Khairul Alam passed the order after hearing a writ petition.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Deputy Attorney General Amit Das Gupta represented the state.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On November 14, 2017, Advocates Fariha Ferdous and Nahid Sultana filed a writ petition attaching a report published in a national daily headlined “What the girl will do now?”.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the report, on June 6, 2013, a class X girl was raped but the rapists denied the allegation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">When the girl became pregnant, she was admitted to the one stop crisis centre of Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital and she lodged a complaint against the rapist, said the report.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Police arrested the rapist and a DNA test proved that the rapist was the father of the child.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, a court ordered sending the girl to residential centre under Rajshahi division ‘Women Assistance Programme’ of the government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During living at the centre, the girl appeared in the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination and during her exam she gave birth to a baby boy on February 19, 2014.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, she passed the SSC exam with GPA 4.3 and appeared her Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination from there.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, she was sent to her house and also passed the HSC exam with GPA 3.17.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On May 30, 2017, a court sentenced the rapist to life imprisonment and asked to bear the expenses of the baby boy. The court also fined him Tk one lakh</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She was put in the category of married women during the public examinations though she was unmarried.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The girl was unable to fill up the admission form of a nursing college due to her marital status as she was not married and had a child.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On December 11, 2018, the HC issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the option of marital status in admission process in educational institutions should not be declared unconstitutional.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The HC also issued another rule asking the government to explain as to why directives should not be given to formulate a meaningful policy in this regard.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The court also asked to take steps as the girl can get enrolled in a nursing college immediately. 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, '2023-02-16 08:05:28', '2023-02-16 08:05:28'),
(5245, 5245, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world, acts as a natural wall to protect lives, livelihoods, and homes of people living along the coasts of Bangladesh and India from cyclones and storms. But the vital forestland is shrinking due to human actions.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Over the last 100 years, Sundarbans has shrank significantly – endangering its biodiversity.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Environmentalists and experts shared the information at a discussion in Khulna Press Club recently, marking the Sundarbans Day, and called for proactive public participation to protect the mangrove forest.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sundarbans Day is observed in Khulna, Bagerhat, Pirojpur, Barguna and Satkhira districts every year since 2002 with an appeal to save the largest mangrove forest in the world.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A World Bank report, titled ‘Coping with climate change in the Sundarbans: Lessons from multidisciplinary studies’ (published in 2020), disclosed concerning information on shrinking of the forest area.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the report, the total area of the Sundarbans (India’s West Bengal and Bangladesh) was 11,904 sqkm between 1904 and 1924. In 1967, it shrank to 11,663 sqkm, and in 2016, to 11,506 sqkm.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to various sources, there are 450 small and major rivers and canals in the Sundarbans. The total length of these canals and rivers is about 350 km. Due to tides, the banks of the rivers are eroded and formed again. Data says that in 100 years, more erosion happened, which cannot be prevented yet.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Talking to UNB, Md Nur Alam Sheikh, convener of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolan (BAPA) Mongla zone, said, “People are continuously occupying the forestland and building homes, markets. The government must adopt a zero-tolerance policy to protect the forest, and law enforcers and forest officials must be strict in stopping encroachment.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Sundarbans – home to numerous plants and wildlife, including the Royal Bengal Tiger – covers an area of 6,017 sqkm in Bangladesh. It was declared a “reserve forest” in 1978.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Calling the Sundarbans “saviour of the country during natural disasters,” Chairman of ‘Save the Sundarbans’, Dr Sheikh Faridul Islam, said that the mangrove forest has been protecting the coastal belt for ages acting as a natural shield.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We must ensure Bangladesh is protected through securing the forest,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Prof Dr Abdullah Harun Chowdhury, of Environment Science department of Khulna University, said, “There is no room for doubt… Bangladesh will not survive if the Sundarbans does not survive. All concerned should come forward.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">People’s careless behaviour and indifference are the biggest threats to the Sundarbans, said Officer-in-Charge of East Sundarbans Karamjal Tourism Center and Wildlife Breeding Centre, Howladar Azad Kabir, adding that if this continues, there will be no Sundarbans.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Just celebrating Forest Day on February 14 is not enough. Everyone must be aware and come forward to save Sundarbans,” he 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, '2023-02-16 08:18:30', '2023-02-16 08:18:30'),
(5246, 5246, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Eight people were injured in blast apparently from leakage in a gas pipeline at Balirhat in Chattogram port city early Thursday.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bahar Uddin, senior station officer of Kalurghat Fire Station, said the explosion occurred in a semi-pacca building in the area near the residence of one Makbul Haji around 3 am, leaving eight people injured.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A portion of a wall was blown away during the explosion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On information, a firefighting unit rushed to the spot and rescued the injured victims.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, they were taken toa local hospital and given first aid. 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, '2023-02-16 08:37:59', '2023-02-16 08:37:59'),
(5247, 5247, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A woman and her six-month old grandchild were killed when a motorbike hit them near Diabari Metro Rail road in the capital early Thursday.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The deceased were identified as Mazeda alias Khuki, 45, wife of Ismail Sarkar and her grandchild Rafia Akter of Sholohati in the area.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Moudud Hawladar, officer-in-charge of Turag Police Station, said the accident occurred around 12:45 am when a motorbike knocked down Mazeda with her grandchild on lap crossed the no-2 station of the metro rail, leaving them critically injured.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, they were taken to Uttara Modern Medical College and Hospital from where Rafia was taken to Dhaka Medical College and hospital for better treatment but doctors declared him dead at 2:30 am.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, Mazeda succumbed to her injuries around 1:45 am. 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, '2023-02-16 10:02:41', '2023-02-16 10:02:41'),
(5248, 5248, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A minor earthquake measuring 4.3 magnitude in the Richter Scale was felt at 11km northeast of Chhatak in Sunamganj district here around 9:56 this morning.</span><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The epicenter of the tremor was located at Meghalaya in India,\" meteorologist Farzana Sultana told BSS.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said the earthquake struck at the depth of 64.8 kilometers according to the US Geological Survey, which lasted for a few seconds.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">No damage was reported by now due to the tremor, she added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the seismologists, an earthquake ranging from 4 to 4.9 scale is considered as light. 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, '2023-02-16 10:12:03', '2023-02-16 10:12:03'),
(5249, 5249, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen today said the United States wants to establish a stronger relationship with Bangladesh, leaving aside the “misunderstandings”.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“They (US) consider Bangladesh to be of importance. They want good relations with us where new possibilities are created,” Momen told reporters in Sylhet, adding that yesterday (February 15, 2023) was a “great day for Bangladesh.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Referring to important discussions with senior diplomats from India, USA and South Korea, Momen said they all appreciated Bangladesh’s efforts and made a commitment to continue working for deeper relations.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh has seen a series of visits by senior US officials in recent months with the last by US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asia, Donald Lu, before the arrival of Counselor of the US Department of State, Derek Chollet.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We had a very good discussion. They came to strengthen relations,” Momen said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Wednesday, Chollet said they remain “hopeful” about future relations with Bangladesh – building on the strong partnership that has developed over 51 years.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">“We are hopeful for the future. It has been 51 years of a very strong partnership. We are looking forward to the next 51 years and beyond. We have many shared challenges but we have many common opportunities that we have talked about today,” he told reporters after his meeting with Foreign Minister Momen at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US State Department counselor said that the US places considerable importance on its relationship with Bangladesh, which is growing politically, economically and in terms of security. 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, '2023-02-16 10:31:47', '2023-02-16 10:31:47'),
(5250, 5250, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Two miners who went missing after a mine collapsed in Australia have died.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dylan Langridge, 33, and Trevor Davis, 36, were driving 125m (410ft) underground in Queensland\'s Dugald River mine on Wednesday when the ground gave way, local media say.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They fell 25m into a void along with their utility vehicle, a drill rig, and the drill rig operator.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The drill rig operator managed to escape and raise the alarm, before being treated for minor injuries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Perenti, the global mining group which employed Mr Langridge and Mr Davis, said the pair\'s bodies were found after a \"significant\" search operation at the mine near Cloncurry.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Both worked as charge-up operators, a role that usually involves handling explosives and setting up blast areas for mining. 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, '2023-02-16 10:51:28', '2023-02-16 10:51:28'),
(5251, 5251, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Food Minister Sadhan Chandar Majumder on Thursday the government is planning to provide over one crore families with 10 kg rice under Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) programme in the upcoming Ramadan.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said this while responding to a question from journalists at the secretariat.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The country has achieved bumper Aman yield and the country won’t need to import rice once good yield of Boro paddy is achieved, said the minister.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said the government usually distributes rice to people during the Ramadan under rationing, Kabikha, TR and OMS programmes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\" Rice and flour are distributed through 2500 dealers across the country on a regular basis,” he said, adding that the lower-income people can buy 5 kg rice at Tk 30 per kg and 3 kg flour at Tk 24 under OMS programme.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said over one crore families of the country get 5 kg rice and 3 kg flour each round the year and no one will fall in crisis for rice&nbsp; in the Ramadan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">50 lakh families will be provided with 30 kg rice at Tk 15 per kg&nbsp; from March 1 and people usually get&nbsp; rice under the progamme five months—March, April, May, September and October a 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, '2023-02-16 11:40:43', '2023-02-16 11:40:43');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5252, 5252, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Najmul Hossain Shanto, opening batsman of Sylhet Strikers, has been fined 30 percent of his match fees for violating the BCB Code of Conduct during Tuesday\'s Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match against Rangpur Riders.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Level 1 breach took place at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shanto was found to have shown dissent towards an umpire\'s decision, a violation of Article 2.2 of the BCB Code of Conduct for players. However, the player accepted the penalty proposed by match referee ASM Roquibul Hassan, avoiding the need for a formal hearing.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Along with the fine, two demerit points were added to Shanto\'s disciplinary record, bringing the total number of demerit points to three. This was the second time that the player violated the code of conduct.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The charges against Shanto were made by on-field umpires Raveendra Wimalasiri, Prageeth Rambukwella, third umpire Tanvir Ahmed, and fourth official Ali Arman Rajon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Level 1 Code of Conduct breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and a maximum penalty of 50 percent of a player\'s match fee, as well as one or two demerit points. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-16 12:12:11', '2023-02-16 12:12:11'),
(5253, 5253, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">French Ambassador to Bangladesh Marie Masdupuy today said her country is interested to invest in Bangladesh\'s waste management system, claiming that France\'s waste management is atop in the world.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The France envoy said this when she paid a courtesy call on Local Government, Rural Development (LGRD) and Cooperatives Minister Md Tazul Islam at his ministry office in the Secretariat here, said a press release.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Masdupuy invited the LGRD minister and other officials concerned to visit France to learn about waste management in that country.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During the meeting, Tazul said since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina assumed power in 1996, there has been a revolutionary change in women\'s empowerment.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said appointing of women to various important positions, including judges of the Supreme Court, Speaker of the Parliament, Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police, has been ensured.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The minister told Masdupuy that the socio-economic development of the country has been possible due to the various measures taken by the current government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Bangladesh is moving forward under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with the aim of building a developed and Smart Bangladesh by 2041. In this progress, demand in power, water, agriculture, energy and industrial sectors will increase day by day,\" Tazul said.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Urging the French businessmen to invest in these sectors in Bangladesh, he said this will strengthen the relationship between the two countries and benefit the people of both countries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The minister said the government is making multi-pronged efforts to increase the income of the rural people as it will help increase the revenue collection, which will strengthen the national economy.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He requested the France envoy to invest in various projects for the development of the rural economy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Senior officials of the Local Government Division were present at the meeting. 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, '2023-02-16 13:12:10', '2023-02-16 13:12:10'),
(5254, 5254, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday officially launched the family planning strategy for the Rohingya refugee humanitarian crisis in Cox’s Bazar 2022-2025.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The strategy outlines an approach to increase the demand for modern contraceptive methods through community-based family planning interventions and facility-based family planning services among women and girls of Rohingya and surrounding host communities.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The strategy was developed and approved in October 2022 under the leadership of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Health Sector Cox’s Bazar, and the Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) working group supported by the UN sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Partners within the health sector operating in the camps provide sexual and reproductive health services from health facilities and women friendly spaces across the camps.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Over the course of the last five years, demand for family planning services has increased dramatically, with health facilities seeing an increase of 175% in family planning visits between 2018 and 2022, said a media release.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This increase is due not only to the wide availability of services and trained health personnel, but also to community outreach, especially to men, and awareness-raising to dispel myths and misconceptions about contraception.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“This multi-year strategy covering 2022–2025 will guide humanitarian partners to make family planning accessible, voluntary, and choice based for everyone. I commend UNFPA and other partners for their hard work and I am hopeful that this strategy will be a beneficial resource for providers and planners to scale up our humanitarian efforts,” said Dr Ashrafi Ahmad, additional secretary at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">UNFPA Representative in Bangladesh Kristine Blokhus said they are pleased to have worked in productive partnership with the government of Bangladesh to articulate a family planning strategy which focuses both on community demand and facility health services, as well as advocacy and coordination to ensure partnerships and efficiency.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Increasing demand among Rohingya women shows that these strategies – of providing voluntary, rights-based and respectful services – works to improve their lives”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Gwyn Lewis spoke about the broader importance of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services for women.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Providing women and girls family planning information and services as part of their basic social services package, enables them to ensure the health and sustainability of their families. Family planning empowers women and allows them to steer their families out of poverty,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Among the participants of the launch were Dr Nurun Nahar Begum, Line Director (CCSDP), DGFP; Abdus Salam, joint secretary, MoHFW; Dr. Nd, Bashirul Alam, Additional Secretary, DG, Islamic Foundation, Md. Samsud Doza, Additional RRRC, Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commission; Dr Pintu Kanti Bhattacharjee, Deputy Director of Family Planning, Cox’s Bazar; Dr Mahbubur Rahman, Civil surgeon, Cox’s Bazar, Sayed Rubayet, Country Director, IPAS Bangladesh, Representatives from the Government of Bangladesh, as well as the representatives and head of sub offices from other United Nations agencies, development partners, and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) also attended the event. 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, '2023-02-16 13:16:30', '2023-02-16 13:16:30'),
(5255, 5255, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">BNP senior leader Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on Thursday alleged that the ruling-party-backed syndicate is hiking the prices of imported goods unusually by establishing its control on the market and supply chain.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;“Those who are looting the market every day and increasing the prices of goods are the people of the Awami League syndicate. Only those who belong to Awami League can now open LCs for the import of goods,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader also said dollars are now being given to the ruling party-supported importers to open LCs and import goods.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“But ordinary importers are not able to import the goods as they’re not given dollars. So, those who are importing goods by opening LC are selling the imported goods in the market at high prices. As the supply chain is in the hands of people belonging to the ruling party, they are controlling the market and hiking the prices of the imported goods,” he observed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Jatiyatabadi Sanskritik Dal, the BNP\'s cultural front, arranged the programme at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity protesting the price hikes in oil gas and all essential goods and a recent attack on BNP joint secretary general Khairul Kabir Khokon in Narsingdi.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Khosru, a BNP standing committee member and a former commerce minister, said the main reason behind the increase in commodity prices is the Awami economy model. “They (AL) have created that model for plundering, but the common people of Bangladesh are paying a heavy price for it…the lines behind the trucks of TCB are getting longer day by day, exposing people’s real condition.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the current economic model of Awami League, he said the government will extract money from the people\'s pockets by increasing VAT, taxes, and the prices of gas, electricity, oil, and daily essentials, including imported goods. “Later, the ruling party people will loot the money and siphon off it abroad.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The BNP leader bemoaned that the resources and money of the country are being accumulated in the hands of less than one percent today, destroying the lives of common people. “This wealth is not only being accumulated in Bangladesh as they (AL leaders) are taking it abroad and making assets in Canada, Dubai, USA, UK, Malaysia, and Turkey by siphoning off money abroad. “People belonging to Awami League are accumulating wealth all over the world.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He called upon people from all walks of life to get united to protect the country and establish a pro-people government through a fierce movement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Referring to the meetings of US State Department Counsellor Derek Chollet with the PM, Foreign Minister, and senior journalists, Khosru said the US senior official has given a clear message that the relation and cooperation of America will decline with a country where democracy erodes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It’s a very strong warning and he issued it sitting on the soil of Bangladesh, and said there is no compromise on the issue of human rights, democracy, and press freedom. The democratic countries that believe in human rights, the rule of law, public security, and freedom of speech are now saying these words,” he observed. 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, '2023-02-16 14:19:50', '2023-02-16 14:19:50'),
(5256, 5256, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A staggering 78 million girls and boys around the world today “don’t go to school at all” because of conflict, climate disasters and displacement – while tens of millions more receive only sporadic teaching – UN Secretary-General António Guterres said Thursday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Calling for more funding for education in emergencies spearheaded by the UN global fund Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the UN chief in a video message said no one should be denied their chance to learn.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A full 222 million children today experience blighted education, Guterres said. “To help them, 18 countries and private partners have pledged $826 million for UN global fund ECW, on the opening day of the landmark conference.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“No matter who you are, no matter where you live, no matter what barriers stand in your way, you have a right to a quality education,” he said, in an appeal for greater international efforts to ensure that more vulnerable children and youngsters get their chance to succeed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Delivering his comments at the Education Cannot Wait High-Level Financing Conference in Geneva, the Secretary-General welcomed the fact that since it was founded in 2017, the fund had trained 87,000 teachers and given seven million children in crisis “the education they deserve”.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As pledges from 18 countries and the private sector topped $826 million on the first day of the conference, UN Special Envoy for Global Education and Chair of ECW High-Level Steering Group Gordon Brown said: “We are talking about the most isolated, the most desolate, the most neglected children of the world. We’re talking about girls who find themselves trafficked or forced into child labour or child marriage unless we can help them.” 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, '2023-02-17 08:32:52', '2023-02-17 08:32:52'),
(5257, 5257, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">President Joe Biden said Thursday that the U.S. is developing “sharper rules” to track, monitor and potentially shoot down unknown aerial objects, following three weeks of high-stakes drama sparked by the discovery of a suspected Chinese spy balloon transiting much of the country.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The president has directed national security adviser Jake Sullivan to lead an “interagency team” to review U.S. procedures after the U.S. shot down the Chinese balloon, as well as three other objects that Biden said the U.S. now believes are most likely “benign” objects launched by private companies or research institutions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While not expressing regret for downing the three still-unidentified objects, Biden said he hoped the new rules would help “distinguish between those that are likely to pose safety and security risks that necessitate action and those that do not.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Make no mistake, if any object presents a threat to the safety and security of the American people I will take it down,” he added, repeating the legal justification cited for the downings — that the objects, flying between 20,000 and 40,000 feet posed a remote risk to civilian planes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The downing of the Chinese surveillance craft was the first known peacetime shootdown of an unauthorized object in U.S. airspace — a feat repeated three times a week later.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Biden sharply criticized China\'s surveillance program, saying the shootdown sent a “clear message, the violation of our sovereignty is unacceptable,\" but said he looks to maintain open lines of communication with Beijing. Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed his first planned trip to China as the balloon was flying over the U.S., and a new meeting with his Chinese counterpart has yet to be scheduled.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I expect to be speaking with President Xi and I hope we can get to the bottom of this,” Biden said, adding, “But I make no apologies for taking down that balloon.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Biden said the rules would remain classified so as not to “give a roadmap to our enemies to try to evade our defenses.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said he expected the U.S. would keep its radar systems set going forward to detect slow-moving balloons as well as fast-moving aircraft and other possible intruders. But he said he had impressed on White House officials late Tuesday that security forces would have to fine-tune their response for when they spot balloons of unknown provenance.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The White House scrambling fighters and tankers” and special forces, he said, “is not going to be a scalable solution to every bit of airborne junk.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Chinese balloon has escalated tensions between the U.S. and China. Blinken travels Thursday to the Munich Security Conference and there is speculation he might use the opportunity to meet top Chinese foreign policy official Wang Yi, who will also be attending the conference.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Biden had remained largely silent on the objects downed Friday off the coast of Alaska, Saturday over Canada and Sunday over Lake Huron. On Monday, the White House announced earnestly there was no indication of “aliens or extraterrestrial activity.” By Wednesday, U.S. officials said they were still working to locate the wreckage from the objects, but that they expected all three to be unrelated to surveillance efforts.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The intelligence community is considering as a leading explanation that these could just be balloons tied to some commercial or benign purpose,” said White House national security spokesman John Kirby. No country or private company has come forward to claim any of the objects, Kirby said. They do not appear to have been operated by the U.S. government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Still unaddressed are questions about the original balloon, including what spying capabilities it had and whether it was transmitting signals as it flew over sensitive military sites in the United States. It was believed by American intelligence to have initially been on a track toward the U.S. territory of Guam, according to a U.S. official.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The U.S. tracked it for several days after it left China, said the official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence. It appears to have been blown off its initial trajectory and ultimately flew over the continental U.S., the official said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Balloons and other unidentified objects have been previously spotted over Guam, a strategic hub for the U.S. Navy and Air Force in the western Pacific.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It’s unclear how much control China retained over the balloon once it veered from its original trajectory. A second U.S. official said the balloon could have been externally maneuvered or directed to loiter over a specific target, but it’s unclear whether Chinese forces did so.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After the balloon was shot down, the White House revealed that such balloons had traversed U.S. territory at least three times during President Donald Trump’s administration unknown to Trump or his aides — and that others have flown over dozens of nations across five continents. Kirby emphasized Monday that they were only detected by the Biden administration. 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, '2023-02-17 08:40:41', '2023-02-17 08:40:41'),
(5258, 5258, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) said they detained a Rohingya man with one lakh yaba pills from the Ukhiya border area on Thursday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The detainee was identified as Sharif Hossain, 21, son of Bashir Ahmed of Kutupalong Rohingya camp of Ukhiya upazila.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tipped off, a team of BGB conducted a raid at Tulatuli Joliler Goda of Rajapalong union, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Saiful Islam Chowdhury, commanding officer of 34th BGB Battalion, said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hot on the trail of potential \"drug smugglers,\" BGB detained Sharif with one lakh contraband yaba pills as was trying to smuggle the cheap synthetic drug from Myanmar into Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The detainee and the yaba pills were handed over to Ukiya Police Station, Saiful 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, '2023-02-17 08:45:27', '2023-02-17 08:45:27'),
