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(11564, 11564, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, with other humanitarian partners, on Wednesday called on the international community to redouble efforts to protect and assist Rohingya refugees and their host communities.&nbsp;</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh is generously hosting over a million Rohingyas, most of whom fled Myanmar seven years ago.</div><div><br></div><div>The 2024 Joint Response Plan for the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis was launched in Geneva on Wednesday under the leadership of the Bangladeshi authorities.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The funding appeal seeks $852.4 million to reach some 1.35 million people including Rohingya refugees and host communities.</div><div><br></div><div>The plan and related financial needs is being presented to donors in Geneva by Masud Bin Momen, Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh; Mohammad Tofazzel Hossain Miah, Principal Secretary to the Bangladesh Prime Minister; Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees; and Amy Pope, Director General of the International Organization for Migration.</div><div><br></div><div>International solidarity with Bangladesh and refugee protection is needed more than ever as the conflict in Myanmar escalates, said the UN agency.</div><div><br></div><div>The Joint Response Plan brought together 117 partners, nearly half of them Bangladeshi organizations.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>It aimed to help some 1 million Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar and on the island of Bhasan Char, and 346,000 from host communities, with food, shelter, health care, access to drinkable water, protection services, education and livelihood opportunities and skills development.</div><div><br></div><div>Some 95 per cent of Rohingya households in Bangladesh are vulnerable and remain dependent on humanitarian assistance.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Sustained assistance is critically and urgently needed, particularly by women and children, who make up more than 75 per cent of the targeted refugee population, and face heightened risks of abuse, exploitation and gender-based violence.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>More than half of the refugees in the camps are under 18, languishing amidst limited opportunities for education, skills-building and livelihoods.</div><div><br></div><div>The government of Bangladesh, local communities and aid agencies need sustained international support to respond to increasing needs as this humanitarian crisis remains largely out of the international spotlight.</div><div><br></div><div>Underfunding in previous years has had serious implications as Rohingya women, children and men -- who fled to Bangladesh to escape violence and persecution in Myanmar -- struggle to meet basic needs and their plight risks slipping into obscurity.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Rohingya refugees remain in limbo relying on humanitarian assistance to survive in crowded camps plagued by insecurity and natural disasters, said the UN refugee agency.</div><div><br></div><div>The international community must continue funding life-saving and life-sustaining assistance to refugees in the camps, investing in education, skills training and livelihood opportunities.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>This is a lifeline to refugees struggling to meet their basic needs and supplement limited humanitarian assistance.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Steps are also needed to ensure pledges made at the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva in December are fulfilled.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>These included enhancing self-reliance for Rohingya to provide hope and reduce the number of dangerous boat journeys taken, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas&nbsp;</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-13 16:06:04', '2024-03-13 16:06:04'),
(11565, 11565, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Germany said Wednesday it was joining an air bridge operation along with several other countries to drop desperately needed humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The operation, initiated by Jordan, already has the participation of several other countries including France and the United States.</div><div><br></div><div>The defense ministry said it would deploy the German part of a joint German-French air transport squadron to participate in the mission.</div><div><br></div><div>The team is equipped with C-130J Hercules transport planes, said the ministry, adding that Germany’s operation could begin as soon as the end of this week.</div><div><br></div><div>“The people in Gaza are lacking the most basic necessities. We want to do our part to ensure that they get access to food and medicine,” said Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.</div><div><br></div><div>After one parachuted airdrop turned lethal on March 8, the minister sought to allay fears.</div><div><br></div><div>“The truth is that airdrops are not without danger. The crews responsible are trained for the relevant procedures and highly experienced,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Gaza has faced relentless bombardment by Israel since Hamas launched a cross-border attack on October 7 that resulted in about 1,160 deaths, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.</div><div><br></div><div>Israel’s retaliatory bombardment and ground offensive has killed 31,184 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.</div><div><br></div><div>Aid groups say only a fraction of the supplies required to meet basic humanitarian needs have been allowed into Gaza since October.</div><div><br></div><div>With help entering Gaza by truck far below pre-war levels, and Gazans increasingly desperate, foreign governments have turned to airdrops and are now trying to open a maritime aid corridor from Cyprus. According to AFP reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-13 16:21:48', '2024-03-13 16:21:48'),
(11566, 11566, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday stressed the need for diversifying jute products according to the demand of the international market to unlock a huge export potential.&nbsp;</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“We’ve to pay attention to exploring new export markets for jutes, assess what type of goods has demand in different countries, and produce such products accordingly,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The premier said this while opening six jute mills and the three-day multipurpose jute product fair-2024 at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city on the occasion of the National Jute Day-2024.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The National Jute Day is observed on March 06 every year. This year, the day was celebrated with the theme of ‘Bangabandhur Sonar Desh, Smart Pat Shilper Bangladesh’ (Bangabandhu’s golden country to be Bangladesh with smart jute industries).</div><div><br></div><div>The PM said if Bangladesh can raise the production of jute and jute goods as much as possible, it will open the door of unlocking a huge export potential alongside enhancing the use of jute goods in the country.</div><div><br></div><div>Noting that jute is the golden fibre, she said these golden fibres may bring the golden days for Bangladesh. “So, we’ve to utilise it properly,” she added.</div><div><br></div><div>“If we want to diversify our export basket, I think jute and jute goods can play one of the key roles here,” said Hasina.</div><div><br></div><div>She urged the authorities of jute mills leased out by Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) to be sincere to produce new goods, explore new markets, and boost export of jute products.</div><div><br></div><div>Describing jute as environment-friendly goods, she said there is a huge potential market of jute products in the world.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister said unfortunately, jute neither enjoys the facilities as an agro-product nor as an export-oriented good.</div><div><br></div><div>“But we’ve taken a decision that we’ll ensure incentives for jute as agro-product and export goods,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister said the demand for jute goods would never go. “This golden fibre can keep an immense contribution to our economy,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>In the wake of climate change, an enormous scope has been created for jute products as these are environment-friendly, she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister informed that the saree she was wearing at the function is made of jute fibre. “The golden days of jute-made sarees have returned,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>After the speech she visited different stalls at the fair.</div><div><br></div><div>At the function, the prime minister handed over honorary crests to 11 individuals and organisations under 11 categories as well as nine jute related associations for their contributions to the jute sector.</div><div><br></div><div>Textiles and Jute Minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak chaired the event, while Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Textiles and Jute Ministry Golam Dastagir Gazi and President of Bangladesh Jute Mills Association (BJMA) Abul Hossain spoke on the occasion.</div><div><br></div><div>Textiles and Jute Secretary Abdur Rauf delivered the introductory speech.</div><div><br></div><div>The newly opened six jute mills, which were leased out by BJMC but now are run under private ventures are KFD Jute Mills Ltd at Rangunia in Chattogram, Bangladesh Jute Mills at Ghorashal in Narsingdi, Jatiya Jute Mills Ltd at Raipur in Sirajganj, Jashore Jute Industries Ltd and Carpeting Jute Mills Ltd at Rajghat in Jashore and Daulatpur Jute Mills Ltd at Shahor Khalishpur in Khulna. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-14 07:31:46', '2024-03-14 07:31:46'),
(11567, 11567, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Bangladeshi cargo vessel MV Abdullah which was hijacked by a group of Somali pirates will reach the Somali’s coast by Thursday afternoon.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The pirates may take the vessel to the Somalia coast around 2 pm (Bangladesh time), said Mohammad Shakhawat Hossain, general secretary of Bangladesh Merchant Marine Officer’s Association(BMMOA) quoting International Maritime Bureau (IMB).</div><div><br></div><div>Now the vessel is around 20 nautical miles off the Somalian coast and it will reach the coast within two hours, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, Chief Officer of MV Abdullah Captain Atique Ullah Khan through a whatsapp audio message said, “The pirates allowed them to take Sehri and all the 23 crew members are safe and sound,”</div><div><br></div><div>The cell phone sets of all crew members were seized on Tuesday, he said in the audio message.</div><div><br></div><div>The message reads—“All of the crew members were taken to the bridge of the vessel and no one was physically assaulted yet. As we all co-operated, the pirates behaved well to us.”</div><div><br></div><div>On Tuesday, pirates took control of the ship, carrying coal from Mozambique’s Maputo port to Al Hamriyah Port in the UAE, around noon.</div><div><br></div><div>MV Abdullah is owned by SR Shipping Lines – a sister company of Chattogram-based Kabir Steel and Rerolling Mill (KSRM) Group.</div><div><br></div><div>Amid worries and uncertainty over the fate of the crew, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud on Wednesday said the government has already communicated with relevant international bodies in an effort to rescue hijacked ship MV Abdullah and the sailors safely.</div><div><br></div><div>The Piracy Reporting Center in Kuala Lumpur, Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), New Delhi, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and the Singapore office under the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia have already been informed regarding the matter, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, the situation of the Bangladesh ship has also been reported to the ships of the UK, the USA, India and China operating in that area, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The waters off Somalia saw a peak in piracy in 2011 when the U.N. said more than 160 attacks were recorded, reports AP.</div><div><br></div><div>The incidents declined drastically afterward, largely due to the presence of American and allied navies in international waters. According to UNB Reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-14 08:20:36', '2024-03-14 08:20:36'),
(11568, 11568, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Russia considers Islamophobia \"an unacceptable form of racism,\" Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Wednesday.&nbsp;</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Zakharova said Russia stands in solidarity with the approaches of Muslim countries and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on this issue.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We stand against discrimination and harassment of Muslims on the grounds of religious affiliation as well as for ensuring religious freedoms based on respect for not only the individual but also collective rights of believers,\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Zakharova pledged Russia\'s support for a draft resolution of the Muslim countries at the UN General Assembly titled \"Measures to Combat Islamophobia\" dedicated to the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, which is celebrated every year on March 15.</div><div><br></div><div>The resolution prescribes respect for Islam as a component of the principle of cultural and religious diversity and also provides for the establishment of the mandate of the UN Special Envoy to combat this form of religious intolerance, she noted.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Russia is a co-sponsor of the draft resolution,\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Last week, Zakharova slammed Islamophobia in Europe, saying it had reached an \"unprecedented scale” in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. - Anadolu Agency</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-14 08:36:03', '2024-03-14 08:36:03'),
(11569, 11569, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Bangladesh Garments Accessories &amp; Packaging Manufacturers &amp; Exporters Association (BGAPMEA) organised a members meet up for upcomming election on 10-03-2024 at Uttara club, Dhaka.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Among the speakers there were present Jamil Ahmed, Managing Director, Britannia Label BD. Ltd, Md. Enamul Haque, Managing Director &amp; CEO,Expo accessories Ltd,&nbsp; Mohammad Abdul Quyum , Managing Director, Nilorn Bangladesh Ltd. Md. Rafiqul Islam Chowdhury , Managing Director, KC Printing House Ltd. and Selina Accessories Ltd, Shahjahan Chowdhury ,Managing Director, Active (BD) Ltd, Md. Afzalul Alam, Proprietor, Mawla Printing &amp; Packaging, M A Haider Hussain, Managing Director. Harnest Label Industries Ltd.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The programme is aimed to build bondings among the members and an open discussion with its members for greater collaboration act.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Participatnts of the meet-up appriciated the program and the information shared with the participants.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Speakers opined for collaboration among the members to geer up activities of the organization. They also urge for democratic election for the BGAPMEA and establish it as the other RMG association. They also said BGAPMEA contribute 8.22 billion last year in the Bangladesh RMG sector and so the association should stand for policy support from the government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'Newsdesk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-14 09:35:10', '2024-03-14 09:35:10'),
(11570, 11570, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b>Land Secretary Md Khalilur Rahman said the government is formulating the Haat and Bazar (Establishment and Management) rules to strengthen local governance and accelerate the local economy. Haat-bazaar rule will play an important role in the government\'s plan to establish a welfare-oriented smart local governance system.</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Land Secretary made this statement during a meeting to finalize the Haat and Bazar (Establishment and Management) Rules 2024, which took place today at the conference room of the Ministry of Land. Representatives from the ministries of local government, commerce, finance, agriculture, law, liberation war, and women and children affairs as well as District Administration officials were also in attendance.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Md. Khalilur Rahman also said that Haat-bazar is the heart of the rural economy of Bangladesh. He stated that efforts will be made to ensure that marginal farmers and traders with limited capital can also be involved in the Hat-bazaar-centric economy. Land Minister Narayon Chandra Chanda has given clear instructions in this regard - he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the meeting, it was disclosed that in the draft of the Haat and Bazar (Establishment and Management) Rules 2024, 4 percent of the lease money received from the haats and bazaars has been proposed to be spent for the welfare of the freedom fighters. The remaining 5% will be directly added to the central revenue in the form of a fee. The remaining 91 percent of the lease money from the haat bazaars has been proposed to be spent in the local area. These include the salaries of the officers and employees of the local government institutions, the development of haat-bazaars, and the revenue of the local government. Besides, provisions have been made in the draft rules to construct a multi-storied shopping complex on government khas.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/Sabuj/kh</div>', NULL, 'Staff Reporter', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-14 11:33:06', '2024-03-14 11:38:24'),
(11571, 11571, '<div><br></div><div>Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Thursday said the government is trying to identify those who are involved in market syndicates and investigating whether BNP has any link to the syndicates and hoarders.</div><div><br></div><div>The AL leader said this while speaking at an opinion exchange meeting at the Awami League\'s central office at Bangabandhu Avenue.</div><div><br></div><div>Quader, also the Road Transport and Bridges Minister, expressed worries that such syndicates could attempt to destabilise the government and disrupt the progress of the elected government.</div><div><br></div><div>Regarding the surge in commodity prices, the minister said the governmen under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is working to bring the commodity prices within the reach of common people.</div><div><br></div><div>On the issue of commodity price control, Quader referenced his recent visit to Singapore, where he observed a significant rise in commodity prices.</div><div><br></div><div>“Efforts are being made to control prices in our country. The government is not inactive here. The Prime Minister is giving time to deal with the crisis. We have no negligence here. The whole world is facing the rise in gas, fuel and commodity prices. This crisis is also going on in the US, Europe, the other developed countries,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Responding to questions about the recent hijacking of Bangladeshi ship and crew&nbsp; in Somalia, the minister assured that the Foreign Ministry is engaged in securing their release, reports unb</div><div><br></div><div>He said 23 crew members have insurance coverage, and efforts are underway to ensure their safe return.</div><div><br></div><div>Regarding the negative impact on relation with the US over the conviction of Dr Yunus, the minister said,” Dr Yunus is a person. I want to who he is in the US. He is a citizen of Bangladesh. Bangladesh has its own law and court and law is equal for all.”&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-14 11:41:09', '2024-03-14 11:41:09'),
(11572, 11572, '<div><br></div><div>Former minister and BNP Vice Chairman Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed on Thursday alleged that the ruling Awami League is responsible for distorting the history of the country’s great liberation war.</div><div><br></div><div>He said this after attending a meeting of BNP’s committee for celebrating the upcoming Independence Day in which he was made the convenor.</div><div><br></div><div>Major Hafiz said the independence achieved in 1971 is a matter of pride for the Banglee nation. He regretted that 53 years after the independence the history of liberation war is being made debatable.</div><div><br></div><div>The history of liberation war is being written every day like a story and a poem, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>During the war the number of freedom fighters was 80,000 or 100, 000, but now “we are seeing about 250, 000 are getting allowance along with other benefits as freedom fighters, Hafiz said.</div><div><br></div><div>People are being kept in dark about how the war of independence had started, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>The armed war of independence started after 25 March crackdown by Pakistani military. The people of the country had sacrificed their lives to bring the independence. The ruling AL doesn’t talk about it because they have no contribution in the war of independence, he claimed.</div><div><br></div><div>Major Zia’s declaration of independence influenced the people from every corner to join the liberation war, he said. World community came to know after Zia’s announcement. But the ruling quarter jokes about Zia’s declaration saying that “guard rang the bell”, Hafiz said.</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP vice-chairman said Major Zia was one of the lionhearted freedom fighters and also sector commander who led the war staying in the battle field while other sector commanders stayed in India.</div><div><br></div><div>But the AL portrays him as the agent of Pakistan’s Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) to misguide the young generation, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Major Hafiz alleged that the war of independence is being distorted as the AL claims all credit ignoring the contribution hundreds of thousands of students, youth and solders, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>Some political parties who had no contribution in Bangladesh war of independence have hijacked the independence and all achievements, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-14 11:44:10', '2024-03-14 11:44:10'),
(11573, 11573, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder on Thursday sought support&nbsp; from the Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO) to increase mango export from Bangladesh.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>He sought the assistance when Dr Jiaoqun Shi, FAO representative in Bangladesh, paid a courtesy call on him at his secretariat office.</div><div><br></div><div>During the meeting, they discussed the development of the country\'s food management and international commercialisation of local fruits.</div><div><br></div><div>The food minister said Bangladesh has achieved self-sufficiency in the production of cereals.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, the production of fruits and vegetables has also increased a lot, he said adding that the country produces about 25 lakh tonnes of mangoes annually but the amount of export is low compared to production.</div><div><br></div><div>Jiaoqun Shi said FAO is working to strengthen food security around the world and it will continue its support to ensure food security in Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>Food Secretary Md Ismail Hossain, Director General of Food Directorate Md Shakhawat Hossain, among others, were present at the meeting. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-14 11:47:03', '2024-03-14 11:47:03'),
(11574, 11574, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The UK is providing an additional £5.2 million (Tk 73.2 crore) of humanitarian support to Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, said the British High Commission in Dhaka on Thursday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The UK announced this at the launch of the 2024 humanitarian appeal for the Rohingya response in Bangladesh, the Joint Response Plan, in Geneva on Wednesday.</div><div><br></div><div>Implemented by the World Food Programme (WFP), International Organization for Migration (IOM), and UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), this new package of UK assistance will provide food and cooking gas to Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar.</div><div><br></div><div>British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Sarah Cooke, said: “I am pleased to announce this new package of £5.2 million to respond to humanitarian needs in the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, and provide vital food and cooking gas to the Rohingya.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The UK stands with Rohingya refugees and neighbouring Bangladeshi communities affected by this crisis, she said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We recognise Bangladesh’s significant efforts in its hosting of the Rohingya, and remain committed to finding a long-term solution,\" said the High Commissioner, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>“In the interim, we are providing humanitarian assistance to support those affected. We will be announcing additional support later this year,\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>This new UK support includes: £2.8m to WFP to provide food to over 311,600 Rohingya refugees while £2.4m to IOM and UNHCR to provide cooking gas to over 489,800 Rohingya refugees.</div><div><br></div><div>On the other hand, Since 2017, the UK has provided £379 million of humanitarian support to Rohingya refugees and neighbouring communities in Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-14 11:49:27', '2024-03-14 11:49:27'),
(11575, 11575, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">TikTok once again finds itself in a precarious position as lawmakers in Washington move forward with a bill that could lead to a nationwide ban on the platform.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The House on Wednesday passed legislation that would ban TikTok if its China-based owner ByteDance doesn’t sell its stakes in the popular social media platform within six months of the bill’s enactment.</div><div><br></div><div>Here’s what you need to know:</div><div><br></div><div>What’s in the House bill?</div><div>The legislation essentially gives ByteDance two options: sell TikTok or face a ban.</div><div><br></div><div>If ByteDance chooses to divest its stakes, TikTok would continue to operate in the U.S. if the President determines “through an inter-agency process” that the platform is “no longer being controlled by a foreign adversary.” The bill would also require ByteDance to give up control of TikTok’s well-known algorithm, which feeds users content based off their preferences.</div><div><br></div><div>Experts have said it will be challenging for ByteDance to sell TikTok in a few months.</div><div><br></div><div>If the company chooses not to sell, TikTok would be prohibited from app stores – such as those offered by Apple and Google - as well as web-hosting services until a divesture occurs, according to the bill.</div><div><br></div><div>Why are lawmakers concerned about TikTok?</div><div>Lawmakers from both parties - as well as law enforcement and intelligence officials - have long expressed concerns that Chinese authorities could force ByteDance to hand over data on the 170 million Americans who use TikTok. The worry stems from a set of Chinese national security laws that compel organizations to assist with intelligence gathering - which ByteDance would likely be subject to – and other far-reaching ways the country’s authoritarian government exercises control.</div><div><br></div><div>TikTok has denied assertions that it could be used as a tool of the Chinese government. The company has said it has never shared U.S. user data with Chinese authorities and won’t do so if its asked. To date, U.S. government also has not provided any evidence that shows TikTok shared such information with Chinese authorities.</div><div><br></div><div>Apart from security concerns, some lawmakers, researchers and critics of TikTok posit the app suppresses content unfavorable to Beijing, which TikTok denies. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence also warned in a report released Monday that the Chinese government has used TikTok to influence recent U.S. elections.</div><div><br></div><div>“TikTok accounts run by a PRC propaganda arm reportedly targeted candidates from both political parties during the U.S. midterm election cycle in 2022,” the report said.</div><div><br></div><div>Will TikTok shut down now?</div><div>No. The Senate would also need to pass the measure for it to become law. But it’s unclear what will happen in that chamber, where several bills aimed at banning TikTok have stalled. Senate lawmakers have indicated this bill would undergo a thorough review.</div><div><br></div><div>President Joe Biden has said he will sign the bill if lawmakers pass it. If that happens, ByteDance would have 180 days to sell TikTok to a qualified buyer.</div><div><br></div><div>The proposal could also be challenged in the courts by TikTok, which has sued to counter other attempts to ban the platform both nationally and at the state level.</div><div><br></div><div>What happened to the previous attempts made to ban TikTok?</div><div>In 2020, former President Donald Trump attempted to ban the social media platform through an executive order. This was later blocked by the courts after TikTok sued.</div><div><br></div><div>The Trump administration also brokered a deal in 2020 that would have had U.S. corporations Oracle and Walmart take a large stake in TikTok on national security grounds. But the sale never went through for a number of reasons, one being China, which imposed stricter export controls on its technology providers.</div><div><br></div><div>The Biden administration revoked Trump’s executive order but continued a review of the platform by the secretive Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., an intra-agency committee that reportedly threatened to ban TikTok last year if its Chinese owners don’t divest their stakes. The White House acknowledged last month that review remains ongoing.</div><div><br></div><div>Other efforts from federal lawmakers to enact nationwide bans were stalled last year amid lobbying from TikTok as well as influencers and small businesses who use the platform. The American Civil Liberties Union and some digital rights groups have opposed a TikTok ban on free speech grounds and argued the latest House bill would violate the rights of Americans who rely on the app for information, advocacy and entertainment.</div><div><br></div><div>How are TikTok content creators reacting to the latest bill?</div><div>If the House bill becomes law, it would be bad news for small businesses who rely on the platform for marketing or sell products on TikTok Shop — the company’s e-commerce arm. It would also impact the lives of social media influencers who have spent years cultivating their following on the platform, and rely on it to acquire brand deals or other types of income.</div><div><br></div><div>Many TikTok influencers were flown into into Washington this week by the company to participate in a lobbying blitz against the bill. Some said a ban on the app would disrupt their lives and businesses.</div><div><br></div><div>What about TikTok users?</div><div>TikTok sent a notification to some users last week urging them to call their representatives about the measure, which it characterized as a “TikTok shutdown.”</div><div><br></div><div>The company told users Congress was planning “total ban” on the platform that could “damage millions of businesses, destroy the livelihoods of countless creators across the country and deny artists an audience.”</div><div><br></div><div>On Thursday, many users responded by inundating congressional offices with calls, leading some to shut off their phones.</div><div><br></div><div>Can I access TikTok if it gets banned?</div><div>Experts say users can likely find ways to get around a ban.</div><div><br></div><div>App users can try to use virtual private networks, or VPNs, to disguise their location and bypass such restrictions, said Roger Entner, a telecom analyst and the founder of Recon Analytics. It will be challenging for the government to crack down on that behavior because there are many foreign VPN services that don’t need to abide by U.S. laws, Entner said.</div><div><br></div><div>But the use of VPNs also raises additional security questions, especially for users who go with a free or cheap VPN provider they haven’t carefully vetted. - AP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-14 14:10:03', '2024-03-14 14:10:03'),
(11576, 11576, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The White House acknowledged Wednesday the extent of the \"humanitarian crisis\" in the besieged Gaza Strip amid civilian deaths and acute shortages of daily necessities.&nbsp;</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said the lack of necessities for the civilian population is the impetus for the commencement of US airdrops of humanitarian assistance, as well as a nascent plan to build a temporary pier to facilitate aid deliveries by sea.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We\'ve seen innocent Palestinian civilians needing important essentials: food, water and medical assistance. And that is something that we want to make sure that we can get as much assistance in because there is a humanitarian crisis, period, happening in Gaza,\" she told reporters aboard Air Force One.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The president has said that Israel needs to do more,\" she added.</div><div><br></div><div>Asked why President Joe Biden has so far refused to condition US military assistance on Israel allowing more aid into the besieged enclave, Jean-Pierre pointed to ongoing efforts to broker a cease-fire in exchange for the release of hostages in Hamas captivity.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It is important that we get this hostage deal so that again, it would be accompanied by a temporary cease-fire, right. We have talked about this for six weeks so that we can get that in humanitarian aid so that we can make sure that we get those hostages home,\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The president is focused on this. We believe by getting that done -- the hope is to get to a longer, more permanent cease-fire,\" she added.</div><div><br></div><div>Israel has waged a deadly military offensive on the Gaza Strip since an Oct. 7 cross-border attack led by Hamas in which 1,163 people were killed.</div><div><br></div><div>More than 31,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and over 73,000 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.</div><div><br></div><div>The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave\'s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.</div><div><br></div><div>Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza. - Anadolu Agency</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-14 14:13:03', '2024-03-14 14:13:03'),
(11577, 11577, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Secretary of Maritime Affairs Unit (MAU) Rear Admiral (Retd) Khurshed Alam on Thursday said the 23 Bangladeshi sailors of the Bangladeshi ship MV Abdullah, which was hijacked by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean, are in good health and they will not deviate from their goal to bring the ship back with the sailors safely.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Talking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he mentioned about the unharmed rescue of all the Bangladeshi sailors working in the previously kidnapped domestic ship \'Jahan Moni\' and Malaysian ship \'Al-Bedo\'.</div><div><br></div><div>Asked whether the pirates demanded ransom, he said if the news of ransom has been published in the media, it is imaginary.</div><div><br></div><div>\"They (pirates) have neither demanded any ransom from us yet, nor have they contacted us about the ransom,\" Secretary Alam said.</div><div><br></div><div>He said there are risky shipping routes but the ship did not take the high risk route.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Still the pirates were waiting or there is a difference of opinion. The pirates took over the ship and left for Somalia, anchoring near Somalia early today (Thursday). The pirates haven\'t contacted us yet,\" Alam said.</div><div><br></div><div>The MAU Secretary said they have previous experience in this regard.</div><div><br></div><div>\"A ship named Jahan Moni faced such an incident in 2010. After 100 days we were able to bring back the ship with all the sailors,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, when the Malaysian ship \'Al-Bedo\' fell into the hands of pirates, there were seven Bangladeshis, two Iranians, three Indians, two Pakistanis and five Sri Lankan sailors.</div><div><br></div><div>But the Malaysian owner did not take any responsibility and the ship was stuck, it sank after two and a half years, some lives were lost.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We worked throughout and after about three years and four months we negotiated with the Kenyan army and rescued the Bangladeshi sailors unharmed,\" Alam said.</div><div><br></div><div>About the government\'s efforts, he said, \"We are sincerely trying. Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in constant communication with all parties including the Minister of State for Shipping, the Director General of the Department of Shipping and ship owners.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The Marine Affairs Unit Secretary said they still do not know what the pirates are demanding. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-14 14:17:07', '2024-03-14 14:17:07'),
(11578, 11578, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>NATO members are not providing Ukraine with enough ammunition, the chief of the military alliance said Thursday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Jens Stoltenberg presented NATO\'s annual report for 2023 at a news conference in Brussels, and commented on the situation in Ukraine, where Russia launched a \"special military operation\" two years ago.</div><div><br></div><div>He said the Ukrainians are not running out of \"courage\" but \"ammunition.\"</div><div><br></div><div>\"NATO allies are not providing Ukraine with enough ammunition and that has consequences on the battlefield every day. The fact that the Russians are able to outgun the Ukrainians every day, of course, is a huge challenge, it is one of the reasons why the Russians have been able to make some advances on the battlefield over the last weeks and months,\" Stoltenberg explained.</div><div><br></div><div>He urged the allies \"to step up and provide more ammunition to Ukraine.\"</div><div><br></div><div>\"Both the US, Canada, and Europe has to do more,\" Stoltenberg said, stressing that NATO members have the \"economies to be able to provide Ukraine with what they need.\"</div><div><br></div><div>\"This is a question of political will to take the decisions and to prioritize support for Ukraine. And therefore we need the decisions to invest more in defense industry,\" he added, reports Anadolu Agency</div><div><br></div><div>Stoltenberg said it would be a \"great historic mistake\" to allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to prevail.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We cannot allow authoritarian leaders to get the way by using force. This would be dangerous for us all,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-14 14:20:05', '2024-03-14 14:20:05'),
(11579, 11579, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday urged Russians to vote for him at a “difficult” time for the country, hours before polls open and as Kyiv launched a barrage of deadly attacks on Russian border regions.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The former KGB agent is set to extend his rule by another six years this weekend in a presidential election the Kremlin says will show that the country is fully behind his assault on Ukraine.</div><div><br></div><div>Ahead of the vote, Kyiv has ramped up its aerial bombardment of Russian regions just across their shared border.</div><div><br></div><div>At least two people were killed and nine wounded in the Russian region of Belgorod Thursday, and the Russian national guard said it was fighting off attacks from pro-Ukrainian militias in Kursk — the latest in a string of border clashes.</div><div><br></div><div>“I am convinced: you realize what a difficult period our country is going through, what complex challenges we are facing in almost all areas,” Putin said in an address to Russians on the eve of the vote.</div><div><br></div><div>“And in order to continue to respond to them with dignity and successfully overcome difficulties, we need to continue to be united and self-confident,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>All of Putin’s major critics are dead, in prison or exile and authorities blocked the few genuine competitors who tried to stand in the March 15-17 contest.</div><div><br></div><div>Alexei Navalny, Putin’s most high-profile opponent over the last decade, died February in an Arctic prison colony.</div><div><br></div><div>He was serving 19 years for “extremism” — charges widely seen as retribution for his campaigning against the Kremlin leader.</div><div>Kyiv has this week launched some of its most significant aerial attacks since the start of the two-year conflict.</div><div><br></div><div>The governor of Russia’s Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said Thursday one person had been killed in an overnight drone attack.</div><div>A second aerial attack killed another woman and injured several more, he said in a post on social media, without specifying what weapons had been deployed.</div><div><br></div><div>Pro-Ukrainian paramilitaries also claimed to be escalating attacks and incursions in Russian border regions.</div><div><br></div><div>In a joint statement Thursday, three pro-Kyiv volunteer groups — claiming to consist of Russians who oppose the Kremlin and have taken up arms for Ukraine — called on authorities to evacuate civilians from the regions of Belgorod and Kursk.</div><div><br></div><div>“Civilians should not suffer from the war and any casualties in the process of fighting will be on the conscience of Starovoit and Gladkov,” they added, referring to the regions’ governors.</div><div><br></div><div>Russia has rejected the militias’ claims to have gained ground.</div><div>The national guard said Thursday its units had beaten back “an attack by enemy diversion groups near the village of Tyotkino in the Kursk region.”</div><div><br></div><div>The defense ministry said it had fended off another attack by Ukrainian forces trying to enter the Belgorod region via the village of Spodariushino, without saying when the clash had taken place.</div><div>It published video showing a series of air strikes on what it said was a Ukrainian sabotage group.</div><div><br></div><div>The fighting come just hours ahead of polls opening in Russia’s Far East for the March 15-17 presidential election.</div><div>In power as president or prime minister since the final day of 1999, Putin has ushered in a sweeping crackdown of domestic dissent and an aggressive foreign policy</div><div><br></div><div>Victory will allow him stay in the Kremlin until at least 2030, longer than any Russian leader since Catherine the Great in the 18th century.</div><div>He called on Russians to use the election to show their unity behind his leadership.</div><div><br></div><div>“We have already shown that we can be together, defending the freedom, sovereignty and security of Russia,” he said in a video message, flanked by flags of the Russian tricolor and the president’s state insignia.</div><div><br></div><div>“Today it is critically important not to stray from this path,” he said.</div><div>Early voting is already underway in occupied territories of Ukraine, and the vote will also take place in Crimea, the peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014.</div><div><br></div><div>Kyiv says staging the election on Ukrainian territory is illegal.</div><div>In the Ukrainian city of Mariupol — under the control of Russian forces — election officials on Thursday opened pop-up polling stations at small tables in the street and on the hoods of cars.</div><div><br></div><div>Banners were unfurled sporting a red, white and blue ‘V’ logo — an army symbol used as a sign of support for the military offensive.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukraine’s foreign ministry on Thursday dismissed the vote as a “farce” and called on the international community not to recognize the results.</div><div><br></div><div>Russia’s opposition has called for anti-Putin protests at midday on Sunday, the final day of voting. - AP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-14 14:23:04', '2024-03-14 14:23:04'),
(11580, 11580, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said that extortion in transport has been going on for a long time.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"And efforts are underway to bring it under control,\" he was speaking in a press conference at Awami League\'s central office at Bangabandhu Avenue this morning.</div><div><br></div><div>Regarding the prices of essentials, Quader said the government is working sincerely to control the price of goods in the market. \"We are working and the result will come one day.\"</div><div><br></div><div>About BNP, he said that BNP is daydreaming the change of government in a short time.</div><div><br></div><div>\"There is no alternative to change the government without elections. So, if they (BNP) want to change the government, they have to wait for another election,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Quader said BNP has become isolated. People have no interest in the BNP\'s movement. People are happy with Sheikh Hasina. Sheikh Hasina\'s leadership is trusted and the people of this country have accepted her honesty, diligence and leadership, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>\"There is no alternative to Sheikh Hasina as the leader of Bangladesh.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Whether Dr Muhammad Yunus\' sentence will affect the relationship between Bangladesh and the United States, Quader said I don\'t think it will affect the relations between the two countries.</div><div><br></div><div>Among others, Awami League Organizing Secretary BM Mozammel Haque, Afzal Hossain, Publicity and Publication Secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap, Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua, Deputy Office Secretary Sayem Khan and other central Awami League leaders were present. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-15 16:30:09', '2024-03-15 16:30:09');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(11581, 11581, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The runaway price hike during this year’s Ramadan is proving particularly difficult for the middle to lower-middle class households in urban areas, for whom a Tk10-15,000 spike in the monthly spend is a big ask.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>These are the families that despite living in or near areas where supershops are proliferating, still prefer to buy from the local kaachabazars (kitchen markets). And the principal breadwinner, usually the father, often prefers to visit the bazar and make the purchases himself.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>One of them, Kazi Shariful Haque, a job holder at a private local company, told UNB that in any case one has to spend more on food during Ramadan, despite it being the month for restraint, on the food that is consumed during Iftar and Sehri. Consumption of some items like fruits, beef, and mutton, does come down, he conceded.</div><div><br></div><div>UNB spoke to Shariful at Kawranbazar, the principal kitchen market in the capital, which he visited just prior to the weekend with a shopping list that contained fruits, vegetables, fish, and chicken, among other things.</div><div><br></div><div>He shared that in his experience, most items’ prices jumped by Tk10-30 per kg. Fish prices jumped by Tk100 to 150 per kg, chicken jumped by Tk15 to 20 per kg, while chick-pea, lentil, onion, and garlic ginger are among the items that saw prices jump by Tk10 to 30 per kg, since the start of Ramadan.</div><div><br></div><div>Dates are not available at price set by the government, he said, while apples, malta, and some other fruits are selling at Tk300 to 350 per kg - an increase in the price by Tk 50 per kg. Medium-quality dates are selling at Tk800-1000 per kg, he pointed out.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>However, Shariful has found that the prices of rice and edible oil are stable for now, but of course household expenses are not limited to the spending at the bazaar only. In almost every sphere, including medicines (health), water rates, gas rates, electricity, house rent, people are having to spend more and more.</div><div><br></div><div>Bills and prices are squeezing the middle class in cities, especially at the lower end like Shariful, who last received a raise at his company two years ago, and in these two years, inflation has been spiking in the country. Even the company he worked for suffered losses in business in these two years, and it made him perceive a period of gloom for the economy.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Still, it makes him yearn for when the times were good for these very same people, as recently as 2-3 years ago.</div><div><br></div><div>“In 2021, I could maintain my four-member family in Farmgate, Dhaka along with spending for parents living in the village and even then save a small amount every month. And now I have to maintain family expenditure by drawing on my previous savings,” Shariful voiced his frustration in an annoyed voice.</div><div><br></div><div>Shariful’s is the common refrain among most shoppers at the city’s kitchen markets these days.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>They make up Bangladesh’s ‘squeezed middle’, a term coined by the former leader of the opposition in the UK parliament, Ed Miliband of Labour, in the aftermath of the global financial crisis of 2009.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The Oxford English Dictionary, while choosing it as their ‘Word of the Year’ in 2011, defined it as “the section of society regarded as particularly affected by inflation, wage freezes, and cuts in public spending during a time of economic difficulty, consisting principally of those people on low or middle incomes.”</div><div><br></div><div>All these conditions are met by the likes of Shariful, and others in his bracket.</div><div><br></div><div>Dr Fahmida Khatun, Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) told UNB that inflation and randomly fluctuating exchange rates (affecting the price of imported products) have increased the cost of living in the urban areas, as the urban people are depending on supply chains..</div><div><br></div><div>In the rural areas, 60 to 70 percent of items consumed by a family are produced on their own land - which is emphatically not the case in the cities. Most of the middle class is even living on rented property. As a result, the price hikes tend to affect urban life more severely, she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Dr Fahmida said it was not only the prices of consumer goods - health-related expenditure and utility prices have also increased, confirming the observation by Shariful, and others, that UNB spoke to in Kawranbazar.</div><div><br></div><div>“Household incomes, mainly salaries, did not increase in the post-Covid period, after having gone down during Covid itself (2020-2022),” Dr Fahmida said. “As a result, jobholders are really bearing the brunt of the price hikes.”</div><div><br></div><div>Average wage growth remained well below the inflation rate in Bangladesh for the 22nd month straight in November 2023, as per the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), corresponding to the timeline she provided.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Ghulam Rahman, president of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), said that the prices of all types of products have increased, whether those items are imported or produced in the country.</div><div><br></div><div>Although the incomes of jobholders did not increase, their expenses have increased alongside that of others, but this has proven a particular burden for the fixed income groups, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>He said If prices were hiked “logically and systematically”- presumably meaning adhering to market fundamentals - then this burden would remain manageable. But when it happens arbitrarily, indicating how it happens in Bangladesh, it becomes very hard for the people, said the CAB president.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>He advised authorities to pay more attention to whether this is happening, as there are several instances of price gouging, hoarding, etc in the country, and there are laws against these.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Wherever irregularities are found, the perpetrators should be brought under the law, to bring stability to the market, the CAB president urged.&nbsp; According to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-16 08:19:11', '2024-03-16 08:19:11'),
