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(5718, 5718, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said that the government wants to hold another ‘stage-managed’ election as per its blueprint to stay in power till 2041.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Speaking at a human chain programme, he also alleged the government signed an anti-state power deal with India\'s Adani Group as a bribe to the neighbouring country to cling to power.</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader said the government ‘ruined’ the constitution and made an arrangement for holding the election under a partisan government to establish a one-party rule system.</div><div><br></div><div>“Two elections were held under it in 2014 and 2018 without people’s votes… They now have a desire to stay in power till 2041. With that blueprint, they want to hold elections again in 2024 in the same manner,” Fakhrul said.</div><div><br></div><div>He said Awami League considers itself the owner of the country while the people are its subjects. “Awami League government has been treating us as subjects. So, we have to work more and drum up more public support to involve them with our movement. They (AL) have to be defeated by creating a turbulent wave of people through the movement.”</div><div><br></div><div>As part of a simultaneous movement in cities and districts, BNP’s Dhaka south city unit arranged the human chain programme in front of its Nayapaltan central office. Thousands of leaders and activists of the party and its associate bodies took part in the programme, led by Fakhrul from 11 am to 12 pm.</div><div><br></div><div>BNP’s Dhaka north city unit also formed a human chain programme in the Badda area, led by party standing committee member Khandaker Mosahrraf Hossain.</div><div><br></div><div>Apart from BNP, Ganotantra Mancha, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote, Gonoforum and People\'s Party, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote Peshajibi Ganatantrik Jote formed human chains separately. BNP also observed a similar programme in all cities and districts in presence of the central leaders.</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul said the Awami League government has been indulging in widespread corruption and plundering, forcing the world-famous newspapers to file reports on its corruption.</div><div><br></div><div>He said the power purchase deal with the Adani Group is against the interests of Bangladesh. “We’re saying publicly that this agreement can\'t go in favour of Bangladesh in any way.”</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader warned that the people of Bangladesh will not accept the deal with Adani. “The question has been asked by many people from abroad how the Bangladesh government could sign this agreement. They signed the agreement because they want to stay in power with bribes.”</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul said some ruling party leaders are saying BNP will finally participate in the next national election. \"I would like to say clearly that BNP won’t participate in any election under this government, led by Sheikh Hasina and under the current Election Commission.\"</div><div><br></div><div>He said their party has already initiated a movement to realise their 10-point demand, including the resignation of the Awami League government, dissolution of parliament and handing over power to a non-party caretaker government, paving the way for holding a credible election by forming a new election commission.</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader said their party does not want to engage in clashes and violence as they are carrying out the movement together with people in a peaceful manner to press home their 10-point demand.</div><div><br></div><div>“Accept our 10-point demand and resign immediately, dissolve parliament and hand over power to the caretaker government. “If you ask the rickshaw pullers whether they want to go to the election under Sheikh Hasina, they’ll all say no as they don\'t trust her. No fair and free election can be held under her,” Fakhrul said.</div><div><br></div><div>He alleged that the government is repeatedly trying to provoke BNP leaders and activists to engage in violence as BNP’s peaceful movement caused heartburn to it. \"People have initiated the movement, they’ll go back home with a victory.”</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader warned that they will gradually intensify their movement and force the government to step down.</div><div><br></div><div>About the frequent incidents of explosions in Dhaka and Chattogram, Fakhrul said these incidents are happening for the lack of monitoring, supervision and management by the authorities concerned. “They (govt) have turned this country into a hell,” reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>He said the government is least bothered about people\'s safety and suffering as its main job is to plunder public money.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-11 15:18:44', '2023-03-11 15:18:44'),
(5719, 5719, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal said the elections conducted by electronic voting machine (EVM) system are reliable so far, no complaint has been received regarding EVM.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>\"The Election Commission (EC) has always been in favour of EVM system while conducting election,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The CEC said this while addressing the opening ceremony of a daylong workshop on \"Use of modern technology in electoral system: challenges and ways forward\" at a hotel in Cox\'s Bazar as the chief guest this morning.</div><div><br></div><div>Chattogram Regional Election Office organised the workshop under the \"Capacity Building and Strengthening Project\" of the Election Commission Secretariat.</div><div><br></div><div>Main work of the EC is allowing the voter to exercise their right to vote, Habibul Awal said, adding: \"It\'s not the duty for the commission to see the voters who have voted for which party. If the voters can\'t able to vote, if</div><div>they\'re deterred, if their rights are undermined at the polling station- then we, along with all those concerned, will have to take responsibility for the failure.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The Chief Election Commissioner said that the EC has taken a stance in favor of EVMs after being widely trusted. So far, no complaint has been made over the elections using EVM system, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>The EC has the capacity to use electronic voting machines (EVMs) in 50 to 80 constituencies in the upcoming Jatiya Sangsad (JS) polls, he continued.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We hope that if all political parties would participate, the polls will be fair, impartial and acceptable,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Election Commissioner Brigadier General (retd) Md Ahsan Habib Khan addressed the function as the special guest with Chattogram Divisional Commissioner Dr. Md. Aminur Rahman in the chair.</div><div><br></div><div>Additional Secretary of Election Commission Secretariat Ashok Kumar Debnath, Project Director Brigadier General Abul Hasnat Mohammad Sayem, Chattogram Range Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Anwar Hossain, Deputy Commissioner of Cox\'s Bazar Muhammad Shaheen Imran, Superintendent of Police</div><div>Md. Mahfuzul Islam, among others, were present.</div><div><br></div><div>Election Commission officials, senior administration officials, police, representatives of civil society, new voters, public representatives and freedom fighters participated in the workshop. Source: BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-11 15:28:31', '2023-03-11 15:28:31'),
(5720, 5720, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen today said that Dhaka has been pursuing multi-pronged, multi-spatial and multi-temporal consolidated approach to make its economy diplomacy a success.&nbsp;</span><br></b></div><div><b>&nbsp;</b></div><div>\"We are pursuing a very consolidated approach towards the economic domain of diplomacy in the recent times,\" he said.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The foreign minister was addressing the \"Bangladesh Business Summit 2023\" inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Momen said the foreign ministry has developed three policy packages - economic diplomacy, public diplomacy and Regional peace and stability packages.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>He said his ministry has been working with the relevant ministries, investment promotion bodies, trade organizations while it established a dedicated wing for international trade, investment and technology inside the Foreign Office to coordinate domestic and foreign endeavours for better results.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>\"In addition, we have activated all our Missions abroad to put special focus and priority on economic diplomacy,\" he added.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>He said Bangladesh is a gateway to the South Asian region and offers easy access to markets with a combined population of over 3.5 billion people.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>\"We are a connectivity hub in South and East Asia . . . I welcome you all to invest and be a winner,\" he said.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The foreign minister said Bangladesh\'s strategic location, competitive cost of doing business, vibrant culture, young and resourceful people along with stable and business friendly government make it as an attractive destination for investment.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>\"I repeat we have a young and educated workforce, a strong legal framework, and a government that is committed to creating an enabling environment for business to grow,\" he said, adding that Bangladesh has lot to offer to investors.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>He said Bangladesh has implemented a one-stop service to facilitate foreign investors, and it (the country) is also setting up 100 special Economic Zone and 38 Hitch parks with lucrative investment packages.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;The foreign ministry said the summit is a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit of our nation, and it showcases the immense potential and opportunities that Bangladesh has to offer to the world.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"We have spirit, we have the initiatives and we can do, sky is our limit. We invite you to join us in our development journey for mutual benefits,\" he made the call to the foreign business participants.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Momen said as per the vision of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh is committed to move itself from \"Digital Bangladesh\" to Smart Bangladesh by 2041.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"We are creating smart labor force, smart students, smart productive capacity, smart infrastructure, smart government, smart rules and regulations and smart people to be the manufacturing Hub of the world,\" he said welcoming all to be a part of building Smart Bangladesh.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) organised the summit at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the capital city to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the country\'s apex business body FBCCI.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Commerce Ministry and the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) are partnering the summit with the FBCCI.&nbsp; - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-11 15:32:38', '2023-03-11 15:32:38'),
(5721, 5721, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>At least nine people including artistes have been injured in an attack by some unidentified people on a cultural programme organized by Sirajganj Baul Shilpi Goshthi at Abdur Rouf Mukta Manch in the town.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Several musical instruments including keyboard, harmonium, and chairs were vandalized.</div><div><br></div><div>Sanjib Kumar, president of the organization, said the programme was inaugurated on Friday afternoon, marking the organization’s 18th anniversary.They resumed the cultural programme after a discussion.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Suddenly, a group of people attacked the venue. Our musical instruments, along with nearly 50 chairs at the venue, were vandalized,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The organization’s sound operator Suman and Baul singer Harun were among the injured, he added, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>Officer-in-charge of Sirajganj Sadar police station Md. Humayun Kabir said they visited the spot on information.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-11 15:36:45', '2023-03-11 15:36:45'),
(5722, 5722, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The head of Russian paramilitary group Wagner said Saturday his fighters were near the centre of Bakhmut as a top Ukrainian commander insisted it was important to \"buy time\" ahead of an upcoming counteroffensive.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>British intelligence said in an update the frontline had shifted in the fight for Bakhmut, the longest and bloodiest battle of Moscow\'s one-year invasion -- but that any further Russian advance in the devastated town could be \"highly challenging\".</div><div><br></div><div>Some military experts have questioned the sense of the continued fight for Bakhmut, but Ukrainian officials say that the town\'s fall could lead to further Russian advances in the east.</div><div><br></div><div>In a video released on Saturday, Yevgeny Prigozhin, chief of Russian mercenary group Wagner, said that his forces were close to the administrative centre of Bakhmut.</div><div><br></div><div>Standing on the rooftop of a high-rise building in what is said to be Bakhmut, Prigozhin is seen pointing towards a building in the distance.</div><div><br></div><div>\"This is the building of the town administration, this is the centre of the town,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It is one kilometre and two hundred metres away,\" said Prigozhin, who was clad in full military gear.</div><div><br></div><div>Speaking as artillery boomed in the background, Prigozhin said the most important thing now was to receive more ammunition from the army and \"move forward\".</div><div><br></div><div>Wagner has been spearheading offensives against cities in eastern Ukraine including Bakhmut. Both sides have suffered heavy losses.</div><div>Earlier this week Wagner said its fighters had captured the eastern part of Bakhmut.</div><div><br></div><div>- A \'killing zone\' -</div><div>The commander of Ukraine\'s ground forces, Oleksandr Syrsky, said on Saturday the fight for Bakhmut helped win time in preparation for a future counteroffensive.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The real heroes now are the defenders who are holding the eastern front on their shoulders, and inflicting the heaviest possible losses, sparing neither themselves nor the enemy,\" Syrsky was quoted as saying in a statement.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It is necessary to buy time to build reserves and launch a counteroffensive, which is not far off.\"</div><div><br></div><div>British military intelligence said that the Bakhmutka River in the centre of Bakhmut now marked the front line.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Ukrainian forces hold the west of the town and have demolished key bridges over the river, which runs north-south through a strip of open ground 200 metres-800 metres wide,\" the British defence ministry said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"This area has become a killing zone, likely making it highly challenging for Wagner forces attempting to continue their frontal assault westwards.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Prigozhin, an ally of President Vladimir Putin, has been entangled in a power struggle with the defence ministry.</div><div><br></div><div>He has several times claimed battlefield victories ahead of Russia\'s army, criticised Russia\'s top brass and accused the military of not sharing ammunition with his forces.</div><div><br></div><div>On Saturday he said he was ready to ask Russia\'s top commanders for forgiveness but at the same time appeared to mock Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov.</div><div><br></div><div>He said they were \"outstanding military commanders\" and added that Russia\'s greatest military leaders including Georgy Zhukov and Alexander Suvorov \"could have learnt\" from them.</div><div><br></div><div>\"I absolutely -- totally -- support all their initiatives,\" Prigozhin added.</div><div><br></div><div>- Shelling of Kherson -</div><div><br></div><div>The Russian army kept shelling the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, killing three people and wounding another two, Ukrainian officials said Saturday.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Russian terrorists are shelling Kherson again,\" said Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine\'s presidential office, posting a picture of firefighters next to a charred car.</div><div><br></div><div>Several cars were damaged as a result of the shelling.</div><div><br></div><div>Galyna Kolisnyk, 53, said the Russians struck when she was in a store.</div><div><br></div><div>\"When we entered, literally five minutes later this tragedy happened,\" she told AFP.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Explosions began, our car got hit,\" she said. \"This is horrible.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Kherson is the capital of one of the four regions -- along with Donetsk, Lugansk and Zaporizhzhia -- that Russia claims to have annexed but does not fully control.</div><div><br></div><div>Since Russia\'s retreat from the city of Kherson late last year, it has been regularly pounded by Moscow\'s troops.</div><div><br></div><div>Donetsk\'s separatist mayor Alexei Kulemzin said Saturday that Ukrainian shelling had killed two people including a young boy.</div><div><br></div><div>In the Czech capital Prague meanwhile, thousands took to the streets Saturday in an anti-government protest demanding an end to military support for Ukraine. The country is battling record inflation levels caused mainly by a spike in energy prices due to the war.</div><div><br></div><div>Protesters called on the centre-right government of Petr Fiala to resign, accusing their leaders of caring more about Ukraine than its own citizens. Source: AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-12 08:47:32', '2023-03-12 08:47:32'),
(5723, 5723, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Rajshahi University students on Sunday demonstrated in front of the administration building of the university and locked the building, protesting “attack on them by locals and police” the previous night.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>They also shouted slogans with their six-point demand, calling for justice</div><div><br></div><div>Their demands are: justice for the attack on RU students by locals and police, stopping the entry of outsiders in the university and ensuring safety of the students, ensuring on-campus accommodation for all students, ensuring proper treatment of the injured students, taking necessary measures within 24 hours of the incident, and ensuring student representation in forming university policies.</div><div><br></div><div>Amanullah Khan, a student of Population Science and Human Resource Development department of the university, said, “Police were largely inactive in the incident, rather they threw tear gas shells and fired rubber bullets at us. Taking advantage of their inaction, local thugs attacked us. The agitation will continue if our demands are not met.”</div><div><br></div><div>At that time, he demanded the resignation of the university’s proctorial body and student advisor.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the university sources, a meeting was supposed to be held between the university authorities following the incident but the meeting has not started yet as the vice-chancellor of the university is in Rajshahi Medical College Hospital to visit the injured students at the time of filing this report. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-12 09:28:21', '2023-03-12 09:28:21'),
(5724, 5724, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday reiterated that the Election Commission is totally independent to conduct the country\'s next general election.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>She said this when visiting British Minister of State (Indo-Pacific) of Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Anne-Marie Trevelyan paid a courtesy call on her at Ganabhaban here on Sunday morning.</div><div><br></div><div>During the meeting, they discussed different issues including election, Rohingyas and economic development of Bangladesh, Covid-19 pandemic and post-Covid situation.</div><div><br></div><div>PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.</div><div><br></div><div>About the next general election, the premier said Bangladesh follows the Westminster-type democracy. “Our main goal is the welfare of the people. The Election Commission is totally independent. It will conduct the election,” the PM was quoted as saying.</div><div><br></div><div>Regarding the freedom of expression, Hasina said the media enjoys total freedom here. There was only one television channel in the country but her government opened television channels to the private sector. Now there are 24 private TV channels and more TV channels are in the pipeline, she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The UK’s Indo Pacific state minister said the next stage of development is very important for Bangladesh on the way of its graduation from the status of a least developed country (LDC).</div><div><br></div><div>Anne-Marie Trevelyan said she visited the Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar and appreciated Bangladesh and Sheikh Hasina for providing shelter to the displaced people.</div><div><br></div><div>She also praised the administration for handling the recent fire incident in the Rohingya camp in a nice manner.</div><div><br></div><div>In this regard, the PM said a huge number of new babies are born in the displaced Rohingya community every year, intensifying the burden further on Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>Noting that the Covid-19 pandemic affected the whole world, she said Bangladesh emphasized on growing more food and took steps accordingly.</div><div><br></div><div>PM’s Ambassador-at-Large Mohammad Ziauddin, PMO Secretary Mohammad Salahuddin and UK High Commissioner to Bangladesh Robert Chatterton Dickson were present. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-12 09:41:03', '2023-03-12 09:41:03'),
(5725, 5725, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>A high school teacher died after being hit by a train in Sadar upazila of Gopalganj this morning, police said.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The deceased has been identified as Badal Biswas, 43, son of Neel Ratan Biswas of Dalniya village under the Sadar upazila. He was a mathematics teacher of Guadhana Silna Bindu Bashini High School at the upazila.</div><div><br></div><div>Md Maridul, sub-inspector of Sadar Police Station, said the incident happened around 7 am when a Rajshahi-bound train hit the motorbike of the teacher while crossing a rail track in Naldanga area, leaving him dead on the spot.</div><div><br></div><div>On information, the body was recovered from the spot and sent to Gopalganj General Hospital for autopsy, he said, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>The accident occurred on his way to school from home in the morning, the SI said, adding that the body will be handed over after the autopsy.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas&nbsp;</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-12 10:10:13', '2023-03-12 10:10:13'),
(5726, 5726, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">India\'s superstar cricketer Virat Kohli hit his first Test century since November 2019, ending his long drought on day four of the fourth Test against Australia on Sunday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>\"King Kohli\" reached his 28th Test hundred off 241 balls with a single off Nathan Lyon, sparking wild celebrations at the world\'s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.</div><div><br></div><div>Appearing to tear up, he acknowledged the crowd and the dressing room before kissing the locket on his gold chain as he smiled and looked up to the sky.</div><div><br></div><div>Commentator Ravi Shastri screamed, \"a 600-kilo gorilla is off his back. He will grow a couple of inches taller by this evening\".</div><div><br></div><div>A placard in the crowd read \"Here to see King Kohli ruling in his kingdom\" as children in India shirts bowed in respect.</div><div><br></div><div>The star batsman resumed on his overnight score of 59 after he got his first Test half-century since January 2022 on day three on a pitch favouring the batsmen.</div><div><br></div><div>Kohli, 34, went through an extended lean patch last year, failing to reach three figures in more than 1,000 days.</div><div><br></div><div>He quit as Twenty20 skipper in late 2021 and in January 2022 was sacked from the one-day captaincy and gave up leading the Test side, too.</div><div><br></div><div>But he hit his first ton after 1,020 days in the Asia Cup T20 tournament in September last year and hasn\'t looked back since.</div><div><br></div><div>Kohli finished the T20 World Cup in Australia as the leading run-scorer and then hit three ODI centuries, including two -- 113 and 166 not out -- against Sri Lanka in January.</div><div><br></div><div>The former captain has a Test average of more than 48 in 108 matches since making his debut in 2011 and has struck 75 centuries across the three international formats.</div><div><br></div><div>Kohli remains behind Australia stand-in-skipper Steve Smith and England\'s Joe Root in the number of Test centuries between the \"fabulous four\" -- the leading four batsmen of the modern era.</div><div><br></div><div>Smith overtook Kohli during the Indian batsman\'s lean phase and now has 30 Test centuries since his previous 95th Test. Root has 29.</div><div><br></div><div>New Zealand batsman Kane Williamson has 26 Test tons.</div><div><br></div><div>Kohli\'s previous Test hundred came against Bangladesh in what was the first day-night Test in India. Source: AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-12 10:27:56', '2023-03-12 10:27:56'),
(5727, 5727, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>A top court in Pakistan on Friday suspended the non-bailable arrest warrant issued against ousted prime minister Imran Khan in a case of hate speech against state institutions after his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party filed a petition against the move, Hindustan Times reported.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The non-bailable arrest warrant was issued against Khan on Thursday on behalf of a citizen for “spreading hate” against state institutions and their offices following his recent speech.</div><div><br></div><div>The suspension of the warrant came amid the arrival of a Quetta police team in Lahore to arrest the PTI chairman as per a court order, reported Geo News.</div><div><br></div><div>Khan’s party filed a petition in the Balochistan high court (BHC) against the orders of a judicial magistrate in Quetta, urging it to cancel the arrest warrant and also quash the First Information Report (FIR) filed against him at a police station in Quetta, capital of Balochistan.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-12 10:44:28', '2023-03-12 10:44:28'),
(5728, 5728, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Proctor, assistant proctor of Chittagong University (CU) and 15 others have resigned from their administrative posts.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Acting registrar of CU KM Nur Ahmed on Sunday said proctor Dr. Rabiul Hasan Bhuiya and assistant proctor Dr. Shahidul Islam submitted their resignation letters.</div><div><br></div><div>However, the reason behind their resignation could not be known immediately.</div><div><br></div><div>Contacted, Assistant Proctor Dr Shahidul said, “I have submitted my resignation as I need time for my research and students.”</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier on March 7, CU 1st female assistant proctor and assistant professor of Chemistry Department Mariam Islam resigned from her post. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-12 10:58:18', '2023-03-12 10:58:18'),
(5729, 5729, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>BNP had a closed-door meeting with the diplomats of the European Union (EU) countries in Bangladesh on Sunday where the party leaders told the envoys that their party will not go to the elections under the current government.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“Like the people of Bangladesh, all democratic countries have been closely observing Bangladesh’s current situation and the atmosphere for the next election,” BNP standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury told reporters after the meeting.</div><div><br></div><div>Replying to a question, the BNP leader said they clearly told the EU envoys that their party will not go to the elections under the current government.</div><div><br></div><div>He said EU countries are trying to look at Bangladesh’s current democratic and human rights situation, the rule of law, human rights, freedom of speech, and media freedom.</div><div><br></div><div>“Especially, as there is an apprehension about the next election both in the country and beyond, they (EU naturally has a view on the matter. From that point of view, we had our discussion today (Sunday).”</div><div><br></div><div>The one and a half--hour meeting was held at ABC House in Gulshan where the ambassadors of France, Italy, Sweden, Germany, Spain, Norway and the Netherlands, led by EU Ambassador to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley, were present.</div><div><br></div><div>BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir led a four-member BNP delegation at the meeting. The other delegation members are Amir Khosru, BNP Organising Secretary Shama Obaed and Human Rights Affairs Secretary Advocate Asaduzzaman.</div><div><br></div><div>Asked what they discussed about the next election, Khosur said they talked about how the electoral system in Bangladesh has collapsed as an \'illegal\' government has been in power \'snatching\' the right to vote of the country’s people, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>He said the foreign countries are also fearing that Bangladesh will fall into a crisis if the people of the country cannot exercise their right to vote in the next election. “From this apprehension, they (European Union) want to know how the next election is going to be held and how to make it neutral and participatory.”</div><div><br></div><div>He said those countries of the world are closely observing Bangladesh they clearly know that the people of this country will not be able to exercise their right to vote and elect their representatives, government and parliament under the current \"usurper regime\". </div><div><br></div><div>“They (EU countries) are aware of this fact and they also know the reasons behind it,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-12 11:18:37', '2023-03-12 11:53:46'),
(5730, 5730, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Describing the communal attacks on Ahmadiyya community in Panchagarh as a premeditated one, BNP on Sunday alleged that the government orchestrated it to make a political gain by putting the blame on its political opponents.&nbsp;</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Speaking at a press conference, party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the government mainly tried to weaken the BNP’s ongoing movement for the restoration of democracy and tarnish the party’s image both at home and abroad by implicating it with communal violence.</div><div><br></div><div>“This incident was pre-planned. It’s been carried out in a planned way to divert people’s attention to a different direction from the ongoing movement for the restoration of democracy and create a negative impression of BNP both at home and abroad. The government did it with its own people,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader alleged that the government has chosen a path of brutal repression by putting the blame on the BNP leaders and activists for the communal violence that was carried out by the ruling party activists. “They did it to suppress the opposition and foil the ongoing movement.”</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader said it is an old habit of the Awami League to put the blame on others by carrying out any incident by itself. “They blamed BNP for the arson attacks in the past.”</div><div><br></div><div>The press conference was held at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office to present the report prepared by the party’s committee members who investigated the communal incident.</div><div><br></div><div>As per a decision of their party standing committee, Fakhrul said they formed the probe committee led by party vice chairman Hafizuddin Ahmed.</div><div><br></div><div>He said the probe committee visited the violence-hit area on March 8 and prepared the report after talking to the victims and locals and relevant stakeholders.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>He said attacking the Ahmadiyya community in Panchagarh and damaging their houses and looting their valuables is an inhuman and shocking incident. “We don’t want to see such things in the country.”</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul said their probe body saw a suspicion created in the public mind whether the incident is premeditated due to extreme negligence of duties on part of the government and police.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>He said the government has now created a reign of terror in the violence-affected areas by filing 20 cases against over 12,000 people, including 1,000 identified ones.</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul said police have already arrested 181 people and continued their drive to arrest others. “We think the government is arresting people wholesale only to hide the real offenders. They’re doing this with an ulterior motive fully out of their political vengeance.”</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leaders said the government has planned this kind of communal incident to completely suppress and divert the people\'s movement meant for restoring democratic rights.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>He said BNP always believes in communal harmony and the equal rights of all faiths.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul said an incident like Panchagarh one is taking place in the country for the lack of democracy and the accountability of the government.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>“Restoring democracy and establishing a government of people by ousting the current fascist regime is the only solution to such a problem,\" reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>On the other hand, On March 4, a vested interest group spread rumours in different parts of Panchagarh district town and on social media saying that some Ahmadiyya community members slaughtered two Muslims.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-12 11:52:33', '2023-03-12 11:52:33'),
(5731, 5731, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Apple has launched a new yellow colour variant for the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Plus, and fans have been raving about the bright and cheerful hue.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>While some may assume that Apple\'s decision to release a yellow-colored iPhone with the 14 and 14 Plus models is a bold move. In fact, the first yellow iPhone made its debut years ago, long before the iPhone 14 was even planned.</div><div><br></div><div>To recall, Apple made a bold move and launched the iPhone 5c, the first-ever iPhone to come in a range of colors, including the sunny yellow variant that stole our hearts.</div><div><br></div><div>The iPhone 5c came with a lot of firsts, it was the first iPhone to be made from polycarbonate, which is a type plastic material that allowed it to come in a variety of colors, including yellow, blue, green, pink, and white.</div><div><br></div><div>It was the first time that Apple experimented with different colors for its iPhones. Before the 5c, Apple played it safe with metallic colors, but once they saw how much people loved having colorful options, they let their imagination run wild.</div><div><br></div><div>So it can be absolutely safe to say that the iPhone 5c paved the way for colourful iPhones. From that point on, Apple continued to release iPhones in a rainbow of colors, including the iPhone 11, which also got a Yellow colour variant and the latest addition being the iPhone 14 in a beautiful, bright yellow shade.</div><div><br></div><div>Even though Apple has added a new yellow colour, the price and specifications of the iPhone 14 and the iPhone 14 Plus remain the same. The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus\' yellow colour variants\' prices in India start at Rs 79,900 and Rs 89,900 respectively.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The phones will be available in 256GB and 512GB storage variants as well. The phones are not available for purchase yet as the sale of the new colour option will begin on March 14.However, customers can also pre-book the device on March 10.</div><div><br></div><div>Additionally, Apple has also introduced silicon cases for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus in four new colours including Canary yellow, olive, sky, and iris. Source: India Today</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-12 13:35:14', '2023-03-12 13:35:14'),
(5732, 5732, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh secured a historic T20I series win against England, beating them by four wickets in the second match of the three-match series on Sunday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Mehidy Hasan Miraz\'s superb bowling effort helped restrict England to 117, while Najmul Hossain Shanto\'s unbeaten knock of 46 off 47 balls guided the Tigers to victory with seven balls to spare.</div><div><br></div><div>With this win, Bangladesh recorded their first-ever T20I series win against England, and they have one match left to play on Tuesday at the same venue.</div><div><br></div><div>In the last 18 balls, Bangladesh needed 16 runs. In the 17th over, Jofra Archer conceded only three runs and took the wicket of Afif Hossain with a lightning-fast delivery that splattered the stumps, with one of the bails flying close to the third-man boundary.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh sealed the match in the next over bowled by Chris Jordan, with Taskin Ahmed smashing two fours off the fourth and fifth ball to reach the target and break out in a fitting celebration, punching the air in joy.</div><div><br></div><div>For England, Archer was the best bowler who scalped three wickets in 13 runs in four overs.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, Miraz recorded his career-best bowling figures of four for 12, making a great chance for Bangladesh to seal the series with one match in hand.</div><div><br></div><div>England started well, scoring 50 for two in 6.3 overs. However, they failed to continue their momentum and kept losing wickets on a regular basis.</div><div><br></div><div>Dawid Malan was swinging at everything from the beginning of the innings but could only score five for eight with one four, after slogging Taskin Ahmed off the 2nd ball of the 2nd over, with Hasan Mahmud taking a regulation catch at third man.</div><div><br></div><div>Hasan Mahmud removed England captain Joss Buttler off the last ball of the eighth over with a beautiful yorker, and Mehidy Hasan Miraz took the next four wickets alone. England never found stability in their innings and needed to accelerate in the last couple of overs. However, they failed to do so, and eventually, the visitors tumbled for 117 for 10.</div><div><br></div><div>The third and final match of the series will be played on Tuesday at the same venue.</div><div><br></div><div>Before the T20I series, England won the ODI series with two consecutive wins in the first two matches in Dhaka. However, they have lost three matches since, including an ODI and two T20Is. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-12 13:49:04', '2023-03-12 13:49:04'),
(5733, 5733, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Sunday approved a Tk 4323-crore ‘Resilient Infrastructure for Adaptation and Vulnerability Reduction Project (RIVER)’ in a bid to reduce flood risk in the riparian and flash flood-prone community and enhance disaster preparedness.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Seven other development projects also got approval in the Ecnec meeting presided over by Ecnec chair and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the NEC conference room in the capital.</div><div><br></div><div>“Today eight projects were approved and the overall estimated cost of the projects is Tk 12,167.15 crore (only additional cost of two revised projects counted here),” said State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam at a press briefing after the meeting.</div><div><br></div><div>Of the total money, Tk 3,097.91 crore will be drawn from the national exchequer, while Tk 8,912.77 crore will come from foreign sources and the rest Tk 156.47 crore from the own funds of the organisations concerned, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Of the approved 8 projects, 6 are fresh projects while 2 others are revised projects.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, the meeting gave approval to time extension of four other projects without raising their cost.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the Planting Commission, the Resilient Infrastructure for Adaptation and Vulnerability Reduction Project (RIVER) will be implemented in 78 upazilas of 14 districts by June 2028 involving Tk 4,323.47 crore.</div><div><br></div><div>Of the project cost, Tk 4,275 crore will come from external sources (IDA).</div><div><br></div><div>The main objective of the RIVER project is to reduce flood risk for the riparian and flash flood-prone community and enhance disaster preparedness and response capacity.</div><div><br></div><div>The major project operations include construction of 500 primary schools cum flood shelter centres, installation of 100 solar power grids, development of 275 km link roads maintaining 150-metre height to connect flood shelter centres, construction of 500-metre bridges and 1,330-metre culverts, and development of 110km community infrastructure link roads.</div><div><br></div><div>Five other new projects include South Chattogram Regional Development (SCRD) project with the estimated cost of Tk 3,644.92 crore;&nbsp; Customs Modernization and Infrastructural Development Project with Tk 1,686.47 crore; Mymensingh District Rural Infrastructural Development project with Tk 1,000 crore; Rehabilitation and River bank projection of Meghna-Dhonagoda Irrigation Project with Tk 347.65 crore; and Promoting Gender Responsive Enterprise Development and TVET System (ProGRESS) Project with Tk 128.61 crore.</div><div><br></div><div>The two revised projects are Expansion of South-Western Power Transmission-Grid (1st revised) Project with additional cost of Tk 1,048.47 crore (now total cost raised at Tk 4,322.35 crore); and Urban Resilience Project (URP): Project Coordination and Monitoring Unit (PCMU) (3rd revised) with a cost reduction of Tk 12.44 crore (now its cost came down to Tk 32.86 crore). - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-12 14:02:27', '2023-03-12 14:02:27'),