(5259, 5259, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak has urged Japanese IT entrepreneurs to invest more in Bangladesh, taking the opportunity of the country\'s \"competitive strengths and policy incentives.\"</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He was speaking at the webinar \"Investment Opportunities in Hi-Tech Parks in Bangladesh\" hosted by the Embassy of Bangladesh in Japan, UNIDO ITPO Tokyo, and the Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority (BHTPA) hosted Thursday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">More than 100 Japanese companies attended the event.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Palak said Japan could be a very good market for the local IT and ITES industry in the coming years.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh has a huge potential in hardware manufacturing too, as nationwide infrastructures are being built to support heavy manufacturing as well as technology manufacturing, he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Bangladesh offers cost-effective solutions for technology and services, making it an attractive destination for international companies looking to outsource or establish a presence in the region. It has a young and educated population that is eager to adopt and use technology, creating a large potential market for ICT services and products,\" Palak said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan Shahabuddin Ahmed said: \"Japan is a very potential country for Bangladesh in terms of trade, business, investment and bringing skilled human resources. The Embassy of Bangladesh in Japan will provide all possible support to Japanese investors in starting and expanding business in Bangladesh.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Khandoker Azizul Islam, managing director of the BHTPA, said the BHTPA is committed to providing necessary services to investors in hi-tech parks through its one-stop services, various incentives such as exemption of taxes and duties are also available for investors.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Yuji Ando, country representative of JETRO Dhaka, said Japanese companies consider Bangladesh a promising country for business. \"According to the latest JETRO survey, 71.6 percent of Japanese companies want to expand their business in Bangladesh.\" 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, '2023-02-17 08:52:26', '2023-02-17 08:52:26'),
(5260, 5260, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Grameenphone recently introduced bKash as its preferred payment partner.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">bKash will be the primary payment option to facilitate one tap payment experience for the customers in the MyGP app.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Yasir Azman, CEO of Grameenphone and Kamal Quadir, CEO of bKash, formally launched the new service at a ceremony held in Dhaka Wednesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This integration, which is the \"first of its kind in the industry, will simplify the digital lifestyle of the customers with hassle-free, convenient and secured payment with one tap,\" Grameenphone said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Once a customer binds bKash as the preferred payment method, they no longer need to put in OTP/PIN every time and the payment will be done with a tap of digital consent from the bKash account on the go.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">To activate this service, a GP customer needs to add bKash as a preferred payment method through the MyGP app. After clicking on \"Add bKash Account,\" the users need to click the \"I Agree\" option and enter bKash account number.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the next step, OTP and PIN should be entered only for the first time to bind bKash as GP\'s preferred payment method. 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, '2023-02-17 09:02:57', '2023-02-17 09:02:57'),
(5261, 5261, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">North Korea on Friday threatened an \"unprecedentedly\" strong response to upcoming US-South Korea joint military drills, describing them as preparations for war.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The warning came ahead of a tabletop exercise next week in Washington, in which the two allies will discuss responses to the use of nuclear weapons by Pyongyang.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">North Korea has long condemned joint US-South Korea military drills, calling them rehearsals for an invasion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It regards the exercises planned for this year \"with just apprehension and reason... as preparations for an aggression war\", a spokesperson for the North Korean foreign ministry said in a statement released by state media.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">If Washington and Seoul go ahead with the drills, \"they will face unprecedentedly persistent and strong counteractions\", the statement added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Under its hawkish President Yoon Suk Yeol, South Korea has beefed up military drills with the United States, which had been scaled back during the Covid pandemic.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They were also paused for a bout of ill-fated diplomacy with Pyongyang under his predecessor.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Yoon\'s government is eager to convince the increasingly nervous South Korean public of Washington\'s commitment to deter Pyongyang, which last year declared itself an \"irreversible\" nuclear power and conducted a record number of weapons tests.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The exercise next week will focus on \"joint planning, joint management and joint response with Washington\'s nuclear assets\" in case of a nuclear attack by Pyongyang, a South Korean defence ministry official told AFP on Friday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pyongyang\'s aggressive statement reflects the significance of this drill, said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The exercise will be an important criterion for the extent to which the US nuclear arsenal will be involved in deterring North Korea, Yang told AFP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pyongyang has repeatedly said it is not interested in further talks, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently called for an \"exponential\" increase in his country\'s nuclear arsenal. 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, '2023-02-17 09:10:35', '2023-02-17 09:10:35'),
(5262, 5262, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The United Nations launched a $1 billion appeal Thursday to help 5.2 million survivors of the most devastating earthquake in Türkiye’s modern history, two days after starting a $397 million appeal to help nearly 5 million Syrians across the border.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The funding, which covers three months, will allow aid organisations to swiftly ramp up their operations to support government-led response efforts in areas that include food security, protection, education, water and shelter.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Both appeals will be followed by fresh appeals for longer-term help.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Türkiye is home to the largest number of refugees in the world and has shown enormous generosity to its Syrian neighbours for years,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Now is the time for the world to support the people of Türkiye – just as they have stood in solidarity with others seeking assistance.”&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">UN Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths said: “The people of Türkiye have experienced unspeakable heartache. I met families who shared their stories of shock and devastation. We must stand with them in their darkest hour and ensure they receive the support they need.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The UN and partners have been rushing to support Türkiye and neighbouring Syria in the wake of the devastating earthquakes that struck on February 6.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">More than nine million people in Türkiye alone have been directly impacted by the once-in-a-generation disaster, which has left 35,000 people dead in the country, according to the latest figures from the government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The earthquakes struck at the peak of winter, leaving hundreds of thousands of people – including small children and elderly people – without access to shelter, food, water, heaters and medical care in freezing temperatures.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some 47,000 buildings have been destroyed or damaged, including schools, hospitals and other essential services.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Thousands of people have sought refuge in temporary shelters across the country. Many families have been separated, and hundreds of children are now orphaned or unable to be reunited with their parents.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Around 3.6 million Syrians have found a safe haven in Türkiye, along with nearly 320,000 people of other nationalities, according to the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">More than 1.74 million refugees live in the 11 provinces impacted by the earthquakes.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The UN is coordinating the operations of thousands of search-and-rescue personnel in five provinces – Adiyaman, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaraş and Malatya – and humanitarian organisations have begun relief operations in the hardest-hit areas, in support of the government-led response.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This week also saw the launch of a nearly $400 million appeal for Syria, where aid delivery from across the border with Türkiye is continuing.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said shelter needs are the top priority among displaced people there, where many homes have collapsed in the aftermath of the earthquakes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">More than 8,900 buildings are completely or partially destroyed, leaving 11,000 people homeless. Other priorities include food, cash assistance and supplies to cope with the harsh winter weather. 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, '2023-02-17 10:03:27', '2023-02-17 10:03:27'),
(5263, 5263, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Air France-KLM said Friday that it had bounced back from two years of massive losses due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, returning to profit and pledging to soon repay an emergency state loan that kept the carrier afloat.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Franco-Dutch carrier said net profit reached 728 million euros ($777 million), nearly double the 290 million euros of 2019, before the pandemic ground the industry to a standstill.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Heavy annual losses of 7.1 billion and 3.3 billion euros the two following years forced the company into painful cost-cutting that included job cuts and getting rid of unprofitable planes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It also required cash injections, including a 2.5 billion euro emergency loan orchestrated by the French state, which the airline says it now plans to fully repay by April.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Other Covid aid will also be repaid, freeing the company of restrictions imposed by the EU as part of the state help, and allowing it to pay dividends, increase executive pay or acquire rival carriers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We close out the year with a positive net income, having turned the page on Covid, and look to the future with confidence in our ability to address the challenges ahead,\" chief executive Benjamin Smith said in a statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sales last year hit 26.4 billion euros, nearly the pre-Covid level of 27.2 billion three years ago, even though the airline transported just 83 million passengers -- 21 million fewer than before the crisis. 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, '2023-02-17 10:55:38', '2023-02-17 10:55:38'),
(5264, 5264, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Lionel Messi\'s father and representative Jorge Messi said on Thursday it is unlikely his son will return to play for Barcelona.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 35-year-old signed for Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2021 after the Catalan club were unable to renew his deal because of La Liga\'s financial fair play rules.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I don\'t think so, the conditions aren\'t right,\" Jorge Messi told reporters at Barcelona airport.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said he had not spoken to Barcelona president Joan Laporta about a deal and that Messi \"has a contract with Paris Saint-Germain\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Messi\'s deal with PSG is set to expire in the summer and at present he has not agreed new terms.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Life takes many turns,\" said Jorge Messi, when asked if he would like to see his son play for Barcelona again.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Argentina forward, who won the World Cup in December, joined Barcelona as a 13 year old and became a club legend.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Messi won 35 trophies with Barcelona, scoring a record 672 goals in 778 games across all competitions. 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, '2023-02-17 11:04:19', '2023-02-17 11:04:19'),
(5265, 5265, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh reported eight more Covid cases in the 24 hours to Friday morning.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With the new numbers, the country\'s total caseload rose to 2,037,738, 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 29,445 as no new fatalities were reported.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The daily case test positivity rate rose to 0.67 percent from Thursday\'s 0.45 percent as 1,201 samples were tested.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The recovery rate increased to 98.09 percent. However, the death rate remained unchanged at 1.44 percent.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh registered its highest daily caseload of 16,230 on July 28 last year and highest number of fatalities of 264 on August 10 the same year. 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, '2023-02-17 11:14:35', '2023-02-17 11:14:35'),
(5266, 5266, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The leaders and activists of BNP’s Dhaka south and north city units on Friday brought out separate silent processions in the capital to press home the party’s 20-point demand, including holding the next polls under a non-party caretaker government.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The organisers said the march programme is also meant for registering the party’s protest against the rise in the prices of power and gas and essential items, repression on the opposition and mounting pressure on the government to release party chairperson Khaleda Zia without any condition.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As per the party’s plan, BNP’s Dhaka south city started a march from Motijheel to Nayabazar around 4:05 pm.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir along with party standing committee members Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and vice chairman Abdullah Al Noman took part after a brief address.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Through the silent march, Fakhrul said , they would send out a message to the city dwellers to wake up and put up a resistance against the current government’s misrule and repressive acts and failure to run the country and check the growing prices of essential items.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The government has turned the country into a failed state. They badly destroyed the country and its institutions. The USA did not invite Bangladesh to its Summit for Democracy. It’s a matter of shame,” the BNP leader said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said Awami League is basically a \'terrorist party\' and it always wants to cling to power by force. “BNP and the country’s people won\'t go to any more polls under the Awami League government.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fakhrul said the common people are gradually getting poorer while the ruling party men are getting richer by indulging in corruption and plundering.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The BNP leader said the government has been using law enforcers to hang onto power illegally by force. “The USA imposed sanctions on RAB as they indulged in extra-judicial killings at the behest of the government. “They (govt) are now using police to kill the opposition leaders and activists and repress them.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also said the constitution must be amended since the country’s problems cannot be resolved in line with the current national charter.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier, the leaders and activists of BNP’s Dhaka north city started a march from Uttara to Abdullahpur around 3:35pm.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain inaugurate the programme along with other party senior leaders, including Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan and Abdul Awal Mintoo.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a brief address before taking out the procession, Mosharraf said their party has been on the streets with different programmes to realise public demands and to protest public sufferings as people are going through a tough time due to the misrule of the Awami League government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said their programmes are drawing huge public support, prompting the ruling party to come up with counter programmes out of fear of losing power. “Awami League is holding counter programmes, exposing its political bankruptcy.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The BNP leader said the&nbsp; people and the foreigners now can realise that no credible election can be held under the Awami League government. “That’s why foreign leaders and envoys are giving the government sermons about credible polls.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mosharraf urged the party leaders and activists to peacefully hold the programme as they did in the past without responding to any provocation.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Thousands of leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies joined the two separate programmes, carrying banners, national and party flags, festoons and portraits of the party\'s top leaders.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A huge number of law enforcers have been deployed in the areas to maintain law and order and fend off any untoward incidents.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Apart from BNP, LPD, Gonoforum, People’s Party, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote and Peshajibi Ganatantrik Jote also staged the march programme in different areas of the capital at different times on Friday as part of the simultaneous movement to oust the current government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">BNP’s all others metropolitan city units will hold a similar programme on Saturday. 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, '2023-02-17 11:23:49', '2023-02-17 11:23:49');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5267, 5267, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">No fresh case or death due to dengue was reported in Bangladesh in the 24 hours to Friday morning.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Thirty-six dengue patients, including 16 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">So far, the DGHS has recorded 686 dengue cases, 642 recoveries, and eight deaths this year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">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 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"6\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-17 12:16:32', '2023-02-17 12:16:32'),
(5268, 5268, '<div><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">President M Abdul Hamid offered doa at the graves of his parents and other family members at their family graveyard in Karimganj village of Mithamin upazila in the district this afternoon.</b><br></div><div><br></div><div>In the munajat, a special doa was offered there, seeking for the eternal peace of the departed souls of his parents and relatives.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Local lawmaker and President\'s eldest son Rezwan Ahammad Taufiq, Md Afzal Hossain, MP, President\'s younger brother Principal Md Abdul Haque and Bangabhaban officials, among others, were present on the occasion. BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-17 13:24:59', '2023-02-17 13:24:59'),
(5269, 5269, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Friday asked the Bangladesh government to reconsider and if necessary cancel what it calls the vague and inequitable power purchase agreement with Adani Group.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“TIB expressed deep concern that the Bangladesh\'s power sector may become hostage to this controversial company if the unequal, opaque and discriminatory contract signed by Bangladesh Power Development Board to purchase 1600 megawatt electricity from India\'s Adani, which is an accused of share fraud, is implemented,” said a press release.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This organization suggested bringing applicable amendments to this agreement after reviewing its terms thoroughly by engaging experts, or if necessary scraping the agreement for the sake of the national interest especially considering that the final burden of this agreement should be borne by the people of the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to national and international media reports, the electricity generated from the Adani power plant located in Godda, Jharkhand will cost almost three times more than the electricity produced in the country. Again, there is an obligation in the power purchase agreement (PPA) to buy power from Adani Power at this high price, it said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said this agreement is considered as inequitable and unclear and unprecedentedly discriminatory contract for Bangladesh by the international reliable analysis.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“It seems that the agreement has ignored the interests of Bangladesh and favored the interests of Adani group in such a way that the electricity sector of Bangladesh can become a hostage in the hands of this company. This burden will have to be borne by the people of this country,” he 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, '2023-02-17 13:38:26', '2023-02-17 13:38:26'),
(5270, 5270, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud has reminded everyone that a participatory election is not just the ruling party\'s responsibility.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It is the duty of all political parties, including the BNP, to assist in conducting a participatory, inclusive and free election,\" the minister said while exchanging views with the journalists at his Chattogram residence on Friday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"If any parties boycott the election or try to prevent it, it is their responsibility to make the election non-participatory or unacceptable,\" the minister added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We want the next government to be elected through a participatory free, fair and transparent election. In the meeting led by the general secretary of Awami League with various ambassadors of the European Union on Thursday, the issue of a free and participatory election got precedence. We have communicated that to the EU ambassadors. And others are being told the same thing. We also want all political parties including BNP to participate in the upcoming elections in the country.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Replying to a question from the reporters regarding the increased visits by foreign delegations a year before the elections, the minister said it is good to have more visitors in the country, they are showing interest in Bangladesh. \"Since Bangladesh is an emerging economy, it is normal. As a result, our trade will be diversified and we will be able to sell more products,\" the minister added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Regarding BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir\'s demand for a caretaker government, Hasan Mahmud said ‘there is no caretaker government system anywhere in the world except in Pakistan. “BNP follows Pakistan, but our electoral process will be similar to that of Australia, India, the United States, and Japan. The election will be held as per the country’s constitution,” the minister 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, '2023-02-17 15:16:12', '2023-02-17 15:16:12'),
(5271, 5271, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">At least 53 people were killed Friday in an ambush in central Syria blamed on the Islamic State group, state media reported, the deadiest attack by the jihadists in more than a year.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">\"Fifty-three citizens who were truffle hunting were killed during an attack by the terrorists of IS to the southwest of the town of Al-Sokhna\" in the desert east of Homs, state television said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The director of Palmyra hospital, Walid Audi, said those killed were 46 civilians and seven soldiers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Audi told pro-government radio station Sham FM that their bodies had \"been brought to the hospital after the ambush\" that targeted dozens.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported the attack, which it said was carried out by jihadists on motorcycles who opened fire on the truffle hunters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The jihadist group did not immediately claim the attack on its usual channels.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">It was the deadliest attack by IS since January last year when they stormed a prison in the Kurdish-controlled northeastern city of Hasakeh in a bid to free fellow jihadists.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The resulting fighting inside the city killed 105 people, mostly civilians, as well as 268 jihadists.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">- US kills IS leader -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Separately on Friday, the US Central Command said four American military personnel were injured in a blast during a raid that killed a senior IS leader in Syria.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The IS leader, identified as Hamza al-Homsi, was killed, while the US troops and a working dog were being treated at an American medical facility in Iraq, it added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Many people, including women and children, have been targeted in recent years while truffle hunting in central, northeastern and eastern areas of Syria.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Sixteen people, mostly civilians, were killed on Saturday in a similar attack targeting foragers in the same area, said the Observatory, which relies on a wide network of sources on the ground in Syria.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Dozens of others were kidnapped in the attack, the Observatory said, adding that 25 of them were released on Friday but the fate of the others remains unknown.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">In April 2021, the extremist group launched a similar attack, abducting 19 people, mostly civilians, in the eastern countryside of Hama province.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The Observatory said that IS was taking advantage of the annual harvest of desert truffles, which generally runs from February to April, to carry out attacks in remote locations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">After the jihadists lost their last scraps of territory following a military onslaught backed by a US-led coalition in March 2019, IS remnants in Syria mostly retreated to hideouts in the desert.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">They have since used such hideouts to ambush Kurdish-led forces and Syrian government troops while continuing to mount attacks in neighbouring Iraq.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Syrian and Russian helicopters continue to launch air strikes targeting IS desert hideouts.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The United Nations has said that despite setbacks, the jihadist group has \"maintained its ability to launch attacks at a steady pace\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">It estimates the jihadist group maintains between 6,000 and 10,000 fighters inside Iraq and Syria, exploiting the porous border between the two countries and concentrating mainly in rural areas. 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, '2023-02-18 07:21:38', '2023-02-18 07:21:38'),
(5272, 5272, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A week before the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin’s U.N. ambassador claimed that the West is driven by its determination to destroy Russia and declared: “We had no choice other than to defend our country — defend it from you, to defend our identity and our future.”</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Western ambassadors shot back, accusing Russia of using a Security Council meeting it called on lessons learned from the failure to resolve the conflict between Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists that began in 2014 to justify what France’s U.N. Ambassador Nicolas De Riviere called “the unjustifiable” – Russia’s invasion of its smaller neighbor on Feb. 24, 2022.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Friday\'s meeting in the council — the only international venue where Russia regularly faces Ukraine and its Western supporters — put a spotlight on the deep chasm between the warring parties as the conflict moves into its second year with no end in sight, tens of thousands of casualties on both sides, and new military offensives expected.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused Western nations including France and Germany of “holding back” on implementing the Minsk agreements brokered by the two countries to end the conflict between Ukraine and the separatists in Luhansk and Donetsk in the country’s mostly Russian-speaking industrial east that flared in April 2014 after Russia’s annexation of Crimea.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“You knew very well that the Minsk process for you is just a smoke screen, so as to rearm the Kyiv regime and to prepare it for war against Russia in the name of your geopolitical interest,” Nebenzia said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">U.S. deputy ambassador Richard Mills accused Russia of failing to implement “a single commitment it made” in the Minsk agreements while the other signatories — France, Germany, Ukraine and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe — “sought to implement them in good faith.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">France’s De Riviere said his country and Germany have worked “tirelessly” since 2015 to promote dialogue between parties. “The difficulties encountered in implementing these agreements can never serve as justification or mitigating circumstances for Russia’s choice to end the dialogue with violence,” he stressed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">De Riviere recalled that exactly a year ago, on Feb. 17, 2022, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin reaffirmed to the council that the Minsk agreements were “the only international legal basis” to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, and that rumors of Russian military intervention were unfounded and stemmed from Western paranoia. Four days later, Russia recognized the independence of Donetsk and Luhansk, and on Feb. 24 it invaded Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The one and only lesson to be learned here is that Russia, by attacking Ukraine, has chosen alone, to put an end to dialogue and negotiation,” De Riviere said. “It took the decision alone to shatter the Minsk agreements, whose main objective, let us remember, was the reintegration of some regions of Donetsk and Luhansk under full Ukrainian sovereignty, in exchange for broad decentralization.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Britain’s U.N. Ambassador Barbara Woodward also cited Vershinin’s statement to the council that allegations of a Russian attack were baseless a week before President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion, and said the United Kingdom had learned some lessons.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Russia lied when we warned of its intention to attack Ukraine,” she said. “Russia was planning for war while we called for diplomacy and de-escalation, and Russia continues to choose death and destruction while the world calls for a just peace.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russia’s Nebenzia blamed “a criminal policy by the Ukrainian leadership which was goaded by the collective West” for refusing to implement the Minsk agreements.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After a year of war, he told Western members of the Security Council, “Obviously, we will not be able to live in the future the way we did in the past.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Nebenzia accused the West of “deep Russophobia,\" and a “determination to destroy my country, using others if possible.” And he claimed it is not interested “in building a European and Euro-Atlantic security system together with Russia” because “for you such a system can only be aimed against Russia.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We have no trust left in you and we are not able of believing any promises you make — not as regards a non-expansion of NATO in the east, or your desire not to interfere in our internal affairs, or your determination to live in peace,” Nebenzia said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“You have shown that it’s impossible to negotiate with you,\" he said. “You’ve shown how treacherous you are by creating on our borders a neo-Nazi, neo-nationalist beehive and then stirring it up.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ukraine’s U.N. Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya accused Russia of violating the Minsk agreements, citing as an example the Minsk memorandum of Sept. 19, 2014 ordering all military, militias and mercenaries to leave Ukraine that was never implemented.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The truth is that Putin has proved once and for all to be impossible to negotiate with,” he said. “Russia’s consistent undermining and final killing of the Minsk agreements make that crystal clear.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ukraine urges “healthy forces in Russia, if there are any, to come to their senses and force Putin to implement the demands of the U.N. General Assembly to immediately cease the use of force and to withdraw Russian military forces from Ukraine,” Kyslytsya said. “The dictator should give up and recede into the past.” 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, '2023-02-18 07:37:20', '2023-02-18 07:37:20'),