(11582, 11582, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>BNP Standing Committee Member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan on Saturday said that “BaKSAL 2” has been established in the country.&nbsp;</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Dr Abdul Moyeen made the remarks while talking to reporters after visiting Dhaka district Jubo Dal’s former president Rezaul Karim Paul’s residence, who was recently out of jail.</div><div><br></div><div>Dr Abdul Moyeen said, “You know that in the past the BaKSAL had been established in the parliament by killing democracy. Now, there is no room for opposition voices. This is the reality of Bangladesh today.”</div><div><br></div><div>“We have said repeatedly that it’s impossible to wipe out the opposition through suppression,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>“We believe in the power of the people. BNP founder Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, who also declared the independence of the country, had said that people are the source of all power,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>“They say BNP was born in the cantonment… I don’t know from where they got this information, but I want to clarify this. Ziaur Rahman was a soldier but he reinstated multi-party democracy by freeing it from BaKSAL rule. On the other hand, AL claims they are a pro-democracy and pro-independence party, but they have established a one-party BaKSAL rule by stealing democracy,” the senior BNP leader said.</div><div><br></div><div>“This is the difference between AL and BNP,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>“AL claims they are a pro-democratic political party, so why are they killing democracy in the country?&nbsp; Dr Moyeen raised the question, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>“The founding spirit of Bangladesh was democracy. Fifty-three years ago, we had said that under the Pakistan structure, no democracy is possible, and for that Bangladesh was formed,” the BNP leader said.</div><div><br></div><div>“The beauty of democracy is in the coexistence of ruling and opposition parties, but AL does not believe that,” Dr Abdul Moyeen said.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-16 08:34:53', '2024-03-16 08:34:53'),
(11583, 11583, '<div><b><br></b></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Hours after death of Jagannath University student Fairuz Abantika by suicide, massive protest broke out and continued till Saturday morning, demanding justice for the student.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Fairuz Abantika, a student of the 2017-18 academic year of Jagannath University (JnU) Law Department, hanged herself at her Cumilla residence after accusing her classmate and the assistant proctor of the university in a Facebook post around 10 pm on Friday.</div><div><br></div><div>Amid protests of the students, Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Sadeka Halim came to the campus after 1 am. Initially the protesting students did not allow the VC to enter the campus. After a while, they let the VC in.</div><div><br></div><div>The Vice Chancellor then assured them that a fair investigation will be conducted as per the laws of the university.</div><div><br></div><div>General students under the banner of ‘Jagannath University Against Oppression,&nbsp; called for a rally on the campus at 3 pm on Saturday, demanding maximum punishment of the accused.</div><div><br></div><div>Fairuz’s namaz-e-janaza will be held at her own hometown Cumilla at 12 pm today.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, the university administration suspended accused assistant proctor Deen Islam and her classmate Amman Siddique.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides,&nbsp; the university administration has formed a four-member probe committee with Masum Billah, dean of the Faculty of Law, as&nbsp; the convener and Law Officer Ranjan Kumar Das as the member secretary.&nbsp; The other members of the committee are the dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences Abul Hossain and Music&nbsp; Department Chairman Jhumur Ahmed.</div><div><br></div><div>In her Facebook post before committing suicide, Fairuz Abantika said&nbsp; that her classmate Amman Siddique and assistant proctor Deen Islam would be responsible for her suicide, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>\'If I ever die by suicide, my classmate Amman Siddiqui and assistant proctor Deen Islam, who supported him, will be solely responsible for my death. I complained to the Proctor\'s office that Amman was threatening me offline and also online but I did not get any benefit. Deen Islam scares me in many ways for the sake of Amman. He said that expelling me is very easy for him. I know I won\'t get any justice here,” she wrote.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-16 08:43:42', '2024-03-16 08:43:42'),
(11584, 11584, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Irish Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on Sunday on an official visit aimed at boosting bilateral trade and investment.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>He is conducting a seven-day official visit to India and Bangladesh as part of his government’s St Patrick’s Day programme.</div><div><br></div><div>During the Bangladesh leg of the visit Minister Coveney, also ex-deputy prime minister of Ireland, will officially open Ireland’s first Honorary Consulate in Dhaka and conduct a series of political, trade and Ireland-Bangladesh community meetings, according to the Irish government.</div><div><br></div><div>Ambassador of Ireland to India, Kevin Kelly says, \"I’m pleased to welcome Minister Coveney to India and Bangladesh for St Patrick’s Day 2024.\"</div><div><br></div><div>\"I am also glad that Minister Coveney will officially open Ireland’s first Honorary Consulate in Dhaka, Bangladesh, which is an important milestone in our relations with Bangladesh,\" Kelly said.</div><div><br></div><div>In its desire to further expand the bilateral relations with Dhaka, Ireland has recently appointed Cosmos Group Deputy Managing Director Masud Jamil Khan its Honourary Consul in Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>About the minister\'s visit Khan said, \"Building on the existing excellent relations, Bangladesh and Ireland have scope to work together to strengthen the bilateral ties tapping the potential of cooperation and collaboration in broad areas.\"</div><div><br></div><div>“Bangladesh is a very fast growing country and Ireland is a very developed and educated country. Both sides can work very well together,” he told UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>“We are honored that Minister Simon is coming to Bangladesh. This has also been supported by my Ambassador (Ambassador of Ireland to India Kevin Kelly) in Delhi. I think this is a long overdue visit,” Masud said.</div><div><br></div><div>Coveney is likely to meet Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud, Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun and State Minister for Commerce Ahasanul Islam Titu.</div><div><br></div><div>He will also attend a reception marking St Patrick’s Day, the National Day of Ireland and the official opening of \'the Honorary Consulate of Ireland in Bangladesh\' during his visit.</div><div><br></div><div>The Irish minister is likely to attend a dialogue on Bangladesh-Ireland relations during his stay in Dhaka.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh and Ireland established diplomatic relations in early 1972. Both countries are keen on expanding bilateral economic cooperation with Ireland showing interest in taking skilled IT manpower from Bangladesh, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>During the past 27 years Bangladesh\'s exports to Ireland have increased at 16.8% annually from $7.1 million in 1995 to $466 million in 2022, according to official figures.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-16 08:53:36', '2024-03-16 08:53:36'),
(11585, 11585, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>After a monumental 185-run partnership between Charith Asalanka and Pathum Nissanka in the fourth wicket while chasing a target of 287, Bangladesh found themselves facing an uphill battle in the second ODI against Sri Lanka on Friday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Sri Lanka suffered an early setback when Avishka Fernando fell victim to a first-ball duck, courtesy of a solid catch at slip by Soumya Sarkar off the bowling of left-arm pacer Shoriful Islam.</div><div><br></div><div>Losing two more wickets quickly, Sri Lanka seemed to be tilting in Bangladesh\'s favor. However, Asalanka and Nissanka had different plans. They launched a counterattack after Kusal Mendis was caught behind by Mushfiqur Rahim off Taskin Ahmed\'s delivery, steering Sri Lanka to 228 runs with over 12 overs remaining.</div><div><br></div><div>Taskin Ahmed and Mushfiqur Rahim combined once again to dismiss Asalanka for 91, just shy of his century, dealing a crucial blow to Sri Lanka\'s hopes. But Nissanka was firm at the other end of the wicket. He ended up 114 for 113. Wanindu Hasaranga\'s contribution of 25 runs sealed the deal for Sri Lanka.</div><div><br></div><div>Ultimately, Sri Lanka secured victory by three wickets with 17 balls to spare, leveling the series. The third match, scheduled for March 18 at the same venue, now serves as a virtual final.</div><div><br></div><div>In the first innings, Towhid Hridoy and Soumya Sarkar steered Bangladesh to a competitive total of 286 for 7. Despite a shaky start with Litton Das enduring a duck, Soumya and Najmul Hossain Shanto steadied the ship before Towhid\'s unbeaten 96 propelled Bangladesh\'s late surge, adding 56 runs in the final five overs.</div><div><br></div><div>While Bangladesh may have little consolation from this match, Sri Lanka gained significantly, notably from the record-breaking partnership between Asalanka and Nissanka. Their 185-run stand is the highest-ever fourth-wicket partnership by Sri Lanka in ODIs against any opponent, providing a significant confidence boost ahead of the decisive third match. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-16 09:11:54', '2024-03-16 09:11:54'),
(11586, 11586, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Aiming to significantly boost revenue collection from domestic sources, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) is adopting a three-pronged approach.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>These are: digital transformation, expansion of tax net, and enhancing administrative capacity.</div><div><br></div><div>The core idea is to make tax payments easy and transparent to improve taxpayer services which in turn will help NBR to collect more revenue, according to an official document.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the Medium Term Macroeconomic Policy Statement (2023-24 to 2025-26) of the Finance Division of Finance Ministry, the government has taken some Major reform measures to materialise the move.</div><div><br></div><div>The VAT &amp; Supplementary Duty Act 2012 has been implemented in July 2019. With the implementation of the new act, the collection of VAT and supplementary duty is expected to receive a significant boost in the medium term. After the initial hiccup and the shortfall due to the outbreak of COVID-19, revenue collection accelerated in FY22.</div><div><br></div><div>The government has enacted the new Customs Act, which replaced the Customs Act 1969. International best practices in customs, including that of the World Customs Organization (WCO), the revised KYOTO Convention and the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement have been incorporated here.</div><div><br></div><div>The law aims to harmonise and simplify customs processes to facilitate the collection of custom duties.</div><div><br></div><div>The new Income Tax Act is also expected to create an enabling environment for taxpayers, streamline income tax assessment and collection, and facilitate domestic and foreign investment.</div><div><br></div><div>To implement the new VAT law, the NBR undertook the ‘VAT Online Project (VoP)’ which was in operation since 2013 and concluded in June 2021.</div><div><br></div><div>Under the VOP, the official document said that the three important automation measures have been completed. First, the Online VAT Registration began in March 2017. Again, the central registration system has been in force since July 2019. The NBR has introduced online return submission in July 2019. The digital filing system has been introduced in the form of online submission of VAT returns.</div><div><br></div><div>The NBR has rolled out the electronic payment (e-payment) of customs duties in 2017, income tax in 2012 and VAT in 2020. Income tax can be paid through MFS (mobile financial services) as well.</div><div><br></div><div>To facilitate real-time deposit of government money to the national exchequer, the government has launched the Automated Invoice Portal. This Automated Challan (also known as A-Challan) will act as the receipt window of the government. The payment of income tax has already been brought under the A-Challan system on a pilot basis.</div><div><br></div><div>The NBR now plans to expand its use for payment of VAT and customs duties. The A-Challan will ensure the timely deposit of money including the prevention of fake return submission and revenue evasion.</div><div>Moreover, the discrepancy between the amount of revenue collected by the NBR and the accounts given by the Accounting Offices will be eliminated.</div><div><br></div><div>The Medium Term Macroeconomic Policy Statement (2023-24 to 2025-26) said that individual taxpayers can now submit their tax returns online.</div><div><br></div><div>The NBR has successfully launched eTDS Environment for easy and hassle-free processing of income tax at the source. With the introduction of this system, taxpayers’ time, cost and visits have been reduced to almost zero. Taxpayers can now submit fourteen reports in the eTDS environment.</div><div><br></div><div>To stop evasion in VAT and enhance VAT collection, the government has introduced Electronic Fiscal Devices (EFD) with a sales data controller mechanism.</div><div><br></div><div>The government has already installed 9270 EFD/SDC (Sales Data Controller) machines. NBR has selected 24 sectors, including residential hotels, bakeries and fast foods, decorators and caterers, sweet shops etc. for this purpose.</div><div><br></div><div>To broaden the coverage, the government has decided to outsource the installation of EFD/ SDC machines with a target of 60,000 EFD/ SDC in the first phase and 3,00,000 in five years, if the first phase brings good results.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, to prevent tax evasion and to bring transparency in VAT record keeping, the government has made the use of NBR-prescribed VAT software mandatory in VAT-registered industries with annual turnovers of Tk 5 crore or above.</div><div><br></div><div>The NBR has made provisions to enable internet-based companies, such as Google, Facebook, Microsoft etc. to pay their VAT on online sales.</div><div><br></div><div>This allows these companies to pay their VAT through their authorised VAT agents without opening their office in Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>The NBR plans to operationalise the risk management system to ensure that no more than 10 percent of the import consignments are subject to physical examination. To that end, the NBR has established a Central Risk Management Unit/Commissionerate for Customs.</div><div><br></div><div>To streamline the bonded warehousing system, reduce its misuse and make it transparent, the government has taken a project that aims to automate the bond management system by June 2023. Meanwhile, the licensing module has started operation and other modules will become operational soon.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh Customs will soon be conducting a Time Release Study in the major custom houses to take stock of the actual time taken in the release of imported consignments. The objective of the TRS will be to identify bottlenecks in customs clearance and to take measures to reduce clearance time.</div><div><br></div><div>The NBR strives to expand the number of taxpayers and has made the return submission mandatory for all TIN-holders with a few exceptions.</div><div><br></div><div>Other reform efforts by the NBR included – i) implementation and activation of Online National Single Window, Post Clearance Audit, Advance Ruling, Authorised Economic Operator, and thereby increasing dynamism in international trade; ii) full implementation of online income tax return submission under SGMP project; iii) implementation of “Individual Source Tax Deduction Monitoring Zone” to strengthen income tax deduction monitoring; iv) expansion of the e-Payment system in income tax; v) activation of transfer pricing and anti-money laundering activities; and vi) strengthening ICT infrastructure construction and automation activities.</div><div><br></div><div>Administrative expansion of the income tax department is underway, the Medium Term Macroeconomic Policy Statement added.</div><div><br></div><div>Introduction of the Document Verification System (DVS) has brought financial discipline and positively contributed to boosting tax collection both in income tax and VAT by increasing transparency. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-16 09:41:39', '2024-03-16 09:41:39'),
(11587, 11587, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Ukrainian authorities have begun mass evacuations of communities in the country’s northern Sumy region close to the Russian border after extended periods of intense shelling of the area, local officials said on Friday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The military administration of Sumy region, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said more than 180 residents of areas near the Velikopysarska community, next to the border, had been evacuated over the past three days.</div><div><br></div><div>Authorities in Sumy have long been issuing daily reports of Russian shelling, but the attacks have intensified.</div><div><br></div><div>The regional administration said the areas in question were “the most tense” in Sumy region, with three people killed and 13 wounded over the past five days.</div><div><br></div><div>The administration said a total of more than 4,500 residents had been evacuated from 22 villages in Sumy region, but gave no time frame.</div><div><br></div><div>Velikopysarska is located a few kilometers from the village of Kozinka across the border in Russia — where local authorities this week said an incursion by armed groups caused considerable damage. The groups described themselves as being made up of Russians opposed to the Kremlin and said they were conducting a military operation in the area.</div><div><br></div><div>The governor of Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said shelling of areas under his jurisdiction continued on Thursday, with one person injured. Gladkov toured border areas late on Wednesday and said there were no enemy forces in the region.</div><div><br></div><div>The governor of the neighboring Russian region of Kursk, Roman Starovoit, said air defense units had downed three Ukrainian drones on Thursday night.</div><div><br></div><div>Reuters was unable to verify accounts of military activity from either side. According to Reuters reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-16 09:58:59', '2024-03-16 09:58:59'),
(11588, 11588, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Tahmina Shabnam, mother of Jagannath University student Fairuz Abantika who died by suicide on Friday night, has demanded justice for her daughter’s death.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>“My husband died a year ago. Last night my daughter Fairuz&nbsp; died. I can\'t bear this grief. I have another son. If no action is taken against those responsible for my daughter\'s death, I will end my life along with my son,” said the wailing mother at her home at Bagichagaon of Cumilla city on Saturday.</div><div><br></div><div>“My daughter was very ambitious. My daughter was brilliant, is that her crime? She was first in her session, is that her crime? She got selected as a GD (General Duty) pilot, is that her crime? I informed the Proctor and the Chairman about the matter. I didn\'t get any justice. If I don\'t get justice, I will be finished. I have nothing,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Fairuz Abantika, a student of the Law Department at Jagannath University and daughter of late Jamal Uddin, a former professor of Cumilla Government College, was found hanging from the ceiling fan of her house at Bagichagaon on Friday night.</div><div><br></div><div>She was taken to Cumilla General Hospital where the on-duty doctor declared her dead at 10:15 pm.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, she made a post on Facebook when she accused her university’s assistant proctor and a classmate for her suicide.</div><div><br></div><div>The news of Fairuz’s death sparked protest at Jagannath University. Besides, a human chain is underway at Kandirpar in Cumilla city demanding that the culprits be brought under the law.</div><div><br></div><div>Her body will be handed over to her family after autopsy at 2 pm. Her namaz-e-janaza will be held after Asar prayers. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-16 10:10:35', '2024-03-16 10:10:35'),
(11589, 11589, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A group of South Korean senior doctors said Saturday that they would resign starting March 25 in support of junior medics in a nearly month-long strike over government training reforms that has plunged hospitals into chaos.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Thousands of trainee doctors stopped working on February 20 to protest government reforms aimed at easing doctor shortages by increasing the number of medical students — which the medics claim is the final straw for overworked and underpaid early career professionals.</div><div><br></div><div>Crucial surgeries and treatments have been canceled, but the government says the country has so far avoided a full-blown crisis thanks in part to nurses and senior doctors stepping up, as well as military medics who have been sent in to help.</div><div><br></div><div>Representatives of medical professors at 20 universities — who are also senior doctors at general hospitals — held a meeting late Friday, with those at 16 institutions “overwhelmingly in favor” of supporting their junior colleagues, said Bang Jae-seung, the head of the group.</div><div><br></div><div>Professors at “each university have decided to voluntarily submit resignation letters starting from March 25th,” Bang told reporters Saturday.</div><div><br></div><div>But “we have reached a consensus that until the resignation is finalized, each individual should do their best in the treatment of patients in their respective positions, just as they have done so far,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Bang did not disclose the exact number of professors expected to walk off the job on March 25th.</div><div><br></div><div>The health ministry this week reiterated that negotiations over the reform plans were out of the question, saying it would implement the health care reforms “without wavering.”</div><div><br></div><div>The government has ordered junior medics to return or face legal action, and has moved to suspend the medical licenses of those who refuse to comply, while offering incentives and setting up a hotline to support any who defy the walkout.</div><div><br></div><div>Seoul is pushing to admit 2,000 more students to medical schools annually from next year to address what it says is one of the lowest doctor-to-population ratios among developed nations.</div><div><br></div><div>Bang said Saturday that doctors cannot agree to an increase of 2,000 more students under any circumstances.</div><div><br></div><div>“We request the government once again. Please reconsider the figure of 2,000. Without this, initiating any negotiation will be impossible,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>“If the current situation continues, it won’t be long before university hospitals collapse, dealing a significant and long-lasting blow to our country’s medical system,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Doctors say they fear the reform will erode the quality of service and medical education, but proponents of the plan accuse them of trying to safeguard their salaries and social status.</div><div><br></div><div>This week, the junior doctors said they had submitted a “letter requesting emergency intervention” from the International Labour Organization (ILO), claiming they were being “forced” by the government into unwanted labor. The government has dismissed the claim.</div><div><br></div><div>The reform plan enjoys broad public support, but a new poll by local media found 34 percent of people wanted the government to negotiate to end the standoff. According to AFP reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-16 10:33:47', '2024-03-16 10:33:47'),
(11590, 11590, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Alpha Eye Studios Limited, a media company, has accused actor Ziaul Faruq Apurba of breach of contract and embezzling money.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>According to the media company, Apurba signed a contract for 24 dramas with the company. The actor took Tk 33 lakh of the Tk 50 lakh contract. However, he only finished 9 dramas, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>Later, Alpha Eye tried to contact him but could not, they said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"My lawyer will provide statements on my behalf. As the legal proceedings are underway, I prefer not to make any comments or discuss the matter further at this time,\" said the actor.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-16 10:42:51', '2024-03-16 10:42:51'),
(11591, 11591, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced a 15-member final squad to play the series deciding 3rd ODI against Sri Lanka on Monday at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Opener Litton Kumer Das has been dropped from final squad&nbsp; making way for the uncapped wicket-keeper-batsman Jaker Ali Anik.</div><div><br></div><div>The three match ODI&nbsp; series between hosts Bangladesh and touring Sri Lanka now locked in 1-1 following Sri Lanka\'s three -wicket victory over Bangladesh&nbsp; last Friday.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Gazi Ashraf Hossain, Chairman of the National Selection Panel, explained the decision, “With the series now hanging in the balance, we believe Jaker Ali’s addition will provide the team with more options and flexibility in the middle order.”</div><div><br></div><div>“Considering Litton\'s recent performance in white-ball cricket, we opted for this change, mindful of the availability of two other capable openers within the squad.”&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>26-year-old Jaker Ali has made an impressive start to his international career and averages 55 after six appearances in T20 matches for Bangladesh. He has close to 2000 runs from 84 List A games where he is averaging 35.&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Bangkadesh Squad for 3rd ODI: Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Anamul Haque Bijoy, Soumya Sarkar, Tanzid Hasan Tamim, Mushfiqur Rahim, Tawhid Hridoy, Mahmud Ullah, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Taijul Islam, Rishad Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Mustafizur Rahman and Jaker Ali Anik. ‎According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-16 10:51:55', '2024-03-16 10:51:55'),
(11592, 11592, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A human chain was formed in Cumilla on Saturday demanding justice for Fairuz Abontika, who committed suicide after writing a Facebook post on Friday night.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Locals and different organisations called for the arrest and punishment of those responsible.</div><div><br></div><div>An alliance of social and voluntary organisations convened at Pubali Chattar in Comilla city to protest the death.</div><div><br></div><div>Speakers at the gathering urged for an impartial investigation into the death and swift action to apprehend the culprits. Additionally, they announced plans for more decisive measures in the future.</div><div><br></div><div>Among the attendees were representatives from various organisations, including Bangladesh Youth Cadet Forum, Rang Tuli Jubo Foundation, Alo Jubo Mohila Kalyan Sangstha, Prattabartan, Tarunner Bangladesh, Nirapad Chalok Chai, Desh Kalyan Sangstha, Fire Service, VBD Comilla, Nawab Faizunnesa Foundation, Comilla College Theatre, Victoria College Theatre, Youth for Purpose, Comilla Cyclist Forum, and Junior Friends Club.</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;Fairuz Abantika, a student of the 2017-18 academic year of Jagannath University (JnU) Law Department, hanged herself at her Cumilla residence after accusing her classmate and the assistant proctor of the university in a Facebook post around 10 pm on Friday.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, the university administration relieved assistant proctor Deen Islam from her duty and suspended classmate Amman Siddique.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides,&nbsp; the university administration has formed a four-member probe committee .</div><div><br></div><div>In her Facebook post before committing suicide, Fairuz Abantika said&nbsp; that her classmate Amman Siddique and assistant proctor Deen Islam would be responsible for her suicide, reports unb</div><div><br></div><div>\'If I ever die by suicide, my classmate Amman Siddiqui and assistant proctor Deen Islam, who supported him, will be solely responsible for my death. I complained to the Proctor\'s office that Amman was threatening me offline and also online but I did not get any benefit. Deen Islam scares me in many ways for the sake of Amman. He said that expelling me is very easy for him. I know I won\'t get any justice here,” she wrote.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-16 11:00:22', '2024-03-16 11:00:22'),
(11593, 11593, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Foreign Minister and Joint General Secretary of Bangladesh Awami League Hasan Mahmud has said India\'s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) is their internal matter.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"As Bangladesh is a neighboring country, we are keeping an eye on the matter,\" he said on Saturday.</div><div><br></div><div>Hasan made the remarks when journalists wanted to know about Bangladesh position regarding the law during a view exchange meeting in the city.</div><div><br></div><div>The Citizenship Amendment Act provides a fast track to naturalisation for Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Christians who fled to Hindu-majority India from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan before Dec. 31, 2014.</div><div><br></div><div>The law excludes Muslims, who are a majority in all three nations.</div><div><br></div><div>Responding to a question on US remarks regarding Bangladesh election, the Foreign Minister said any office of the United States can give their opinion.</div><div><br></div><div>They said the opposition did not participate but out of 44 registered political parties in Bangladesh, 29 participated in the elections, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>And non-participation of any particular political party is not the responsibility of the government, it is the responsibility of that party, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>\"That party instead called to resist the election. For that purpose, they incited violence in the country and only those who were involved in that violence were arrested,\" Hasan said.</div><div><br></div><div>The United States has said that they are working to advance the partnership and relations with Bangladesh, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We are also working to make the relations with the United States closer and expand our multi-dimensional relations,\" he said, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>Hasan said most of the countries, including the United States, have expressed their intention to advance relations with Bangladesh in the future.</div><div><br></div><div>Governments and heads of state of about 80 countries of the world have congratulated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Even the President of the United States has written to the Prime Minister expressing his intention to take the relationship to the next evel,\" he added.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-16 11:10:17', '2024-03-16 11:10:17'),
(11594, 11594, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">An auto-rickshaw driver was tied to an electric pole and beaten to death for allegedly stealing a mobile phone in Bogura\'s Sadar upazila.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Sawal Haque, 25, died while undergoing treatment at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital around 11:30pm on Thursday.</div><div><br></div><div>Police have arrested a couple and their daughter over the incident.&nbsp; The arrestees are Rezaul Karim, his wife Sanu Begum and daughter Asha Khatun.&nbsp; They have been sent to jail by the court.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Sawal, son of Azizul Haque, was a resident of Chhoto Kumira Paschimpara of Sadar upazila. His body was handed over to his family after an autopsy on Friday afternoon.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>His father filed a case with Sadar Police Station on Thursday night, naming five people, including the three arrested.</div><div><br></div><div>Jalal Uddin, in-charge of Bogra Sadar Police Station\'s&nbsp; police outpost, said an Android phone was \'stolen\' from the house of Sawal\'s neighbour, the arrested Rezaul, a few days ago - but this too remains just an allegation till the phone is found.&nbsp; At this stage its correct status is that of a missing phone.</div><div><br></div><div>Instead of notifying police, or despite it, Rezaul called out Sawal from his home around 11am on Thursday and accused him of involvement in the incident. Later, Rezaul, with the help of his wife and daughter, allegedly tied him to an electric pole beside their house and beat him to death, in a merciless act that took the best part of a day.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Locals tried to rescue Sawal and took him to hospital later, but he died while undergoing treatment, just before midnight. According to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-16 12:01:40', '2024-03-16 12:01:40'),
(11595, 11595, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Around 300 workers of Crony Apparel Limited on Saturday staged a demonstration after putting up barricades on Dhaka-Munshiganj road demanding payment of their dues.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Selim Badsha, inspector of Narayanganj Industrial Police, said some 300 workers and staff of the garment factory took to the street around 9 am and staged demonstrations demanding payment of their dues.</div><div><br></div><div>The workers from the factory floor claimed that they are not getting their arrears for two months while the administrative staff claimed they are owed arrears for five months, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>On information, police rushed to the spot and tried to disperse them.</div><div><br></div><div>On the other hand, the workers left the road following the assurance from the garment authorities to pay their dues as soon as possible.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-16 12:55:53', '2024-03-16 12:55:53'),
(11596, 11596, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Pangaon Inland Container Terminal (ICT) to be made a profitable institution soon, Prime Minister\'s Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman said on Saturday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>\"All necessary initiatives would be taken to turn Pangaon Terminal into a more profitable institution including cargo exchange by river,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>He was speaking while visiting the port in the morning to monitor the current situation.</div><div><br></div><div>Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Chief Whip Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury and State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury and senior officials of the port were also present.</div><div><br></div><div>He said that the problem related to the handling operations of the terminal would be resolved within one month. When more cargo is anchored at the terminal, workers will get more work and then their problem will be solved.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The government is working so that more containers come to this terminal,\" he added.</div><div><br></div><div>In this regard, he assured all sorts of support to resolve the problems, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>\"Today, we have identified the problems of the port and hopefully to solve them soon,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We\'ve been able to identify the problems centering this terminal and hopefully we\'ll be able to resolve the problems soon,\" he added.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-16 13:55:10', '2024-03-16 13:55:10'),
(11597, 11597, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The nation is set to celebrate the 104th anniversary of the birth of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on Sunday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The day, which is a public holiday, will also be celebrated as the National Children’s Day.</div><div><br></div><div>Marking the day, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will place wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu at Bangabandhu Bhaban at Dhanmondi at 7am.</div><div><br></div><div>Then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will pay homage to Bangabandhu by placing wreaths at his grave in Tungipara at 10.30am.</div><div><br></div><div>At that time, she will also place a guard of honour and participate in a prayer programme.</div><div><br></div><div>Hasina, also the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu, will join a programme there at 11am on the occasion of his birth anniversary and National Children’s Day.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, different socio-political organisations, including Awami League and its associated bodies, have chalked out elaborate programmes to observe the day.</div><div><br></div><div>Television channels and radio stations will air special programmes marking the day.</div><div><br></div><div>On March 17, 1920, Bangabandhu was born in Tungipara village. While studying at Islamia College in Kolkata, he got involved in active politics.</div><div><br></div><div>Both while in and out of jail, Bangabandhu had led the Language Movement. On February 21, 1952, when Language Movement activists were killed, Bangabandhu was observing a hunger strike in jail.</div><div><br></div><div>In continuation of the Language Movement, all major movements of Bengalis, including the general elections in 1970 and the War of Liberation in 1971, were led by Bangabandhu.</div><div><br></div><div>Through his dynamic leadership, Bangabandhu had organised the Bengali nation to fight against exploitation and repression by then Pakistani rulers. The movement culminated in independent Bangladesh through the nine-month Liberation War in 1971.</div><div><br></div><div>When Bangabandhu was moving forward with an aim to build a \'Golden Bangladesh\' overcoming all obstacles, the defeated and anti-liberation war clique assassinated him, along with most of his family members, on August 15, 1975.</div><div><br></div><div>The government declared the period from March 17, 2020, to March 26, 2021, as the ‘Mujib Borsho’, marking the birth centenary of Bangabandhu. However, it was extended till March 31 this year.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, the President and the PM issued separate messages on the occasion.</div><div><br></div><div>\"On the occasion of the 104th Birth Anniversary of the Father of the Nation, I pay my deep homage to this great leader,\" the head of the state said in a message on the eve of the day.</div><div><br></div><div>In his message, the President also said that Bangabandhu remains the eternal source of inspiration for the Bengali nation. In politics, Bangabandhu appeared as a symbol of principle and ideals.</div><div><br></div><div>The PM, in her message, extended her best wishes to all the children of the country on the occasion of the 104th birth anniversary of the greatest Bengali of all time and \'</div><div>National Children\'s Day, according to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-16 14:36:36', '2024-03-16 14:36:36');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(11598, 11598, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday paid tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman here in Tungipara marking his 104th birth anniversary and the National Children’s Day-2024.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The president and the premier paid their homage by placing wreaths at the mazar (mausoleum) of Bangabandhu at Tungipara in Gopalganj this morning.</div><div><br></div><div>President Shahabuddin first laid a wreath at Bangabandhu’s mazar followed by the prime minister.</div><div><br></div><div>After placing the wreaths, they stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of Bangabandhu.</div><div><br></div><div>A smartly turned-out contingent drawn from Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force gave a guard of honour on the occasion.</div><div><br></div><div>Flanked by senior leaders of her party, Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League president, placed another wreath at the mazar of Bangabandhu on behalf of the party.</div><div><br></div><div>Cabinet members, PM\'s advisers, parliament members and senior leaders of Bangladesh Awami League were present.</div><div><br></div><div>Shahabuddin and Hasina offered fateha and joined a munajat seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of Bangabandhu as well as other martyrs of the August 15 carnage.</div><div><br></div><div>The president also signed the visitor’s book kept on the mazar premises.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier on his arrival on the mazar premises, President Mohammed Shahabuddin was received by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.</div><div><br></div><div>Later, the premier laid another wreath at Bangabandhu’s mazar along with members of the National Implementation Committee for Birth Centenary Celebration of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.</div><div><br></div><div>The father of the nation’s younger daughter Sheikh Rehana was also present at this time.</div><div><br></div><div>The premier flew to Tungipara after placing wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum on Dhanmondi Road No 32 in the capital.</div><div><br></div><div>The president and the prime minister also signed the visitor’s book kept on the mazar premises.</div><div><br></div><div>The birthday of Bangabandhu is being observed across the country as the National Children’s Day for many years.</div><div><br></div><div>On this day in 1920, Bangabandhu, the charismatic leader of the Bangalee nation, the architect of independent Bangladesh and the greatest Bangalee of all times, was born in a respected Muslim family at Tungipara village of Gopalganj. According to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-17 06:46:19', '2024-03-17 06:46:19'),
(11599, 11599, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The joint National Democratic Institute (NDI) and International Republican Institute (IRI) Technical Assessment Mission deployed to Bangladesh to monitor potential violence before, during, and after the country’s January 7, 2024 parliamentary election has released its final report.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“This report provides a valuable roadmap for more peaceful elections in Bangladesh’s future,” said Manpreet Singh Anand, NDI’s Regional Director for the Asia-Pacific.</div><div><br></div><div>“Leaders across the socio-political spectrum – including political parties, the government, and civil society – have a responsibility to reform the rules, practices, and norms of electoral politics toward nonviolence,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>The document provides a thematic analysis of different types of election-related violence and includes recommendations to the Bangladesh Election Commission, the executive and legislative branches of the government, political parties, civil society, and other stakeholders based on IRI’s and NDI’s comparative experience, to mitigate the risks of violence in future elections, in the furtherance of international cooperation and with respect for the sovereignty of Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>The mission found that the 2024 national election, including the campaign period, election day and immediate aftermath, had less physical and online violence compared to previous election cycles – primarily due to the absence of nationwide partisan competition and the state’s increased focus on election security, said a media release issued from Washington on March 16.</div><div><br></div><div>However, the Mission also found that the quality of the January election was undermined by incidents of violence, as well as a pre-election environment characterised by increased political polarisation, violence among political actors, contracting civic space, and worsening freedoms of expression and association.</div><div><br></div><div>“Election violence is a key deterrent of citizen participation,” said Johanna Kao, IRI’s Senior Director for the Asia-Pacific Division. “For Bangladesh’s elections to be fully inclusive and participatory, all sides need to prioritise nonviolent politics.”</div><div><br></div><div>During its stay in Bangladesh, the Mission’s five accredited long-term analysts met with election and government officials, security actors, political party leaders from across the political spectrum, journalists, civil society organisations including those focusing on youth, women, persons with disabilities, and religious minorities, as well as with accredited international observer missions.</div><div><br></div><div>This mission follows a joint pre-election assessment mission that NDI and IRI conducted from October 8 to 11, 2023.</div><div><br></div><div>The observations from the pre-election assessment mission informed the structure and scope of the technical assessment, which was conducted in accordance with the laws of Bangladesh and consistent with the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation, endorsed in 2005 at the United Nations.</div><div><br></div><div>IRI and NDI are nonpartisan, nongovernmental organisations that support and strengthen democratic institutions and practices worldwide. The Institutes have collectively observed more than 200 elections in more than 50 countries over the last 30 years. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-17 06:53:12', '2024-03-17 06:53:12'),