(5734, 5734, '<div><br></div><div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Virat Kohli hit a towering 186 before India finished their first innings on 571 to lead Australia by 91 runs on day four of the fourth Test in Ahmedabad on Sunday.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The star batsman, in his first Test ton since November 2019, fell to Todd Murphy in the final session as India lost their ninth wicket and Shreyas Iyer did not bat due to back pain. - AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-12 14:59:17', '2023-03-12 14:59:17'),
(5735, 5735, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The general point to point inflation rate in February increased slightly as it reached to 8.78 percentage up from 8.57 percentage points in January mainly because of the slight rise in food inflation.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The general point to point inflation rate in December last was 8.71percentage points, according to the monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS).</div><div><br></div><div>The point to point food inflation increased to 8.13 percentage points in February up from 7.76 percentage points in January.</div><div><br></div><div>On the other hand, the point to point non-food inflation declined slightly to 9.82 percentage points in February down from 9.84 percentage points in January.</div><div><br></div><div>Talking to the reporters after the day\'s ECNEC meeting, State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam said the inflation rate has been falling in the country since September last until January while the wage rate is also increasing.</div><div><br></div><div>He said although the inflation rate witnessed slight increase last month, but it is not uncomfortable.</div><div><br></div><div>Dr Alam said that currently the BBS is calculating CPI index based on the average of 412 commodities, but such number would be increased to 700.</div><div><br></div><div>Citing that the price of vegetables is now on the downtrend, he hoped that the prices of commodities would come down also.</div><div><br></div><div>Considering the ensuing Holy Month of Ramadan, the State Minister said there would be an additional demand among the consumers. \"But, there has been sufficient import of essentials for which I believe the prices of commodities will remain in a tolerable state.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The BBS data showed that the national wage index rate in February was 7.11 percent up from 7.06 percent in January. According to BSS reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-12 15:24:28', '2023-03-12 15:24:28');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5736, 5736, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Strawberry has brought diversifications in both wholesale and retail fruit markets as its farming has been gaining popularity in the region, including its vast Barind tract, for the last couple of years.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Farming of the high-value cash crop has increased on two hectares of land more this year compared to the previous year only in Rajshahi district.</div><div><br></div><div>Mozder Hossain, Deputy Director of Department of Agriculture Extension, told BSS that interest of the farmers is gradually increasing as there are suitable production and marketing systems in this field.</div><div><br></div><div>Farmers\' level extension of strawberry farming has started bringing a new horizon in the field of agriculture and economic sectors in the region.</div><div><br></div><div>Many people including youths have made their fortunes through strawberry farming as its commercial farming is more profitable than many other seasonal fruits and vegetables.</div><div><br></div><div>Commercial farming of strawberries has been gaining popularity in the region, including the vast Barind tract for its economic prospects.</div><div><br></div><div>Strawberry, a succulent fruit popular in different parts of the globe, is being sold in retail markets at Taka 500 to 600 per kilogram on an average at present. It has gradually been becoming popular among both farmers and the consumers in general.</div><div><br></div><div>Professor Dr Manzur Hossain, who is a pioneer in the country\'s strawberry research, variety innovation and growers\' level farming expansion, said Bangladeshi strawberry variety has been adjudged as world\'s best strawberry.</div><div><br></div><div>Strawberry cultivation is as easy as growing potatoes or eggplant. Saplings can be planted in rows during the period between November and December every year.</div><div><br></div><div>Farming of the juicy fruit has already begun in many districts in the region, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The fruit will no doubt be a profitable crop for farmers, Professor Hossain, a senior teacher in the Department of Botany at Rajshahi University said, adding \"If it is grown on a large scale, the highly nutritious fruit will come within the reach of the common people. There will be no need for imports\".</div><div><br></div><div>With the average price of a kilogram of Strawberry standing at Taka 700, the commercially viable fruit presents great export potentials and ushers in economic prospects for those who wish to get high and fast returns from limited land resources, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Prof Hossain said they have innovated three varieties of strawberry through applying tissue culture methods.</div><div><br></div><div>All the varieties are being cultivated massively as those were found adaptive to the region\'s soil and environmental conditions, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Tazimul Haque, 54, a farmer of Baroipara village under Paba upazila, who has been cultivating the cash crop for more than 12 years, said there is a bright prospect of strawberry farming everywhere in the region.</div><div><br></div><div>The red juicy and nutritious fruit are now being supplied to markets in the capital, he said, adding strawberry cultivation is easier than potatoes or eggplant. Each plant bears around 250 to 300 grams of fruit and some 6,000 plants can be grown on one bigha of land.</div><div><br></div><div>Saplings can be planted in rows between November and December every year, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Bakkar Ali, a farmer of Parila village under Paba Upazila in the district, said a large number of people, mostly unemployed youths, have become dependent on strawberry farming to earn a living as its cultivation is easier and more profitable than other crops.</div><div><br></div><div>The youths are supplying strawberries to different markets across the country as the fruit is being used in preparing ice-cream, jams, jellies, pickles, chocolates and biscuits.</div><div><br></div><div>Illustrating the salient feature of strawberry, a high-valued cash crop, he said the plants start flowering within one month of plantation and fruits can be collected till March, reports BSS.</div><div><br></div><div>Due attention should be given to motivate the farmers so that they could be encouraged towards farming the cash crop commercially as it has high economic importance, he continued.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-12 15:30:21', '2023-03-12 15:30:21'),
(5737, 5737, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Intelligence teams of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have recovered over 2.53&nbsp; core more and arrested eight people from Dhaka, its adjacent areas and Sunamganj, three days after robbers snatched Tk 11.25 crore of a bank from a private security agency’s vehicle in Turag area of Uttara in the capital on Thursday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The arrestees are Md. Sanoar Hossain, Md. Eman alias Milan, Md. Akash Madbar, Sagar Madbar, Md. Badrul Alam, Md. Mizanur Rahman, Md. Sonai Mia and Md. Enamul Haque Badsha.</div><div><br></div><div>With these, a total 6.43 crore have been recovered so far, said Additional Police Commissioner (Intelligence) Md. Harun-ur-Rashid while talking to journalists at DMP media center on Sunday.</div><div><br></div><div>“According to Money Plant Link Private Limited, robbers looted Tk 11.25 crore from a microbus in Turag area while going to deposit it in Dutch Bangla Bank’s booths. After the incident, intelligence department immediately raided Khilkhet area and recovered Tk 3.89 crore on the same day,” said the officer.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, various teams of Intelligence-Mirpur Division and Intelligence-Uttara Division conducted a series of drives in different&nbsp; areas of the capital and Sunamganj and arrested the eight accused. They&nbsp; recovered Tk 2.53 crore, the DMP official added.</div><div><br></div><div>A private car, used in the robbery, has also been seized, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>“There was no personal security system or armed security personnel with the car during the transportation of Tk 11.25 crore. Most of the time big amount of money is transferred in this way where the security system is not enough to protect the money,” Md. Harun-ur-Rashid said, alleging that the private security agency didn’t inform local police about the money transformation, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>Drives are on to recover&nbsp; the remaining snatched money and arrest the rest accused, he added.</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-12 15:45:38', '2023-03-12 15:45:38'),
(5738, 5738, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">About 30 migrants were missing and presumed drowned after the overcrowded boat they were on capsized during a rescue attempt by a cargo ship off Libya, Italy\'s coastguard said on Sunday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Seventeen migrants were saved and a search was underway for the missing after the early-morning attempted rescue in Libya\'s search-and-rescue zone, the coastguard said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"During the rescue operations... the boat capsized during the transfer of the migrants: 17 people were rescued and recovered by the (cargo) vessel while approximately 30 migrants were missing,\" said the coastguard.</div><div><br></div><div>The latest disaster in the Mediterranean comes exactly two weeks after a shipwreck off Italy\'s southern coast of Calabria that killed at least 76 migrants, with bodies continuing to wash ashore nearly daily.</div><div><br></div><div>That shipwreck has put Italy\'s right-wing government led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on the defensive as it tries to fend off sharp criticism that it failed to intervene in time to save the migrants.</div><div><br></div><div>Sunday\'s botched rescue is sure to increase finger-pointing over who is to blame for deaths even as an increasing number of migrants embark on the perilous Central Mediterranean crossing headed for Italy\'s shores.</div><div><br></div><div>Italy\'s coastguard said the boat in distress was in Libya\'s search-and-rescue zone, and that the deadly episode laid bare \"the inactivity\" of other countries in the Mediterranean.</div><div><br></div><div>Rome has long complained to its EU partners that it bears the brunt of the tens of thousands of migrants seeking to reach Europe by boat each year.</div><div><br></div><div>First to be alerted to the boat in distress some 100 miles (160 kilometres) northwest of Benghazi was Alarm Phone, a charity that monitors migrant boats. It said it then alerted Italian authorities at 0118 GMT Saturday morning.</div><div><br></div><div>A surveillance plane of German NGO SeaWatch also spotted the boat and reported it was \"dangerously overcrowded and in frightening waves\".</div><div><br></div><div>In a statement, Italy\'s coastguard confirmed that Alarm Phone had notified Rome\'s rescue coordination centre, as well as Maltese and Libyan authorities, about the boat.</div><div><br></div><div>A merchant vessel that had headed towards the boat after the alert by SeaWatch reported difficulty in rescuing the boat due to bad weather, the coastguard said.</div><div><br></div><div>- Distress call -</div><div>Authorities in Libya -- which the coastguard said was responsible for search and rescue efforts in that zone -- reported \"a lack of availability of naval assets\" and requested the support of Rome, which dispatched three additional nearby merchant ships to the area, according to the statement.</div><div><br></div><div>SeaWatch also had tweeted on Saturday that Tripoli said it was \"unable to send a patrol boat.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The rescue operation began early Sunday morning after the cargo vessel \"Froland\" reached the site, during which the migrant boat overturned, the coastguard said.</div><div><br></div><div>Two migrants among the 17 pulled safely onboard needed urgent medical care and the ship headed to Malta to disembark them.</div><div><br></div><div>Merchant ships were still in the area searching for the missing, along with two Frontex planes, it said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"The rescue operation took place outside the Italian SAR (search-and-rescue) area of responsibility, recording the inactivity of the other National Maritime Coordination and Rescue Centres involved in the area,\" the coastguard said.</div><div><br></div><div>On Sunday morning, Alarm Phone said the migrants were \"exhausted and still out at sea, fighting the bad wind &amp; weather conditions,\" more than a day after authorities had been alerted.</div><div><br></div><div>Alarm Phone later said it had lost contact with the boat.</div><div><br></div><div>- Intercepting migrants -</div><div><br></div><div>Meloni\'s Brothers of Italy party won elections last year on a pledge to curb sea arrivals, and the ruling coalition has clamped down on migrant rescue charities.</div><div><br></div><div>Critics say the government\'s policy of treating migrant boats as a law enforcement issue, rather than a humanitarian one, may have fatally delayed help to the shipwrecked migrants.</div><div><br></div><div>In November, Italy renewed a controversial EU-backed deal with Libya to stop migrants from departing its shores for Europe, including training its coastguard and supplying vessels.</div><div><br></div><div>Human rights groups say many intercepted migrants end up in detention centres where they are tortured or sexually abused.</div><div><br></div><div>Last week, Meloni announced a new decree with stiffer punishments for human traffickers following a cabinet meeting held symbolically in Cutro, near the site of the shipwreck.</div><div><br></div><div>On Saturday, the coastguard brought more than 1,300 rescued migrants safely to Italian ports after three packed boats ran into bad weather.</div><div><br></div><div>Thousands of people marched in Cutro Saturday to remember the victims of the shipwreck, carrying a cross made of the boat\'s splintered wood through the town to the water\'s edge. Source: AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-13 09:04:23', '2023-03-13 09:04:23'),
(5739, 5739, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Nine members, including a training commander, of militant group Jamatul Ansar Fil Hindal Sharqiya have been arrested in a drive conducted by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) at Tongkaboti in sadar upazila of Bandarban.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Commander Khandaker Al Moin, director of Rab’s legal and media wing, revealed the information while briefing the media on Monday (March 13, 2023).</div><div><br></div><div>Members of RAB 1, 11, and 15 conducted a joined drive and arrested them along with arms and explosives, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The arrestees are training commander Didar Hossain alias Masum, Alamin Sardar, Sainun Raihan, Tahiyat Chowdhury alias Pavel, Md. Lokman Mia, Md. Imran Hossain, Md. Amir Hossain, Md. Ariful Rahman, and Shamim Mia.</div><div><br></div><div>With the new arrests, 68 members of the new militant outfit have been arrested so far, Al Moin said.</div><div><br></div><div>“Thirty-eight people were arrested from the Chattogram Hill Tracts, and two of them died,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Read More: Clash over Ahmadiyya event: Over 8,200 sued, 81 arrested in Panchagarh</div><div><br></div><div>Seventeen members of armed separatist group Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) have been arrested so far, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>The elite force also seized arms and explosives from the arrestees, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>These arrests are not related to the attack on members of the army last Sunday, the RAB official said.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-13 10:16:45', '2023-03-13 10:16:45'),
(5740, 5740, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Rajshahi University vice-chancellor Prof Golam Sabbir Sattar has said those who set fire on rail line are not the students of the university but outsiders.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Prof Sattar said this in a press briefing at administrative building of the university around 1:30 on Monday, a day after the incident.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"We tried to make the agitating students understand to stop the demonstrations and are working to solve the issue,\" the VC said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We also assured the student of fulfilling their demands. The authorities will work to restrict the outsiders on the campus.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Students have been asked to bring university ID card while roaming on the campus, he said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Prof Golam Sabbir said they are also working to ensure proper treatment of the students who were injured during the clash.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>He said the university will resume academic and administrative activities on Tuesday.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Police fired rubber bullet and hurled tear gas shells during the clash between the students and locals. University administration did not ask them to fire.\"</div><div><br></div><div>A 5-member committee has been formed to investigate the incident, he said adding, the committee was asked to submit the report within the7 working days.</div><div><br></div><div>A group of youths set fire to railway tracks on Sunday night following the clash between students and locals, halting rail communication between Rajshahi and Dhaka.</div><div><br></div><div>Around 8pm, the students set fire to the rail line near the Faculty of Fine Arts of the university, Rajshahi Railway Station Super Abdul Karim said.</div><div><br></div><div>The clash took place in the city\'s Binodpur area near the university campus on Saturday night, leaving at least 200 students injured.</div><div><br></div><div>The students of the university blocked the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway on Sunday&nbsp; to protest the “attack on them by locals and police on Saturday.”</div><div><br></div><div>In addition, the students demonstrated in front of the administrative building of the university and locked the building to protest&nbsp; the incident.</div><div><br></div><div>The protesting students shouted slogans with their six-point demand, calling for justice.</div><div><br></div><div>Justice for the attack on RU students by locals and police, stopping the entry of outsiders in the university and ensuring safety of the students, ensuring on-campus accommodation for all students, ensuring proper treatment of the injured students were among the demands. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-13 10:35:30', '2023-03-13 10:35:30'),
(5741, 5741, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Saudi Arabia is mulling a three-day weekend after the UAE enacted it last year.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>According to Saudi local media, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development responded to a tweet by saying that it is evaluating the present work arrangement to extend the weekend to three days, reports Khaleej Times.</div><div><br></div><div>The message, according to sources, emerged on the ministry’s Twitter account, which is meant to respond to inquiries from its recipients, it said.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the tweet, the ministry is conducting a periodic evaluation of the present work system in Saudi Arabia to enhance job creation and make the market more appealing to local and foreign investors. It further stated that a draft of the work system had been posted on a survey platform for public comment.</div><div><br></div><div>In a landmark reform, the UAE implemented a shortened workweek on January 1, 2022 UAE – adopting a Saturday-Sunday weekend, with half workday on Fridays.</div><div><br></div><div>The new approach was implemented throughout all government bodies, and most private-sector businesses followed suit. On Fridays, the office is only open until noon. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-13 10:49:06', '2023-03-13 10:49:06'),
(5742, 5742, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A Kane Williamson century led New Zealand to a dramatic last-ball, two-wicket victory against Sri Lanka on a rain-disrupted final day in Christchurch on Monday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>In a helter-skelter finish, the only Sri Lankans not guarding the boundary for most of the closing 10 overs were the bowler and wicketkeeper as New Zealand chased down their target of 285.</div><div><br></div><div>The winning run came from a bye after Williamson missed with his swipe at the ball.</div><div><br></div><div>He finished 121 not out with New Zealand 285-8 and Sri Lanka two wickets shy of their target.</div><div><br></div><div>The thrilling New Zealand win scuppered Sri Lanka\'s chances of making the World Test Championship final, handing the spot to India instead.</div><div><br></div><div>When rain wiped out the first two sessions on the fifth day, the umpires ruled there would be a minimum of 53 overs played in the evening, which meant New Zealand would have to average 4.85 an over.</div><div><br></div><div>After a steady but slow start which saw the hosts at 90-3, Williamson and Daryl Mitchell picked up the pace.</div><div><br></div><div>They put on 142 in 26 overs for the fourth wicket with the precision of a one-day partnership.</div><div><br></div><div>Sri Lanka paid a heavy price for Williamson being dropped by Niroshan Dickwella on 33 as he went on to produce his 27th century.</div><div><br></div><div>The 31-year-old Mitchell, a late arrival on the international stage, contributed 81 to lift his average to a phenomenal 59.04 from 26 innings.</div><div><br></div><div>In a match of see-sawing fortunes, Sri Lanka had the upper hand on the opening two days before a first-innings century from Mitchell and a swashbuckling 72 from Matt Henry -- the last 60 from only 35 deliveries -- swung the game in New Zealand\'s favour.</div><div><br></div><div>Sri Lanka fought their way back into contention on the fourth day with a defiant 115 from Angelo Mathews, who built partnerships of 105 for the fifth wicket with Dinesh Chandimal and then 60 with Dhananjaya de Silva.</div><div><br></div><div>When the Sri Lanka second innings folded at 302 it left New Zealand needing 285 to win on a ground where the highest fourth-innings score was 256-8 by New Zealand in a 2018 draw against England.</div><div><br></div><div>Devon Conway was removed for five, leaving the outcome on a knife-edge going into the final day.</div><div><br></div><div>When play resumed on Monday, Prabath Jayasuriya made early in-roads with the wickets of Tom Latham for 25 and Henry Nicholls for 20.</div><div><br></div><div>Asitha Fernando bowled Mitchell and Tom Blundell (three) and had Michael Bracewell caught for 10 to leave New Zealand 266-6 and needing a further 19 runs with 16 balls left.</div><div><br></div><div>Williamson kept going to take the game to the final ball as Tim Southee (one) and Matt Henry (four) came and went, with Neil Wagner not out nought.</div><div><br></div><div>For Sri Lanka, Fernando took 3-63 and Jayasuriya 2-92. The second Test starts in Wellington on Friday. - AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-13 11:38:45', '2023-03-13 11:38:45'),
(5743, 5743, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Jatiya Sangsad (JS) Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury on Monday said due to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina\'s relentless efforts to protect public life during the COVID-19 pandemic, Bangladesh\'s economy is still booming.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>She made the remarks while meeting with Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives Milton Dick on the occasion of the 146th IPU Conference in Manama.</div><div><br></div><div>“Even economies of many countries are struggling in the post-COVID-19 situation.</div><div><br></div><div>But Bangladesh brought economic stability in the country,” Dr Shirin Sharmin said.</div><div><br></div><div>She said the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ensured 100% electrification, maternal health protection, maternity allowance, scholarships to one crore female students, economic and political empowerment of women in the country.</div><div><br></div><div>“Unprecedented progress has been made in the women education sector and skill development was also increased through information-technology based trainings. The government also formulated the ‘Delta Plan-2100’,” Bangladesh Speaker said.</div><div><br></div><div>She is now visiting Manama, the capital of Bahrain on the occasion of the 146th IPU Conference.</div><div><br></div><div>The government has ensured political and economic stability in the country, which is helpful in building a developed Smart Bangladesh by 2041. Besides, 100 special economic zones are being established in the country alongside the infrastructural development.</div><div><br></div><div>Dr Shirin Sharmin expressed her hope that the Australian continuous support in the expansion of trade and the overall development of Bangladesh would be continued.</div><div><br></div><div>Appreciating the unprecedented development of Bangladesh, Australian Speaker Milton Dick said the ongoing global crisis, climate change and other challenges are currently facing all the countries.</div><div><br></div><div>He expressed that Australia will always stand by the side of Bangladesh to ensure inclusive sustainable development by facing these challenges.</div><div><br></div><div>Md Shahe Alam, Razee Mohammad Fakhrul, Umme Kulsum Smriti, Rahgir Alam Mahi Ershaf, Umme Fatema Nazma Begum, parliament secretariat secretary KM Abdus Salam, Joint Secretary MA Kamal Billah and other senior officials were present. According to BSS reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-13 11:43:10', '2023-03-13 11:43:10'),
(5744, 5744, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The head of Iran\'s judiciary says 22,000 people arrested in the recent protests that swept the Islamic Republic have been pardoned.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The state-run IRNA news agency quoted Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejehi on Monday as announcing the figure. The Associated Press could not independently verify the statement.</div><div><br></div><div>State media previously suggested Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could pardon that many swept up in the demonstrations ahead of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan.</div><div><br></div><div>The protests began in September over the death of a 22-year-old woman named Mahsa Amini after she was detained by the country\'s morality police. - AP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-13 12:13:17', '2023-03-13 12:13:17'),
(5745, 5745, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The government has asked deputy commissioners to monitor markets strictly during the upcoming Ramadan and to take legal measures if necessary, Cabinet Secretary Mahbub Hossain said today.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The government made the directives for the DCs today at the weekly cabinet meeting held with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at the PMO, the cabinet secretary said while briefing reporters.</div><div><br></div><div>Asked whether there was any directive from the PM about keeping prices of daily essentials stable, the cabinet secretary said, “It is being communicated always. Monitoring activities are on at different levels of the government to ensure that prices and supplies are stable during Ramadan,” reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>On the other hand, Replying to a question about preparations ahead of Ramadan, Mahbub added, “The DCs have been asked to monitor the market strictly and enforce law if needed.”</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-13 12:40:31', '2023-03-13 12:40:31'),
(5746, 5746, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The government has set the office timing for the upcoming holy month of Ramadan, from 9 am to 3:30 pm, for all government, semi-government, autonomous and semi-autonomous institutions.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The decision was taken today at the weekly cabinet meeting held with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at the PMO.</div><div><br></div><div>“During Ramadan, 9 am to 3:30 pm has been set as office hours,” Cabinet Secretary Mahbub Hossain said while briefing reporters, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>He also said there will be a 15-minute break from 1:15 to 1:30pm for Zuhr prayers.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-13 13:35:14', '2023-03-13 13:35:14'),
(5747, 5747, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said most of the Awami League candidates will lose their security money if the next national election is held under a non-party neutral government.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>He said this while speaking at an extended meeting of the Thakurgaon district unit BNP at his local residence&nbsp; on Monday.</div><div><br></div><div>“Awami League won’t get even 30 seats if the election is held under a caretaker or neutral government. Their (most AL) candidates will lose their security deposit,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul said the ruling party is against the caretaker government as it knows it will face a debacle in a fair and credible election.</div><div><br></div><div>Stating that political parties in Bangladesh do not trust each other, he said the caretaker government is the only solution in the current culture of Bangladesh’s politics to overcome the political crisis and have a fair and inclusive election.</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader alleged that the government has been carrying out false campaigns and indulging in various misdeeds to divert the people’s democratic movement, demanding the restoration of the caretaker government system and rights of people and the resignation of this government, to a different direction.</div><div><br></div><div>He urged the government to refrain from conducting ‘false’ campaigns against BNP.</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul alleged that the government wants to retain power by holding another ‘stage-managed’ election as they have already destroyed the electoral system. “But this time it won’t happen. The country’s people have woken up and they want to exercise their right to franchise.”</div><div><br></div><div>Govt behind Panchagarh communal violence</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP secretary general alleged that the government was behind the communal attacks on the Ahmadiyya community in Panchagarh. “This happened with the direct and indirect backing of the government. The government must shoulder the responsibility for the incident.”</div><div><br></div><div>He alleged that Awami League leaders are blaming BNP for the communal attacks only to tarnish the image of the opposition party and hide the real offenders.</div><div><br></div><div>“Panchagarh incident was premeditated. It’s also an unexpected incident. The image of the country has been somewhat damaged while the image of the government has been seriously dented because of the incident,” Fakhrul observed.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>He alleged that the government has orchestrated the incident to thwart the BNP’s movement that was moving ahead in full swing.</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul also said the people of the Ahmadiyya community clearly said in front of Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan that people around him were involved in this violence.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>“Among them, Abdur Rahman\'s name is notable. But none of them were arrested by the police, and no case was filed against them.”</div><div><br></div><div>He alleged that the government is trying to eliminate BNP leaders and activists in Panchagarh taking an advantage of the attacks on the Ahmadiyya community.</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader said cases have been filed against BNP leaders and workers and 180 of them have already been arrested. “A reign of terror has been created in Panchagarh. BNP leaders and supporters now can’t stay at home.”</div><div><br></div><div>He said attacking the Ahmadiyya community and damaging their houses and looting their valuables was a brutal and inhuman incident.</div><div><br></div><div>Even after such a horrific incident, Fakhrul said the government has been trying to put the blame on BNP instead of carrying out an impartially and fairly investigation to identify the real perpetrators, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>On the other hand, He bemoaned that some media outlets have been carrying out false propaganda involving BNP with communal violence. “The media should always play a neutral role. If you (journalists) don\'t play a neutral role, people will remember it and give a fitting reply when the time comes.”</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-13 14:40:04', '2023-03-13 14:40:04'),
(5748, 5748, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>A massive fire broke out at Tejkunipara Slum in the city\'s Tejgaon area Monday night.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The fire originated at a shanty of the slum around 7:50pm and it engulfed the adjoining ones, said Anwarul Islam, warehouse inspector of fire service and&nbsp; civil defense headquarters (media cell).</div><div><br></div><div>On information, six firefighting units rushed to the spot, and they were trying to douse the fire, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Five additional fire tenders are on their way to join the fire efforts.</div><div><br></div><div>The origin of the fire could not be known immediately, according to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>No casualties were reported.</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-13 15:17:57', '2023-03-13 15:17:57'),
(5749, 5749, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said no pressures will work on her as she defied many pressures in the past.&nbsp;</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"There is no pressure, which can be exerted on Sheikh Hasina. Keep it in mind,\" she said in reply to a question if she feels any international pressure regarding the next general election on Monday.</div><div><br></div><div>The PM was addressing a press conference at her official residence Ganabhaban this afternoon on the outcome of her recent official visit to Qatar where she attended the 5th United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5) from March 4-8.</div><div><br></div><div>She said the source of her strength is only her people. Nothing will happen, no matter who exerts what pressure. \"We will do whatever is required for the welfare of the people,\" she added.</div><div><br></div><div>In this context, she said her government had constructed the Padma Bridge with its own finances, confronting all the hurdles and ignoring many pressures, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>The PM said that she had received numerous phone calls from ambassadors to foreign ministers of different countries to keep a person as the managing director (MD) of a bank.</div><div><br></div><div>In reply to another question, the PM&nbsp; ruled out the possibility of holding talks with the BNP ahead of the next generation election.</div><div><br></div><div>\"With whom will we hold dialogue? We held dialogue (with them) before the 2018 election. What was its result? They did nothing except making the election questionable,\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Hasina, also the President of ruling Awami League, said they (BNP) had given its nominations to 700 aspirants in 300 parliamentary constituencies in the 2018 national election. They withdrew their candidates in exchange of money and made the election questionable one, she said.</div><div><br></div><div>On the other hand, Referring to another incident, the PM said she went to Khaleda Zia\'s residence to console her after her youngest son Koko died, but her (Hasina\'s) access to the house was denied.</div><div><br></div><div>\"What meeting with them after such a humiliation? It is a clear word. What is the point to sit in dialogue with those who don\'t know minimum courtesy?\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The Prime Minister said attempts are being made to create an unstable situation in the country, but the conspirators won\'t succeed without creating a problem for the time being.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"Attempts are being made to create an unstable environment. But I believe that anyone can do nothing. They may create some problems for some time. But our people will resist it,\" she added.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-13 15:34:43', '2023-03-13 15:34:43'),
(5750, 5750, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The Daesh group has claimed responsibility for a bombing over the weekend at a cultural center run by the minority Shiite community in northern Afghanistan that killed one person and wounded eight people.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The Tabian center of the Hazaras in Balkh’s provincial capital, Mazar-e-Sharif, was struck on Saturday, during an event honoring local journalists.</div><div><br></div><div>The regional affiliate of Daesh — known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province — is a key rival of the Taliban and has frequently targeted members of Afghanistan’s Shiite minority. The militant group has increased its attacks in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover of the country in August 2021. Daesh attacks have also included Taliban patrols.</div><div><br></div><div>Daesh said in a statement posted on its media arm, the Aamaq news agency, that the explosives were planted in a bag that was left hidden at the center. The statements said those targeted work for an establishment “that engaged in war” against Daesh.</div><div><br></div><div>Abdul Nafi Takor, the Taliban-appointed spokesman for the interior ministry said the person killed was a security guard at the center.</div><div>Three children were among the eight wounded.</div><div><br></div><div>The attack on the center came two days after a bombing in Mazar-e-Sharif killed the provincial governor, Daud Muzmal, and two others. Four people were wounded.</div><div><br></div><div>The Daesh group also claimed responsibility for that assassination on Thursday. - AP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-13 16:01:21', '2023-03-13 16:01:21'),
(5751, 5751, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>President Abdul Hamid on Monday urged the physicians and the authorities concerned to find out the reasons why people go abroad for medical treatment despite having many reputed doctors and hospitals.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>\"Despite having many reputed doctors and medical institutions in our country about 25 lakh Bangladeshis go abroad for treatment every year. So we have to think where the real problem is,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>He said this in the fourth convocation of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Medical University held at Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Convention Hall in the city.</div><div><br></div><div>The president and chancellor of the university Abdul Hamid presided over the event while vice-chancellor Professor Dr Sharfuddin Ahmed delivered the welcome speech.</div><div><br></div><div>Saying that a doctor must first be a good listener to gain the trust of the patient, Hamid said many things may seem irrelevant but it is a matter of emotional satisfaction for the patient. So the patient should be treated with sufficient time, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>He said reports of various inducements by pharmaceutical companies to prescribe drugs to patients often appear in the press.</div><div><br></div><div>Emphasising on avoiding this sick and unfair competition, Hamid said the issue of introducing Generic Name like abroad should be considered.</div><div><br></div><div>Hamid mentioned that the number of doctors and nurses in proportion to the population in the country is insufficient and the number of specialist doctors is also less than the demand.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Many are being deprived of specialised treatment. You know humanitarianism is a divine virtue. Unwell people rely on a doctor and a nurse after God. Your kindness and treatment is a must for any patient,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The President said if doctors work with a generous mind, they can be considered a good doctor as well as a great person among the public.</div><div><br></div><div>Calling this university as a repository of knowledge not only in the field of medical services but also in all fields of research and medical science, Hamid asked the new graduates to maintain its continuity in their life what they have learned and seen here.</div><div><br></div><div>Saying Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University as the birthplace of experts in medical related subjects, he said that the result of their hard work is the country\'s expert doctors, medical scientists and medical teachers.</div><div><br></div><div>\"There is no substitute for research in improving the quality of education, while our medical education has very little research,\" he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Emphasising on own research, Hamid said types of disease in our country are different from developed and western countries. That is why own research work can only make the real solution available to the patients of this country by inventing effective and affordable treatment methods for diverse diseases of this country.</div><div><br></div><div>Health Minister Zahid Maleque and Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni spoke as special guests while Prof Rajvardhan Azad, chairman of University Service Commission, Bihar, India was the convocation speaker.</div><div><br></div><div>The Institute of Postgraduate Medical Research (IPGMR) was converted into BSMMU in 1998. The last convocation of the university was held in 2018, before the global outbreak of Covid-19. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-13 16:04:32', '2023-03-13 16:04:32'),