(5273, 5273, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Wafting across the United States and into the attention of an alarmed national and global public, a giant Chinese balloon has changed Americans\' awareness of all the stuff floating in the air and how defense officials watch for it and respond.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President Joe Biden said Thursday that the U.S. is updating its guidelines for monitoring and reacting to unknown aerial objects. That\'s after the discovery of a suspected Chinese spy balloon transiting the country triggered high-stakes drama, including the U.S. shootdowns of that balloon, and three smaller ones days later.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Biden said Thursday that officials suspect the three subsequent balloons were ordinary ones. That could mean ones used for research, weather, recreational or commercial purposes. Officials have been unable to recover any of the remains of those three balloons, and late Friday the U.S. military announced it had ended the search for the objects that were shot down near Deadhorse, Alaska, and over Lake Huron on Feb. 10 and 12.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In all, the episodes opened the eyes of the public to two realities.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">One: China is operating a military-linked aerial surveillance program that has targeted more than 40 countries, according to the Biden administration. China denies it.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Two: There’s a whole lot of other junk floating up there, too.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A look at why there are so many balloons up there — launched for purposes of war, weather, science, business or just goofing around; why they\'re getting attention now; and how the U.S. is likely to watch for and respond to slow-moving flying objects going forward.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">WHAT ARE ALL THOSE BALLOONS DOING UP THERE?</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some are up there for spying or fighting. Humans have hooked bombs to balloons since at least the 1840s, when winds blew some of the balloon-borne bombs launched against Venice back on the Austrian launchers. In the U.S. Civil War, Union and Confederate soldiers floated up over front lines in balloons to assess enemy positions and direct fire.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And when it comes to peacetime uses, the cheapness of balloons makes them a favorite aerial platform for all kinds of uses, serious and idle. That includes everything down to \"college fraternities with nothing better to do and $10,000,” joked Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Himes\' role on the committee involved him in a congressionally mandated intelligence and military review of the most credible of sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena, or UFOs. That review also drove home to him and other lawmakers ”how much stuff there is floating around, in particular balloons,\" Himes said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">For the National Weather Service, balloons are the main means of above-ground forecasting. Forecasters launch balloons twice daily from nearly 900 locations around the world, including nearly 100 in the United States.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">High-altitude balloons also help scientists peer out into space from near the edges of the Earth\'s atmosphere. NASA runs a national balloon program office, helping coordinate launches from east Texas and other sites for universities, foreign groups and other research programs. School science classes launch balloons, wildlife watchers launch balloons.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Commercial interests also send balloons up — such as Google\'s effort to provide internet service via giant balloons.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And $12 gets hobby balloonists — who use balloons for ham radio or just for the pleasure of launching and tracking — balloons capable of getting up to 40,000 feet and higher.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That\'s roughly around the altitude that the U.S. military says the three smaller balloons were at when U.S. missiles ended their flights.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Most pilots probably wouldn\'t even be aware of a collision with such a balloon, said Ron Meadows, who produces balloons — with transmitters the size of a popsicle stick — for middle schools and universities to use for science education.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">All it “does is report its location and speed,” Meadows said. “It\'s not a threat to anyone.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Among hobby balloonists, there are suspicions that a balloon declared missing by the Northern Illinois Bottlecap Brigade was one of the ones shot down, as the publication Aviation Week Network first reported. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Friday the administration was not able to confirm those reports</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And it\'s not just the United States\' Mylar, foil and plastic overhead. Wind patterns known as the Westerlies sweep airborne things ranging from Beijing\'s tailpipe soot and the charred chunks of Siberian forest fires swinging over the Arctic and into the United States. China says its big balloon was a meteorological and research one that got picked up by the Westerlies. The U.S. says the balloon was at least partly maneuverable.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">WHY ARE WE JUST NOW SPOTTING ALL THESE BALLOONS?</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Short answer: Because we are just now looking for them.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Balloons\' rise to global prominence got a lift starting in the past few years. Congress directed the Director of National Intelligence to pull together everything the government has learned about unidentified aerial phenomena. That included creating a Defense Department UAP task force.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Last year, in the first congressional hearing on unidentified airborne objects in a half-century, Scott W. Bray, the deputy director of Naval intelligence, told lawmakers that improved sensors, an increase in drones and other non-military unmanned aerial systems, and yes, “aerial clutter” including random balloons were leading to people noticing more unidentified airborne objects.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That awareness kicked into overdrive this month, after the U.S. military and then the U.S. public spotted the Chinese balloon floating down from the High North. While the U.S. says previous Chinese balloons have entered U.S. territory, this was the first one of them to slowly cross the United States in plain view of the public.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That balloon, and what had been growing official awareness of a Chinese military-linked balloon surveillance campaign that had targeted dozens of countries, led U.S. officials to change radar and other sensor settings, screening more closely for slow-moving objects in the air as well as fast ones.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">SIDEWINDER MISSILES: A LONG-TERM BALLOON STRATEGY?</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Post big Chinese balloon, U.S. defense officials are expected to keep up broader monitoring so that balloons remain on the radar, but fine-tune the response.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Biden\'s order to the Air Force to shoot down the three smaller airborne objects with Sidewinder missiles left him fending off Republican accusations he was too trigger-happy. Biden says all four shootdowns were warranted since the balloons could have posed dangers to civilian aircraft. Hobby balloons with payloads of only a few pounds are not covered by many FAA airspace rules.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Biden says the U.S. is developing “sharper rules” to track, monitor and potentially shoot down unknown aerial objects.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He directed national security adviser Jake Sullivan to lead an interagency team to review the procedures. AP/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', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-18 07:47:44', '2023-02-18 07:47:44'),
(5274, 5274, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">President Joe Biden will use a speech in Poland on Tuesday to send a message to Russia\'s Vladimir Putin that NATO will continue to support Ukraine\'s war effort for \"as long as it takes,\" a spokesman said.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Biden is leaving Monday for Warsaw on a brief trip to mark the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of pro-Western Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He will meet with Polish President Andrzej Duda and also members of the Bucharest Nine, a group of NATO members in eastern Europe. In addition, he will speak by phone with the leaders of Britain, France and Italy, the White House said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The talks with Duda will cover \"our bilateral cooperation, as well as our collective efforts to support Ukraine and to bolster NATO\'s deterrence,\" National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters Friday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Wednesday\'s meeting with leaders from the Bucharest Nine -- Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia -- will \"reaffirm the United States\' unwavering support for the security of that alliance.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The main public event will be Biden\'s speech, delivered from Warsaw\'s Royal Castle, on \"how the United States has rallied the world to support the people of Ukraine as they defend their freedom and democracy,\" Kirby said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"President Biden will make it clear that the United States will continue to stand with Ukraine... for as long as it takes.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"You\'ll hear messages in the president\'s speech that will certainly resonate with the American people, certainly will resonate with our allies and partners, without question resonate with the Polish people,\" Kirby said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"And I would suspect that you\'ll hear him messaging Mr Putin as well, as well as the Russian people.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kirby said Biden has no plans to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during the trip or to visit Ukraine -- which he has not gone to since the war started, due to the heavy security around US presidents.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The White House will not say what specific aid Biden might announce during his trip, but Kirby said that Ukraine will be reassured about receiving \"continued, tangible support.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The United States has provided far more than any other NATO country to Ukraine, with military, economic, humanitarian and other aid during the war now worth more than $100 billion. That includes a $47 billion package approved by Congress in December and which Kirby said was in the early stages of being disbursed. 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, '2023-02-18 08:48:08', '2023-02-18 08:48:08'),
(5275, 5275, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Railways Minister Advocate Nurul Islam Sujon has said the incumbent government has been working for the welfare of the people of all religious faiths living in the country.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We\'ve been establishing Bangladesh as a non-communal country. Here all people have equal rights. All citizens practice their respective religions freely and peacefully, a right guaranteed by the Constitution of Bangladesh,\" he said these at a discussion on the occasion of the 158th birth anniversary of Ray Saheb Takur Panchanon Barma held on the ground of Paralbari in Debiganj upazila of the district on Friday as the chief guest.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dr Bashonta Kumar Roy, former President of Bangladesh Kattrio Samittee, Upazila nirbahi officer(UNO) of Debiganj Golam Ferdous, central Jubo League member and minister\'s son Barrister Nahian Navid Koushik, among others, spoke it.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;A large number of Hindu communities were present at the programme. 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, '2023-02-18 09:13:27', '2023-02-18 09:13:27'),
(5276, 5276, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The holy Shab-e-Meraj will be observed tonight with religious fervor.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Every year, on the night of Rajab 26, Muslims observe Shab-e-Meraj when Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) embarked on a special journey to meet the Almighty Allah.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;In the journey, the Prophet travelled on the \"Buraq\" to Heaven where Allah gave him some instructions to take back to the faithful regarding the details of prayers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Muslim devotees will offer special prayers at mosques and homes seeking blessings of Allah for the welfare of the entire nation and the Muslim Ummah.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Islamic Foundation is going to hold a meeting, doa and munajat at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque at 1.30 pm today highlighting the significance of Shab-e-Meraj, said a press release.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Islamic Foundation Director General (Additional Secretary) Dr Mohammad Bashirul Alam will preside over the meeting, while chairman of Arabic Department at Dhaka University Dr Md Abdul Quadir will join it as a discussant. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"7\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-18 09:31:03', '2023-02-18 09:31:03'),
(5277, 5277, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A Rouf Chowdhury, founder and former Chairman of Bank Asia Limited, died of old-age complications at his Gulshan residence here this noon.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He was 85, family sources said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">His first namaz-e-janaza will be held at Gulshan Azad Mosque in the city after Asar prayers today.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The second namaz-e-janaza of the deceased will be held at his ancestral home in Malkhanagar of Munshiganj after Esha prayers. 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, '2023-02-18 09:35:24', '2023-02-18 09:35:24'),
(5278, 5278, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A devastating earthquake that toppled buildings across parts of Turkey and neighboring Syria has revived a longstanding debate locally and in neighboring Cyprus about a large nuclear power station being built on Turkey’s southern Mediterranean coastline.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The plant’s site in Akkuyu, located some 210 miles (338 kilometers) to the west of the epicenter of the Feb. 6 quake, is being designed to endure powerful tremors and did not sustain any damage or experience powerful ground shaking from the 7.8 magnitude earthquake and aftershocks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But the size of the quake — the deadliest in Turkey’s modern history — sharpened existing concerns about the facility being built on the edge of a major fault line.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rosatom, Russia’s state-owned company in charge of the project, says the power station is designed to “withstand extreme external influences” from a magnitude 9 earthquake. In nuclear power plant construction, plants are designed to survive shaking that is more extreme than what’s been previously recorded in the area they’re sited.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The possibility of a magnitude 9 earthquake occurring in the vicinity of the Akkuyu reactor “is approximately once every 10,000 years,” Rosatom told The Associated Press via email last week. “That is exactly how the margin of safety concept is being implemented.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An official with Turkey’s Energy Ministry, when contacted by the AP, said there were no immediate plans to reassess the project. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government protocol. Some activists, however, still say the project — the first nuclear power plant in Turkey — poses a threat.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Nuclear facilities are constructed of heavily reinforced concrete, sized for significant earthquake shaking and far more robust than commercial buildings, said Andrew Whittaker, a professor of civil engineering at the University at Buffalo who is an expert in earthquake engineering and nuclear structures.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The fact that it’s sited off the western end of the East Anatolian Fault, which was linked to last week’s powerful tremor, suggests that the design would have been checked for significant shaking, Whittaker added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Still, Whittaker said, it would be prudent to reassess seismic hazard calculations in the region for all infrastructure, including the plant.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“There’s no reason to be concerned, but there’s always a reason to be cautious,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That’s little comfort to activists in Turkey and on both sides of ethnically divided Cyprus. They’ve renewed their calls for the project to be scrapped, saying that the devastating earthquake is clear proof of the great risk posed by a nuclear power plant near seismic fault lines.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a statement to the AP, the Cyprus Anti-Nuclear platform, a coalition of over 50 Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot environmentalist groups, trade unions and political parties, said it “calls on all political parties, scientific and environmental organizations and the civil society to join efforts and put pressure on the Turkish government to terminate its plans for the Akkuyu nuclear power plant.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Cypriot European Parliament member Demetris Papadakis asked the European Commission what immediate actions it intends to take to halt the plant because of the dangers posed by building a nuclear power station in a seismic zone so close to Cyprus.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Nuclear power plants worldwide are designed to withstand earthquakes and shut down safely in the event of major earth movement — about 20% of nuclear reactors are operating in areas of significant seismic activity, according to the World Nuclear Association.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">For example, Japanese nuclear plants, including the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant, are in regions where earthquakes of up to magnitude 8.5 may be expected, the association said. Stricter safety standards were adopted after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, when a tsunami crashed into the Daichi plant, melting three reactors and releasing dangerous levels of radiation. And the Diablo Canyon Power Plant in California was designed to safely withstand earthquakes, tsunamis and flooding that could potentially occur in the region too, according to its operator.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Turkish nuclear regulators provided the license for the plant’s construction in Akkuyu in 1976 following eight years of seismic studies to determine the most suitable location, but the project was slowed down after the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986. Construction of the first reactor started in 2018. Large nuclear power plants have traditionally taken a while to build because of the size, scale and complexity of the infrastructure, and delays associated with first-of-a-kind plants.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to Rosatom, a study by Turkey’s Office for the Prevention and Elimination of Consequences of Emergency Situations indicates that the site in Akkuyu – some 60 miles (95 kilometers) from Cyprus’ northern coastline – is located in the fifth degree earthquake zone, which is considered the safest region in terms of earthquakes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The plant design includes an external reinforced concrete wall and internal protective shell made of “prestressed concrete,” with metal cables stretched inside the concrete shell to give additional solidity to the structure, the company said. And the modern reactor design, Russia’s VVER-1200, includes an additional safety feature — a 144 ton steel cone called the “core catcher” that in an emergency, traps and cools any molten radioactive materials, Rosatom added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The company emphasized that power units with VVER-1200 reactors comply with the post-Fukushima requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There’s a political dimension to qualms about the plant: Cyprus has accused Turkey of augmenting the Turkish Cypriots’ dependence on it in order to entrench the island’s ethnic division. Turkey has said it would supply the breakaway Turkish Cypriot north of the island with electricity through an undersea cable. A pipeline suspended a couple of hundred meters under the Mediterranean’s surface is already supplying the north with water.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The plant, whose first of four reactors is scheduled to go online later this year, will have a total capacity of 4,800 megawatts of electricity, providing about 10% of Turkey’s electricity needs. According to government figures, if the power plant started operating today, it could singlehandedly provide enough electricity for a city of about 15 million people, such as Istanbul, Rosatom added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It’s estimated to cost $20 billion. Rosatom has a 99.2% stake in the project, and is contracted to build, maintain, operate and decommission the plant. 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, '2023-02-18 09:40:55', '2023-02-18 09:40:55'),
(5279, 5279, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Jibanananda Festival that celebrates mainly the works of major Bengali poet of 20th Century in Indian sub-continent Jibanananda Das will be held at the Rich Mix Theater in East London for the fourth year on February 19.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The focal point of the festival is to promote the infinite rich tradition of Bengali literature, by presenting the timeless literature of poet Jibanananda, known as \'Ruposhi Banglar Kobi\' (Poet of the beautiful Bengal), on the world stage,\" said poet Ahmed Kaysher, the director of Saudha.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Saudha has been organizing this event for the last two years and the literature circles of Britain have made a huge response to this festival,\" he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Jeebananda Das is an unforgettable name not only in Bengali poetry after Rabindranath, but also in the world of world poetry. Through this event, we want to introduce a completely new poet to the poetry lovers of the past,\" he told BSS.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Poet John Farndon, BBC Slam Poetry Champion poet David Lee Morgan, poet and translator Stephen Watts, poet and prose writer Sri Ganguly will talk about the possibility of various constraction-deconstructions of Jibanananda\'s poetry in the 21st century, said a release here.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;German, Uzbek and Polish translations of Jibanananda\'s poems will be read by poet Amy Nelson Smith, poet Khasiat Rastamova and poet Aleksandra Smerenchanska respectively.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;Oriya and Urdu translations will be read by poet Mona Das and artist Samia Malik respectively.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Flamenco dancer Mercedes Avila Caballero will perform on stage as Argentinian poet Gaby Sambucetti will recite the poems in Spanish.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Poet Eric Shilander, Poppy Shahnaz, Dr. Zaki Rezwana Anwar, Poet Sarwar E Alam, Councilor Jasmin Chowdhury, Poet Tanzina Noor-e Siddique, Soma Das, Sanjay Das and Prapa Rezwana Anwar will read from Jibanananda\'s poems with flute-player Mayukhjit Chakraborty\'s music composition and performance in the background, the release added.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Indian classical dancers Aritri Kundu, Manideepa Sheel, Esha Chakraborty Bhatracharya and Ishita Sinha will also perform on the occasion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Saudha Director Ahmed Kaysher said that the festival is supported by the South Asian Paper Grant and the Radharaman Society. 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, '2023-02-18 09:46:13', '2023-02-18 09:46:13');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5280, 5280, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Nearly a year after Russia invaded Ukraine, the battlefield has narrowed and stiff resistance has forced Moscow to scale back its military goals. But the diplomatic consequences of the war still reverberate worldwide.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The fighting has reshaped global alliances, renewed old anxieties and breathed new life into NATO and the bond between Europe and the United States.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The invasion drew Moscow closer to Beijing and the pariah states of Iran and North Korea. It also raised broad questions about sovereignty, security and the use of military power, while intensifying fears about China’s designs on Taiwan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The war underscores the interrelationship between diplomacy and the use of force in a way that has not been thought about in quite the same fashion for many, many years,” said Ian Lesser, vice president of the German Marshall Fund think tank.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">When Russian forces invaded on Feb. 24, it “marked the complete end of the post-Cold War world,” Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said last month in a speech at Johns Hopkins University. “It has come to light that globalization and interdependence alone cannot serve as a guarantor for peace and development across the globe.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that Ukraine is an “integral part” of Russian history that never achieved “real statehood” — a stance that echoes Chinese President Xi Jinping’s position on Taiwan, a self-governed island that Beijing claims as its own.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some six months after the invasion of Ukraine, China issued a white paper on Taiwan, saying the island “has been an integral part of China’s territory since ancient times.” The paper said Beijing seeks “peaceful reunification” but “will not renounce the use of force.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">China’s designs on Taiwan date to well before the war in Ukraine, but China stepped up its pressure over the past year or more, including firing ballistic missiles over the island and into Japanese waters in August in response to then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">If Russia is allowed to succeed in Ukraine, it could further embolden countries like China, with its visions of an international order “that diverge from ours and that we can never accept,” Kishida said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He pledged to use Japan’s presidency of the G7 this year to strengthen “the unity of like-minded countries” against Russian aggression.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“If we let this unilateral change of the status quo by force go unchallenged, it will happen elsewhere in the world, including Asia,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A Chinese invasion of Taiwan would be far more complicated than Russia’s attack on Ukraine, said Euan Graham, a Singapore-based expert with the International Institute for Strategic Studies.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Russia\'s incompetent performance on the battlefield in Ukraine has to give pause to any military or senior political leader in China about an adventure on a much more ambitious scale with Taiwan,” Graham said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But the fear is real. Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen extended the nation’s compulsory military service in a December announcement that referenced the war in Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“They’ve drawn the lesson from Ukraine that you need to have a larger military reserve if there is a conflict,” Graham said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">North Korea, which has threatened to preemptively use nuclear weapons in a broad range of scenarios, was already a regional concern. But Russia’s suggestion that it could use nuclear weapons in Ukraine fueled new worries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">South Korea, which is under the protection of the American “nuclear umbrella,” last year expanded exercises with the U.S. military that had been downsized under the Trump administration. South Korea is also seeking stronger assurances that Washington will swiftly use its nuclear capabilities in the face of a North Korean nuclear attack.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">North Korea has been strongly supportive of neighboring Russia. Late last year, the U.S. accused Pyongyang of supplying Russia with artillery shells.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Iran has also been helping Russia militarily, providing the bomb-carrying drones Moscow uses to strike power plants and civilian sites throughout Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While Western allies have cooperated closely in their responses to the war, a major diplomatic challenge has been to convince much of the rest of the world of the invasion’s significance.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Only a handful of countries in Asia have taken tough action against Moscow, and many abstained from the United Nations resolution condemning the attack.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Just weeks before the invasion, China declared a “no limits” friendship with Russia. It has refused to criticize the war and has drawn closer to Russia, buying more of its oil and gas and helping Moscow to offset Western sanctions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But there are signs of “complicated fault lines” in the China-Russia relationship, Jude Blanchette, an analyst with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said in a call with reporters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During September talks in Uzbekistan, the Chinese president raised unspecified “concerns” with Putin over the invasion, though at the same time promised “strong support” to Russia’s “core interests.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I think if Xi Jinping could snap his fingers, he would like to see the war end but in a way that Russia comes out of this with Putin in power and Russia continuing to be a strong strategic partner,” Blanchette said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">India, which is heavily reliant on Russia for military equipment, also abstained from the U.N. resolution and has continued to purchase Russian oil.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But as regional rival China moves closer to Russia, India has quietly drifted toward the U.S., especially within the four Quad nations that also include Japan and Australia, said Viraj Solanki, a London-based expert with the IISS think tank.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Europe, the invasion has reinvigorated NATO after a barrage of criticism from Donald Trump during his presidency that led French President Emmanuel Macron to declare the alliance had experienced “brain death.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">NATO member countries and allies have rallied to support Ukraine, with several changing policies that prohibited the export of weapons to countries in conflict. Perhaps most remarkably, Germany shed post-World War II taboos and provided Leopard battle tanks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The war also prompted Finland and Sweden to seek NATO membership, which most experts think will be approved this year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">NATO last year singled out China for the first time as a strategic challenge, although not a direct adversary. The alliance warned about China’s growing military ambitions, its confrontational rhetoric and its increasingly close ties to Russia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Beyond NATO, the war has also underscored the importance of the relationship between the U.S. and European Union, which Lesser said has been “absolutely critical” to sanctions and export controls.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">China insists that it is the U.S. that started the Ukraine crisis, partially through NATO’s expansion into more Eastern European countries. Beijing has also criticized the alliance for suggesting the war could influence China’s actions in Asia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“NATO claims to be a regional defense organization, but it keeps breaking through the territory and field, stirring up conflicts, creating tension, exaggerating threats and encouraging confrontation,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin said Thursday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The war’s long-term effects on global diplomacy are difficult to predict. But Lesser said one thing is certain: It will be “very hard for Russia to recover from the damage to its reputation on many levels.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A core group of countries such as Syria, North Korea, Iran and Venezuela “may be inclined to stick with Russia,” he said. But in terms of broader diplomacy, Russia’s reputation ”has experienced an enormous blow.” 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, '2023-02-18 10:25:20', '2023-02-18 10:25:20'),
(5281, 5281, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Russia\'s invasion of Ukraine has exposed the dangers of Europe\'s over-reliance on authoritarian regimes and should serve as a lesson, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg will tell the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We should not make the same mistake with China and other authoritarian regimes,\" he will warn, according to a preview of his speech seen by 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, '2023-02-18 10:42:18', '2023-02-18 10:42:18'),
(5282, 5282, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The body of former Ghana international Christian Atsu has been found after a devastating earthquake in Turkey, local media reported Saturday, quoting his manager.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Atsu, 31, was caught up in a 7.8-magnitude quake that rocked Turkey and Syria on February 6, killing more than 43,000 people in both countries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There were initial reports the former Chelsea and Newcastle player had been rescued a day after the quake, but these turned out to be false.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">His manager in Turkey, Murat Uzunmehmet, told DHA news agency on Saturday that his body had been found under the rubble in the Turkish southern province of Hatay.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We have reached his lifeless body. His belongings are still being removed. His phone was also found,\" Uzunmehmet told DHA.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ghana\'s ministry of foreign affairs said it had \"received the unfortunate news\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The elder brother and twin sister of Christian Atsu and an officer of the (Ghanaian) embassy were present at the site when the body was recovered,\" the ministry said in a statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ghana said it was working with the Turkish government to organise the transport of the body back to Atsu\'s home country for burial.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Midfielder Atsu spent four seasons at Chelsea before a permanent transfer to Newcastle in 2017. He signed last September for Turkish Super Lig side Hatayspor.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Chelsea issued a statement declaring: \"It is with enormous sadness that Chelsea Football Club receives the news that Christian Atsu is confirmed as one of the many victims of the dreadful earthquake in Turkey and Syria.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Newcastle also paid hommage to \"a talented player and a special person\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The club added: \"He will always be fondly remembered by our players, staff and supporters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Initially joining on loan, he played a key role in the Magpies squad that secured the Championship title in 2017 before making a permanent move to help us establish our place back in the Premier League.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Search and rescue workers found Atsu\'s body where he was staying at Ronesans Residence, a block of high-rise luxury flats that toppled over in Antakya city in Hatay.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Turkish police arrested the building\'s contractor at Istanbul airport last week as he appeared to be heading to Montenegro, according to state news agency Anadolu. 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, '2023-02-18 11:11:56', '2023-02-18 11:11:56'),