(11600, 11600, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>As the month of Ramadan started, the bustling streets of Old Dhaka came alive with the aroma of spices and the sizzle of frying pans. The Iftar bazars in this ancient section of the capital are a battleground for traditional dishes vying to be crowned the ultimate feast to break one\'s fast.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Amongst the labyrinthine lanes of Chawkbazar, Islampur, Bangla Bazar, and the roadside tong shops, vendors engage in a spirited rivalry to tantalize the taste buds of the devout.</div><div><br></div><div>Chawkbazar stands as a bastion of tradition in the realm of Iftar markets, offering a cornucopia of culinary delights. Here, amidst the throng of eager patrons, one can find an array of Iftar staples: chickpeas, piaju, puri, chop, and juice, alongside a plethora of innovative creations.</div><div><br></div><div>The alleys of Islampur and Bangla Bazar also boast diverse assortments of Iftar treats, showcasing the rich culinary heritage of the region.</div><div><br></div><div>Central to the charm of Chawkbazar is the legendary \'Boro Baper Polay Khay\' Iftar, a concoction steeped in tradition and flavor. Comprising an eclectic mix of 15 ingredients, including chicken, minced meat, cotton kebab, and an assortment of spices, it embodies the essence of Old Dhaka\'s culinary heritage. Priced between Tk 800 to Tk 1200 per kilogram, it stands as a testament to the enduring appeal of tradition.</div><div><br></div><div>However, a newcomer to the scene, \'Shob Baper Polay Khay,\' poses a formidable challenge to the reigning champion. Vendors tout its credentials, proclaiming, \"This is the traditional food of Dhaka, the best of Chawkbazar.\" They claim that their food has a 78-year-old tradition.</div><div><br></div><div>Kebabs reign supreme in this gastronomic arena, with vendors proudly presenting an assortment of tantalizing options. From Tengri Kebab to Suti Kebab, Sheek Kebab, and Kathi Kebab, the choices are as diverse as they are delectable. Whole chicken roasts, quail roasts, and succulent leg of goat roasts vie for attention alongside savory beef haleem and fragrant biryanis. Vegetarian offerings such as vegetable naan, milk naan, and keema paratha cater to diverse palates, while vendors employ persuasive advertising tactics to attract discerning buyers.</div><div><br></div><div>Various items for Iftar such as grilled items priced at 80-100 taka, milk naan ranging from 60-100 taka, vegetable naan at 80-90 taka, paratha at 30 taka, keema paratha priced between 50-60 taka, beef biryani ranging from 350-450 taka, tender chicken roast at 350-450 taka, beef haleem starting from 200 taka to 800 taka, whole quail roast at 100 taka, and goat leg roast at 800 taka are being sold.</div><div><br></div><div>Amidst the savory fare, refreshing beverages offer respite from the sweltering heat. From traditional buttermilk to exotic concoctions like Mohabbat syrup and lassi, vendors ensure that thirst is quenched alongside hunger. Prices vary, with Ghol priced at Tk 100 per liter, desserts at Tk 200, and lassi ranging from Tk 220 to Tk 250 per liter.</div><div><br></div><div>Farid Uddin, a seasoned seller, attests to the brisk business, stating, \"We sell from noon until Iftar. Sales are going well by the grace of God.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The allure of these markets transcends geographical boundaries, drawing visitors from across the capital and beyond. Selim Haider, a buyer from Gazipur, remarks, \"I come to buy Iftar from Chawkbazar every year during Ramadan. This time, however, the prices have seen a noticeable rise.\"</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;Amidst the culinary cacophony, simple pleasures like peyaju, puris, and chops find their place, priced between Tk 5 to Tk 20 per piece.</div><div><br></div><div>For those with a sweet tooth, a myriad of dessert options awaits. From Rasmalai to Curd, Chomchom, Rosogolla, Dudhsar, Pantua, and an array of jilapis, the choices are as indulgent as they are diverse. Prices range from Tk 250 for ghee-fried jilapis to Tk 500 for Dudhsar and pantua respectively.</div><div><br></div><div>In the maze-like streets of Old Dhaka, where old ways mix with new, the Iftar markets show how people come together to celebrate. As people gather to end their fast, they share more than just food. It\'s a tradition that brings them closer, creating bonds that last beyond the meal, according to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-17 07:55:15', '2024-03-17 07:55:15'),
(11601, 11601, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday advised the guardians to become friendly with their children to keep them away from menaces lik terrorism, militancy, drug and corruption.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“There should be a friendly relation with parents.&nbsp; If so, they (children) can’t go astray. They must be given the lesson of honesty from their childhood to keep them away from terrorism, militancy, drug and corruption,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The premier was addressing a programme organised at Tungipara in Gopalganj to celebrate the 104th birthday anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the National Children Day-2024.</div><div><br></div><div>She said the children should be engaged in extracurricular activities like sports, painting, music, and other cultural exercises and religious education alongside their classes.</div><div><br></div><div>“I would like to request guardians and teachers that you should pay attention so that the children would be imbued with human values on the one hand and on the other hand they get scopes to flourish their latent talents,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Noting that education is very essential,&nbsp; Hasina asked the guardians and teachers not to create any undue pressure on the children in the name of education.</div><div><br></div><div>She said the children should learn their lessons through sports that would create scope to develop their hidden talent. “We want to go ahead making curriculum accordingly, \"she added.</div><div><br></div><div>She said in Digital Bangladesh the children now can see the world through digital devices.</div><div><br></div><div>“So, they can learn not only by reading the textbooks but also by watching with their eyes. And then they would be smart citizens in Smart Bangladesh. We want it, she added.</div><div><br></div><div>The Women and Children Affairs Ministry arranged the programme under the management of Gopalganj district administration.</div><div><br></div><div>This year the theme of the day is \"Bangabandhu’r Swapna Dhore, Anbo Hasi Sobar Ghore (Smiles to be brought to every house with implementation of the dream of Bangabandhu).”</div><div><br></div><div>State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Simeen Hussain (Rimi), Women and Children Affairs Secretary Nazma Mobarek, and child Tayeba Tasmeen (on behalf of the children) spoke at the function.</div><div><br></div><div>Child Piyasha Jamil presided over the function, jointly moderated by two children Abdur Rahman and Lamiatul Bari.</div><div><br></div><div>Dhaka Divisional Commissioner Sabirul Islam and Gopalganj Deputy Commissioner Kazi Mahbubul Alam were also on the stage.</div><div><br></div><div>Cabinet members, members of parliament, political leaders and high officials were present in the programme.</div><div><br></div><div>A documentary titled ‘Bangabandhu and Children Rights’ was screened.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister distributed prizes among the winners of quiz, painting, recitation, patriotic song and dance competition organized by Gopalganj District Administration on the occasion of 104th birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the National Children’s Day-2024, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>On the other hand, 104 insolvent students received Tk 5,000 as a financial donation on the occasion of the Bangabandhu’s Birthday and Children’s Day.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-17 09:36:30', '2024-03-17 09:36:30'),
(11602, 11602, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Right-arm pacer Tanzim Hasan Sakib will miss the third match of the three-game ODI series against Sri Lanka due to injury. The third match will take place on March 18.&nbsp;</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Gazi Ashraf Hossain, the chief selector of the BCB, informed UNB that they are currently working on selecting a replacement for Tanzim.</div><div><br></div><div>Tanzim sustained a hamstring injury during the first ODI in Chattogram. Despite this, he participated in the second ODI and bowled all 10 overs while managing his injury. However, his condition worsened during a net session thereafter.</div><div><br></div><div>In the first two ODIs, Tanzim took four wickets, including three in the first match that Bangladesh won.</div><div><br></div><div>Prior to this series, Tanzim played nine matches in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) and claimed 11 wickets.</div><div><br></div><div>His absence in the final match, which will decide the series as both teams have won one match each, will certainly be a setback for the Bangladesh team. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-17 09:41:48', '2024-03-17 09:41:48'),
(11603, 11603, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>During the holy month of Ramadan, after a long day of fasting, the tradition of breaking fast, or Iftar, often involves enjoying refreshing beverages. Among these, instant powdered fruit drinks are a popular choice due to their refreshing flavours and instant preparation. However, commercially produced powdered drinks can contain artificial additives and excessive sugar, which may not align with dietary preferences or health goals. Thankfully, making homemade powdered fruit drinks provides a healthier alternative, offering control over ingredients and customisation of flavours.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Why Avoid Commercially Produced Instant Powdered Fruit Drinks?</div><div>Commercially produced powdered fruit drinks often contain artificial colours, flavours, preservatives, and high amounts of sugar. Consuming such additives regularly may lead to adverse health effects, including increased risk of obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Additionally, individuals with dietary restrictions or preferences may find it challenging to locate suitable options among commercially available powdered drink varieties. Homemade powdered fruit drinks allow for the exclusion of unwanted additives and customisation according to personal taste and nutritional requirements.</div><div><br></div><div>How to Make Instant Powdered Fruit Drinks at Home</div><div>Mango Powder</div><div><br></div><div>1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons of glucose powder, 1 teaspoon mango emulsion, 1 teaspoon citric acid, and ¼ teaspoon salt</div><div><br></div><div>Instructions</div><div><br></div><div>First, in a mixer jar, pour sugar and add 2 tablespoons of glucose powder, mango emulsion, a quarter teaspoon of salt, and half a teaspoon of citric acid. Grind the ingredients together until they achieve a fine powder consistency. Your homemade mango mix is now ready.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Transfer it into an airtight jar for storage. To serve, simply mix one tablespoon of the mango powder with 200 ml of water, add some ice cubes, stir well, and enjoy the refreshing taste.</div><div><br></div><div>Orange Powder</div><div><br></div><div>1.5 cups sugar, 1 cup orange glucose, 1 teaspoon citric acid, a pinch of salt, 4-5 drops of orange fruit colour, and ½ teaspoon orange essence.</div><div><br></div><div>To prepare your homemade orange powder, first place sugar and citric acid into a blender. Grind the mixture until both ingredients have transformed into a fine powder consistency. Next, introduce glucose to the blender, followed by a pinch of salt, orange essence, and orange food colouring.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Now, blend the ingredients once more until thoroughly combined. Your homemade orange powder is now prepared, ready to add a burst of fruity flavour to your beverages or recipes.</div><div><br></div><div>Lemon Powder</div><div><br></div><div>1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon essence, 1 teaspoon citric acid, and a few drops of yellow/lemon food colour.</div><div><br></div><div>First, in a mixer, mix granulated sugar, lemon essence, citric acid, and food colouring. Blend the ingredients until they are thoroughly combined and free of any lumps. Once blended, store the lemon powder in an airtight container in a cool, dry place to maintain its freshness.</div><div><br></div><div>Strawberry Powder</div><div><br></div><div>½ cup sugar, 2 tablespoons glucose, 1 teaspoon strawberry flavour, ¼ teaspoon citric acid, and ¼ teaspoon salt</div><div><br></div><div>First, to prepare your homemade Tang powder, start by placing sugar, glucose, and salt into a blender. Grind the mixture until both ingredients have turned into a fine powder consistency. Next, add strawberry flavour to the blender. Blend the ingredients again until they are thoroughly combined. Your homemade strawberry powder is now ready for consumption.</div><div><br></div><div>Bottom Lines</div><div><br></div><div>Making homemade instant powdered fruit drinks offers a simple yet rewarding way to enjoy refreshing fruit-flavoured beverages during Iftar and beyond.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>By avoiding commercially produced options and opting for homemade alternatives, individuals can prioritise their health, dietary preferences, and taste preferences while indulging in a delightful treat. With easy-to-follow recipes and endless flavour possibilities, homemade instant powdered fruit drinks are sure to become a staple in your Ramadan traditions. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', '<p><b><font color=\"#3984c6\">&nbsp;Fruit Drink</font></b><br></p>', 'News Desk', '[\"24\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-17 09:55:42', '2024-03-17 09:55:42'),
(11604, 11604, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Train communication between Dhaka and Chattogram remained suspended since Sunday noon as nine bogies of a train derailed near Tejer Bazar in Nangalkot upazila of Cumilla district.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Jashim Uddin, assistant director (operation) of Bangladesh Railway said Jamalpur-bound ‘Bijoy Express’ train from Chattogram veered off the tracks in the area after crossing Gunoboti rail station around 1:45 pm as the rail tracks bent due to hot weather, halting train movement on Dhaka-Chattogram route.</div><div><br></div><div>At least 20 people were slightly injured during the derailment, said witnesses.</div><div><br></div><div>Three relief trains from Pahartoli, Laksham and Akhaura left for the spot to salvage the derailed bogies. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-17 10:37:30', '2024-03-17 10:37:30'),
(11605, 11605, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Members of National Security Intelligence (NSI) on Sunday arrested a man along with half kg of gold powder, gold bar, and ornaments from Hazrat Shah Amanat International Airport.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The arrestee was identified as Mohammad Nezam Uddin, of Boalkhali upaizla in Chattogram district.</div><div><br></div><div>Taslim Ahmed, director of the airport, said a flight of Air Arabia landed at the airport from Sharjah in the morning.</div><div><br></div><div>Tipped off, a team of NSI challenged Nezam and seized half kg of gold powder, one gold bar, weighing 116.5 grams, gold ornaments, weighing 100 grams worth Tk 39.85 lakh after searching Nezam’s body and arrested him.</div><div><br></div><div>Process is on to take legal steps against Nezam, said Taslim. According to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-17 11:25:06', '2024-03-17 11:25:06'),
(11606, 11606, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has primarily found partial involvement of Jagannath University’s (JnU) suspended student Raihan Siddique Amman and relieved Assistant Proctor Deen Islam with the suicide of Fairuz Abontika. Abontika died by suicide on Friday night in her Cumilla residence.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>DMP Additional Commissioner Kha Mahid Uddin shared the information at a press conference on Sunday afternoon.</div><div><br></div><div>Replying to a question, the additional commissioner said, “Partial involvement of the arrested – Amman and Deen Islam – was found during primary interrogation.”</div><div><br></div><div>“The depth of their involvement will be determined by the investigation. We have done whatever was up to us, now the Kotwali Police Station of Cumilla will investigate,” he said, adding that they have handed over the duo to Kotwali Police Station.</div><div><br></div><div>The DMP additional commissioner informed that Abontika’s mother Tahmina Shabnam filed a case with Cumilla’s Kotwali Police Station last night. Two people were charged with abetment to suicide in the case.</div><div><br></div><div>Fairuz Abontika, a student of the 2017-18 academic year of JnU’s Law Department, hanged herself at her Cumilla residence after accusing her classmate and the assistant proctor of the university in a Facebook post around 10 pm on Friday.</div><div><br></div><div>In the Facebook post before committing suicide, Abontika said that her classmate Raihan Amman and assistant proctor Deen Islam were responsible for her suicide.</div><div><br></div><div>“If I ever die by suicide, my classmate Amman Siddiqui and assistant proctor Deen Islam, who supported him, will be solely responsible for my death. I complained to the Proctor’s office that Amman was threatening me offline and also online, but I did not get any justice. Deen Islam intimidated me in many ways on behalf of Amman. He said that expelling me is very easy for him. I know I won’t get any justice here,” she wrote.</div><div><br></div><div>A massive protest erupted on the JnU campus following the news of suicide on Friday night.</div><div><br></div><div>In the face of protest, the university authorities immediately relieved the assistant proctor and suspended the student.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, the university administration formed a four-member probe committee with Masum Billah, dean of the Faculty of Law, as the convener and Law Officer Ranjan Kumar Das as the member secretary.</div><div><br></div><div>On Saturday, the protesting students announced to besiege the Vice Chancellor’s office on Monday to press home their six-point demand. According to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-17 11:27:17', '2024-03-17 11:27:17'),
(11607, 11607, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The US is organising a charter flight to evacuate its citizens from Haiti, the US embassy said on Saturday, after weeks of gang violence that has paralysed the Caribbean country.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The emergency flight will depart from Cap-Haitien, Haiti’s second largest city, as the main airport in capital Port-au-Prince remains shut amid the unrest.</div><div><br></div><div>“We are arranging a charter flight for US citizens from Cap-Haitien to the United States, assuming the security situation in Cap-Haitien remains stable,” the US embassy in Haiti said in a security alert posted on its website.</div><div><br></div><div>The embassy said the airport in Cap-Haitien is open “periodically” for departing flights.</div><div><br></div><div>No date for the evacuation has been announced and it is unclear how many Americans will be able to take the flight.</div><div><br></div><div>The embassy warned that the 200km overland journey from Port-au-Prince to Cap-Haitien is “dangerous,” telling its citizens to consider the flight “only if you believe you can reach Cap-Haitien airport safely.”</div><div><br></div><div>The US said last Sunday it had airlifted non-essential American staff from its embassy in Port-au-Prince and brought in additional personnel to boost security at the compound.</div><div><br></div><div>Several other countries and the European Union have evacuated diplomatic personnel due to the crisis.</div><div><br></div><div>The United Nations also said it was evacuating non-essential staff.</div><div><br></div><div>The UN mission in Haiti announced Wednesday it would launch an “airbridge” from neighbouring Dominican Republic to facilitate the movement of aid into the country.</div><div><br></div><div>Haiti has been convulsed for the last two weeks by a gang uprising, with the well-armed groups aiming to topple Prime Minister Ariel Henry, an unpopular and unelected leader.</div><div><br></div><div>Henry agreed to step aside after an emergency meeting Monday that brought together parties including the US, UN and Caribbean representatives, yielding a blueprint for Haitians to form a governing transitional presidential council until elections can be held.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier on Saturday, authorities said police seized firearms and cleared roadblocks in a Port-au-Prince neighbourhood controlled by notorious gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier, in an operation that left several criminals dead. - AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-17 11:30:37', '2024-03-17 11:30:37'),
(11608, 11608, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Twenty-one people were killed and 38 injured in southern Afghanistan’s Helmand province today when a bus collided with an oil tanker and a motorbike, a provincial official said.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“Early in the morning today, based on the information we have received so far, 21 people were killed” in an accident “between a passenger bus, a tanker and a motorbike”, the provincial governor’s spokesman Mohammad Qasim Riyaz told AFP.</div><div><br></div><div>Another 38 people were injured in the collision, the provincial information department said, updating an initial tally of 11 provided by Riyaz.</div><div><br></div><div>The collision caused the vehicles to ignite, with images shared by the Helmand information department on social media showing charred, twisted metal and the crushed cabin of the tanker.</div><div><br></div><div>The accident took place early this morning on a main highway between the capital Kabul and northern Herat city in the Grishk district of Helmand.</div><div><br></div><div>Deadly traffic accidents are common in Afghanistan due in part to poor roads, dangerous driving on highways and lack of regulation.</div><div><br></div><div>In December 2022, an oil tanker overturned and caught fire in Afghanistan’s high-altitude Salang pass, killing 31 people and leaving dozens more with burn injuries. - AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-17 11:33:02', '2024-03-17 11:33:02'),
(11609, 11609, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>US president Joe Biden’s re-election campaign raised more than US$53 million in February and has US$155 million cash-on-hand after pulling in the most grassroots fundraising since the campaign’s launch.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>February’s fundraising came just before Biden clinched the Democratic Party’s nomination in March and before he raised $10 million in the 24 hours following his fiery State of the Union address.</div><div><br></div><div>About 1.3 million donors have made nearly 3.4 million contributions, and 97% of donations have been under US$200, according to a statement from Biden’s campaign, which released the figures today.</div><div><br></div><div>Biden in February went on a fundraising trip to California and attended fundraisers in the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas.</div><div><br></div><div>Opposition to Donald Trump, who clinched the Republican Party’s nomination, and to the GOP, have motivated donors.</div><div><br></div><div>Biden’s campaign generated US$1.6 million in grassroots revenue in the 48 hours following the GOP primary in South Carolina, while Trump-focused emails have also driven donations, Biden’s campaign said.</div><div><br></div><div>“The stakes of this election couldn’t be higher for the future of this country, and our historic fundraising operation is making sure every voter knows these stakes come November,” said Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Biden’s campaign manager.</div><div><br></div><div>A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll showed Biden had a marginal one percentage point lead over Trump ahead of November’s election.</div><div><br></div><div>Some 39% of registered voters in the one-week poll said they would vote for Biden, a Democrat, if the election were held today, compared with 38% who picked Republican former president Trump. - Reuters&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-17 11:37:16', '2024-03-17 11:37:16'),
(11610, 11610, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">South Ossetia, a region that broke away from Georgia and calls itself an independent state, has discussed becoming part of Russia with Moscow officials, Russian news agency RIA cited the head of South Ossetia’s parliament as saying today.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Russia recognised South Ossetia and another breakaway region, Abkhazia, as independent states in 2008 after Russian troops repelled a Georgian attempt to retake South Ossetia in a five-day war in 2008. Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru, and Syria recognised them as independent too.</div><div><br></div><div>But the West accused Russia of effectively annexing Abkhazia and South Ossetia, one fifth of Georgia’s territory, and Tbilisi wants the two regions back.</div><div><br></div><div>“We are discussing all these issues in close coordination with Russia, taking into account our bilateral relations and treaties,” RIA quoted Alan Alborov, the chairman of South Ossetia’s parliament, as saying in answer to a question about the possibility of holding a referendum on becoming part of Russia.</div><div><br></div><div>“When we come to this idea together with the Russian Federation (about joining the Russian Federation), we will do it,” RIA quoted Alborov as saying</div><div><br></div><div>The Russian-backed leader of South Ossetia, Alan Gagloev, last year expressed hope that the region could be formally incorporated into Russia, RIA said.</div><div><br></div><div>South Ossetia broke away from Georgian rule in a war in 1991-92 in which several thousand people died, and maintains close ties with the neighbouring Russian region of North Ossetia.</div><div><br></div><div>The majority of South Ossetians are ethnically distinct from Georgians, and speak their own language, related to Farsi.</div><div><br></div><div>Almost all the population have accepted Russian passports. They use the Russian ruble as their currency and the economy is dependent on Russia. - Reuters</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-17 11:40:20', '2024-03-17 11:40:20'),
(11611, 11611, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>US president Joe Biden took jabs on Saturday at former president Donald Trump with jokes about the mental fitness of his election opponent during a speech at the Gridiron Club dinner, a Washington tradition that began in the 1880s.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Biden’s appearance at the dinner, in which politicians and journalists trade humorous barbs in a white-tie formal affair, was the first time a president has attended in person since former president Donald Trump in 2018.</div><div><br></div><div>Biden, 81, recently clinched the Democratic Party’s nomination for this year’s presidential election and will face off against Trump, 77, in a rematch in November. Biden is trying to court voters, boost his low approval ratings and allay concerns that he is too old to run again.</div><div><br></div><div>“One candidate is too old and mentally unfit to be president. The other one is me,” Biden said on Saturday, in front of more than 650 guests who included the Taoiseach of Ireland Leo Varadkar, Amazon’s founder and Washington Post’s owner Jeff Bezos, and TikTok’s CEO Shou Zi Chew, whose US business could be banned by Biden.</div><div><br></div><div>Trump’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment. Trump has also questioned Biden’s mental capacity to be president.</div><div><br></div><div>Biden reinforced the importance of the press, which he said is not “the enemy of the people,” in stark contrast to previous remarks by Trump about the news media.</div><div><br></div><div>He also spoke about the war in Ukraine with the Prime Minister of Estonia Kaja Kallas, who attended Saturday’s dinner. “We will not bow down, they (Ukrainians) will not bow down and I will not bow down,” Biden said.</div><div><br></div><div>After his speech, Biden descended to the floor and took selfies with reporters and called one guest’s mother.</div><div><br></div><div>Michigan’s governor Gretchen Whitmer, representing the Democratic Party at the event, also spoke on Saturday, as well as Utah’s governor Spencer Cox, representing the Republican Party.</div><div><br></div><div>Cox, 48, joked that he was announcing his candidacy for the presidency “in 2052, when I still will be younger than both President Biden and President Trump.”</div><div><br></div><div>Turning more serious, he said there is a hunger among Americans for something more positive in politics.</div><div><br></div><div>The club’s 65 members, all representatives from news organisations, performed satirical songs and skits. One song poked fun at Biden’s and Trump’s ages to the tune of “When I’m Sixty-Four” by The Beatles.</div><div><br></div><div>At last year’s dinner, Mike Pence, who served as vice-president under Trump, offered a forceful rebuke of his one-time boss, saying history would hold Trump accountable for his role in the Jan 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.</div><div><br></div><div>Unlike its sister event, the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in April, the Gridiron dinner is not televised and tries to retain its yesteryear vibe with men in white tie and tails and women in long dresses.</div><div><br></div><div>No photos are allowed during the dinner and participants are asked not to post on social media until after it has concluded. - Reuters&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-17 11:45:08', '2024-03-17 11:45:08'),
(11612, 11612, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company has disconnected over 11,300 illegal household and other connections in three days in Munshiganj district.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>According to officials, a team of Titas Gas – headed by its managing director Md. Haronur Rashid Mullah – conducted a drive against the illegal connections in different areas of Munshiganj on Monday, Thursday and Saturday.</div><div><br></div><div>The areas include Moddho Baushia, Baktarkandi, Bhaberchar, Alipura Vitikandi, Notun Charchashi, Puran Baushia, Bhaber Char College Road, and Gazaria.</div><div><br></div><div>The length of the disconnected lines is about 34 km where the illegal connection holders include 11,300 household users, three casting factories, five restaurants and 59 tea stalls.</div><div><br></div><div>Each of the connections was snapped permanently from the source point, said Titas Gas.</div><div><br></div><div>Titas Gas officials informed that the drive against illegal connections was conducted through mobile court by executive magistrates from Munshiganj district administration.</div><div><br></div><div>Titas Gas official sources also said the company has 28.78 lakh consumers across its operating areas which include Dhaka, Gazipur, Munshiganj, Narayanganj, Manikganj, Mymensingh, Kishorganj and adjoining districts.</div><div><br></div><div>It supplies about 55 percent of the total gas produced in the country to the consumers. But apart from its legal connection holders, it has a huge number of illegal connection holders, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>“The number will be more than 3 lakh and most of the illegal connections are in Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gazipur, Munshiganj and Manikganj,” said a top official of Titas Gas.</div><div><br></div><div>He also alleged that these illegal connections holders have been getting gas supply with the help of a section of unscrupulous officers and employees of Titas Gas Company in connivance with the local representatives. As a result, despite repeated drives, such illegal connections have not stopped permanently, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-17 11:47:48', '2024-03-17 11:47:48'),
(11613, 11613, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Sunday claimed that the party’s acting Chairman Tarique Rahman\'s speech, which was delivered through zoom app to maintain communication with party leaders and activists, has been distorted with deep fake technology using artificial intelligence (AI).</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>He said the deep fake video is being spread through a few pro-govt online platforms and media outlets and being used for extorting from BNP’s well-wishers from home and abroad.</div><div><br></div><div>Not only acting chairman but also they are making deep fake video of BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy and other members, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>He said it in a press briefing held at BNP’s Nayapaltan Central Office.</div><div><br></div><div>Rizvi said after an investigation done by BNP’s IT department they have found that a man named Nahid Rain accused for deception and convicted ied the activity against opposition to degrade their image with the help of Awami League (AL).</div><div><br></div><div>It is a matter of great sorrow but the truth is the prime criminal is being promoted in both online and offline by an influential foreigner, he alleged.</div><div><br></div><div>Ruhul Kabir Rizvi demanded the immediate arrest of Nahid Rain for the crime of extortion in the name of BNP leaders, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said before January 7 dummy election, AL has been published numerous deep fake video on social media of their false development by using various international media’s anchor and logo.</div><div><br></div><div>Moreover, they also made deep fake video about US Dhaka Embassy by using AI, he continued.</div><div><br></div><div>Realizing importance of the deep fake video, Financial Times correspondent Benjamin Parkin has published a report on December 14, 2023 where he showed that how a miscreant ring of pro AL is making deep fake video by using AI.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-17 14:11:46', '2024-03-17 14:11:46'),
(11614, 11614, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud on Sunday said the NDI-IRI in their report acknowledged that the January 7 National Election witnessed less violence.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The quality of the election was much better than the previous ones in Bangladesh or elections held in the subcontinent, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"A fair and good election was held,\" said the Foreign Minister while responding to a question at Foreign Service Academy today.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Mahmud said the NDI and IRI have presented their statement. \"We are looking at that. But a beautiful, fair, free and impartial election was held in the country.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"BNP and their allies have not only boycotted the election but also tried to resist it… they should also address this issue,\" Hasan said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said that BNP incited violence and people were burnt and killed. \"These issues have to be there in the report.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Responding to a question on whether the government is rejecting the report, the Foreign Minister said it is not a matter of rejection or acceptance.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"They have given the report, we are looking at it, and we are examining all the observations made by our friendly countries and anyone else,\" Hasan said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Thd 2024 election had less physical, online violence compared to previous election cycles, said the NDI-IRI technical assessment mission.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The joint National Democratic Institute (NDI) and International Republican Institute (IRI) Technical Assessment Mission — deployed to Bangladesh to monitor potential violence before, during, and after the country’s January 7, 2024 parliamentary election — has released its final report.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“This report provides a valuable roadmap for more peaceful elections in Bangladesh’s future,” said Manpreet Singh Anand, NDI’s Regional Director for the Asia-Pacific.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Leaders across the socio-political spectrum – including political parties, the government, and civil society – have a responsibility to reform the rules, practices, and norms of electoral politics toward nonviolence,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The document provides a thematic analysis of different types of election-related violence and includes recommendations to the Bangladesh Election Commission, the executive and legislative branches of the government, political parties, civil society, and other stakeholders based on IRI’s and NDI’s comparative experience, to mitigate the risks of violence in future elections, in the furtherance of international cooperation and with respect for the sovereignty of 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, '2024-03-17 19:17:56', '2024-03-17 19:17:56'),
(11615, 11615, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The US Department of State has selected four distinguished scientists to serve as Science Envoys for 2024.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>They are Dr. Rumman Chowdhury, Dr. Stephanie “Steffi” Diem, Dr. Sian Proctor, and Dr. Dawn Wright.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Through the US Science Envoy Program, eminent American scientists and engineers leverage their expertise and networks to forge connections and identify opportunities for sustained international cooperation to advance solutions to shared challenges, champion innovation, and demonstrate America’s scientific leadership and technical ingenuity.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The scientists selected to participate in 2024 make up the first all-female cohort in the history of the US Science Envoy Program, said the US Department of State.</div><div><br></div><div>The US Science Envoy program was established by the Secretary of State in 2010.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Like their 30 predecessors, the 2024 Cohort will travel as private US citizens to engage internationally with civil society as well as government interlocutors.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Science Envoys help inform the Department of State, other US government agencies, and the scientific community about opportunities for science and technology cooperation.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The State Department selected the 2024 cohort to take advantage of their expertise in key issues facing the world today: Artificial Intelligence, Fusion Energy, Civil Use of Space, and Ocean Sustainability.</div><div><br></div><div>Dr. Rumman Chowdhury is a data scientist and social scientist. She is the CEO of Humane Intelligence, a technology nonprofit that builds a community of practice around evaluations of artificial intelligence (AI) models.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Dr. Chowdhury is also a Responsible AI Fellow at Harvard University’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Previously, Dr. Chowdhury served as Director of the Machine Learning Ethics, Transparency, and Accountability team at Twitter, as well as the Global Lead for Responsible AI at Accenture Applied Intelligence.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>She has earned numerous awards and accolades, including Time Magazine’s 100 most Influential People in AI, BBC’s 100 Women, Worthy Magazine’s top 100, the Bay Area’s top 40 under 40, and Forbes’ labeled her one of Five Who are Shaping AI.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Dr. Chowdhury holds two undergraduate degrees from MIT, a M.S. in Quantitative Methods of the Social Sciences from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of California, San Diego. According to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-18 07:43:29', '2024-03-18 07:43:29');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(11616, 11616, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu railed Sunday against growing criticism from top ally the United States against his leadership amid the devastating war with Hamas, describing calls for a new election as “wholly inappropriate.”</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>In recent days, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish official in the country and a strong Israel supporter, called on Israel to hold a new election, saying Netanyahu had “lost his way.” President Joe Biden expressed support for Schumer’s “good speech,\" and earlier accused Netanyahu of hurting Israel because of the huge civilian death toll in Gaza.</div><div><br></div><div>Netanyahu told Fox News that Israel never would have called for a new U.S. election after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001, and denounced Schumer’s comments as inappropriate.</div><div><br></div><div>“We’re not a banana republic,\" he said. “The people of Israel will choose when they will have elections, and who they’ll elect, and it’s not something that will be foisted on us.”</div><div><br></div><div>When asked by CNN whether he would commit to a new election after the war ends, Netanyahu said: “I think that’s something for the Israeli public to decide.”</div><div><br></div><div>The U.S., which has provided key military and diplomatic support to Israel, also has expressed concerns about a planned Israeli assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where about 1.4 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering. The spokesman for the National Security Council, John Kirby, told Fox the U.S. still hasn\'t seen an Israeli plan for Rafah.</div><div><br></div><div>The U.S. supports a new round of talks aimed at securing a cease-fire in exchange for the return of Israeli hostages taken in Hamas\' Oct. 7 attack.</div><div><br></div><div>The Israeli delegation to those talks was expected to leave for Qatar after Sunday evening meetings of the Security Cabinet and War Cabinet, which will give directions for negotiations.</div><div><br></div><div>Despite the talks, Netanyahu made it clear he would not back down from the fighting that has killed more than 31,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. More than five months have passed since Hamas attacked southern Israel, killed 1,200 people and took another 250 hostage.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier Sunday, Netanyahu said calls for an election now — which polls show he would lose badly — would force Israel to stop fighting and paralyze the country for six months.</div><div><br></div><div>Netanyahu also reiterated his determination to attack Hamas in Rafah and said that his government approved military plans for such an operation.</div><div><br></div><div>“We will operate in Rafah. This will take several weeks, and it will happen,” he said. The operation is supposed to include the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of civilians, but it is not clear how Israel will do that.</div><div><br></div><div>Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi reiterated his warning that an Israeli ground offensive in Rafah would have “grave repercussions on the whole region.\" Egypt says pushing Palestinians into the Sinai Peninsula would jeopardize its peace treaty with Israel, a cornerstone of regional stability.</div><div><br></div><div>“We are also very concerned about the risks a full-scale offensive in Rafah would have on the vulnerable civilian population. This needs to be avoided at all costs,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after meeting with el-Sissi.</div><div><br></div><div>And German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, after meeting with Netanyahu on Sunday, warned that \"the more desperate the situation of people in Gaza becomes, the more this begs the question: No matter how important the goal, can it justify such terribly high costs, or are there other ways to achieve your goal?”</div><div><br></div><div>Germany is one of Israel’s closest allies in Europe and, given memories of the Holocaust, often treads carefully when criticizing Israel.</div><div><br></div><div>Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, in Washington for St. Patrick’s Day, said during a White House reception that the Irish people were “deeply troubled” by what’s unfolding in Gaza. He said there was much to learn from Ireland\'s peace process and the critical U.S. involvement in it.</div><div><br></div><div>Varadkar said he’s often asked why the Irish are so empathetic to the Palestinians.</div><div><br></div><div>“We see our history in their eyes. A story of displacement, dispossession, and national identity questioned and denied forced emigration, discrimination and now hunger,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli consul-general in New York and an outspoken critic of Netanyahu, said that the prime minister\'s comments fit with his efforts to find someone else to blame if Israel doesn\'t achieve its goal of destroying Hamas.</div><div><br></div><div>“He’s looking on purpose for a conflict with the U.S. so that he can blame Biden,” Pinkas said.</div><div><br></div><div>Both sides have something to gain politically from the dispute. The Biden administration is under increasing pressure from progressive Democrats and some Arab-American supporters to restrain Israel\'s war against Hamas. Netanyahu, meanwhile, wants to show his nationalist base that he can withstand global pressure, even from Israel\'s closest ally.</div><div><br></div><div>But pressure also comes from home, with thousands protesting again in Tel Aviv on Saturday night against Netanyahu\'s government and calling for a new election and a deal for the release of hostages. Large parts of the Israeli public want a deal, fearing that hostages are held in poor conditions and time is running out to bring them home alive.</div><div><br></div><div>Israel’s offensive has driven most of Gaza’s 2.3 million people from their homes. A quarter of Gaza’s population is starving, according to the U.N.</div><div><br></div><div>Airdrops by the U.S. and other nations continue, while deliveries on a new sea route have begun, but aid groups say more ground routes and fewer Israeli restrictions on them are needed to meet humanitarian needs in any significant way.</div><div><br></div><div>“Of course we should be bringing humanitarian aid by road. Of course by now we should be having at least two, three other entry points into Gaza,” chef José Andrés with World Central Kitchen, which organized the tons of food delivered by sea, told NBC.</div><div><br></div><div>The Gaza Health Ministry said at least 31,645 Palestinians have been killed in the war. The ministry doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count, but says women and children make up two-thirds of the dead.</div><div><br></div><div>Israel says Hamas is responsible for civilian deaths because it operates in dense residential areas.</div><div><br></div><div>The Health Ministry on Sunday said that the bodies of 92 people killed in Israel’s bombardment had been brought to hospitals in Gaza in the past 24 hours. Hospitals also received 130 wounded, it said.</div><div><br></div><div>At least 11 people from the Thabet family, including five children and one woman, were killed in an airstrike in Deir al-Balah city in central Gaza, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society and an Associated Press journalist. The body of an infant lay among the dead. - AP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-18 07:48:55', '2024-03-18 07:48:55'),
(11617, 11617, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>A Cumilla court on Monday placed Jagannath University’s suspended student Raihan Siddique Amman and teacher Deen Islam on a two and one- day remand respectively in a case filed over the death of JnU student Fairuz Abontika.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Cumilla Judicial Magistrate Court-2 Judge Abu Bakar Siddique passed the order after the accused were produced before the court with prayers for a five and two-day remand respectively, said Kotwali Model police station Officer-in-Charge Md Firoz Hossain.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The court also ordered the investigation officer of the case filed to submit a report within seven days, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Abontika, a student of the 2017-18 academic year of the JnU Law Department, hanged herself at her Cumilla residence after accusing her classmate Amman and teacher&nbsp; Deen Islam , who was relieved from the post of assistant proctor of the university, in a Facebook post around 10 pm on Friday.</div><div><br></div><div>In the Facebook post before committing suicide, Abantika said that her classmate Amman Siddique and assistant proctor Deen Islam would be responsible for her suicide.</div><div><br></div><div>\'If I ever die by suicide, my classmate Amman Siddiqui and assistant proctor Deen Islam, who supported him, will be solely responsible for my death. I complained to the Proctor\'s office that Amman was threatening me offline and also online but I did not get any benefit. Deen Islam scares me in many ways for the sake of Amman. He said that expelling me is very easy for him. I know I won\'t get any justice here,” she wrote.</div><div><br></div><div>Hours after death of Abontika by suicide, massive protest broke out and continued till Saturday morning, demanding justice for the student.</div><div><br></div><div>In the face of student movement, the university authorities were compelled to relieve the assistant proctor and suspend the student to assuage the movement.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, the university administration formed a four-member probe committee with Masum Billah, dean of the Faculty of Law, as the convener and Law Officer Ranjan Kumar Das as the member secretary.</div><div><br></div><div>On Saturday, the protesting students announced to besiege the Vice Chancellor’s office on Monday to press home their six-point demand.</div><div><br></div><div>Members of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested the teacher and student from Dhaka on Saturday night.</div><div><br></div><div>The DMP handed over the duo to Kotwali police station to take next action in this connection on Sunday.</div><div><br></div><div>DMP Additional Commissioner Dr Kha Mahid Uddin at a press conference on Sunday said they found partial authenticity of their involvement with the death of Abontika during the preliminary investigation. According to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-18 07:52:28', '2024-03-18 07:52:28'),
(11618, 11618, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The 104th birth anniversary of the greatest Bangalee of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and National Children’s Day-2024 were celebrated at theBangladesh Embassy in Washington DC on Sunday with due respect and festivity.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>To celebrate the day, the Embassy organised elaborate programs which included hoisting of the National Flag, placing a floral wreath at the bust of Bangabandhu, discussion meeting, essay and painting competitions for children and screening of documentaries on Bangabandhu.</div><div><br></div><div>The day’s programs at the Embassy began in the morning with the ceremonial hoisting of the National Flag in front of the Chancery Building by Ambassador Muhammad Imran.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Officials and employees of the Mission were present at that time.</div><div><br></div><div>Later, the Ambassador placed a floral wreath at the bust of the Father of the Nation at Bangabandhu Corner in the presence of the officials and employees of the Mission.</div><div><br></div><div>Messages issued on the occasion by the President, Prime Minister, and the Foreign Minister were read out by Minister (Consular) Md Habibur Rahman, Minister (Commerce) Md Salim Reza and Minister (Economic) Dr. Md Fazle Rabbi.</div><div><br></div><div>Taking part in the discussion, Ambassador Imran paid glowing tributes to the Father of the Nation and recalled his long struggle from the great Language Movement to the War of Liberation to achieve the much-anticipated independence of the nation.</div><div><br></div><div>Describing Bangabandhu as an uncompromising and fearless leader, he said the life of the great leader and the history of Bangladesh are tied to the same stint.</div><div><br></div><div>While talking about the National Children’s Day, the Ambassador said the government led by Bangabandhu’s able daughter and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has taken various programs to make the country a safe abode for the future generations.</div><div><br></div><div>He hoped that the new generation would be the main driving force to lead the nation and put it in a more dignified position in the world in future. Ambassador Imran requested the guardians to let the children know about Bangabandhu’s great sacrifice for independence and rebuilding the war-ravaged nation alongside Bangladesh’s rich history, culture and heritage.</div><div><br></div><div>He also called upon all to work unitedly under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to build a happy and prosperous Bangladesh free from hunger and poverty by embracing the spirit of the Liberation War and the ideology of the Father of the Nation.</div><div><br></div><div>Minister (Press) AZM Sajjad Hossain also took part in the discussion highlighting Bangabandhu’s long struggle for independence and huge contribution to rebuilding the war-ravaged nation.</div><div><br></div><div>The morning part of the program ended with offering a special prayer seeking eternal peace for the departed souls of Bangabandhu and other martyrs of the August 15 carnage as well as continued peace, progress and prosperity of the nation.</div><div><br></div><div>Later in the evening, the Ambassador cut a cake with the participation of the children and distributed prizes among the winners of the essay and painting competitions. First Secretary (Passport &amp; Visa Wing) Muhammad Abdul Hye Milton ‍and First Secretary Ataur Rahman conducted the programs. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-18 07:56:37', '2024-03-18 07:56:37'),