(5753, 5753, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday urged the development partners to focus on giving soft loans till the world economy comes into normalcy overcoming the economic recession steaming from the Russia-Ukraine war.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>\"It is necessary to continue giving soft loans till the global economy goes back to normalcy. The organizations and the developed countries would have to give special focus on it,\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister was addressing as the chief guest a programme marking the celebration of the golden jubilee of Bangladesh-Asian Development Bank (ADB) partnership at a city hotel here.</div><div><br></div><div>She expressed her grave concern over the trend of increasing interest rate against loans by the development partners even in the global crisis for Russia-Ukraine war, economic sanction and counter sanctions which in most cases make their financing in development projects ineffective.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We don\'t want kindness from anyone, rather we want our due rights from the global partners,\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister also expressed her resentment over imposing various unnecessary restrictions by business partners, saying: \"It (restrictions) sends our economies in danger\".</div><div><br></div><div>In the current global context, she urged the IMF to come up with flexible and innovative financing in accelerating skill, health, ICT, infrastructure development, climate change and human resource development.</div><div><br></div><div>The premier however thanked the ADB for supporting Bangladesh in its need, saying the ADB\'s cooperation has increased three times in the last one and a half decade since Awami League assumed power in 2009.</div><div><br></div><div>She added: \"We are seeing with pleasure that the ADB always stands beside Bangladesh in our bad time with innovative financing and technological support.\"</div><div><br></div><div>The premier recalled with gratitude that the ADB gave 2.29 billion USD support during the Covid-19 pandemic to deal with health emergencies and 230 million USD to overcome the damages of the flood in Bangladesh\'s north-western part.</div><div><br></div><div>She added: \"The relations between Bangladesh and the IMF will be more strengthened in the days to come.\"</div><div><br></div><div>President of ADB Masatsugu Asakawa, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, Economic Relations Division Secretary Sharifa Khan, spoke at the programme.</div><div><br></div><div>ADB Country Director to Bangladesh Edimon Ginting gave the concluding speech.</div><div><br></div><div>A video documentary on how Bangladesh-ADB relations evolve and how Bangladesh made progress over the 50 years and the recent time was also screened. Source: BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-14 11:19:09', '2023-03-14 11:19:09'),
(5754, 5754, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>State Ministrr for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has said that demand for electricity is increasing by about 100 MW every day.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“We’re trying our best to manage the situation in different ways”, he told reporters on the sidelines of a Dissemination Workshop on the final report of “Multipurpose Use of Land for Renewable Energy Project in Bangladesh,” at Biduyt Bhaban in the city on Tuesday.</div><div><br></div><div>It is predicted by the power sector insiders that the country may experience more than 3000 MW load shedding this year in the coming Ramadan as the demand for electricity is growing fast.</div><div><br></div><div>Though the country’s power generation capacity is more than 25,000 MW, it can generate about 12,000 due to primary fuel shortage.</div><div><br></div><div>The recent dollar crisis forced the government to suspend diesel-based power generation.</div><div><br></div><div>About renewable energy, Nasrul said the government will try to add about 1000 MW of solar power to the National grid within a year, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>He also said that the government has a target to gradually convert about 13,000 diesel-run irrigation pumps to solar-run ones.</div><div><br></div><div>He also asked the officials of his ministry to expedite efforts to promote renewable energy generation.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-14 11:25:25', '2023-03-14 11:25:25'),
(5755, 5755, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">An intelligence team of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has arrested three more people including the mastermind, from Dhaka and Netrakona districts in connection with the robbery of Tk 11.25 crore of a bank from a private security agency’s vehicle in Turag area of Uttara in the capital.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>They also recovered Tk 58.7 lakh from their possession.</div><div><br></div><div>The arrestees are Mohammad Hridoy, 21, Mohammad Milon Mia, 29 and Akash, the mastermind of the robbery incident.</div><div><br></div><div>Tipped off, a team of intelligence team of DMP conducted separate drives in Karail slum of Banani area in the capital and Durgapur upazila of Netrakona district and arrested them, said a press release issued by deputy commissioner of police (media and public relations) of DMP, Faruk Hossain.</div><div><br></div><div>With this, 11 people have been arrested and Tk 7.1 crore recovered so far.</div><div><br></div><div>During interrogation, it was known that, among the robbers, Akash and Sohel Rana made the plot of the robbery incident and a number of people divided into different groups committed the robbery, the release added.</div><div><br></div><div>Sohel Rana, now fugitive, was a driver of Money Plant Link Limited, a private security agency, and he knew well about the&nbsp; movement of the vehicle.</div><div><br></div><div>The robber gang took the control of the vehicle on that day without any obstruction, it said.</div><div><br></div><div>During interrogation, police came to know that the members of the gang were collected from Sunamganj, Sylhet, Netrakona, Gopalganj and Barishal. After the robbery, they took their share and managed to flee the scene, the release said.</div><div><br></div><div>Akash and Sohel took a lion share of the money.</div><div><br></div><div>Robbers looted cash money worth Tk 11 crore cash from a vehicle of Money Plant Ltd while it was going to refill money at the ATM of Dutch Bangla Bank in Savar, in Turag area of Uttara in the capital.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, on Thursday, the intelligence teams recovered over Tk 2.53 core more and arrested eight people from Dhaka, its adjacent areas and Sunamganj, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>A private car, used in the robbery, has also been seized, it said.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-14 12:03:24', '2023-03-14 12:03:24');
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(5756, 5756, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Bangladesh delivered a breathtaking performance crushing England to complete a flawless whitewash in the three-match T20I series. In an outstanding third match in Dhaka on Tuesday, the Tigers roared to a triumphant 16-run victory, leaving the T20I world champions, England, stunned.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Despite losing the prior ODI series 2-1, the Tigers came back strong and demonstrated their ability to compete at the highest level. The loss in the ODI series at home was an unusual setback for Bangladesh, but the T20I victory made up for it.</div><div><br></div><div>“We are really disappointed to lose the series; congratulations to Bangladesh, they outplayed us completely,” England captain Joss Buttler said after the match. “We came back well, and we missed some opportunities in the field, which is disappointing.”</div><div><br></div><div>He pointed out that the match took a turn for the worse when they lost two quick wickets after reaching 100, which ultimately proved costly for them.</div><div><br></div><div>Batting first after losing the toss, Bangladesh scored 158 for two, with Litton Das hitting 73 off 57 balls with 10 fours and one six. Rony Talukdar scored 24 off 22 balls with three fours. The openers set a solid foundation for the hosts to aim for a big total. After Rony\'s dismissal, Litton and Shanto took on the responsibility and guided the team to a challenging total.</div><div><br></div><div>However, the dismissal of Litton slowed down Bangladesh\'s momentum, and in the last 18 balls, Shanto and Shakib Al Hasan could only add 19 runs to the board.</div><div><br></div><div>In reply, England started strong despite losing an early wicket and formed a big partnership of 95 runs off 76 balls with the help of Dawid Malan and Joss Buttler in the second wicket.</div><div><br></div><div>After the 13th over, they were cruising at 100 for one, but after the 17th over, they were at 123 for five. The tourists needed 31 runs off the last two overs to finish the series on a high note, but they failed.</div><div><br></div><div>In the 19th over, Bangladesh captain Shakib conceded only four runs, pushing England to its fourth defeat in the series.</div><div><br></div><div>In the last over, Hasan Mahmud conceded two fours off the first two balls as Chris Woakes was swinging with all his power. In the third ball, a single was scored, so England needed three sixes – 18 runs – but they failed to score that off the last three balls.</div><div><br></div><div>Malan hit a fifty, and the dangerous Buttler scored 40 for England, leading them to 142 for six, losing the match by 16 runs.</div><div><br></div><div>For Bangladesh, Taskin Ahmed was the pick of the bowlers once again, taking two wickets for 26 runs, while Tanvir, Shakib, and Mustafizur Rahman bagged one wicket each, with Mustafizur completing his 100th wicket in T20Is.</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;“We were really good in this series and fielded exceptionally well, and that was a major change. There\'s a World Cup next year, and we can build on this victory,” Shakib, the Bangladesh captain, said after the match.</div><div><br></div><div>He credited Litton, Rony, and Shanto for setting up a challenging total for the tourists.</div><div><br></div><div>Bangladesh will now start gearing up for the next assignment— a home series against Ireland starting with the first ODI in Sylhet on March 18. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-14 13:35:41', '2023-03-14 13:35:41'),
(5757, 5757, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>BNP is unwilling to hold any talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as it has claimed she does not live up to her commitments.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Speaking at a press conference at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office on Tuesday, party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam also hit out at the Prime Minister for her different comments about the political talks in 2018 and the next election and warned that BNP will not make any compromise on the question of a neutral election.</div><div><br></div><div>“We won\'t engage in any talks with her. Why should we hold a dialogue with her when she doesn\'t keep her word? That\'s why we didn\'t talk about dialogue for once,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul also said they will not sit in talks with those who put BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in jail before the election in a ‘false’ case for no reason.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister at her press conference ruled out the possibility of talks with the BNP ahead of the next general election.</div><div><br></div><div>\"With whom will we hold talks? We held a dialogue before the 2018 election. What was its result? They did nothing except making the election questionable,\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Reacting to the PM’s remarks, Fakhrul said they long ago turned down the possibility of talks with the current government. “Awami League will be held responsible if the next election becomes uncertain or if something worse happens in the next election.”</div><div><br></div><div>He said people want a change as their backs have been pushed against the wall. “So, we’ll not make any compromise on the question of an acceptable election.”</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader said the Prime Minister’s remark on talks in 2018 is nothing, but a travesty of truth.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>“We also have the same question about the outcome of the talks. The Prime Minister, no matter how she came to power, committed in front of all and told the media that the government would not interfere with the election (in 2018) and police would no longer arrest, file fresh cases, and repress anyone until the election. Just three days later (of the talks), BNP leaders and activists across the country were forced to flee their homes in the face of repressions by the police.”</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul also recalled that his convoy was attacked when he went to the electoral area in his home district Thakurgaon. “Being the secretary general of BNP, my vehicle and the convoy came under attack when I first entered my area (during the last general election), and police just played the role of a silent spectator.”</div><div><br></div><div>He said the government also arrested many BNP leaders and activists by hatching different plots and setting fire to election offices and motorcycles, forcing the BNP leaders and activists to leave their houses and areas.</div><div><br></div><div>“Just before three days of the election, all my top election workers were arrested in Thakurgaon and the members of different intelligence agencies, including DGFI and NSI, took position all around my house there. This was my condition. Our 21 candidates were arrested and jailed before the election while many others could not come out of their homes,” the BNP leader said.</div><div><br></div><div>He also recalled that when they went to the Election Commission under the leadership of Dr Kamal Hossain with different allegations, the then Chief Election Commission badly misbehaved with them, forcing the Gonoforum President to come out of the room thumping on the table.</div><div><br></div><div>“After these things, Sheikh Hasina questioned what was the result of the dialogue. The results you (PM) know as you know what have you done? So, when she says these things, she ultimately denies the truth, cheats on people and misleads people. She has been suffering from extreme arrogance, and going beyond the basic things of democracy,” Fakhrul said</div><div><br></div><div>Under such circumstances, the BNP leader said how the Prime Minister expects that the political parties will go to polls when she remains in the government. “Not only BNP, but all political parties are now saying that it is not possible to join polls under this government. Even, the CPB has also said that it will not go to the elections under this government.”</div><div><br></div><div>He urged the Prime Minister to quit handing over power to a caretaker government if she is brave and confident enough that people love her.</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul also said they will accept whoever comes to power in a credible election under a non-party caretaker government.</div><div><br></div><div>Referring to the Prime Minister\'s remarks that no pressure will work on her, he said it has manifested she has no responsibility towards the country and its people. “She has also no feeling about the future of the country and to make it a functional state.”</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader said different countries are mounting pressure on the government for a credible election as Awami League resorted to all sorts of vote rigging, vote fraud, and terrorism in the last two elections to stay in power illegally obstructing people from going to the polling stations.</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul said Awami League knows very well that they will not be able to retain power through a fair election as the country’s people are not with them.</div><div><br></div><div>“That’s why they are creating a situation so that no one from outside the country can interfere in the election of our country and no one can talk about it…the foreigners those who are coming here are saying that they want to see a fair election. They (govt) are assuring the foreigners that everything is fine here and the Election Commission is independent and can arrange a fair election. But what they (govt) are telling the foreigners are lies and the travesty of truth,” he observed.</div><div><br></div><div>Replying to a question, Fakhrul said the government can take steps for the formation of a caretaker government through discussions with the political parties, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>He said they want a level-playing field and a healthy election atmosphere so that people can exercise their right to franchise. \"Create the election atmosphere, only then you can say why we’re not going to polls.”</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul also said that it is undeniable that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is one of the greatest sons of this country. “I feel bad the daughter of such a great man has pushed the entire nation towards destruction.”</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-14 14:25:17', '2023-03-14 14:25:17'),
(5758, 5758, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq said on Tuesday the government will consider updating the Digital Security Act (DSA) if needed.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“We are taking the criticism into consideration. The law was enacted for ensuring digital security, we will hold onto this aim,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The minister sat in a meeting with the representatives of civil society when the parties discussed this law criticised by many terming it draconian. Many say the DSA is regularly used to harass people.</div><div><br></div><div>“We discussed their concerns about the DSA. We will also talk about the Data Protection Act. We will again sit to discuss the laws,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Both parties agreed to have another meeting on the DSA on March 30.</div><div><br></div><div>TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said they demanded the abolition of the DSA.</div><div><br></div><div>“We pointed out our concerns about the DSA. There is no chance to make the DSA acceptable. The law minister also talked about the misuse of this law. We think this law should be abolished,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>They will discuss the new draft of the Data Protection law in another meeting on April 6.</div><div><br></div><div>“We would like to see the new draft positively. The government has given us an opportunity to review the draft. We hope they will consider suggestions,” said Iftekharuzzaman.</div><div><br></div><div>Dhaka University International Relations Prof Dr CR Abrar, Supreme Court lawyer barrister Jyotirmoy Barua, academic and activist Rezaur Rahman Lenin, rights activist Md Saimum Reza Talukder, and Sharmin Khan, were present, among others. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-14 14:57:10', '2023-03-14 14:57:10'),
(5759, 5759, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Importers are suspecting that onion price in the country may go up during Ramadan, as the government has decided to not issue new permits for importing Indian onions after March 15 through the Hili land port -- to ensure local farmers get a fair price.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“Large consignments of onions are being imported now through Hili land port to keep prices stable during Ramadan. But the government decided to not issue new onion import permits from India, which may make the onion market unstable,” Senior Vice President of Hili Land Port Import-Export Group Shahidul Islam said while speaking at a press conference on Monday night.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>If onion imports stop after March 15, importers will suffer financially. Consumers also have to buy onions at higher prices during Ramadan, he added.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Mostafizur Rahman, general secretary of the organization, said that it is necessary to continue importing onions throughout the month of Ramadan and keep the prices stable.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Currently, imported onions are being sold at Tk 24 and domestic onions at Tk 26 per kg at retail level. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-14 15:13:37', '2023-03-14 15:13:37'),
(5760, 5760, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The World Bank has agreed to provide fund for developing the metro rail-centric communication system, constructing walkways beside canals and procurement of electronic buses.&nbsp;</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>It will provide support under the Integrated Corridors Management (ICM) project to turn every metro rail station from Mirpur-12 to Banglamotor integrated communication center, said a press release.</div><div><br></div><div>Dhaka North City Corporation(DNCC) Mayor Md. Atiqul Islam discussed the matter with the Vice President for Infrastructure at the World Bank Guangzhe Chen at World Bank headquarters on Monday, said an official release.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Chief Engineer of&nbsp; DNCC&nbsp; Brigadier General Mohammad Amirul Islam, also a member of the delegation, said, \"Though the roads under metro rail have been developed, there is no good system for coming and going through the connecting roads from the metro rail stations. But, metro stations in developed countries have integrated corridor management for the movement of passengers.”</div><div><br></div><div>“The World Bank has agreed to provide financial support for this project. If everything goes well, the issue of financial cooperation is expected to be approved by the World Bank\'s board next November,” Amirul Islam said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The Bank is interested to provide about 150 million US dollars, he added.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>A team led by Mayor Md. Atiqul Islam went to Washington DC on the occasion of the World Bank\'s 20th Conference on Transforming Transportation-2023 in Washington DC, USA. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-14 15:31:28', '2023-03-14 15:31:28'),
(5761, 5761, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>China is to resume issuing visas to foreign tourists for the first time since the Covid pandemic broke out three years ago.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The major easing of restrictions comes after Beijing declared victory over the virus and retreated from a zero-Covid strategy that has hurt its economy.</div><div><br></div><div>From 15 March, foreign offices can process applications for Chinese visas.</div><div>Visa-free entry will also resume in Hainan Island and Shanghai for cruise ships.</div><div><br></div><div>Tour groups from Hong Kong and Macau will also regain their visa-free privilege.</div><div><br></div><div>In addition, valid visas issued before China closed to the world on 28 March 2020 will be honoured again.</div><div><br></div><div>The removal of the last cross-border restrictions imposed to tackle Covid marks a major step towards the resumption of normal life in post-pandemic China.</div><div><br></div><div>Tens of millions of international visitors came to China each year prior to the pandemic, and its tourism industry has been hard hit by strict anti-Covid measures.</div><div><br></div><div>But the country can expect a significant increase in international arrivals, after it reopens its borders, analysts say.</div><div><br></div><div>Chinese citizens will also be allowed to travel on tour groups to 60 countries, up from 20 previously.</div><div><br></div><div>China said its gross domestic product grew just 3% in 2022, the worst in nearly half a century.</div><div><br></div><div>For the current year, Beijing has set a 5% target with new Premier Li Qiang saying that the world\'s second largest economy is stabilising and picking up again.</div><div><br></div><div>The zero-Covid policy that was lifted in December sparked rare protests against China\'s leader, Xi Jinping. Source: BBC</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-14 15:36:40', '2023-03-14 15:36:40'),
(5762, 5762, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>BNP on Tuesday demanded the immediate cancellation of the \'Jamuna River Narrowing Project\' as the party thinks it will have a serious bad impact on the environment and climate.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“Our standing committee meeting yesterday (Monday) discussed a dangerous project taken by the government to narrow the Jamuna River,” said party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.</div><div><br></div><div>Speaking at a press conference at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office, Fakhrul said their party policymakers think that this project will seriously damage the environment, nature, people\'s livelihood and the climate of Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>“We demand cancellation of such a suicidal decision,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>According to the media reports, the Water Development Board has prepared a project proposal of Tk 1,110 crore to reduce the width of the Jamuna River to 6.5 kilometers from 15 kilometers.</div><div><br></div><div>The Ministry of Water Resources has already sent the proposed project titled \'Sustainable Infrastructure for Jamuna River Bank Protection and Risk Mitigation\' to the Planning Commission.</div><div><br></div><div>Strongly opposing the project, Fakhrul said the government has already allocated money for this pilot project. “It is a deadly and suicidal project. The problem with the government is that they don\'t have a focus on matters that are urgently needed for the country.”</div><div><br></div><div>He said there is no initiative or project to free Buriganga and Shitalakkhya Rivers from pollution. \"In whose interest they want to narrow the Jamuna River which has been flowing for thousands of years.”</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader alleged that the government has taken the project to plunder a huge amount of public money by destroying a river. “This project must be stopped immediately and people must be given a clear idea about this project,\" reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul also said the government has chosen the power sector as the main area for indulging in corruption and they are looting thousands of crores of taka from the sector.</div><div><br></div><div>He also said the government is also raising the power tariffs frequently one after another to plunder public money.&nbsp;</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-14 15:46:14', '2023-03-14 15:46:14'),
(5763, 5763, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is seeking a third consecutive term in office in elections in May, marks 20 years in power on Tuesday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The 69-year-old, who served as prime minister from 2003-2014 and as president thereafter, started as a reformist who expanded rights and freedoms, allowing his majority-Muslim country to start European Union membership negotiations.</div><div><br></div><div>He later reversed course, cracking down on dissent, stifling the media and passing measures that eroded democracy.</div><div><br></div><div>The presidential and parliamentary elections set for May 14 could be Erdogan’s most challenging yet. They will be held amid economic turmoil and high inflation, just three months after a devastating earthquake that killed tens of thousands.</div><div><br></div><div>Here’s a look at some of the key dates during Erdogan’s rule:</div><div><br></div><div>March 27, 1994: Erdogan is elected mayor of Istanbul, running on the pro-Islamic Welfare Party ticket.</div><div><br></div><div>Dec. 12, 1997: Erdogan is convicted of “inciting hatred” for reading a poem that the courts deem to be in violation of Turkey’s secular principles, and sentenced to four months in prison.</div><div><br></div><div>Aug. 14, 2001: Erdogan, who broke away from the Welfare Party with other members of its reformist wing, forms the conservative Justice and Development Party, or AKP.</div><div><br></div><div>Nov. 3, 2002: A year after it is founded, AKP wins a parliamentary majority in general elections. Erdogan however, is barred from running due to his conviction.</div><div><br></div><div>March 9, 2003: Erdogan is elected to parliament in a by-election after his political ban is lifted.</div><div><br></div><div>March 14: 2003: Erdogan replaces his AKP colleague Abdullah Gul as prime minister.</div><div><br></div><div>Oct. 3, 2005: Turkey begins accession talks with the European Union after Erdogan’s government introduces a series of reforms.</div><div><br></div><div>July 22, 2007: Erdogan wins 46.6% of the votes in general elections.</div><div><br></div><div>March 31, 2008: Constitutional Court accepts an indictment seeking the AKP’s closure for acts allegedly in violation of secularism. The court eventually rules not to shutter the party but cuts treasury financing for political parties.</div><div><br></div><div>October 20, 2008: The first of a series of trials against military officers, lawmakers and public figures begins. The suspects are accused of plotting to overthrow the government, in what turn out to be sham trials based on faked evidence and designed to eliminate Erdogan’s opponents. The trials were later blamed on the network of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.</div><div><br></div><div>Sept. 12, 2010: Erdogan wins a referendum on constitutional changes that allow the government to appoint high court judges, curb the powers of the military and ensure presidents are elected by a national vote rather than by parliament.</div><div><br></div><div>June 12, 2011: Erdogan wins general elections with a landslide 49.8% of the vote.</div><div><br></div><div>May 28, 2013: Nationwide anti-government protests erupt over plans to cut down trees in Istanbul’s central Gezi Park. Turkey’s largest ever protests result in eight deaths, while the government is accused of using excessive force against protesters.</div><div><br></div><div>Aug. 10, 2014: Erdogan wins Turkey’s first presidential election held by direct popular vote. Although the post is largely ceremonial, he is accused of exceeding his powers and meddling in the running of the country.</div><div><br></div><div>June 7, 2015: The AKP, headed by Ahmet Davutoglu after Erdogan became president, loses its majority in parliamentary elections, and is forced to seek a coalition.</div><div><br></div><div>Nov. 1, 2015: AKP regains a parliamentary majority in re-run elections following months of insecurity, including suicide bombings by the Islamic State group and reignition of a decades-long conflict with Kurdish militants.</div><div><br></div><div>July 15, 2016: Erdogan’s government survives a military coup attempt blamed on followers of U.S.-based cleric Gulen, a former ally. The failed coup results in nearly 290 deaths.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The government then embarks on a large-scale crackdown on Gulen’s network, arresting tens of thousands and purging more than 130,000 from government jobs. Many media and nongovernmental organizations are closed down and the crackdown then expands to critics, including Kurdish lawmakers and journalists. The EU accession talks, which had made slow progress, are frozen amid the democratic backtracking.</div><div><br></div><div>April 16, 2017: Voters in a referendum narrowly approve switching the country’s political system from a parliamentary democracy to an executive presidential system, abolishing the post of prime minister and concentrating a vast amount of power in the hands of the president. Critics call the system a “one-man rule.”</div><div><br></div><div>June 24, 2018: Erdogan wins presidential elections with 52.59% of the vote, becoming Turkey’s first president with executive powers, while his party’s alliance with a nationalist party secures a majority in parliament.</div><div><br></div><div>June 22, 2019: Erdogan’s party loses re-run election for Istanbul mayor by a landslide after it contests March elections which the main opposition party’s candidate had narrowly won. It’s the first time since Erdogan’s mayoral win in 1994 that his party and its predecessors lose Turkey’s most important city.</div><div><br></div><div>Feb. 6, 2023: A powerful earthquake devastates parts of Turkey and Syria, killing more than 48,000 people in Turkey. Erdogan’s government is criticized for its poor response to the disaster and for failing to prepare the country for a large-scale quake. - AP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-14 15:54:13', '2023-03-14 15:54:13'),
(5764, 5764, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">India and Thailand have agreed to include Bangladesh in the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway project, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen said on Tuesday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>However, Myanmar is yet to provide its opinion on the matter, the foreign secretary said, while addressing the journalists after the third \'Foreign Office Consultation\' meeting at the Foreign Ministry today.</div><div><br></div><div>“We have shown our interest in joining this trilateral initiative. We have already talked to the Indians and Thais, and they are on board with it. The question is how Myanmar will react, as we haven’t had the chance to formally engage them on this issue,” he told reporters.</div><div><br></div><div>Apart from highway connectivity, air, and maritime connectivity issues were also addressed during the meeting.</div><div><br></div><div>“An MoU is ready to be signed to increase air connectivity between the two countries,” Masud said.</div><div><br></div><div>Currently, 35 flights are being operated weekly on the Dhaka-Bangkok route, according to information provided during the press briefing.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, a Thai delegation led by Sarun Charoensuwan, permanent secretary of Thailand\'s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, met with a Bangladeshi delegation at the Foreign Ministry to review and explore the bilateral relationship between Thailand and Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>Citing Thailand as a time-tested friend, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen said:&nbsp; “We have seen the potential of our relationship and we believe that although the current level of trade is about little over $1 billion, it can easily be doubled in the near future.”</div><div><br></div><div>The government is working to create opportunities and necessary conditions for foreign investors to do business in the country, he added.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, Thai foreign secretary Sarun Charoensuwan lauded Bangladesh’s economic growth in recent years and said: “As Bangladesh is going to graduate from LDC in the coming years, we’re very happy to work with Bangladesh as we see potential to support one another in various aspects.” Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas&nbsp;</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-14 15:59:14', '2023-03-14 15:59:14'),
(5765, 5765, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Pakistani police on Tuesday scuffled with supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan outside his home in the eastern city of Lahore as officers arrived to serve a warrant for the 71-year-old opposition leader to appear in court later this week on graft charges.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Police fired tear gas at the house as Khan\'s supporters hurled rocks and bricks at the officers. About a dozen police and some 35 of Khan\'s supporters were reported injured. Tear gas shells and pieces of bricks littered the pavement as Khan\'s followers fought back with batons snatched from the officers.</div><div><br></div><div>Khan has been ordered to appear before a judge in Islamabad on Friday to answer charges of illegally selling state gifts he had received during his term as premier and concealing assets.</div><div><br></div><div>Khan, who was ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament last April, has claimed that the string of cases against him, which include terrorism charges, are a plot by the government of his successor, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, to discredit the former cricket star turned Islamist politician.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We will arrest him, and will do it on a court order,\" Shahzad Bukhari, deputy-inspector general of Islamabad police, told reporters earlier in Lahore. Bukhari was later also lightly injured in the violence and received first aid from police medics at the scene.</div><div><br></div><div>However, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, a top leader from Khan\'s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, said the government was trying to disrupt law and order by sending police to Khan\'s house.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We are ready to find a middle way through talks with police, but we should know what the purpose of today\'s police raid is,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Fawad Chaudhry, another senior party leader, said Khan\'s legal team was in the process of submitting a request to the Islamabad High Court to have warrants against Khan suspended. Khan\'s lawyers were also legally challenging the warrants before another Islamabad court later Tuesday.</div><div><br></div><div>From inside his home, Khan urged his followers to fight on even if he is arrested in a message on Twitter. \"They think this nation will fall asleep when Imran Khan is jailed,\" he said. \"You need to prove them wrong.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Police said reinforcement were on their way Khan\'s house to bring the situation under control.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier Tuesday, the government barred officials from keeping valuable state gifts received while in office in an effort to set an example amid entrenched corruption. The ban states that no official — including the country\'s prime minister, figurehead president and Cabinet ministers — can keep a gift that exceed $300 in value.</div><div><br></div><div>The ban says any recipient must deposit such a gift with the state repository, known as Toshakhana in the Urdu language, within a month of receiving it. The gifts would from now on be perceived as state property, it added.</div><div><br></div><div>Impoverished Pakistan has been embroiled in a deepening economic crisis and is trying to negotiate a desperately needed bailout from the International Monetary Fund to avoid a default.</div><div><br></div><div>Until his ouster, Khan\'s government had blocked the release of any information about gifts officials received from visiting dignitaries. In the past, officials receiving a gift — regardless of its value — would symbolically reimburse state coffers with a small amount and keep the gift.</div><div><br></div><div>In a major U-turn, Sharif\'s government on Monday publicized a list of gifts given to officials from past administrations, listing each item\'s value and the minor amounts paid by the recipients since 2002. Source: AP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-14 16:06:45', '2023-03-14 16:06:45'),
(5766, 5766, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The High Court on Tuesday asked the two city corporations in Dhaka to form a 7-member committee for each ward to examine the sewerage and gas pipelines to ensure safety of the residents.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The HC bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Ahmed Sohel passed the order after hearing a writ petition.</div><div><br></div><div>Chairman of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha (Rajuk),&nbsp; Managing Director of Titas Gas, Managing Director of Dhaka Wasa, Chief Executive Officer of Dhaka North and South City Corporations have been asked to form the seven-member monitoring committees involving experts from the departments concerned.</div><div><br></div><div>The HC also asked the authorities concerned to take necessary measures for repairing if the committees find any fault in the sewerage and gas pipe lines and submit reports after every eight months.</div><div><br></div><div>On March 12, a writ petition was filed with the High Court seeking necessary directives in connection with the explosions in Science Laboratory area and Siddique Bazar of Gulishtan that claimed lives of 28&nbsp; people.</div><div><br></div><div>Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, a human rights organization, filed the writ petition.</div><div><br></div><div>Senior Advocate Manzill Murshid stood for the petitioner while assistant attorney general Toufique Sazawar represented the state.</div><div><br></div><div>The HC also issued a rule asking the government to explain why the inaction of the respondents in taking effective measures to ensure the safety of Dhaka residents and monitoring the establishments on regular basis, should not be declared illegal.</div><div><br></div><div>Secretaries to the Housing and Public Works Ministry, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, Local Government and Rural Development Ministry, Chairman of Rajuk, Managing Directors of Titas Gas and Dhaka Wasa, Chief Executive Officers of Dhaka North and South city corporations have been made respondents to the rule, reports UNB</div><div><br></div><div>On the other hand, Advocate Manzill Murshid, said “Authorities’ negligence was the main reason behind the explosions in Science Lab and Siddique Bazar areas. The authorities concerned do not check the sewerage and gas pipe lines of hundreds of establishments in Dhaka.”</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-14 16:18:56', '2023-03-14 16:18:56'),