(5283, 5283, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">South Korea’s military said North Korea on Saturday fired one suspected long-range missile from its capital toward the sea, a day after it threatened to take strong measures against South Korea and the U.S. over their joint military exercises.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul said the ballistic missile was fired at around 5:22 p.m. from an area in Sunan, the site of Pyongyang\'s international airport. It didn\'t immediately say where the weapon landed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">North Korea’s Foreign Ministry on Friday threatened with \"unprecedently\" strong action against its rivals, after South Korea announced a series of planned military exercises with the United States aimed at sharpening their response to the North’s growing threats.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Toshiro Ino, Japan’s vice minister for defense, said the missile was expected have landed in waters within Japan’s exclusive economic zone, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) west of Oshima island. Oshima lies off the western coast of the northernmost main island of Hokkaido.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We are doing our utmost, working closely with the U.S., to gain information, analyze and take appropriate vigilance and surveillance measures to protect the lives and property of our people,” he told reporters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The launch was North Korea’s first since Jan. 1, when it test-fired a short-range weapon. It followed a massive military parade in Pyongyang last week, where troops rolled out more than a dozen intercontinental ballistic missiles as leader Kim Jong Un watched in delight from a balcony.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The unprecedented number of missiles underscored a continuation of expansion of his country’s military capabilities despite limited resources while negotiations with Washington remain stalemated.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Those missiles included a new system experts say is possibly linked to the North’s stated desire to acquire a solid-fuel ICBM. North Korea’s existing ICBMs, including Hwasong-17s, use liquid propellants that require pre-launch injections and cannot remain fueled for prolonged periods. A solid-fuel alternative would take less time to prepare and is easier to move around on vehicles, providing less opportunity to be spotted.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It wasn’t immediately clear whether Saturday’s launch involved a solid-fuel system.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“North Korean missile firings are often tests of technologies under development, and it will be notable if Pyongyang claims progress with a long-range solid-fuel missile,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. “The Kim regime may also tout this launch as a response to U.S. defense cooperation with South Korea and sanctions diplomacy at the United Nations.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">North Korea is coming off a record year in weapons demonstrations with more than 70 ballistic missiles fired, including ICBMs with potential range to reach the U.S. mainland. The North also conducted a slew of launches it described as simulated nuclear attacks against South Korean and U.S. targets in response to the allies’ resumption of large-scale joint military exercise that had been downsized for years.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">North Korea’s missile tests have been punctuated by threats of preemptive nuclear attacks against South Korea or the United States over what it perceives as a broad range of scenarios that put its leadership under threat.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kim doubled down on his nuclear push entering 2023, calling for an “exponential increase” in the country’s nuclear warheads, mass production of battlefield tactical nuclear weapons targeting “enemy” South Korea and the development of more advanced ICBMs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The North Korean statement on Friday accused Washington and Seoul of planning more than 20 rounds of military drills this year, including large-scale field exercises, and described its rivals as “the arch-criminals deliberately disrupting regional peace and stability.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The statement came hours after South Korea’s Defense Ministry officials told lawmakers that Seoul and Washington will hold an annual computer-simulated combined training in mid-March. The 11-day training would reflect North Korea’s nuclear threats, as well as unspecified lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war, according to Heo Tae-keun, South Korea’s deputy minister of national defense policy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Heo said the two countries will also conduct joint field exercises in mid-March that would be bigger than those held in the past few years.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">South Korea and the U.S. will also hold a one-day tabletop exercise next week at the Pentagon to sharpen a response to a potential use of nuclear weapons by North Korea.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The exercise, scheduled for Wednesday, would set up possible scenarios where North Korea uses nuclear weapons, explore how to cope with them militarily and formulate crisis management plans, South Korea’s Defense Ministry said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">North Korea has traditionally described U.S.-South Korea military exercises as rehearsals for a potential invasion, while the allies insist that their drills are defensive in nature.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The United States and South Korea had downsized or canceled some of their major drills in recent years, first to support the former Trump administration’s diplomatic efforts with Pyongyang and then because of COVID-19. But North Korea’s growing nuclear threats have raised the urgency for South Korea and Japan to strengthen their defense postures in line with their alliances with the United States.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">South Korea has been seeking reassurances that United States will swiftly and decisively use its nuclear capabilities to protect its ally in face of a North Korean nuclear attack. In addition to expanding and evolving military exercises with South Korea, the United States has also expressed commitment to increase its deployment of strategic military assets like fighter jets and aircraft carriers to the Korean Peninsula in a show of strength.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In December, Japan made a major break from its strictly self-defense-only post-World War II principle, adopting a new national security strategy that includes preemptive strikes and cruise missiles to counter growing threats from North Korea, China and Russia. 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, '2023-02-18 11:48:49', '2023-02-18 11:48:49'),
(5284, 5284, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the 2.34km Mirpur-Kalshi flyover for vehicular movement at a function at Kalshi intersection adjoining Balur ground in the city at 10am tomorrow.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Md Tazul Islam, Dhaka north city Mayor Md Atiqul Islam, Chief of Army Staff General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, Dhaka-16 lawmaker Md Elias Uddin Mollah, Local Government Division Secretary Muhammad Ibrahim are expected to join the inaugural ceremony, among others.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Under the Road Widening and Development from ECB Square to Mirpur and Construction of Flyover on Kalshi Circle Project, the 2335 meter long flyover has been built and a 3.70 km stretch of road from the ECB square to Kalshi has been widened.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On January 9, 2018, the project got the ECNEC’s approval.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">DNCC and Bangladesh Army (24 Engineer Construction Brigade) implemented the project at a cost of around Taka 1,012 crore.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the project details, the flyover looks like an English alphabet ‘Y’. The previously four lane roads have been widened to six lanes in view to ease passenger commute.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The main four-lane flyover runs from ECB square towards Kalshi and Mirpur DOHS, while a two-lane ramp descends from Kalshi intersection to Kalshi Road.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) public relations office, the project also includes extension of a PC girder bridge, construction of two foot over-bridges, a public toilet, two police boxes, a 7.40 kilometer RCC drain and saucer drain, a 1755 meter RCC pipe drain, retaining wall, 3383 meter communication duct, 800000 linear meter sand compaction pile, separate cycle lane, and six bus bays.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The project is expected to ease travel among the areas of Mirpur, DOHS, Pallabi, Kalshi, Mahakhali, Banani, Uttara and Airport. 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, '2023-02-18 12:03:19', '2023-02-18 12:03:19'),
(5285, 5285, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">After their latest coordinated programme in all cities and unions, main opposition BNP and like-minded parties will next march in all 64 districts on February 25 (next Saturday) to press home their 10-point demand, including holding the next general election under a non-party caretaker government.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">BNP senior leaders announced the fresh programme while launching today\'s march across 11 metropolitan cities.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The programme is meant for registering a protest against the rise in the prices of power and gas and essential items and mounting pressure on the government to release BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia without any condition and to accept the party’s 10-point demand.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas launched the march programme in Mymensingh, while others of the same committee led the marches elsewhere, including Gayeshwar Chandra Roy in Narayanganj, Nazrul Islam Khan in Sylhet, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury in Chattogram, Selima Rahman in Barishal, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku in Rajshahi, vice-chairmen Barkat Ullah Bulu in Khulna, Mohammad Shahjahan in Cumilla, AZM Zahid Hossain in Gazipur, Shamsuzzaman Dudu in Faridpur and joint secretary general Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal in Rangpur and announced fresh programme.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Besides, the 12-party alliance that has sprung out of BNP\'s old 20-party coalition, also marched in the capital near Fakirapool Water Tank and announced a similar programme for February 25.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">From December last year, BNP and like-minded parties and alliances started a simultaneous movement to bring down the government, or at least realise the all-important caretaker or non-party provision ahead of the next election.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Besides, the leaders and activists of BNP’s Dhaka north and south city units observed march programme in five areas in the capital since January 28.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The party also observed a march programme in all unions across the country on February 11 amid the allegations of attacks and obstruction by the ruling party activists and law enforcers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">BNP’s Dhaka north and south city units organised separate marches on Friday while a similar programme was observed in 11 other divisional cities today (Saturday). 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, '2023-02-18 14:26:50', '2023-02-18 14:26:50'),
(5286, 5286, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>A man has surrendered to police after allegedly killing his wife at Ghashipara in Dinajpur town on Friday.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The deceased is Sumaiya Akhter, 27, and the man who surrendered is Manowar Hossain, 33, resident of Gurgolay area of Dinajpur.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Dinajpur Kotwali Police Station Tanvirul Islam said that Sumaiya, daughter of Abdul Khalek, resident of College para in Sujalpur area under Birganj upazila of the district got married to Manowar a month ago.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Manowar lived on the third floor of a rented house in the area and the victim is his second wife.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Friday night, Manowar strangled Sumaiya to death and kept the body in a wardrobe of the house for about 14-hours, OC said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, he went to the Kotwali police station and surrendered to police at around 12.30am.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Police recovered the body from the house and sent it to Dinajpur M Abdur Rahim Medical College Hospital for post-mortem.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Police is trying to unearth the motive behind the killing, the OC added. 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, '2023-02-18 14:32:18', '2023-02-18 14:32:18'),
(5287, 5287, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today inaugurated the Mirpur-Kalshi flyover to vehicular movement. The flyover has been constructed to ease commute in Mirpur, Mirpur DOHS, Pallabi, Kalshi, Mahakhali, Banani, Uttara and Dhaka airport.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister opened the flyover to traffic from a function at Kalshi intersection, adjoining Balur Math, in Dhaka.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 2,335m long flyover has been built under the Road Widening and Development Project from ECB Square to Mirpur and the Construction of Flyover on Kalshi Circle Project, which got ECNEC approval on January 9, 2018.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Under the project, 3.70km stretch of road from the ECB square to Kalshi was also widened.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and the Bangladesh Army (24 Engineer Construction Brigade) implemented the project at a cost of around Tk 1,012 crore.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the project details, the flyover looks like the English alphabet ‘Y’.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The previously four-lane roads have been widened to six lanes to ease commute.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The main four-lane flyover runs from ECB square towards Kalshi and Mirpur DOHS, while a two-lane ramp descends from Kalshi intersection to Kalshi Road.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The project also includes extension of a PC girder bridge, construction of two foot bridges, a public toilet, two police boxes, a 7.40 km RCC drain and saucer drain, a 1755m RCC pipe drain, retaining wall, 3383m communication duct, 8 lakh-linear metre sand compaction pile, separate cycle lane, and six bus bays.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On her arrival at the venue, LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Md Tazul Islam, Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Md Atiqul Islam, Chief of Army Staff General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, Dhaka-16 MP Md Elias Uddin Mollah, and Local Government Division Secretary Muhammad Ibrahim welcomed her. 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, '2023-02-19 07:08:40', '2023-02-19 07:08:40'),
(5288, 5288, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>A small plane with four people on board has crashed in central Philippines where rescuers were searching for survivors on Sunday, an aviation official said.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Cessna 340 aircraft went missing early Saturday morning shortly after departing for Manila from Bicol International Airport, south of the capital, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said in a statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The plane was carrying two passengers, a pilot and a crew member, the aviation regulator added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A local search and rescue team has identified a possible crash site near the airport, CAAP spokesperson Eric Apolonio told AFP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The problem is the weather is bad and it hampers the visibility of the ground search,\" he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The aviation accident comes less than a month after another Cessna plane went missing on January 24 in the northern province of Isabela. A search for that plane\'s wreckage is still ongoing, Apolonio said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a separate incident, two Philippine airforce aviators were also killed in a training exercise last month when their SF260 Marchetti plane plummeted onto a rice paddy in Bataan province, near Manila. 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, '2023-02-19 07:11:45', '2023-02-19 07:11:45'),
(5289, 5289, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">North Korea said Sunday its latest intercontinental ballistic missile test was meant to further bolster its “fatal” nuclear attack capacity against its rivals, as it threatened additional powerful steps in response to the planned military training between the United States and South Korea.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Saturday’s ICBM test, the North’s first missile test since Jan. 1, signals its leader Kim Jong Un is using his rivals’ drills as a chance to expand his country’s nuclear capability to enhance its leverage in future dealings with the United States. An expert says North Korea may seek to hold regular operational exercises involving its ICBMs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said its launch of the existing Hwasong-15 ICBM was organized “suddenly” without prior notice at Kim\'s direct order.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">KCNA said the launch was designed to verify the weapon’s reliability and the combat readiness of the country’s nuclear force. It said the missile was fired at a high angle and reached a maximum altitude of about 5,770 kilometers (3,585 miles), flying a distance of about 990 kilometers (615 miles) during a 67-minute flight before accurately hitting a pre-set area in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The steep-angle launch was apparently aimed at avoiding neighboring countries. The flight details reported by North Korea, which roughly matched the launch information previously assessed by its neighbors, show the weapon is theoretically capable of reaching the mainland U.S. if fired at a standard trajectory.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Hwasong-15 launch demonstrated the North’s “powerful physical nuclear deterrent” and its efforts to “turn its capacity of fatal nuclear counterattack on the hostile forces” into an extremely strong one that cannot be countered, KCNA said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Whether North Korea has a functioning nuclear-tipped ICBM is still a source of outside debate, as some experts say the North hasn’t mastered a technology to protect warheads from the severe conditions of atmospheric reentry. The North has claimed to have acquired such a technology.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Hwasong-15 is one of North Korea’s three existing ICBMs, all of which use liquid propellants that require pre-launch injections and cannot remain fueled for extended periods. The North is pushing to build a solid-fueled ICBM, which would be more mobile and harder-to-detect before its launch.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Kim Jong Un has likely determined that the technical reliability of the country’s liquid propellant ICBM force has been sufficiently tested and evaluated to now allow for regular operational exercises of this kind,” said Ankit Panda, an expert with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Chang Young-keun, a missile expert at Korea Aerospace University in South Korea, said that North Korea appeared to have launched an upgraded version of the Hwasong-15 ICBM. Chang said the information provided by North Korea showed the missile will likely have a longer potential range than the standard Hwasong-15.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The North’s launch came a day after it vowed an “unprecedentedly” strong response over a series of military drills that Seoul and Washington plan in coming weeks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a separate statement Sunday, Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of Kim Jong Un, accused South Korea and the United States of “openly showing their dangerous greed and attempt to gain the military upper hand and predominant position in the Korean Peninsula.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I warn that we will watch every movement of the enemy and take corresponding and very powerful and overwhelming counteraction against its every move hostile to us,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">North Korea has steadfastly slammed regular South Korea-U.S. military trainings as an invasion rehearsal though the allies say their exercises are defensive in nature. Some analysts say North Korea often uses South Korea-U.S. drills as a pretext to modernize its weapons arsenals, which it believes is essential to win sanctions relief from the U.S.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“By now, we know that any action taken by the U.S. and South Korea — however justified from the vantage point of defense and deterrence against (North Korea’s) reckless behavior — will be construed and protested as an act of hostility by North Korea,” said Soo Kim, a security analyst at the California-based RAND Corporation. “There will always be fodder for (Kim Jong Un’s) weapons provocations.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“With nuclear weapons in tow and having mastered the art of coercion and bullying, Kim does not need ‘self-defense.’ But pitting the U.S. and South Korea as the aggressors allows Kim to justify his weapons development,” Soo Kim said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said the U.S. will take all necessary measures to ensure the security of the American homeland and South Korea and Japan. South Korea’s presidential National Security Council said it will seek to strengthen its “overwhelming response capacity” against potential North Korean aggression based on the military alliance with the United States.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The South Korean and U.S. militaries plan to hold a table-top exercise this week to hone a joint response to a potential use of nuclear weapons by North Korea. The allies are also to conduct another joint computer simulated exercise and field training in March.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan, meeting on the sidelines of a security conference in Germany on Saturday, agreed to boost a trilateral cooperation involving the United States and exchanged in-depth views on the issue of Japan’s colonial-era mobilization of forced Korean laborers — a key sticking point in efforts to improve their ties, according to Seoul’s Foreign Ministry.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">South Korea and Japan are both key U.S. allies but often spat over issues stemming from Tokyo’s 1910-45 colonial occupation of the Korean Peninsula. But North Korea’s recent missile testing spree is pushing the two countries to explore how to reinforce their security cooperation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Last year, North Korea set an annual record with the launch of more than 70 missiles. North Korea has said many of those weapons tests were a warning over previous U.S.-South Korean military drills. It also passed a law that allows it to use nuclear weapons preemptively in a broad range of scenarios.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kim Jong Un entered 2023 with a call for an “exponential increase” of the country’s nuclear warheads, mass production of battlefield tactical nuclear weapons targeting South Korea and the development of more advanced ICBMs targeting the U.S. 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, '2023-02-19 07:34:21', '2023-02-19 07:34:21');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5290, 5290, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said her government would build Dhaka as a \"Smart City\" as she opened the Kalshi Flyover and a six-lane road from ECB square to Kalshi to the traffic at Mirpur in the area.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We will build Dhaka as a Smart City,\" she said while addressing a public rally at Kalshi Balur Math here after opening the flyover and the road unveiling a plaque.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister said her government has taken plan keeping people\'s welfare in mind.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the rally, she also announced to rename the Kalshi flyover after Harun Mollah due to his glorious contribution to the Liberation War and all the democratic and progressive movements of the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The main problem of Dhaka city is not to have better connectivity between its East and West, the premier said, adding her government has attached priority to the development of communication system in this part of the capital.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said this 2.34km Kalshi flyover and 3.70 km widened and developed six-lane road from the ECB square would ease the communication in Mirpur, DOHS, Pallabi, Kalshi, Mahakhali, Manikdi, Matikata, Bhashantek, Banani, Uttara and the Airport.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The traffic jam of Dhaka would decline significantly after opening the Kalshi Flyover and the six-lane road following the metro rail, she hoped.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">About measures taken for the development of Dhaka North City, Sheikh Hasina said as many as 23 projects involving TK 3,500 crore have been implemented in the last 12 years since Dhaka city was divided into two parts in 2011.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said 16 projects worth over Tk 3000 crore have also been implemented in Dhaka South City Corporation over the years.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She mentioned that under the projects, development of communication and infrastructures in the capital including its beautification, improvement of water supply management, construction and development of footpath and waste management alongside roads, bridges and flyovers were made.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the function, the prime minister has announced to build Kalshi Balur Math as an amusement park with having playground for the children and youths and walkways for the movement of the aged persons.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina, also President of the Awami League, said her government would make the democracy strengthened and well-protected and thus build the fate of the people.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Referring to vote rigging by the BNP-Jamaat alliance in February 15, 1996 election, she said the people of the country dislodged them from the power within one and a half month.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The people of the country never accepted those who came to power through vote rigging,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister said the BNP-Jamaat clique wanted to manipulate election through vote rigging after incorporating 1.23 crore fake votes in 2006, but the people forced them to stop it through the movement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After the rally, she took Kalshi flyover to reach her official Ganabhaban residence in city.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The ECNEC on Jan 9, 2018 approved the project, under which, a 3.70 km stretch of road from the ECB square to Kalshi was widened, while the 2.34 km long Kalshi flyover was constructed at the Kalshi intersection under the Local Government Division of the Ministry of LGRD and Cooperatives.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Bangladesh Army (24 Engineer Construction Brigade) implemented the project at a cost of around Taka 1,012 crore.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The construction work of the project started on January in 2018 and it was completed four months prior to the stipulated time in June, 2023.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the project details, the flyover looks like an English alphabet \'Y\'. The previously four lane roads have been widened to six lanes to ease passenger commute.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The main four-lane flyover runs from ECB square towards Kalshi and Mirpur DOHS, while a two-lane ramp descends from Kalshi intersection to Kalshi Road.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The project also includes extension of a PC girder bridge, construction of two foot over-bridges, a public toilet, two police boxes, a 7.40 kilometer RCC drain and saucer drain, a 1755 meter RCC pipe drain, retaining wall, 3383 meter communication duct, 800000 linear meter sand compaction pile, separate bicycle lanes, and six bus bays.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At least two overhead footbridges with escalators have been constructed next to the flyover.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Md Tazul Islam, DNCC Mayor Md Atiqul Islam, Chief of Army Staff General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed and Dhaka-16 lawmaker Md Elias Uddin Mollah spoke at the rally.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Swapan Bhattacharjee, and Local Government Division Secretary Muhammad Ibrahim, were present on the dais.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Commander of 24 Engineer Construction Brigade gave a brief presentation on the Kalshi Flyover and the six-lane road.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A video documentary on the Kalshi flyover and road project was also screened at the function. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">&nbsp;bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-19 07:53:24', '2023-02-19 07:53:24'),
(5291, 5291, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Turkey was already battling runaway inflation and relying on rich allies for funding to keep its economy afloat when a massive earthquake killed tens of thousands, razed entire cities and left millions needing urgent help.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Now, it must pour billions of dollars into rebuilding 11 southeastern provinces flattened by the February 6 tremor -- the worst disaster of its post-Ottoman history.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That money will have to come on top of the billions of dollars in election promises that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made in the run-up to crucial polls still tentatively planned for May 14.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">All this cash could turbo-charge consumer spending and industrial production -- two key indicators of economic growth.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The problem for Erdogan, however, is that Turkey is very short of funds.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The central bank\'s vanishing coffers have been replenished by assistance from Russia and oil-rich Gulf states, which has helped Turkey spend tens of billions of dollars propping up the lira in the past few years.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But economists believe that money is only sufficient to keep Turkey\'s finances in order -- and the troubled lira from collapsing -- until the May polls.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Now, Erdogan must repair some $84.1 billion in quake damage, according to an estimate from a prominent business group.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Other experts\' estimates are more conservative, putting the total closer to $10 billion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Reconstruction boost -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With elections in mind, Erdogan has already promised to provide new homes to the millions affected within a year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Should he find the cash, leaning heavily again on foreign donors, Erdogan will need to allocate much of it to the construction sector to rebuild parts of Turkey from the ground up.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Although contractors are now being blamed for following lax standards that allowed so many buildings to crumble, Erdogan relied on the sector to modernise much of the country with airports, roads and hospitals.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The boost to output from reconstruction activities may largely offset the negative impact of the disruption to economic activity,\" the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">For the overall economy, at least, there are glimmers of hope.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The area affected is one of Turkey\'s least developed, contributing only nine percent to gross domestic product (GDP).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Turkey\'s agricultural production could take a hit.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Unay Tamgac, associate professor of economics at Ankara\'s TOBB ETU University, said the region creates 14.3 percent of Turkey\'s total agriculture, fishing and forestry output.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The region is a global exporter of food such as apricots, she added, warning there could be a knock-on effect on prices.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The UN\'s Food and Agriculture Organisation has warned of disruptions to basic food production in Turkey and Syria.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Better than 1999? -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The quake also damaged energy facilities, infrastructure, transportation, irrigation and logistics, added Tamgac.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some look back to history for guidance.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mahmoud Mohieldin, an executive director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), said the 7.8-magnitude tremor could hurt the economy less than a 7.6-magnitude quake in 1999, which claimed more than 17,000 lives.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An IMF spokesperson later said Mohieldin was speaking in a private capacity and not representing the fund\'s official view.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Turkish economy weakened by around 0.5 to 1.0 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 1999. But that tremor hit the country\'s industrial heartland -- including economic powerhouse Istanbul.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The economy quickly rebounded, however, growing by 1.5 percent of GDP in 2000 thanks to reconstruction efforts, the EBRD said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Last week\'s quake also \"did not affect areas farther west favoured by foreign tourists, who have become one of Turkey\'s most important sources of foreign exchange\", Wolfango Piccoli, an analyst at Teneo consultancy, said in a note.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Headwinds -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The focus, then, is where Erdogan will get the cash to spend on rebuilding.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It\'s clear there will be a need for foreign currency,\" said Baki Demirel, associate professor of economy at Yalova University, since Turkey will now import more.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Turkey\'s sovereign debt levels are relatively low, meaning the government has some leeway to issue long-term debt.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the downside, foreign investors have shunned Turkey because of Erdogan\'s unorthodox economic views, which include an ill-fated attempt to fight inflation by slashing interest rates.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">When the quake hit, Turkey\'s annual inflation rate had slowed from a two-decade high of 85 percent last year to 58 percent.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With all the headwinds, economists agree the economy will stall in the coming year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Despite the uncertainty and different factors at play, such as global economic conditions and internal political expectations, the Turkish economy is likely to stagnate or grow below its natural rate,\" economist Murat Kubilay wrote in a note online. 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, '2023-02-19 08:08:42', '2023-02-19 08:08:42'),