(11619, 11619, '<div><b><br></b></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said BNP and its allies want restoration of caretaker government system not for the election, but to push the country back to darkness again.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"No one will be able to push the country back to the era of darkness,\" she declared.</div><div><br></div><div>Hasina, president of the ruling Awami League, was addressing a discussion marking the 104th birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at its Dhaka District unit office in Tejgaon.</div><div><br></div><div>She said that Bangladesh is the country of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib who was born to change the fate of the common people.</div><div><br></div><div>“And we will bring that change following his ideals,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister questioned the logic behind BNP\'s demand that the repealed caretaker government system is restored again to oversee national elections.</div><div><br></div><div>“Why do they want that? What\'s their expectation? In 2008 election there was a caretaker government. In that election they got only 30 seats while Awami League bagged 233 seats,” she recalled.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister said that BNP should remember that.</div><div><br></div><div>She said while Awami League remains in power the poor get food and shelter, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>She said that In the country of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman no one will remain without a home, address, and land.</div><div><br></div><div>Tthe government is implementing programmes to reach this goal, said the PM.</div><div><br></div><div>“And that is the thing they can not tolerate. They do not like that the common and poor people live a good life,” she said pointing at BNP.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-18 08:53:51', '2024-03-18 08:53:51'),
(11620, 11620, '<div><b><br></b></div><div><b>Sajeeb Wazed, ICT Affairs Advisor to the Prime Minister, has said that the United States’ take on democracy and polls in Bangladesh is guided by a goal of putting a “puppet regime” in place.</b></div><div><br></div><div>“Unless the United States gets its puppet regime in place in Bangladesh, no election will be good enough according to them!” — reads a post on his verified Facebook page.</div><div><br></div><div>US foreign policy moves involving Bangladesh have been questioned and criticised by several foreign policy analysts and civil society members in the span of the last few months.</div><div><br></div><div>A series of columns and news analysis by analysts and academics even found the attitude to be “singling out” the youngest nation in South Asia.</div><div><br></div><div>US approach in Israel and Gaza has also been widely criticised within the country and around the world as it vetoed UN resolution demanding ceasefire in Gaza, aided Israel, and continues to preach about human rights.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, a Bloomberg opinion article, titled “Biden’s Democracy Crusade Goes Astray in Bangladesh” observed that “Visa curbs and lectures are only making the US look partisan and arbitrary to many.”</div><div><br></div><div>The activities of the US Ambassador in Dhaka have also been subjected to criticism. Members of the civil society and journalist leaders found the envoy’s remark about applying US visa policy on the media in Bangladesh to be an “unprecedented attack” on the country’s press by a foreign diplomat. According to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-18 09:39:22', '2024-03-18 09:39:22'),
(11621, 11621, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Four suspected robbers were killed in a lynch-mob attack at Baghri village in Sonargaon upazila of Narayanganj on Sunday night.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Another youth injured in the mob attack was admitted to National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR).</div><div><br></div><div>However, the identities of the deceased couldn’t be known immediately.</div><div><br></div><div>Sheikh Billal Hossain, additional superintendent of police (circle-Kha) of Narayanganj, said a youth saw some 10 to 12 unidentified youths roaming in the village around 10 pm.</div><div><br></div><div>When he announced presence of robbers in the village using loudspeaker of a local mosque, some residents of three villages besieged the youths and gave them a good thrashing, leaving three of them dead on the spot, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>One injured victim died when he was taken to a hospital, he said, adding that another is undergoing treatment at the NITOR.</div><div><br></div><div>A daring robbery occurred in two houses in Kazadi area under the same upazila on Friday night.</div><div><br></div><div>The robbers stabbed inmates&nbsp; of the houses when they tried to resist the robbers. According to unb reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-18 09:48:05', '2024-03-18 09:48:05'),
(11622, 11622, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Three people died and seven were injured in a collision between a pickup van and a human hauler on Sylhet-Tamabil highway in Jaintapur upazila of Sylhet on Monday morning.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The deceased were identified as Mongli Patra, 50, daughter of Santosh Patra of Paschim Thakur Mati village of the upazila, Suchita Patra, 35, wife of Push Patra, and their five-month-old child.</div><div><br></div><div>Three of the injured were identified as Push Patra, 40, son of Santosh Patra, Zidan Patra, 18, son of Push Patra, and 5-year-old daughter of Push Patra.</div><div><br></div><div>According to locals, the cow-laden pickup van collided with Mokampunji-bound human hauler, leaving two people dead on the spot and seven others injured. The child died at a hospital, reports unb</div><div><br></div><div>On the other hand, locals rescued the injured and sent them to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, said Jaintapur Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Tajul Islam.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-18 09:50:13', '2024-03-18 09:50:13'),
(11623, 11623, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>UNDP Goodwill Ambassador Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, together with the Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell and UNDP Assistant Secretary General Ulrika Modéer, on Monday began their four-day official visit here.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud warmly welcomed the Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the morning.</div><div><br></div><div>During the visit, the UNDP Goodwill Ambassador Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden is expected to meet with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and attend an iftar-dinner programme to be hosted by the Prime Minister.</div><div><br></div><div>She will visit Jute Diversification Promotion Centre, Khurushkul Ashrayan Housing Project Site in Cox’s Bazar and various other development projects of the government of Bangladesh and UNDP in Dhaka, Khulna, Chattogram, Noakhali and Rohingya camps in Bhasan Char.</div><div><br></div><div>The visit takes place on the occasion of Crown Princess’s role as Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is the first visit she makes in this capacity.</div><div><br></div><div>The purpose is to learn about the development journey of Bangladesh and study the progress and challenges in the implementation of the SDGs, focusing on climate, gender equality, the green and digital transition and the role of the business sector, said the Swedish Embassy in Dhaka on Sunday.</div><div><br></div><div>The Crown Princess returns to Bangladesh almost two decades after her first visit in the country in 2005. She was appointed UNDP Goodwill Ambassador in October 2023.</div><div><br></div><div>The Crown Princess plays a key role in increasing awareness and engagement for the Sustainable Development Goals and a sustainable future where no one is left behind.</div><div><br></div><div>Sweden was one of the first countries to recognise Bangladesh. In 2022, the two countries celebrated 50 years of bilateral relations.</div><div><br></div><div>Sweden’s development cooperation with Bangladesh goes back to independence in 1971.</div><div><br></div><div>The ties are vibrant and multifaceted covering development cooperation, trade and investments, and people-to-people engagement.</div><div><br></div><div>The Swedish government is reforming its development assistance to meet the challenges of our time, where needs are extensive, and the funding gap is growing.</div><div><br></div><div>The new reform agenda focuses on a long-term perspective, transparency and effectiveness.</div><div><br></div><div>Trade, private investments, loans and domestic resource mobilisation are components necessary for countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-18 10:05:55', '2024-03-18 10:05:55'),
(11624, 11624, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Irish Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney on Monday officially opened Ireland’s first Honorary Consulate in Dhaka which is seen as an “important milestone” in the relations between Bangladesh and Ireland.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>In its desire to further expand the bilateral relations with Dhaka, Ireland has recently appointed Cosmos Group Deputy Managing Director Masud Jamil Khan its Honourary Consul in Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>Ambassador of Ireland to India, Kevin Kelly and Masud Jamil Khan, among others, were present during the opening ceremony.</div><div><br></div><div>The Irish Minister arrived in Dhaka on Sunday on a two-day official visit aimed at boosting bilateral trade and investment, reports unb</div><div><br></div><div>He met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud separately on Monday.</div><div><br></div><div>State Minister for Commerce Ahasanul Islam (Titu), MP hosted an iftar-dinner in honor of the visiting Irish Minister Sunday evening at the State guesthouse Padma.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-18 10:16:44', '2024-03-18 10:16:44'),
(11625, 11625, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Vietnam faces nearly $3 billion a year in crop losses as more saltwater seeps into arable land, state media reported Sunday, citing new research.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The damage would likely center on the Mekong Delta region, known as “Vietnam’s rice bowl” because it provides food and livelihoods for tens of millions of people, research from the country’s Environment Ministry showed.</div><div><br></div><div>Saltwater levels are often higher in the dry season but they are intensifying due to rising sea levels, droughts, tidal fluctuations, and a lack of upstream freshwater.</div><div><br></div><div>The resulting crop losses could amount to 70 trillion dong ($2.94 billion), state media VnExpress reported, citing new research from the Water Resources Science Institute, which is under the Environment Ministry.</div><div><br></div><div>The research found among the most impacted parts of the region would be the southernmost Ca Mau province, which could lose an estimated $665 million.</div><div><br></div><div>Ben Tre province could face roughly $472 million in losses, according to the study, which was presented Friday at a conference on water resource management.</div><div><br></div><div>“With the current scenario, fruit trees account for 29 percent of the damage in Mekong Delta, while crops account for 27 percent, and rice accounts for nearly 14 percent,” according to the findings.</div><div><br></div><div>“The fisheries industry accounts for 30 percent, equivalent to more than 21,000 billion dong ($840 million),” it added.</div><div><br></div><div>Greater losses were forecast for the region in the future, rising over $3.1 billion, the study said.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier this month, the Department of Water Resources warned saline intrusion could impact around 80,000 hectares of rice and fruit farms in the Mekong Delta.</div><div><br></div><div>Salt intrusion in the area between 2023-2024 was higher than the average, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting. According to AFP reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-18 10:46:26', '2024-03-18 10:46:26'),
(11626, 11626, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles on Monday in what analysts said was a calculated move to grab attention as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits South Korea for talks.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Blinken is attending the third Summit for Democracy and met President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul early Monday. He is also meeting his South Korean counterpart on the sidelines of the event, for discussions now likely to be dominated by the allies’ efforts to counter threats from the nuclear-armed North.</div><div><br></div><div>Washington and Seoul wrapped up one of their major annual joint military training exercises last week, prompting angry retorts and live-fire drills from nuclear-armed Pyongyang, which condemns all such exercises as rehearsals for invasion.</div><div><br></div><div>Seoul’s military said it had detected the launch of “multiple short-range ballistic missiles” early Monday, which flew around 300 kilometers (186 miles) before coming down into the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan.</div><div><br></div><div>“We are closely sharing relevant information with the US and Japan and are maintaining utmost readiness,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff added.</div><div><br></div><div>After meeting Yoon, Blinken “condemned the... launch of ballistic missiles by the DPRK and reaffirmed the United States’ ironclad commitment to the ROK’s security,” Spokesperson Matthew Miller said, referring to North and South Korea by their official names.</div><div><br></div><div>Japan’s top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said the North had fired three short-range ballistic missiles, which landed outside of the country’s EEZ and did not cause any damage.</div><div><br></div><div>The launches come just days after Seoul and Washington’s annual Freedom Shield drills, which this year involved double the number of troops, ended Thursday.</div><div><br></div><div>Pyongyang this month warned that Seoul and Washington would pay a “dear price” over the drills, and later announced that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had guided an artillery unit it says was capable of striking the South Korean capital.</div><div><br></div><div>“It’s a highly calculated move timing-wise by Pyongyang to fire multiple missiles to show they are capable of doing such an act even when the top US diplomat is in town,” Professor Choi Gi-il of military studies at Sangji University said.</div><div><br></div><div>North Korea typically stages missile launches “as a tit-for-tat” after US-South Korea joint drills, Han Kwon-hee of Korea Association of Defense Industry Studies said.</div><div><br></div><div>Blinken’s presence only adds to their motivation, he said, as it “means more attention from Washington and adds pressure on host Seoul.”</div><div>Monday’s ballistic missile test is the North’s second this year, after Pyongyang launched one tipped with a manoeuvrable hypersonic warhead on January 14.</div><div><br></div><div>Blinken landed in South Korea on Sunday afternoon ahead of the democracy summit, which runs from March 18 to 20 and will bring together government officials, NGOs and civil society members.</div><div><br></div><div>Seoul is one of Washington’s key regional allies, and the United States has stationed about 27,000 American soldiers in the South to help protect it against the nuclear-armed North.</div><div><br></div><div>Conservative President Yoon has boosted ties with Washington and sought to bury the historical hatchet with former colonial power Japan to better guard against Pyongyang’s threats.</div><div><br></div><div>So far this year, Pyongyang has declared South Korea its “principal enemy,” jettisoned agencies dedicated to reunification and outreach, and threatened war over “even 0.001 mm” of territorial infringement.</div><div><br></div><div>“While South Korea conducted defense training last week alongside international partners, Kim Jong-un personally supervised several military exercises, and now while Seoul hosts a summit of democracies, North Korea fires more missiles,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.</div><div><br></div><div>“The Kim regime’s one-upmanship aims to show strength to its domestic audience, suggest costs on the Korean Peninsula for Seoul’s international security cooperation, and warn Washington against increasing pressure on Pyongyang.”</div><div><br></div><div>Blinken also met South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul for discussions on boosting the alliance, as Washington and Seoul look to improve their so-called “extended deterrence” against North Korea. According to AFP reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-18 11:01:10', '2024-03-18 11:01:10'),
(11627, 11627, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Oil prices increased in early trade on Monday due to geopolitical tensions that are threatening global oil supply and the better-than-expected economic data in China, although uncertainty over the timing of the US Federal Reserve’s (Fed) interest rate cuts limited further price upticks.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>International benchmark Brent crude traded at $85.90 per barrel at 11.12 a.m. local time (0812 GMT) for a 0.65% increase from the closing price of $85.34 a barrel in the previous trading session.</div><div><br></div><div>The American benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) traded at $81.17 per barrel at the same time, a 0.73% rise from the previous session that closed at $80.58 per barrel.</div><div><br></div><div>Early Asian trade on Monday saw an oil price rally following Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s comments that he would not bow to international pressure to halt the war on the Gaza Strip on Sunday, fueling global supply fears.</div><div><br></div><div>“No amount of international pressure will stop us from realizing all the goals of the war: eliminating Hamas, releasing all our hostages and ensuring that Gaza will no longer pose a threat against Israel,” Netanyahu said at a government meeting.</div><div><br></div><div>The Israeli premier said pressure on Israel within the country to focus on holding fresh elections in the country would be detrimental to achieving the government\'s goals.</div><div><br></div><div>“If we stop the war now before all of its goals are achieved, it means that Israel has lost the war, and we will not allow that,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Despite international warnings, Netanyahu on Friday approved military plans for a ground operation in Rafah, where more than 1.4 million people have taken refuge from Israel’s ongoing war on the Gaza Strip.</div><div><br></div><div>“Those who say that the operation in Rafah will not happen are the same ones who said that we will not enter Gaza, that we will not operate in Shifa, that we will not operate in Khan Younis, and that we will not resume fighting after the [weeklong November] cease-fire,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Israeli attacks on Al-Shifa hospital in northern Gaza with tanks and heavy gunfire violating international humanitarian laws early Monday further shored up global supply risks and placed upward pressure on prices.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries last week also created unease in Europe and put upward pressure on crude oil prices.</div><div><br></div><div>“Ukrainian drone attacks took out three Russian refineries last week, which account for 12% of Russia’s total oil processing capacity. This has seen refinery margins pick up amid tighter availability of oil products in Europe,” according to Daniel Hynes, a commodity strategist at Australia and New Zealand Banking Group.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, China’s economic growth was buoyed by strength in factory output and investments at the start of the year, although uncertainty over a rebound in oil demand continues.</div><div><br></div><div>Industrial output rose at a much faster pace than market estimates, rising 7% in the January–February period compared to the same period a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics said Monday.</div><div><br></div><div>However, uncertainty over the US Fed’s upcoming monetary decision weighed on prices.</div><div><br></div><div>Experts forecast that the bank will leave the policy rate unchanged and will not start rate cuts in May as previously expected.</div><div><br></div><div>This will keep oil prices suppressed for now as high interest rates boost the value of the US dollar, a move that is set to deter oil trade by making oil more expensive for holders of other currencies. - Anadolu Agency</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-18 11:16:34', '2024-03-18 11:16:34'),
(11628, 11628, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Cupertino-based tech giant Apple is in talks with Google to bring Gemini artificial intelligence (AI) engine to iPhones, a Bloomberg report said on Monday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>According to the report, the iPhone maker recently also had discussions with OpenAI, the developer of the immensely popular ChatGPT, for a possible licensing of their AI model.</div><div><br></div><div>If a deal on Gemini is reached, the two companies’ long-running partnership will deepen even though they will continue to rival each other in the smartphone realm with their Android and iOS operating systems.</div><div><br></div><div>Despite being direct competitors there, Google and Apple have had a mutualistic relationship as the former pays the latter billions of dollars every year to keep Google Search as the default in iPhones’ Safari browsers.</div><div><br></div><div>Being a secretive company, Apple has not so far talked about its own work on AI engines but has clearly fallen behind in the AI race despite massively popularizing it with the release of the iPhone 4S, which came packed with AI-based virtual assistant Siri in late 2011.</div><div><br></div><div>After 13 years, the capabilities of Siri have seen only an incremental increase while Google Assistant has proven to be invaluable for Android users.</div><div><br></div><div>A report by 9To5Mac news website claimed that the Siri code “is now a mess” beyond salvage due to the fact that Apple has kept its original code and only made additions to it after acquiring the namesake app – rather than “actually working on a new version of it.”</div><div><br></div><div>“The result is that the Siri code is now a mess, and what many sources say is that no one at Apple really wants to be the one to change it,” 9To5Mac’s Filipo Esposito said in the report. - Anadolu Agency</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-18 11:54:05', '2024-03-18 11:54:05'),
(11629, 11629, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Padma Bank has merged with the Sharia-based Exim Bank Plc.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The merger happened on Monday through a formal deal signing at Bangladesh Bank.</div><div><br></div><div>The central bank’s Governor Abdur Rauf Talukder and senior officials, officials of the two banks were present at the deal signing ceremony.</div><div><br></div><div>This is the first merger of two banks in the country after Bangladesh Bank’s recent initiative to merge weaker banks with sound or strong ones.</div><div><br></div><div>Exim Bank Chairman Nazrul Islam Majumdar told UNB that Padma Bank will no longer exist from tomorrow. Due to the merger, the new operations will be carried out under the name of Exim Bank.</div><div><br></div><div>“No employees will lose their jobs despite the merger. However, the directors of Padma Bank cannot be on the Board of Directors of Exim Bank. No decision has been made yet regarding the managing directors of the two banks,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Majumder said, \"There was no pressure from the government to merge with Padma Bank, but there was a suggestion from the government. We have done it in the interest of the country, in the interest of the economy.”</div><div><br></div><div>Following the merger, depositors and shareholders will not face any issue, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>He said, “There are two methods of integration of banks — acquisitions and mergers. We didn\'t do acquisition, we did a merger.”</div><div><br></div><div>Padma Bank, which has about 1200 employees, will work for Exim Bank, sources said.</div><div><br></div><div>Padma Bank has defaulted loans of around Tk 4000 crore and the liability of government banks is about Tk 3000 crore with Padma.</div><div><br></div><div>In this regard, Exim Bank Chairman said, \"Padma has been merged, as a result, all liabilities of Padma Bank have now been taken over by Exim Bank.”</div><div><br></div><div>About Shariah-based banks, Nazrul Islam said, “Exim Bank is Shariah-based. Even though Padma Bank is general, since we (Exim) have merged them, they will also be Shariah-based. Every index of Exim Bank is in a good position, hope it will do better.” According to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-18 13:40:54', '2024-03-18 13:40:54'),
(11630, 11630, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday sought Ireland’s support in Bangladesh\'s efforts to enjoy the preferential trade facilities in the EU market until 2032 instead of 2029 during the country’s post-graduation period.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>She sought the support when a high-level Irish delegation, led by Ireland’s Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney paid a courtesy call on her at her official residence Ganabhaban.</div><div><br></div><div>PM\'s Speech writer Md Nazrul Islam briefed reporters after the meeting.</div><div><br></div><div>The premier said Ireland is a close friend and partner of Bangladesh and the EU member country has always been beside Bangladesh in different international forums.</div><div><br></div><div>She requested Ireland to support Bangladesh in the matter of Bangladesh’s interest in the EU Platform.</div><div><br></div><div>“The prime minister sought Ireland’s support so that the EU would extend the business facilities, particularly the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) for Bangladesh till 2032,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>She called upon Irish businesses to make investments in special economic zones and hi-tech parks of Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>Noting that Bangladesh is a potential big marketing hub for three-four billion consumers, she said there is huge scope for Ireland’s entrepreneurs to invest in several promising sectors like ICT, pharmaceuticals and agro-based industry of Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>On the labour issue, Hasina said misinformation regarding Bangladesh’s labour policy is being spread with ill-motive. There’ll be no misunderstanding in this issue if the EU countries directly contact the government of Bangladesh to know about it, she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The Irish minister said he arrived in Bangladesh to strengthen the bilateral relations between Ireland and Bangladesh further.</div><div><br></div><div>Noting that he is here to formally open Ireland\'s first honorary consulate in Dhaka, he said the office would also help intensify the people-to-people and trade relations between the two countries.</div><div><br></div><div>Coveney said Ireland wants to extend technical support to Bangladesh’s technology and food industry (agro-processing industries).</div><div><br></div><div>He said Ireland will continue trying to extend support to Bangladesh for its socio-economic uplift in the United Nations and the EU forums.</div><div><br></div><div>Mentioning that a good number of Bangladeshi students are now pursuing their study in Ireland, the visiting minister assured that the European country would welcome a larger number of students from Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>About the Rohingya issue, the Irish minister said Ireland will continue its support in this regard.</div><div><br></div><div>He, however, suggested intensifying security to Rohingya refugee camps, engaging them in income generating activities and arranging permanent and more developed houses for displaced Rohingya people.</div><div><br></div><div>In response, the Bangladesh premier said an adequate number of security members are deployed for Rohingya camps, but killings and other crimes are seen sometimes as there are many internal groups who already engaged in different criminal activities there.</div><div><br></div><div>She said there is no instance in the world that permanent houses are constructed for refugees. Even after that Bangladesh has arranged standard housing for one lakh Rohingyas in Bhashanchar.</div><div><br></div><div>If they want to go there, we can arrange housing for some 4 lakh Rohingyas in Bhashanchar. But unfortunately the housing project in Bhashanchar is not being successful due to opposition from some international communities, non-government organisations and countries.</div><div><br></div><div>PM’s Principal Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah and Ambassador of Ireland to India Kevin Kelly and Honorary Consul of Ireland for Bangladesh Masud Jamil Khan were, among others, present at the meeting.</div><div><br></div><div>The Irish minister arrived in Dhaka on Sunday on the second leg of his seven-day official visit to India and Bangladesh as part of his government\'s St Patrick\'s Day programme. According to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-18 14:15:56', '2024-03-18 14:15:56'),
(11631, 11631, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Fueled by Tanzid Hasan\'s well-composed 84 and a late cameo by Rishad Hossain, Bangladesh beat Sri Lanka in the third ODI of the three-match series and subsequently won the series by 2-1 on Monday in Chattogram.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Tanzid was not part of Bangladesh\'s initial playing XI. He was fielded as a substitute for Soumya Sarkar, who hurt himself during fielding. Tanzid took the chance and lived up to the expectations. He scored 84 off 81 runs – a record for scoring the most runs by a concussion substitute.</div><div><br></div><div>With the game hanging in the balance and 58 runs required, after Bangladesh lost sixth wickets by the dismissal of Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain entered the crease and shifted the momentum decisively in Bangladesh\'s favour.</div><div><br></div><div>He plundered 16 runs off Wanindu Hasaranga in the 37th over, followed by a remarkable 24 runs in the 40th over, showcasing his impressive power-hitting abilities. Rishad\'s quickfire 48 off just 18 balls, punctuated by four sixes, proved to be the final nail in Sri Lanka\'s coffin.</div><div><br></div><div>Two overs later, in the 40th over, Rishad smashed 24 runs off Hasaranga with two sixes and four fours.</div><div><br></div><div>Rishad ended on 48 off 18 balls. In this late and short cameo, Rishand smashed the ball around the wicket— two of his four sixes came through the mid-wicket region, one over the square leg and the other over the cow corner. The young batter proved once again that he has ample shots in his bat. Earlier in the T20I-Series, he smashed seven sixes in an innings.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh chased the below-par target of 236 with 58 balls to play.</div><div><br></div><div>For Sri Lanka, Lahiru Kumara took four for 48, his career-best, but he missed enough support from his fellow bowlers while defending a below-par total.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, Sri Lanka’s top and middle order tumbled. But Janith Liyanage\'s maiden ODI ton guided them to a score they could fight for. Their late order also faltered, and eventually, Sri Lanka was wrapped up for 235.</div><div><br></div><div>For Bangladesh, Taskin Ahmed led the bowling attack with three wickets, and Mustafizur Rahman, who has been going through a bad patch for a while now, took two wickets.</div><div><br></div><div>As the ODI series concluded, both the teams will now take on each other in a two-match Test series, with the first being played in Sylhet from March 22. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-18 16:09:13', '2024-03-18 16:09:13');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(11632, 11632, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud has invited Irish investment in Bangladesh, particularly in agro-processing, pharmaceuticals and IT sectors.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>He also thanked Ireland for hosting a few thousand Bangladeshis and requested the Irish Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney to ease the visa process to enable more Bangladeshi students and IT professionals to pursue higher studies and work in Ireland.</div><div><br></div><div>The Foreign Minister thanked the Irish Minister for visiting Bangladesh to further strengthen Bangladesh-Ireland bilateral relations.</div><div><br></div><div>He suggested further enhancement of bilateral trade in goods and services through new initiatives and sought Ireland’s support for EU’s EBA trade preferences to Bangladesh until 2032 and GSP+ benefits beyond 2032.</div><div><br></div><div>Minister Simon Coveney met with the Foreign Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on March 18.</div><div><br></div><div>The Irish Minister congratulated the Foreign Minister on his new appointment.</div><div><br></div><div>Highly praising Bangladesh’s sustained high economic growth, he suggested exchange of visits of delegations with special focus on bilateral trade and collaboration in the areas of technology, pharmaceuticals and energy.</div><div><br></div><div>He also assured Irish support in favour of Bangladesh’s appeal for extension of EBA facilities until 2032 and GSP+ facilities beyond 2032.</div><div><br></div><div>Referring to the migrant-friendly policy of the Irish government, the Irish Minister welcomed more Bangladeshi students and professionals to Ireland.</div><div><br></div><div>The Irish Minister hoped for an early solution of the Rohingya crisis and added that an additional Euro 1.5 million humanitarian assistance would be provided to the Rohingyas in Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>The two ministers shared their views on the war in Gaza and expressed deep concern over the killing of people, particularly women and children.</div><div><br></div><div>They agreed that the two-state solution can bring lasting peace in the region.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, the Irish Minister officially opened Ireland’s first Honorary Consulate in Dhaka, which is seen as an “important milestone” in the relations between Bangladesh and Ireland.</div><div><br></div><div>In its desire to further expand the bilateral relations with Dhaka, Ireland has recently appointed Cosmos Group Deputy Managing Director Masud Jamil Khan as its Honorary Consul in Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>Ambassador of Ireland to India, Kevin Kelly, and Masud Jamil Khan, among others, were present during the opening ceremony.</div><div><br></div><div>The Irish Minister arrived in Dhaka on Sunday on a two-day official visit aimed at boosting bilateral trade and investment.</div><div><br></div><div>On the occasion of St Patrick’s Day, the National Day of Ireland and official opening of the Honorary Consulate of Ireland in Bangladesh, Masud Jamil Khan and Kate Khan hosted an Iftar-dinner at a Dhaka hotel on Monday.</div><div><br></div><div>The Irish Minister, Irish Ambassador to India, former Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, diplomats stationed in Dhaka, senior officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, business leaders and journalists were present at the event. According to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-19 07:29:57', '2024-03-19 07:29:57'),
(11633, 11633, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, as part of her visit to Bangladesh as a Goodwill Ambassador for the UNDP, is now staying in Koyra upazila of Khulna to see firsthand the impacts of climate change and lifestyle of people living in vulnerable coastal areas.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>A helicopter of Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) carrying her landed at a helipad built in Gilabari area under Maheshripur union of the upazila around 8 am today.</div><div><br></div><div>Khulna Deputy Commissioner Khandaker Yasir Arefin said the Swedish Crown Princess is scheduled to visit six areas including Maheshripur, Maharajpur union parishads and Madinabad digital office.</div><div><br></div><div>During her brief visit, Princess Victoria will visit two vulnerable spots impacted by climate change and hear from people living in the areas, he said, adding that she will inaugurate Madinabad SmartPost Centre.</div><div><br></div><div>Koyra police station Officer-in-Charge Md Mizanur Rahman said around 16,000 police personnel are on duty along with members from Rapid Action Battalion, Border Guard Bangladesh, Navy, BAF, Coast Guard and intelligence to ensure security of the state guest. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-19 07:33:20', '2024-03-19 07:33:20'),
(11634, 11634, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Former champions Dhaka Abahani Limited registered their 5th consecutive wins in the 11-team Green Delta Insurance Premier Division Hockey League crushing Victoria Sporting Club by 16-0 goals at the Moulana Bhashani National Stadium here on Monday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>With the day\' s feat, Dhaka Abahani Limited comfortably dominated the league table with an all-win record securing full 15 points from straight five matches.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, they outplayed Dilkusha SC 10-1 goals, Usha KC by 2-1 goals, Azad SC by 10-1 goals and Sadharan Bima KS by 3-0 goals</div><div><br></div><div>In the day\'s match, Ashraful Islam, Pushkar Kisha Mimo and Obaidul Hossain Joy made hattricks for the popular sky-blue Dhanmondi outfit Abahani.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, Hujaifa Hossain scored two, Farhad Ahmed Shitul and Rakibul Hasan Rocky scored one each for the Abahani Ltd.</div><div><br></div><div>In the match, Abahani Ltd scored eight field goals, seven goals from penalty corners and one from penalty stroke.</div><div><br></div><div>Abahani dominated the first quarter by 5-0, took 9-0 lead in the 2nd quarter, dominated by 13-0 in the 3rd quarter and finished the match by 16-0 goals in the 4th and last quarters.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier in the day\'s first match, Ajax SC beat Azad SC by 4-1 goals at the same venue Monday afternoon.</div><div><br></div><div>Indian player Lesham struck two, another Indian Deepik and Subrota scored one goal each for the winners while Khorshed scored the lone goal for the losers. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-19 09:11:11', '2024-03-19 09:11:11'),
(11635, 11635, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Former President Donald Trump on Monday charged that Jews who vote for Democrats “hate Israel\" and hate “their religion,” igniting a firestorm of criticism from the White House and Jewish leaders.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Trump, in an interview, had been asked about Democrats\' growing criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his handling of the war in Gaza as the civilian death toll continues to mount.</div><div><br></div><div>“I actually think they hate Israel,” Trump responded to his former aide, Sebastian Gorka. “I think they hate Israel. And the Democrat party hates Israel.”</div><div><br></div><div>Trump, who last week became the Republican Party\'s presumptive nominee, went on to charge: “Any Jewish person that votes for Democrats hates their religion. They hate everything about Israel and they should be ashamed of themselves because Israel will be destroyed.”</div><div><br></div><div>The comments sparked immediate backlash from the White House, President Joe Biden\'s campaign and Jewish leaders. The vast majority of Jewish Americans identify as Democrats, but Trump has often accused them of disloyalty, perpetuating what critics say is an antisemitic trope.</div><div><br></div><div>At the White House, spokesperson Andrew Bates cast the comments as “vile and unhinged Antisemitic rhetoric\" without mentioning Trump by name.</div><div><br></div><div>“As Antisemitic crimes and acts of hate have increased across the world — among them the deadliest attack committed against the Jewish people since the Holocaust — leaders have an obligation to call hate what it is and bring Americans together against it,” he said. “There is no justification for spreading toxic, false stereotypes that threaten fellow citizens. None.”</div><div><br></div><div>Biden’s campaign said, “The only person who should be ashamed here is Donald Trump.”</div><div><br></div><div>“Trump is going to lose again this November because Americans are sick of his hateful resentment, personal attacks, and extreme agenda,\" said spokesman James Singer.</div><div><br></div><div>Jonathan Greenblatt, who heads the Anti-Defamation League, said, “Accusing Jews of hating their religion because they might vote for a particular party is defamatory &amp; patently false.\"</div><div><br></div><div>“Serious leaders who care about the historic US-Israel alliance should focus on strengthening, rather than unraveling, bipartisan support for the State of Israel,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.</div><div><br></div><div>Trump\'s comments come as Biden has been facing mounting pressure from the progressive wing of his party over his administration’s support for Israel in its retaliatory offensive in Gaza. More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory.</div><div><br></div><div>While Biden continues to back Israel’s right to defend itself, he has increasingly criticized Netanyahu. After his State of the Union speech, he said he needed to have a “come to Jesus” conversation with the</div><div><br></div><div>Israeli leader. He has also accused Netanyahu of “hurting Israel more than helping Israel,\" saying, “he must pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost as a consequence of the actions taken.”</div><div><br></div><div>Trump took particular issue with recent comments from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the country\'s highest-ranking Jewish official. In a speech last week, Schumer sharply criticized Netanyahu’s handling of the war in Gaza, warning that the civilian toll was damaging Israel’s standing around the world. He also called for Israel to hold new elections.</div><div><br></div><div>While the White House formally distanced itself from Schumer’s comments, the Democratic leader and key ally was voicing an opinion increasingly held across Biden’s administration.</div><div><br></div><div>Schumer — whom Trump accused of being “very anti-Israel now” — responded by accusing Trump of “making highly partisan and hateful rants.”</div><div><br></div><div>“To make Israel a partisan issue only hurts Israel and the US-Israeli relationship,” he wrote on X.</div><div><br></div><div>The Pew Research Center reported in 2021 that Jews are “among the most consistently liberal and Democratic groups in the U.S.,” with 7 in 10 Jewish adults identifying with or leaning toward the Democratic Party. In 2020, it found that nearly three-quarters of American Jews disapproved of Trump’s performance as president, with just 27% rating him positively.</div><div><br></div><div>Americans have also increasingly soured on Israel’s military operation in Gaza, according to surveys from The Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. In January, 50% of U.S. adults said the military response from Israel in the Gaza Strip had gone too far, up from 40% in November.</div><div><br></div><div>That number was higher among Democrats, 6 in 10 of whom said the same thing in both surveys. - YONHAP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-19 09:44:04', '2024-03-19 09:44:04'),
(11636, 11636, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>A Dhaka court on Tuesday sentenced nine people including Hallmark Group Managing Director (MD) Md Tanvir Mahmud and its Chairman and Tanvir’s wife Jesmin Islam to life imprisonment in a case filed over the misappropriation of over Tk 525.62 crore from the state-owned Sonali Bank.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Judge Md Abul Kashem of Dhaka Special Judge Court-1 also sentenced eight more accused including a senior officer of Sonali Bank to 10 years’ jail in the same case.</div><div><br></div><div>Others receiving life sentence include Hallmark Group General Manager Tushar Ahmed, T and Brothers Director Taslim Hasan, Max Spinning Mills owner Mir Zakaria, Paragon Group Managing Director Saiful Islam Raja, Nakshi Knit Managing Director Md. Abdul Malek, Abul Matin and Taslim Hasan.</div><div><br></div><div>Those sentenced to 10 years in prison are: Savar’s Tetuljhora Union Parishad Chairman Md Jamal Uddin Sarkar; the then Sonali Bank’s Dhanmondi Branch Senior Executive Officer Meherunnesa Merry; former GMs of the bank’s head office Noni Gopal Nath, Mir Mahidul Rahman, MD Humayun Kabir; Deputy GM Moinul Haque; DGM Safiz Uddin; and AGM Md Kamrul Hossain Khan.</div><div><br></div><div>Though the court set February 28 for delivering the judgment of the case, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) submitted an appeal to the court to produce two more witnesses.</div><div><br></div><div>Accepting the appeal, the court later took testimony from the witnesses and set March 19 for final delivery of the judgment.</div><div><br></div><div>ACC filed the case accusing Hallmark MD Tanvir and others bringing the allegations of embezzlement of Tk 525 crore, 62 lakh and 92,800 with Ramna Police Station on October 4, 2012.</div><div><br></div><div>After investigating, ACC submitted chargesheet accusing 26 people on October 7, 2013.</div><div><br></div><div>A Dhaka court framed charges against the accused on February 17 and 27 in 2016.</div><div><br></div><div>A total of 11 cases were lodged in the Hallmark scam while the judgment of one of the cases was delivered on Tuesday. According to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-19 09:46:49', '2024-03-19 09:46:49'),