(5767, 5767, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Bangladesh and Thailand have agreed to seriously explore the prospects of an FTA (free trade agreement) to further enhance the bilateral trade between the two countries.&nbsp;</span><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Bangladesh also apprised the Thai side that a qualitative feasibility study is being undertaken by the Ministry of Commerce in this regard.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Bangladesh and Thailand agreed to hold the Joint Trade Committee (JTC) in Dhaka this year at a mutually convenient time to review the whole range of bilateral trade and investment portfolio, and increase the volume and diversity of trade to its true potential.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Bangladesh requested the Thai side to ease the trade regime of Thailand in the form of removal of non-tariff barriers, duty waiver/reduction etc. for Bangladeshi products to help achieve a better balance in the bilateral trade.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Bangladesh and Thailand held the third Foreign Office Consultations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka on Tuesday.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen led the Bangladesh delegation, while Sarun Charoensuwan, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, led the Thai side.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Senior officials of the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Commerce, Agriculture, Industries, Civil Aviation and Tourism and Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) also attended the meeting. The meeting discussed the whole gamut of the Bangladesh-Thailand bilateral relations. The 2nd FOC was held in Bangkok last year.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Both sides appreciated the existing excellent bilateral relations and reaffirmed their commitment for raising the profile of bilateral ties to newer heights in the coming days.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The two sides lauded the growing pace of engagement and enthusiasm in areas of political, economic, social and cultural ties and agreed to further explore new areas of cooperation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The meeting took stock of cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, health services, tourism, defence cooperation, consular cooperation, agriculture and agro-processing, manufacturing, connectivity, ICT, energy, cultural exchange and people to people contacts.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The two sides also exchanged views on regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">During the meeting, the foreign secretary expressed satisfaction that both countries marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties with commemorative events throughout 2022 in a befitting manner.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The permanent secretary for foreign affairs of Thailand assured that the country will continue its support to enhance collaboration and cooperation in combating transnational crimes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">By stressing the need for mutual accreditation and recognition of standards, the foreign secretary expressed hope that the draft MoU on testing and standardization of products would be finalized at the earliest.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">A 15-member business delegation was accompanying the Thai permanent secretary who are taking part in various business events including the just concluded Business Summit and the business matchmaking and networking with the Bangladeshi business leaders held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Foreign Secretary Masud highly appreciated the presence of the Thai business delegation on the occasion of the 3rd FOC in Dhaka.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Thailand appreciated the high potential and lucrative areas for profitable investment in Bangladesh, both in unitary and joint venture formats. Both sides agreed to mobilize greater dynamism in the B2B institutional cooperation between trade bodies and joint chambers of the two countries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The foreign secretary lauded Thailand’s successes and experiences in the sectors of poultry, fisheries, and other agro-based industries and sought the Thai government\'s cooperation in agro-based industries to develop capacity through training and technology transfer.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">He also suggested partnership and research related collaborations on aquaculture and marine biodiversity.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The foreign secretary appreciated the visit of Director General of South Asia and Central Asia Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand to the Cox’s Bazar Rohingya Camp the next day and called for a more proactive role by the Thai government for ensuring voluntary, dignified and sustainable repatriation of Rohingya people currently sheltered in Bangladesh to their homeland in Myanmar. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-15 04:53:55', '2023-03-15 04:53:55'),
(5768, 5768, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Dhaka’s air quality is still in the \'unhealthy\' zone this morning.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With an air quality index (AQI) score of 187 at 9 am, the capital of Bangladesh ranked 3rd in the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pakistan’s Lahore and India’s Delhi occupied the first two spots, with AQI scores of 193, 189.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An AQI between 151 and 200 is considered ‘unhealthy’ while between 201–300 is ‘’very unhealthy’, and 301–400 is \'hazardous\', posing severe health risks to residents.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a particular city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide. Breathing polluted air has long been recognized as increasing a person’s chances of developing heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung infections, and&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As per World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-15 04:58:20', '2023-03-15 04:58:20');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5769, 5769, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Clashes between Pakistan\'s police and supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan persisted outside his home in the eastern city of Lahore on Wednesday, a day after officers went to arrest him for failing to appear in court on graft charges.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The police operation triggered clashes between Khan\'s supporters and police in the country\'s major cities, including Karachi, Islamabad, the garrison city of Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Quetta and elsewhere in Pakistan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">For the past 18 hours, police were firing tear gas at the house as the 70-year-old opposition leader\'s supporters hurled rocks and bricks at the officers. The upscale area of Zaman Park where Khan lives was under siege since Tuesday. The government was sending additional police to tackle the situation after hundreds of Khan\'s supporters showed unexpected perseverance.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Early Wednesday, Khan emerged from his house to meet with his supporters, who faced tear gas and police batons the whole night to save him from arrest. He said he was ready to travel to Islamabad on March 18 under his arrest warrant, but police did not accept the offer.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The confrontation outside Khan\'s house continued.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">About a dozen police and some 35 of Khan\'s supporters were reported injured. Tear gas shells and pieces of bricks littered the pavement as Khan\'s followers fought back with batons they had brought to resist police, who were preparing for a final effort to arrest Khan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Khan, who was ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament in April, was ordered to appear before a judge in Islamabad on Friday to answer charges of illegally selling state gifts he had received during his term as premier and concealing his assets.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The former premier has avoided appearances before the court since November, when he was wounded in a gun attack at a protest rally in the eastern Punjab province, claiming he was not medically fit to travel from Lahore to Islamabad to face indictment.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Last week, he went to Islamabad to appear before three courts, but he failed to appear before the fourth court to face indictment in the graft case, which is a legal process for starting his trial.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Khan has claimed that the string of cases against him, which includes terrorism charges, are a plot by the government of his successor, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, to discredit the former cricket star turned Islamist politician.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Tuesday, Sharif told Pakistan\'s Geo television that Khan\'s arrest was ordered by a court, and it was not political victimization.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We will arrest him, and will do it on a court order,” Shahzad Bukhari, deputy-inspector general of Islamabad police, told reporters earlier in Lahore. Later, Bukhari was also lightly injured in the violence and received first aid from police medics at the scene.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, a top leader from Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, said the government was trying to disrupt law and order by sending police to Khan’s house.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We are ready to find a middle way through talks with police, but we should know what the purpose of today’s police raid is,” he said. “Don\'t worsen the situation. Let us sit and discuss what you want,” Qureshi asked the police.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said Khan could consider voluntarily offering his arrest, “but let us talk first.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fawad Chaudhry, another senior party leader, said Khan’s legal team was in the process of submitting a request to the Islamabad High Court to have warrants against Khan suspended. Khan\'s lawyers were also legally challenging the warrants before another Islamabad court Tuesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">From inside his home, Khan urged his followers to fight on even if he is arrested. “They think this nation will fall asleep when Imran Khan is jailed,” he wrote on Twitter. “You need to prove them wrong.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Police said reinforcements were on their way to Khan\'s house to bring the situation under control.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">TV footage showed tear gas shells falling inside Khan\'s house.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Angered over the expected arrest of Khan, his supporters took to the streets across Pakistan, blocking some key roads near Islamabad while asking the government to refrain from arresting Khan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We will arrest this man on the court order and he ran away to avoid arrest,” said Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan, who is not related to the former premier. He said Khan will be produced before the court. AP/UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-15 05:03:42', '2023-03-15 05:03:42'),
(5770, 5770, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">After the sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, California Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters started furiously working the phones to find out what was going on with the failed lender — and what would happen to its panicked depositors.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">Waters, former chair of the House Financial Services Committee, had her doubts that another bank would step up as a savior and buy the defunct institution.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Banks don’t just wake up and say: ‘Oh, there’s a problem with another significant bank and they’ve collapsed. Let’s just take it over,’’’ she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">So began a frenetic weekend of nonstop briefings with regulators, lawmakers, administration officials and President Joe Biden himself about how to handle the demise of the nation\'s 16th-biggest bank and a go-to financial institution for tech entrepreneurs. At the core of the problem was tens of billions of dollars — including money companies needed to meet payrolls — sitting in Silicon Valley Bank accounts that were not protected by federal deposit insurance that only goes up to $250,000.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Something needed to be done, federal officials agreed, before Asian stock markets opened Sunday evening and other banks faced the potential for waves of panicked withdrawals Monday morning.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We were racing against the clock,” said Bharat Ramamurti, deputy director of the National Economic Council.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Waters was right to be skeptical about a sale being closed on the fly. The bank’s size — $210 billion in assets — and complexity made it difficult to quickly wrap up a deal.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. officials told Republican senators Monday that they received offers for the bank over the weekend but didn’t have time to close; they said they could put Silicon Valley Bank up for auction again, according to a person familiar with the conversation who requested anonymity to discuss a private call.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But another plan was coming together. On Sunday, Waters was on the phone with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, who briefed her on how it would work. The Fed was creating a new emergency program that allowed it to lend directly to banks so they could cover withdrawals without having to sell off assets to raise cash. The idea was to reassure depositors and prevent bank runs at other institutions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">By Sunday night, the Treasury Department, the Fed and the FDIC said the federal government would protect all deposits — even those that exceeded the FDIC’s $250,000 limit.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“It’s miraculous, really,’’ Waters said, calling it \"an example of what working together and what government can do with the right people in charge.’’</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The praise was not unanimous.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the call Monday with officials from the FDIC and the Treasury Department, Republican senators expressed concern that millionaire Silicon Valley depositors were being rescued — and the cost might be passed onto community banks in their home states in the form of higher assessments for federal deposit insurance, according to the person familiar with the discussion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The trouble started last Wednesday when Silicon Valley Bank said it needed to raise $2.25 billion to shore up its finances after suffering big losses on its bond portfolio, which had plunged in value as the Federal Reserve raised interest rates. On Thursday, depositors rushed to pull their money out. An old-fashioned bank run was underway.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At a House Ways and Means committee hearing on Friday morning, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said her agency was “monitoring very carefully” developments related to the bank. “When banks experience financial losses, it is and should be a matter of concern,” she told lawmakers.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Biden was briefed about the situation on Friday morning, according to a White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. Then he celebrated an unexpectedly strong February jobs report, met with the leader of the European Union and jetted off to Wilmington, Delaware, to mark his grandson’s 17th birthday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">His weekend would soon be consumed with phone and video calls focused on preventing a nationwide banking crisis. Regulators were so concerned, they didn\'t even wait until the close of business on Friday — the usual practice — to shut the bank down; they closed the doors during working hours.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It was the second-biggest bank failure in U.S. history and trickier than most: An astonishing 94% of Silicon Valley Bank\'s deposits — including large cash holdings by tech startups — were uninsured by the FDIC.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As administration officials and regulators worked through the weekend, Biden expressed concern about small businesses and their employees who relied on accounts that were now in jeopardy, the White House official said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There were also fears, the official said, that if Silicon Valley Bank depositors lost money, others would lose faith in the banking system and rush to withdraw money on Monday, causing a cascading crisis.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Jake Auchincloss’ phone had started lighting up even before the weekend. Silicon Valley Bank had eight branches and offices in his home state, and word of its failure was traveling fast on social media.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The panic within Massachusetts industry and nonprofit sectors became acute within a matter of hours,’’ Auchincloss said. “My phone started just exploding.’’</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Silicon Valley Bank wouldn\'t be the only bank to collapse. By Sunday evening, federal officials announced that New York-based Signature Bank, a major lender to New York landlords, had also failed and was being seized.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The government\'s plan to cover deposits over $250,000 ended up applying to Signature\'s customers as well.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a statement Sunday, Biden said, \"The American people and American businesses can have confidence that their bank deposits will be there when they need them.\'\'</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Monday, Powell announced that the Fed would review its supervision of Silicon Valley Bank to understand what went wrong. The review will be conducted by Michael Barr, the Fed vice chair who oversees bank oversight, and be released May 1.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Now Biden and lawmakers are calling for legislative changes to tighten financial rules on regional banks, perhaps restoring parts of the Dodd-Frank law that tightened bank regulation after the 2008-2009 financial crisis but were rolled back five years ago.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Waters said it might be time to raise deposit insurance thresholds. \"We can\'t just say this is an emergency and forget about it,\'\' she said. AP/UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-15 05:18:09', '2023-03-15 05:18:37'),
(5771, 5771, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">&nbsp;Setara Musa, a noted journalist who edited the women\'s section of various newspapers, passed away at a hospital in the city on Tuesday. She was 83.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Setara, daughter of the prominent journalist Abdus Salam, breathed her last at the hospital in the afternoon, said journalist Parveen Sultana Jhuma, her own daughter.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The namaz-e-janaza of Setara, also the wife of prolific journalist ABM Musa, will be held at Iqbal Road Mosque in Mohammadpur after Esha prayer.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, her body will be taken to Fatehpur in Feni on Wednesday morning where she will be buried after Zuhr prayer near the grave of her husband ABM Musa. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-15 05:24:58', '2023-03-15 05:24:58'),
(5772, 5772, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A Russian fighter jet on Tuesday dumped fuel on an American drone over the Black Sea and then collided with it, causing the drone to crash, the US military said, slamming the manoeuvre as \"reckless\".</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">US European Command said two Russian Su-27 fighters intercepted the unmanned MQ-9 Reaper over international waters and one clipped its propeller.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Several times before the collision, the Su-27s dumped fuel on and flew in front of the MQ-9 in a reckless, environmentally unsound and unprofessional manner,\" it said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Moscow denied causing the crash of the drone, which the Pentagon said was on a routine ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) mission.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"As a result of a sharp manoeuvre... the MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle entered an uncontrolled flight with loss of altitude and collided with the surface of the water,\" the Russian Defense Ministry said, adding that the two Russian jets had no contact with the US aircraft and did not use their weapons.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US State Department said it had summoned Russia\'s ambassador to protest.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">White House national security spokesman John Kirby later said, \"obviously, we refute the Russians\' denial\" and added that the United States is trying to prevent the fallen drone from getting into the wrong hands.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Without getting into too much detail, what I can say is that we\'ve taken steps to protect our equities with respect to that particular drone -- that particular aircraft,\" Kirby told CNN.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We obviously don\'t want to see anybody getting their hands on it beyond us.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Regular intercepts -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russian intercepts over the Black Sea are common, Kirby told journalists in Washington, but this one \"is noteworthy because of how unsafe and unprofessional it was, indeed reckless that it was\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">NATO diplomats in Brussels confirmed the incident, but said they did not expect it to immediately escalate into a further confrontation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A Western military source, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said that diplomatic channels between Russia and the United States could help limit any fall-out.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"To my mind, diplomatic channels will mitigate this,\" the source said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russia\'s invasion of Ukraine in February last year has led to heightened fears of a direct confrontation between Moscow and the NATO alliance, which has been arming Kyiv to help it defend itself.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Reports of a missile strike in eastern Poland in November briefly caused alarm before Western military sources concluded that it was a Ukrainian air defence missile, not a Russian one.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Unflyable and uncontrollable\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The United States uses MQ-9 Reapers for both surveillance and strikes and has long operated over the Black Sea keeping an eye on Russian naval forces.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Our MQ-9 aircraft was conducting routine operations in international airspace when it was intercepted and hit by a Russian aircraft, resulting in a crash and complete loss of the MQ-9,\" said US Air Force General James Hecker, commander of US Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"In fact, this unsafe and unprofessional act by the Russians nearly caused both aircraft to crash.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"US and allied aircraft will continue to operate in international airspace and we call on the Russians to conduct themselves professionally and safely,\" he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder told journalists the drone was \"unflyable and uncontrollable so we brought it down\", adding that the collision also likely damaged the Russian aircraft, which he said was able to land following the incident.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Several US Reapers have been lost in recent years, including to hostile fire.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">One was shot down in 2019 over Yemen with a surface-to-air missile fired by Huthi rebels, the US Central Command said at the time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">According to media reports, a US MQ-9 crashed in Libya in 2022, while another went down during a training exercise in Romania earlier in the same year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Reapers can be armed with Hellfire missiles as well as laser-guided bombs and can fly for more than 1,100 miles (1,770 kilometers) at altitudes of up to 15,000 meters (50,000 feet), according to the US Air Force. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-15 05:51:50', '2023-03-15 05:51:50'),
(5773, 5773, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">As Dhaka got an early morning splash of rain today, which should help with the excessive dust, the Met Office predicted more rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty wind in different parts of the country today.</span><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind are likely to occur at one or two places over Mymensingh, Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions,\" said a bulletin of Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy skies elsewhere over the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Day and night temperatures may fall slightly over the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Country’s lowest temperature was recorded at 16 degrees C in Tetulia of Panchagarh district, while the highest temperature was recorded at 35.3 degrees in Rangamati district.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Meanwhile, trough of westerly low lies over India\'s West Bengal and adjoining areas. Seasonal low lies over the south Bay. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-15 07:00:56', '2023-03-15 07:00:56'),
(5774, 5774, '<p style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Erling Haaland equalled a Champions League record with a five-goal haul to ease Manchester City into the quarter-finals at RB Leipzig\'s expense as a 7-0 win for the English champions secured an 8-1 aggregate victory on Tuesday.</b></span><br></p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Haaland also set a new club record for goals in a season of 39 in the process as Pep Guardiola\'s men reached the last eight for the sixth consecutive season.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">\"My super strength is scoring goals,\" said Haaland. \"A lot of it is being quick in the mind and trying to put it where the goalkeeper is not.\"</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">City are yet to go all the way in the Champions League, but they have never had a striker of Haaland\'s quality to make the difference in the latter stages before.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">At just 22 he now has 33 goals in 25 appearances in Europe\'s premier club competition.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">\"Firstly, I\'m proud to play in this competition, I love it,\" added Haaland. \"Five goals! To win 7-0 is amazing.\"</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">The weather was more akin to Haaland\'s homeland on a snowy night in Manchester, but City did not freeze under the pressure and kept their Champions League dreams alive.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">The tie was delicately balanced after a 1-1 draw in eastern Germany three weeks ago, but a Leipzig side depleted by injury never looked like a match for their star-studded opponents.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Guardiola had kept Kevin De Bruyne in reserve for Abu Dhabi-backed City\'s 1-0 win at Crystal Palace in the Premier League at the weekend and on his return to the starting line-up, the Belgian was back to his best.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Ilkay Gundogan should have opened the scoring after just three minutes from De Bruyne\'s inviting cross.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Haaland\'s searing pace then created a chance out of nothing from Nathan Ake\'s long ball, but Janis Blaswich raced out from his goal to block.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Leipzig did have cause for complaint over two controversial calls that had a massive impact on the game before half-time.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Firstly, VAR spotted a handball against Benjamin Henrichs that led to a penalty that neither the City players nor the crowd even noticed.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">- Denied record chance -</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Haaland fired low to Blaswich\'s left to maintain his perfect record from the spot for City with his sixth penalty of the season.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Two minutes later it was 2-0 as Haaland teed up De Bruyne, who smashed a shot against the bar, and then showed his speed and strength to power home a header from the rebound.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Leipzig could have been gifted a route back into the tie when Ederson sprinted from his goal to wipe out Konrad Laimer.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">But rather than send the Brazilian goalkeeper off, Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic did not even award a free-kick.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Any doubt over the outcome was ended with the final action of the first half.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Ruben Dias rose highest to head Jack Grealish\'s corner onto the post and Amadou Haidara\'s attempted clearance ricocheted off Haaland into the net.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Gundogan\'s classy finish into the far corner four minutes into the second half rubbed more salt into Leipzig\'s wounds before Haaland started rewriting the record books.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Firstly, he hammered home at the second attempt after Blaswich parried his initial header to match Tommy Johnson\'s record of 38 goals for City in the 1928-29 season.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Haaland set a new mark with still three months of the campaign to go when he snaffled up another rebound after Blaswich saved from Manuel Akanji.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">In the process, he moved level with Lionel Messi and Luiz Adriano\'s record of scoring five goals in a Champions League game.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">But Guardiola denied his star striker the chance of another record as he replaced him with Julian Alvarez with 25 minutes remaining.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">\"I told him I would love to score a double hat-trick, but what can I do,\" said Haaland.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Instead, it was left to De Bruyne to have the final say as he curled a superb strike into the top corner in stoppage time. AFP</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</p>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-15 07:05:11', '2023-03-15 07:05:11'),
(5775, 5775, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Russian President Vladimir Putin explained Germany\'s stance regarding last year\'s sabotage attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines by the fact that Germany has never been truly independent after World War II.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Even European politicians themselves have repeatedly acknowledged publicly that Germany has never been a fully sovereign country after the Second World War. I didn\'t say that, but at least one well-known and respected German politician did. I can only agree to that,\" the Russian president told journalist Pavel Zarubin in an interview aired on Rossiya-1.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The statement came as a response to the question of why Berlin remained silent and inactive regarding the Nord Stream sabotage, despite the project\'s importance for German economy and energy security. Putin emphasized that, at some point, the Soviet Union \"withdrew its troops and ended its de-facto occupation of the country.\" \"But, as we all know, the Americans did not. They continue to occupy Germany,\" he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On September 27, 2022, Nord Stream AG reported unprecedented damage that occurred the day before on three strings of the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 offshore gas pipelines. On September 26, 2022, Swedish seismologists registered two explosions on the pipeline routes. The Russian Prosecutor General\'s Office subsequently opened a criminal case based on charges of international terrorism. TASS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-15 07:09:53', '2023-03-15 07:09:53'),
(5776, 5776, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Russia\'s ambassador to the United States on Wednesday called on Washington to stop \"hostile\" flights near his country\'s border, after an American drone was intercepted by Russian fighters over the Black Sea.</span><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We assume that the United States will refrain from further speculation in the media and stop flights near Russian borders,\" ambassador Anatoly Antonov wrote on Telegram. \"We consider any action with the use of US weaponry as openly hostile.\" AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-15 07:21:43', '2023-03-15 07:21:43'),
(5777, 5777, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday announced that the government will provide free insulin to the diabetic patients of the country through community clinics.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said this while addressing the second graduation completion programme of Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib Memorial KPJ Specialised Hospital &amp; Nursing College.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We have decided that we will include insulin in the list of free medicines of the community clinics across the country for the diabetic patients,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Currently, the government is providing 30 types of medicines free of cost through the community clinics.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We will give away insulin free of cost so that the diabetic patients could get relief,” she added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">KPJ Healthcare Berhad president Norhaizam Binti Mohammad was the speaker of the graduation ceremony.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib Memorial KPJ Specialized Hospital &amp; Nursing College chief executive officer Mohd. Taufik Bin Ismail also spoke.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Among the graduates, Enamul Huq expressed his feelings.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The PM also handed over certificates among 210 nurses and the Prime Minister’s award among six graduating nurses for their outstanding results in their respective sessions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A documentary on Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib Memorial KPJ Specialized Hospital &amp; Nursing College was screened in the programme.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Prime Minister also inaugurated Website, Hospital Management Software and Medical Journal of the hospital.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Professor Deen Md. Noorul Haque, former Director General of Health Services, handed over an issue of KPJ Dhaka Journal of Medical Science to the Prime Minister.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) Commissioner Sheikh Shamsuddin Ahmed handed over the dummy of a Slit Lamp and Operative microscope to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-15 07:31:36', '2023-03-15 07:31:36'),
(5778, 5778, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi has asked actor Salman Khan to apologise or be \'ready to face the consequences\'. In a new interview, Lawrence threatened the actor saying that he will \'break his ego sooner or later\'. Last year in June, Mumbai Police had lodged an FIR against an unknown person for sending a \'threat letter\' to Salman and his father-lyricist Salim Khan. (Also Read | Salman Khan and father Salim Khan receive threat letter)</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The note had read, “Moosewala jaisa kar doonga (You will suffer the same fate as Moosewala)\" referring to the killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala in Punjab’s Mansa district on May 29. The note was allegedly sent by Lawrence Bishnoi, though he had denied his involvement in it.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In an interview with ABP news, Lawrence Bishnoi said that Salman humiliated his community by killing a blackbuck. Lawrence said, \"There is anger in our society for Salman Khan. He humiliated my society. A case was filed against him but he did not apologise. If he does not tender an apology, be ready to face the consequences. I will not depend on anyone else.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also added, \"There is anger in my mind for him since childhood. Will break his ego sooner or later. He should come to our deity\'s temple and apologise. If our society forgives, then I will not say anything.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In August last year, the Mumbai Police issued a firearm license for self-protection to Salman. After the threats, Salman was reportedly given a Y+ security cover by the Maharashtra government in November last year. It means that he will have four armed security personnel on his person at all times.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Last year, news agency ANI, quoted Special Commissioner of Police, Special Cell of Delhi Police, HGS Dhaliwal saying that Lawrence Bishnoi gang members \'tried to befriend the staff of Salman\'s house\'.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The official had said, \"They took stock of Salman Khan\'s farmhouse, saw the road access, noted the speed limit at which the vehicle would move in and out due to the potholes on roads. They posed as Salman Khan\'s fans and tried to befriend the staff of his house so that they could know the timings of his entry and exit and the people who accompany him.\" HT</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-15 07:42:37', '2023-03-15 07:42:37'),
(5779, 5779, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A biker and his pillion rider were killed when a bus hit their motorcycle in Baniachara area of Cox’s Bazar’s Chakaria upazila on Wednesday morning.</span><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The accident occurred at around 10 am today on Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar highway.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The deceased were identified as Mohammad Ismail Siddiki and Arman Shakil, residents of Bandarban’s Lama upazila’s Faitong area.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Imran Chowdhury, of Chiringa Highway Police Station, said a Cox’s Bazar-bound bus of Greenline Paribahan hit the motorcycle and left the two dead on the spot.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Police seized the bus, the driver fled the scene.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Legal proceedings are underway, he said. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-15 08:09:13', '2023-03-15 08:09:13'),
(5780, 5780, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Human Rights Watch accused the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday of arbitrarily detaining at least 2,400 Afghan asylum seekers in \"miserable\" accommodation for more than a year, pending resettlement elsewhere.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The rights group said that between 2,400 and 2,700 Afghans evacuated to the UAE following the Taliban takeover of Kabul in August 2021 remain \"arbitrarily detained\" in makeshift refugee housing with limited freedom of movement and scarce access to legal counsel.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The UAE, for its part, said it was working with US counterparts to complete the resettlement process but denied reports of dire living conditions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Emirati authorities have kept thousands of Afghan asylum seekers locked up for over 15 months in cramped, miserable conditions with no hope of progress on their cases,\" said HRW\'s UAE researcher Joey Shea, calling for their immediate release.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">One Afghan asylum seeker interviewed by HRW said: \"The camp is exactly like a prison.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The UAE had agreed to temporarily host Afghans at the request of the United States, pending their resettlement elsewhere, an Emirati official told AFP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The UAE continues to work with the US embassy to process travellers and liaise with US counterparts in efforts to resettle the remaining evacuees in a timely manner,\" the official said on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the press.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We understand that there are frustrations and this has taken longer than intended to complete.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The UAE official dismissed HRW\'s allegations about conditions in the makeshift camp, saying authorities are providing \"high-quality housing, sanitation, health, clinical, counselling, education and food services\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But according to HRW, detained Afghans suffer \"prison-like conditions\", with no freedom of movement and around-the-clock surveillance. It described a \"mental health crisis\" in the camp, adding it has learnt of at least one suicide attempt.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Governments should not ignore the shocking plight of these Afghans stranded in limbo in the UAE,\" Shea said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The US government in particular, which coordinated the 2021 evacuations and with whom many evacuees worked before the Taliban takeover, should immediately step up and intervene.\" AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-15 08:56:41', '2023-03-15 08:56:41'),