(5292, 5292, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested a fugitive accused -- in a double murder case in Dinajpur -- from Kurigram on Saturday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The accused, Monirul Islam, was on the run for 24 days after the murders in Ghoraghat area of Dinajpur on January 25.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Arafat Islam, commander of RAB-13, said that Monowar Hossain Mim, 25, and Rakib Hossain Mondal were hacked to death over a land dispute.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Azhar Ali, another main accused in the case, was arrested 24 hours after the murders. The rest of the accused were also arrested, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The accuseds\' houses was set on fire by enraged neighbours the day after the murders. Incidentally, homes of 40 families were completely destroyed in the incident, reports UNB’s Dinajpur correspondent. 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, '2023-02-19 08:28:28', '2023-02-19 08:28:28'),
(5293, 5293, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said that the aim of her government is to preserve democracy and improve the fate of the people.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Preserving democracy and developing the fate of the people is our aim,” she said while inaugurating the Mirpur-Kalshi flyover in Dhaka.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The flyover has been constructed to ease commute in Mirpur, Mirpur DOHS, Pallabi, Kalshi, Mahakhali, Banani, Uttara and Dhaka airport.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister opened the flyover to traffic from a function at Kalshi intersection, adjoining Balur Math, in Dhaka.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina said that after much struggle, AL has been able to ensure people’s voting rights.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“People have voted for AL. We won in the 2008 election; we were again elected by the people in 2014 and 2018. AL came to power elected by the votes of people,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina said that people of Bangladesh are aware of their voting rights, and if anyone rigged elections, they would never accept that.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In this connection, she said that everyone remembers the February 15, 1996 election during which BNP tried to hold onto power through rigging votes, and Khaleda Zia declared herself as the prime minister.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">People did not accept that, the PM said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“March 30 of the same year, Khaleda Zia was compelled to resign due to a mass movement,” she added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister recalled that similar incident happened when BNP was in the office after 2001.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said that BNP included 1.23 crore of fake voters in the voter list and declared the 2006 election which was supposed to be held in January, 2007.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said that many were elected uncontested, while people realised that their votes will be rigged. They initiated a movement again and Khaleda Zia was ousted, she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The PM said that in 2008 election, BNP managed to bag 29 seats out of 300. Later, they won another seat in a by-election.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We came to power repeatedly through the votes of the people, by attaining their trust and confidence, and developing the country,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Hasina, also the AL chief, said that her party believes in the empowerment of people while BNP is trying to confuse people.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said that Bangladesh is on the highway of development and the government has been able to develop Bangladesh as AL has been in power for a long time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The PM said that Bangladesh, by 2041, will be a developed, prosperous and ‘Smart Bangladesh’.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We have formulated a plan for that and are devising the five-year plan based on that to take the country forward. Bangladesh will never look back. It will never be dependent on anyone. We will produce our own food, develop the country, and will not beg to anyone,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The PM said that economic recession and food scarcity have engulfed the whole world, where even the fates of developed countries are at stake.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said that the land in Bangladesh is fertile, and urged all once again to utilize all arable land in cultivation. “Not a single inch of land should be left out from cultivation activities. Produce whatever you can. We will meet our demands and if necessary, we will help others.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Md Tazul Islam, Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Md Atiqul Islam, Army General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed and Dhaka-16 MP Md Elias Uddin Mollah also spoke at the programme. 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, '2023-02-19 09:01:05', '2023-02-19 09:01:05'),
(5294, 5294, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A Dhaka court on Sunday fixed February 26 to hold hearing on charge framing in Niko graft case against BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.</span><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Judge Sheikh Hafizur Rahman passed the order at a temporary courtroom of the Dhaka Special Judge\'s Court-9 at Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Appearing on behalf of Khaleda Zia, lawyer AJ Mohammad Ali sought exemption from filing charges against her. As the hearing did not end today, the court re-fixed the date.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case against five including Begum Khaleda Zia with Tejgaon police station on December 9, 2007 for abusing power in signing a deal with Canadian company Niko for exploring and extracting gas.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The ACC on May 5 in 2008 submitted the charge-sheet against 11 people including Khaleda Zia. The ACC accused them of incurring a loss of more than Taka 13 thousand crore of state exchequer by that deal. 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, '2023-02-19 09:47:32', '2023-02-19 09:47:32'),
(5295, 5295, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin today said 113 actions have been identified to deal with 14 types of disasters by dividing Bangladesh into 11 regions under eight sectors in the National Adaptation Plan (NAP).&nbsp;</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Of these, 80 are considered as high priority ones and 23 medium priority actions. To implement the activities identified in the NAP by 2050, we will require about US$ 230 billion,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The environment minister revealed the information at a workshop titled \'Consultation Workshop on Dissemination and Brainstorming of NAP Implementation\' at the auditorium of the Department of Environment (DoE) here.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Chaired by Environment Secretary Dr Farhina Ahmed the p[rogramme was addressed, among others, by eminent water expert and Professor Emeritus Dr Ainun Nishat, Additional Secretary (Climate Change) of ministry Md Moniruzzaman and DoE Director General Dr Abdul Hamid.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The NAP was presented jointly by Deputy Secretary Dharitri Kumar Sarkar and DoE Director Mirza Shawkat Ali.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The high officials, who were present at the workshop, placed their respective suggestions for implementation of NAP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Speaking as the chief guest, Shahab Uddin said the plan submitted to the UNFCCC on 31 October 2022 is not only a national report but it will also highlight Bangladesh\'s position in the global arena in terms of climate adaptation.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"This plan will be implemented by accepting everyone\'s valuable opinions. The NAP will be effective in adopting and implementing long-term integrated adaptation activities to address climate change in Bangladesh,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The minister said the NAP identifies specific adaptation needs for Bangladesh and appropriate strategies to implement those.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In addition to infrastructural development to deal with the adverse impacts of climate change, more emphasis will be given on increasing the adaptive capacity of people living in vulnerable areas, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shahab Uddin said adaptation activities identified in the NAP will be adopted and implemented through collective efforts to combat climate change.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said his ministry will continue to make joint efforts with various ministries, organisations and stakeholders to ensure sustainable development in Bangladesh. 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, '2023-02-19 10:24:07', '2023-02-19 10:24:07'),
(5296, 5296, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia can take part in politics, but she is barred from contesting in the next general election because of her conviction for corruption, Law Minister Anisul Huq said on Sunday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The government will not interfere in her doing politics, the minister said adding “Whether she will do politics or not, it’s her personal matter.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The minister was talking to reporters after attending an orientation course held at Judicial Administration Training Institute (JATI) in the city.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The constitution states that any person who has been sentenced to two years of imprisonment cannot participate in the elections. There is nothing new to say,” said Anisul.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The BNP leader has been convicted of cases of corruption in Zia Orphanage Trust and sentenced to 10 years in jail. In another corruption case involving Zia Charitable Trust she has been given seven years of imprisonment.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Her sentences have been suspended by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on humanitarian grounds because of her poor health. 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, '2023-02-19 11:29:06', '2023-02-19 11:29:06'),
(5297, 5297, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Khandaker Golam Faruq on Sunday said that there is no possibility of terrorist attack on the Language Martyrs Day or International Mother Language Day as DMP has taken all necessary preparations to ensure security.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We have brought the entire area from Palashi to Doel Chattar under CCTV cameras’ surveillance to ensure security. The area will be monitored by CCTV cameras from the police control room,” the commissioner said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Golam Faruq made these remarks while answering to questions from journalists about the overall security measures taken on the occasion of Amar Ekushe February.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The program has been divided into two parts. The President, the Prime Minister, cabinet members and diplomatic personnel will pay their respects to the martyrs first. Then, it will be opened to the general public”, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">People will enter through Palashi and exit through Doel Chattar to pay respect to language martyrs, said the DMP&nbsp; commissioner adding that no bags or other stuff will not be allowed to carry. 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, '2023-02-19 11:37:58', '2023-02-19 11:37:58'),
(5298, 5298, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The government will start Vitamin A plus campaign across the country on Monday with a target to provide Vitamin A plus capsule to 2,20 crore children, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Sunday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Under the programme, 25 lakh children aged between 6 to 11 months will be fed blue colour A plus capsule while 1.95 crore children aged between 12 to 59 months will be fed red colour capsule, he said while speaking at a programme at the Ministry.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The government started the Vitamin A plus campaign in 2010 and children are fed the capsule twice a year, he said adding “Now only 0.04% children are affected with the night blindness disease due to Vitamin A deficiency.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Already the capsule has been sent to the central drug store, districts, city corporations and publicity about the progrmame has been launched through private and government TV channels and national dailies, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A total of 2.40 lakh volunteers will work at 1.20 lakh centres while 40,000 health workers will participate in the campaign, said the minister. 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, '2023-02-19 12:21:34', '2023-02-19 12:21:34'),
(5299, 5299, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The fundamental problem of Jagannath University (JnU) Begum Fazilatunnessa Mujeeb Hall is increasing day by day.  Apart from non-availability of gas, lift problems, lack of quality food, this time the problem of drinking water has been added.  For almost a week, the water filters on several floors of the sixteen-storey hall have been broken.  And the filters which are good at high pressure are also slowly filtering the water</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is known that many people are suffering from allergic problems after drinking the dining water  However, if you approach the authorities to solve the problem, the authorities say to submit the application first.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> There is 1 water filter in the ground floor dining room of Begum Fazilatunnecha Mujib student hall, 1 small filter for students on every floor from 3rd floor to 16th floor.  There are only 13 water filters against about 1500 students in the hall.  And since one filter is not enough against about half a hundred students per floor, there is always a lot of pressure on the filters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The water filters on floors three to ten have been broken for about a week.  So that many students are forced to collect water from the filter on the upper floor and many are drinking water from the outside or the filter of the dining room.  However, many students are suffering from allergic problems after drinking the dining water and many have rashes on their bodies.  It is also uncertain when this problem will be solved.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The students complained that when they told the authorities about these problems, they asked them to give an empty application after listening to everything.  It\'s over when you apply.  Does not take any initiative.  Now we have to worry about food and water.  And teachers in charge of supervision are often not available to report problems.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to experts, if you drink iron water more than the tolerable level or if you cannot drink clean water, it can cause serious damage to various organs of the human body including bone infection, liver cirrhosis.  This damage to the human body is gradual and is not immediately noticeable.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Farhana Karim , a resident student of the hall, says the filter is too little against the requirement.  There is a lot of damage on it  Now we have to go from 3rd floor to 12th floor to fetch water.  There is a crowd naturally.  I had two days of dining water  Then the allergy increases in the body.  Not only should the filter be fixed but also increased  It will also reduce the pressure in the filter, which will be beneficial for us.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another resident student said that she has to read more at night  I went to the 9th and 10th floor and saw the same condition of the filter there.  If there is no quality food, there is no good environment, on top of that, now the problem has started with water.  It should be resolved quickly.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">When asked about this, Jagannath University Begum Fazilatunnecha Mujib Hall Provost Professor Dr.  Shamima Begum said, I am sick.  Appropriate measures will be taken to resolve the matter.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'Mahamudur Rahman Najid', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-19 12:46:48', '2023-02-20 09:48:04'),
(5300, 5300, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A fire broke out on the seventh floor of a multistorey building in the capital\'s Gulshan Sunday evening, the fire service said.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fortunately, no casualties were reported till the filling of this report.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Seven people have been rescued so far from the building, Anwarul Islam, warehouse inspector of the Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters\' media cell, said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The fire began at 6:59pm in a 12-storey building in Gulshan-2. However, the reasons for the fire mishap and the extent of damage could not immediately be confirmed,\" he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the visuals emerging from the site, huge flames coupled with thick clouds of black smoke were seen billowing out of the building.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On information, 13 firefighting units responded to the blaze, and the responders are trying to tame the flames, Anwarul 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, '2023-02-19 16:32:33', '2023-02-19 16:32:33'),
(5301, 5301, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A route map has been finalised for going to the Central Shaheed Minar on February 21 to pay respect to language martyrs.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dhaka University\'s Central Coordination Committee finalised the route map which will be effective from 8pm on February 20 (Monday).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the map, visitors can enter the Central Shaheed Minar through DU BUET DMC triangle in front of Salimullah Muslim Hall, Jagannath Hall and can exit through the main gate of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, Doyel Crossing of Dhaka University.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Other roads on the campus area will be closed from 8.00 pm on Monday (February 20).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the map, people can enter the university area using the Azimpur graveyard road and the old High Court road, Doyel Crossing, Bangla Academy, TSC crossing, the road beside the VC\'s residence, New Market crossing and the north gate of Azimpur graveyard.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The road on the east side of Jagannath Hall from TSC and the road to Chankharpool from Doyel Crossing will remain closed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dhaka University authorities arranged a press conference at the Abdul Motin Virtual classroom of Dhaka University on Sunday noon where they disclosed the route map and overall preparation taken to mark the Language Martyrs Day on February 21.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Everything is going on well, and we hope we will be able to mark the 21st February with great enthusiasm. All the preparations have been completed and some minor preparations are yet to be taken,\" DU VC Professor Akhtaruzzaman told the press conference.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The other organisations will pay their homage at the altar of the Central Shaheed Minar after the President, the Prime Minister and the Speaker show their respects, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, this year there will be no restriction on personal homage paying, as every individual will be given the chance to pay their homage.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During a recent visit at the Central Shaheed Minar premises, it is seen that the premises of the altar has been washed and painted. The area has been decorated with colourful lights while check posts have been set up to ensure the security of the visitors.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Law enforcement agencies are monitoring the area through multiple CCTV cameras.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A temporary control room has been set up in front of Law Faculty by the Police and Rab to monitor the area and take action instantly in case of any emergency.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the other hand, the teachers and the students of Fine Arts Faculty of Dhaka University were seen busy to give their finishing touches on the graffiti and on other art works.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tawhidul Islam, a third-year student of Drawing and Painting Department of Fine Arts Faculty of Dhaka University, who has been doing wall painting for the last two days, told UNB that, “The preparations are almost complete. The only remaining thing is the graffiti on the premises of Central Shaheed Minar. The remaining portion will be finished within the given time.\" 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, '2023-02-19 16:38:32', '2023-02-19 16:38:32');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5302, 5302, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday urged the United Nations to help Bangladesh in relocating Rohingyas to Bhashanchar island.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She made the plea while UN resident coordinator Gwyn Lewis called on her at her official residence, Ganabhaban.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">PM’s Speech Writer M Nazrul Islam told reporters that the prime minister mentioned that over one million Myanmar nationals, Rohingyas, are now a big burden for Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Their return to their homeland soon is uncertain, so I am requesting the UN to help Bangladesh relocate the Rohingyas to Bhashanchar,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In this connection, she mentioned that the island has been organised and developed to provide better living condition for the Myanmar nationals.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said that it has a cyclone shelter, employment opportunities on limited scale and education facilities for the children in their mother language.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hasina said that the Rohingyas who are living in camps in Ukhia, Cox’s Bazar have already outnumbered the local people.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“They have created problems for the living and livelihoods of the local Bangladesh people,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She also said that some of the Rohingyas are involved in various types of anti-social activities like human and drug trafficking, internal conflicts and militant activities.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“In this situation, as their scope to return to their homeland soon is uncertain, their living standard will be upgraded if they relocate on Bhashanchar island where they will get better environment to live,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The PM said that forcibly displaced Rohingyas are living in an inhumane condition in Cox’s bazar amid uncertainty about their repatriation soon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh has so far moved about 30,000 Rohingyas to Bhasanchar to ease crowding in the camps in Cox\'s Bazar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Rohingyas, the minority Muslims in Myanmar, fled to neighbouring Bangladesh mostly in 2017 to escape killings, arson and rape unleashed by the country\'s military junta.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Diplomatic efforts at safe, voluntary and sustainable repatriation of the Rohingyas to their homeland have so far failed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The issues of UN-set MDGs and SDGs were also discussed during the meeting.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">PM Hasina said that she herself attended the events during the adoption of the agenda of MDGs and SDGs where Bangladesh played a proper role.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said that necessary measures have been taken to implement SDGs and issues relating to Bangladesh have been incorporated in the country’s five-year and perspective plans.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pointing out a number of challenges in implementing the SDGs due to Ukraine-Russia war followed by sanctions and counter-sanctions, the prime minister said that the war after the Covid-19 pandemic situation has created some obstacles.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But the government has been working to implement the SDGs, she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said the government has been continuing with the provision of free books, stipends and scholarships to students for promotion of education. School feeding programmers have also been introduced.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Talking about women empowerment, she said that the present government has ensured female representatives on the local government bodies.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Besides, job opportunities have also been created for the female to attract them to education, she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said that as a result now the parents are more interested to send their daughters to educational institutions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In this regard, the PM said that girls are now outnumbering the boys in schools, while almost cent percent enrolment has been achieved in the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During the meeting, the UN resident coordinator highly appreciated Bangladesh’s stunning progress and achievements in socio-economic front as well as in women’s empowerment, girl’s education, and in achieving MDGs and SDGs, spokesperson Nazrul said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Gwyn Lewis assured that the UN will remain beside Bangladesh in the days ahead in overcoming various challenges like it had been in the past.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">About child labor situation in the country Hasina said there is no such case in formal sectors as it has been almost abolished although there might be some in informal areas.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Referring to the climate change, the prime minister said that her government has undertaken adaptation and mitigation programmers to face its adverse impact and has constructed cyclone tolerant houses as well as created green belts along the coastal areas.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">About measures to fight climate change the PM said they have taken adaptation and mitigation programme for making Bangladesh climate change resistant.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said Bangladesh is building climate resistant houses and green belt along the coastal areas as measures to fight the climate change impacts.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said Bangladesh set up a Climate Trust Fund with its own finance.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She however expressed dissatisfaction over the climate promises made by the rich nations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The rich countries are giving promises, but they are not complying with those,\" she said. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'Newsdesk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-20 08:37:44', '2023-02-20 08:37:44'),
(5303, 5303, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The death toll from Sunday’s fire at an apartment block in Gulshan-2 increased to two as another victim died on Monday morning.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Raju Mia Shikder, who sustained injuries during the fire incident, died at a hospital in the capital, said Deputy Commissioner (Gulshan division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Abdul Ahad.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The fire that quickly tore through the apartment block Sunday evening was brought under control after four hours.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Anwar Hossain, who used to work in the 12- storeyed building,&nbsp; was killed after the deadly fire engulfed it.&nbsp; Also, 22 people – nine men, 12 women, and one child –were rescued.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The fire broke out on the seventh floor of a 12-storey building in Gulshan-2 at 6:59pm. However, the reasons for the fire mishap and the extent of damage could not immediately be confirmed,\"&nbsp; Anwarul Islam, warehouse inspector of the Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters media cell, said. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'Newsdesk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-20 08:42:32', '2023-02-20 08:42:32'),
(5304, 5304, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">With demolishing the district town’s last movie theater, Feni now has no cinema hall left.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dulal Cinema Hall, Feni town’s last remaining movie theater, was demolished last Wednesday (February 15, 2023) due to a steep decline in the number of audiences. A multi-storey shopping mall will be built on the site where the cinema hall stood.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Safiuddin Belal, owner of Dulal Cinema Hall said, “We had to seek assistance from law enforcement to tackle the crowd during screening of blockbusters such as ‘Beder Meye Josna’ and \'Rupban\'.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"However, the number of audiences started declining after 2015,\" Belal told UNB.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The cinema hall had eight \"VIP\" seats (tickets for each cost Tk 100). It also had 80 \"first-class\" seats (Tk 60 each).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Belal said that \"second\" and \"third-class\" seats had been discontinued for the past three years.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There were six cinema halls in the town and the adjacent Dagonbhuiya upazila. One after another, curtains fell on Feni district’s silver screens as the owners were left with no choice but to demolish them.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The lack of quality films, coupled with the steep decline in audience, killed the town’s cinema hall business.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The four cinema halls in Feni town were Dulal Cinema Hall, Surat Mahal, Bilashi Cinema Hall, and Kanan Cinema Hall. There were two other cinema halls — Beauty Cinema Hall in Fulghazi upazila and Jharna Cinema Hall in Dagonbhuiyan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Thousands of movie lovers from the district’s remote areas used to flock to these halls to see films with their families and friends.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 1952, sports organizer Khairul Eshak opened Dulal Cinema Hall on Feni town’s Railway Station Road. Years later, Afzalur Rahman opened the Surat cinema hall in the city’s Zero Point area. However, the hall was demolished and later replaced by Feni Super Market after Afzalur Rahman’s son Bacchu Mia took over the ownership after his father’s death in 2003.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Feni\'s Kanan cinema hall opened in Masterpara Mor around 1978, under the ownership of Azad Peyara and Momtazul Huq Bhuiyan. The hall was in operation until the owners went out of business during the Covid-19 pandemic.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bilashi, one of the four cinema halls in Feni city, was built around 1980 by Nur Mia. The hall was later rented out to the city’s local commissioner, Omar Faruk, after the death of Nur Mia. Faruk left the business due to losses in 2002, and since then, the hall has been closed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Surat and Dulal cinema halls were the top choices of the audience due to their safer and cleaner environment. According to reports, at least 700–800 tickets were sold per show.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The other cinema halls used to attract 400–600 viewers per show. At least 10,000-12,000 viewers used to watch films at the four cinema halls in Feni every day on average. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'Newsdesk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-20 08:48:56', '2023-02-20 08:48:56'),