(11637, 11637, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Famine is \"imminent” in northern Gaza, where 70% of people are experiencing catastrophic hunger, according to a report Monday that warned escalation of the war could push half of Gaza\'s total population to the brink of starvation.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The report, by the international community’s authority on determining the severity of hunger crises, came as Israel faces mounting pressure from even its closest allies to streamline the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip and to open more land crossings. Aid groups complain that deliveries by air and sea by the U.S. and other countries are too slow and too small.</div><div><br></div><div>The European Union’s top diplomat said the impending famine was “entirely manmade” as “starvation is used as a weapon of war.”</div><div><br></div><div>Israeli forces, meanwhile, launched another raid on the Gaza Strip’s largest hospital early Monday, saying Hamas militants had regrouped there and fired on them from inside the Shifa Hospital compound.</div><div><br></div><div>Clashes continued all day in and around the hospital, where Palestinian officials say tens of thousands of people have been sheltering.</div><div><br></div><div>The Israeli military said troops killed 20 people it identified as Hamas militants, and one of its own soldiers was killed, though the identification of the dead as militants could not be confirmed. Among those killed was a senior commander in Gaza’s Hamas-led police forces who Israel said was hiding in the hospital. Gaza officials said the commander was coordinating protection of aid convoys.</div><div><br></div><div>The army last raided Shifa Hospital in November after claiming that Hamas maintained an elaborate command center within and beneath the facility. The military revealed a tunnel leading to some underground rooms, as well as weapons it said were found inside the hospital. But the evidence fell short of the earlier claims, and critics accused the army of recklessly endangering the lives of civilians.</div><div><br></div><div>RAFAH OFFENSIVE COULD PUSH HALF OF GAZA TO STARVATION</div><div><br></div><div>The latest findings on hunger in Gaza came from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC, an initiative first set up in 2004 during the famine in Somalia that now includes more than a dozen U.N. agencies, aid groups, governments and other bodies to determine the severity of food insecurity.</div><div><br></div><div>It says virtually everyone in Gaza is struggling to get enough food, and that around 677,000 people — nearly a third of the population of 2.3 million — are experiencing the highest level of catastrophic hunger. That means they face extreme lack of food and critical levels of acute malnutrition. The figure includes around 210,000 people in the north.</div><div><br></div><div>Outright famine is projected to occur in the north anytime between now and May, it said. An area is considered to be in famine when 20% of households have an extreme lack of food, 30% of children suffer from acute malnutrition and at least two adults or four children per every 10,000 people die daily.</div><div><br></div><div>The report said the first condition has been fulfilled, and it is “highly likely” the second has as well. The death rate is expected to accelerate and reach famine levels soon, it said.</div><div><br></div><div>The report warned that if Israel broadens its offensive to the packed southern city of Rafah, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to do, the fighting could drive over 1 million people — half of Gaza’s population — into catastrophic hunger and potentially cause famine in the south.</div><div><br></div><div>“This is the largest number of people facing imminent famine in the world today, and it has only taken five months to occur,” said Matthew Hollingworth, the acting World Food Program country director for the Palestinian territories.</div><div><br></div><div>Jamie McGoldrick, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian territories, called for “all roads” to be opened for aid, including into northern and central Gaza. The WFP report said aid from airdrops is “negligible” compared to what is brought on trucks.</div><div><br></div><div>Northern Gaza, including Gaza City, was the first target of the invasion, and entire neighborhoods have been obliterated. It is now the epicenter of Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe, with many residents reduced to eating animal feed. At least 27 people, mostly children, have died from malnutrition and dehydration in the north, according to the Health Ministry.</div><div><br></div><div>A spokesman for the Israeli military body that deals with Palestinian issues, Shimon Freeman, said Israel \"places no limit on the amount of aid that can enter the Gaza Strip” and encourages countries to send aid. Israel has accused U.N. bodies of failing to distribute aid in a timely manner. Aid groups say distribution is impossible in much of Gaza because of hostilities, the difficulty of coordinating with the military and the breakdown of law and order.</div><div><br></div><div>Alex de Waal, the executive director of the World Peace Foundation at Tufts University and an expert on global famines, said Israel has had “ample warning” that if it continued to destroy key infrastructure, displace large numbers of people and obstruct aid operations, the results would be catastrophic.</div><div><br></div><div>“In failing to change course, it is culpable for these deaths,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said it was up to Israel to facilitate more aid.</div><div><br></div><div>“Israel has to do it. It is not a question of logistics. It is not because the United Nations has not provided enough support,” he said. “Trucks are stopped. People are dying, while the land crossings are artificially closed.”</div><div><br></div><div>‘WE’RE TRAPPED INSIDE’</div><div><br></div><div>The raid on Shifa Hospital began before dawn, when Israeli forces backed by tanks and artillery surrounded the complex and troops stormed into a number of buildings.</div><div><br></div><div>“We’re trapped inside,” said Abdel-Hady Sayed, who has been sheltering in the facility for months. “They fire at anything moving.”</div><div><br></div><div>In the evening, he said tanks were still in the hospital yard, and he could see three bodies outside the gates. “We can’t retrieve the dead,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Gaza’s Health Ministry said around 30,000 people are sheltering at the hospital, including patients, medical staff and people who have fled their homes seeking safety. The war has displaced around 80% of Gaza’s population.</div><div><br></div><div>Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the chief Israeli military spokesperson, said senior Hamas militants had regrouped in the hospital and were directing attacks from inside.</div><div><br></div><div>Among those killed in the raid was Faiq Mabhouh, a senior officer in the Gaza police, which is under Gaza’s Hamas-led government but distinct from the militant group’s armed fighting wing. The Israeli military said he was armed and hiding in Shifa, and that weapons were found in an adjacent room.</div><div><br></div><div>The Gaza government said Mabhouh was in charge of protecting aid distribution in the north and coordinating between aid groups and local tribes. Aid groups say Israeli strikes on police are one reason public order has collapsed, leading to desperate Palestinians overwhelming aid trucks on the road.</div><div><br></div><div>Hagari said the patients and medical staff could remain in the medical complex and that safe passage was available for civilians who wanted to leave.</div><div><br></div><div>Israel accuses Hamas of using hospitals and other civilian facilities to shield its fighters, and the Israeli military has raided several hospitals since the start of the war.</div><div><br></div><div>The Gaza Health Ministry said Monday that at least 31,726 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s offensive. The ministry doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count, but it says women and children make up two-thirds of the dead.</div><div><br></div><div>Palestinian militants killed some 1,200 people in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack into southern Israel that triggered the war, and took another 250 people hostage. Hamas is still believed to be holding about 100 captives, as well as the remains of 30 others, after most of the rest were freed during a cease-fire last year. - AP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-19 10:29:58', '2024-03-19 10:29:58'),
(11638, 11638, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">PUST Correspondent: Pabna University of Science and Technology (PUST) Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) branch new committee has been formed for the next one year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Last day (18 March) the organization announced 27 members committees for the 2024-25 session.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Al Emran, the student of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) department selected as Charir, Mededi Hasan and Taib Hasan both are students of the same department (EEE) has been selected as Activity Secretary and Technical Secretary.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The another members of committee’s are Md.Naimul Islam(Vice-Chair), Sarkar(Vice-Chair), Prapti Das(Asst. Secretary),Taiful Islam khan Rongon(Asst. Secretary), Kawsar Ahmed Refat(Treasurer), Md.Shoeb Hosen Shishir(Asst. Treasurer), Md. Naimur Rahman(Webmaster), Md. Montasir Rafi(Asst. Webmaster), Md. Safiul Islam(Event Management Coordinator), Mehedi Hasan Tuhin(Asst. Event Management Coordinator), Md. Naimur Rahman Tusher(Asst. Event Management Coordinator ), Dipon Roy(Logistic Coordinator), Wajed Ali(Asst. Logistic Coordinator), Md.Kornel Ahmed Rahul(Graphics Coordinator), Mahbuba Sultana Promi(Asst. Graphics Coordinator), Mahmudul Hasan Bappy(Asst. Graphics Coordinator), Jabin Tasnin Upoma(Content Writer Coordinator), Anamika Rani(Asst. Content Writer Coordinator), Mehreen Afroz Samia(Public Relation Coordinator), Md. Tamim(Asst. Public Relation Coordinator), Md Merazul Islam(Research and Development Coordinator), Jatibasu Madak (Photography Coordinator), Shaikh Tafriha Anika(Student Activity Coordinator), Nasir Uddin Badhon(Membership Development Coordinator)</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ariful Islam the assistant professor of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) department selected as counselor, Dr. Robiul Islam (Assistant Professor), T.H.M Sumon Rashid (Associate Professor) of the same department and Electrical, Electronics and Communication Engineering (EECE) department assistant professor Liton Chandra Paul has been elected as advisor.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The new chair Al Emran said, ‘I am giving the thanks to all the members and well wisher of IEEE PUST branch for my new role in organisation. I will try to fill up this year\'s goals of IEEE with all committee members.\'</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'PUST Correspondent', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-19 11:29:58', '2024-03-19 11:29:58'),
(11639, 11639, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The High Court on Tuesday ordered Khulna-4 MP and vice president of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Abdus Salam Murshedy to hand over his residence in Gulshan to the Housing and Public Works Ministry.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Ebadoth Hossain passed the order and asked Murshedy to complete the process within three months after receiving the copy of the verdict.</div><div><br></div><div>The court also said that the residence in Gulshan where Salam Murshedy is living is an abandoned property of the government.</div><div><br></div><div>Senior Advocate Mohammad Syed Ahmed stood for Murshedy, Senior Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan for Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) while deputy attorney general Saifuddin Khaled represented the state and Advocate Anik R Haque stood for the petitioner.</div><div><br></div><div>Advocate Syed said they will file an appeal petition challenging the verdict.</div><div><br></div><div>On October 30, 2022, Barrister Sayedul Haque Sumon filed a writ petition with the High Court seeking an inquiry into the allegations of corruption against the BFF official.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the writ petition, the house located in Gulshan-2 was listed as the abandoned house under the gazette in 1986. But Murshedy is living there after occupying it.</div><div><br></div><div>Three letters of the Housing and Public Works Ministry to the chairman of Rajuk issued on April 13, 2015, January 20, 2016 and July 4, 2022 were attached to the writ petition.</div><div><br></div><div>The Housing and Public Works Ministry sought explanation from Rajuk Chairman over the occupation of the house by Murshedy .</div><div><br></div><div>On November 1, 2022, the HC issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the inaction of the authorities concerned in taking legal steps against the AL lawmaker for occupying the house illegally, should not be declared beyond legal authority.</div><div><br></div><div>It also asked the authorities concerned to submit all documents regarding the house to the court.</div><div><br></div><div>On February 8 this year, the ACC in its investigation found the allegations of forgery and fraud over the house true and on the basis of information of witnesses and documents, the ACC filed a case against five people including Murshedy. According to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-19 11:32:15', '2024-03-19 11:32:15'),
(11640, 11640, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>In a decisive move against gang violence, members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have apprehended 35 operatives including two masterminds behind several notorious teen gangs, across key areas of Dhaka. From March 11 to 18, focused operations spanned Mohammadpur, Adabar, Nakhalpara, Tejgaon, and surrounding locales, marking a significant stride in curbing urban crime.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The arrest announcement came today via a statement from RAB-2’s Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP-media), Shihab Karim. Among those detained were Md. Akash, Md. Farid, and Md. Imam Hossain, alongside figures like Md. Arif alias Rasel Mia and Md. Mosharraf, pinpointing a wide net cast by law enforcement to dismantle these criminal networks.</div><div><br></div><div>This crackdown follows reports of rampant robbery, mugging, and extortion, leading to a targeted response from several RAB teams in areas under the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) jurisdiction. Notably, operations led to the capture of leaders from the FDC Munna and King Jamal Group, including Md Ismail alias “FDC Munna” and Md Jamal Hossain, as well as heads of the King Mosharraf and Apna Bhai Groups.</div><div><br></div><div>Authorities also seized locally-made weapons used in these gangs’ criminal endeavours. The arrests reveal a disturbing trend of violence, snatchings, and extortion, with teen gangs frequently clashing over territory and influence. Preliminary interrogations have unearthed admissions of past crimes and plans for future violence, indicating a deep-rooted issue within Dhaka’s underbelly.</div><div><br></div><div>The arrestees engaged in criminal activities under the guise of everyday professions, from transport workers to vegetable vendors, making their operations not only diverse but challenging to dismantle, said the RAB statement, highlighting the deceptive methods employed by these groups to evade law enforcement.</div><div><br></div><div>Following their arrest, the teen gang members have been transferred to various police stations across the DMP area for further legal proceedings, signifying the beginning of a lengthy process to bring these individuals to justice. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-19 11:43:42', '2024-03-19 11:43:42'),
(11641, 11641, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The average daily temperature of the ocean surface around the world broke the 2023 record in March, reaching 21.2C (70.16F), \"the highest temperature ever recorded.\"</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>According to data from the Climate Reanalyzer at the University of Maine in the northeastern US and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), global warming has led to an increase in ocean surface temperatures.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the data, while the highest ocean temperature in 2023 was measured in August at 21.1C (69.98F), the ocean surface temperature record was broken in March this year with 21.2C (70.16F).</div><div><br></div><div>NOAA marine scientist Gregory C. Johnson told CNN that the average global ocean temperature measured in 2023 was 0.25C (32.45F) higher than in 2022, equivalent to 20 years of warming in one year.</div><div><br></div><div>Johnson said that as greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere increases, they expect these record temperatures to continue. - Anadolu Agency</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-19 11:45:53', '2024-03-19 11:45:53'),
(11642, 11642, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Oil prices retreated on Tuesday from the highest levels seen in the past four months with investor profit-taking, strong US dollar, and market players\' cautious stance ahead of the US Federal Reserve\'s (Fed) decision on interest rates.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>International benchmark Brent crude traded at $86.85 per barrel at 10.30 a.m. local time (0730 GMT), a 0.04% decrease from the closing price of $86.89 per barrel in the previous trading session.</div><div><br></div><div>The American benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) traded at $82.12 per barrel at the same time, a 0.05% fall from the previous session that closed at $82.16 per barrel.</div><div><br></div><div>Investor profit-taking in early trade, which followed record highs since November 2023 seen in the previous session as a result of supply constraints and geopolitical tensions, was the driving force behind the price slumps.</div><div><br></div><div>With support from the latest data, the US dollar index increased by 0.22% to 103.46 on Tuesday, aiding the fall in oil prices.</div><div><br></div><div>The strong US dollar is expected to lower demand by making oil more expensive for holders of other currencies.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, uncertainty over the US Fed\'s upcoming monetary decision continues to weigh on prices.</div><div><br></div><div>Experts forecast that the bank will leave the policy rate unchanged and not start rate cuts in May as previously expected.</div><div><br></div><div>This will keep oil prices suppressed for now as high interest rates boost the value of the US dollar, a move that is set to deter oil trade by making oil more expensive for holders of other currencies.</div><div><br></div><div>However, rising hostilities in the Red Sea, one of the world\'s busiest maritime routes for oil and fuel shipments, curtailed price declines. The regional war between US and UK forces fighting the Houthi organization is raising supply concerns in the region.</div><div><br></div><div>Yemen\'s Houthi group has been targeting cargo ships in the Red Sea owned or operated by Israeli companies that are transporting goods to and from Israel in solidarity with the Gaza Strip, which has been under an Israeli onslaught since Oct. 7.</div><div><br></div><div>US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin recently announced the creation of a multinational mission, Operation Prosperity Guardian, to counter the Houthi attacks. - Anadolu Agency&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-19 11:47:32', '2024-03-19 11:47:32'),
(11643, 11643, '<div><b><br></b></div><div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The incoming Palestinian prime minister said on Tuesday that he will appoint a technocratic government and establish an independent trust fund to oversee Gaza’s reconstruction.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>In a mission statement acquired by The Associated Press, Mohammad Mustafa laid out wide-ranging plans for the kind of revitalized Palestinian Authority called for by the United States as part of its postwar vision for resolving the conflict.</div><div><br></div><div>But the PA has no power in Gaza, from which Hamas drove its forces in 2007, and only limited authority in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank.</div><div><br></div><div>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out any return of the PA to Gaza and his government is staunchly opposed to Palestinian statehood.</div><div><br></div><div>Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas designated Mustafa as prime minister last week. The U.S.-educated economist and longtime adviser to Abbas is an independent with no political base.</div><div><br></div><div>In the mission statement, Mustafa said he would appoint a “non-partisan, technocratic government that can gain both the trust of our people and the support of the international community.” He promised wide-ranging reforms of PA institutions and a “zero tolerance” policy toward corruption.</div><div><br></div><div>He said he would seek to reunify the territories and create an “independent, competent and transparent agency for Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction and an internationally managed trust fund to raise, manage and disburse the required funds.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The vision statement made no mention of Hamas, which won a landslide victory the last time Palestinians held national elections, in 2006, and which polls indicate still has significant support.</div><div><br></div><div>The 88-year-old Abbas, who is in overall control of the PA, has remained in power since his own mandate expired in 2009 and has refused to hold elections, citing Israeli restrictions. Polls consistently find that a large majority of Palestinians want him to resign.</div><div><br></div><div>Mustafa said the PA aims to hold presidential and parliamentary elections, but he did not give a timetable and said it would depend on “realities on the ground” in Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem, territories Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war that the Palestinians want for their future state.</div><div><br></div><div>In 2021, Abbas blamed Israeli restrictions in annexed east Jerusalem for his decision to indefinitely delay elections in which his secular Fatah party was expected to suffer major losses. - AP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-19 13:31:00', '2024-03-19 13:31:00'),
(11644, 11644, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>As experts warn that Gaza is on the verge of catastrophic famine, the UN\'s human rights chief said Tuesday that such a \"human-made catastrophe\" could still be prevented.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"The projected imminent famine in Gaza can and must be prevented. The alarm bells sounded over the past months by the UN, including my office, have not been heeded,\" human rights spokesperson Jeremy Laurence read the remarks of Volker Turk at a UN press briefing in Geneva.</div><div><br></div><div>\"This catastrophe is human-made and was entirely preventable,\" Turk said.</div><div><br></div><div>The situation of hunger, starvation, and famine is \"a result of Israel\'s extensive restrictions on the entry and distribution of humanitarian aid and commercial goods, displacement of most of the population, as well as the destruction of crucial civilian infrastructure,\" he said, underlining that law and order were breaking down as desperation mounts.</div><div><br></div><div>He urged Israel to ensure that the population could access this aid in \"a safe and dignified manner.\"</div><div><br></div><div>\"The clock is ticking,\" he said. \"Everyone, especially those with influence, must insist that Israel acts to facilitate the unimpeded entry and distribution of needed humanitarian assistance and commercial goods to end starvation and avert all risk of famine.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The rights chief reiterated his call for a full restoration of essential services and an immediate cease-fire.</div><div><br></div><div>According to a special brief by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Initiative (IPC) released on Monday, famine is \"imminent\" in Northern Gaza and Gaza City, projected to occur anytime between mid-March and May.</div><div><br></div><div>Israel is waging a retaliatory offensive on Gaza since a cross-border attack by Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7. The offensive has killed 31,819 victims and injured 73,934 others amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.</div><div><br></div><div>Israel has also imposed a crippling blockade on the Palestinian enclave, leaving its population, particularly residents of the enclave\'s northern areas, on the verge of starvation.</div><div><br></div><div>About 85% of Gazans have been displaced by the Israeli onslaught amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave\'s infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.</div><div><br></div><div>Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in an interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza. - Anadolu Agency</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-19 14:03:25', '2024-03-19 14:03:25'),
(11645, 11645, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The technology rivalry between the US and China resurfaced after the former attempted to ban the social media platform TikTok, owned by the Chinese firm ByteDance, on national security grounds.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The US sees the platform as a threat due to security concerns and the company’s alleged ties to the Chinese government.</div><div><br></div><div>US President Joe Biden has said he would sign the bill if Congress decided to block access to TikTok, and the House of Representatives passed it, paving the way for a nationwide ban on TikTok because it “poses a national security problem.”</div><div><br></div><div>In Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wanbin accused the US of exploiting the national security issue to use state power to suppress TikTok, despite the lack of evidence that its national security was threatened.</div><div><br></div><div>The TikTok case has shown once again that the US stresses rules and order that benefit only Washington, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said in a video statement that the company will do everything possible to protect the app, claiming that banning it would jeopardize the jobs of 300,000 Americans.</div><div><br></div><div>- ‘US sees TikTok as cybersecurity issue, means to interfere in US politics’</div><div><br></div><div>Kadir Temiz, a lecturer at Türkiye’s National Intelligence Academy, told Anadolu that the attempt to ban TikTok would turn the US-China trade rivalry into a more complex and confrontational process involving political and security issues.</div><div><br></div><div>“The US government sees TikTok as a cybersecurity issue, and a means of interfering in US politics, especially in data security, citing the platform’s ties to the Chinese government, and consequently, the Chinese Communist Party,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>“The ban is meant to reinforce the public perception that the seemingly innocent economic activities of Chinese brands threaten US security,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Temiz noted that TikTok differs from other companies as it is a highly influential platform, both economically and politically, with approximately 170 million US users.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Preventive measures could have been taken to address TikTok’s data and cybersecurity vulnerabilities. However, TikTok has become the main target, as it gaining strength day by day against its existing American competitors and rising to an effective position in the market,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>-⁠ International trade order may be pushed towards protectionist structure</div><div><br></div><div>Temiz emphasized that the TikTok ban may push the current global trade order toward a more protectionist structure.</div><div><br></div><div>“The ban holds the potential to escalate the ongoing competition in tech, especially in data science, artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, and chips, with reciprocal sanctions and measures,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>“While some see the decision to ban TikTok as a way to influence American public opinion and capitalize on anti-Chinese sentiment in the run-up to the upcoming elections, it could force other countries to take similar decisions,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Temiz said China may take steps against US firms as a possible response.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Currently, social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube are banned in China. China cannot respond in a manner comparable to the TikTok ban.</div><div><br></div><div>\"China will, however, argue that technological competition and the US\' unilateral protectionist decisions undermine the international free trade and markets,\" he said. - Anadolu Agency&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-19 14:34:32', '2024-03-19 14:34:32');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(11646, 11646, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The UN Security Council on Monday condemned “in the strongest terms” Houthi strikes against international maritime traffic in the Red Sea and demanded that all such attacks “cease immediately.”</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Iran-backed Houthis have been targeting vessels in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden since November and say their assaults will continue until Israel ends its war on Gaza.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The attacks highlighted by the council included one on March 6 on the Barbados-flagged merchant carrier True Confidence in the Gulf of Aden, which left two Filipino nationals and a Vietnamese citizen dead and several crew members injured. It was the first fatal strike against shipping by the Houthis.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Another was an anti-ballistic missile attack on Feb. 18 that targeted the Belize-flagged, UK-owned cargo ship Rubymar and caused it to sink. The vessel was carrying 21,000 tonnes of fertilizer, raising fears of environmental damage to the Red Sea, including its coral reefs and marine life.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Council members reiterated the importance of the “full implementation of Resolution 2216” and subsequent resolutions that call for an end to the violence in Yemen and to all unilateral actions that threaten the political process in the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They emphasized the need for “practical cooperation, including with the government of Yemen, to prevent the Houthis from acquiring the arms and related materiel necessary to carry out further attacks,” and reiterated that all member states must adhere to “their obligations in regards to the targeted arms embargo.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The council also demanded the immediate release of the Japanese-operated cargo ship Galaxy Leader and the 25 members of its crew, who have been unlawfully detained by the Houthis for more than 100 days.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Members emphasized the importance of Red Sea maritime routes to humanitarian operations in Yemen and beyond, and to the local fishing industry and the Yemeni people whose livelihoods it supports. They reaffirmed that “the exercise of navigational rights and freedoms by merchant and commercial vessels of all states transiting the Red Sea and Baab Al-Mandab, in accordance with international law, must be respected.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With that in mind, council members warned of the adverse effects of a “March 4 Houthi decision purporting to require ships obtain a permit from their ‘Maritime Affairs Authority’ before entering Yemeni waters, on the freedom of commercial navigation and humanitarian operations, including into Yemen.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Last week, UN officials expressed concern that parties involved in the conflict in Yemen might engage in “risky military adventurism” that could push the country into a new cycle of war.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Although we have tried to shield the peace process from regional developments since the war in Gaza, the reality is (that) what happens regionally impacts Yemen, and what happens in Yemen can impact the region,” Hans Grundberg, the UN’s special envoy for Yemen said during a meeting of the Security Council to discuss the latest developments in the country and the Red Sea. “The current trajectory gives cause for serious concern.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Council members stressed the importance of efforts to enhance regional and international cooperation to counter threats to peace and security in the region, and called for a deescalation of hostilities in the Red Sea to help preserve the peace process in Yemen.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They commended the internationally recognized government of Yemen on its efforts “to preserve the maritime environment,” and called on all UN member states, organizations and agencies to support that work.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The council also emphasized the need to “prevent further regional spillover of the conflict, and its impact on the security and the stability of the region and beyond,” and reiterated “the necessity to address the root causes contributing to regional tensions and to the disruption of maritime security in order to ensure a prompt, efficient and effective response.” - Arab News</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-19 14:57:36', '2024-03-19 14:57:36'),
(11647, 11647, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Tuesday voiced deep concern over the move to amend the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules 1979 by relaxing the provision for mandatory submission of wealth statements.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>As a result of this initiative, some 15 lakh government employees will be exempted from accountability as well as corruption will be encouraged, said a TIB press release.</div><div><br></div><div>The Bangladesh chapter of Berlin-based Transparency International (TI) urged the government to cancel the initiative.</div><div><br></div><div>TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said the annulment of provision of wealth statement submission will create a situation where the dishonest government officials would become more corrupt.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The proposed amendment of the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules is exactly opposite to the government\'s electoral pledge and the government’s top leadership’s declaration of zero tolerance policy against corruption,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>He said there was a provision to submit the assets statement every year, but later it was relaxed and made the provision for submitting wealth statements after every five years due to the reluctance of the government employees.</div><div><br></div><div>Now the removal of the obligation means in a sense to massively promote the government employees to become corrupt, said the TIB Executive Director, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>“If there is no provision to submit the wealth statement, the tendency among the government employees would go up to acquire illegal wealth through adopting corruption fearlessly,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>At the same time, the suffering of people to avail the services in government offices will increase, illegal money transactions will enhance manifold and overall the government’s dream of ensuring a well-governed system will end in failure, said Dr Iftekharuzzaman.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-19 14:59:08', '2024-03-19 14:59:08'),
(11648, 11648, '<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Residents of different areas in the city have been experiencing acute water and gas crises.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With the beginning of holy Ramadan, their problems have been aggravated further.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The areas include Mohammadpur, Adabar, Mansurabad, Kazipara, Shewrapara, Malibagh, Gulbagh,&nbsp; Mugda, Manda and Maniknagar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Of these, the residents of Mohammadpur, Adabar, Mansurabad, Kazipara, Shewrapara, Malibagh, and Gulbagh are experiencing water crisis while the residents of Mugda, Manda and Maniknagar are facing gas crisis.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The affected city dwellers said the water crisis in their areas is so acute that they get water from Dhaka WASA supply lines after every three days.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"But when water comes, it comes along with sand\", said Rumana Rahman, a resident of the Mohammadpur area.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She informed them that they have lodged complaints with Dhaka WASA authority several times. But still the problem is persisting.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Echoing the same, Maniruzzaman of Shewrapara said that they have to collect drinking water from alternative sources to meet the emergency needs as water supply from WASA lines is not available.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Sometimes, we get water from WASA lines at midnight but at a very low pressure\", he told UNB.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Contacted Dhaka (Water Supply and Sewerage Authority) WASA deputy managing director (O&amp;M) Engineer A. K. M. Shahid Uddin admitted the problems.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But he claimed the problems have been resolved after receiving complaints from the consumers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Some of the pumps went out of order in those areas. We repaired some of those and replaced some others. Now, there is no problem of waters there\", he told UNB.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shahid also said sometimes some consumers lodge verbal complaints to the media. But when we investigate, we don\'t find the authenticity of the complaints.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also noted that sometimes, in-house pumps get out of order, but consumers complain against the WASA.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dhaka WASA officials, however, claimed that there is no gap between demand and supply of water in Dhaka city. Rather, production capacity is more than the demand for water, they said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Dhaka WASA data shows that currently water demand in Dhaka city is 260 crore liters per day while WASA\'s production capacity is 290 crore liters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But lack of a proper system to rationally supply the water sometimes creates problems when a deep water pump in any area gets out of order.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the existing system, it becomes difficult to recover the shortage of that area, he said.&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Every year in summer water shortage occurs in different areas of Dhaka. The main reason for this is the dependence on underground sources.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 2010, 80 percent of the water produced by Dhaka Wasa was from underground sources, which are being drawn through deep tube wells and 20 percent was surface water.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Dhaka WASA planned to increase surface water production to at least 70 percent by 2021. However, the target was not achieved. Still 70 percent of WASA\'s daily water production comes from underground sources.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">About the gas crisis, Al Amin, a resident of the Manda area informed that most of the times of a day, the area remains without gas.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We receive natural gas in the Titas pipeline only at midnight and it remains for 3 hours from 1 am to 4 am\" he told UNB.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But Titas gas officials admitted that the gas crisis is part of the overall shortfall in the national grid, reports UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Titas officials said the country\'s gas demand is about 4000 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) while the state-owned Petrobangla can hardly supply 2660 MMCFD leaving about 1400-1500 MMCFD as.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-19 15:20:23', '2024-03-19 15:20:23'),
(11649, 11649, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The law ministry has given its opinion in favour of extending Khaleda Zia’s jail sentence suspension by another six months on the existing two conditions, said Law Minister Anisul Huq on Wednesday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The opinion of the Law Ministry is being sent to the Home Ministry, he told reporters in the morning.</div><div><br></div><div>The government temporarily freed Khaleda Zia from jail through an executive order by suspending her sentence on March 25, 2020, with conditions that she would stay at her Gulshan house and would not leave the country.</div><div><br></div><div>Since then, her release term has been extended every six months following the family\'s plea.</div><div><br></div><div>“Today, we gave opinion in favour of extending Khaleda Zia’s jail sentence suspension by another six months on the existing two conditions. A file is being sent to the Home Ministry,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Drawing attention on the petitions of Khaleda’s family about permanent release and treatment abroad, the minister said “I have told you (media) earlier that the petition which was sent under section 401 of the Code of Criminal Procedure(CrPC) has been disposed of and there is no scope to take steps in this regard except extending jail term suspension.”</div><div><br></div><div>On March 6, a petition was submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs seeking another extension of the suspension of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia\'s jail term and permission to take her abroad for better treatment.</div><div><br></div><div>The Security Services Division of the Home Ministry will issue a gazette notification in this regard.</div><div><br></div><div>The conditional suspension of Khaleda Zia’s jail sentence will come into effect from March 25.</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-20 08:16:07', '2024-03-20 08:16:07'),
(11650, 11650, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Five people were dead when a bus rammed into a microbus on Faridpur-Barishal highway at Chagolchira in Maksudpur upazila of Gopalganj district on Wednesday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The identities of the deceased could not be known immediately.</div><div><br></div><div>The accident occurred around 10:45 am when the Dhaka-bound bus hit the microbus, leaving five people dead on the spot and several others injured, said officer-in-charge of Maksudpur Police Station, Asraful Alam.</div><div><br></div><div>Witnesses claimed that 15-20 people were injured in the accident. According to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-20 08:42:24', '2024-03-20 08:42:24'),
(11651, 11651, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The exit ramp of Dhaka Elevated Expressway\'s Karwan Bazar section, in front of FDC, opened to traffic on Wednesday (March 20, 2024).</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader formally opened the ramp in the morning.</div><div><br></div><div>With this, 16 ramps of the Elevated Expressway have been opened so far.</div><div><br></div><div>On September 3 last year, the 11.5 km Airport-Farmgate stretch of Dhaka Elevated Expressway was opened to traffic and today the FDC gate ramp was opened. “This is an Eid gift from the Prime Minister for the people,” Quader said.</div><div><br></div><div>“We will be able to fully open it by the beginning of next year. Hatirjheel ramp will be opened and progress is on following that direction,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Asked about the increased traffic congestion in Dhaka during the month of Ramadan, the minister said, “People go to shopping malls during Ramadan and there will be some traffic jam. However, there is no traffic jam from Uttara to Motijheel. People can easily reach their destinations.”</div><div><br></div><div>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on September 2, 2023 inaugurated the Airport-Farmgate segment of Dhaka Elevated Expressway.</div><div><br></div><div>The total length of the expressway is 19.73 km and people can enter and exit the expressway through ramps in 31 points.</div><div><br></div><div>The project director said 72.51 percent work of the expressway has been completed and the work at Hatirjheel and Panthakunja points is underway.</div><div><br></div><div>The Dhaka Elevated Expressway project was undertaken in 2011. On December 15, 2013, Bangladesh Bridge Authority signed a revised agreement with First Dhaka Elevated Expressway Company Limited, the investment company of the project. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-20 08:44:38', '2024-03-20 08:44:38'),
(11652, 11652, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Death toll from the gas cylinder blast in Gazipur’s Kaliakair upazila went up to 14, as another burn victim died early Wednesday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The deceased was identified as Kamala Khatun, 65.</div><div><br></div><div>Kamala, who received 80 percent burn injuries, breathed her last around 4:30 am at the ICU of Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, said Tariqul Islam, resident medical officer of the hospital.</div><div><br></div><div>Conditions of 8-9 more victims who are undergoing treatment at the hospital are stated to be critical, added the doctor.</div><div><br></div><div>Solaiman Molla, Mansur Ali, Tayeba, Ariful Islam, Mahidul, Nargis Khatun, Zahirul Islam, Motaleb, Md Solaiman, Rabbi, Tawhid, Yeasin and Mashiur previously died from burn injuries from the blast.</div><div><br></div><div>At least 35 people, including women and children, sustained burn injuries after a gas cylinder exploded in Kaliakair on March 13.</div><div><br></div><div>One patient was admitted with 100 percent burns while three were hospitalised with 95 percent burns, and 16 were hospitalised with over 50 percent burns, according to sources at the hospital, reports unb</div><div><br></div><div>Locals said a fire broke out from a gas cylinder at a house in Telir Chala area of Mouchak in Kaliakair around 6 pm on Wednesday. When residents of the house threw it out on the road, the explosion occurred.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-20 09:09:32', '2024-03-20 09:09:32'),
(11653, 11653, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">In the Gobindapur area of Ambikapur union, Sadar upazila, Faridpur district, Lovely Akter and Imtiaz Mollah have transformed their fortunes and become a beacon of success in onion seed farming, locally referred to as “black gold”.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Starting with just two bighas of land, the couple has expanded their cultivation to 40 bighas, witnessing substantial economic growth that allowed them to construct a multi-storey building and continually invest in new land.</div><div><br></div><div>The duo, parents to a tenth grader and a fourth grader, embarked on this venture after observing the lucrative outcome of onion seed cultivation within their family post-marriage. After her marriage, she found that some family members among her in-laws were involved in onion seed cultivation and decided to join along with her husband in this endeavor. They earned good money in the first year and haven\'t looked back since, Lovely shared.</div><div><br></div><div>Their hard work has paid off handsomely, with an investment of Tk 75 lakh in building their home from the profits of onion seed sales, and aspirations to earn around Tk 1 crore in profits this season if conditions remain favorable.</div><div><br></div><div>They anticipate harvesting 2-2.5 maunds of seeds from their land, with cultivation costs exceeding Tk 1 lakh per bigha.</div><div><br></div><div>This success story has inspired a wider adoption of commercial onion seed farming in Faridpur, contributing to a significant shift in the local economy and reducing reliance on imported seeds. The district can now meet 50% of the country\'s onion seed demand, with farmers eyeing a production value of Tk 300 crore this year despite potential challenges in natural pollination.</div><div><br></div><div>The district Department of Agriculture Extension reports that 1,890 hectares across nine upazilas have been dedicated to onion seed cultivation this year, aiming for over 7.5 metric tons of seed production. This marks an increase from the previous year and highlights the growing interest among farmers, spurred by the crop\'s profitability and government support in cultivation techniques.</div><div><br></div><div>Anwar Hossain, Sadar Upazila Agriculture Officer, said the soil and weather of the district is fit for onion seed cultivation. Farmers cultivate three varieties of onion seeds in the district.</div><div><br></div><div>However, challenges such as reduced pollination due to a lack of bees have prompted farmers to adopt manual pollination methods, which may not yield results as fruitful as natural processes. Concerns also loom over potential market competition from Indian imports if local production falls short.</div><div><br></div><div>As the farming community remains hopeful for favorable weather to ensure a productive season, the local agriculture department continues to provide specialized support to bolster this emerging sector.</div><div><br></div><div>Deputy Director of the district Department of Agriculture Extension, Rafiqul Islam, emphasized the district\'s advantageous soil and climate for onion seed farming, projecting a promising market value exceeding Tk 300 crore for this year\'s harvest. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-20 09:14:08', '2024-03-20 09:14:08'),
(11654, 11654, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Wednesday said it reached a staff-level agreement with Pakistan on the final review of a $3 billion bailout package.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The announcement came after the IMF team’s week-long visit to Islamabad concluded on Tuesday.</div><div><br></div><div>When approved by the IMF executive board, Islamabad will have access to around $1.1 billion, Nathan Porter, IMF team leader, said in a statement.</div><div><br></div><div>The global lender praised Pakistan\'s central bank and outgoing caretaker government for \"strong program implementation\" and hoped the new government would continue its efforts for the stabilization of its economy.</div><div><br></div><div>“Pakistan’s economic and financial position has improved in the months since the first review, with growth and confidence continuing to recover on the back of prudent policy management and the resumption of inflows from multilateral and bilateral partners,\" Porter said.</div><div><br></div><div>The IMF official added that the new government is committed to continuing the policy efforts that started under the current Stand-By Arrangement to entrench economic and financial stability for the remainder of this year.</div><div><br></div><div>Last June, the IMF approved a crucial nine-month arrangement with Pakistan to aid its economic stabilization program.</div><div><br></div><div>The ongoing IMF program is set to conclude in the second week of April as Pakistan\'s foreign reserves have risen to over $13 billion. - Anadolu Agency</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-20 09:25:22', '2024-03-20 09:25:22'),