(5781, 5781, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Reacting to Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir calling the Ahmadiyya community’s recent religious event in Panchagarh “controversial”, a spokesperson of the community said it “goes against their constitutional right”.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>“The government gave permission to hold this controversial event,” Fakhrul said in a press conference on March 13, video of which has generated reaction among netizens on social media.</div><div><br></div><div>Speaking on the issue, Ahmad Tabsir Chowdhury, a spokesperson for the Ahmadiyya community, said, “First, Mirza&nbsp; Fakhrul puts the blame squarely on the government, saying the attack on our religious event was staged by the government to divert public attention, and now he finds it convenient to call our congregation ‘controversial’.”</div><div><br></div><div>Referring to their constitutional right, Ahmad said, “Our religious gathering was set to be held within our premises. We have a right to hold such peaceful events.”</div><div><br></div><div>Ahmad questioned: “How can he disregard our rights by calling our congregation ‘controversial’? We didn’t seek permission from the government to hold our event in a busy commercial area like Paltan in Dhaka. Rather, we planned to hold it inside our premises, it was on our property.”</div><div><br></div><div>“When such irresponsible remarks come directly from a major political leader like Fakhrul, we are gravely disheartened,” the Ahmadiyya community spokesperson said.</div><div><br></div><div>He further requested all political parties to at least maintain a modicum of decency while making comments on issues involving any minority community.</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul’s remark came at a time when Basherkella – a pro-Jamaat-e-Islami Twitter account – condemned police action to stop the violence over the Ahmadiyya religious event and called for “boycotting” the community. The Ahmadiyya community has called it a “hate campaign” against them.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami’s Acting Secretary General Maulana ATM Masum issued a statement on March 5, asking the government to officially declare the Ahmadiyya community “non-Muslim”, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-15 09:54:28', '2023-03-15 09:54:28'),
(5782, 5782, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>At least 10&nbsp; journalists and lawyers were injured as police charged batons on them at the Supreme Court premises amid scuffle between pro-Awami League and pro BNP lawyers over the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) election on Wednesday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The two-day voting in SCBA election started around 10 am but it was suspended immediately when some pro-BNP lawyers staged demonstrations demanding formation of election conducting committee led by a neutral person.</div><div><br></div><div>When the situation turned chaotic, police charged batons on the lawyers and journalists, leaving 10 people injured, said Barrister Kaisar Kamal, BNP law affairs secretary.</div><div><br></div><div>Barrister Kaisar Kamal said, “Police charged baton on some lawyers including Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon and Ruhul Kuddus Kajal. We have informed it to the Chief Justice.”</div><div><br></div><div>Jabed Akter, reporter of ATN News, Ibrahim Hossain, cameraperson of Boishakhi TV, Abdullah Al Maruf, multimedia reporters of Manabjamin, Humayun Kabir, cameraperson of&nbsp; ATN Bangla, Solaiman Swapan, cameraman Somoy TV, Mehedi Hasan, cameraman DBC, Fazlul Haque, reporter of Jago News and SM Nur Mohammad, reporter of Ajker Patrika were among the injured.</div><div><br></div><div>Of them, Jabed Akter was taken to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.</div><div><br></div><div>A seven-member sub-committee led by senior lawyer Mansurul Haque Chowdhury, was formed earlier for conducting the election. But he resigned from the post on personal ground on March 13.</div><div><br></div><div>Later, pro-Awami League Ainjibi Parishad formed a sub-committee led by freedom fighter Maniruzzaman while the pro-BNP Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Oikya Panel formed another committee headed by ASM Moktar Kabir.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, miscreants tore down 3000 ballot papers sometime on Tuesday night. A tense situation has been prevailing in the Supreme Court area over the issue. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-15 11:47:07', '2023-03-15 11:47:07');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5783, 5783, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A business delegation of Vietnamese led by Pham Viet Chien, Ambassador of Vietnam to Bangladesh, today called on Faruque Hassan, President of the BGMEA to discuss business opportunities and potential partnerships to promote mutual trade growth.</span><br></b></div><div><b>&nbsp;</b></div><div>Other members of the delegation were-Do Quoc Hung, Deputy Director-General, Asia -Africa Market Department, Do Van Trong, Executive Board, Pham Anh Dong, Managing Director, Viet Giang Garment Jsc, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hien, Director, Vietnam Textile &amp; Garment Sustainable Development Solutions Ltd. Co, Ms. Pham Thi Phuong Hoa, Director, Hung Yen Garment Corporation - Joint Stock Company and Le Phuc Tien, Director, Bac Giang LGG Garment Corporation Jsc.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>BGMEA Director Rajiv Chowdhury and Urmi Group Chairman Ashfaque Ahmed were also present at the meeting, said a press release.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The visit was a step towards promoting business-to-business connection and cooperation in the garment sector in order to tap into trade potential between two the South Asian countries.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The discussions covered a range of topics including global apparel business trends, current challenges and potential of trade and investment.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>They also discussed opportunities that have been created in the global apparel market and avenues of working together to make use of them.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said, “Bangladesh and Vietnam are two major players in the global apparel market, and the scope is huge for us to complement each other for deriving two-way trade benefits.”</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>“We can share our knowledge and expertise and intensify collaboration that will help both sides to develop and grow together,” he said.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>“To do so, it’s very important to connect businesses of two countries so that they can explore trade opportunities and seize them,” he added.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Both sides expressed willingness to arrange more visits and meetings between businesses of Bangladesh and Vietnam to strengthen trade ties in the coming days. Source: BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-15 12:23:17', '2023-03-15 12:23:17'),
(5784, 5784, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called upon youths to engage in nursing education and service on a large scale.</span><br></b></div><div><b>&nbsp;</b></div><div>\"I will call on the youth folk to come forward to take nursing education and engage them in nursing service. It will not only create employment at home but also abroad,\" she said.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The premier said this while addressing as the chief guest the second graduation ceremony of the Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib Memorial KPJ Nursing College at its campus here.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>She said she believed that today\'s graduate nurses will apply their acquired knowledge in the workplace.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>\"Bangladesh is moving ahead in every field and we will also move ahead in this (nursing) field, and I want this,\" she said.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Sheikh Hasina, also the chair of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Trust, said they will establish a medical college from the trust alongside this hospital and nursing college.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib Memorial KPJ Specialized Hospital and Nursing College (SFMMKPJSH&amp;NC) is named after Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib and was established by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Trust.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>At the function, Chief Executive Officer of SFMMKPJSH&amp;NC Mohd Taufik Bin Ismail delivered the welcome address, while graduate student of the second batch Anamul Huq also spoke.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>KPJ Healthcare Berhad President Norhaizam Binti Mohammad spoke as graduation speaker.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque and Chairman of the Governing Body of SFMMKPJSH&amp;NC Major General (Retd) Abdul Hafiz Mallick were present.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>At the ceremony, the prime minister distributed certificates among 210 graduates of the college.</div><div><br></div><div>She also handed over the Prime Minister\'s Award to six graduate students for their outstanding academic records.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>A documentary on Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib Memorial KPJ Nursing College was screened at the ceremony.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The premier also inaugurated website, hospital management software and medical journal of the hospital.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Professor Deen Md. Noorul Haque, former Director General of Health Services, handed over an issue of KPJ Dhaka Journal of Medical Science to the prime minister.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Besides, Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) Commissioner Sheikh Shamsuddin Ahmed handed over the dummy of a Slit Lamp and Operative microscope to Sheikh Hasina.</div><div><br></div><div>The prime minister said her government is always dignifying the nursing profession and giving priority on it along with working for its development.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>She said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman established nursing related institutes and took various steps to increase the dignity of nursing profession, development of nursing services and technology.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Following the footsteps of the Father of the Nation, Sheikh Hasina said that they have upgraded the nursing profession into second class.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>During the Awami League (AL) government from 1996-2001 and from 2009 to till now, she said they have appointed around 38,000 nurses.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>At the same time, development and recruitment of midwives in the health sector to prevent maternal and child mortality is a significant achievement of the AL government, she added.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The premier said at present, importance and reputation of nursing profession is increasing all over the world.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>According to Gallup, an analytical organization in the United States, nursing has been named the most trustworthy profession in 2022 as in 2021.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>\"The role of nurses in people\'s services along with doctors during the Covid-19 pandemic will be remembered forever,\" she said.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>She mentioned that there is huge demand for nurses in different countries across the world, while it has also demand largely in the country as each district and upazila has hospital, clinic and community clinic as well as maternity service center.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The prime minister said many of this nursing profession could explore jobs abroad learning the targeted country\'s language.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>She, however, said that at first the necessity of the country has to be met before going overseas.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Sheikh Hasina briefly highlighted different initiatives of her government for the development of the health and nursing sectors.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>As part of the initiatives of Awami League government, the old 23 nursing institutes have been upgraded to Nursing Colleges where 4-year B.Sc in Nursing courses and Post Basic courses are being conducted.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Besides, another 16 nursing institutes are in the process of being upgraded to nursing colleges.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Currently 69 nursing and midwifery institutes are running Diploma, BSc Basic and Post Basic as well as Masters courses at the government level.</div><div><br></div><div>The National Institute of Advanced Nursing Education and Research (NIENER) for higher education and research in the field of nursing has been established.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Besides, the Awami League government has established 23 new medical colleges in the last 14 years. It has plans to establish medical universities in each division and has already set up medical universities in four divisions.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The prime minister said that her government always serves the people and takes required measures to this end.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>\"We can take the credit that we have been able to change Bangladesh during 2009 to 2023 period,\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>She also said her government has increased education rate, reduced maternal and child mortality rate, provided electricity in each house, brought health service at people\'s door step and is providing medicine through community clinic free of cost.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>She said her government has taken decision to give insulin free of cost to the diabetes patients of the country through community clinics.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>\"We have decided that we will include insulin in the free medicines of the community clinics across the country for the diabetes patients,\" she said.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Currently, the government is providing 30 types of medicines through the community clinics, reports BSS</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;\"We will give away insulin free of cost so that the diabetes patients can get relief,\" she added.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-15 13:32:48', '2023-03-15 13:32:48'),
(5785, 5785, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi on Wednesday urged businessmen to make marginal profit during the month of Ramadan considering people’s sufferings.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The minister advised the common people to cross-check and shop without stepping into the trap of lucrative advertisements.</div><div><br></div><div>Munshi said this while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion meeting organised by the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP) on the occasion of \'World Consumer Rights Day 2023\' at Bangabandhu International Conference Center in Agargaon&nbsp; on Wednesday.</div><div><br></div><div>Taking into account the suffering of the people, the Commerce Minister asked the businessmen, \"There are various discount systems in different countries of the world during various festivals. They make little (profit).”</div><div><br></div><div>“In Bangladesh the situation is different, the holy month of Ramadan is ahead. Be a bit more moderate. Keep prices reasonable in this month, less profit margin less,” he added.</div><div><br></div><div>The minister also said: “Consumer rights are human rights. When we can inform consumers about all their rights, half of our work will be done. Consumer awareness is very important.”</div><div><br></div><div>The government is working on this, he said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Munshi urged people not to buy products in a rush during Ramadan. “Once you buy a product a plenty, it affects the market, and then the traders take it as an opportunity to hike price abnormally.”</div><div><br></div><div>The President of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh Golam Rahman in his speech called for strengthening the government\'s steps to reduce the unequal competition in the market as well as the necessary reform of the legal framework and to be proactive in its implementation.</div><div><br></div><div>Senior commerce secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh, FBCCI vice president Mostafa Azad Chowdhury Babu, DG of DNCRP AHM Shafiquzzaman, TCB Chairman Ariful Hasan, First Director General of Consumer Affairs, Department Abul Hossain Mia, Competition Commission Chairperson Pradeep Ranjan Chakraborty, among others, were present at the function.</div><div><br></div><div>Munshi also distributed prizes among the winners of the Essay Competition organised on the National Consumer Rights Day.</div><div><br></div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-15 15:15:36', '2023-03-15 15:15:36'),
(5786, 5786, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun said Police is ready to maintain the law and order situation in the country by facing any challenges related to security.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>He made the remarks responding to a question of journalist after the inauguration of Bangabandhu Corner and Memorial Library at District Superintendent of Police office here.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Police successfully tamed militancy and terrorism, as militancy and terrorism were rampant in the country. The Prime Minister declared \'zero tolerance policy\' against militancy. To implement the policy, we have worked together with mass people, public representatives, administration, media, other law enforcement agencies and intelligence agencies,\" he said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"We have an enviable track record in countering militancy and terrorism. Today, Bangladesh has been recognized as a role model in the world in fighting terrorism,\" he added.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>He inaugurated the upward expansion of the Divisional Police Hospital and the Blood Bank.</div><div><br></div><div>Later, Mamun joined a view-exchange meeting with various levels of officials working in Barisal Range and Metropolitan. Additional IGP of Tourist Police Habibur Rahman and Commissioner of Barisal Metropolitan Police Md Saiful Islam were special guests in the meeting.</div><div><br></div><div>Barisal Range DIG SM Aktaruzzaman presided over the meeting.</div><div><br></div><div>Barisal District Superintendent of Police Wahidul Islam, Barisal Range, Barisal Metropolitan Police, RRF, APBn, District Police and senior officers were present in the meeting.</div><div><br></div><div>The IGP visited Metropolitan Police Lines and the Tourist Police office at Kuakata. According to BSS reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-15 15:20:32', '2023-03-15 15:20:32'),
(5787, 5787, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">He has dressed celebrity royalty around the world from Beyonce and Deepika Padukone to Zendaya and Cardi B but for years few of Mohammed Ashi\'s clients knew he was Saudi Arabia\'s first big-name designer.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>\"In the 90s I was the only designer from Saudi. But I never said I was Saudi. I wanted the clothes to be out front, not me,\" Ashi told AFP in a rare interview at his Paris studio.</div><div><br></div><div>It is partly shyness -- he still prefers not to be photographed himself -- but also the fact that Western fashion was largely taboo in public, certainly for women, when he was growing up in Saudi Arabia in the 1980s.</div><div><br></div><div>Ashi made his career abroad, training in the United States and working for Givenchy and Lebanese couturier Elie Saab before settling in France.</div><div><br></div><div>Now, with Saudi Arabia going through momentous social changes, he has been welcomed home as a mentor for its Fashion Commission, set up in 2020 to help build a homegrown industry.</div><div><br></div><div>\"A few months ago, I was invited publicly to talk in Saudi for the first time, and so many people came up to me afterwards. I\'m getting recognition from the younger generation that I never expected,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"They\'re giving scholarships to people for something that was prohibited when I was growing up. It\'s an iconic moment,\" he added.</div><div><br></div><div>- Fashion capital? -</div><div><br></div><div>Critics of the country\'s de facto ruler, Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, see the easing of social restrictions as a PR campaign designed to distract from continued human rights abuses.</div><div><br></div><div>But there is no doubting the opportunities it has opened up for young creatives, such as 27-year-old Reem Alsabhan, whose outfits now grace local events.</div><div><br></div><div>\"From the beginning of my studies, I kept repeating a sentence I really believed, even if it surprised people: Riyadh will become one of the most important fashion capitals,\" she told AFP at her Riyadh workshop.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Now the signs of this future are beginning to appear.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Previously unthinkable public events -- concerts, galas, the new Red Sea Film Festival -- mean Saudi Arabia now has red carpets on which to show off Alsabhan\'s designs.</div><div><br></div><div>Nonetheless, the foundations of the industry were laid much further back, said Burak Cakmak, head of the Saudi Fashion Commission.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Many local creatives have built fashion businesses in the past 20, 30 years for the local market but didn\'t feel the need to tell their stories abroad -- or dare to do so,\" he told AFP.</div><div><br></div><div>\"That allowed the system to build up in a controlled way... and now people can see there are hundreds of brands, very connected to their culture but also inspired by the rest of the world.\"</div><div><br></div><div>- \'A journey\' -</div><div><br></div><div>For Ashi, it makes sense that Saudi Arabia should become a fashion hub since, he says, its oil wealth has been keeping European labels afloat for decades.</div><div><br></div><div>Saudi Arabia takes \"60 or 70 percent of French couture\", especially wedding dresses, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Most of the big French houses rely on this but they don\'t like to talk about it because they don\'t want to be seen as just tailors -- they want to be a \'brand\'.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Ashi\'s diary is a hectic whirl of client fittings and preparations for the next haute couture week.</div><div><br></div><div>His outfits show up on red carpets from the Oscars to Cannes. A highlight was seeing Beyonce in his extravagantly ruffed fuchsia gown at a memorial show for Nelson Mandela.</div><div><br></div><div>Though proud of being a role model for young Saudi designers, he still prefers to see himself as \"a citizen of the world\".</div><div><br></div><div>Stopping to show the detail of an elaborate lace couture dress, he said: \"The pattern was done in London, the fabric in Italy, the embroidery in India and it was assembled here in Paris.</div><div><br></div><div>\"It\'s a journey for these clothes to happen, just like me.\" - AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-15 16:18:21', '2023-03-15 16:18:21'),
(5788, 5788, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday accused the Awami League of rigging votes in Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) elections and branded the ruling party as a \'pathological thief\'.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>He said, “Their (AL’s) only aim is to indulge in theft. We usually call them vote thieves. They rig votes in the national elections and even in Union Parishad polls. “Now they rigged votes in the Supreme Court and Dhaka Bars. In fact, they are pathological thieves,” he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Speaking at a discussion programme, the BNP leader also said Awami League does nothing, but steal.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>“They make their living by stealing and it is their profession and addiction…They also depleted the country’s resources through theft.”</div><div><br></div><div>He also alleged that the ruling party destroyed the country\'s power sector by indulging in widespread stealing.</div><div><br></div><div>Regarding the SCBA polls, Fakhrul said there was a ruckus in the Supreme Court after false and stamped ballot papers were found there on Tuesday night, the night before the election.&nbsp; “They (pro-AL lawyers) assaulted our seven-time elected Supreme Court Bar Secretary (Mahbubuddin Khokon) and wounded him. “</div><div><br></div><div>He also said a case was filed against 1,000 pro-BNP lawyers, including Khokon, over the incident.</div><div><br></div><div>“What country do we live in now? Where have we brought this country to?&nbsp; Awami League has to answer the people for this. They have taken this country to extreme destruction.&nbsp; They have destroyed all our culture, traditions and democratic values.&nbsp; They have destroyed all our democratic institutions…” the BNP leader bemoaned.</div><div><br></div><div>The two-day voting in SCBA elections started around 10 am on Wednesday, but it was suspended immediately when some pro-BNP lawyers staged demonstrations demanding the formation of an election conducting committee led by a neutral person.</div><div><br></div><div>The discussion programme was arranged at the Jatiya Press Club marking the launching of the book titled “Amar Rajnitir Rojnamcha” written by BNP Standing Committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain. According to UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-15 16:47:22', '2023-03-15 16:47:22'),
(5789, 5789, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Russia said on Wednesday that it would try to retrieve the remnants of a US drone that crashed into the Black Sea.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The large MQ-9 Reaper drone plunged into the water on Tuesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US said it brought down the damaged drone after it became \"unflyable\" when a Russian jet clipped its propeller - but Moscow has denied these claims.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Speaking on state television, Russian security council secretary Nikolai Patrushev confirmed Moscow was attempting to find the aircraft.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I don\'t know whether we\'ll be able to retrieve it or not but it has to be done,\" Mr Patrushev said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also said that the drone\'s presence in the Black Sea was \"confirmation\" that the US was directly involved in the war.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Senior Washington official John Kirby said the US was also searching for the aircraft, but stressed that if Russia beat them to it, \"their ability to exploit useful intelligence will be highly minimised\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That message was reiterated by General Mark Milley, America\'s top military general, who said the US has taken \"mitigating measures\" to ensure there was nothing of value on the downed drone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said it would be challenging to retrieve the drone, noting the water where it crashed was anywhere between 4,000ft to 5,000ft (1,200m to 1,500m) deep.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">US military officials said the incident happened on Tuesday morning and the confrontation lasted around 30-40 minutes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a statement, the US said Russian jets dumped fuel on the drone several times before the collision.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pentagon spokesman Brig Gen Pat Ryder told reporters the drone was \"unflyable and uncontrollable\", adding the collision also likely damaged the Russian aircraft.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russia has denied its two Su-27 fighter jets made any contact with the US drone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russia\'s defence ministry said the drone crashed after a \"sharp manoeuvre\", and that it was flying with its transponders (communication devices) turned off.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US Defence Secretary, Lloyd Austin, confirmed he had spoken with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu, the day after the drone was downed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a statement released after the phonecall, Russia\'s defence ministry said Mr Shoigu blamed the incident on \"increased reconnaissance activities against the interests of the Russian Federation\". It also called US drone flights off the coast of Crimea \"provocative\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US and UK have previously gone to extraordinary lengths to recover their technology after crashes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They retrieved the wreckage of their stealth fighter jet, the F-35 from the bottom of the South China Sea after it sank.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But on the face of it, the Pentagon seems more relaxed about losing a Reaper drone. It\'s older technology and numerous have been lost before.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And trying to recover a downed drone in deep waters, next to a war zone, with Russian ships and submarines patrolling, could present even greater risks of escalation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Tensions have risen over the Black Sea ever since Russia\'s annexation of nearby Crimea in 2014.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">And since Russia\'s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the US and the UK have stepped up surveillance flights, though always operating in international airspace.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The lost Reaper may have been carrying a surveillance pod able to suck up electronic data such as radar emissions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US Department of Defense said in a press release that the surveillance trips are used to gather information which helps improve security for Europe and supports \"allied partners\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The US has reportedly shared intelligence with Ukraine previously, including to help it sink a Russian ship in the Black Sea.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ukraine\'s foreign minister told BBC reporter James Landale that incidents such as the downing of a US drone over the Black Sea are inevitable until Russia leaves Crimea.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Describing it as a \"routine incident\", Dmytro Kuleba said: \"As long as Russia controls Crimea, these kinds of incidents will be inevitable and the Black Sea will not be a safe place.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, but the vast majority of countries still recognise it as part of Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The BBC asked Mr Kuleba if, following the drone incident, the US and other allies might become more cautious.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"If the West wants to demonstrate its weakness, it should certainly demonstrate its cautiousness after an incident like this, but I don\'t have a feeling that this is the mood in capitals,\" he replied.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The mood is not to escalate but nor is the mood to lean under the pressure - the physical or rhetorical pressure - of Russia.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin vowed the military would \"continue to fly and operate\" wherever international law allows. BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 02:46:11', '2023-03-16 02:46:11'),
(5790, 5790, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Credit Suisse said on Thursday that it will borrow up to 50bn francs ($54bn; £44.5bn) from the Swiss central bank to shore up its finances.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The lender said it was \"taking decisive action to pre-emptively strengthen its liquidity\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Regulators had said they were ready to step in to help the troubled banking giant if necessary.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fears of weakness at such a big international player has intensified fears about a broader bank crisis.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Problems in the sector surfaced in the US last week with the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, the country\'s 16th-largest bank, followed two days later by the collapse of Signature Bank</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Credit Suisse shares plunged by 24% to a record low on Wednesday after it said it had found \"weakness\" in its financial reporting.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This prompted major investor the Saudi National Bank to say it would not inject further funds into the Swiss lender.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The worries spread across financial markets with all major indexes falling sharply.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The problems in Credit Suisse once more raise the question whether this is the beginning of a global crisis or just another \'idiosyncratic\' case,\" wrote Andrew Kenningham of Capital Economics.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Credit Suisse said its borrowing measures \"demonstrate decisive action to strengthen Credit Suisse as we continue our strategic transformation to deliver value to our clients and other stakeholders\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"My team and I are resolved to move forward rapidly to deliver a simpler and more focused bank built around client needs,\" Credit Suisse\'s chief executive Ulrich Koerner said in a statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Swiss National Bank, which is Switzerland\'s central bank, and the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority sought to calm investor fears, saying they were ready to help Credit Suisse if necessary.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Strict rules apply to Swiss financial institutions to \"ensure their stability\" and Credit Suisse meets the requirements for banks considered systemically important, the regulators said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"There are no indications of a direct risk of contagion for Swiss institutions due to the current turmoil in the US banking market,\" they said in a joint statement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The BBC understands that the Bank of England has been in touch with Credit Suisse and the Swiss authorities to monitor the situation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Credit Suisse, founded in 1856, has faced a string of scandals in recent years, including money laundering charges and other issues.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It lost money in 2021 and again in 2022 - its worst year since the financial crisis of 2008 - and has warned it does not expect to be profitable until 2024.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Shares in the firm had already been severely hit before this week - their value falling by roughly two-thirds last year - as customers pulled funds.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The bank\'s disclosure on Tuesday of \"material weakness\" in its financial reporting controls renewed investor concerns.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">These were intensified when the chairman of the Saudi National Bank, Credit Suisse\'s largest shareholder, said it would not buy more shares in the Swiss bank on regulatory grounds.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At that time, Credit Suisse insisted its financial position was not a concern. But shares in the lender ended Wednesday down 24%, as other banks rushed to reduce their exposure to the firm and prime ministers in Spain and France spoke out in an attempt to ease fears.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">This comes after Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) - which specialised in lending to technology companies - was shut down on Friday by US regulators in what was the largest failure of a US bank since 2008. SVB\'s UK arm was snapped up for £1 by HSBC.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the wake of the SVB collapse, New York-based Signature Bank also went bust, with the US regulators guaranteeing all deposits at both.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, fears have persisted that other banks could face similar troubles, and trading in bank shares has been volatile this week.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Stoxx Europe banking share index tumbled 7% on Wednesday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the US, shares in both small and large banks were hit, helping to push the Dow down almost 0.9%, while the S&amp;P 500 fell 0.7%</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The UK\'s FTSE 100 fell by 3.8% or 293 points - the biggest one-day drop since the early days of the pandemic in 2020.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"This banking crisis came from America. And now people are watching how the whole thing could also cause problems in Europe,\" said Robert Halver, head of capital markets at Germany\'s Baader Bank.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"If a bank has had even the remotest problem in the past, if major investors say we don\'t want to invest any more and don\'t want to let new money flow into this bank, then of course a story is being told where many investors say we want to get out.\" BBC</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 02:59:51', '2023-03-16 02:59:51'),