(5305, 5305, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The nation is set to observe the \'Shaheed Dibash\' (Martyrs Day) and the International Mother Language Day on Tuesday with due respect.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">People from all walks of life will pay glowing tributes to the memories of the language movement martyrs, the valiant sons of the soil who made supreme sacrifice to establish the rights of the mother tongue, Bangla, in 1952.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The day will also be observed around the world as the UNESCO recognised the \'February 21 (Ekushey February)\' as the International Mother Language Day on November 17, 1999.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The government has already taken extensive programmes to observe the day in a befitting manner.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will lead the nation to pay respect to language martyrs by placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar beside Dhaka Medical College and Hospital at one minute past zero hour.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Both the president and the premier will issue separate messages paying rich tributes to those who embraced martyrdom on the day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The day is a public holiday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In observance of the day, the Central Shaheed Minar premises is being decorated with paintings, graffiti, buntings and selected verses on the mother language.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tight security measures have been enforced around the main altar of the Shaheed Minar, its adjoining areas and Azimpur graveyard of the language martyrs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Different political-social-cultural-professional organizations, including the ruling Awami League, have taken various programmes such as seminars and cultural functions, to observe the Amar (immortal) Ekushey in a befitting manner.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Cultural Affairs Ministry has drawn up an elaborate programme to observe the day at national level.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The programme was finalized following an inter-ministerial meeting recently with State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid in the chair.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The national flags will be kept half-mast in a proper manner having accurate size at all the buildings of government, semi-government, autonomous and private organisations and educational institutions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In line with the national programmes, all educational institutions, local government bodies, district and upazila administrations, Bangladesh missions abroad will take proper measures to observe the day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fateha and Qurankhwani will be offered at Azimpur graveyard and special prayers will be arranged at all worship places across the country seeking eternal peace of the language martyrs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Proper measures will be taken to strengthen the security system in and around all the venues, including the Central Shaheed Minar, and Dhaka University campus adjoining areas.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On the occasion, road islands and other important places in the capital will be decorated with festoons inscribed with letters of different languages including Bangla.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Public and private mass media will take necessary measures to carry out awareness programmes on pronouncing names of language martyrs properly, protecting significance of the Shaheed Dibash, upholding the dignity of Shaheed Minar and placing wreaths at Shaheed Minar in a disciplined manner.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The newspapers will publish special supplements.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Uninterrupted power and water supply will be ensured around the Central Shaheed Minar and its adjoining areas while required numbers of mobile toilets will be set up in the areas.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Streets will be kept neat and clean and water will be sprayed on streets to control dust. In order to ensure emergency medical services, medical camps will be set up in the Shaheed Minar areas and a sufficient number of ambulances will be kept ready to this end.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh missions abroad will organize different programmes, including placing wreaths at Shaheed Minar, discussions on Bangabandhu and Language Movement, and book and photo exhibitions where diplomats of different countries and Bangladeshi expatriates will join.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Besides, messages of the president, the prime minister, foreign minister, state minister for foreign affairs and state minister for cultural affairs also will be read out at the missions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mass Communication Department will stage mobile musical function on streets through trucks and on waterways in Dhaka city\'s surrounding areas through water vessels and films and documentaries will be screened at district and upazila levels.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Department of Films and Publications will publish three types of posters, marking the Amar Ekushey.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Marking the day, Bangla Academy, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Kabi Nazrul Institute, National Book Centre, Islamic Foundation, Bangladesh National Museum, Department of Archaeology, Department of Public Libraries, International Mother Language Institute, Department of Archives and Library, Bangladesh Folk Art and Crafts Foundation, Bangladesh Shishu Academy, Small Ethnic Groups Cultural Institute, three districts in hill tracts, Tribal Cultural Academy in Birishiri of Netrokona, Rajshahi Divisional Ethnic Minority Cultural Academy (RDEMCA), Manipuri Lalitkala Academy, Cox\'s Bazar Cultural Centre and other organizations and institutions will organize book fairs, discussions, seminars, symposiums, poem recitation, drawing and hand writing competitions and screen documentaries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Children, students, senior citizens and the children with special needs could visit the National Museum and its affiliated branch museums and all the archeological sites and museums under the Department of Archaeology free of cost.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Awami League has drawn up elaborate programmes to observe the Amar Ekushey and the International Mother Language Day in a befitting manner.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">To mark the day, national and party flags will be kept half-mast and black flags will be hoisted atop of the AL\'s central office at Bangabandhu Avenue and Bangabandhu Bhaban and other unit offices of the party across the country at 6:30 am on Monday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Other programmes include wearing of black badges and later bringing out Provat Feri from south gate of New Market as a mark of profound respect to the Language Movement martyrs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Awami League leaders and workers will pay homage to the language movement martyrs by placing wreaths at Azimpur graveyard in the morning. Later, they will also pay homage at the Central Shaheed Minar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Besides, a discussion will be held at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) at 3:30pm on February 22 to mark the day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will chair the discussion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Party\'s General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has urged all leaders and workers of the party, associate and like-minded bodies to observe the day in a befitting manner.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On February 21 in 1952, Salam, Rafique, Shafique, Jabbar and Barkat embraced martyrdom in police firing in front of the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) as they took to the street to intensify the campaign to establish Bangla as the state language of the then Pakistan, sowing the seeds of subsequent movements for the country\'s independence.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They were killed as police opened fire on students demonstrating under the All-Party Students Action Committee against conspiracies of Pakistani rulers to declare \"Urdu\" as the only state language.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The movement for Bangla, however, did not stop and Pakistan government on February 29, 1956 was compelled to recognise Bangla as one of the state languages besides Urdu.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The decision, however, could not stop the movement against repression and misrule of Pakistani government that subsequently led the Bangalee to the War of Independence and the emergence of Bangladesh. 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, '2023-02-20 09:04:35', '2023-02-20 09:04:35'),
(5306, 5306, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday denounced attempts to undermine the contribution of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to the historic Language Movement.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Bangabandhu was jailed for waging the Language Movement. Why was he in jail (at that time) if he had no contribution?” she asked.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The premier said this after conferring the \"Ekushey Padak 2023\" to 19 eminent personalities and two organizations in recognition of their contributions to the 1952 language movement, art, culture, journalism and journalism.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She handed over the Ekushey Padak, the country’s second highest civilian award, at a ceremony at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;Hasina said the ‘Joy Bangla’ slogan, which inspired the freedom fighters to make their supreme sacrifice, and the historic 7th March speech were banned after the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib in 1975.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Actually his name was obliterated from history. Not only that, his contribution to the Language Movement was erased,” she said, adding that even some scholars said he had no contribution since he was in jail at that time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The PM said Bangabandhu was arrested on three occasions within months after the emergence of Pakistan as a country. Arrested in 1949, he was not released until February 27, 1952, she noted.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While he was in jail, student leaders used to meet him and received his instructions regarding the Language Movement, she said adding that it can be learnt reading the books ‘Oshomapto Attojiboni’ (Unfinished Memories) of Bangabandhu and ‘Secret Documents of Intelligence Branch on Bangabandhu.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The specific dates, names of student leaders who met Bangabandhu and his role during the Language Movement can largely be learnt from the 113-130 pages of the Volume-II of the secret documents book.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The PM extended her sincere thanks to the awardees and noted personalities.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Cultural Affairs Ministry organised the event on the occasion of ‘Amar Ekushey’ and International Mother Language Day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Among the award recipients, Khaleda Manzoor-e Khuda, freedom fighter AKM Shamsul Haque (posthumous), and Haji Mohammad Majibor Rahman received the award for their roles in the Language Movement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Masud Ali Khan and Shimul Yusuf received the prestigious award for their contributions in acting, while Manoranjan Ghoshal, Gazi Abdul Hakim and Fazal-e-Khuda (posthumous) for music, Jayanto Chattopadhyay for recitation, Nawazish Ali Khan for Shilpakala (arts), and Kanak Chanpa Chakma for painting.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Besides, Momtaz Uddin (posthumously) was given the award in the Liberation War category, Md Shah Alamgir (posthumously) in journalism, Dr Md Abdul Majid in research, Professor Dr Mazharul Islam (posthumously) in education, Saidul Haque in social service, Advocate Manjurul Islam (posthumously) and Akhter Uddin Mia (posthumously) in politics, and Dr Maniruzzaman in language and literature.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh National Museum received the award in the category of education and Bidyanondo Foundation in social service.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Each awardee received a gold medal, a certificate of honour, and a cheque worth Tk four lakh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid chaired the award giving ceremony, while Cabinet Secretary Md. Mahbub Hossain conducted it and read out the citations of the award recipients.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Cultural Affairs Secretary Md. Abul Monsur delivered the welcome address.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Ekushey Padak was introduced in the memory of the martyrs of the 1952 Language Movement. 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, '2023-02-20 09:08:55', '2023-02-20 09:08:55'),
(5307, 5307, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Islamic University issued an open notice for all of its students with a view to gathering information regarding the ragging incident reportedly by the university unit Bangladesh Chhatra League vice-president Shanjida Chowdhury Ontora and her cohorts on the campus in Kushtia on February 12nigh.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A press release, signed by IU information and public relations office deputy registrar Rashiduzzaman Khan Tutul, was issued in this regard on Saturday night.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the press release, the university administration has issued the open notice for all to gather information from them for fair investigation of the ragging incident. If anyone has any evidence or information about the torture of female students, he/she should be asked to submit it, in written form or in person, to the probe body convener Professor Reba Mondol of law department of the university on Monday around 11:00am.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The identity of the informant will be kept confidential, the press release added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Campus sources said that the fresher student of IU finance and banking department was brought to the campus under tight security on Saturday to testify before the inquiry committee as per the High Court directive.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She was later taken directly to the Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall to testify in front of the inquiry committees appointed by the university authorities and the hall administration from 1:00pm to 4:00pm on Saturday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The victim left the campus after her meeting with the probe committees formed by the hall authorities and the university administration, IU proctor Professor M Shahadat Hossain Azad said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Four other students of the Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall of the university also told the probe body that they were also tortured and intimidated by IU BCL unit vice-president Shanjida Chowdhury Ontora and her cohorts in the last few months.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They also demanded their immediate punishment to the probe bodies so that they could not dare to do such a heinous act in the future.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Talking to UNB, the victim said, \"I have told the investigation committee whatever happened to me. I want fair justice for the accused involved in the incident,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ataur Rahman, father of the victim, said that the university administration assured them that legal action would be taken against the accused after a fair investigation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But he demands immediate punishment of the accused.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Three other accused, Israt Jahan Mim of law department, Halima Khatun Urmi of fine arts department and Maobiya of finance and banking department, also took part in the ragging incident along with Ontora, a group of eye witnesses said on Sunday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On February 12 night, a group of BCL activists led by Ontora and her cohorts including Tabassum went to the victim’s room and reportedly assaulted and tortured her.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ontora, at one stage, forced the victim to get undressed and videoed the incident on her mobile phone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The BCL leader also threatened that she would make the video viral on social media if the victim disclosed the matter to anyone, according to the complainant.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The victim lodged a written complaint with the university administration, including the university proctor, student adviser and the hall provost, demanding punishment of those involved in the incident on February 14.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A writ petition was also filed by Gazi Mohammad Mohsin, an alumnus of the university and a lawyer, with the High Court on Thursday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The HC on the same day ordered the accused to leave the hall and the university administration to look into the matter seriously, and submit a report in this regard within the next 10 days.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It also asked the deputy commissioner of Kushtia to form a three-member probe body to further inquire into the incident, and submit a report within the next seven days.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Accused BCL leader Ontara and activist Tabassum left the hall following the High Court order. 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, '2023-02-20 09:55:29', '2023-02-20 09:55:29'),
(5308, 5308, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir BNP Secretary General has admitted to the United Hospital in the capital.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shayrul Kabir Khan, a member of BNP\'s media cell, confirmed this information at 12:30 this noon (Monday).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said that while working in the BNP Chairperson\'s political office at Gulshan in the capital, the Secretary General suddenly felt ill. He was immediately admitted to the United Hospital.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shayrul Kabir said that Mirza Fakhrul was admitted under the senior doctor of United Hospital\'s cardiology department Professor Muminuzzaman.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mirza Fakhrul returned home on Thursday after receiving treatment in Singapore Supreme Versular and International Clini.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"4\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-20 10:10:08', '2023-02-20 10:10:08'),
(5309, 5309, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">President Joe Biden made an unannounced visit Monday to Ukraine to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a gesture of solidarity that comes days before the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of the country.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Biden delivered remarks at met with Zelensky at Mariinsky Palace to announce an additional half billion dollars in U.S. assistance and to reassure Ukraine of American and allied support as the conflict continues.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“One year later, Kyiv stands. And Ukraine stands. Democracy stands,” Biden 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, '2023-02-20 10:51:14', '2023-02-20 10:51:14'),
(5310, 5310, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The National Moon Sighting Committee will hold a meeting tomorrow to fix the date of holy Shab-e-Barat of Hijri 1444 after reviewing reports on moon sighting of Shaban month.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;The meeting will be held at Islamic Foundation conference room in Baitul Mukarram National Mosque at 6.20pm, said a release.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">State Minister for Religious Affairs Mohammad Faridul Haque Khan will preside over the meeting, an official release said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;People are requested to inform the committee about moon sighting over following telephone numbers - 02-223381725,02-41050912,02-41050916 and 02-41050917- or through fax numbers - 02-223383397 and 02-95559, or to contact deputy Commissioner of respective district or concerned Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), it added. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"7\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-20 11:25:31', '2023-02-20 11:25:31'),
(5311, 5311, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The High Court has banned the streaming of “Faraaz” – an Indian film based on the 2016 terrorist attack at the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka’s Gulshan – on online platforms in Bangladesh.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The HC bench of Justice Md Khasruzzaman and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir today passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed against the screening of the movie directed by Hansal Mehta.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Barrister Rokan Uddin Mahmud and the lawyer Ahsanul Karim stood for the petitioner at the court. Deputy Attorney General Bipul Bagmar represented the state.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The petition was filed against the streaming of the film online and screening at movie theatres by Ruba Ahmed, mother of Abinta Kabir who was one of the victims of the attack.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“As the film is yet to be approved by the Censor Board, today’s directive does not mention a ban on screening in cinema halls,” the petitioner’s lawyer Ahsanul Karim told UNB.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Produced by T-Series and Benaras Media Works, “Faraaz” is loosely based on the terrorist attack at Holey Artisan Bakery on July 1, 2016. At least 22 people, including 17 foreign nationals, were killed in the attack. Faraaz Ayaaz Hossain and Abinta Kabir were among the victims alongside Tarishi Jain and Ishrat Akhond.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Two police officers were also killed in the attack.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Since the trailer of Hansal Mehta’s much-talked-about Bollywood film “Faraaz” was released, Ruba Ahmed took to the media to express her objections to releasing and promoting the film in Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ahmed, alongside the mother of Tarishi Jain, an Indian national who was killed in the attack, has also fought a legal battle at Delhi High Court to stop the release of “Faraaz”. However, the Indian court refused to block the film which was released in theatres across India on February 3. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-20 11:44:05', '2023-02-20 11:44:05'),
(5312, 5312, '<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today conferred ‘Ekushey Padak 2023’ to 19 eminent personalities and two organizations in recognition of their contributions to various fields.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She handed over the Ekushey Padak, the country’s second highest civilian award, at a ceremony at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Cultural Affairs Ministry organised the event on the occasion of ‘Amar Ekushey’ and International Mother Language Day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Among the award recipients, Khaleda Manzoor-e Khuda, freedom fighter AKM Shamsul Haque (posthumous), and Haji Mohammad Majibor Rahman received the award for their roles in the Language Movement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Masud Ali Khan and Shimul Yusuf received the prestigious award for their contributions in acting, while Manoranjan Ghoshal, Gazi Abdul Hakim and Fazal-e-Khuda (posthumous) for music, Jayanto Chattopadhyay for recitation, Nawazish Ali Khan for Shilpakala (arts), and Kanak Chanpa Chakma for painting.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Besides, Momtaz Uddin (posthumously) was given the award in the Liberation War category, Md Shah Alamgir (posthumously) in journalism, Dr Md Abdul Majid in research, Professor Dr Mazharul Islam (posthumously) in education, Saidul Haque in social service, Advocate Manjurul Islam (posthumously) and Akhter Uddin Mia (posthumously) in politics, and Dr Maniruzzaman in language and literature.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh National Museum received the award in the category of education and Bidyanondo Foundation in social service.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Each awardee received a gold medal, a certificate of honour, and a cheque worth Tk four lakh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid chaired the award giving ceremony, while Cabinet Secretary Md. Mahbub Hossain conducted it and read out the citations of the award recipients.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Cultural Affairs Secretary Md. Abul Monsur delivered the welcome address.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Ekushey Padak was introduced in the memory of the martyrs of the 1952 Language Movement. 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, '2023-02-20 11:55:54', '2023-02-20 11:55:54'),
(5313, 5313, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">One more dengue patient died and four people were hospitalised with dengue in 24 hours till Monday morning.</span><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">With the new number, the official death toll from dengue rose to nine this year, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Of the new patients, two were admitted to hospitals in Dhaka and the rest outside it, it added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Twenty-six dengue patients, including 15 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">So far, the DGHS has recorded 699 dengue cases and 664 recoveries this year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">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&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"6\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-20 12:12:36', '2023-02-20 12:12:36');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5314, 5314, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">President Joe Biden made an unannounced visit to Ukraine on Monday to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a striking gesture of solidarity that comes days before the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of the country.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Speaking alongside Zelenskyy at Mariinsky Palace, Biden recalled the fears nearly a year ago that Russia’s invasion forces might quickly take the Ukrainian capital. “One year later, Kyiv stands,” Biden said, jamming his finger for emphasis on his podium decorated with the U.S. and Ukrainian flags. “And Ukraine stands. Democracy stands. The Americans stand with you, and the world stands with you.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Ukraine visit comes at a crucial moment in the war as Biden looks to keep allies unified in their support for Ukraine as the war is expected to intensify with both sides preparing for spring offensives. Zelenskyy is pressing allies to speed up delivery of pledged weapon systems and is calling on the West to deliver fighter jets to Ukraine — something that Biden to date has declined to do.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Kyiv, Biden announced an additional half-billion dollars in U.S. assistance — on top of the more than $50 billion already provided — including shells for howitzers, anti-tank missiles, air surveillance radars and other aid but no new advanced weaponry.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ukraine has also been pushing for battlefield systems that would allow its forces to strike Russian targets that have been moved back from frontline areas, out of the range of HIMARS missiles that have already been delivered. Zelenskyy said he and Biden spoke about “long-range weapons and the weapons that may still be supplied to Ukraine even though it wasn’t supplied before.” But he did not detail any new commitments.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Our negotiations were very fruitful,” Zelenskyy added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Biden also got a short firsthand taste of the terror that Ukrainians have lived with for close to a year, as air raids sirens howled over the capital just as he and Zelenskyy were exiting the gold-domed St. Michael’s Cathedral, which they visited together. Looking solemn, they continued unperturbed as they laid a wreath and held a moment of silence at the Wall of Remembrance honoring Ukrainian soldiers killed since 2014.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Biden’s mission with his visit to Kyiv, which comes ahead of a scheduled trip to Warsaw, Poland, is to underscore that the United States is prepared to stick with Ukraine “as long as it takes” to repel Russian forces even as public opinion polling suggests that U.S. and allied support for providing weaponry and direct economic assistance has started to soften. For Zelenskyy, the symbolism of having the U.S. president stand side by side with him on Ukrainian land as the anniversary nears is no small thing as he prods the U.S. and European allies to provide more advanced weaponry and to step up the pace of delivery.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I thought it was critical that there not be any doubt, none whatsoever, about U.S. support for Ukraine in the war,” Biden said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Biden’s visit marked an act of defiance against Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had hoped his military would swiftly overrun Kyiv within days. Biden recalled speaking with Zelenskyy on the night of the invasion, saying, “That dark night one year ago, the world was literally at the time bracing for the fall of Kyiv. Perhaps even the end of Ukraine.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A year later, the Ukrainian capital remains firmly in Ukrainian control, and a semblance of normalcy has returned to the city as the fighting has concentrated in the country’s east, punctuated by cruise missile and drone attacks against military and civilian infrastructure.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Biden warned that the “brutal and unjust war” is far from won. “The cost that Ukraine has had to bear has been extraordinarily high. And the sacrifices have been far too great,” Biden said. “We know that there’ll be very difficult days and weeks and years ahead. But Russia’s aim was to wipe Ukraine off the map. Putin’s war of conquest is failing.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“He’s counting on us not sticking together,” Biden said of the Russian leader. ”He thought he could outlast us. I don’t think he’s thinking that right now. God knows what he’s thinking, but I don’t think he’s thinking that. But he’s just been plain wrong. Plain wrong.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The trip gave Biden an opportunity to get a firsthand look at the devastation the Russian invasion has caused on Ukraine. Thousands of Ukrainian troops and civilians have been killed, millions of refugees have fled the war, and Ukraine has suffered tens of billions of dollars of infrastructure damage.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Biden pledged long-term support for Ukraine, saying that “freedom is priceless. It’s worth fighting for for as long as it takes.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“And that’s how long we’re going to be with you, Mr. President, for as long as it takes,” Biden promised. Zelenskyy, speaking in English, responded: “We’ll do it.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Ukrainian leader, wearing a black sweatshirt, as has become his wartime habit, said through an interpreter that the “wide discussion” in their meeting “brings us closer to the victory” — hopefully, he added, this year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Right now, in Ukraine, the destiny of the international order ... is decided,” Zelenskyy said. He added words of gratitude to Biden and to the American people for their support. “Ukraine is grateful to you, Mr. President, to all the U.S. citizens, to all those who cherish freedom just as we cherish them.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Though Western surface-to-air missile systems have bolstered Ukraine’s defensives, the visit marked the rare occasion when a U.S. president has traveled to a conflict zone where the U.S. or its allies did not have control over the airspace. The White House would not go into specifics but said that “basic communication with the Russians occurred to ensure deconfliction” shortly before Biden’s visit in an effort to avoid any miscalculation that could bring the two nuclear-armed nations into direct conflict.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The U.S. military does not have a presence in Ukraine other than a small detachment of Marines guarding the embassy in Kyiv, making Biden’s visit more complicated than other recent visits by prior U.S. leaders to war zones.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While Biden was in Ukraine, U.S. surveillance planes, including E-3 Sentry airborne radar and an electronic RC-135W Rivet Joint aircraft, were keeping watch over Kyiv from Polish airspace.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Speculation has been building for weeks that Biden would pay a visit to Ukraine around the Feb. 24 anniversary of the Russian invasion. But the White House repeatedly had said that no presidential trip to Ukraine was planned, even after the Poland visit was announced earlier this month.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Since early morning on Monday many main streets and central blocks in Kyiv were cordoned without any official explanation. Later people started sharing videos of long motorcades of cars driving along the streets where the access was restricted.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the White House, planning for Biden’s visit to Kyiv was tightly held — with a relatively small group of aides briefed on the plans — because of security concerns. The president traveled with an usually small entourage, with just a few senior aides and two journalists, to maintain secrecy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Asked by a reporter on Friday if Biden might include stops beyond Poland, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby replied, “Right now, the trip is going to be in Warsaw.”&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Moments later — and without prompting — Kirby added, “I said ‘right now.’ The trip will be in -- to Warsaw. I didn’t want to make it sound like I was alluding to a change to it.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Biden quietly departed from Joint Base Andrews near Washington shortly at 4:15 a.m. on Sunday, making a stop at Ramstein Air Base in Germany before making his way into Ukraine. He arrived in Kyiv at 8 a.m. on Monday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Other western leaders have made the trip to Kyiv since the start of the war.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In June, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and then Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi traveled together by night train to Kyiv to meet with Zelenskyy. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited Kyiv in November shortly after taking office.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is Biden’s first visit to a war zone as president. His recent predecessors, Donald Trump, Barack Obama and George W. Bush, made surprise visits to Afghanistan and Iraq during their presidencies to meet with U.S. troops and those countries’ leaders. 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, '2023-02-20 12:18:03', '2023-02-20 12:18:03'),