(11655, 11655, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Governments are being driven to strengthen their position within the global chip supply chain due to the growing strategic importance and economic competitiveness of semiconductors (chips) and geopolitical tensions.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The semiconductor industry is the driving force behind technological innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI), electric vehicles (EVs) and automation and plays a vital role in economic prosperity and national security.</div><div><br></div><div>The global chip shortage during the coronavirus pandemic revealed vulnerabilities in the chip supply chain which put many technologies and essential products used in daily life at risk.</div><div><br></div><div>Today’s rise in global competition to support the chip industry has resulted in the rapid growth of the chip market.</div><div><br></div><div>Some governments, long aware of chips’ strategic importance, are trying to support manufacturers financially. Countries such as Malaysia, India and Vietnam have started using a three-pronged approach to attract investment: forging technology alliances with the US, transferring knowledge from global chipmakers, and offering subsidies.</div><div><br></div><div>As the race for technological dominance between the US and China escalates, the two countries continue investing in their tech companies to get an edge.</div><div><br></div><div>Global chip market size expected to reach $588.4B in 2024</div><div><br></div><div>Chips are used in many electronic products, ranging from smartphones and computers to cars and medical devices, and as the demand for these products increases, so does the demand for chips.</div><div><br></div><div>The recent interest in AI technology significantly contributes to the increased demand for chips.</div><div><br></div><div>According to data from the World Semiconductor Trade Statistics, global semiconductor sales are projected to jump 13.1% in 2024 to reach $588.4 billion as demand for chips used for artificial intelligence increases.</div><div><br></div><div>Data from the Semiconductor Industry Association reveals that global chip sales decreased 8.2% in 2023 to $526.8 billion and reached their highest level in 2022, at $574.1 billion.</div><div><br></div><div>Analysts say the long-term outlook for the chip market is robust, with chips playing a more prominent and significant role in the many products the world depends on.</div><div><br></div><div>Among the world’s major chip companies are Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), Intel, Qualcomm, SK Hynix, Micron Technology, Nvidia, Broadcom, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Texas Instruments and MediaTek.</div><div><br></div><div>Asia-Pacific dominates chip market</div><div><br></div><div>The Asia-Pacific region is the largest market for chips, accounting for more than half of the global market share. Some of the world’s largest semiconductor companies such as TSMC, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix operate in the region.</div><div><br></div><div>Although not the biggest chip producer, China is the biggest chip consumer. The country is also the largest producer of gallium and germanium, elements used in chip production.</div><div><br></div><div>China enabled 52 factories since 2018 through a range of financial support programs of more than $50 billion in funds including grants, equity investment, public incentives, favorable loans and tax breaks as the country set a clear national goal in its five-year development plan to achieve self-sufficiency in all segments of the semiconductor value chain.</div><div><br></div><div>US aims for leadership in chipmaking</div><div><br></div><div>North America is another significant region in the chip market, with the US being home to some of the world’s largest chipmakers such as Intel, Qualcomm, AMD, and Nvidia.</div><div><br></div><div>Intel is a major microprocessor supplier, Qualcomm makes smartphone chips and AMD produces graphics processing units, or GPUs.</div><div><br></div><div>The US government sees AI as the defining technology of this generation. Those who cannot produce state-of-the-art chips cannot take advantage of and therefore lead the AI market.</div><div><br></div><div>Although the US accounts for 25% of total chip demand, the country has seen its chip production capacity decline from 37% in the 1990s to 12%.</div><div><br></div><div>Considering China’s efforts to strengthen its position in the industry, the US is concerned this will pose a significant threat to national security.</div><div><br></div><div>The Biden administration aims to recapture the country’s leading position in the chip industry and the global technology race.</div><div><br></div><div>The CHIPS and Science Act, signed on Aug. 9, 2022, aims to increase domestic semiconductor production and alleviate the chip shortage that disrupts production in many sectors, from automobiles to electronics.</div><div><br></div><div>The bill includes $52.7 billion in support for semiconductor production and a four-year 25% tax cut to encourage the establishment of semiconductor factories.</div><div><br></div><div>The current US administration also aims to use the investments to produce 20% of the world’s advanced logic chips.</div><div><br></div><div>Europe finds its position in the chip race</div><div><br></div><div>Europe is in the race to become a significant player in the semiconductor industry with companies such as the Netherlands-based NXP Semiconductors and ASML Holding as well as Germany-based Infineon Technologies.</div><div><br></div><div>NXP Semiconductors is a leading supplier of semiconductors to the automotive industry, while ASML Holding is a major supplier of lithography systems used in semiconductor manufacturing.</div><div><br></div><div>As for Infineon Technologies, it also supplies semiconductors to a wide range of industries.</div><div><br></div><div>The European Union is taking concrete steps to strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy in chips, including plans for countries to allocate up to €35 billion ($37.9 billion) to boost its advanced semiconductor manufacturing capacity.</div><div><br></div><div>The EU’s 2022 legislation to support chip manufacturing is said to have attracted more than €100 billion in investment.</div><div><br></div><div>Chip industry sees record investment</div><div><br></div><div>Investments in the chip industry have reached record levels as countries such as China, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, and the US strongly encourage chip manufacturing for “independence.”</div><div><br></div><div>Semiconductors, also known as microchips, are not only the backbone of today’s interconnected world but are also becoming a competitive area between countries.</div><div><br></div><div>Efforts to develop near-human-level AI systems are also reshaping the global semiconductor industry. Many countries are striving to supply Silicon Valley’s most sought-after products and participate in the global AI arena. - Anadolu Agency&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-20 10:42:59', '2024-03-20 10:42:59'),
(11656, 11656, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>In a fervent critique of the ruling Awami League (AL), BNP\'s Senior Joint Secretary General, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, charged the government with sacrificing the nation\'s independence and dignity in exchange for support from the Indian government. Rizvi’s allegations were made during a press briefing at the BNP’s central office in Nayapaltan on Wednesday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Rizvi claimed that AL does not seek the mandate of the Bangladeshi people, instead “clinging to power through the backing of the Modi government and entering into bonds of subjugation.”</div><div><br></div><div>He further accused the AL of perceiving Bangladesh as a “dummy state,” alleging that the real power behind the AL is not the people of Bangladesh but India. By supporting the Awami League, India is exercising control over Bangladesh, infringing upon the rights of its citizens,” Rizvi added.</div><div><br></div><div>Highlighting concerns over foreign influence, Rizvi said, “It is believed that India dictates the appointments of crucial positions like the chief of Bangladesh Police and BGB, undermining our sovereignty.”</div><div><br></div><div>Rizvi also pointed to statements made by Indian foreign ministry officials expressing support for the Awami League ahead of the January 7 national election. “The notion of our sovereignty is being compromised under the guise of stability under Sheikh Hasina’s leadership,” he stated.</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader criticized the Awami League’s acceptance of India’s alleged dominance, declaring that “people of Bangladesh will never accept the supremacy of India, even if the AL leaders have.” He clarified that the BNP\'s dispute lies not with the people of India but with the Indian government’s policies towards Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>Rizvi also said the “India out” campaign is gaining momentum in Bangladesh, saying that it is people’s protest against the country’s influence.</div><div><br></div><div>Addressing the Awami League’s reaction to the campaign, Rizvi mentioned that AL leader Obaidul Quader found the social media movement “not expedient,” implying discomfort within the ruling party regarding the public’s dissent towards India’s role in Bangladesh’s political landscape. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-20 10:51:32', '2024-03-20 10:51:32'),
(11657, 11657, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>In an exclusive interview with the country’s first policy magazine WhiteBoard, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina explained her priority goals in setting out long term policies that have led to a rise in living standards in the youngest nation in South Asia.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“The Bangladesh model, is based on certain indigenous values and policy continuity. Policy-makers have to factor in issues like our strategic location, our topography, our people’s needs, our history, our environment and our resources. A foreign prescription for development never works,” explained Sheikh Hasina, currently the longest serving female head of state in the world.</div><div><br></div><div>“Our country’s governance will be based on our priorities alone. In other words, Bangladesh cannot import the development formula of another country,” added the premier.</div><div><br></div><div>She also laid focus on the need for having an open mindset to learn about developments taking place around the world.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>“This doesn’t mean we shut our eyes to developments across the world. We have to study the good practices of different countries to repurpose them for our needs,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Under her watch, Bangladesh has become a top performer in attaining MDGs and overcame countries in South Asia in human development indices. In the interview, her economic policy approaches have been illustrated in depth that policy experts say offer a lesson for the country’s future policymakers.</div><div><br></div><div>In response to another question on foreign partners influencing the country’s economy, she referred to it as a “deep-rooted dependency” and said, “Foreign dependency has been reducing, and this is because of a deliberate approach by my administration.”</div><div><br></div><div>“In this effort, you have to start viewing yourself as an equal. These issues need to be tackled in a nuanced way. Political leadership and money play a big role here.”</div><div><br></div><div>In the space of more than five decades, Bangladesh has come a long way from rules of military dictators that economists often describe as “worst stints when policymakers succumbed to foreign pressures.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Not to be outdone at foreign prescriptions to shape policy reforms, Sheikh Hasina has earned a repute of putting the national interest as foremost priority as demonstrated by the construction of Padma Bridge and rolling out of an unprecedented scale of safety nets.</div><div><br></div><div>“When other administrations formulated a budget for development projects, the lion’s share would come from foreign financing. Their fiscal policy was essentially ‘donor-dependent.’ On top of this, public spending capacity was miniscule. I flipped this policy by rejecting foreign-borrowed money that makes us dependent,” the PM told WhiteBoard.</div><div><br></div><div>Focusing on approaches by her government, she added “My administration accelerated the borrowing from our domestic sources. At least the money will circulate within our own borders. This long-term policy has yielded results. Now you will see that the lion’s share of our public spending comes from our own domestic resources.”</div><div><br></div><div>In addition to the interview, the latest issue of WhiteBoard features an array of insightful articles from experts on wide ranging issues including Bangladesh’s export diversification drive, Sheikh Hasina’s diplomatic doctrine, and way forward to reduce gender disparity.</div><div><br></div><div>Strategy consultant and youth advocate Radwan Mujib Siddiq, a trustee of Center for Research and Information (CRI), who is the editor of WhiteBoard, shared the link to the interview with the comment: “Don’t miss the latest issue of WhiteBoard out now”.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The interview has already been shared widely on social media. ICT Affairs Advisor to PM, Sajeeb Wazed, who has been credited with transforming the country’s digital landscape shared the link on his social media accounts as well. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas&nbsp;</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-20 10:56:34', '2024-03-20 10:56:34'),
(11658, 11658, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">An explosion inside a coal mine in southwest Pakistan killed 12 miners while eight were rescued, an official said Wednesday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The bodies of the dead were all recovered after the overnight collapse in Harnai, a district in the Baluchistan province, a mine inspector Abdul Rashid said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said investigators were still working to determine the cause of the blast.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a statement expressed his sorrow over the deaths.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Safety standards are commonly ignored in the coal mining industry in Pakistan, leading to accidents and explosions that kill dozens of mine workers every year. Miners often complain that owners fail to install safety equipment.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Despite the danger and low wages, hundreds of miners work in Baluchistan, where unemployment is higher than other parts of the country. Harnai is about 200 kilometers (120 miles) east of Quetta, Baluchistan’s capital city. - AP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-20 11:08:31', '2024-03-20 11:08:31'),
(11659, 11659, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Canada will halt all arms shipments to Israel, a government official told AFP on Tuesday, a decision that has drawn the ire of Israel as it faces growing international scrutiny over its war in the Gaza Strip.</b></span></div><div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The besieged Palestinian territory is facing a mounting humanitarian crisis, and months of war have pushed hundreds of thousands of Gazans to the brink of famine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Canada, a key ally of the United States, which provides Israel with billions of dollars a year in military aid, had already reduced its weapons shipments to Israel to non-lethal equipment such as radios following the October 7 Hamas attack.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The situation on the ground makes it so that we can’t” export any kind of military equipment, the Canadian official told AFP on condition of anonymity.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Canada’s foreign minister Melanie Joly told the Toronto Star newspaper on Tuesday that Ottawa would stop future arms exports to Israel.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Israel slammed the decision, with foreign minister Israel Katz saying it “undermines Israel’s right to self-defense against Hamas terrorists.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“History will judge Canada’s current action harshly,” he said in a post on social media platform X.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">US Senator Bernie Sanders welcomed the move, saying in a post on X: “Given the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, including widespread and growing starvation, the US should not provide another nickel for Netanyahu’s war machine.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Israel has historically been a top receiver of Canadian arms exports, with CAN$21 million worth of military materiel exported to Israel in 2022, according to Radio Canada, following CAN$26 million in shipments in 2021.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That places Israel among the top 10 recipients of Canadian arms exports.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ottawa has only exported “non-lethal” shipments such as communications equipment to Israel since the deadly October 7 attacks by Hamas against Israel triggered a war in the Gaza Strip.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">No exports had been sent since January, the government official added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The bloodiest-ever Gaza war broke out after an unprecedented attack by Hamas on October 7 resulted in about 1,160 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Militants also seized about 250 hostages, of whom Israel believes 130 remain in Gaza, including 33 who are presumed dead.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Israel has responded with a relentless offensive against Hamas that has killed at least 31,819 people, most of them women and children, according to Gaza’s health ministry.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While affirming Israel’s right to defend itself, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has taken an increasingly critical stance toward Israel as civilian deaths have mounted in Gaza.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Monday, the Canadian Parliament passed a nonbinding resolution calling for the international community to work toward a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The issue of arms deliveries to Israel has triggered legal proceedings in several countries around the world.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Canada, a coalition of lawyers and citizens of Palestinian origin filed a complaint against the government in early March to suspend arms exports to Israel, accusing it of violating both international and domestic law. - AFP&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-20 11:54:43', '2024-03-20 11:54:43');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(11660, 11660, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>More than twenty global meetings were held in 1402 Solar year regarding Afghanistan, many of them not attended by any representative of the Islamic Emirate.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The formation of an inclusive government, preventing the use of Afghanistan\'s soil against other countries, combating narcotics, and observing human rights, especially the rights of women and girls, were demands that were consistently raised in these meetings; demands that, according to the Islamic Emirate, are all being observed in Afghanistan.</div><div><br></div><div>The EU-Central Asia meeting in Kazakhstan, the Oslo Forum in Norway, the Shanghai meeting hosted by India, the Astana meeting in Kazakhstan, the Samarkand meeting in Uzbekistan, the Moscow format meeting in Kazan, and the Herat security meeting in Tajikistan were among the important meetings regarding Afghanistan.</div><div><br></div><div>Asif Ali Durani, Pakistan\'s Special Representative for Afghanistan, stated in one of these meetings concerning peace in Afghanistan: \"Pakistan believes that by engaging with the current authorities in Afghanistan, we can help bring peace to this country and tranquility to the people of Afghanistan.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The representative of the Islamic Emirate was present in some of these meetings, including the Moscow format, the Oslo Forum, and Samarkand.</div><div><br></div><div>Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Acting Foreign Minister, said in one of these meetings: \"My country, Afghanistan, after more than four decades of invasions by foreign countries, war, and chaos, as it steps towards security and stability, faces sanctions for employing human rights.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Alongside these meetings, meetings of the political opponents of the Islamic Emirate were also held abroad, where the situation in Afghanistan was discussed in various aspects. The \"Afghanistan between Past and Future\" meeting in Moscow and the Vienna meeting in Austria were among the important meetings of the political opponents of the Islamic Emirate this year.</div><div><br></div><div>The conduct of these meetings was not without reaction. Some officials of the interim government, including Shir Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the Political Deputy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, the Acting Minister of Defense, called the organization of such meetings abroad biased and a conspiracy against Afghanistan.</div><div><br></div><div>The first Doha meeting on the situation in Afghanistan was held in this year, lasted two days, discussed important issues including human rights in the country.</div><div><br></div><div>The second Doha meeting was also held in the month of Dalw (18-19 February 2024). The meeting was supposed to appoint a Special Representative of the United Nations for the implementation of recommendations of the independent assessment by the United Nations Special Coordinator with the goal of reintegrating Afghanistan into the United Nations; however, at the end of this meeting, António Guterres added that they would also consult with the Taliban for appointing this representative; an issue that remains unclear.</div><div><br></div><div>Guterres said at the end of this meeting to reporters: \"We want an Afghanistan that is at peace with itself and its neighbors, and an Afghanistan that is capable of fulfilling international commitments.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The United Nations Security Council also held at least seven meetings on Afghanistan in 1402.</div><div><br></div><div>The Security Council meeting on the independent assessment of the United Nations Special Coordinator in Qaws (December 2023), the Security Council meeting on the outcomes of the Doha meeting and the appointment of a Special Representative in Hoot (March 2024), the Security Council meeting on the United Nations Secretary-General\'s quarterly report in Hoot (March 2024), the subsequent Security Council meeting on the extension of UNAMA\'s mission, the Security Council meeting on the extension of the mandate of the Monitoring Team on sanctions against the Islamic Emirate, the Security Council meeting on children and conflict in Afghanistan, and the Security Council meeting on ISIS and Afghanistan were held during this year.</div><div><br></div><div>Nevertheless, these meetings could not pave the way for addressing the current challenges in Afghanistan. Tolo News</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-20 11:59:53', '2024-03-20 11:59:53'),
(11661, 11661, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>On the occasion of holy Eid-ul-Fitr, Bangladesh Bank (BB) will start releasing new notes in the market through banks from March 31.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Common people can exchange new notes till April 9 except on weekends and public holidays.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the central bank, from March 31, new notes will be exchanged among the public through the counters of different branches of the central bank.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, new notes of Tk 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 will be exchanged in a special arrangement from 80 branches of different commercial banks in Dhaka, Gazipur and Narayanganj, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>A person cannot exchange taka for new notes more than once, said the BB.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-20 14:04:51', '2024-03-20 14:04:51'),
(11662, 11662, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>After becoming captain of the Bangladesh women\'s team, Nigar Sultana has attended countless press conferences. But Wednesday\'s one will surely stand out in her memory for a long time.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>She arrived with a broad smile, ready with her team to face the world champions—Australia, in their first-ever full series. The number of attending media personnel was unlike anything she had experienced before. More importantly, none of the questions thrown at her doubted Bangladesh\'s ability to challenge Australia.</div><div><br></div><div>“The biggest thing is, when we played the series against India, the journalists\' questions were different. They were asking whether we could win, what could happen... Today, we are playing against Australia, and no one has asked me that question. They are asking, \'It will be even better if you win.\' This is a big achievement,” Nigar said, her face beaming.</div><div><br></div><div>“Thank you all for that,” she added emotionally.</div><div><br></div><div>This series marks a historic moment for the Bangladesh team, an opportunity to test their mettle against the world champions and showcase their growing strength on the international stage. Under Nigar Sultana\'s leadership, Bangladesh has achieved some big successes in recent years, including an ODI win over South Africa, winning a series against Pakistan, and a tied series against India, which has solidified their rising trajectory in international cricket.</div><div><br></div><div>These achievements have instilled a sense of confidence and belief within the team, making them an opponent for any team in the world who cannot be taken lightly. Their rise hasn\'t gone unnoticed. Australian captain Alyssa Healy acknowledges Bangladesh as a \"real threat\" and praises their inclusion in the ICC Women\'s Championship. This recognition from the world champions is a testament to the hard work of the Bangladeshi players and a sign of their growing respect on the international stage.</div><div><br></div><div>The Australian captain anticipates a lot of spin bowling from Bangladesh, calling it \"challenging for the team that is not from the subcontinent.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana remains confident in her team\'s abilities, both in batting and bowling.</div><div><br></div><div>“From our perspective, our batting looked strong when we recently played in South Africa. When we played against India and Pakistan at home, our bowling seemed strong,” she said. “This is a good sign for the team. Both departments are in a very good place. Now it\'s important to see which department can contribute the most for the team tomorrow.”</div><div><br></div><div>This series against Australia presents a significant opportunity for Bangladesh. It\'s a chance to further demonstrate their progress and test themselves against the best. The invaluable experience will allow them to gauge their strengths and weaknesses against top-level competition. A strong performance against Australia will boost the team\'s confidence and inspire a new generation of young girls in Bangladesh to take up the sport.</div><div><br></div><div>Despite their recent successes, Bangladesh will face a tough challenge against a formidable Australian team. The visitors boast a wealth of experience and talent, though they might struggle to adapt to the conditions.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Alyssa, the Australia captain, accepted the challenge but said they have experience playing in different conditions around the globe, indicating that they are not bothered with the conditions much. Moreover, some players just arrived in Dhaka with the fresh memory of playing in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), where they got conditions familiar to the ones in Bangladesh.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh captain, however, said the home advantage might be a great strength for them in this series. “W have the home advantage. I think they are quite unfamiliar with the conditions here because they haven\'t played here before,” Nigar said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Whatever the outcome this series may bring, Bangladesh’s encounters with the World Champions Australia will surely draw the attention of many girls to cricket, Nigar believes. - unb</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-20 14:07:16', '2024-03-20 14:07:16'),
(11663, 11663, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Oil prices continued their downward trend on Wednesday due to market caution ahead of the US Federal Reserve\'s decision on interest rates, a strong US dollar and investor profit-taking.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>International benchmark Brent crude traded at $87.03 per barrel at 10.46 a.m. local time (0746 GMT), a 0.40% decrease from the closing price of $87.38 per barrel in the previous trading session.</div><div><br></div><div>The American benchmark West Texas Intermediate traded at $82.44 per barrel at the same time, a 0.35% fall from the previous session that closed at $82.73 per barrel.</div><div><br></div><div>Oil prices decreased in early trade on Wednesday due to uncertainty over the US Fed\'s upcoming monetary decision that will be announced later in the day.</div><div><br></div><div>Although it is predicted that the Fed will maintain the policy rate, the path that the markets take is anticipated to be influenced by indicators from the policy text and a statement from Fed Chair Jerome Powell.</div><div><br></div><div>According to analysts, the latest macroeconomic data is likely to fuel inflationary concerns. Therefore, clues about how the Fed assesses these statistics will be crucial for determining the course of action to be taken in the near future.</div><div><br></div><div>With the Fed expected to maintain the policy rate for now, oil prices are set to be suppressed as high interest rates boost the value of the US dollar, making oil more expensive for holders of other currencies.</div><div><br></div><div>On Wednesday, the US dollar index increased by 0.56% to 103.54, deterring more expensive oil trade and curtailing price rises on the back of profit-taking from higher prices at the beginning of the week.</div><div><br></div><div>Further price reductions could be restricted if US Energy Information Administration data later on Wednesday shows a stock drawdown below estimates.</div><div><br></div><div>The American Petroleum Institute late Tuesday announced an estimated decrease of 1.5 million barrels in US crude oil inventories, against the market prediction of a build of 77,000 barrels. - Anadolu Agency</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-20 14:24:01', '2024-03-20 14:24:01'),
(11664, 11664, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">In an in-depth interview with WhiteBoard, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina outlined the significance of policy research for future governance, emphasizing how the successful implementation of Bangladesh’s 12-year-long Perspective Plan showcased the power of strategic, long-term planning. She attributed the nation’s progress to the diligent execution of this long-term agenda, a stark contrast to the empirical approach lacking in previous administrations.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>“When my administration took charge in 2009, we were quick to prepare the plans for different time spans. The 12-year long-term plan we called the Perspective Plan and it served as a future-bound reference tool for shorter-term plans,” said the PM. </div><div><br></div><div>She detailed her administration’s policy design process: “At the onset, we carry out a needs analysis; then, we chart out policies into three timelines: present, mid-term, and long-term.”</div><div><br></div><div>Reflecting on her time in incarceration by the military-controlled government in 2007, Hasina shared, “I used the prison time to devise the next development plan for Bangladesh. I set time-bound targets on indicators like literacy, nutrition, income, and healthcare. The skeleton for a long-term plan was developed during my imprisonment.”</div><div><br></div><div>“This policy design strategy was put to the test because my administration was still around for the next 12 years. By 2021, the policy design had yielded successful results for Bangladesh,” added the premier, pointing out a lesson for future policymakers.</div><div><br></div><div>Future policymakers should understand that Bangladesh has progressed as a result of strategic policy-making. “Its progress is not a miracle. There is a formula that combines local know-how, flexibility, a progressive vision and long-term planning, all backed by policy research,” Sheikh Hasina said in the WhiteBoard interview.</div><div><br></div><div>“Our policymakers have to factor in issues like our strategic location, our topography, our people’s needs, our history, our environment and our resources. A foreign prescription for development never works.”</div><div><br></div><div>“Foreign dependency has been reducing, and this is because of a deliberate approach by my administration. This kind of dependency was deep-rooted and to change this culture we had first to change the mindset. In this effort, you have to start viewing yourself as an equal. These issues need to be tackled in a nuanced way. Political leadership and money play a big role here,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>On how she reduced donor dependency, the Prime Minister said, “When other administrations formulated a budget for development projects, the lion’s share would come from foreign financing. Their fiscal policy was essentially ‘donor-dependent,’ reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>“On top of this, public spending capacity was miniscule. I flipped this policy by rejecting foreign-borrowed money that makes us dependent,” she added</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-20 15:26:46', '2024-03-20 15:28:03'),
(11665, 11665, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>This year the minimum Fitra has been fixed at Tk 115 per person while the maximum at Tk 2,970.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Fitra Fixing Committee held on Thursday chaired by the committee\'s head and Baitul Mukarram National Mosque’s Khatib Hafez Maulana Mufti Mohammad Ruhul Amin.</div><div><br></div><div>The rate of Fitra is fixed on the basis of market prices of flour, dates, cheese, raisins and some other essentials.</div><div><br></div><div>Fitra is an obligatory charity distributed to the poor at the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.</div><div><br></div><div>Fitra is paid to the poor before the jamaat (congregation) of Eid-ul-Fitr. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-21 07:26:32', '2024-03-21 07:26:32'),
(11666, 11666, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Construction work on all roads in the country will be stopped seven days before Eid-ul-Fitr to ensure smooth travel of holidaymakers. It will resume three days after the Eid.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The announcement was made at a preparatory meeting held at the BRTA headquarters on Thursday.</div><div><br></div><div>ABM Amin Ullah Nuri, secretary of Road Transport and Highways Division, said that construction work will be stopped on all roads during the Eid holidays to ensure smooth traffic.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>All kinds of construction materials will also have to be removed from the roads, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, former minister and transport workers’ leader Shahjahan Khan, and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, among others were present at the meeting. According to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-21 08:01:28', '2024-03-21 08:01:28'),
(11667, 11667, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>U.N. agencies have warned that waste from electronics is piling up worldwide while recycling rates remain low and are likely to fall even further.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The agencies were referring to “e-waste,” which is defined as discarded devices with a plug or battery, including cellphones, electronic toys, TVs, microwave ovens, e-cigarettes, laptop computers and solar panels. It does not include waste from electronic vehicles, which fall into a separate category.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a report released Wednesday, the U.N.’s International Telecommunications Union and research arm UNITAR said some 62 million tons of “e-waste” was generated in 2022, enough to fill tractor-trailers that could be lined up bumper to bumper around the globe. It’s on track to reach 82 million tons by 2030.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Metals — including copper, gold and iron — made up half of the 62 million tons, worth a total of some $91 billion, the report said. Plastics accounted for 17 million tons and the remaining 14 million tons include substances like composite materials and glass.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The U.N. says 22% of the e-waste mass was properly collected and recycled in 2022. It is expected to fall to 20% by the end of the decade because of “staggering growth\" of such waste due to higher consumption, limited repair options, shorter product life cycles, growing “electronification” of society, and inadequate e-waste management infrastructure, the agencies said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They said some of the discarded electronic devices contained hazardous elements like mercury, as well as rare Earth metals coveted by tech industry manufacturers. Currently, only 1% of the demand for the 17 minerals that make up the rare metals is met through recycling.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">About half of all e-waste is generated in Asia, where few countries have laws on e-waste or collection targets, according to the report. Recycling and collection rates top 40% in Europe, where per-capita waste generation is highest: nearly 18 kilograms (39 pounds).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Africa, which generates the least of any of the five big global regions, recycling and collection rates hover at about 1%, it said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The latest research shows that the global challenge posed by e-waste is only going to grow,” said Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, head of the ITU telecommunication development bureau. “With less than half of the world implementing and enforcing approaches to manage the problem, this raises the alarm for sound regulations to boost collection and recycling.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">For some, e-waste represents a way to earn cash by rummaging through trash in the developing world to find coveted commodities, despite the health risks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the Dandora dumpsite where garbage collected from the Kenyan capital of Nairobi ends up — even though a court declared it full over a generation ago — scavengers try to earn a living by picking through rubbish for e-waste that can be sold to businesses as recycled material.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Steve Okoth hopes the flow continues so he can eke out an income, but he knows the risks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">“When the e-waste comes here, it contains some powder which affects my health,\" he said, adding that when electronic devices heat up, they release gases and he “can’t come to work because of chest problems.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, Okoth said they don\'t have any other options: \"We are now used to the smoke because if you don’t go to work you will not eat.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Recycling plants, like Nairobi’s WEEE center, have collection points across Kenya, where people can safely get rid of old electric equipment.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We take inventory of the items,\" said Catherine Wasolia, WEEE\'s chief operating officer, to check for data on submitted devices and wipe them clean. Then they test each to assess if \"it can be reused or repurposed.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">E-waste expert George Masila worries about the impact of electronic waste on soil.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“When you have all this e-waste — either in the dumpsites or mercilessly deposited anywhere else — it could have major effects on the soil,\" Masila said. \"Every year it rains and water flows and attracts all these elements that are deposited into the environment. You have water getting contaminated.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said greater recycling and re-use of such materials, \"are some of the things we should be considering.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Report authors acknowledged that many people in the developing world pay their bills through harvesting such e-waste, and called for them to be trained and equipped to make such work safer.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We must try to support these people trying to find their niche,” said Ruediger Kuehr, senior manager of the sustainable cycles program at UNITAR.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-21 08:12:03', '2024-03-21 08:12:03'),
(11668, 11668, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday callef for the Indian assistance to import electricity from Bhutan using Indian territory.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister said this while Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma called on her at her official residence Ganabhaban.</div><div><br></div><div>PM’s speech writer M Nazrul Islam briefed the reporters after the call on.</div><div><br></div><div>“The prime minister has sought support from the Indian side to import  electricity from Bhutan smoothly,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Nazrul mentioned that Bangladesh will import electricity from Bhutan and an agreement in this regard will be signed during the upcoming visit of thr Bhutanese King scheduled on March 25.</div><div><br></div><div>According to informed sources Bangladesh initially plans to import around 1,500MW of electricity from Bhutan with discussion between both sides almost finalised. </div><div><br></div><div>PM Hasina also urged the Indian government to remove his country\'s anti-dumping measurers in the import of jute and jute goods from Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>She mentioned that India could modernise the Syedpur Railway Worksop. </div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister told the envoy that Bangladesh has achieved unprecedentef development because of a continuous democratic system in the country.</div><div><br></div><div>She mentioned that after the assassination of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujubur Rahman and until before the 1996 the victor in the national election used to be decided by a \"certain quarter.\"</div><div><br></div><div>That\'s why, Hasina said, despite having public support the Awami League could not win the 1991 election. </div><div><br></div><div>“But in 1996, the same quarter bowed down to the desire of the mass people.  That year Awami League for the first time had won the election breaking the vicious cycle,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>HC Pranay Verma mentioned that last year a total of four projects were implemented in Bangladesh under the Indian Line of Credit (LOC).</div><div><br></div><div>“And two more projects are in the pipeline for the implementation,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>He told the PM that some groundbreaking initiatives of the two countries like bilateral trade transactions in Rupee-Taka, digital payment network and Bangabandhu Biopic.</div><div><br></div><div>The Indian high commissioner said that India is committed to taking forward the negotiations for Comprehensive Economic Partnership (CEPA) aggrenent between the two countries.</div><div><br></div><div>He also said CEPA would be helpful after Bangladesh graduates to a developing economy in 2026.</div><div><br></div><div>He said that new thinking and discussions are going on to prepare a new framework for the LOC to make it project-based.</div><div><br></div><div>In the power and energy sector India expressed its willingness to establish a high-power grid line among Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal for transmitting power easily to any part the four countries.</div><div><br></div><div>He also said that there is a move to extend the diesel pipeline up to Natore from Syedpur to import diesel from India.</div><div><br></div><div>Verma said that world famous defence industries are relocating their factories in India.</div><div><br></div><div>He said that Bangladesh could set up a defence factory in Bangladesh with  Indian joint venture.</div><div><br></div><div>He conveyed greetings from Indian Prime Minister  Narendra Modi to Sheikh Hasina.</div><div><br></div><div>He invited PM Hasina to visit India after his country\'s national elections and she accepted the invitation, said Nazrul.</div><div><br></div><div>The Indian high commissioner mentioned that they are interested to set up an office in Rangpur.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister replied that the government would consider the proposal after examining it.</div><div><br></div><div>PM\'s Principal Secretary M Tofazzel Hossain Miah was present at the meeting. According to UNB reports </div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-21 10:23:19', '2024-03-21 14:13:33'),
(11669, 11669, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>BNP Vice Chairman Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed on Thursday said the great war of independence in 1971 was to establish democratic rights.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“But today there is no democracy… no basic rights, freedom of speech and the press. Bangladesh has been turned into a police state,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said this after attending a meeting of a BNP committee formed for the upcoming Independence Day celebration.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Major (retd) Hafiz said the ruling Awami League (AL) does not want to give any credit to those who fought against the Pakistan army in the battlefield. The political party had contributions; they had the right to hold state power as they won the election. But the Pakistani military rulers did not respect the democratic mandate.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The BNP leader said, AL thinks that the independence of Bangladesh had been achieved by the political party alone, denying contributions of the masses including students, youths, workers, farmers and soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Seven crore people in the country at the time unitedly participated in the war. But the ruling party is trying to project the Liberation War as a “political party’s war”, reports unb</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Zia’s declaration of independence motivated people from every corner to join the Liberation War, but today, AL portrays him as an agent of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), he claimed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The BNP vice chairman said that AL is distorting the history of the Liberation War. “During the war, the number of freedom fighters was 80,000-100,000, but today we’re seeing about 250,000 getting allowance along with other benefits as freedom fighters,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-21 10:30:16', '2024-03-21 10:30:16'),