(5791, 5791, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">North Korea test-launched an intercontinental ballistic missile in a display of military might Thursday just hours before the leaders of South Korea and Japan were to meet at a Tokyo summit expected to be overshadowed by North Korean nuclear threats.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The launch, the North\'s first ICBM test in a month and third weapons testing this week, also comes as South Korean and U.S. troops continue joint military exercises that Pyongyang considers a rehearsal to invade.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">South Korea\'s military said the North Korean ICBM flew toward the Korean Peninsula\'s eastern waters after being launched from North Korea\'s capital, Pyongyang, around 7:10 a.m. The statement said the ICBM launched on a steep angle flew about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) before landing in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It wasn\'t immediately known which ICBM was launched, but North Korea\'s long-range missiles are designed mainly to strike the U.S. Previous launches have shown North Korea\'s weapons have the range to reach all of the U.S. mainland, but some foreign experts still doubt the North has mastered the technologies to build warheads small enough to be placed on those missiles and protect the warheads during atmospheric reentry.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Before heading Tokyo for a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said, \"North Korea\'s reckless provocations will pay the clear price.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">During an emergency security meeting on the North Korean launch, Yoon instructed the South Korean military to thoroughly proceed with its ongoing exercises with U.S. forces, conduct some of the planned joint drills in an intensive manner and strengthen Seoul-Washington-Tokyo security cooperation, according to Yoon\'s office.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">South Korea\'s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that it will maintain firm readiness based on the military ability to \"overwhelmingly\" respond to any provocation by North Korea.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Tokyo, Kishida said: \"We must further strengthen cooperation among the allies and like-minded countries.\" He declined to comment on North Korea\'s possible intentions of the launch.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said the missile likely landed in the waters outside Japan\'s exclusive economic zone after about an hour-long flight. The landing site is about 250 kilometers (155 miles) off the western island of Oshimaoshima, which is close to where other North Korean ICBMs fell in recent months after test-flights.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The North\'s ongoing aggressive run of weapons tests has been widely expected; leader Kim Jong Un last week ordered his military to be ready to repel what he called \"frantic war preparations moves\" by his country\'s rivals, referring to large ongoing drills between the U.S. and South Korea.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">North Korea has long argued that U.S.-South Korean military drills are proof of their hostile policies against North Korea, though Washington and Seoul say they have no intentions of invading the North. Many experts say North Korea use its rivals\' drills as a pretext to boost its nuclear capability to pressure the United States to make concessions like the relaxing of international sanctions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After conducting a record number of missile tests last year, North Korea has extended its testing activities this year, including the Feb. 18 launch of its Hwasong-15 ICBM. After that ICBM launch, North Korea said the test was meant to further bolster its \"fatal\" nuclear attack capacity against its rivals.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Hwasong-15 is one of the North\'s three ICBMs, which all use liquid propellants that require pre-launch injections. Kim Jong has vowed to build solid-propellant missiles, which are more mobile and harder to detect before their launches because their fuels are already loaded inside.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">South Korea\'s military said the missile was launched from Pyongyang\'s Sunan neighborhood, home to its international airport. It is a major testing site where the North has launched most of its ICBMs in recent years, all flown on a high angle to avoid the territory of neighbors.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Pyongyang also this week fired cruise missiles from a submarine and sent short-range ballistic missiles across its territory into its eastern sea. Last week, North Korea also fired at least six short-range ballistic missiles from a western coastal area in an exercise supervised by Kim Jong Un, an event state media described as a simulated attack on an unspecified South Korean airfield.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The ongoing U.S.-South Korean drills that began Monday and are scheduled to continue until March 23 include computer simulations and live-fire field exercises.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The South Korean-Japan summit was arranged after Yoon\'s government last week took a major step toward repairing bilateral ties strained by Japan\'s 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The South Korean plan — to use local funds to compensate Koreans forced into industrial slave labor during the colonial rule without contributions from Japanese companies that employed them — has met fierce domestic opposition, but it reflects Yoon\'s resolve to improve ties with Japan and boost Seoul-Tokyo-Washington security cooperation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Under Kishida, Tokyo has also made a major break from its post-World War II principle of self-defense only, adopting a new national security strategy in December that includes the goals of acquiring preemptive strike capabilities and cruise missiles to counter growing threats from North Korea, China and Russia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">North Korea\'s pursuit of expanded nuclear and missile arsenals have pushed South Korea and Japan to mend their fraught ties and solidify a trilateral security cooperation involving the United States. Both South Korea and Japan are within striking distance of North Korean nuclear-capable missiles.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Last October, North Korea fired an intermediate-range missile over northern Japan, forcing communities there to issue evacuation alerts and halt trains. AP/UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 03:07:48', '2023-03-16 03:07:48');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5792, 5792, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Inter Milan take on fierce rivals Juventus on a high from their dramatic passage to the Champions League quarter-finals on a bumper Serie A Sunday in which the Rome derby will also have a say on the top-four race.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Simone Inzaghi\'s side cap off the weekend\'s matches with the \'Derby d\'Italia\', a fiery fixture between Italy\'s traditionally biggest two clubs which is as hotly contested and far more poisonous than Inter\'s battle for local bragging rights with AC Milan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It could be key in a tight tussle for next year\'s edition of Europe\'s top club competition in which five clubs are fighting for three places, league leaders Napoli off in the distance and seemingly cruising to the title.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Inter sit 18 points behind Napoli in second and are separated by just three points from fifth-placed Roma, who are two points and two places behind Lazio ahead of an intriguing capital city clash which tees up Sunday\'s main event.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Defeat at Spezia on Friday looked certain to damage Inter\'s top-four hopes but all of their rivals then dropped points, including Atalanta who are six points away from the Champions League places and host Empoli on Friday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Inter have been inconsistent this season but have shown up in the biggest games, as in Wednesday\'s battling goalless draw at Porto which secured them a place in the last eight of the Champions League for the first time since 2011.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 1-0 aggregate win over the Portuguese temporarily silenced the critics who after the Spezia loss had suggested Inzaghi\'s time at Inter would be up.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I\'ve been in football a long time and I know both where the criticism comes from and whom I should listen to,\" said Inzaghi.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Sunday we have an important match but right now I want to enjoy the moment, we deserve it.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Juventus come into the clash at the San Siro in the uncharacteristically low position of seventh and 10 points behind Milan, who sit fourth and travel to Udinese on Saturday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However they would be ahead of Inter in second were it not for the 15-point penalty inflicted in January by the Italian Football Federation for illicit transfer activity.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Juve are hoping to overturn the ruling but will have to wait weeks until they know their fate.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the meantime have been slowly climbing up the table with five wins in their last six league matches.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri has repeatedly cited the number of points his team have earned \"on the pitch\", a phrase used often by fans when talking about the number of league titles they have won. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Officially Juve have 36 but supporters believe the two taken away in the aftermath of the infamous \'Calciopoli\' match-fixing scandal should be counted.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Allegri is again without Paul Pogba due to the injury, the France midfielder having played just 35 minutes since returning from Manchester United last summer.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Player to watch: Paulo Dybala</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The clearest demonstration of how important Paulo Dybala has become to Roma came last weekend, when the Argentina forward came on at half-time with his team down a man and two goals to Sassuolo.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He pulled a goal back with a fabulous first-time strike and went ever so close to levelling the scores with a delicate long range chip which was just under hit.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Roma ended up losing 4-3 but everything good about their play went through him, and if they are to win their derby and boost their top-four hopes they will need their star player on top form.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Key stats</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">3 - the number of points separating second and fifth.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">10 - The points distance between Juve and the top four.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fixtures (times GMT)</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Friday</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sassuolo v Spezia (1730), Atalanta v Empoli (1945)</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Saturday</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Monza v Cremonese (1400), Salernitana v Bologna (1700), Udinese v AC Milan (1945)</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sunday</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sampdoria v Verona (1130), Fiorentina v Lecce, Torino v Napoli (both 1400), Lazio v Roma (1700), Inter Milan v Juventus (1945). AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 03:24:40', '2023-03-16 03:24:40'),
(5793, 5793, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Dhaka\'s air quality continued to be in the \'unhealthy\' zone this morning (Thursday).</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With an air quality index (AQI) score of 175 at 8:49 am, the capital of Bangladesh ranked third in the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">India’s Delhi and Mumbai occupied the first and second spots, with AQI scores of 214 and 188.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An AQI between 151 and 200 is considered ‘unhealthy’ while between 201–300 is ‘’very unhealthy’, and 301–400 is \'hazardous\', posing severe health risks to residents.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants — Particulate Matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 03:51:00', '2023-03-16 03:51:00'),
(5794, 5794, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Karim Benzema struck for Real Madrid to clinch a 1-0 win over Liverpool and qualification for the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday 6-2 on aggregate.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After the wild last 16 first leg clash at Anfield in February left Madrid sitting pretty with a three-goal advantage, Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp said his side only had a one percent chance of turning the tie around.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">They stemmed the bleeding at the Santiago Bernabeu but never looked like mounting a stirring comeback of the type they managed against Barcelona in 2019, or AC Milan in the 2005 final.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Madrid have now knocked Liverpool out of the Champions League in three consecutive seasons, including beating them in last year\'s final.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It was a complicated game but from the start we showed we wanted to go through, and we are in the quarter-finals,\" Benzema told Movistar.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Suffering is part of today\'s football. Everyone wants more, but sometimes you have to suffer in a game -- the most important thing is to win and go through.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 14-time record winners showed the nous to keep Liverpool at arm\'s length, with defenders Eder Militao and Antonio Rudiger determined to shut out the visitors, along with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Reigning champions Madrid could have significantly stretched their lead, save for a series of superb stops by Liverpool stopper Alisson Becker and some unusually profligate finishing.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the first leg, Madrid were lethal, with Vinicius Junior and Benzema netting twice each -- neither were as decisive.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Yet eventually they combined for Madrid\'s winner after 78 minutes, with Vinicius slipping as he tried to shoot, but hooking the ball into Benzema\'s path for a simple tap-in.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Madrid\'s only worry was seeing their captain limp off after his goal amid an injury-hit season -- Benzema said it was only a blow on the shin and Carlo Ancelotti confirmed he would be fit to face Barcelona in the Clasico on Sunday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Madrid were in control of the whole game, Ali had to make two sensational saves to keep us in the game,\" Klopp told reporters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Madrid were outstanding and that\'s why the better team went through to the next round.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- No magic -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Liverpool, deeply inconsistent in this campaign, took heart from their 7-0 thrashing of Manchester United in the Premier League, but could not produce the same magic under the Bernabeu lights.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Klopp started with Diogo Jota alongside his usual attacking trio of Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo, deploying as much firepower as he could to try and mount a comeback.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The first chance of the game fell to Nunez but Courtois thwarted the Uruguayan, who was fed by Salah.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the other end Madrid sliced open Liverpool on various occasions, and Alisson made a stunning save to deny Vinicius from point-blank range.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Eduardo Camavinga crashed a long-range effort against the crossbar, with Alisson getting his fingertips to it.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Brazilian goalkeeper made further saves from Vinicius, Fede Valverde and Benzema as Madrid controlled the game.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Camavinga impressed in midfield and eventually helped create Benzema\'s goal, with a driven pass forward in the build-up.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I told him a few small details, like how I know that the two Liverpool centre-backs play open, there\'s space in the middle, and that\'s how we scored the goal,\" added Benzema.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The striker has now scored seven times in the Champions League against Liverpool, more than any other player.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Benzema is key to Madrid\'s bid to lift the trophy for a sixth time in 10 seasons, if he can stay fit.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Madrid played classic Liverpool anthem \"You\'ll Never Walk Alone\" at the end of the game, at once a classy touch but also showing Liverpool never made them truly uncomfortable.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ancelotti said Madrid were full of belief after their remarkable run to the final last season.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We have a lot more confidence, because of what happened last year, it gave us a lot of confidence,\" said the Italian.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We saw that in this tie, against a strong team, we did well in the two games.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"But later, with confidence alone, we don\'t reach the semi-finals. We have to play surprising football ... as always, the Champions League is very complicated and we have to compete until the end.\" AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 03:59:32', '2023-03-16 16:26:18'),
(5795, 5795, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke to his Russian counterpart on Wednesday about the destruction of a U.S. drone over the Black Sea after an encounter with Russian fighter jets, which brought the two countries closest to direct conflict since Moscow\'s invasion of Ukraine a year ago.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It was the first call between Austin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu since October. And Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had a similar call with his Russian counterpart, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the General Staff of the Russian armed forces.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We take any potential for escalation very seriously. And that\'s why I believe it\'s important to keep the lines of communication open,\" Austin said at a Pentagon press briefing. \"I think it\'s really key that we\'re able to pick up the phone and engage each other. And I think that that will help to prevent miscalculation going forward.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The U.S. military said it ditched the Air Force MQ-9 Reaper in the sea after a Russian fighter jet poured fuel on the surveillance drone and then struck its propeller while it was flying in international airspace. Russia has denied that it caused the accident. The U.S. has said it was working on declassifying surveillance footage from the drone that would show Tuesday\'s crash.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That the top U.S. and Russian defense and military leaders were talking so soon after the incident underscored the seriousness of the encounter over the Black Sea and that both sides recognized the need to tamp down the risks of escalation. Since Russia\'s invasion of Ukraine, contact between U.S. and Russian military leaders has been limited, with Russian officials refusing to take U.S. military calls in the early months of the war.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">There are still questions as to whether Russia meant to down the drone, even though the moments that led up to its crash were \"intentional,\" said Milley, who stood alongside Austin at the briefing.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We know that the intercept was intentional. We know that the aggressive behavior was intentional,\" Milley said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, he told reporters that it was still unclear whether the collision itself was intentional. And he pushed back against Russia\'s contention that the fighter jets did not come in contact with the drone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We have absolute evidence of the contact,\" Milley said. \"It\'s very aggressive. ... We have video evidence and all that.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Milley and Austin also left open the possibility that the U.S. could try to recover portions of the downed $32 million drone, which Milley said crashed into waters that were 4,000 to 5,000 feet (1,200 to 1,500 meters) deep.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Other U.S. officials said the U.S. doesn\'t have military ships in the region, and won\'t likely seek to recover wreckage. The Black Sea has been closed since early 2022 to military vessels that do not have a home port along its shores.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public, said Russia has already sent ships to the area and attempted to recover pieces of the drone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Milley downplayed the significance of any potential recovery by Russia.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It probably broke up. There\'s probably not a lot to recover,\" he said. \"As far as the loss of anything of sensitive intelligence, etc. ... we would take — and we did take — mitigating measures. So we\'re quite confident that whatever was of value is no longer of value.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">U.S. officials have refused to detail what steps were taken to protect sensitive technology on the drone or the video it collected during its surveillance mission. But officials have long acknowledged that the U.S. can remotely remove sensitive information from high-tech drones and make systems inoperable so they aren\'t of much value.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Milley and Austin also said the incident would not stop the U.S. from flying wherever international law allows.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Details of Milley\'s call with Gerasimov would be kept private, Joint Staff spokesman Army Col. Dave Butler said in a statement. Gerasimov was named the new commander of the Russian forces in Ukraine in January and its previous commander demoted in an apparent sign of Russian President Vladimir Putin\'s dissatisfaction with the state of the war, which has been stalemated.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">If the call between Austin and Shoigu was de-escalatory in private, it was not apparent from Russia\'s public statements.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters earlier Wednesday that Russia has declared certain areas of the Black Sea off-limits to any aerial traffic during the conflict and suggested the U.S. was trying to provoke an escalation through the flights. The drone crashed near Ukraine\'s Crimean Peninsula, which Russia seized in 2014 and illegally annexed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Any incidents that could provoke confrontation between the two great powers, the two largest nuclear powers, raise very serious risks,\" Lavrov said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Russian Defense Ministry said Shoigu, in the call with Austin, noted that the flights of U.S. drones near Crimea were \"provocative\" and risked escalating tensions in the Black Sea. He said Russia would respond \"in kind to all provocations\" in the future, but also noted that the two nuclear powers must act responsibly and maintain channels of communication.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Asked about the call, Austin declined to provide any details.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Austin and Shoigu first spoke about Russia\'s invasion of Ukraine in May 2022. At the time it was the highest level U.S.-Russian contact of the war.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In October, they spoke twice in three days as the threat of an escalation was high. Shoigu had accused Ukraine of planning to use a dirty bomb, a claim that was strongly rejected by U.S. and Western allies, who accused Russia of seeking a false pretext to justify further escalation, potentially including the use of a tactical nuclear weapon. AP/UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 04:03:59', '2023-03-16 04:03:59'),
(5796, 5796, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Malawi\'s president appealed Wednesday for global support to tackle \"a national tragedy\" after Cyclone Freddy pummelled the southeast African nation, causing flooding and mudslides that have killed hundreds.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The storm returned to the African coast at the weekend for a second time in less than three weeks, leaving a trail of death and destruction, but it had largely spared Malawi the first time around.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The level of devastation we are dealing with here is greater than the resources we have at our disposal,\" President Lazarus Chakwera said in declaring two weeks of national mourning.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The government has promised 1.6 billion kwacha ($1.5 million) to assist the tens of thousands of Malawians affected by the storm, which authorities say has killed at least 225 in the country and wounded hundreds.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rescuers scrambled to reach survivors in southern parts of Malawi, mostly around the commercial capital of Blantyre, after Freddy smashed into the country and neighbouring Mozambique, triggering floods and landslides that have killed nearly 290 people in both countries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The cyclone began to fade Wednesday after travelling 8,000 kilometres (5,000 miles) across the Indian Ocean, before looping back over ocean and then reversing course to strike Africa a second time, setting an unofficial record as the world\'s longest tropical storm.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Chakwera said Freddy was the third storm to \"assault\" Malawi in 13 months, calling it \"a testament to the realities of climate change\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After visiting some of the affected areas, he said the damage and the plight of the victims were \"far worse than the images and footage we have been seeing\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The president also attended a funeral ceremony for some of the victims in the Blantyre township of Chilobwe.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"This is a national tragedy,\" Chakwera, wearing a raincoat and rubber boots, told mourners at a service held at a primary school where 21 coffins, some decked with little more than simple wreaths, were lined up under a tent.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In a national address, he said the sight of the coffins \"laid side-by-side, including several from the same family, was nothing short of heartbreaking\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'You can\'t even mourn\' -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Weather conditions were expected to improve as the storm dissipated after days of torrential rains, but localised thunderstorms would persist, Malawian forecasters said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Flood levels remained high in several areas, hampering emergency efforts.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Mozambique, the storm led to 63 deaths and displaced 49,000 people according to official statistics.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President Filipe Nyusi appealed for aid to rebuild destroyed infrastructure, in an address to the nation Wednesday night.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Malawi, the army and police were leading search and rescue operations, which are set to continue for at least two more days.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Many people perished in landslides that swept away flimsy homes built on slopes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Four people from my family are still missing as they are buried in the mud,\" Alabu Wiseman, 24, said from a Blantyre school serving as a temporary shelter.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Across the country, more than 88,000 people have been displaced, with many sheltering in 165 temporary camps.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some people complained that government assistance had been slow in coming.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We feel abandoned,\" said Fadila Njolomole, 19. \"My best friend, her brother, sister and mother, went with the mudslide and their bodies have not been found. It\'s devastating. You can\'t even mourn.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The impoverished country is already grappling with the deadliest cholera outbreak in its history, which has killed more than 1,600 people since last year.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Record breaker -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The storm has unofficially broken the World Meteorological Organization\'s benchmark as the longest tropical cyclone on record, set in 1994 for a 31-day storm named John.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Freddy became a named storm on February 6, making landfall in Madagascar on February 21 and sweeping over the island before reaching Mozambique on February 24.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It then returned to the Indian Ocean and gathered new force over the warm waters, then reversed course to come back much more powerful, packing wind gusts of up to 200 kilometres per hour (125 mph).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Cyclones tracking across the entire Indian Ocean are very infrequent, meteorologists say, with the last occurring in 2000. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 04:09:26', '2023-03-16 04:09:26'),
(5797, 5797, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Around 50,000 teachers in New Zealand went on strike on Thursday, after union talks with the Ministry of Education aimed at improving salaries and conditions stalled.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Teachers demanding better pay waved placards declaring \"can\'t afford the dentist\" and \"too poor to print good signs\" as the one-day strike forced kindergartens as well as primary and secondary schools to close across the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Trade unions argued that the government\'s latest pay offer did not match inflation and that the education sector is at a \"crisis point\" due to teacher shortages.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"A quality education is a fundamental human right,\" Chris Abercrombie from the Post Primary Teachers\' Association said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Tragically, as teachers we are seeing that right being slowly, and surely, undermined.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Improvements to teacher salaries and working conditions are essential to keep experienced staff and recruit graduates, he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Teachers \"want to send a message to the government about how serious we are about needing change\", said Mark Potter, president of the New Zealand Educational Institute.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We all want the best for our students but without changes to the system we can\'t give it to them.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Education Minister Jan Tinetti said she was disappointed to see teachers strike and wanted the dispute resolved quickly.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The cost of living has become a major political issue in New Zealand, as the government struggles to keep a lid on inflation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Recent figures have suggested that New Zealand\'s economy is shrinking, fuelling fears of a looming recession. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 04:47:38', '2023-03-16 04:47:38'),
(5798, 5798, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The nation is set to celebrate the 103rd birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the National Children\'s Day-2023 on Friday in a befitting manner.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On this day in 1920, Bangabandhu, the vivacious 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 sub-division, now district.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He was the third among four daughters and two sons of his parents - Sheikh Lutfur Rahman and Saira Khatun.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The nation will celebrate the day through extensive programmes with fanfare and gaiety.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh missions abroad have also chalked out elaborate programmes to celebrate the day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In observance of the day, President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will issue separate messages this afternoon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The day is a public holiday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Marking the birth anniversary and the National Children\'s Day, the national flag will be hoisted atop all buildings of government, semi government, autonomous and private organizations as well educational institutions and Bangladesh missions abroad.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will pay tributes to Father of the Nation by placing wreath at Bangabandhu\'s mausoleum at Tungipara in Gopalganj.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">To mark the day, a national children\'s rally and a three-day book fair will be organized. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to join the children\'s rally to be organized by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs as the chief guest.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Different political, social and cultural organizations have also drawn elaborate programmes marking the birth anniversary.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television and other private TV channels and radio stations will air special programmes highlighting the significance of the day in the life of Bangalees. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 05:16:39', '2023-03-16 05:16:39'),
(5799, 5799, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday inaugurated 50 model mosques along with Islamic cultural centres in the third phase in parts of the country.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She joined the inauguration event virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">These model mosques include separate places for aju (ablution) and namaj along with air-conditioned system.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Besides, there will be registration and training arrangements for hajj pilgrims, Imam training centre, research centre and Islamic library, autism corner, rituals before burial, car parking facility, hifzakhana, pre-primary education and Quran learning arrangement, conference room for Islamic cultural activities and Islamic dawat, Islamic books sale centre, boarding facility for local and foreign guests along with the mosques.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier, on June 10, 2021 and January 16, 2023, the prime minister inaugurated 100 model mosques in the first and second phases simultaneously across the country, aimed at spreading the true messages of Islam for removing misconceptions about religion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A total of 564 such mosques are being built in the country under the project.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The purpose of the project is promotion of Islamic brotherhood and its values as well as disseminating the essence of Islam against extremism and militancy as the religion never supports those.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Under category A, some 69 four-storey mosques having the elevator facility and a floor space of 2,360.09 square metres each are being constructed in 64 districts and city corporation areas.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Under category B, 475 mosques are being built with a floor space of 1680.14 square metres each, while 16 mosques under C category in coastal areas will have a floor space of 2,052.12 square metres each. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 05:29:50', '2023-03-16 05:29:50'),
(5800, 5800, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Actor Kangana Ranaut issued a statement after alleging that Wikipedia ‘warped\' information about her, including her birthday and background. Taking to her Instagram Stories on Thursday, Kangana clarified that her birthday is on March 23 and not March 20. She also added that Wikipedia is \'totally wrong and misleading\'.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kangana wrote, \"Wikipedia is totally hijacked by leftists, most of the information about me like my birthday or my height or background is totally wrong ... no matter how much we try to rectify it, it\'s warped again...Anyway many radio channels, fans clubs, and well wishers start to send birthday greetings on 20th March….\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She also said, \"I don\'t mind but honestly many are confused because Wikipedia says my birthday is on 20th March and I celebrate on 23rd March, my birthday is on 23rd March ... please don\'t go back Wikipedia it\'s totally wrong and misleading information there, thanks (folded hands emoji).\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kangana will celebrate her 36th birthday next week. Last year, the actor gave her fans glimpses inside her 35th birthday. Taking to Instagram, Kangana said that she visited the Vaishno Devi Temple. The actor visited the holy shrine with her sister Rangoli Chandel. She also shared some pictures after taking blessings from the deity.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She captioned the post, \"Today on the occasion of my birthday day …. Visited Bhagwati Shri Vaishnodevi ji… with her and my parents blessings looking forward to this year. Thank you everyone for your love and blessings.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fans will see Kangana in the upcoming movie Chandramukhi 2 opposite Raghava Lawrence. Helmed by P Vasu, Chandramukhi 2 is the sequel to the blockbuster hit Tamil horror comedy film Chandramukhi which starred Rajinikanth and Jyothika in the lead roles.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Apart from this, Kangana will also be seen in the upcoming period drama film Emergency which also marks her first solo directorial film. Apart from Kangana, the film stars Anupam Kher, Mahima Chaudhry, Vishak Nair, and Shreyas Talpade in prominent roles.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She will also be seen in Tejas in which she will be seen portraying the role of an Indian Air Force pilot. In the upcoming months, audience will also see Kangana in Manikarnika Returns: The Legend of Didda, and The Incarnation: Sita in the pipeline. HT</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 06:40:47', '2023-03-16 06:40:47'),
(5801, 5801, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The holy month of Ramadan is upon us and this year it is expected to begin on March 22 and end on April 21. Eid al-Fitr will be celebrated either on April 22 or 23 depending on the sighting of the moon. Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, is the time of spiritual reflection and self-improvement, and Muslims all over the world fast from dawn till sunset. The 12-14 hours of fasting during Ramadan is a form of intermittent fasting and is also an opportunity for people to reset their digestive system, boost metabolism and lose weight. </b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Recent scientific research has proved the benefits of intermittent fasting like weight management and blood sugar management. It is one of the best ways to keep a person on calorie deficit, but people must be cautious about what they are eating when not fasting.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Ramadan fast is broken with dates, one of the most nutritious dry fruit. So, it is always advised to eat protein-rich and fibre-rich diet which keeps one full for longer period of time to avoid dehydration and gastric issues,\" says Shweta Gupta, Unit Head – Dietetics - Fortis Hospital Shalimar Bagh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Intermittent Fasting (IF) is practiced in different ways for e g. 5:2 method, 16/8 time restricted diet, alternate day fasting and some other ways. Ramadan fasting too is one type of intermittent fasting, however, during rozas there is complete cessation of water and food for more than 12-14 hours. This leads to depletion of liver glycogen stores,\" says Dr Meghana Pasi, Nutrition Consultant at MyThali, Arogya World.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>BENEFITS OF RAMADAN</b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dr Pasi further elaborates on the benefits of IF during Ramadan:</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">1. Supports weight loss and improves health: A calorie deficit diet along with the eating pattern can help in weight loss along with lowering blood pressure, improve blood sugar and protect brain health.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">2. Detoxifies the body: Our digestive system is better able to remove toxins as during fasting hours the system gets enough rest.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">3. Damaged cells are removed by a self-cleansing process and the gut feels happy and healthy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">4. Metabolic rate increases and our immune system is strengthened. However, one can only benefit from the Ramadan fast, if during the feast period one eats healthy. Like in any other IF how one focuses on when to eat and does not give importance to what to eat, even during Ramadan not following a healthy diet regime can negatively affect health.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dr Anurag Saxena, HOD- Internal Medicine, Primus Hospital, New Delhi further elaborates on the health benefits of intermittent fasting during Ramadan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">5. Focus and mental clarity are improved: Due to the shift in eating habits and the stress placed on spiritual practices, some people claim that Ramadan makes them feel more focused and alert.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">6. Improved digestive health: It has been demonstrated that fasting enhances digestive health by enabling the digestive system to rest and recover. Fasting benefits are generally contingent on the length and timing of the fast. Allowing three hours between meals allows the migrating motor complex to complete a full cycle in which residual undigested material is swept through the digestive system. As a result, even a few hours of fasting may help digestion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dr Pasi suggests healthy fasting tips to follow during the month of Ramdan.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Do not overload with food while breaking the fast. Your body needs more fluid first. Hence, break your fast with lemon juice or coconut water for hydration. Avoid caffeine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Eating a high calorie, sugary and oily meal can lead to indigestion and gastric issues. Try and avoid sweets, mithais, sugary drinks and bakery products.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Your Iftar meal should contain a source of complex carbohydrates which provides enough energy along with fibre and minerals.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Fill half your plate with colourful vegetables as they are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fibre and provide nutrients with very little calories.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Eat good amount of proteins like dals, whole legumes, lean meat, fish, milk products and eggs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Prefer a fruit, handful of nuts, or salads as snacks. Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre. Fiber not just keeps our bowels healthy but also regulates blood glucose levels.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Few healthy food options: Broccoli-egg fritters, hummus dip with olive oil and homemade pita bread, black beans and avocado on toast, lentil soup, low fat yogurts, fruit smoothies, grilled kebabs, baked snacks in place of fried snacks like samosas and cutlets, dates-oats kheer, cut fruits, sauteed vegetables, millets khichdi, curd rice, sprouts salad.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">If you plan your meals in advance and be mindful about the portion sizes, you can definitely benefit from Ramadan’s Intermittent Fasting regime and gain maximum nutritional benefits. HT</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"6\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 06:47:40', '2023-03-16 16:21:26');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5802, 5802, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today termed food adulteration, stockpiling, black marketing and ill attempt of creating crises of the daily commodities ahead of the holy Ramadan very contemptible, calling upon all to remain cautious against those. </b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"I call upon all to stay alert as none can adulterate and stockpile food and create crises of daily essentials ahead of the Ramadan,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The prime minister said this while inaugurating 50 more model mosques across the country joining virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence here.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She also requested the Alems and Imams to inform people about those social menaces through the khutbas (sermons) in the mosques to decrease the tendency of charging additional prices. </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The Ramadan is ahead. Some unscrupulous businessmen are trying to increase the price of commodities. It is a very abominable task,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"It is unnecessary to give people pain after increasing the prices of essentials when they will be busy with observing Ramadan and offering prayers,\" she added. </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With opening 50 mosques in the third phase, the premier so far inaugurated 150 mosques out of 564 being built at a cost of Taka 9435 crore.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She earlier opened 50 mosques each in the first phase on June 10 in 2021 and in the second phase on January 16 in 2023. </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The construction of the rest of the mosques is scheduled to be completed by June 2024. </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The model mosques and Islamic cultural centres include separate places for aju (ablution) and namaj along with air-conditioned systems. </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Besides, there will be registration and training arrangements for Hajj pilgrims, Imam training centre, research centre and Islamic library, autism corner, ritual systems before burial, car parking facility, hifzakhana, pre-primary education and Quran learning arrangement, conference room for Islamic cultural activities and Islamic dawat, Islamic books sale centre, boarding facility for local and foreign guests along with the mosques. </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan and its Secretary Kazi Enamul Hassan spoke at the function from the Osmani Smriti Auditorium here. </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"> </div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">PM\'s Principal Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah moderated the programme. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 07:06:05', '2023-03-16 16:22:32'),