(5315, 5315, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Banks will provide a special benefit of Tk0.50 for each US dollar to repatriate the export income of December and January by February 28.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A meeting of managing directors (MDs) of state-owned and private banks has decided that the special benefit of an additional Tk0.50 against each dollar of export earnings will be given for the month of January as well.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The decision has been taken to increase US dollar flow in the domestic money market, sources said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier this facility was given in respect of export earnings monetization for the months of November and December.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">BRAC Bank MD Salim RF Hossain told UNB that Tk 0.50 extra will be given against every dollar if the income of the exports that were made in December and January is repatriated by February 28.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In this case, exporters will get Tk103.50 per dollar, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier, on February 1, the dollar rate was pegged for the last time in cashing export bills. It was then decided that the banks would pay Tk103 per dollar to repatriate the export earnings. Before this the rate was Tk102 per dollar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, Bangladesh Foreign Exchange Dealers Association (BAFEDA) has nothing to do with the decision to pay this extra Tk0.50, said the executive secretary of the organization, Abul Hashem.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It is not obligatory, but banks can provide a Tk103.5 rate for repatriation if they (banks) wish, he 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, '2023-02-20 15:10:31', '2023-02-20 15:10:31'),
(5316, 5316, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Monday said that BNP has always been good at staging violent movement and it is now moving towards creating chaos again.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He made the remarks while visiting the stall of Bangladesh Chhatra League at Amar Ekushey Book Fair.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Quader, also the roads and bridges minister, said BNP wants to do politics with the support of the foreigners. BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia is not eligible for election. But if she wants to do politics, she can, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">BNP is creating chaos in the name of movement while Awami League is working for the security of the people, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Stating that there is no fear of violence in the next general election, Quader said that the BNP has lost its way and is now sinking in the march, and they have no other option but to take part in the election for political survival.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Many people are required to hold a rally or meeting but two or four are enough for a conflict,\" he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also mentioned BNP learned the lesson of terrorism from the past and they can create a conflict again.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Those who do not have democracy at home, why would they want the country\'s democracy,\" he wondered.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said that the current Election Commissioner is completely different from the earlier ones. The EC has been elected through a legal process. 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, '2023-02-20 15:14:41', '2023-02-20 15:14:41'),
(5317, 5317, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Three people have died after a 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey on Monday, weeks after a deadly quake devastated the region.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">More than 680 people have been injured in Turkey and Syria.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Turkey\'s disaster and emergency agency Afad said the tremor occurred at 20:04 local time (17:04 GMT), followed by dozens of aftershocks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A 7.8-magnitude quake struck the same area on 6 February, killing more than 44,000 people in Turkey and Syria.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Those killed by Monday\'s tremor were found in Antakya, Defne, and Samandagi, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu said, urging people not to enter potentially dangerous buildings.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mr Soylu said 213 people had been injured in Turkey.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Witnesses told the Reuters news agency there had been further damage to buildings in Antakya, while the mayor of Hatay, in southern Turkey, said people were trapped under rubble.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I thought the earth was going to split open under my feet,\" Muna al-Omar, a local resident, told Reuters, crying as she held her seven-year-old son. She was in a tent in a park in central Antakya when the latest earthquake hit, she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Turkish authorities have recorded more than 6,000 aftershocks since the 6 February earthquake, but the BBC\'s team in the region said the latest tremor felt much stronger than previous ones.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 470 injured people had visited hospitals after the quake, which was also reportedly felt in Egypt and Lebanon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Afad said there were 32 aftershocks following Monday\'s tremor, the largest of which had a magnitude of 5.8.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There is fear and panic in the streets - lines of ambulances and rescue crews are trying to get to some of the worst affected areas where the walls of badly damaged buildings have collapsed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A number of structures that were left standing after the tremor on 6 February have now crumbled, including a bridge. Many cracks in roads have become deep scars making it more difficult for the emergency services to get where they may be needed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An AFP journalist reported on scenes of panic in Antakya, the capital of Hatay Province which was already devastated by the previous earthquake - with the latest tremors raising clouds of dust in the city.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The walls of buildings also crumbled, AFP reports, with several apparently injured people calling for help.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ali Mazlum said he was looking for the bodies of family members from the previous earthquake when the latest one hit.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"You don\'t know what to do... we grabbed each other and right in front of us, the walls started to fall. It felt like the earth was opening up to swallow us up,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a tweet, Afad initially urged people to stay away from coastlines as a precaution against the risk of rising sea levels, although the warning was later removed. 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, '2023-02-21 01:42:38', '2023-02-21 01:42:38'),
(5318, 5318, '<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The US will back Ukraine in its fight against Russia for \"as long as it takes\" President Joe Biden said as he made an unannounced and symbolic visit to the capital, Kyiv.</b></p><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We have every confidence you\'re going to continue to prevail,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mr Biden\'s first trip to Ukraine as president came days before the first anniversary of Russia\'s invasion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said President Putin had been \"dead wrong\" to think Russia could outlast Ukraine and its Western allies.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the pair visited a memorial to soldiers who have died in the nine years since Russia annexed Crimea and its proxy forces captured parts of the eastern Donbas region.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mr Biden\'s presence was intended to reaffirm America\'s \"unwavering commitment to Ukraine\'s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity\", according to a White House statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The New York Times reported that he took a 10-hour train journey from Poland to reach Kyiv.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He left Ukraine on Monday to travel to Poland.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After the visit, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a new package of security assistance for Ukraine valued at $450m (£373m), including ammunition for howitzers and the Himars rocket system, Javelin missiles, and air surveillance radars.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US will also provide Kyiv with an extra $10m (£8.3m) in emergency assistance \"to keep Ukraine\'s energy infrastructure up and running\", Mr Blinken said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A new wave of sanctions against individuals and companies \"that are trying to evade or backfill Russia\'s war machine\" will also be announced later this week.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mr Zelensky said: \"The results of this visit will surely be seen and will surely be reflected on the battlefield in liberating our territories.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In his nightly address on Monday, Mr Zelensky said it was a \"symbolic day\" that showed \"how important Ukraine is to the world\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also said that the two leaders had discussed the possibility of sending other weapons that so far had not been supplied.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mr Zelensky has repeatedly called for F-16 fighter jets, something the US and other allies have so far stopped short of approving.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">National security adviser Jake Sullivan - who was among President Biden\'s entourage - said the US notified Russia about the trip a few hours before President Biden\'s departure for \"deconfliction purposes\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He refused to comment on how Moscow had responded to the news.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">White House officials said planning for the trip had been happening for \"months\", and that a final decision to travel was made on Friday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a scene that added drama to the most high-profile visit to Ukraine since the war began, air raid sirens wailed while President Biden and Mr Zelensky were in St Michael\'s Cathedral in central Kyiv. The sirens sound regularly in Kyiv.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While other world leaders have visited Ukraine over the past year, the US president\'s appearance in the capital during a war in which American soldiers aren\'t fighting is a show of unity at a time when Russia says Western support for Ukraine is waning.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The visit was welcomed by Ukrainians in Kyiv.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I\'m so grateful for his support - it means so much to us,\" Roksoliana Gera told the BBC.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I appreciate his courage, that he took on this challenge and came to show the support of the American nation.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Oleksandra Soloviova said the visit was an \"important sign for the whole world\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"For Russia first of all, it shows the US supports us and will continue supporting us, with sanctions and military equipment,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Ukrainian president\'s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said that the visit had been strategic as well as historic. \"Many issues are being solved and those that have stalled will be accelerated,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US is one of Ukraine\'s biggest allies and has so far announced $24.9bn (£20.6bn) in military assistance, according to the US state department.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In January, Mr Biden announced that the US would send 31 battle tanks and longer-range missiles are also on their way.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, there is a growing political divide in the US over the amount of aid Kyiv should receive in future.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President Biden\'s visit to Kyiv comes ahead of a three-day visit to Poland.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There he will meet with the country\'s President, Andrzej Duda, and with Eastern European members of the Nato military alliance. 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, '2023-02-21 01:47:06', '2023-02-21 01:47:06'),
(5319, 5319, '<p style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina tonight paid rich tributes to the martyrs of the historic Language Movement by placing wreaths at the Central Shaheed Minar marking ‘Amar Ekushey’ -- the International Mother Language Day and Shaheed Dibosh.</b></span><br></p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">They placed floral wreaths at the Central Shahid Minar here at one minute past midnight.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived at the Shaheed Minar seven minutes before the clock struck 12. On her arrival, she was received by Dhaka University Vice-chancellor Prof Dr Md Akhtaruzzaman.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Later, the Prime Minister and the VC received the President when he arrived four minutes before the zero hour.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina proceeded to the altar of the Central Shaheed Minar together as the immortal song on Amar Ekushey—\'Amar Bhaiyer Rakte Rangano Ekushey February’-- was playing.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">President, PM lead nation in paying tribute to Language Movement heroes.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">The President was the first to lay the wreath. Just after the President, the Prime Minister placed the wreath at the Shaheed Minar.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">They stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the language heroes.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Ministers, advisers to the Prime Minister, MPs, the chiefs of the three services, diplomats, senior Awami League leaders, high civil and military officials were present on the occasion.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Flanked by Cabinet members and senior leaders of the party, Sheikh Hasina, also the President of Awami League, later placed another wreath at the Shaheed Minar on behalf of the party.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury also paid tributes to the martyrs of the historic Language Movement by placing a wreath at the Shaheed Minar. UNB</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</p>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-21 02:30:11', '2023-02-21 02:30:11'),
(5320, 5320, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Youth-centric brand realme realme has said it will showcase the latest addition to its flagship GT series, GT3, at the upcoming tech show Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2023.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Chinese smartphone maker said it will launch GT 3 at the MWC – the industry\'s largest and most influential connectivity event – in Spain\'s Barcelona on February 28 at 9pm Bangladesh time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">GT3 will come with 240W charging technology, the world\'s fastest charging power, realme said Monday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The event will also be streamed live on YouTube. 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, '2023-02-21 02:52:29', '2023-02-21 02:52:29'),
(5321, 5321, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was one of the key figures behind organizing the Language Movement, for which he had to languish in jail, Prime Minister’s ICT Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy wrote.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Along with a tribute video, on the occasion of International Mother Language Day, posted on his verified Facebook profile yesterday, Sajeeb Wazed wrote: “On November 17, 1999, February 21 was proclaimed as the International Mother Language Day with 188 countries approving of the bill placed at an UNESCO assembly in Paris.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“On impact, the world has been observing the International Mother Language Day since February 21, 2000.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The history of Language Movement is traced back to the birth of Pakistan as a state,” he wrote.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Since the partition, the Pakistani rulers had employed a spectrum of measures to annihilate Bengali culture, art, and literature. That cycle of injustice heavily moved then young leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who later would turn into the Father of the Nation. He was one of the key figures behind organizing the Language Movement for which he had to languish in jail.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Upholding the glory of Bangla language was the mission he undertook himself around and finally led the nation to earn its freedom.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That movement paved the path for our freedom and liberation. Following in his footsteps, his daughter Sheikh Hasina’s efforts earned our language another crown. Today February 21 is a cherished day across the entire planet,” Sajeeb Wazed wrote. 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, '2023-02-21 02:56:45', '2023-02-21 02:56:45'),
(5322, 5322, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin are set to give duelling speeches Tuesday promising two starkly differing takes on Russia\'s Ukraine invasion, a day after the US president\'s surprise visit to Kyiv.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Biden met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday -- pledging fresh arms deliveries and \"unwavering\" American support -- days before the first anniversary of Russian tanks rolling over the border.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"One year later, Kyiv stands. And Ukraine stands. Democracy stands,\" he said at the Mariinsky Palace, the Ukrainian president\'s official residence.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And on Tuesday, from Warsaw\'s historic Royal Castle, he will \"make it clear that the United States will continue to stand with Ukraine... for as long as it takes\", according to National Security Council spokesman John Kirby, who spoke to reporters last week.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a visit to rally Washington\'s eastern European allies, Biden will also meet Polish President Andrzej Duda on Tuesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He will also speak by phone with the leaders of Britain, France and Italy, the White House has said. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is due in Washington on March 3.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"You\'ll hear messages in the president\'s speech that will certainly resonate with the American people, certainly will resonate with our allies and partners, without question resonate with the Polish people,\" Kirby said of the Warsaw address.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"And I would suspect that you\'ll hear him messaging Mr Putin as well, as well as the Russian people.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Chinese concern -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Putin will speak in Moscow a few hours earlier, according to the Kremlin, delivering a state-of-the-nation address that will be largely devoted to the conflict.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In previous addresses, he has railed against NATO\'s perceived threat to Russia, and drawn on his country\'s history to buttress his rationale for launching the invasion, and sticking with it in the face of unexpected Ukrainian resistance.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">When it was launched, the so-called special military operation was planned to be a rapid conquest, leading to capitulation and the installation of a pro-Russian regime.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Putin thought Ukraine was weak and the West was divided,\" Biden said Monday. \"He thought he could outlast us.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"He\'s just been plain wrong,\" he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Tuesday China said it was \"deeply concerned\" about the war, which it said was \"intensifying and even getting out of control\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Foreign Minister Qin Gan said Beijing would \"work with the international community to promote dialogue and consultation, address the concerns of all parties and seek common security\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"At the same time, we urge the countries concerned to stop adding fuel to the fire as soon as possible, to stop shifting the blame to China,\" Qin said, following US claims that Beijing may be considering sending arms to Moscow.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the latest estimates from Norway, the conflict has wounded or killed 180,000 Russian soldiers and 100,000 Ukrainian troops.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Other Western sources estimate the war has caused 150,000 casualties on each side.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- New US military aid -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The United States has provided Ukraine with far more assistance than any other NATO country, with military, economic, humanitarian and other aid now exceeding $100 billion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During his Kyiv stop -- the first Ukraine trip by a US president since 2008 -- Biden promised $500 million in fresh arms deliveries, mentioning in particular artillery ammunition, howitzers and Javelin anti-tank missiles.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The same day, Japan offered $5.5 billion worth of support.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Biden\'s visit was organised in conditions of extraordinary secrecy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He left Washington in the early hours of Sunday in a plane that had been parked discreetly beside a hangar in the dark with shades drawn, and landed in Poland on Sunday evening.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He was driven up to the train platform and quickly boarded the 10-hour overnight service to Kyiv, arriving at 8:00 am local time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Washington notified Russia about the trip \"some hours before his departure for deconfliction purposes\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Good sign\' for Ukrainians -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said it was \"unprecedented\" in modern times for a US president to visit the capital of a country at war in which the US military \"does not control the critical infrastructure\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kyiv residents said they were delighted.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"This means that the Americans are clearly and irrevocably on our side,\" said 50-year-old Oksana Shylo.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It\'s a good sign for the Ukrainian people, for Ukraine\'s victory,\" said businessman Vladyslav Denysenko, 27.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Zelensky said he and Biden also discussed the possibility of supplying \"long range weapons\" to Ukraine, a long-standing request from Kyiv that has been met with reticence in Washington where there is concern that they could be used to strike deep inside Russian territory.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Zelensky hailed the visit as a key sign of support.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"This conversation brings us closer to victory,\" he said, calling the trip and the promise of additional US arms supplies \"an unequivocal signal that Russian attempts to win will have no chance\". 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, '2023-02-21 03:46:32', '2023-02-21 03:46:32'),
(5323, 5323, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A breakup can leave you in a very painful state of mind, especially if the relationship ended on a bitter note. Moving on from a broken relationship can be tougher for some people than others and they may develop poor self-esteem and depressed state of mind. It doesn\'t matter whether you initiated the breakup or your partner did. Navigating life after breakup is an arduous task.&nbsp;</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>When you are trying to come to terms with your breakup all kinds of negative feelings like pain, anger, betrayal and sadness grip you and living life afresh becomes a big struggle. The way forward after a relationship goes sour is to move on and meet new people. But it\'s much easier said than done.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>One of the best ways to come out of these trying times is to stay connected with your friends and family. They can certainly not fill the void but can help you to stay positive.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Sometimes breakups are very hard, especially when they come as a terrible shock. It is natural to go through a lot of painful emotions during this phase. You may experience physical symptoms such as headaches or chest pain from time to time. These physical symptoms should lessen over time, but if they don\'t, there\'s a possibility that you might have depression,\" says Dr Jyoti Kapoor, Senior Psychiatrist and Founder, Manasthali.</div><div><br></div><div>On the last day of Anti Valentine\'s Week, face your fears and take the final step towards your healing post breakup. Dr Kapoor shares effective tips to help you with post breakup depression.</div><div><br></div><div>1. Take time to grieve: It\'s normal to feel overwhelmed with emotions after a breakup. Allow yourself to process your emotions and take the time to grieve.</div><div><br></div><div>2. Avoid social media: It is normal that you might be tempted to check up on your ex\'s profile. But be careful; this will always trigger bad feelings and slow down your recovery.</div><div><br></div><div>3. Avoid your ex: It is very hard but not impossible, especially if you have kids. After a breakup, try not to contact your ex in any situation.</div><div><br></div><div>4. Talk to someone: Trying to talk to a trusted friend or family member can help you to get your emotions out and can provide you with a sense of comfort and support.</div><div><br></div><div>5. Go easy on yourself: A breakup can hurt your self-esteem and break you into pieces. Instead of dwelling on what you did wrong, try to learn from your mistakes. That’ll help you in the future and boost your confidence.</div><div><br></div><div>6. Do some exercise: Exercise releases endorphins, which can help to improve your mood. Even a simple walk or jog can help to lift your spirits.</div><div><br></div><div>7. Practice self-care: Take care of yourself. Get plenty of sleep, eat healthy, and make time for relaxation.</div><div><br></div><div>8. Look forward to the future. Thinking about your next relationship or focusing on yourself might help you feel hopeful going forward. HT</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"24\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-21 03:58:49', '2023-02-21 03:58:49');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5324, 5324, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Two weeks after a deadly earthquake struck Syria, only a trickle of UN aid has entered the rebel-held northwest of the war-ravaged country, with the slow pace sparking outrage and anger.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 7.8-magnitude quake killed more than 44,000 people in Turkey and Syria, including 3,600 in Syria, piling more misery on a population who activists say has been abandoned by the world in the midst of tragedy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- How does UN aid reach the northwest? -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">More than four million people live in areas outside government control in Syria\'s north and northwest, 90 per cent of whom depend on aid to survive.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Yet the first UN aid convoy crossed into the area on February 9 -- three days after the quake struck -- and carried tents and other relief for 5,000 that had been expected before the earthquake.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The UN largely delivers relief to Syria\'s northwest via neighbouring Turkey through the Bab al-Hawa crossing -- the only way for aid to enter without Damascus\' permission.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The number of UN-approved crossings has shrunk from four in 2014 after years of pressure from regime allies China and Russia at the UN Security Council.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With the road leading to Bab al-Hawa briefly damaged after the quake and aid workers in the devastated areas also affected, international pressure mounted for relief to pour in.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On February 13, the United Nations said Damascus had allowed it to also use Bab al-Salama and Al-Rai crossings for three months.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Turkish-backed rebels operate the two crossings in the northern Aleppo province, while the jihadist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group controls Bab al-Hawa in the Idlib region.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Despite the additional crossings, relief workers say the UN aid deliveries remain insufficient.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Since the quake struck, the UN said it sent nearly 200 trucks to northwest Syria -- less than the weekly average of 145 recorded in 2022 according to Doctors Without Borders (MSF).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Syria\'s White Helmets rescue group which operates in rebel-held areas have slammed the UN\'s slow response, calling it a \"crime\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On February 12, UN relief chief Martin Griffiths acknowledged the body had \"failed the people of northwest Syria\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said Monday that 10 aid trucks had crossed at the Al-Rai border point.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"This is the first UN convoy through this border crossing since the Government of Syria agreed to its use for aid deliveries, which now brings us to three fully operating border crossings for the United Nations.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- How do aid groups send relief? -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">International aid groups are not bound by the UN\'s cross-border aid mechanism and can truck aid through other crossings with Turkey\'s approval.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">International organisations also provide funding to aid groups in the northwest to \"buy what they need either from the local market or from Turkey through commercial crossings\", said Racha Nasreddine of ActionAid.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But with millions made homeless by the quake, stocks of blankets, food and tents were quickly depleted.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Although donations poured in, local groups struggled to secure necessities as prices of basic goods shot up at home while roads leading to Turkey were damaged in the tremor, she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And while planeloads of foreign aid flooded regime-held areas after the quake, Syria\'s northwest was largely left to fend for itself.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Who is blocking relief to the northwest? -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Although the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad does not control crossing points with Turkey, the United Nations sought its approval to use them.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Syria and its ally Russia have long insisted that all relief pass through regime-controlled areas and Moscow has threatened to veto the UN cross-border mechanism at past security council meetings.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Many aid groups say they do not trust Syrian authorities to dispatch aid to areas under rival control.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On February 10, the Assad regime said it approved the delivery of humanitarian aid directly from government-held territory to rebel areas.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But the head of the jihadist HTS group, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, has said he would refuse any aid crossing going that route.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Nearly three million people, most of whom have been displaced by Syria\'s war, live in the Idlib region under HTS control, while 1.1 million reside in areas of northern Aleppo held by Turkish proxies.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Turkish troops and about 30 Ankara-backed groups control border areas administered by local councils affiliated with nearby Turkish governorates.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rival Kurdish authorities that rule swathes of the northeast sent 30 fuel tankers to northern Aleppo, but the convoy had to turn back after failing to get the greenlight to cross. 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, '2023-02-21 04:49:03', '2023-02-21 04:49:03'),