(11670, 11670, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Irish Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Simon Coveney has said Bangladesh will get Ireland as a friend in the European Union (EU) and the two countries are willing to build a “closer and more structured cooperation” in broader areas.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“What I would say is that Bangladesh should see Ireland as a friend in the European Union that can raise issues for them, potentially work with them and if they\'re trying to work through some difficult issues with the European Commission,” he told UNB in an exclusive interview before wrapping up his two-day official visit to Dhaka this week.</div><div><br></div><div>The Irish minister said Bangladesh is going to receive a transition period from 2026 to 2029, and then Bangladesh will be looking for GSP plus status, which effectively is sort of preferential status in terms of tariffs and trade opportunities.</div><div><br></div><div>“So, I think the EU is open to that. Of course, there will be some conditions that the EU will want from Bangladesh as well, in relation to, you know, what the EU would regard as important - modernisation around labor laws, workers rights, environmental issues. That\'s normal for the EU. It\'s for every country,” Coveney said.</div><div><br></div><div>He said they always try to push environmental improvements and working conditions and labour improvements. \"But I think all of that is very doable.”</div><div><br></div><div>During a meeting with Coveney, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sought Ireland\'s support in Bangladesh\'s efforts to enjoy the preferential trade facilities in the EU market until 2032 instead of 2029 during the country\'s post-graduation period.</div><div><br></div><div>Responding to a question, the Irish minister said he spoke with the prime minister a little bit about the areas where Ireland and Bangladesh could be partners.</div><div><br></div><div>From a trade perspective, he said, there is certainly opportunity here for Irish companies in areas like technology, aviation, food and nutrition and pharmaceutical.</div><div><br></div><div>Regarding his meeting with Prime Minister\'s Private Industries and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman,&nbsp; Coveney said it was a detailed discussion around how they could put structure around this relationship.</div><div><br></div><div>“He (Salman) made it clear that he wanted to visit Ireland with some ministers and businesspeople so that we can try to build partnerships between Ireland and Bangladesh,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Minister Coveney said they have also looked at other ways in which they could potentially make a positive contribution to economic growth here.</div><div><br></div><div>They talked about the strategic economic zones that are being created here for countries to encourage companies to come and provide quality employment and incomes.</div><div><br></div><div>During his two-day visit, Coveney discussed the status of Bangladesh which is essentially moving from a low income country to a higher income country, and how that might change the relationship in terms of tariff-free access to the EU.</div><div><br></div><div>He reiterated Ireland is a country that wanted to be a friend of Bangladesh in the EU, and they could work with them in the future to make sure that the EU understands their perspective.</div><div><br></div><div>“I spoke to the to the deputy head of the EU Embassy here and he would say that the relationship between the EU and Bangladesh has never been better than now,” he said, adding that “I mean, no relationship is perfect. But it\'s a positive, strong relationship today.”</div><div><br></div><div>Climate Change Response&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The Irish minister said Ireland needs to be a strong advocate for a climate change response. “There is very few countries in the world that are as exposed to climate change as Bangladesh - in terms of flooding, monsoons and in terms of tsunamis. This is a country that knows what it means to lose a lot of lives because of extreme weather.”</div><div><br></div><div>So, he said, naturally there is a lot of interest in responding to climate change to try to prevent more extreme weather in the future.</div><div><br></div><div>“Ireland wants to be a leader in that area. We\'re very heavily invested in renewable energy, and in decarbonising our economy. And we\'re very happy to share the technologies that we\'re investing in to do that,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Coveney thinks that the climate change may well be a “strategic area of cooperation” between Bangladesh and Ireland.</div><div><br></div><div>For Bangladesh, it will be not only climate change mitigation, but also climate change adaptation and so Ireland is making a lot more money available now in terms of climate finance internationally.</div><div><br></div><div>“We\'re committed to getting to up to 225 million euros a year of climate finance being funded by Ireland. And most of that money will be going into adaptation, putting in place new infrastructure to help countries be more resilient to the dangers of climate change. And, Bangladesh, I think is a country that we can work with in that regard,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Education Sector Cooperation</div><div><br></div><div>The Irish minister said students in Bangladesh should look at Ireland as a destination of higher studies, particularly for post-grads.</div><div><br></div><div>“We have a very good education system. I\'m glad to say that we\'re an English speaking country. We\'re still part of the European Union. And I think a lot of the Bangladeshi students that come to Ireland enjoy themselves, and they feel like they\'re valued in Ireland, which they are,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The minister said they have 10,000 Indian students in Ireland this year. “So we\'d like see more diversity. And that\'s why students from Bangladesh as well would be very welcome.”</div><div><br></div><div>There are about 17,000 Bangladeshis in Ireland today, he said, adding that, “What I hear is that they have a very positive experience in Ireland. And we want to work hard to keep it that way so that they feel welcome and they get a high quality education and make good connections in terms of future business and employment opportunities.”</div><div><br></div><div>IT Sector</div><div><br></div><div>IT sector is another potential area where one is looking at seriously. The Irish minister said Ireland is, in many ways, referred to as the Silicon Valley of Europe. It’s got nine of the top 10 tech companies in the world have a big presence in Ireland.”</div><div><br></div><div>He said all the big players are in Ireland, and they employ large numbers of people there.</div><div><br></div><div>“So, the Irish tech industry has been driven by multinationals. But there\'re also a lot of Irish technology companies too, in areas like cyber security, digital payment systems and digital banking,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;The Irish minister said there is a lot of research in relation to AI and machine learning and robotics, and artificial intelligence.</div><div><br></div><div>“So, the Irish tech ecosystem is a real mixture of multinationals and Irish companies. So what hopefully we can do is to encourage some of the Irish tech companies to come and look at the opportunities here in Bangladesh, to work with partners here, whether it\'s the banking system, or whether it\'s the service industry, or whatever.”</div><div><br></div><div>Aviation Sector</div><div><br></div><div>“I think there\'re some interesting opportunities in aviation as well. Ireland has a very large aviation industry and about half of the planes in the world are leased out of Ireland,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>There are a lot of Irish companies involved in different elements of aviation - from manufacturing to the entertainment systems to servicing airplanes, to financing airplanes.</div><div><br></div><div>“And we see the Irish aviation industry having playing quite a big part in India, and also in the Gulf states - in places like Saudi Arabia and Dubai. There\'s no reason why they can\'t do the same here,” said Coveney.</div><div><br></div><div>“As the aviation industry here grows, and there will be more and more middle income families in Bangladesh, and that means more people are flying. And you\'re building a new airport, of course here moment or a new terminal. So, we think there are opportunities to partner there with Irish companies,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>On Rohingya issue, he said it has been here for a very long time and Ireland had agreed to provide a one and a half million euros extra to support the work through the UNHCR.</div><div><br></div><div>He also spoke about some of the difficult challenges there around security around education and health care.</div><div><br></div><div>“The view in Bangladesh is that they want the Rohingya to be able to return home safely to Myanmar. Of course, that\'s what we want as well. But the conditions perhaps aren\'t there to allow that for now,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>“So, I gave a commitment that Ireland would try to work internationally to help in efforts to put pressure on the authorities in Myanmar to facilitate a safe return.”</div><div><br></div><div>“We will continue to financially support the efforts and supports Irish NGOs that are working to try to ensure that Rohingya refugees are treated as human beings and they\'re supported in their health needs and education needs.</div><div><br></div><div>Asked about high-level visit, the Irish minister said there is an open invitation to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to visit Ireland anytime.</div><div><br></div><div>This is the first visit of a senior government minister to Bangladesh and this is the beginning. “And I\'ll certainly be reporting back to my prime minister that there\'s real opportunity here. And also a real very warm welcome, which is important.</div><div><br></div><div>The minister paid homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing a floral wreath at Bangabandhu\'s portrait at Dhanmandi-32 and observed a minute of silence in memory of all those martyred on August 15, 1975.</div><div><br></div><div>He also had a tour of the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum and signed the Visitor\'s Book.</div><div><br></div><div>“It was a reminder of the sacrifice that her (PM Hasina) family has given for freedom in Bangladesh, and for independence,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, the Irish Minister and PM Hasina talked&nbsp; about the parallels between Irish history and the history of Bangladesh in terms of sacrifice and struggles and violence, in order to achieve independence and an economic sovereignty.</div><div><br></div><div>Talking about newly appointed honorary consul here, he said Masud Jamil Khan is a very enthusiastic person to make a positive contribution. “So this is the first time that Ireland will have a diplomatic physical presence here.”</div><div><br></div><div>During the visit Coveney inaugurated his country\'s first honorary consulate in Dhaka seen as a milestone in strengthening Bangladesh-Ireland relation. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-21 10:48:01', '2024-03-21 10:48:01'),
(11671, 11671, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>An Indonesian search and rescue ship on Thursday located a capsized wooden boat that had been carrying dozens of Rohingya Muslim refugees, and began pulling survivors who had been standing on its hull to safety.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>An AP photographer aboard the rescue ship said 10 people had been taken aboard local fishing boats and another 59 were being saved by the Indonesian craft.</div><div><br></div><div>Men, women and children, weak and soaked from the night’s rain, wept as the rescue operation got underway and people were taken aboard a rubber dinghy to the rescue boat.</div><div><br></div><div>It was unclear how many refugees were aboard the small craft when it capsized off of Indonesia’s northernmost coast on Wednesday, with six survivors initially rescued by local fishermen estimating between 60 and 100 people.</div><div><br></div><div>It was unclear whether all managed to cling to the capsized craft overnight or whether some had drowned.</div><div><br></div><div>Indonesia’s search and rescue team only left Banda Aceh city in the evening Wednesday, many hours after the capsizing, and initially had difficulty locating the boat in the choppy waters off the coast.</div><div><br></div><div>It finally found the boat and the survivors about midday on Thursday.</div><div><br></div><div>Amiruddin, a tribal fishing community leader in Aceh Barat district, said those rescued indicated that the boat was sailing east when it started leaking and then strong currents pushed it toward the west of Aceh. The six said others were still trying to survive on the capsized craft.</div><div><br></div><div>About 740,000 Rohingya were resettled in Bangladesh to escape the brutal counterinsurgency campaign by security forces in their homeland of Myanmar.</div><div><br></div><div>Thousands have been trying to flee overcrowded camps in Bangladesh to neighboring countries with Indonesia seeing a spike in refugee numbers since November which prompted it to call on the international community for help. Rohingya arriving in Aceh face some hostility from some fellow Muslims.</div><div><br></div><div>Indonesia, like Thailand and Malaysia, is not a signatory to the United Nations’ 1951 Refugee Convention outlining their legal protections, and so is not obligated to accept them. However, they have so far provided temporary shelter to refugees in distress.</div><div><br></div><div>Last year, nearly 4,500 Rohingya — two-thirds of them women and children — fled their homeland of Myanmar and the refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh by boat, the United Nations refugee agency reported. Of those, 569 died or went missing while crossing the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, the highest death toll since 2014.</div><div><br></div><div>Returning safely to Myanmar is virtually impossible because the military that attacked them overthrew Myanmar’s democratically elected government in 2021. No country has offered them any large-scale resettlement opportunities. According to unb reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-21 10:54:32', '2024-03-21 10:54:32'),
(11672, 11672, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>National Committee to Protect Shipping, Roads and Railways on Thursday urged the authorities concerned to allow eight-day holiday for the RMG workers during the Eid-ul-Fitr.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The committee urged the government and the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) authorities to take the measure for the sake of safe return of holidaymakers during Eid, said a statement signed by President Shahid Mia and general secretary Ashish Kumar Dey.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the statement, nearly one crore people leave Dhaka during Eid and among them 35 lakh are garment workers.</div><div><br></div><div>The road, rail and water transport sectors do not have the capacity to transport one crore homebound passengers within one week before Eid-ul-Fitr as it causes chaos and public suffering on roads and railways, reports unb</div><div><br></div><div>To avoid such chaos, the RMG workers can go to their home village in phases, it said.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-21 12:59:52', '2024-03-21 12:59:52'),
(11673, 11673, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has instructed the authorities concerned to increase vigilance on the movement of three-wheelers and motorcycles on roads and highways to avoid road accidents during the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr holidays.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>He gave the directive at a stakeholders\' meeting on the safe and smooth journey of passengers during&nbsp; Eid-ul-Fitr at Sarak Bhaban in the capital’s Banani on Thursday morning.</div><div><br></div><div>Quader said, \"We are still worried about accidents. There is no end to these accidents. Reckless driving of three-wheelers and motorcycles are causing accidents. That is why the Safe Roads project has to be implemented quickly. If we remain reluctant, accidents will continue to happen. In this regard, we should not blame others, but rather perform our respective duties.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Three-wheelers and motorcycles are the biggest nuisance on the roads during Eid, he said adding the movement of these vehicles has been banned on 22 highways, but it is not being implemented.</div><div><br></div><div>The capacity of the Highway Police and BRTA needs to be increased here, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>At this time, Quader expressed his anger over the plying of unfit vehicles in Dhaka city.</div><div><br></div><div>He said, \"There are many factories in this city that manufacture these vehicles. I have seen it myself. They are painting the vehicles. The paint doesn\'t even last for ten days.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The minister said, \"Look at the private cars and buses in Dhaka. These unfit vehicles in Dhaka city are a shame to our development achievements.\"</div><div><br></div><div>He called upon the vehicle owners to make their vehicles fit for the road during Eid instead of showing off.</div><div><br></div><div>In the meeting, 155 potential traffic congestion points were identified for Eid. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-21 14:05:19', '2024-03-21 14:05:19');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(11674, 11674, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>AI fakery is quickly becoming one of the biggest problems confronting us online. Deceptive pictures, videos and audio are proliferating as a result of the rise and misuse of generative artificial intelligence tools.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>With AI deepfakes cropping up almost every day, depicting everyone from Taylor Swift to Donald Trump, it’s getting harder to tell what’s real from what’s not. Video and image generators like DALL-E, Midjourney and OpenAI’s Sora make it easy for people without any technical skills to create deepfakes — just type a request and the system spits it out.</div><div><br></div><div>These fake images might seem harmless. But they can be used to carry out scams and identity theft or propaganda and election manipulation.</div><div><br></div><div>Here is how to avoid being duped by deepfakes:</div><div><br></div><div>HOW TO SPOT A DEEPFAKE</div><div>In the early days of deepfakes, the technology was far from perfect and often left telltale signs of manipulation. Fact-checkers have pointed out images with obvious errors, like hands with six fingers or eyeglasses that have differently shaped lenses.</div><div><br></div><div>But as AI has improved, it has become a lot harder. Some widely shared advice — such as looking for unnatural blinking patterns among people in deepfake videos — no longer holds, said Henry Ajder, founder of consulting firm Latent Space Advisory and a leading expert in generative AI.</div><div><br></div><div>Still, there are some things to look for, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>A lot of AI deepfake photos, especially of people, have an electronic sheen to them, “an aesthetic sort of smoothing effect” that leaves skin “looking incredibly polished,” Ajder said.</div><div><br></div><div>He warned, however, that creative prompting can sometimes eliminate this and many other signs of AI manipulation.</div><div><br></div><div>Check the consistency of shadows and lighting. Often the subject is in clear focus and appears convincingly lifelike but elements in the backdrop might not be so realistic or polished.</div><div><br></div><div>LOOK AT THE FACES</div><div>Face-swapping is one of the most common deepfake methods. Experts advise looking closely at the edges of the face. Does the facial skin tone match the rest of the head or the body? Are the edges of the face sharp or blurry?</div><div><br></div><div>If you suspect video of a person speaking has been doctored, look at their mouth. Do their lip movements match the audio perfectly?</div><div><br></div><div>Ajder suggests looking at the teeth. Are they clear, or are they blurry and somehow not consistent with how they look in real life?</div><div><br></div><div>Cybersecurity company Norton says algorithms might not be sophisticated enough yet to generate individual teeth, so a lack of outlines for individual teeth could be a clue.</div><div><br></div><div>THINK ABOUT THE BIGGER PICTURE</div><div>Sometimes the context matters. Take a beat to consider whether what you’re seeing is plausible.</div><div><br></div><div>The Poynter journalism website advises that if you see a public figure doing something that seems “exaggerated, unrealistic or not in character,” it could be a deepfake.</div><div><br></div><div>For example, would the pope really be wearing a luxury puffer jacket, as depicted by a notorious fake photo? If he did, wouldn’t there be additional photos or videos published by legitimate sources?</div><div><br></div><div>USING AI TO FIND THE FAKES</div><div>Another approach is to use AI to fight AI.</div><div><br></div><div>Microsoft has developed an authenticator tool that can analyze photos or videos to give a confidence score on whether it’s been manipulated. Chipmaker Intel’s FakeCatcher uses algorithms to analyze an image’s pixels to determine if it’s real or fake.</div><div><br></div><div>There are tools online that promise to sniff out fakes if you upload a file or paste a link to the suspicious material. But some, like Microsoft’s authenticator, are only available to selected partners and not the public. That’s because researchers don’t want to tip off bad actors and give them a bigger edge in the deepfake arms race.</div><div><br></div><div>Open access to detection tools could also give people the impression they are “godlike technologies that can outsource the critical thinking for us” when instead we need to be aware of their limitations, Ajder said.</div><div><br></div><div>THE HURDLES TO FINDING FAKES</div><div>All this being said, artificial intelligence has been advancing with breakneck speed and AI models are being trained on internet data to produce increasingly higher-quality content with fewer flaws.</div><div><br></div><div>That means there’s no guarantee this advice will still be valid even a year from now.</div><div><br></div><div>Experts say it might even be dangerous to put the burden on ordinary people to become digital Sherlocks because it could give them a false sense of confidence as it becomes increasingly difficult, even for trained eyes, to spot deepfakes. - AP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-21 14:11:39', '2024-03-21 14:11:39'),
(11675, 11675, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Two people died in separate road accidents in Rangunia and Boalkhali upazilas of Chattogram on Thursday.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The deceased were identified as Mohammad Abdul Hannan, 34, a CNG-run autorickshaw driver and Azizur Rahman, 38, a truck driver.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Rangunia, a fish-laden truck collided with a CNG auto-rickshaw on the Chattogram-Kaptai road at 9:00 am killing the autorickshaw driver on the spot and injuring three passengers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Police rushed to the spot and took the injured to the local Upazila Health Complex, said Abdullah Al Mamun, sub-inspector of Rangunia Police Station.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Two vehicles involved in the accident have been seized but the truck driver fled the spot, he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Boalkhali, a truck driver died when his truck overturned in a paddy field on Kanungopara Sreepur Bura Masjid road in Boalkhali early Thursday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The truck lost control and fell into the field beside ther road, said Nur-e-Alam, sub-inspector of Boalkhali Police Station, reports UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, the body was taken to Patiya, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-21 14:17:31', '2024-03-21 14:17:31'),
(11676, 11676, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha believes his side stands on a good chance to be a good contender in the World Test Championship if they can continue to keep their winning streak at home soil.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The Tigers, which finished at 9th position in the last two cycles, had already won a match at home soil, beating New Zealand in the last year. Before that it beat Afghanistan and Ireland in solitary Test match series, which was not the part of Test Championship.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh are now up for the challenger of Sri Lanka and Hathurusingha believes his charges has the ability to pass this stern test in the upcoming two-match Test series against the visitors.</div><div><br></div><div>“We have high expectations from Test cricket in this cycle,” Hathurusingha said. “We have already played a home series against New Zealand. If we can win most matches at home, then we give ourselves a good chance to be in contention in the World Test Championships’ latter stages. Some of the series coming up are away. They are against higher ranked teams so quite challenging.”</div><div><br></div><div>“Sri Lanka is a formidable, very experienced side. This Test series gives us a good challenge but we are up for it.”</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh received a blow when experienced batter Mushfiqur Rahim was ruled out of the test series because of a thumb injury, sustained during the third ODI.</div><div><br></div><div>Towhid Hridoy, who had already cemented his place in Bangladesh’s white-ball cricket, replaced Mushfiqur in the squad.</div><div><br></div><div>Hathurusingha said Mushfiqur’s experience will be greatly missed but they will back the young players to grab the opportunity.</div><div><br></div><div>“We are going to miss Mushy’s (Mushfiqur) experience. He is in good form. It is very hard to replace this kind of experience straightway,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>“We are going to back our young players. Hridoy is coming in. We also have (Shahadat Hossain) Dipu and Shadman (Islam) in the squad. They have been with the test team lately. It is an exciting time for Bangladesh cricket with so many young players. I will ask them to grab every opportunity.”</div><div><br></div><div>The two teams shared the white-ball trophy with Sri Lanka winning the T20 series by 2-1 and Bangladesh securing ODI series at the margin.</div><div><br></div><div>Sri Lanka has never lost a Test match on Bangladeshi soil. In 10 matches, they won seven and drew the rest of the three.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh have won just one Test against Sri Lanka in 2017 in Colombo, which was its 100th test match.</div><div><br></div><div>Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva believes they will be able to keep the winning trend in Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>“Our target will be winning the test series and we are upbeat for it,” de Silva said, adding that the experience in his side will give them the edge over Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>“In any format of cricket experience matters. we have a lot of senior players in our side; Angelo (Mathews), Dimuth (Karunaratne), Dinesh (Chandimal); yeah we have a good side.” According to BSS reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-21 14:20:38', '2024-03-21 14:20:38'),
(11677, 11677, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Hollywood icon Will Smith recently shared his profound appreciation for the Quran, describing the Muslim holy book as “crystal clear” and lauding its simplicity.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>In a conversation reported by Al Arabiya, Smith recounted his experience of reading the Quran last Ramadan. “I loved the simplicity; the Quran is so clear; it is crystal clear. It is hard to walk away with misunderstanding,” Smith remarked.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>He was moved by the spirit of the Quran, which he found to be “so beautiful and clear.”</div><div><br></div><div>Delving deeper into his spiritual journey, Smith revealed that he has explored the holy texts of Judaism and Christianity as well. He expressed amazement at the deep connections between the Quran, Torah, and Bible.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>“I was surprised how it is like one story, from the Torah through the Bible and into the Quran. I never totally understood Abraham as the father and then the split with Isaac and Ishmail and it was beautiful to get the completion of that comprehension,” he shared.</div><div><br></div><div>Smith, who is currently visiting Saudi Arabia, also opened up about his affinity for the Middle Eastern country and its culture during a podcast with MBC, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>With a touch of humor, Smith, who portrayed the Genie in the live-action movie \"Aladdin,\" quipped: “I think I was a Genie in a past life. I am so at home; I love it here.”&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-21 14:24:25', '2024-03-21 14:24:25'),
(11678, 11678, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury said forests cannot be destroyed by building roads or any other infrastructure.&nbsp;&nbsp;</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“Working together, we can all give a beautiful Bangladesh to the future and present generations by conserving forests, wildlife and biodiversity,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The Environment and Forest Minister said these as the chief guest at a discussion programme organised by the Forest Department on Thursday on the occasion of the International Forest Day 2024 with the theme \"Forests and Innovation: New Solutions for a Better World\".</div><div><br></div><div>The Forest Minister said that afforestation and monitoring activities are being digitised.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Successful forest monitoring and crime prevention is being done in the Sundarbans through the introduction of smart patrolling system, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Mobile apps are being prepared to get tickets and other services online for tourists in the Sundarbans and other protected areas, added Saber.</div><div><br></div><div>He said that the existing laws, rules and regulations are being updated to achieve various targets.</div><div><br></div><div>Chief Forest Conservator Md. Amir Hossain Chowdhury presided over the occasion whereas Environment, Forest and Climate Change Secretary Dr. Farhana Ahmed, Additional Secretary (Administration) Iqbal Abdullah Harun; Aranyak Foundation Chairman Professor Dr. A. J. M. Manjur Rashid and SUFAL Project Director Gobinda Roy spoke among others.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Cheques were distributed to the beneficiaries of social forestry and prizes were distributed to the winners of the \'Tree Identification\' competition held on the occasion of International Forest Day. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-21 14:33:17', '2024-03-21 14:33:17'),
(11679, 11679, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Australia on Thursday announced to join the “drone coalition” to provide drones to Ukraine which has been at war with Russia since 2022.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“This is a really important opportunity for us to continue making our contribution to the effort to have Ukraine stay the course and be able to resolve this conflict on its terms,” Defense Minister Richard Marles, alongside his British counterpart Grant Shapps, told a news conference in Canberra.</div><div><br></div><div>Australia and the UK signed a new defense and security pact where Marles announced Canberra’s decision to join the UK and Latvia in providing drones to Kyiv.</div><div><br></div><div>“Drones are a new factor in that war,” Shapps remarked.</div><div><br></div><div>The British defense chief said investments in drones had a “potential to bring huge technological improvements and advances in drone technology to our home markets as well for defense and for civilian purposes.”</div><div><br></div><div>“Australia and the UK have signed a refreshed Defense and Security Cooperation Agreement, reflecting a renewed focus on the defense partnership between our two nations,” Marles said on X.</div><div><br></div><div>“As the world becomes more complex and uncertain, we must modernize our most important partnerships,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Australia and the UK are also part of a trilateral defense pact with the UK – known as AUKUS – under which Canberra is expected to get three nuclear-powered submarines.</div><div><br></div><div>Canberra has also joined the UK and the US in recent air strikes against Yemen’s Houthis in the Red Sea. - Anadolu Agency</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-21 14:36:28', '2024-03-21 14:36:28'),
(11680, 11680, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The U.N. Security Council is set to vote on a resolution demanding a humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, but the United States warned the measure could hurt negotiations to halt Israeli-Hamas hostilities.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The resolution, put forward by the 10 elected council members, is backed by Russia and China, who vetoed a U.S.-sponsored resolution Friday that supported “an immediate and sustained cease-fire” in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.</div><div><br></div><div>The 22-nation Arab Group at the U.N. issued a statement Friday night appealing to all 15 council members “to act with unity and urgency\" and vote for the resolution \"to halt the bloodshed, preserve human lives and avert further human suffering and destruction.”</div><div><br></div><div>“It is long past time for a cease-fire,\" the Arab Group said. Ramadan began March 10 and ends April 9.</div><div><br></div><div>The council is expected to vote on the resolution Monday morning. The vote was earlier scheduled for Saturday morning, but it was delayed early Saturday, according to a U.N. diplomat.</div><div><br></div><div>Many members are hoping that the U.N.’s most powerful body, which is charged with maintaining international peace and security, will demand an end to the war that began after Gaza\'s Hamas rulers launched a surprise attack into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage.</div><div><br></div><div>Since then, the Security Council has adopted two resolutions on the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, but none has called for a cease-fire.</div><div><br></div><div>More than 32,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed during the fighting, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. It does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count, but says women and children make up two-thirds of the dead.</div><div><br></div><div>Gaza also faces a dire humanitarian emergency, with a report from an international authority on hunger warning this week that “famine is imminent” in northern Gaza and that escalation of the war could push half of the territory’s 2.3 million people to the brink of starvation.</div><div><br></div><div>The brief resolution scheduled for a vote Monday demands an immediate humanitarian cease-fire for Ramadan “leading to a permanent sustainable cease-fire.” It also demands “the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages ” and emphasizes the urgent need to protect civilians and deliver humanitarian aid throughout the Gaza Strip.</div><div><br></div><div>U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the council after Friday’s vote that the resolution’s current text “fails to support sensitive diplomacy in the region. Worse, it could actually give Hamas an excuse to walk away from the deal on the table.”</div><div><br></div><div>“We should not move forward with any resolution that jeopardizes the ongoing negotiations” being carried out by the United States, Qatar and Egypt, she said, warning that if the diplomacy isn\'t supported, \"we may once again find this council deadlocked.”</div><div><br></div><div>“I truly hope that that does not come about,” Thomas-Greenfield said.</div><div><br></div><div>The United States has vetoed three resolutions demanding a cease-fire in Gaza, the most recent an Arab-backed measure. That measure was supported by 13 members with one abstention in a Feb. 20 vote.</div><div><br></div><div>Russia and China vetoed a U.S.-sponsored resolution in late October calling for pauses in the fighting to deliver aid, the protection of civilians and a halt to arming Hamas. They said it did not reflect global calls for a cease-fire.</div><div><br></div><div>They again vetoed the U.S. resolution on Friday, calling it ambiguous and saying it was not the direct demand to end the fighting that much of the world seeks.</div><div><br></div><div>A key issue was the unusual language that said the Security Council “determines the imperative of an immediate and sustained cease-fire.” The phrasing was not a straightforward “demand” or “call” to halt hostilities.</div><div><br></div><div>The vote in the Security Council became another showdown involving world powers that are locked in tense disputes elsewhere, with the United States taking criticism for not being tough enough against its ally Israel, even as tensions between the two countries rise.</div><div><br></div><div>Before the vote, Russia\'s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Moscow supports an immediate cease-fire, but he criticized the diluted language, which he called philosophical wording that does not belong in a U.N. resolution.</div><div><br></div><div>He accused U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield of “deliberately misleading the international community” about calling for a cease-fire.</div><div><br></div><div>“This was some kind of an empty rhetorical exercise,” Nebenzia said. “The American product is exceedingly politicized, the sole purpose of which is to help to play to the voters, to throw them a bone in the form of some kind of a mention of a cease-fire in Gaza … and to ensure the impunity of Israel, whose crimes in the draft are not even assessed.”</div><div><br></div><div>China’s U.N. ambassador, Zhang Jun, said the U.S. proposal set preconditions and fell far short of expectations of council members and the broader international community.</div><div><br></div><div>“If the U.S. was serious about a cease-fire, it wouldn’t have vetoed time and again multiple council resolutions,” he said. “It wouldn’t have taken such a detour and played a game of words while being ambiguous and evasive on critical issues.”</div><div><br></div><div>The vote in the 15-member council was 11 members in favor and three against, including Algeria, the Arab representative on the council. There was one abstention, from Guyana.</div><div><br></div><div>After the vote, Thomas-Greenfield accused Russia and China of vetoing the resolution for “deeply cynical reasons,” saying they could not bring themselves to condemn Hamas’ terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, which the resolution would have done for the first time.</div><div><br></div><div>A second “petty” reason, she said, is that “Russia and China simply did not want to vote for a resolution that was penned by the United States, because it would rather see us fail than to see this council succeed.” She accused Russia of again putting “politics over progress” and having “the audacity and hypocrisy to throw stones” after launching an unwarranted invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.</div><div><br></div><div>The resolution did reflect a shift by the United States, which has found itself at odds with much of the world as even allies of Israel push for an unconditional end to fighting.</div><div><br></div><div>In previous resolutions, the U.S. has closely intertwined calls for a cease-fire with demands for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. This resolution, using wording that’s open to interpretation, continued to link the two issues, but not as firmly. - AP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-23 08:21:54', '2024-03-23 08:21:54'),
(11681, 11681, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Following the Princess of Wales\' statement that she had cancer, King Charles said he was \"so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did.\"</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Charles, who was also diagnosed with cancer following a treatment for an enlarged prostate, is still in \"closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law,\" according to Buckingham Palace, reports CNN.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Both Their Majesties will continue to offer their love and support to the whole family through this difficult time,\" said the palace.</div><div><br></div><div>The princess\'s health status was updated following her successful operation on her abdomen on January 16. She stayed in a London hospital for 13 days after the operation and, per the doctor\'s suggestion, has been away from the public eye during her recovery, the report said.</div><div><br></div><div>Kate was seen in public for the first time since January, when she went to a farm store with her husband Prince William last weekend. According to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-23 08:45:45', '2024-03-23 08:45:45'),
(11682, 11682, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Eleven people have been detained after gunmen stormed a concert hall in Moscow and opened fire on the crowd, the head of Russia\'s Federal Security Service told President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, according to Russian state news agency Tass.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>At least 93 people were killed in the attack, including three children, Russian authorities said Saturday.</div><div><br></div><div>Images shared by Russian state media Saturday showed a fleet of emergency vehicles still gathered outside the ruins of Crocus City Hall, a shopping mall and music venue with a capacity of more than 6,000 people in Krasnogorsk, on Moscow\'s western edge.</div><div><br></div><div>Friday\'s attack came just days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on power in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. The attack was the deadliest in Russia in years and came as the country\'s fight in Ukraine dragged into a third year.</div><div><br></div><div>Videos posted online showed gunmen in the venue shooting civilians at point-blank range. The roof of the theatre, where crowds had gathered Friday for a performance by the Russian rock band Picnic, collapsed in the early hours of Saturday morning as firefighters spent hours fighting a fire which erupted during the attack.</div><div><br></div><div>Four of those detained were directly involved in the attack, Tass said.</div><div><br></div><div>The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement posted on affiliated social media channels, although neither the Kremlin nor Russian security services have officially assigned blame for the attack.</div><div><br></div><div>In a statement posted by its Aamaq news agency, the Islamic State\'s affiliate in Afghanistan said it had attacked a large gathering of \"Christians\" in Krasnogorsk. It was not immediately possible to verify the authenticity of the claim.</div><div><br></div><div>However, a U.S. intelligence official told The Associated Press that U.S. intelligence agencies had confirmed that IS was responsible for the attack.</div><div><br></div><div>The official said U.S. intelligence agencies had gathered information in recent weeks that the IS branch was planning an attack in Moscow, and that U.S. officials had privately shared the intelligence earlier this month with Russian officials.</div><div><br></div><div>The official was briefed on the matter but was not authorized to publicly discuss the intelligence information and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.</div><div><br></div><div>Messages of outrage, shock and support for those affected have since streamed in from around the world.</div><div><br></div><div>On Friday, the U.N. Security Council condemned \"the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack\" and underlined the need for the perpetrators to be held accountable. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned the terrorist attack \"in the strongest possible terms,\" his spokesman said.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, in Moscow itself, hundreds of people stood in line Saturday morning to donate blood and plasma, Russia\'s health ministry said.</div><div><br></div><div>Putin, who extended his grip on Russia for another six years in this week\'s presidential vote after a sweeping crackdown on dissent, had publicly denounced the Western warnings of a potential terrorist attack as an attempt to intimidate Russians. \"All that resembles open blackmail and an attempt to frighten and destabilize our society,\" he said earlier this week.</div><div><br></div><div>In October 2015, a bomb planted by the Islamic State downed a Russian passenger plane over Sinai, killing all 224 people on board, most of them Russian vacation-goers returning from Egypt. The group, which operates mainly in Syria and Iraq but also in Afghanistan and Africa, also has claimed several attacks in Russia\'s volatile Caucasus and other regions in the past years. It recruited fighters from Russia and other parts of the former Soviet Union. - AP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-23 09:33:08', '2024-03-23 09:33:08'),
(11683, 11683, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Indian Navy will take affirmative action to ensure there is safety and security in the Indian ocean, Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of Naval Staff, said on Saturday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The Indian Navy is keeping a close watch on the hijacked Bangladeshi vessel MV Abdullah and it has been taken to Somalia, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>He was speaking on the 100 days of the Indian Navy’s operations for anti-drone, anti-missile and anti-piracy attacks in the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea and Red Sea.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, there were 54-55 anti-piracy ships everyday and now it has gone up to 64-65, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>\"The Indian Navy is very clear about its job. This is the Indian Ocean, named after us, and if we don\'t take action, then who will?\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-23 09:40:33', '2024-03-23 09:40:33'),
(11684, 11684, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>A chemical warehouse of a shoe factory was gutted in a fire that broke out in Old Dhaka’s Chawkbazar area early Saturday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The fire broke out at the chemical warehouse of a shoe factory named Asia Rubber Industry around 3:30 am and engulfed it, said deputy director of Fire Service and Civil Defense (Dhaka division) Saleh Uddin.</div><div><br></div><div>On information, nine firefighting units rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control around 6 am.</div><div><br></div><div>The firefighting units are working to fully douse the fire.</div><div><br></div><div>“It took time to extinguish the fire as there were plastic materials inside the warehouse. Plastic and adhesive used for making shoes were stocked in the warehouse,” Saleh Uddin said.</div><div><br></div><div>The firefighting units struggled a lot to reach the spot due to narrow roads, he said, adding, “We also faced difficulties in bringing water due to scarcity of water resources in the area.”</div><div><br></div><div>However, the reason behind the fire could not be known immediately and a probe committee will be formed to identify the reason.</div><div><br></div><div>The extent of losses caused by the fire will be known later.</div><div><br></div><div>In 2019, 67 people were killed and 41 were injured in a devastating fire that broke out at a chemical warehouse and raged through four other adjacent buildings in the Chawkbazar area. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-23 10:00:29', '2024-03-23 10:00:29'),
(11685, 11685, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Bangladesh has ranked 26th among 30 countries with the highest Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) in the World.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>According to finance website, Insider Monkey, Bangladesh has a per capita GDP of $9.41 thousand based on purchasing power parity. In 2021, the country\'s GDP was little more than $1 trillion. In three years, it has risen to $1.6 trillion, making Bangladesh one of the world\'s fastest-growing economies today. GDP (PPP): $1,573,205,815,650, as per Insider Monkey.</div><div><br></div><div>Top 10 countries with the highest purchasing power parity in the world:</div><div>1 China</div><div>GDP (PPP): $35,102,468,294,640</div><div><br></div><div>2. United States</div><div>GDP (PPP): $28,212,584,701,080</div><div><br></div><div>3. India</div><div>GDP (PPP): $13,837,886,095,650</div><div><br></div><div>4. Japan</div><div>GDP (PPP): $6,693,210,775,800</div><div><br></div><div>5. Germany</div><div>GDP (PPP): $5,737,921,135,920</div><div><br></div><div>6. Russia</div><div>GDP (PPP): $5,180,512,624,880</div><div><br></div><div>7. Indonesia</div><div>GDP (PPP): $4,706,381,666,640</div><div><br></div><div>8. Brazil</div><div>GDP (PPP): $4,533,438,662,610</div><div><br></div><div>9. France</div><div>GDP (PPP): $4,161,339,481,020</div><div><br></div><div>10. United Kingdom</div><div>GDP (PPP): $3,967,703,923,320</div><div><br></div><div>What is PPP?</div><div>Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) is a macroeconomic concept used to compare the relative value of currencies between different countries. Value refers to how much purchasing a currency can do compared to different countries. So, to find that out, economists apply PPP, which is the exchange rate at which one country’s currency would be converted into another to purchase an identical basket of goods and services. The PPP metric is usually used to measure economic productivity and standards of living between countries, according to Insider Monkey.</div><div><br></div><div>In other words, utilising purchasing power parity, GDP is translated to a common baseline currency (international dollars), allowing for more realistic comparisons of nations and their worldwide positions.</div><div><br></div><div>Methodology</div><div>For its list of the ‘30 Countries with the Highest Purchasing Power Parity in the World’, Insider Monkey calculated the PPP using the GDP per capita by PPP of the 50 top countries with the largest economies in the world and their population. It then shortlisted the top 30 and compiled the list in ascending order. The base data for GDP per capita and population has been sourced from the International Monetary Fund and the CIA’s database and is accurate to 2024, the finance website said.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-23 10:19:02', '2024-03-23 10:19:02'),
(11686, 11686, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>A fire that broke out on the ninth floor of AWR Tower in the capital’s Gulshan was doused on Saturday afternoon.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The fire broke out at Purnima Restaurant on the ninth floor of the 18-storey around 4:35 pm, said Tanha Bin Zasim, station officer of the Fire Service and Civil Defence Control Room (media).</div><div><br></div><div>Three firefighting units from Tejgaon Fire Station doused the fire at 4:50 pm, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>No casualties were reported in the fire incident, he also said.</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-23 13:11:22', '2024-03-23 13:11:22'),
(11687, 11687, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Foreign Minister and Awami League Joint General Secretary Hasan Mahmud on Saturday said the main objective of BNP\'s call to boycott Indian products is to destabilise the country\'s market and increase prices of essentials so that people suffer.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>He said many products in Bangladesh come from India, and some border trade also takes place legally across thousands of kilometres of border.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"You will eat onions that come from India, your leader will wear sarees from India, your field-level female leaders will also wear Indian sarees, you will eat iftar that has beef that comes from India, you will go to India for medical treatment, and you call for boycott of Indian products — these are nothing but hypocrisy. The real objective of BNP is to increase the price of products by destabilising the market in the country,\" Hasan said.</div><div><br></div><div>The foreign minister made the remarks when reporters asked him about the call for a boycott of Indian products by some groups, including BNP.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>He spoke as the chief guest at the district development coordination meeting at the Chattogram Circuit House, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>The foreign minister said that BNP leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has burnt his shawl along with those who called for a boycott of Indian products. \"Actually, I don\'t know if the shawl was bought from India or from Bangabazar.\"</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', '<p>With call to boycott Indian products<br></p>', 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-23 13:23:40', '2024-03-23 13:23:40'),
(11688, 11688, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Sri Lanka bowled out Bangladesh for 188 runs to take a 92-run lead after the first innings of the first Test in Sylhet on Saturday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Vishwa Fernando picked up 4-48 for the tourists while Bangladeshi nightwatchman Taijul Islam top-scored for Bangladesh with 47. - AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-23 14:06:11', '2024-03-23 14:06:11'),
(11689, 11689, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>China’s coast guard used water cannons against a Philippine vessel in the South China Sea, badly damaging one of them and injuring its crew, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea said on Saturday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The skirmish took place days after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Manila to reiterate Washington’s “ironclad” support against Chinese influence in the disputed region that Beijing claims almost in its entirety.</div><div><br></div><div>China’s military activity in the resource-rich territory has been increasing over the past few years, with the Chinese regularly encroaching on the Philippine part of the waters, the West Philippine Sea.</div><div><br></div><div>The Unaizah May 4 supply vessel was on its way to Ayungin Shoal — the Filipino name for the Second Thomas Shoal, an outcrop garrisoned by a unit of Philippine troops — when China’s coast guard and maritime militia “executed dangerous maneuvers against the routine RoRe (rotation and resupply) mission” and two Philippine coast guard vessels that came to its rescue, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea said.</div><div><br></div><div>“Their reckless and dangerous actions culminated with the water cannoning of UM4 causing severe damage to the vessel and injuries to Filipinos onboard.”</div><div><br></div><div>The injured personnel were transferred to one of the PCG vessels, which towed the UM4 back to land.</div><div><br></div><div>China Coast Guard spokesperson Gan Yu said that the Philippine vessels had forcibly intruded into the area “deliberately disrupting the peace and stability” of the maritime region.</div><div><br></div><div>“Despite multiple warnings and route controls from the Chinese side, the Filipino supply ship forcefully entered the area. The China Coast Guard lawfully and professionally implemented regulation, interception, and expulsion,” Gan said in a statement.</div><div><br></div><div>Philippine vessels have been regularly attacked by Chinese ships in the parts of the South China Sea that are internationally recognized as belonging to the Philippines.</div><div><br></div><div>In a rare announcement, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea said on Saturday that its chairperson and the national security adviser were going to meet the executive secretary and the National Security Cluster on Monday “for purposes of making recommendations to the President.”</div><div><br></div><div>The latest in a string of maritime clashes between the two countries follows Blinken’s assertion to Philippine authorities that the disputed waterways are critical not only to the security of the Philippines but also the US.</div><div><br></div><div>“That’s why we stand with the Philippines and stand by our ironclad defense commitments, including under the mutual defense treaty,” he told reporters in Manila earlier this week.</div><div><br></div><div>The Philippines is Washington’s key security partner in Asia under a decades-long alliance and the 1951 treaty that obliges the US to defend its ally in the case of external attack.</div><div><br></div><div>In the past two years, the partnership has expanded under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who in February last year permitted American troops to increase their footprint in the country.</div><div><br></div><div>American troops have been patrolling the South China Sea with Philippine forces since November, despite protests from Beijing, which says the US is not a party to the maritime dispute. - Arab News</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-23 14:46:54', '2024-03-23 14:46:54'),