(5803, 5803, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Pro-BNP lawyers today highlighted yesterday’s incidents over the Supreme Court Bar Association election to Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Seven other judges of the Appellate Division were also present at the time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, the chief justice asked the BNP-backed Bar Association president candidate Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon and secretary candidate Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajol to go to his “khas kamra” at 11 am. Attorney General AM Amin Uddin, the chief legal officer of the state, may also be summoned at the time, if necessary, the chief justice said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier in the morning, when the court proceedings started, former Attorney General AJ Mohammad Ali, a leader of the BNP forum, first presented the statement in front of the chief justice.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“An unprecedented incident took place at the Supreme Court premises yesterday. It’s still going on. Even today, there are police stationed in front of many of the lawyers’ rooms. Why today?” – he asked.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We have to see if outsiders are behind this incident… They also tortured senior members of the association. We want protection,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajol, the secretary candidate of the association, said, “As a member of the association, we want to share our pain and sorrow with you, as a guardian. The Bar Association election is always festive. But what happened this time is unprecedented. I still can’t go into my room. I was attacked yesterday and my robe was torn. Today I borrowed an old robe and put it on. Thousands of police have been deployed. Lawyers were beaten up by the police and thrown out of the polling station. Why can’t I be present at the polling station?” – he asked.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“An election steering committee was formed with Justice Mansurul Haque Chowdhury as the head. He also performed his duties in the afternoon of March 13. But he resigned in the evening. What happened to him suddenly?” – Kajal asked.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Later, he called me and told me that the current president and secretary had forced him to resign. Even if he resigns, a new body will have to be formed after taking everyone’s opinion into consideration. But without doing so, they started voting,” Kajal said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Later in the night, a case was filed. Many people, including me and the president candidate, have been accused. Then a second case was filed. Six current leaders of the association have also been accused,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon, the candidate for the post of president of the association, also presented his statement. He said, “Three to four hundred policemen entered the polling station and started pushing.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Police were kicking us. I can’t stand properly due to the pain. Many lawyers were injured. Journalists were also injured,” he added. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 08:23:46', '2023-03-16 08:23:46'),
(5804, 5804, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">A Dhaka court on Thursday granted permanent bail to Amatullah Bushra, a 3rd year student of East West University, in a case over the death of her friend and Buet student Fardin Noor Parash.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Shanto Islam Mallik passed the order, said lawyer Sabbir Ahmed Sajib.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On February 6, Inspector Yeasin Shikdar of DB police submitted the final report seeking exemption of Bushra from the case.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fardin’s father submitted a naraji (no-confidence) petition over the DB’s final report and the court fixed April 16 for hearing the petition.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On January 8, a Dhaka court granted bail to Bushra in the case.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bushra was in jail for almost two months in the case after the death of Fardin in November last, despite investigation agencies failing to find any evidence connecting her to her friend\'s death.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police submitted a report on December 15 saying that Bushra has no connection with the death of Fardin.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bushra was arrested from her Banasree home in Dhaka on November 10, 2022 as Fardin’s father filed a case on November 9 after recovery of his son’s body from the Shitalakhkhya River.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After a long 38-day investigation, the Additional Commissioner (Detective Branch) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Mohammad Harunur Rashid on December 14 said that Fardin roamed alone in different areas of Dhaka before he went missing.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Fardin was not murdered, he committed suicide by jumping into the river from Sultana Kamal Bridge On November 4 out of desperation,” he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fardin was a 3rd year student of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology’s civil engineering department and a resident of Qutubpur area in Narayanganj\'s Fatullah.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Police recovered Fardin’s body from the Shitalakhkhya River, behind a cotton mill at Siddhirganj, on November 7, three days after he went missing.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sheikh Farhad, a physician at Narayanganj General Hospital where the autopsy was done, said there were several injury marks on Fardin’s head and body.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kazi Nuruddin Rana, Fardin’s father, filed a case in connection with his son’s killing with Rampura Police Station on the same day and the case was later transferred to Detective Branch (DB) Police. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 08:38:15', '2023-03-16 08:38:15'),
(5805, 5805, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Flash floods killed at least 14 people living in tents and container housing across Turkey\'s quake-hit region on Wednesday, piling more pressure on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead of crunch elections.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Several more people were swept away by the rushing water, which turned streets into muddy rivers in areas hit by last month\'s 7.8-magnitude quake, officials said.</div><div><br></div><div>More than 48,000 people died in Turkey and nearly 6,000 in Syria in the February 6 disaster, the region\'s deadliest in modern times.</div><div>Hundreds of thousands of Turkish quake survivors have been moved into tents and container homes across the disaster region, which covers 11 provinces across Turkey\'s southeast.</div><div><br></div><div>Torrential rains hit the area on Tuesday and the weather service expects them to last until late Wednesday.</div><div><br></div><div>Turkish officials said the floods killed 12 people in Sanliurfa, about 30 miles (50 kilometres) north of the Syrian border.</div><div><br></div><div>Two people, including a one-year-old, also died in nearby Adiyaman, where five remain unaccounted for.</div><div><br></div><div>Images showed the waters sweeping away cars and flooding temporary housing set up for earthquake victims.</div><div><br></div><div>In one viral video, a man dressed in a beige suit and tie reaches out for help while floating down a surging stream alongside a piece of furniture. His fate remains unknown.</div><div>Other images showed people pulling victims out of the water with branches and rope.</div><div><br></div><div>The Sanliurfa governor\'s office said the flooding also reached the ground floor of one of the region\'s main hospitals.</div><div><br></div><div>- Pressure on Erdogan -</div><div><br></div><div>Facing a difficult re-election on May 14, Erdogan is confronting a furious public backlash over his government\'s stuttering response to the biggest natural disaster of his two-decade rule.</div><div><br></div><div>Erdogan has issued several public apologies while also stressing that no nation could have dealt quickly with a disaster of such scale.</div><div><br></div><div>Erdogan has spent the past few weeks touring the region, meeting survivors and promising to rebuild the entire area within a year.</div><div><br></div><div>\"By the end of next year, we will build 319,000 houses,\" Erdogan told his ruling party members on Wednesday in a parliamentary address.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Beyond the search and rescue, emergency aid and temporary shelter we have provided so far, we have a promise to our nation to restore the cities destroyed in the earthquake within a year,\" he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Erdogan dispatched his interior minister to the flooded region to oversee the government\'s response.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Currently, we have 10 teams composed of 163 people doing search and rescue work across a 25-kilometre stretch,\" Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu told reporters, reports AFP </div><div><br></div><div>\"We also have divers. But the weather conditions are not allowing us to do much,\" he added.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 09:47:31', '2023-03-16 16:23:32'),
(5806, 5806, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>One year after Russia-Ukraine conflicts, the surge in global food prices that the war triggered has subsided but there are still reasons for worry- prices remain elevated, and new shocks could send them soaring again, according to the World Bank (WB).</b></span><br></div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>It said food prices shot up when Russian forces blockaded Ukraine\'s Black Sea ports, halting shipments of cereals from one of the world\'s biggest exporters. Many countries reacted by curbing or stopping food or fertilizer exports in an effort to protect domestic food supplies,\" it added.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"Those measures were counterproductive and only drove prices higher, briefly threatening a food crisis in developing countries that depend on imports of food,\" said the global development partner.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Now, many of those measures have lapsed and high prices are mainly a reflection of broader global inflation, said the WB, adding that in January, the average price of corn was 31 percent higher compared with January 2021, and the price of wheat was 14 percent higher. Rice prices were two percent lower, it said.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Nevertheless, it said the number of remaining restrictions is troubling. One year after the outbreak of war on February 24 last year, 101 export restrictions -- including quotas, licenses, and outright bans - remain in place, suggesting that, contrary to WTO principles, the limits have not all been temporary.</div><div>&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>\"Those restrictions cover more than 11 percent of 2022 food trade. Export bans alone cover up to 3.8 percent of global food trade,\" it said.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The WB said in the first half of 2022, bans imposed by Russia -- which supplies almost a third of the world\'s wheat -- and other exporters covered 34.5 percent of global wheat shipments and accounted for a quarter of the 52.7 percent increase in prices.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Bans on exports of corn covered 5.2 percent of global shipments and accounted for more than three quarters of the overall 16.7 percent increase, it added.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The picture has improved since the middle of last year, it said, adding that on July 22, an agreement involving Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, and United Nations enabled grain shipments from three Ukrainian ports to resume. Russia and other key producers removed export restrictions, and good summer harvests helped damp prices, it said adding that the European Union and Australia have increased shipments, making up for lower Canadian exports.</div><div><br></div><div>The US Department of Agriculture forecasts a 5 percent increase in world food trade in the 12 months ending on June 30, 2-22. One the other hand, the USDA predicts a 4.5 percent contraction in shipments of rice, another key staple, as reduced exports from Vietnam, Thailand, Pakistan, and the United States more than offset an increase from India.</div><div><br></div><div>Nevertheless, further trade policy measures could alarm commodity markets, generating bigger price increases, said the WB.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>It said in September 2022, India banned exports of broken rice - used primarily as animal feed -- and imposed a 20 percent duty on exports of other grades of rice to boost supplies and damp local prices following below-average rainfall in key producing areas.</div><div><br></div><div>\"India\'s ban covers 5 percent of global exports of rice and is expected to increase global prices by 2 percent, while bans imposed by other exporters could raise prices by another 2.3 percent. Further restrictions by India could raise world prices of rice by between 4.3 percent and 12.1 percent. Should exporters such as Thailand and Vietnam respond by banning exports, that could result in a multiplier effect that pushes up prices by up to 20 percent,\" said the global lender.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Similarly, it said a ban by one the top three exporters of corn or wheat could drive up prices by 44 percent and 8 percent, respectively.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"Further increases in prices of key staples will hurt low and lower-middle income countries that are highly dependent on imports,\" it said.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 10:08:36', '2023-03-16 10:08:36'),
(5807, 5807, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Four Bangladeshi nationals, all hailing from Faridpur, have been&nbsp; missing since the deadly shipwreck in the Mediterranean Sea on Sunday, causing&nbsp; extreme anxiety and worry to their families.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The missing Bangladeshi nationals are -Al Amin Matubbar, 20, son of Mostafa Matubbar, Mahfuz Molla, 22, son of Sobahan Molla, Nazmul Molla 23, son of Esken Molla and Akramul Bepari, 27, son of Seken Bepari- all are resident of Nagarkanda upazila of the district, said their families.</div><div><br></div><div>All the youths left the country to go to Italy illegally spending Tk 8 to 10 lakh&nbsp; through brokers, they said.</div><div><br></div><div>Thirty people feared drowned after a boat from Libya capsized in bad weather on Sunday. A total 17 others were rescued in the shipwreck incident and brought ashore by the Italian authorities on Monday, reports Reuters.</div><div><br></div><div>Those rescued, who were originally from Bangladesh&nbsp; were taken to the Sicilian town of Pozzallo, Italian newswire ANSA reported.</div><div><br></div><div>Chameli Begum, 38, mother of missing Al-Amin Matubbar, said that her son left the country two months ago to go to Italy. He boarded a trawler from Libya on Thursday after travelling many countries.</div><div><br></div><div>Locals alleged&nbsp; Murad Fakir and four others- Farhad Fakir of Mashaujan village, Liton Sardar and Abul Hossain of Bilgobindapur village and Quader Matubbar of Basagari area, are involved in human trafficking.</div><div><br></div><div>Kazi Abul Kalam, Dangi Union Parishad chairman, said that Murad is a human trafficker who has sent at least 200 youths abroad illegally.</div><div><br></div><div>Miraj Hossain, Officer-in-Charge of Nagarkanda Police Station, said that no complaint has been lodged yet regarding this matter, according to UNB reports</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 10:21:39', '2023-03-16 10:21:39'),
(5808, 5808, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">No decision has been taken yet to reduce the price of Hajj packages, said Motiul Islam, additional secretary to the Ministry of Religious Affairs today.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>“We are yet to receive a copy of the court\'s order. If there is a new decision, I will tell you later,” he told reporters at the ministry.</div><div><br></div><div>The registration for Hajj under the existing packages is ending today, he said adding that the intending pilgrims have to deposit money in banks within this time.</div><div><br></div><div>It has not yet been decided whether the registration time will be extended, said Motiul.</div><div><br></div><div>As of March 15, 9,569 people have registered for Hajj under government management and 91,246 under private management.</div><div><br></div><div>There are still 25,480 empty quota for registration, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>The High Court on Wednesday asked Attorney General AM Amin Uddin to take initiative to reduce the Hajj package cost.</div><div><br></div><div>The HC bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Mohammad Ali gave the order after hearing the Ministry of Religion\'s explanation regarding the high Hajj cost this year.</div><div><br></div><div>On Tuesday the court questioned how common people will perform hajj at the cost of the package set by the government.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>It questioned “Why doesn\'t the government allocate budgets for the hajj like other countries in the world?”&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The HC bench of Justice KM Kamrul Kader and Justice Mohammad Ali came up with this observation while hearing a writ petition over revising the hajj package offered by the government this year.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier on February 1, the Ministry of Religious Affairs announced the hajj package for 2023 in a memorandum. According to the package, a person has to pay a hefty amount of Tk 6.83 lakh to perform hajj this year - up from Tk 5.22 lakh in 2022. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 10:55:55', '2023-03-16 10:55:55'),
(5809, 5809, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Bangladesh Police introduced the first female police dog handler team - comprising members of the female Airport Armed Police Battalion - to make the operational activities more dynamic.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Seven female APBN members have been included in the police dog handler team after getting training from the K9 dog handler course.</div><div><br></div><div>They received training from professional dog squad trainer Tony Brison (UK) and Melin Broadweek (New Zealand). The US embassy and Airport Armed Police jointly organised the training.</div><div><br></div><div>Commanding Officer of Airport Armed Police Battalion-13, Tofail Ahmed, handed over the certificates to them after the conclusion of the training course today.</div><div><br></div><div>Airport Armed Police Battalion started the K9 Dog Squad unit with two labradors, two German shepherds and four malinios dogs in 2017.</div><div><br></div><div>The dog squad unit has been used for checking passengers and screening luggage.</div><div><br></div><div>Mohammad Ziaul Haque, additional superintendent of police (media) of Airport Armed Police Battalion, said the government has taken a step to upgrade the number of dogs to 66 in the dog squad group by 2025.</div><div><br></div><div>The government took the steps considering the operations of the third terminal of the airport, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>Fifteen more dogs will be attached to the dog squad in 2023.</div><div><br></div><div>A full-fledged dog squad can play an important role in preventing sabotage, drug smuggling and currency smuggling, said speakers at the programme. Source: UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 11:12:12', '2023-03-16 11:12:12'),
(5810, 5810, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Daraz has announced its Ramadan Bazar Campaign yesterday with a range of offers to provide customers with ‘affordable’ shopping experience ahead of Ramadan.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The week-long campaign will run from March 15 to March 22.</div><div><br></div><div>Talat Rahim, Chief Marketing Officer of Daraz Bangladesh said, \"We are excited to launch our Ramadan Bazar Campaign and provide our consumers with a unique shopping experience that is both rewarding and affordable. We are confident that our consumers will consider the offers made throughout the campaign to be unmatched, and they will use this opportunity to shop for their Ramadan essentials.\"</div><div><br></div><div>As part of the campaign, the country’s leading online marketplace will offer 45% discount on 200,000 deals and up to Tk 600 vouchers.</div><div><br></div><div>In addition, customers can also enjoy free shipping, seller vouchers, and up to 65% off on Home and Living products, according to a press release.</div><div><br></div><div>Both local and global brands such as Bata, Lotto, Marico (Studio X), Nestle (Maggi), Realme, Dettol, Lifebuoy, Infinix, Bajaj Electricals, Fabrilife, Godrej, Nescafe, Manfare, Marico, Motion View, Stone Rose, Swapon\'s World, and Dove have partnered with Daraz for this campaign.</div><div><br></div><div>Meanwhile, bKash, Nagad, City Bank, Eastern Bank Limited, HSBC, Prime Bank Limited, Community Bank Bangladesh Limited, Southeast Bank Limited, LankaBangla Finance Limited, and United Commercial Bank are also part of this campaign as payment partners. According to&nbsp; UNB reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 11:55:49', '2023-03-16 11:55:49'),
(5811, 5811, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid glowing tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, marking his 103rd birth anniversary and the National Children\'s Day.&nbsp;</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>\"On the occasion of the 103rd birth anniversary of the greatest Bangalee of all time, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, I pay my deepest respect to his (Bangabandhu\'s) memory,\" the premier said in a message on the eve of the day.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, on the occasion of the \'National Children\'s Day-2023\', she extended her best wishes to all the children of the country and the countrymen.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"I think this year\'s National Children\'s Day theme - \'Bangabandhu\'s birthday in the dream of a smart Bangladesh, children\'s eyes colored in the dream of prosperity (Smart Bangladesh er Shopney Bangabandhur Jonmodin, Shishuder Chokh Sommriddhir Shopney Rongin) \' is timely,\" she added.</div><div><br></div><div>Recalling the memories of Bangabandhu, the premier said that the main goal of the long political life of this world-renowned leader with a keen memory and far-sightedness was to liberate the Bengali nation from the chains of subjugation.</div><div><br></div><div>Gradually, he became the last refuge of the oppressed people of Bengal, she said, adding that this Bengali, the best of a thousand years, led the fight to establish the status of the Bengali language.</div><div><br></div><div>In 1948, \'Rashtra Bhasha Sangram Parishad\' was formed under his proposal with the help of Chhatra League, \'Tamaddun Majlis\' and other student organizations, she said.</div><div><br></div><div>On March 11 in 1948, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib was arrested during holding a \'Sadharan Dharmakhat\' demanding the recognition of Bengali as the state language, she said, adding that he was repeatedly imprisoned from 1948 to 1952.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Sometimes from jail and sometimes from outside the jail, he led the language movement, Sheikh Hasina said.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>In the final movement of people-students on February 21, 1952, he gave guidance from prison, she mentioned.</div><div><br></div><div>In continuation of this, the Jukto Front elections of 1954, Ayub Khan\'s anti-military rule movement of 1958, the anti-Education Commission movement of 1962, the six-point of 1966, the Agartala conspiracy case of 1968, the \'69\'s Mass uprising\', the elections of \'70 and the War of Liberation of \'71 were conducted under the undisputed leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib, the premier continued.</div><div><br></div><div>Noting that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib\'s compassion for children was immense, she said he believed that the children of today are the future of tomorrow.</div><div><br></div><div>She went on saying that the children will build the golden Bangladesh of his dream.</div><div><br></div><div>From the idea \'Children\'s future must be ensured first\', he formulated the Children\'s Act in 1974, 15 years before the United Nations Children\'s Charter (The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child), she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The premier further said that Bangabandhu nationalized the primary education to ensure development of child-education.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>\"Bangabandhu always wanted children to grow up as creative and free-spirited ones. That is why Awami League (AL) formed the government in 1996 and declared March 17 as \'National Children\'s Day\' by dedicating his birthday to children,\" she added.</div><div><br></div><div>The Awami League-led government is committed to make the country a safe abode for children, she said, adding:\" We have formulated an up-to-date \'National Child Policy\' for the welfare of children.\"</div><div><br></div><div>She further said that students are being provided free textbooks at the beginning of the year and almost cent percent of children are going to school today.</div><div><br></div><div>\"We have published books on the life and works of the Father of the Nation for children and presented the real history of the Liberation War in text books,\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Along with paying tribute to the Father of the Nation on National Children\'s Day, the main goal of the government is to make the children of this country worthy citizens by following the life and ideals of the great leader, she added.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Our children will be the charioteer to fulfill the dream of Smart Bangladesh by 2041. We all, irrespective of caste, creed and religions, need to work together to instill patriotism in children, build their personality, develop creativity and raise or boost their self-confidence,\" the premier continued.</div><div><br></div><div>Sheikh Hasina wished a bright future for tomorrow\'s children and youth.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Let us dedicate our present time to the beautiful future and welfare of the children and together build the golden Bangladesh as dreamt by the father of the nation,\" she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The premier wished all the programmes taken on the occasion of the 103rd birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and \'National Children\'s Day-2023\' a success. According to BSS reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 12:09:57', '2023-03-16 12:09:57'),
(5812, 5812, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>BNP on Thursday chalked out a 10-day day programme to celebrate the Independence Day on March 26.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the programmes at a press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office after a joint meeting of leaders of the party and its associate bodies.</div><div><br></div><div>As part of the programmes, Fakhrul Islam together with party leaders and activists will pay tributes to the martyrs of the Liberation War by placing wreaths at the National Mausoleum, Savar at 7am on the day.</div><div><br></div><div>Later, they will place wreaths at the mazar of late BNP founder Ziaur Rahman at Sher-e-Banglanagar in the capital to mark the day. A doa mahfil will be held there to be arranged by Jatiyatabadi Ulema Dal.</div><div><br></div><div>Besides, the party will hoist national and party flags atop its all offices, including the central one, in the morning</div><div><br></div><div>BNP will also take steps to publish supplements in the national newspapers to celebrate the day.</div><div><br></div><div>The party will arrange a discussion on the day either at Mohanagar Natya Mancha or in front of its Nayapaltan central office on March 25.</div><div><br></div><div>On March 27, Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal, the freedom fighters\' wing of BNP, will organise a mass \"gathering of freedom fighters\" in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.</div><div><br></div><div>BNP’s all district, upazila and municipality units across the country and the party’s all associate bodies will also mark the day with different programmes.</div><div><br></div><div>Speaking at the press conference, Fakhrul said the Independence is much more important this time as the country lacks democracy. “The Independence Day is now more relevant and it reminds us more of the Liberation War,” reports UNB,</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul Islam said their party will observe the day with due respect amid various programmes for 10 days and take a fresh vow for restoring democracy and protecting the independence of the country.</div><div><br></div><div>He also demanded the unconditional release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and other political prisoners before the Independence Day. </div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 12:54:58', '2023-03-16 16:20:26'),
(5813, 5813, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The High Court (HC) declared illegal the decision to give performance bonuses to employees of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) in the 2020-2021 fiscal year.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>A HC division bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo pronounced the judgment, declaring a rule issued earlier in this regard, \'absolute-in-part\'.</div><div><br></div><div>Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua took part in the hearing for a writ petition, while Deputy Attorney General Arbinda Kumar Roy and Assistant Attorney General Samsun Nahar Laili stood for the state.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier on August 16, the High Court had issued a stay on the decision to give performance bonus to its employees, equal to three and a half basic salaries each. The court on that day had issued the rule, asking authorities concerned to explain as to why it shall not declare illegal the decision, which is against the provisions of the Dhaka WASA Act. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 13:17:26', '2023-03-16 13:17:26'),
(5814, 5814, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">At least one person has been killed and two injured in a fire at a building used by Russia\'s Federal Security Service (FSB) in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, Russian media say.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Dramatic footage on social media shows a large blaze, with smoke visible all over the city.</div><div><br></div><div>Rostov\'s regional governor said a short circuit appeared to have caused the fire, which ignited fuel tanks.</div><div><br></div><div>The street where the building is located has been cordoned off.</div><div><br></div><div>The blaze occurred at a building belonging to the FSB\'s regional border patrol section in a built-up area of the city.</div><div><br></div><div>The FSB is Russia\'s internal security service and is responsible for counter-intelligence, border security and counter-terrorism.</div><div><br></div><div>Rostov Governor Vassily Golubev said the fire had spread over 800 sq m, causing two walls to collapse.</div><div><br></div><div>He said there was no threat that the fire would spread but that residents of nearby blocks of flats were being evacuated as a precaution.</div><div><br></div><div>RIA news agency said quoting emergency services that the area on fire was a two-storey building used for garages and storage.</div><div><br></div><div>Rostov-on-Don is the capital of a southern Russian region bordering on the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, currently the scene of intense fighting in the war.</div><div><br></div><div>There have been a spate of arson attacks on government buildings in Russia, such as enlistment and conscription offices, since the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. According to BBC reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 14:24:27', '2023-03-16 14:24:27'),
(5815, 5815, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>‘Covid-19 Telehealth Centre’ of the a2i has won prestigious World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) Award 2023 of the United Nations (UN) for its remarkable contribution during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in Bangladesh.&nbsp;</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>a2i Project Director Dr Dewan Muhammad Humayun Kabir and Chief of e-Governance Strategist, Digital Service Accelerator of a2i Forhad Zahid Shaikh received the award on Wednesday at a grand ceremony at the headquarters of international Telecommunication Union (ITU) in Geneva, Switzerland, said a press release.</div><div><br></div><div>‘Covid-19 Telehealth Centre’ has been recognised as the Champion under the category of ‘ICT Application: Benefits in all Aspects of Life.</div><div><br></div><div>The WSIS award of the UN is considered as the highest recognition in the information and technology sector.</div><div><br></div><div>The a2i in association with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched the ‘Covid-19 Telehealth Centre’ on June 13 in 2020 to deal with the Covid-19 patients over telephone to combat the coronavirus pandemic.</div><div><br></div><div>The centre rendered the healthcare service through the number 09666777222.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>It has been able to give treatment to 99 percent of the patients keeping them at their homes while only five percent patient was referred to hospitals.</div><div><br></div><div>The telehealth centre provided 15,61,068 kinds of health services to 7,04,890 patients from its inception to November 2021 during the pandemic period.</div><div><br></div><div>Like the ‘Covid-19 Telehealth Centre’, a number of digital innovations of the a2i have got the prestigious WSIS award in the recent years.</div><div><br></div><div>Of them, Digital Centre won the award in 2014, National Portal in 2015, \'Service Process Simplification\' (SPS), Online Clearance of Department of Environment (DOE), Shikkhak Batayan and Krishaker Janala in 2016, Multimedia Talking Book, Telemedicine Project of Dhaka University, Use of Social Media in Citizen-centric Innovation and e-Nothi in 2017, ‘Muktapaath’ and Police Clearance Certificate Management System in 2018, Shikkhak Batayan and Mobile Based Age Verification and Marriage Registration Project in 2019; and ‘ekShop’ under the e-business category and skills, employment and entrepreneurship based integrated intelligence platform got the award under the e-Employment category in 2020. Source: BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 14:36:43', '2023-03-16 14:36:43'),
(5816, 5816, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Cricketer Sakib al Hasan and content creator Hero Alam who participated in the inauguration of Arav Jewellers in Dubai may be questioned for the sake of investigation, said a senior Detective Branch official on Thursday.&nbsp;</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>“Shakib was informed by police about the murder involving gold shop owner Arav Khan. But why did he go to Dubai? It\'s sad”, said the Chief of the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Mohammad Harun-Or-Rashid.</div><div><br></div><div>The chief made the statement while responding to a question from a journalist at his office on Thursday.</div><div><br></div><div>“Arav Khan alias Rabiul Islam is a murderer. He killed an intelligent police officer. Despite information from the media and others, Sakib and other celebrities went to Dubai in response to a call of a murder accused”, said Harun-Or-Rashid.</div><div><br></div><div>The DB chief also said that they would take legal steps to bring Rabiul back home after discussion with the senior officials with the help of Interpol, reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>There are 12 warrants against the accused so far, he said.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 15:15:05', '2023-03-16 15:15:05'),