(5325, 5325, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A reunion with Real Madrid in the Champions League on Tuesday serves as a reminder to Liverpool fans of the failings that put their lives at risk at last year\'s final in Paris.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Madrid\'s 1-0 win at the Stade de France on May 28 was overshadowed by the scenes surrounding European football\'s showpiece event.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kick-off was delayed by 37 minutes as fans struggled to access the stadium after being funnelled into overcrowded bottlenecks on approach.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Police then fired tear gas towards thousands of supporters locked behind metal fences on the perimeter to the stadium.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An independent report, commissioned by UEFA and published last week, found European football\'s governing body bore \"primary responsibility\" for failures which \"almost led to disaster\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There were no fatalities in the French capital, but there was still a physical and mental price to pay for both the lack of organisation on the part of the authorities before the match and mudslinging towards supporters in the aftermath.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ted Morris, chair of the Liverpool Disabled Supporters Association, described the scenes he witnessed as a \"carnival of horror.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">For many Liverpool fans the scenes brought back memories of a crush at Hillsborough Stadium in 1989 that resulted in the deaths of 97 supporters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some remain too scarred to return to watching matches live, even in the familiar surroundings of Anfield.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I think we\'re still all suffering from the aftereffects of the final,\" Joe Blott, chair of Liverpool supporters group Spirit of Shankly, told AFP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Many people I know and other people are struggling to get to the game now as a consequence of the crowd management.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Mental health support -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Hillsborough Survivors Support Alliance has seen a spike in fans seeking mental health support since events at the Stade de France.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Liverpool have worked together with mental health charities and put funding in place to help those struggling with flashbacks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It\'s vitally important that supporters know there is help out there if they feel they need it,\" said Liverpool chief executive Billy Hogan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Working together with a number of expert mental health organisations, and with the support of (Liverpool\'s director of public health) Matt Ashton\'s expertise, this resource is still available to all fans.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It not only signposts people where to go for support but also offers advice to those dealing with the ongoing effects of such a distressing event.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">UEFA initially tried to pin the blame for the delayed kick-off on Liverpool fans arriving late despite thousands having been held for hours outside the stadium.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">European football\'s governing body finally apologised last week, but wounds remain open among the Liverpool support.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Champions League anthem is expected to be disrupted before kick-off of Tuesday\'s last 16, first leg tie.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It\'s good that the truth is out there,\" said Gareth Robertson, a 25-year-old student outside Anfield on Monday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"But they (UEFA) tried to get away with blaming Liverpool fans.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Local member of parliament and Liverpool fan Ian Byrne has called on UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin to resign.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Liverpool\'s form on the field has also suffered this season with the Champions League the Reds\' last realistic chance of winning a trophy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And Byrne believes Anfield\'s famous atmosphere has been anaesthetised by the aftermath of Paris.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"So many people are still damaged by what they experienced,\" Byrne told AFP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I feel people are at the game under anaesthetic. It feels like all the passion has been sucked out.\" 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, '2023-02-21 05:31:01', '2023-02-21 05:31:01'),
(5326, 5326, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The 230 kV grid line from Aminbazar-Agargaon failed at 5:50 am today — leading to no electricity in the western part of Dhaka city, including the entire Mohammadpur and Mirpur areas.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Officials from both Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) and Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited&nbsp; (PGCB) confirmed the development.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The grid transmission line tripped at 5:50 am,” Badruddoza Sumon, Public Relation Officer of the PGCB told UNB.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Further explaining, he said due to the dense fog, sometimes grid lines can break down.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This is not a technical fault of the system, he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He informed that the PGCB engineers are trying hard to restore the system by checking transmission towers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Aminbazar-Mohammadpur grid line is one of the main sources supplying electricity to some of Dhaka city’s important establishments, including the Prime Minister’s official residence and Dhaka cantonment.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Power supply continued through alternative sources to those important establishments although regular consumers are without electricity.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Maniruzzaman, executive engineer of the Mohammadpur power distribution division of the DPDC, said power supply could not be restored until 9 am. 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, '2023-02-21 05:52:27', '2023-02-21 05:52:27'),
(5327, 5327, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The US Supreme Court on Tuesday will consider a law that since 1996 has protected tech companies from lawsuits related to content posted on their platforms.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The nine justices will examine a case related to the November 2015 attacks in Paris and their ruling, expected by June 30, could have huge repercussions for the future of the internet.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The case stems from a complaint against Google filed by the relatives of Nohemi Gonzalez, one of the 130 victims of the attacks in the French capital.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US citizen was studying in France and was murdered at the Belle Equipe bar by attackers from the Islamic State group.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Her family blame Google-owned YouTube for having recommended videos from the jihadist group to users, helping along the call to violence.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to the family, \"by recommend[ing] ISIS videos to users, Google assists ISIS in spreading its message and thus provides material support to ISIS,\" a legal brief said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The complaint was dismissed by the federal courts on behalf of a law, known as Section 230, which was passed when the Internet was in its infancy and has become one of its pillars.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Section 230 states that in the US internet companies cannot be considered publishers and have legal immunity for the content posted on their platforms.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The novelty of the Gonzalez case is that the complainants are isolating algorithms as the cause of the harm, arguing that the highly complex recommendation systems perfected by big platforms fall out of the scope of Section 230.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The selection of the users to whom ISIS videos were recommended was determined by computer algorithms created and implemented by YouTube,\" the Gonzalez family legal brief said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Supreme Court passes over the vast majority of the cases that come its way, and hearing this one indicates there is a willingness to modify the landmark law.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Big tech cold sweat -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prospect of the Supreme Court even tinkering with Section 230 is causing cold sweats in the tech world.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the legal filing, Google pleaded that the court \"not undercut a central building block of the modern internet.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Recommendation algorithms are what make it possible to find the needles in humanity\'s largest haystack,\" Google said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Allowing platforms to be sued for their algorithms, \"would expose them to liability for third-party content virtually all the time,\" said Facebook owner Meta in its own brief, adding that recommendations serve to organize uploaded content.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Wednesday, the top court in the US will continue its consideration of a very similar case, but this time asking if platforms should be subject to anti-terrorism laws.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the past, several of the Supreme Court justices have expressed a willingness to move the lines on Section 230, which is increasingly contested given the backlash against big tech in recent years.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 2021, the very conservative Clarence Thomas lamented that \"many courts have construed the law broadly to confer sweeping immunity on some of the largest companies in the world.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Lawmakers in US Congress are very politically divided and unable to pass legislation that would update a law that was enacted when Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was 11 years old and Google did not exist.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Given the deep political divide, it therefore seems likely that the Supreme Court will move the lines faster than Congress.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But for now, \"nobody knows exactly how,\" said Tom Wheeler, an expert at the Brookings Institution think tank. \"That\'s why it\'s important to see how the hearing goes,\" he told AFP. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"18\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-21 06:47:38', '2023-02-21 06:47:38'),
(5328, 5328, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was discharged from a city hospital on Monday around nine hours after being admitted there.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fakhrul returned to his Uttara residence as doctors at United Hospital discharged him at around 9:30pm after assessing his medical reports and health condition, BNP Media Cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan told UNB.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said the physicians advised the BNP secretary general to rest at home.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier in the day, the BNP secretary general was admitted to the hospital at about 12:30pm as he fell sick at the party chairperson\'s Gulshan office.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fakhrul was taken to the high dependency unit of the cardiology department of the hospital under Professor Muminuzzaman.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, he underwent some medical tests and no major complication was detected.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fakhrul has been suffering from various health complications, including diabetes, hypertension and cardiac problems that worsened during his recent imprisonment.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He returned home on Thursday from Singapore after receiving medical treatment there for a week.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On February 10, Fakhrul and his wife went there for a follow-up checkup and treatment.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 76-year-old received treatment at Singapore National University Hospital.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On December 9, a team of the Detective Branch (DB) of police picked up Fakhrul and party standing committee member Mirza Abbas from their homes in separate raids in the capital, a day before the party\'s much-talked about rally in the capital.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He walked out of Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj on January 9 and received treatment at Evercare Hospital for two days before going to Singapore.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 2015, while incarcerated, Fakhrul was diagnosed with a block in the internal carotid artery of his neck.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After his release, he went to Singapore for treatment. Since then, he needs to go to Singapore every year for follow-up treatment. 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, '2023-02-21 07:04:14', '2023-02-21 07:04:14'),
(5329, 5329, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Awami League (AL) General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said the communal and militant forces are trying to rise again in the country under the leadership of BNP.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"BNP is the home for communal-violence and militancy. Communal forces are working under the leadership of BNP. It is trying to create arson terrorism again,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Quader said these after paying rich tributes to the language martyrs by placing wreaths at Azimpur graveyard here on the occasion of Shaheed Dibash (Martyrs Day) and the International Mother Language Day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In response to the allegation of BNP leaders that \'Awami League has destroyed the election system by establishing one-party rule\', the veteran AL leader said that the Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (BaKSAL) was formed in 1975.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It was not a party. It was a national party comprising several political parties,\" he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I would like to remind BNP once again that Ziaur Rahman, the founder of BNP, joined BaKSAL by giving application to BaKSAL chairman Sheikh Mujibur Rahman officially,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">BNP has no rights to slander that party which Ziaur Rahman joined by giving application, Quader added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He urged the pro-liberation forces to work together under the leadership of people-friendly leader and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to combat against arson terrorists.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The AL general secretary also demanded for making Bangla, mother tongue of around 30 crore people across the world, as the official language of the United Nations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier, an AL-delegation led by AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader laid wreaths there in memory of language heroes at Azimpur graveyard.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">AL Joint General Secretary and Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud, AL Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Organising Secretaries Ahmed Hossain and Advocate Afzal Hossain, Publicity and Publication Secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap, Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua, Science and Technology Affairs Secretary Engineer Md Abdus Sabur, Relief and Social Welfare Affairs Secretary Aminul Islam Amin, Cultural Affairs Secretary Asim Kumar Ukil, Agriculture and Cooperative Affairs Secretary Faridun Nahar Laili, Population and Health Affairs Secretary Dr Rokeya Sultana and Deputy Publicity Secretary Syed Abdul Awal Shamim were preset, 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', '[\"4\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-21 07:31:54', '2023-02-21 07:31:54'),
(5330, 5330, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A new 6.4 magnitude earthquake on Monday killed three people and injured more than 200 in parts of Turkey laid waste two weeks ago by a massive quake that killed tens of thousands, authorities said. More buildings collapsed, trapping some people, while scores of injuries were recorded in neighboring Syria too.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Monday\'s earthquake was centered in the town of Defne, in Turkey\'s Hatay province, one the worst-hit regions in the magnitude 7.8 quake that struck on Feb. 6. It was felt in Syria, Jordan, Cyprus, Israel and as far away as Egypt, and followed by a second, magnitude 5.8 temblor.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said three people were killed and 213 injured. Search and rescue efforts were underway in three collapsed buildings where six people were believed trapped.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Hatay, police rescued one person trapped inside a three-story building and were trying to reach three others inside, HaberTurk television reported. It said those trapped included movers helping people shift furniture and other belongings from the building that was damaged in the massive quake.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Syria\'s state news agency, SANA, reported that six people were injured in Aleppo by falling debris. The White Helmets, northwest Syria’s civil defense organization, reported more than 130 injuries, most of them non-life threatening, including fractures and cases of people fainting from fear, while a number of buildings in areas already damaged by the quake collapsed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Feb. 6 quake killed nearly 45,000 people in both countries — the vast majority of them in Turkey, where more than a million and a half people are in temporary shelters. Turkish authorities have recorded more than 6,000 aftershocks since.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">HaberTurk journalists reporting from Hatay said they were jolted violently by Monday\'s quake and held onto to each other to avoid falling.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the Turkish city of Adana, eyewitness Alejandro Malaver said people left homes for the streets, carrying blankets into their cars. Malaver said everyone is really scared and “no one wants to get back into their houses.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mehmet Salhaoglullari, from a village near Samandag, said he was eating at a restaurant when the building began to shake.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We all threw ourselves outside and we continued to shake outside,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the Syrian city of Idlib, frightened residents were preparing to sleep in parks and other public places, while fuel lines formed at gas stations as people attempted to get as far as possible from any buildings that might collapse.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Syrian American Medical Society, which runs hospitals in northern Syria, said it had treated a number of patients — including a 7-year-old boy — who suffered heart attacks brought on by fear following the new quake.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Hatay earlier on Monday, and said his government would begin constructing close to 200,000 new homes in the quake-devastated region as early as next month.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Erdogan said the new buildings will be no taller than three or four stories, built on firmer ground and to higher standards and in consultation with “geophysics, geotechnical, geology and seismology professors” and other experts.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Turkish leader said destroyed cultural monuments would be rebuilt in accordance with their “historic and cultural texture.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Erdogan said around 1.6 million people are currently being housed in temporary shelters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Turkish disaster management agency AFAD on Monday raised the number of confirmed fatalities from the Feb. 6 earthquake in Turkey to 41,156. That increased the overall death toll in both Turkey and Syria to 44,844.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Search and rescue operations for survivors have been called off in most of the quake zone, but AFAD chief Yunus Sezer said earlier that search teams were continuing their efforts in more than a dozen collapsed buildings — mostly in Hatay province.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There were no signs of anyone being alive under the rubble since three members of one family — a mother, father and 12-year-old boy — were extracted from a collapsed building in Hatay on Saturday. The boy later died.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Authorities said more than 110,000 buildings across 11 quake-hit Turkish provinces were either destroyed or so severely damaged by the Feb. 6 quake that they need to be torn down.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The European Union’s health agency warned Monday of the risk of disease outbreaks in the coming weeks. The Centre for Disease Prevention and Controls said that “food and water-borne diseases, respiratory infections and vaccine-preventable infections are a risk in the upcoming period, with the potential to cause outbreaks, particularly as survivors are moving to temporary shelters.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“A surge of cholera cases in the affected areas is a significant possibility in the coming weeks,” it said, noting that authorities in northwestern Syria have reported thousands of cases of the disease since last September and a planned vaccination campaign was delayed due to the quake. 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, '2023-02-21 08:37:38', '2023-02-21 08:37:38'),
(5331, 5331, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Akshay Kumar and Honey Singh came together for an impromptu version of the song Kudi Chamkeeli from the upcoming movie Selfiee. The song from the actor\'s next film was released on Saturday. Kudi Chamkeeli has been sung, written and composed by Honey for Selfiee. The singer-composer also made a cameo in the music video alongside Akshay and his co-star Diana Penty.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sharing the video on Instagram, Akshay wrote, \"Presenting the on-air version of Kudi Chamkeeli featuring @yoyohoneysingh and me. We didn’t do bad on the three chair challenge, did we? How about you guys give it a try? I’ll of course repost (upside down face emoji).\" Akshay wore a white shirt with grey pants and sunglasses. Honey Singh was seen in a black T-shirt with a brown jacket and pants. He also sported sunglasses inside the jet.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fans commented on Akshay and Honey\'s \'amateur\' production. One Instagram user wrote, adding some laughing face with tears emojis, \"Me: who\'s looking at Honey Singh changing seats in reflection.\" While another fan complimented the duo and said, \"King of music industry and Khiladi of Bollywood.\" Yet another fan shared, \"In dono ko 9 saal baad dekh kar kitni khushi hui hai (It is so good to see them together after nine years).\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Selfiee, directed by Raj Mehta, is the Hindi remake of the Malayalam film Driving Licence (2019), which starred Prithviraj Sukumaran and Suraj Venjaramoodu. Akshay and Prithviraj have also produced the upcoming film which is releasing theatrically on February 24.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Besides Akshay and Diana, the Hindi film also features Emraan Hashmi and Nushrratt Bharuccha. The film revolves around a superstar, played by Akshay, and his fan, who happens to be a police officer played by Emraan. Akshay\'s character needs to acquire a driving licence urgently and Emraan\'s character agrees to help. Unfortunately, things sour between the two and there is a major feud that develops. Selfiee is produced by Dharma Productions, Magic Frames, Prithviraj, Cape of Good Films and Star Studios.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Selfiee is the first film of Akshay\'s to release this year. He also has OMG 2 – Oh My God! 2, the Hindi remake of Soorarai Pottru, and the biopic of Jaswant Singh Gill lined up to release. The actor is also making a cameo in the Marathi film Vedat Marathe Veer Daudale Saat as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. 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, '2023-02-21 09:00:01', '2023-02-21 09:00:01'),
(5332, 5332, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Information and Broadcasting Minister and Awami League Joint General Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud on Tuesday said the vow of great 21st February is to resist those who nurture the attackers of language, culture and heritage and want to take back to that hostile ideology.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The minister told reporters after placing rich tributes to the martyrs of the historic Language Movement on the occasion of Amar Ekushey and the International Mother Language Day at the Central Shaheed Minar here this morning.</div><div><br></div><div>AL Relief and Social Welfare Secretary Aminul Islam Amin was present.</div><div><br></div><div>Hasan said, \"On this day in 1952, our predecessors including Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Jabbar established the claim of our language by sacrificing their lives. And our struggle of freedom had started from there. On that day, the Pakistani ruler attacked our language, culture and heritage.\"</div><div><br></div><div>He said it is regrettably true that those who hold their ideology and want to hurt the culture and language are doing politics in Bangladesh even after 51 years of independence, reports BSS</div><div><br></div><div>Hasan also said that BNP does politics with the anti-liberation force Jamaat, the party which doesn\'t believe in our culture and language rather believes in Pakistan ideology. For this, attacks were carried on our language-culture after independence and BNP was the main patron.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-21 10:13:44', '2023-02-21 10:13:44'),
(5333, 5333, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Two pink river dolphins, a mother and her calf, were rescued from a Colombian river where the endangered mammals were trapped in shallow water, the navy said.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>A navy video released on Monday shows several officers carrying the dolphins in a makeshift hammock, others checking the mammals\' condition and spraying them with water.</div><div><br></div><div>Timing was critical. Experts moved the dolphins out of the river, quickly checked their condition on the riverbank, and released them into deeper water within 17 minutes, Erika Gomez of the Omacha Foundation, which took part in the rescue, told AFP.</div><div><br></div><div>Community members alerted authorities to the distressed dolphins in eastern Colombia\'s Meta River, an Orinoco tributary near the Venezuela border, last week, Gomez said. Security forces, environmental authorities and NGOs were involved in the rescue.</div><div><br></div><div>The freshwater mammals -- whose scientific name is Inia geoffrensis -- live mainly in the Amazon and Orinoco river systems. Their habitat includes parts of Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.</div><div><br></div><div>The pink river dolphin, which can weigh up to 220 kilograms (485 pounds), has been classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature since 2018.</div><div><br></div><div>Fishing is the main killer of the dolphins in Colombia, according to the Alexander von Humboldt Biological Resources Research Institute.</div><div><br></div><div>Mercury contamination and global warming, which has altered the flow of the rivers, also threaten the dolphins. - AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-21 10:54:13', '2023-02-21 10:54:13'),
(5334, 5334, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday blamed the West for the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, after Kyiv\'s allies promised to send new weapons to Ukraine, reports AFP&nbsp;</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>\"The responsibility for fuelling the Ukrainian conflict, for its escalation, for the number of victims... lies completely with Western elites,\" Putin said.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-21 11:12:54', '2023-02-21 11:12:54'),
(5335, 5335, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>More than 8,000 civilians have been killed since Russia invaded Ukraine nearly a year ago, the UN Human Rights Office said on Tuesday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The new toll represents a significant upward revision from the previous tally of 7,199 killed since the start of the full-scale invasion on Feb 24, the UN report said. Around 90% of the victims were killed by explosive weapons, it added.</div><div><br></div><div>The UN human rights mission in Ukraine, which has dozens of monitors in the country, said it expects the real toll to be \"considerably higher\" than the official tally since corroboration work is ongoing. Source: Reuters&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-21 11:44:52', '2023-02-21 11:44:52'),
(5336, 5336, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The death toll in Turkey and Syria rose to eight in a new and powerful earthquake that struck two weeks after a devastating temblor killed nearly 45,000 people, authorities and media said on Tuesday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Turkey’s disaster management authority said six people were killed and 294 others were injured with 18 in critical condition after Monday’s 6.4-magnitude quake. In Syria, a woman and a girl died as a result of panic during the earthquake in the provinces of Hama and Tartus, pro-government media outlets said.</div><div><br></div><div>The earthquake’s epicenter was in the town of Defne, in Turkey’s Hatay province, which borders Syria. It was also felt in Jordan, Cyprus, Israel, Lebanon and as far away as Egypt, and followed by a second, magnitude 5.8 temblor, and dozens of aftershocks.</div><div><br></div><div>Hatay was one of the worst-hit provinces in Turkey in the magnitude 7.8 quake that struck on Feb. 6. Thousands of buildings were destroyed in the province and Monday’s quake further damaged buildings. The governor’s office in Antakya, Hatay’s historic heart, was also damaged.</div><div><br></div><div>Officials have warned quake victims to not go into the remains of their homes, but people have done so to retrieve what they can. They were caught up in the new quake.</div><div><br></div><div>The majority of deaths in the massive February 6 quake, which was followed by a 7.5 temblor nine hours later, were in Turkey with at least 41,156 people killed. The epicenter was in southern Kahramanmaras province. Authorities said more than 110,000 buildings across 11 quake-hit Turkish provinces were either destroyed or so severely damaged that they need to be torn down.</div><div><br></div><div>In government-held Syria, a girl died in the western town of Safita, Al-Watan daily reported while a woman was killed in the central city of Hama that was already affected by the Feb. 6 earthquake, Sham FM radio station said.</div><div><br></div><div>The White Helmets, northwest Syria’s civil defense organization, said about 190 people suffered different injuries in rebel-held northwest Syria mostly cases or broken bones and bruises. It said that several flimsy buildings collapsed, adding that there were no cases in which people were stuck under the rubble. - AP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-21 12:05:09', '2023-02-21 12:05:09'),
(5337, 5337, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrived in Kyiv on Tuesday, her spokesman told AFP, where she is expected to hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Meloni, who took office in October, has repeatedly expressed a desire to visit Ukraine to demonstrate her government\'s support following Russia\'s invasion almost exactly one year ago.</div><div><br></div><div>NATO member Italy has provided cash and weapons to help Ukraine, and earlier this month agreed to send mobile surface-to-air missile systems that it has jointly developed with France.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We have provided financial, military, humanitarian and civilian support\" to Kyiv \"and Ukraine can certainly count on Italy because we have shown since the start... that we were here (for Kyiv) and we will continue to be here,\" Meloni said at a press conference in Warsaw on Monday.</div><div><br></div><div>Meloni, who leads the far-right Brothers of Italy party, has also distanced herself from the more pro-Russian partners in her governing coalition.</div><div><br></div><div>Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, leader of the far-right League party, has in the past spoken admiringly of Vladimir Putin and even worn a T-shirt bearing the Russian president\'s face.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile former premier Silvio Berlusconi, whose Forza Italia party is the junior partner in the coalition, has sought to shift blame for the war away from Moscow, most recently earlier this week when he criticised Zelensky.</div><div><br></div><div>Meloni\'s office responded by emphasising its \"firm and committed\" support for Ukraine.</div><div><br></div><div>Former Italian premier Mario Draghi visited Kyiv in June 2022 with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. - AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-21 13:14:37', '2023-02-21 13:14:37'),
(5338, 5338, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Australia opening batsman David Warner will return home from India and miss the last two Tests after an elbow fracture and concussion, Cricket Australia said Tuesday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>It is the second injury blow in two days for struggling Australia, who are 2-0 down in the four-Test series.</div><div><br></div><div>Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood was sent home Monday after failing to recover from an Achilles tendon injury.</div><div><br></div><div>Warner was hit on the helmet shortly after being struck on the elbow on the opening day of the second Test defeat in Delhi. He was replaced by concussion substitute Matt Renshaw.</div><div><br></div><div>Warner, who scored just 26 runs as Australia lost both of the opening two matches, will miss the third and fourth Tests at Indore and Ahmedabad but it is hoped he can return for the subsequent one-day series.</div><div><br></div><div>\"David Warner has been ruled out of the Test tour of India and will return home,\" a Cricket Australia statement said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"After further assessment, he will require a period of rehabilitation which will preclude any further involvement in the remainder of the Test series.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It is currently anticipated that he will return to India for the three one-day internationals which follow the Test series.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Australia captain Pat Cummins has also flown home because of a family illness but is expected to return in time for the third Test, which starts on March 1. - AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-02-21 13:42:11', '2023-02-21 13:42:11');