(11690, 11690, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>During Ramadan, a special iftar initiative in West Bengal brings Muslims and Hindus together to restore social cohesion and build mutual trust, where it has been eroded by communal polarization along religious lines.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Muslims make up nearly a third of the state’s 100 million population and have been present in the region since the 13th century, making significant contributions to Bengali socio-linguistic identity, literature and culture.</div><div><br></div><div>The Bengal Sultanate played a dominant role in large parts of the eastern subcontinent between the 14th and 16th centuries, and under Mughal rule until the early 1800s the region became globally recognized for its textile and shipbuilding industries.</div><div><br></div><div>For the past decade, however, the importance of history and Muslim heritage in the state and across India has been undermined, accompanied by tensions and riots ignited by majoritarian policies of the Hindu right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party, which rose to power in 2014.</div><div><br></div><div>In 2017, incidents of communal violence between Hindus and the Muslim minority started to emerge also in West Bengal.</div><div><br></div><div>That was when a group of Muslims and Hindus started the Know Your Neighbor initiative to promote social cohesion in Bengal.</div><div><br></div><div>Mohammad Reyaz, assistant professor at Aliah University in Kolkata and co-convener of KYN, told Arab News that growing religious polarization and prejudices against Muslims were the main reason they got together to address it.</div><div><br></div><div>“In the context of the rising communal polarization this initiative was important,” he told Arab News.</div><div><br></div><div>“I felt, as a citizen, that I should do something to bring understanding between Hindus and Muslims. I joined as a volunteer.”</div><div><br></div><div>KYN members have been curating meetings, discussions and heritage walks helping Hindus and Muslims meet each other. During the month of Ramadan, regular interfaith iftars take the center stage of their program.</div><div><br></div><div>“‘Dosti ki iftari’ is a gesture and initiative where Ramadan becomes a platform where all come together to assert their togetherness,” Reyaz said. “Ramadan becomes an occasion to assert the pluralistic traditions of India.”</div><div><br></div><div>The meaning of the word “dosti” is “is all about trust and kinship,” said Espita Halder, a literature professor at Kolkata’s Jadavpur University who has been a KYN volunteer since its establishment.</div><div><br></div><div>“I think that is what we need now; to create kinship with our neighbors. Without this feeling of kinship the idea of India will fall apart,” she told Arab News.</div><div><br></div><div>“During ‘dosti ki iftari,’ people from different sections of the society come and spend some time together ... it’s a fightback from below against the divisive politics.”</div><div><br></div><div>The KYN iftars are usually gatherings of some 100 people, most of whom are non-Muslims.</div><div><br></div><div>“They are coming from different colleges and institutes, so that they carry the message and spread the message of love, peaceful coexistence, interactive multiculturalism,” said Sabir Ahamed, researcher and fellow at the Pratichi Institute, who is also a main organizer of KYN.</div><div><br></div><div>“We invite our guests, break fast together, and give the message that to reduce disparity, to reduce intolerance, we need to interact more. That is the main purpose of this.”</div><div><br></div><div>It is also a platform to tackle the fear of the other.</div><div><br></div><div>“In life, nothing needs to be feared. It needs to be understood. Islamophobia and all that is growing because people are made to fear the other religion, fear the other community. Once they get exposure this fear goes away,” said Madhuri Katti, educator and writer.</div><div><br></div><div>“We get good people coming and sharing their stories ... Emotional connection between communities is very important. Otherwise, empathy does not come.” - Arab News</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-23 14:49:03', '2024-03-23 14:49:03'),
(11691, 11691, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Oscar winner Cillian Murphy will be reprising his fan-favourite role of crime boss Tom Shelby from \"Peaky Blinders\" in a standalone feature film, show creator Steven Knight has confirmed.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The series, about the titular Peaky Blinders crime gang in the aftermath of the First World War, had ended with its sixth season run in April 2022 but Knight has always maintained that he would like to continue the story \"in another form\".</div><div><br></div><div>At the premiere of his latest BBC drama \"This Town\", Knight told British news outlet Birmingham World that Murphy would \"definitely\" be returning as Shelby for the movie. He also revealed that filming will go on floors the coming September.</div><div><br></div><div>“He [Cillian Murphy] definitely is returning for it. We’re shooting it in September just down the road in Digbeth,” Knight confirmed.</div><div><br></div><div>It’s no surprise that Murphy is returning as the gangster Tommy Shelby for the ‘Peaky Blinders’ movie. Over various occasions in the past, the ‘Oppenheimer’ star has expressed his desire to star in the ‘Peaky Blinders’ film provided that the script meets his standards, because even after the series concluded, he believed that there was more to tell.</div><div><br></div><div>In a conversation with Rolling Stone U.K last year, Murphy talked about the idea of a ‘Peaky Blinders’ movie. He had stated, “If there’s more story there, I’d love to do it. But it has to be right. Steve Knight wrote 36 hours of television, and we left on such a high. I’m really proud of that last series. So, it would have to feel legitimate and justified to do more.”</div><div><br></div><div>As of now, we are not aware of when the movie will be airing. But it’s expected to be screened sometime next year. Other than Murphy, it’s unclear as to whether we will see familiar faces or if new faces would be roped in. But, it’s only a matter of time when we will know.</div><div><br></div><div>Originally premiering on BBC, the popularity of “Peaky Blinders” soared when it landed on Netflix. The series finale aired in April 2022, yet Knight’s intentions to carry on the story in a movie were always transparent. - Agencies</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-23 15:18:23', '2024-03-23 15:18:23');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(11692, 11692, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck is scheduled to arrive on Monday on a four-day visit demonstrating the strong relations that Bangladesh and Bhutan have developed steadily since 1971.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>President Mohammed Shahabuddin and the First Lady will receive the king amid gun salute and guard of honor.</div><div><br></div><div>The king is scheduled to arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport 10am on Monday by a special flight, a senior official told UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>After the ceremony at the airport, the king will go to Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 to pay tribute to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.</div><div><br></div><div>On Monday afternoon, the Bhutanese King will have a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office. They will have tete-a-tete (one-to-one) meeting, too.</div><div><br></div><div>The two sides are likely to sign a number of MoUs after the meeting.</div><div><br></div><div>Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud will meet the king at his place of residence same day before the meeting with the prime minister.</div><div><br></div><div>On Tuesday, the king will visit National Martyrs’ Memorial at Savar.</div><div><br></div><div>Together with the president and prime minister, the king will attend the ceremony at the National Martyrs’ Memorial at Savar.</div><div><br></div><div>He will plant a sapling there.</div><div><br></div><div>The king will also visit Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn &amp; Plastic Surgery.</div><div><br></div><div>He will visit Bangabhaban where he will be received by the president and the first lady.</div><div><br></div><div>The king will have a meeting with the president at 4:30pm on Tuesday.</div><div><br></div><div>The president will host iftar and dinner in honour of the visiting royal.</div><div><br></div><div>On Wednesday morning, the Queen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck, Queen of Bhutan and selected Bhutanese delegation members will leave Bangladesh for Bhutan by a special flight.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangabandhu\'s daughter Sheikh Rehana and Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen will see them off at the airport.</div><div><br></div><div>The Bhutanese king will visit Padma Bridge and Bangladesh Special Economic Zone, Araihazar, Narayanganj.</div><div><br></div><div>On Thursday, the king will visit Kurigram Special Economic Zone.</div><div><br></div><div>He will leave Bangladesh territory for Golakganj, Assam via Sonahat Land Port on Thursday afternoon.</div><div><br></div><div>Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, state minister for shipping will see him off there.</div><div><br></div><div>The 4th King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, sent a letter of congratulations to the prime minister recently saying under her dynamic and strong leadership, Bangladesh has enjoyed peace, stability and unprecedented economic development.</div><div><br></div><div>He also termed Bhutan as a \"close friend\" and rejoiced with the people of Bangladesh on this occasion.</div><div><br></div><div>Bhutan was the first country to recognise the newly independent Bangladesh on December 6 in 1971 when the 3rd King of Bhutan sent a message of recognition by telegram.</div><div><br></div><div>Since then Bangladesh and Bhutan share a special multidimensional bilateral relationship. Immediately after the independence, the Bhutanese government took initiative to establish diplomatic relations with Bangladesh and, consequently, formal diplomatic relations was established on 12 April 1973. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-23 15:21:59', '2024-03-23 15:21:59'),
(11693, 11693, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>A former Filipino congressman accused of masterminding the killings of a provincial governor and several others has been arrested in East Timor and will be deported to the Philippines, Philippine justice officials said on Friday.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Police arrested Arnolfo Teves Jr. while he was playing at a golf driving range on Thursday in East Timor’s capital of Dili, where he has tried to seek asylum, the Philippine Department of Justice said.&nbsp; His arrest had been sought through an Interpol red notice asking police worldwide to locate and apprehend him.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Teves is facing murder charges in connection with the killings of Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo and eight other people, including some seeking aid at his home in Pamplona town in March last year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At least 17 others, including a doctor and two army soldiers, were wounded in the attack, police</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">said then. At least six men armed with assault rifles and wearing military camouflage and bullet-resistant vests walked calmly into Degamo’s residential compound.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They opened fire in an attack that was captured on security cameras.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The shooters fled in three SUVs, and authorities later announced the capture of several suspects.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Teves denied any involvement in the killing of Degamo and the other victims and said without elaborating that he was set up.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The killings refocused attention on the country’s bloody political conflicts, which have been exacerbated by the existence of private armies and large numbers of illegal firearms, especially in the countryside.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said then that the attack on Degamo, who backed his presidential candidacy, was “purely political.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Marcos commended Philippine law enforcers and their international counterparts for the arrest of Teves.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said his administration would work to bring him back to the country and “spare no effort in ensuring that justice will prevail in this case.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said that Teves’s apprehension “is a testament to the power of international cooperation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“It sends a clear message that no terrorist can evade justice and that nations stand united in safeguarding the safety and security of their citizens.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Remulla asked Teves to face trial without conditions and “face the courts squarely.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Teves has separately been implicated in the killings of three people in 2019 in Negros Oriental and violations of the country’s gun and explosives law after authorities found assault weapons and ammunition in his family’s residential compound.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Crimes and decades-long insurgencies were some of the daunting problems inherited by Marcos.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In one of the country’s deadliest episodes of political violence, nearly 200 armed followers led by members of a powerful political clan blocked a convoy of a rival political family in southern Maguindanao province ahead of local elections in 2009.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The gunmen then led the 58 victims, including 32 media workers, to a nearby hilltop, where all were gunned down.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A court convicted detained key members of the Ampatuan family a decade later, but many suspects in the attack remain at large. - AP&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-23 15:28:07', '2024-03-23 15:28:07'),
(11694, 11694, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Daesh released on Saturday a photo of what it said were the four attackers behind a shooting rampage that killed at least 143 people in a concert hall near Moscow on Friday, the militant group’s Amaq news agency said on Telegram.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“The attack comes within the context of a raging war between Daesh and countries fighting Islam,” Amaq added in a statement citing security sources.</div><div><br></div><div>Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack but there were indications that Russia was pursuing a Ukrainian link, despite emphatic denials from Ukrainian officials that Kyiv had anything to do with it.</div><div><br></div><div>Russian authorities said on Saturday they had arrested 11 people including four suspected gunmen in connection with the attack. - Reuters&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-23 15:39:15', '2024-03-23 15:39:15'),
(11695, 11695, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that authorities have detained 11 people in the attack on a suburban Moscow concert hall that killed at least 133 people and left the sprawling venue a smoldering ruin.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>In an address to the nation, Putin called it “a bloody, barbaric terrorist act” and said all four people who were directly involved had been taken into custody. He suggested they had been trying to cross the border into Ukraine which, he said, tried to create a “window” to help them escape.</div><div><br></div><div>Ukraine has strongly denied any involvement in the attack. Putin said Saturday that additional security measures have been imposed throughout the country and declared March 24 a day of national mourning.</div><div><br></div><div>The Islamic State group’s Afghanistan branch claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack in a statement posted on affiliated channels on social media. A U.S. intelligence official told The Associated Press that U.S. agencies had confirmed that the group was responsible for the attack.</div><div><br></div><div>The attack, which was the deadliest in Russia in years, came just days after Putin cemented his grip on power in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide and as the country’s war in Ukraine dragged into a third year.</div><div><br></div><div>Some Russian lawmakers pointed the finger at Ukraine immediately after the attack. But Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, denied any involvement.</div><div><br></div><div>“Ukraine has never resorted to the use of terrorist methods,” he posted on X, formerly Twitter. “Everything in this war will be decided only on the battlefield.”</div><div><br></div><div>Ukraine’s foreign ministry also denied that the country had any involvement and accused Moscow of using the attack to try to stoke fervor for its war efforts.</div><div><br></div><div>“We consider such accusations to be a planned provocation by the Kremlin to further fuel anti-Ukrainian hysteria in Russian society, create conditions for increased mobilization of Russian citizens to participate in the criminal aggression against our country and discredit Ukraine in the eyes of the international community,” a ministry said in a statement.</div><div><br></div><div>Images shared by Russian state media Saturday showed a fleet of emergency vehicles still gathered outside the ruins of Crocus City Hall, which had a maximum capacity of more than 6,000 people.</div><div><br></div><div>Videos posted online showed gunmen in the venue shooting civilians at point-blank range. Russian news reports cited authorities and witnesses as saying the attackers threw explosive devices that started the fire. The roof of the theater, where crowds had gathered for a performance by the Russian rock band Picnic, collapsed early Saturday as firefighters spent hours fighting the blaze.</div><div><br></div><div>In a statement posted by its Aamaq news agency, the IS\'s Afghanistan affiliate said it had attacked a large gathering of “Christians” in Krasnogorsk. It was not immediately possible to verify the authenticity of the claim.</div><div><br></div><div>A U.S. intelligence official told the AP that American intelligence agencies had gathered information in recent weeks that the IS branch was planning an attack in Moscow, and that U.S. officials had privately shared the intelligence earlier this month with Russian officials.</div><div><br></div><div>The official was briefed on the matter but was not authorized to publicly discuss the intelligence information and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.</div><div><br></div><div>Messages of outrage, shock and support for the victims and their families have streamed in from around the world.</div><div><br></div><div>On Friday, the U.N. Security Council condemned “the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack” and underlined the need for the perpetrators to be held accountable. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned the terrorist attack “in the strongest possible terms,” his spokesman said.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile hundreds of people stood in line on Saturday in Moscow to donate blood and plasma, Russia’s health ministry said.</div><div><br></div><div>Putin, who extended his grip on Russia for another six years in this week’s presidential vote after a sweeping crackdown on dissent, had publicly denounced the Western warnings of a potential terrorist attack as an attempt to intimidate Russians. “All that resembles open blackmail and an attempt to frighten and destabilize our society,” he said earlier this week.</div><div><br></div><div>In October 2015, a bomb planted by IS downed a Russian passenger plane over Sinai, killing all 224 people on board, most of them Russian vacation-goers returning from Egypt. The group, which operates mainly in Syria and Iraq but also in Afghanistan and Africa, also has claimed several attacks in Russia’s volatile Caucasus and other regions in the past years. It recruited fighters from Russia and other parts of the former Soviet Union. - AP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-23 15:42:50', '2024-03-23 15:42:50'),
(11696, 11696, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Owner of the Bangladeshi ship MV Abdullah that was hijacked by Somali pirates on March 12, does not support armed operation to free the ship and its crew.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Mizanul Islam, media adviser of the owner KSRM Group, said that they are not in favour of any armed operation, considering the safety of the sailors.</div><div><br></div><div>Rather, they are in favour of accepting conditions to rescue the crew, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The information that the European Union and the Indian Navy are preparing to free MV Abdullah is not correct, the media adviser informed.</div><div><br></div><div>Replying to a question from UNB’s Chattogram correspondent, Mizanul said that the Somali pirates who hijacked the ship have already contacted them, though they are yet to demand any ransom.</div><div><br></div><div>“We hope to rescue the ship, free 23 sailors, and bring them back home through discussions. We are working on that end. In this case, the company is trying to utilise its previous experience,” he informed.</div><div><br></div><div>He said family members of the crew members are in touch with them.</div><div><br></div><div>Commodore Mohammad Maksud Alam, director general (DG) of Department of Shipping, said that no one can conduct an operation on the hijacked ship without permission from Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>Discussions are underway to free the ship and crew from the pirates and it will take some time, the DG said.</div><div><br></div><div>He also informed that the presence of the EU navy’s ship won’t impact the discussion.</div><div><br></div><div>On March 12, a group of Somali pirates seized control of the Bangladesh-flagged cargo vessel when it was carrying coal from Mozambique’s Maputo port to Al Hamriyah Port in the UAE.</div><div><br></div><div>MV Abdullah is owned by SR Shipping Lines, a sister concern of Chattogram-based Kabir Steel and Rerolling Mill (KSRM) Group.</div><div><br></div><div>On March 20, the pirates made the first contact with the owner of the vessel. According to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-24 08:27:37', '2024-03-24 08:27:37'),
(11697, 11697, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) predicts rain or thundershower in parts of the country over 24 hours starting from 9:00 am on Sunday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“Rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at one or two places over Rangpur, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions,” said a BMD bulletin.</div><div><br></div><div>Weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the country.</div><div><br></div><div>Day and night temperatures may rise by 1-2°C over the country, it said.</div><div><br></div><div>Tariful Islam Newaz, meteorologist at the BMD, said they recorded 28 mm rainfall in Dhaka over six hours, from 12 am to 6 am.</div><div><br></div><div>The capital Dhaka may experience rain in the next 24 hours, starting from 9:00 am, he said, adding that the highest 63 mm rainfall was recorded in Kishoreganj’s Nikli over 24 hours, till 6 am today, reports unb</div><div><br></div><div>Country’s highest temperature, 33.8 degree Celsius, was recorded in Cox’s Bazar’s Teknaf and Khulna’s Mongla respectively on Saturday.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-24 08:38:15', '2024-03-24 08:38:15'),
(11698, 11698, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday deplored that the world&nbsp; is watching killings in Gaza by Israeli forces without taking any effective step to stop the tragedy.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister made the comments when visiting Secretary General of the Fateh Movement (Ruling Party) of Palestine Lt. General Jebreel Alrjoub 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 briefed the reporters after the call on.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Nazrul said the prime minister reiterated her unequivocal support for the Palestinians and condemned the killing of thousands in Gaza, including women and children, and attacks on hospitals by the Israeli forces.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She also expressed her condolence for the deaths caused by the Israeli forces in Gaza and demanded an immediate ceasefire there.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said that Bangladesh sent relief assistance for Palestine people twice through Egypt.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I always raise my voice in international forums for the Palestinian people whenever I get a chance,” the PM was quoted as saying.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She recalled the visit of Yasser Arafat in Bangladesh in 1997 during the Awami League regime.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister came down heavily on the human rights organisations for their stance to remain mum regarding the attack of Israeli forces in Gaza.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“This is one kind of hypocrisy,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hasina urged the Muslim Ummah to remain united in their support for the Palestinians.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“This should be done for the sake of protecting the Muslim Ummah and ease the misery of the Palestinians,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In this connection she called for implementation of the UN resolution that states that East Jerusalem will be the capital of the Palestine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fateh Movement leader Lt. General Jebreel Alrjoub thanked the prime minister for her unconditional support to the Palestinians and speaking strongly for them in international forums.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">“The war (in Gaza) must be stopped immediately and the International community should take quick steps for this,” he was quoted as telling the PM.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He mentioned that acute crisis of food is prevailing in Gaza and the people are starving.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Food assistance is urgently needed there,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said that recognition of Palestine state is the only way for a solution to this crisis.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said that there are 400 million people living in Arab countries, but they are not united.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“If they become united then the torture and oppression over the Palestinians would be stopped easily. The Arab world has power and resources and just a unity among them is needed to stop the Israeli aggression,” the general said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also said that regional stability and global peace will never be established if this war is not stopped.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He thanked Bangladesh for expending its support to South Africa\'s application against Israel before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concerning Israel\'s violation of the Genocide Convention regarding the Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip, reports UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also handed over a letter of Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas to the PM Hasina.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-24 09:36:03', '2024-03-24 09:36:03'),
(11699, 11699, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud on Sunday (March 24, 2024) said Bangladesh will allocate 190 acres of land in Kurigram for a special economic zone for Bhutanese investors.&nbsp;</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>He said Bangladesh wants to import hydropower from Bhutan and a tripartite agreement is required to bring the electricity through India.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We are in discussion to that end,\" he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>He said Bhutan has a potential of producing 25,000 megawatts of hydropower.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The Foreign Minister said Bangladesh will also import hydropower from Nepal and things are settled regarding that initiative.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Hasan said Bangladesh will construct a burn unit in Thimphu as a goodwill gesture which also demonstrates the country’s capacity.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>He also briefed about the visit of the Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.</div><div><br></div><div>Three new MoUs will be signed between Bangladesh and Bhutan while another MoU on cultural exchange will be renewed, said the Foreign Minister.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The King, along with Bhutanese Foreign, Health, Industry and Commerce Ministers and the Bhutanese Queen, is scheduled to arrive on Monday morning on a four-day visit demonstrating the strong relations that Bangladesh and Bhutan have developed steadily since 1971.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We have multifaceted relations with Bhutan,\" Minister Hasan said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>President Mohammed Shahabuddin and the First Lady will receive the King amid gun salute and guard of honour.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The King is scheduled to arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 10 am on Monday by a special flight, a senior official told UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>After the ceremony at the airport, he will go to Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 to pay tribute to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>On Monday afternoon, the Bhutanese King will have a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office. They will have a one-to-one meeting.</div><div><br></div><div>The two sides are likely to sign a number of MoUs after the meeting.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud will meet the King at his place of residence the same day before the meeting with the Prime Minister.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>On Tuesday, the King will visit the National Martyrs’ Memorial at Savar.</div><div><br></div><div>The King will also visit Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.</div><div><br></div><div>He will visit Bangabhaban where he will be received by the president and the first lady.</div><div><br></div><div>The King will have a meeting with the president at 4:30 pm on Tuesday.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The president will host iftar and dinner in honour of the visiting royal.</div><div><br></div><div>On Wednesday morning, the Queen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck and selected Bhutanese delegation members will leave Bangladesh for Bhutan by a special flight.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangabandhu\'s daughter Sheikh Rehana and Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen will see them off at the airport.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The Bhutanese King will visit Padma Bridge and Bangladesh Special Economic Zone in Araihazar, Narayanganj.</div><div><br></div><div>On Thursday, the King will visit Kurigram Special Economic Zone.</div><div><br></div><div>He will leave Bangladesh territory for Golakganj, Assam via Sonahat Land Port on Thursday afternoon.</div><div><br></div><div>Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, state minister for shipping, will see him off there.</div><div><br></div><div>The 4th King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, sent a letter of congratulations to the prime minister recently saying under her dynamic and strong leadership, Bangladesh has enjoyed peace, stability and unprecedented economic development.</div><div><br></div><div>He also termed Bhutan as a \"close friend\" and rejoiced with the people of Bangladesh on this occasion.</div><div><br></div><div>Bhutan was the first country to recognise the newly independent Bangladesh on December 6 in 1971 when the 3rd King of Bhutan sent a message of recognition by telegram.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Since then Bangladesh and Bhutan share a special multidimensional bilateral relationship. Immediately after the independence, the Bhutanese government took initiative to establish diplomatic relations with Bangladesh and, consequently, formal diplomatic relations was established on 12 April 1973. According to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-24 09:57:46', '2024-03-24 09:57:46'),
(11700, 11700, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The total population in Bangladesh reached 17,15,90,000 till 1 January this year based on the Population and Housing Census 2022.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Out of the population, 8,73,90,000 are women and 8,42,00,000 are men.</div><div><br></div><div>The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) disclosed the data while officially releasing the “Bangladesh Sample Vital Statistics 2023: Key Findings” at the BBS headquarters in Dhaka’s Agargaon on Sunday.</div><div><br></div><div>The country’s population rose by 17,61,089, while as per the last national report based on the 2022 census, the population was 16,98,28,911.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-24 10:10:03', '2024-03-24 10:10:03'),
(11701, 11701, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prayers and songs of remembrance carried across the grassy field where 800 Muscogee warriors, women and children perished in 1814 while defending their homeland from United States forces.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Members of the Muscogee Creek Nation returned to Alabama this weekend for a memorial service on the 210th anniversary of Horseshoe Bend. The battle was the single bloodiest day of conflict for Native Americans with U.S. troops and paved the way for white settler expansion in the Southeast and the tribe\'s eventual forced removal from the region.</div><div><br></div><div>“We don’t come here to celebrate. We come here to commemorate, to remember the lives and stories of those who fought and honor their sacrifice,” David Hill, principal chief of the Muscogee Creek Nation, said at the Saturday ceremony.</div><div><br></div><div>One thousand warriors, along with women and children from six tribal towns, had taken refuge on the site, named for the sharp bend of the Tallapoosa River. They were attacked on March 27, 1814, by a force of 3,000 led by future U.S. President Andrew Jackson.</div><div><br></div><div>“They were going to fight to the end. The warriors were going to do what they could do to protect the women and children, protect themselves, protect our freedom, what we had here,” Hill said.</div><div><br></div><div>Leaders of the Muscogee Nation on Saturday placed a wreath on the battle site. The wreath was red, in honor of the warriors who were known as Red Sticks. It was decorated with six eagle feathers in recognition of the six tribal towns that had taken refuge there.</div><div><br></div><div>Despite signing a treaty with the United States, the Muscogee were eventually forcibly removed from the Southeast to Oklahoma on the Trail of Tears. Some of their descendants made the journey back to the land their ancestors called home to attend the remembrance ceremony.</div><div><br></div><div>“Hearing the wind and the trees and imagining those that came before us, they heard those same things. It wakes something up in your DNA,” Dode Barnett, a member of the Muscogee Nation Tribal Council, said. Barnett said their story is one of survival.</div><div><br></div><div>RaeLynn Butler, the Muscogee Nation’s secretary of culture and humanities, has visited the site multiple times but said it is emotional each time.</div><div><br></div><div>“When you hear the language and you hear the songs, it\'s a feeling that is just overwhelming. Painful. Even though it\'s hard to be here, it\'s important that we share this history,” Butler said.</div><div><br></div><div>The Muscogee Nation has announced plans to try to place a permanent memorial at the site. - AP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-24 10:23:49', '2024-03-24 10:23:49'),
(11702, 11702, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">More than 130 students abducted by gunmen from a school in Nigeria earlier this month have been released “unharmed” days before a ransom deadline, say officials.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Government spokesman Abdulaziz Abdulaziz told Al Jazeera on Sunday it “took a lot of backchannel engagement” to release the students abducted on March 7 in Kuriga, a dusty town in Kaduna state – the first mass kidnapping in Nigeria since 2021.</div><div><br></div><div>“[All] of them were released and all of them were fine,” he said, giving the official number of freed students at 137 – much lower than the figure of 286 students and one staff member in most media reports. He claimed the media reports were wrong but did not give further details.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier on Sunday, Uba Sani, governor of the northwestern state of Kaduna, said in a statement the hostages were freed after “security operations” coordinated by the country’s national security adviser.</div><div><br></div><div>“We … thank all Nigerians who prayed fervently for the safe return of the school children. This is indeed a day of joy,” the governor said.</div><div><br></div><div>“The Nigerian Army also deserves special commendation for showing that with courage, determination and commitment, criminal elements can be degraded and security restored in our communities,” Sani added in a statement.</div><div><br></div><div>Abductions of students from schools in Nigeria by rampaging armed groups with no ideological affiliation are common. On March 9, 15 students were kidnapped from a school in the village of Gidan Bakuso in Sokoto state while at least 87 people, including women, were taken captives in Kajuru area of Kaduna on March 18.</div><div><br></div><div>In recent years, the abductions have been concentrated in the country’s northwestern and central regions, where dozens of armed groups often target villagers and travellers for ransom, forcing families and communities to sell land, cattle and grain to secure their loved ones’ release – or in some cases, crowdfunding on social media sites.</div><div><br></div><div>The Kaduna gunmen last week demanded a total of 1 billion naira ($680,000) for the release of the children and staff and vowed to kill the victims if the payments were not made within 20 days. But Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said he would “not pay a dime” after the practice was outlawed in 2022 in a bid to clamp down on the attackers. Ransom payers face a 15-year sentence.</div><div><br></div><div>Abductions at Nigerian schools were first carried out by armed group Boko Haram, which seized 276 students from a girls’ school in Chibok in northeastern Borno state in 2014. Some of the girls have never been released, most of them forcefully married to the fighters.</div><div><br></div><div>In another mass kidnapping in July 2021, gunmen took more than 150 students in a raid. The students were reunited months later with their families after they paid ransoms.</div><div><br></div><div>A total of some 1,400 children have been abducted since 2014. - Al Jazeera&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-24 10:41:40', '2024-03-24 10:41:40'),
(11703, 11703, '<div><b><br></b></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Russian airlines have offered free flights to victims of the attack and their loved ones, as well as relatives of the victims.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>According to Rosaviation, Aeroflot, North Wind, S7 Airlines, Ural Airlines, NordStar, Red Wings and Smartavia responded to the tragedy.</div><div><br></div><div>Flights are being offered to Moscow or from the capital. Aeroflot, for example, will issue free tickets based on the list of victims and dead from the Moscow Region Ministry of Health. NordStar, among other things, offered assistance in transporting the dead.</div><div><br></div><div>Aeroexpress said it will compensate the cost of travel on trains and express buses to the families and friends of those killed and injured. - Al Jazeera&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-24 10:55:23', '2024-03-24 10:55:23'),
(11704, 11704, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Bangladesh Bank (BB) and Prime Bank PLC have joined hands to provide financial support to women entrepreneurs.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An agreement in this regard was signed between the central bank and Prime Bank at the central bank headquarters recently.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Under this agreement, the central bank will provide a guarantee against its interest-free refinance of Tk 3,000 crore to encourage small women entrepreneurs. - Bangladesh Bank (BB) and Prime Bank PLC have joined hands to provide financial support to women entrepreneurs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An agreement in this regard was signed between the central bank and Prime Bank at the central bank headquarters recently.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Under this agreement, the central bank will provide a guarantee against its interest-free refinance of Tk 3,000 crore to encourage small women entrepreneurs. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-24 11:34:38', '2024-03-24 11:34:38'),
(11705, 11705, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The average life expectancy and birth rate in the country have declined in a span of a year.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) revealed this on Sunday in a report titled ‘Bangladesh Sample Vital Statistics-2023’.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the BBSA report, life expectancy at birth in 2023 has decreased statistically, to 72.3 years, which was 72.4 years in 2022.</div><div><br></div><div>On the other hand, the population growth rate has decreased in a span of a year. The general growth rate of the population in 2023 is 1.33 percent which was 1.40 percent in 2022.</div><div><br></div><div>The BBS survey revealed that among the top ten causes of death, the first cause of death is cardiac arrest at 1.027 percent and the second cause at 0.64 percent was cerebral brain hemorrhage.</div><div><br></div><div>The average age at first marriage for men is 24.2 years and for women 18.4 years.</div><div><br></div><div>In terms of internal migration, the rural arrival rate is 20.4 and the urban arrival rate is 43.4 per thousand population.</div><div><br></div><div>In addition, the number of young populations not in education, work or training decreased to 39.88 percent in 2023 compared to 40.67 percent in 2022.</div><div><br></div><div>The mobile phone user population aged 5 plus increased to 59.9 percent in 2023. However, for 15plus-year-olds, the rate has slightly increased to 74.2 percent compared to 73.8 percent in 2022. 50.1% of Internet users aged 15 plus in 2023.</div><div><br></div><div>The sex ratio is slightly downward in 2023 standing at 96.37 percent, and the dependency ratio is 53.73 percent. The population density is 1,179 persons per square kilometer. The gross birth rate per thousand population was 19.4 in 2023, which was 19.8 in 2022.</div><div><br></div><div>At that time (2023), the obesity mortality rate per thousand population was 6.1, which was 5.8 in 2022. The under-five mortality rate is 33 per thousand and the maternal mortality ratio is 136 per 100,000 live births, compared to 153 in 2022.</div><div><br></div><div>The number of birth control users in 2023 decreased slightly to 62.1 percent in 2023 compared to 63.3 percent in 2022. Unmet demand for birth control decreased to 15.57 percent in 2023 compared to 16.62 percent in 2022.</div><div><br></div><div>Household size remained unchanged in 2023 as in 2022 for 4.2 percent. However, the rate of female household heads increased in 2023 compared to 2022. It was 17.4 percent in 2022, which increased to 18.9 percent in 2023. On the other hand, male household head was 82.6 percent in 2022, the rate decreased to 81.17 percent in 2023. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-24 11:41:01', '2024-03-24 11:41:01'),
(11706, 11706, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The bodies of three Rohingya refugees were found in the sea as the Indonesian authorities ended a search for survivors from a boat that capsized near Aceh province, the provincial search and rescue agency said Sunday.</span><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fishers and a search and rescue team rescued 75 people from the boat on Thursday — 44 men, 22 women and nine children — after they huddled on its overturned hull throughout the night.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A few were taken to a local hospital for treatment, but most were sent to a temporary shelter in the Aceh Barat district. Several told UNHCR workers they had lost family members on the journey.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fishers first spotted the three bodies and reported them to local authorities on Saturday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“After we searched the area, the team found three bodies, two adult women and one boy. They are allegedly Rohingya refugees who were the passengers of the capsized and sunken boat,” Al Hussain, chief of Banda Aceh Search and Rescue Agency in a statement on Sunday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The bodies were immediately taken to the hospital in Calang city in Aceh Jaya district, before local authorities buried them.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Faisal Rahman, a UNHCR staff member in Aceh, said that some of the survivors also helped to identify the bodies.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We have verified as we take one of the refugees to identify and verify that they were together on the boat,” Faisal Rahman, a UNHCR staff member in Aceh, said Saturday evening.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Local authorities in Aceh have received several reports about dead bodies floating in nearby waters since Saturday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">U.N. agencies in a statement on Friday said that about 70 Rohingya refugees are feared missing or dead from a boat that made a grueling sea voyage from Bangladesh and sank off Indonesia’s coast this week.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">About 1 million of the predominately Muslim Rohingya live in Bangladesh as refugees from Myanmar. They include about 740,000 who fled in 2017 to escape a brutal counterinsurgency campaign by Myanmar\'s security forces, who were accused of committing mass rapes and killings and burning thousands of homes. The Rohingya minority in Myanmar faces widespread discrimination and most are denied citizenship.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Indonesia, like Thailand and Malaysia, is not a signatory to the United Nations’ 1951 Refugee Convention, and so is not obligated to accept them. However, the country generally provides temporary shelter to refugees in distress. - AP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-24 11:51:15', '2024-03-24 11:51:15'),
(11707, 11707, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">&nbsp;A fire broke out at Korail slum in Dhaka’s Banani area on Sunday.</span><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The fire started at the slum around 4:05 pm and engulfed it, said Talha bin Jasim, station officer of Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On information, a firefighting unit reached the spot while seven others were on its way. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-24 12:47:35', '2024-03-24 12:47:35'),
(11708, 11708, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that Türkiye is aware of those supporting Israel and will not yield to the lobbies backing Tel Aviv.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We\'re aware of who supports Israel and the lobbies behind them. We haven\'t yielded to these lobbies until now, and we won\'t in the future,\" said Erdogan during an iftar program in Istanbul.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Except for Türkiye and a few other countries, there is hardly any actor raising voice against Israel and its Western supporters,\" he stressed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Alongside the Palestinian people, all the innocent people around the world have been witness to Türkiye\'s efforts, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hospitals and health workers, as well as places of worship, are deliberately targeted by occupying forces in Gaza, Erdogan pointed out.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We do not take into account those who label our Palestinian brothers resisting oppression as terrorists,\" he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The president said Türkiye\'s economy has been showing resilience despite the recent earthquake burden.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Erdogan said this year, Türkiye\'s \"export target is $375 billion for goods and services and $60 billion for tourism.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said that despite the $104 billion extra burden from the Kahramanmaras earthquake alone, Türkiye\'s \"economy sustained a strong growth rate of 4.5%.\" - Anadolu Agency</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2024-03-24 12:55:22', '2024-03-24 12:55:22');