(5817, 5817, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday warned that Bangladesh may turn into a tightly “regimented authoritarian” state like North Korea if their 10-point movement fails.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Speaking at a discussion, he also alleged that the Awami League government is completely destroying the main pillars of the state by introducing its own rules, regulations, and constitution.</div><div><br></div><div>“We’ve to make a decision whether we want to see the existence of Bangladesh and the restoration of democracy here. Otherwise, it’ll become a completely regimented authoritarian country like North Korea,” the BNP leader said.</div><div><br></div><div>He said the ongoing 10-point movement is only not an agitation of the BNP or any alliance. \"This movement is a struggle for the survival of all 18 crore people of the country. So, let’s take to the streets to make it a success\"</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul said their party’s 17 leaders and activists have already lost their lives in the movement that began on August 22 last year.</div><div><br></div><div>“Let\'s involve more people with our movement to establish a government and parliament of people through a credible election under a caretaker government and a neutral election commission by ousting the current regime,” he said urging the political parties.</div><div><br></div><div>The 12-party alliance arranged the discussion titled “The Importance and Necessity of the 27-Point Proposal in Building Future Bangladesh” at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU).</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul alleged that a serious scandalous incident took place over the annual elections of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the government broke the election system of the apex court lawyers’ body.</div><div><br></div><div>“The lawyers of the apex court of the country are called officers of the court. Holding the annual election of those who work in that court or cooperate in the judicial system is a tradition and everyone respect it.&nbsp; But what happened yesterday (Wednesday) in that election is a most stigmatised and disgraceful incident for the nation and the judicial system of the country,” he observed.</div><div><br></div><div>He also said the untoward incident over the SCBA election has exposed there is no democracy and the rule of law in Bangladesh. “I also doubt whether there is any government in the country.”</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader said the SCBA polls had long been held in a fair and cordial atmosphere conducted by the lawyers. \"But they (AL) broke this system yesterday (Wednesday). They also broke the election system of the Jatiya Press Club. It means that the Awami League whose only goal now is to completely break the main pillars of the state…they have already broken it. They have introduced their own rules, regulations, constitution.”</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul slammed the government for its plan to reduce the width of the Jamuna River to 6.5 kilometres from 15 kilometres.</div><div><br></div><div>“The Jamuna River has been flowing for thousands of years in our country. Rivers cause problems like floods and inundation…But how will you justify the idea of narrowing this river and a Tk12,000 crore project in this regard?” he said.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader alleged that the government is taking such a project as it has become completely shameless.</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul bemoaned that some intellectuals and professionals speak in support of the current governing system of Awami League and its president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>“They extremely indulge in flattery. I feel bad thinking about for what type of country we had fought (in 1971). Now we scream that we did not want such a country.”</div><div><br></div><div>He said the freedom fighters liberated the country with an aim to establish democracy, ensure freedom of expression, equality, people’s dignity and their right to vote and the rule of law.</div><div><br></div><div>The BNP leader also said people are going through a very tough time due to the unusual hikes in all the essential commodities.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>He said there are two things--terrorism and theft—in Awami League’s body chemistry. “They want to do everything by force and indulge in theft in every case.”</div><div><br></div><div>Fakhrul alleged that Information Minister Hasan Mahmud like Goebbels said BNP is trying to destroy stability and it is preparing for arson violence. “It’s you (AL) who have introduced arson violence in the country…It was you who brought the provisions of the caretaker government by enforcing hartals for 173 days along with the Jamaat-e-Islami and the Jatiya Party,” reports UNB.</div><div><br></div><div>He recalled that the Awami League killed 11 people by setting a bus on fire with gunpowder in the capital during their hartal demanding the introduction of the caretaker government system. “People were beaten to death with oars and logs. They (AL) now say it (caretaker system) is not there in any civilised country.”</div><div><br></div><div>He also said that a caretaker government system is necessary for Bangladesh as those who are now in power are not civilized. They have destroyed the electoral system.\"</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 16:14:08', '2023-03-16 16:14:08');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5818, 5818, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>A high-profile evacuation to the UK of Afghan female footballers fleeing the Taliban included a number of women who were not the top-tier players that it was claimed, a BBC investigation has been told.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Thirty-five women and their families - 130 people in total - were flown to the UK from Pakistan in November 2021.</div><div><br></div><div>Women footballers were seen to be at risk from the Taliban, and some feared they would be punished for participating in a sport the new regime viewed as un-Islamic.</div><div><br></div><div>They were granted visas by the Home Office. However, Newsnight has had access to the list of evacuees that was submitted to the British authorities in order to obtain entry to the UK.</div><div><br></div><div>While the names and other identity details are genuine, the description of the principal applicants as national players or members of a regional team - in some cases - appears to be false.</div><div><br></div><div>The BBC spoke to a number of former Afghan players, coaches and officials who identified 13 individuals who they believed were not members of the teams listed.</div><div><br></div><div>Many of the evacuees were described as members of the Herat Youth Team. But Newsnight tracked down the team\'s former coach, Najibullah Nowroozi, who now works in women\'s football in Italy.</div><div><br></div><div>He says that when he saw the list of people who were evacuated, he wondered if some of them had ever visited the Herat football ground, let alone played for the national team: \"I have seen people in the list who have not even worn a football strip in Herat.\"</div><div><br></div><div>There is resentment among genuine players now living under Taliban rule in Afghanistan, that others appear to have got out with false credentials.</div><div><br></div><div>One, who wishes to remain anonymous, tells Newsnight: \"The Taliban have banned sports for women and girls... we are left behind in Afghanistan with no future. It just makes me feel very neglected and very sad because we are the real players and not some of those that got evacuated.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Sabriah Nawrouzi is a former captain of the Herat Youth Team who was evacuated along with her team-mates Narges Mayeli, Sahar Chamran and Fatemah Baratean.</div><div><br></div><div>She now plays football in the north of England. While staying in a Pakistan hotel en route for the UK, she says she met some women for the first time, who claimed to be part of her team.</div><div><br></div><div>Ms Nawrouzi says that once in England, she had to split the evacuees into two teams, because \"because one team couldn\'t play football\".</div><div><br></div><div>We tried to put the allegations to those football players who our sources claimed were not genuine, but only three responded. They all insisted they were footballers, although two of the women said they had never claimed to be national players.</div><div><br></div><div>The football evacuation took place in the months following the fall of Kabul and was personally championed by Priti Patel, the home secretary at that time.</div><div><br></div><div>The Home Office says the move demonstrated the UK\'s commitment to helping at-risk Afghans resettle in the UK: \"Their love of football put these women and girls at risk from the Taliban. We are proud that members of the Afghan Girls Development Squad and their family members were brought to safety in the UK.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Siu Anne Gill ran the Rokit Foundation charity which was involved in bringing the footballers to the UK. She says the Home Office failed to check the credentials of the women footballers on the flight, relying instead on names provided by former Afghan international player and campaigner Khalida Popal.</div><div><br></div><div>Ms Gill said: \"Khalida Popal personally had been including more names and more names and more names. We asked Khalida, \'Did you check that these are footballers?\' She said \'Yes, they\'re definitely footballers.\'\"</div><div><br></div><div>Ms Popal runs a non-profit organisation called Girl Power which works to empower women through sport. She says she didn\'t knowingly help non-footballers to claim asylum through the scheme, and told us that the Rokit Foundation had also removed and added others to the list.</div><div><br></div><div>Rokit accept that they added some names to the list, and that this was agreed between them and Ms Popal.</div><div><br></div><div>In a statement Ms Popal told Newsnight: \"I categorically deny the allegations directed at me. I have repeatedly provided extensive evidence and explanations about why any suggestion that I had any formal role in verification and/or knowingly misled anyone about the identities of those evacuated is wrong.\"</div><div><br></div><div>A Home Office spokesman says: \"We worked with a number of organisations who identified and referred the group to us, undertaking security checks as part of the process. Should there be evidence that the information provided was incorrect, the Home Office will investigate.\" - BBC</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'Entertainment Desk', '[\"13\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-16 16:30:30', '2023-03-16 16:30:30'),
(5819, 5819, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday paid rich tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, marking his 103rd birth anniversary and the National Children\'s Day-2023.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As part of the state programme, the Premier paid homage by placing a wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu, the greatest Bangalee of all times, in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi Road No. 32 in the capital this morning.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After placing the wreath, she stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of the country\'s founding father.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A smartly turned out contingent drawn from Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force gave an honour guard on the occasion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A munajat was also offered seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of the martyrs of the August 15 carnage.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, flanked by senior Awami League (AL) leaders, Sheikh Hasina, also AL President, placed a wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu on behalf of the party.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Premier later started journey for Tungipara by road after placing wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum on Dhanmondi Road No 32 in the capital.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She will pay rich tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the mausoleum at Tungipara on Bangabandhu\'s 103rd birth anniversary.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The birthday of Bangabandhu is being observed across the country as the National Children\'s Day for many years.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On this day in 1920, Bangabandhu, the vivacious leader of the Bangali nation, the architect of independent Bangladesh and the greatest Bangalee of all times, came off in a respected Muslim family at Tungipara village of Gopalganj sub-division, now district. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-17 05:43:42', '2023-03-17 05:43:42'),
(5820, 5820, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Poland said Thursday it plans to give Ukraine about a dozen MiG-29 fighter jets, which would make it the first NATO member to fulfill Kyiv\'s increasingly urgent requests for warplanes to defend itself against the Russian invasion.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Warsaw will hand over four of the Soviet-made warplanes \"within the next few days,\" President Andrzej Duda said, and the rest needed servicing but would be supplied later. The Polish word he used to describe the total number can mean between 11 and 19.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"They are in the last years of their functioning, but they are in good working condition,\" Duda said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He did not say whether other countries would follow suit, although Slovakia has said it would send its own disused MiGs to Ukraine. Poland also was the first NATO nation to provide Ukraine with German-made Leopard 2 tanks.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Wednesday, Polish government spokesman Piotr Mueller said some other countries also had pledged MiGs to Kyiv, but did not identify them. Both Poland and Slovakia had indicated they were ready to hand over their planes, but only as part of a wider international coalition doing the same.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The government in neighboring NATO member Germany appeared caught off guard by Duda\'s announcement.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"So far, everyone has agreed that it\'s not the time to send fighter jets,\" German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told reporters. \"I don\'t have any confirmation from Poland yet that this has happened.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The White House called Poland\'s move a sovereign decision and lauded the Poles for continuing to \"punch above their weight\" in assisting Kyiv, but it stressed the move would have no bearing on President Joe Biden, who has resisted calls to provide U.S. F-16s to Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"There\'s no change in our view with respect to fighter aircraft at this time,\" White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. \"That is our sovereign decision. That is where we are, other nations can speak to their own\" decisions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The White House said Poland notified the U.S. of its decision to provide MiGs before Duda announced the move.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Before Russia\'s full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine had several dozen MiG-29s it inherited in the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, but it\'s unclear how many remain in service after more than a year of fighting.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The debate over whether to provide non-NATO member Ukraine with fighter jets started last year, but NATO allies expressed concern about escalating the alliance\'s role in the war. The hesitation continued even as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made increasingly vocal pleas for Western supporters to share their warplanes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Duda made the announcement during a joint news conference in Warsaw with the visiting Czech President Petr Pavel.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Duda said Poland\'s air force would replace the planes it gives to Ukraine with South Korea-made FA-50 fighters and American-made F-35s.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Poland has provided Ukraine with crucial support during the war. It is hosting thousands of American troops and has taken in more Ukrainians than any other nation during the refugee exodus sparked by the Russian invasion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The central European nation experienced Russian invasions and occupations for centuries and still fears Russia despite being a NATO member. AP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-17 05:48:50', '2023-03-17 05:48:50'),
(5821, 5821, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, accompanied by his daughter, personally oversaw the recent test-firing of the country\'s most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile, state media images showed Friday.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The launch on Thursday -- Pyongyang\'s second ICBM test this year -- involved a Hwasong-17 missile, the official Korean Central News Agency reported, adding that it was fired in response to \"frantic\" US-South Korea joint military drills.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Photographs in the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper showed Kim watching the black-and-white Hwasong-17 -- dubbed a \"monster missile\" by analysts -- blast off into the sky.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Some of the images showed him watching the launch with his daughter -- never named by state media but identified as his second child Ju Ae by South Korean intelligence.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">State media also released images showing the Earth from space, purportedly taken by a camera mounted on the ICBM.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">KCNA said the launch \"confirmed the war readiness of the ICBM unit\", adding that it \"had no negative impact on the security\" of neighbouring countries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">South Korea had previously said the missile was fired on a lofted trajectory -- up instead of out, typically done to avoid overflying neighbouring countries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Last year, North Korea declared itself an \"irreversible\" nuclear power, and Kim recently called for an \"exponential\" increase in weapons production, including tactical nukes.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Overseeing the Thursday launch, Kim said North Korea would \"react to nuclear weapons with nukes\" and called for \"irreversibly bolstering up the nuclear war deterrent\", according to KCNA.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He also highlighted the country\'s \"rapid response posture... to cope with any armed conflict and war\", KCNA said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- ICBM threat -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In theory, the Hwasong-17 ICBM can reach the continental United States, and with this latest launch, North Korea is trying to emphasise the advanced level of its weaponry, analysts said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"With the photos of the Earth, Pyongyang seems to be trying to show that it can accurately hit any target the regime wants with its ICBM,\" Cheong Seong-chang, a senior fellow at the Sejong Institute, told AFP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The next step will likely be North Korea firing the missile \"at a normal angle\", he said, which would demonstrate it can survive reentry into the atmosphere.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Thursday launch -- Pyongyang\'s third show of force this week -- came as Tokyo and Seoul sought to thaw long-frozen ties to counter an increasingly aggressive North Korea.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol flew to Japan Thursday to meet Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the first such summit in 12 years.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">North Korea fired two cruise missiles from a submarine on Sunday, followed by two short-range ballistic missiles on Thursday, as South Korea and the United States staged major military drills.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The allies have ramped up defence cooperation in the face of growing military and nuclear threats from North Korea, which has conducted a series of increasingly provocative banned weapons tests in recent months.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The fact (that) North Korea has almost normalised ICBM tests over the last year is a concern,\" Joseph Dempsey, a researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, told AFP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Soo Kim, a former CIA Korea analyst, said that Kim\'s regime \"has essentially desensitised the international community to its weapons tests,\" she told AFP.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We\'ve reached a point where an ICBM test draws no greater attention than a short-range missile test,\" she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We\'ll continue to see North Korea advancing and expanding its suite of weapons capabilities in the days to come.\" AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-17 05:55:04', '2023-03-17 05:55:04'),
(5822, 5822, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The nation is celebrating the 103rd birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the National Children\'s Day-2023 in a befitting manner.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;On this day in 1920, Bangabandhu, the vivacious 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 sub-division, now district.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He was the third among four daughters and two sons of his parents - Sheikh Lutfur Rahman and Saira Khatun.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The nation is celebrating the day through extensive programmes with fanfare and gaiety.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;Bangladesh missions abroad have also chalked out elaborate programmes to celebrate the day.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">&nbsp;In observance of the day, President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on Thursday afternoon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The day is a public holiday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Marking the birth anniversary and the National Children\'s Day, the national flag is hoisted atop all buildings of government, semi government, autonomous and private organizations as well educational institutions and Bangladesh missions abroad.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will pay tributes to Father of the Nation by placing wreaths at Bangabandhu\'s mausoleum at Tungipara in Gopalganj.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">To mark the day, a national children\'s rally and a three-day book fair will be organized. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to join the children\'s rally to be organized by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs as the chief guest.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Different political, social and cultural organizations have also drawn elaborate programmes marking the birth anniversary.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television and other private TV channels and radio stations are airing special programmes highlighting the significance of the day in the life of Bangalees. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-17 06:00:14', '2023-03-17 06:00:14'),
(5823, 5823, '<p style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>King Harald V of Norway has appreciated the role of the government of Bangladesh in poverty alleviation and socio-economic development of Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Embassy said Friday.</b></span><br></p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">He made the remark as Mehdi Hasan, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Bangladesh to Norway, presented his credentials to him at the Royal Palace.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Before the day of the presentation of credentials, the ambassador had courtesy meetings with the deputy secretary general, chief of protocol and other high officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">On the day of the presentation of credentials, the ambassador called on Anniken Huitfeldt, minister of foreign affairs in the morning.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Later, the ambassador was escorted to the Royal Palace by transport of the foreign ministry, where the high officials of the Royal Palace greeted the Ambassadors in a simple ceremony and a guard of honour was provided by the military guards.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">Then, the ambassador was received by King Herald V for a formal audience, where he accepted the letter of credence of Mehdi as the new Bangladesh ambassador to Norway.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">The ambassador conveyed the greetings of the president and prime minister of Bangladesh to the king and people of Norway.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">In response, the king conveyed the greetings of the people of Norway to the president and prime minister of Bangladesh.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">He expressed satisfaction with the bilateral relations between the two countries and was curious to know about the development of Bangladesh.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">The ambassador briefed him about the socio-economic development that happened in Bangladesh during the last decades.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">He highlighted the priorities of the Bangladesh government in line with Vision 2041 to become a developed and Smart Bangladesh by 2041.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">The ambassador also highlighted different aspects of the bilateral relationship with a particular focus on trade, investment, IT, technology transfer, climate change, green transition, etc.</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">He also briefed the King about the Rohingya issue in Bangladesh and requested the cooperation of Norway for their safe, sustainable and dignified return to their homeland Myanmar. UNB</p><p style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</p>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-17 06:18:31', '2023-03-17 06:18:31'),
(5824, 5824, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">New Zealand lawmakers and other workers inside the nation\'s Parliament will be banned from having the TikTok app on their government phones, officials said Friday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The ban, which takes effect at the end of the month, follows similar moves in many other countries.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, New Zealand\'s ban will apply only to about 500 people in the parliamentary complex, not to all government workers like bans in the U.S. and Britain. Other New Zealand agencies could decide later to impose their own bans.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Global concern about the app comes after warnings by the FBI and other agencies that TikTok\'s Chinese parent company ByteDance could share TikTok user data — such as browsing history, location and biometric identifiers — with China’s authoritarian government.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said he didn\'t have TikTok on his phone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I\'m not that hip and trendy,” he told reporters.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The New Zealand move came on the advice of government cybersecurity experts, said Parliamentary Service Chief Executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said the app would be removed from all devices with access to the parliamentary network, although officials could make special arrangements for anybody who needed TikTok to perform their democratic duties.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“This decision has been made based on our own experts’ analysis and following discussion with our colleagues across government and internationally,\" Gonzalez-Montero said in a statement. \"Based on this information, the service has determined that the risks are not acceptable in the current New Zealand parliamentary environment.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Hipkins said cybersecurity advice came from New Zealand\'s intelligence agency, the Government Communications Security Bureau. He said New Zealand didn\'t take a blanket approach to all government workers, and it would be up to each department or agency to make cybersecurity decisions. AP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-17 06:25:34', '2023-03-17 06:25:34'),
(5825, 5825, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Dhaka\'s air quality continued to be in the \'unhealthy\' zone this morning (March 17, 2023).</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With an air quality index (AQI) score of 156 at 9.25 am, the capital ranked eighth in the list of world cities with the worst air quality.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">An AQI between 151 and 200 is considered \"unhealthy,\" 201 and 300 \"very unhealthy,\" and 301 to 400 is considered \"hazardous,\" posing serious health risks to residents.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">India’s Delhi, Nepal’s Kathmandu and Myanmar’s Yangon occupied the first, second and third spots in the list, with AQI scores of 215, 178 and 175, respectively.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria pollutants – particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and ozone.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Breathing polluted air has long been recognised as increasing a person\'s chances of developing heart disease, chronic respiratory diseases, lung infections and cancer, according to several studies. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-17 06:30:05', '2023-03-17 06:30:05'),
(5826, 5826, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The death toll from the explosion in a building in busy Science Lab area has increased to five after another person succumed to burn injuries.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Zahoor Ali (52), passed away at 7:20pm yesterday while undergoing treatment at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, a hospital doctor said on Friday.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">With this, the death toll from the March 5 blast in Shirin Mansion on Mirpur Road rose to five.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Zahoor, who was a clerk of Phoenix Insurance Company, had 44 percent burn injuries on his body, said SM Ayub Hossain, resident surgeon of the Institute.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">His village is in Faridpur’s Alfadanga upazila. He lived with his family at Paikpara in Mirpur.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Earlier four people died and 11 others were injured when the three-storey building partially collapsed due to the explosion.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Among the deceased, Tushar and Shafikuzzaman were computer operators, and Abdul Mannan was an office assistant of a company that has its office on the building’s second floor. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-17 08:13:36', '2023-03-17 08:13:36'),
(5827, 5827, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday urged the children to grow as smart citizens following the ideals of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The Father of the Nation Bangabandu sheikh Mujib is no longer with us, but he left his ideals for us to follow,\" she told a National Children\'s Day programme here.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The premier said the country\'s children must grow up with human virtues and groom themselves smartly through sports and physical exercises.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Every child will have to engage in sports and physical exercises, remain neat and clean, obey teachers and guardians, follow these rules, and must have human virtues,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The PM was addressing a discussion and cultural programme at Tungipara in Gopalganj, marking the 103rd birth anniversary of Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the National Children’s Day-2023.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Women and Children Affairs Ministry arranged the programme under the management of Gopalganj district administration. This year the theme of the day is \"Smart Bangladesher Swapne Bangabandhur Janmadin, Shishuder Chokh Somridhir Swapne Rangin (the birthday of Bangabandhu in the dream for Smart Bangladesh, Children need to be engrossed with dream for prosperity).”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The PM asked the children to be sympathetic towards the people with special needs or differently able persons.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Noting the children as the future of the nation, she said her government’s goal is to develop them as the abled citizens of the country.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Quoting from a poem of poet Sukanta Bhattacharya she said her government will build a Bangladesh where no child will go hungry and all will have education and housing in a country suitable for their living.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The PM thanked the Women and Children Affairs Ministry for picking this year\'s theme, adding that her government wants to transform the country into a smart Bangladesh by 2041.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Today’s children will be the smart community in future who will build Bangladesh properly,” she said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Fazilatun Nessa Indira spoke on the occasion, while Women and Children Affairs Secretary Md. Hasanuzzaman Kallol delivered the welcome speech in the function, presided over by a child Sniha Islam.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Dhaka Divisional Commissioner Md. Khalilur Rahman and Gopalganj Deputy Commissioner Kazi Mahbubul Alam were on the stage.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Swapnil Biswas, on behalf of the children also spoke at the event, jointly moderated by two children Rubaba Toha Jaman and A.L. Sharfuddin.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A documentary titled ‘Bangabandhu and Children Rights’ was screened.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the event, the premier unveiled the cover of an illustrated book titled “Shishuder Sheikh Mujib,” which was composed by Director General of Special Security Force (SSF) Major General Md. Majibur Rahman.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Cabinet members, members of parliament, political leaders and high officials were present in the programme.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The district administration arranged a competition among the children under several categories – painting, quiz on Bangabandhu’s books ‘The Unfinished Memoirs’ and ‘the Prison Diaries,’ as well as recitation on the Bagabandhu’s historic 7th march speech on the occasion of the Children Day-2023.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Thirty winners of the competition received crests from the premier.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Besides, 100 insolvent students received Tk 2,500 as financial donation on the occasion of the Bangabandhu’s birthday and the Children’s Day. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-17 08:18:24', '2023-03-17 08:18:24'),
(5828, 5828, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Jatiya Sangsad (JS) Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury on Friday paid rich tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, marking his 103rd birth anniversary and the National Children\'s Day-2023.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She paid homage by placing a wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu, the greatest Bangalee of all times, in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi Road No. 32 in the capital this morning.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After placing the wreath, she stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of the country\'s founding father.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Later, she offered doa seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of Bangabandhu as well as other martyrs of the August 15 carnage. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-17 08:39:35', '2023-03-17 08:39:35'),
(5829, 5829, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Three people, including two high school students, were killed and another was critically injured as a speeding bus crashed into a three-wheeler, locally known as Borak, on the Bhola-Char Fasson road in Doulatkhan upazila on Friday morning, police said.</span><br></b></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The deceased were identified as Rima Akter, 17, Shikha, and Md Abdul Kalam, 55, from Joynahar union of the upazila.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Rima and Shikha were second-year students of Halima Khatun Mahila College.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The accident occurred around 9.15am when the Char Fasson-bound bus of Shyamoli Paribahan hit the three-wheeler in the Uttar Uddin area, killing three people on the spot and leaving the vehicle\'s driver critically injured, Md Jakir Hossain, officer-in-charge of Doulatkhan police station.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The driver was rushed to Bhola Sadar Hospital; he is still not out of the woods.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The bus driver and his assistant were detained in connection with the accident, Jakir said. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-17 08:45:19', '2023-03-17 08:45:19'),
(5830, 5830, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Awami League (AL) General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Friday said the poisonous tree of communal forces must be uprooted for building the \'Sonar Bangla\' of Bangabandhu’s dream.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"The poisonous tree of communal forces must be uprooted from the path of building \'Sonar Bangla\' as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He said this after paying rich tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing wreath at his portrait in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi Road No. 32 here this morning, marking the late leader’s 103rd birth anniversary and the National Children\'s Day 2023.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">About the elections, Quader said Awami League wants the elections to be held as per the constitution and keeping the constitutional provisions intact.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Whenever BNP assumed power, it repeatedly defamed the constitution, he said, adding that Awami League will protect the dignity of the constitution and hold the next election accordingly. BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-17 08:52:41', '2023-03-17 08:52:41'),
(5831, 5831, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Gianni Infantino has been re-elected as president of FIFA until 2027 after standing unopposed at the congress of world football\'s governing body on Thursday.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The 52-year-old Swiss lawyer, who succeeded the disgraced Sepp Blatter in 2016, was waved in for a third term by acclamation, just as he was four years ago, by delegates from the 211 member federations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"To all those who love me, and I know there are so many, and also those who hate me, I know there are a few: I love you all,\" Infantino told delegates in the Rwandan capital, where the voting system did not register the number of dissident voices.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While FIFA statutes currently limit a president to a maximum three four-year terms, Infantino has already prepared the ground to stay until 2031, declaring in December that his first three years at the helm did not count as a full term.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Infantino, who staunchly defended Qatar\'s hosting of last year\'s World Cup as the Gulf state\'s treatment of migrant workers, women and the LGBTQ community came under the spotlight, has overseen the expansion of the men\'s and women\'s World Cups and huge increases in FIFA revenues.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Norwegian Football Federation president Lise Klaveness had said she would not support Infantino and tabled a proposal to discuss at the congress \"FIFA\'s responsibilities to remedy human rights abuses\" in relation to the Qatar World Cup and future tournaments.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Norwegian and Swedish representatives in Kigali displayed their opposition by not joining the delegates who rose to applaud.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On Wednesday, German FA president Bernd Neuendorf said he would not back Infantino, citing a lack of transparency from FIFA and insufficient explanations of \"why certain decisions are made and who was involved in them\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, Infantino\'s opponents were not able to put forward a candidate to stand against the man who was once Michel Platini\'s number two at UEFA.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Infantino himself took aim at media who have criticised him and world football\'s governing body, saying: \"I don\'t understand why some of you are so mean. I don\'t get it.\"</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"Today I was re-elected after receiving more than 200 letters of endorsement, and a standing ovation, so an overwhelming majority has the feeling that I am doing a pretty good job, including in Europe,\" he added.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- \'Inspired\' by Rwanda -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">His re-election followed a long speech in which he triumphantly listed his achievements, alternating smoothly between English, French, Spanish and German.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That was after he told audience members a visit to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, which commemorates the 1994 Rwandan genocide, had inspired him to persist during his first campaign for election in 2016.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"What this country has suffered, how this country came back up, is inspiring to the entire world, so I certainly couldn\'t give up,\" he said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"There is a lot to be looking forward to,\" Infantino added as he turned thoughts to the next four years and declared the 2026 World Cup, the first edition to feature 48 teams, will be \"the most inclusive ever\".</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">- Expanded World Cups -</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">FIFA earlier announced that the tournament in North America will feature 104 matches, a huge increase from 64 at the 2022 World Cup, as it will start with 12 groups of four teams.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The upcoming Women\'s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this year will be the first to feature 32 teams, up from 24 at the last edition.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It will also see overall prize money for participating teams increased to $150 million, up sharply from $50 million in 2019 and a huge rise on the $15 million in 2015.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Infantino is also planning to introduce a new, expanded Club World Cup to be played every four years starting in 2025 and featuring 32 teams.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\"We need more, not fewer, competitions worldwide,\" he told delegates.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Infantino has also announced projected income of $11 billion in the four years to 2026, compared to $7.5 billion over the last four years.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">But he said that figure did not include revenues generated by the Club World Cup, suggesting the final amount will be even greater.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Those improved financial results allow FIFA to keep on increasing the amount of money it provides in subsidies to federations, in turn helping ensure many of them will continue to back Infantino.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In order to make football \"truly global\", as Infantino says, at a time when leading European clubs are able to hoard talent and wealth, FIFA distributes money evenly.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That means the likes of Trinidad and Tobago and Papua New Guinea receive the same amount as Brazil, and each has one vote at the congress. AFP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-17 09:12:19', '2023-03-17 09:12:19');
INSERT INTO `news_details` (`id`, `news_id`, `details`, `ticker`, `representative`, `keyword`, `video_link`, `google_drive_link`, `audio_link`, `shoulder`, `created_at`, `updated_at`) VALUES
(5832, 5832, '<div><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday paid rich tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman here on his 103rd birth anniversary and the National Children\'s Day-2023.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The President and the Prime Minister in person paid their homage by placing wreaths at the mausoleum of Bangabandhu at Tungipara in Gopalganj at about 10:30 am.</div><div><br></div><div>President Hamid first laid a wreath at Bangabandhu\'s mazar followed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.</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 the Father of the Nation.</div><div><br></div><div>A smartly turned out contingent drawn from Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force gave an honour guard 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>President\'s wife Rashida Khanam along with her son Rejwan Ahammad Taufiq, MP, and the Prime Minister along with her family members also separately paid rich tributes to Bangabandhu by pacing floral wreaths.</div><div><br></div><div>Abdul Hamid and Sheikh 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>Cabinet members, PM\'s advisers, parliament members and senior leaders of Bangladesh Awami League were present.</div><div><br></div><div>The President also signed the visitor\'s book kept on the mausoleum premises.</div><div><br></div><div>On his arrival on the mausoleum premises, President Abdul Hamid was received by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.</div><div><br></div><div>The Premier earlier reached Tungipara at 10 in the morning by road. She started journey for 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 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 vivacious leader of the Bangali nation, the architect of independent Bangladesh and the greatest Bangali of all times, came off in a respected Muslim family at Tungipara village of Gopalganj sub-division, now district. - BSS</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-17 10:16:38', '2023-03-17 10:16:38'),
(5833, 5833, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Six people, including four women, died after inhaling smoke following a major fire in a multi-storey commercial complex in Secunderabad here, officials said on Friday.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The six were found in an unconscious condition by firemen on Thursday in a room on the fifth floor of the ‘Swapnalok Complex\' building and were rushed to a state-run hospital, they said.&nbsp; All six were brought dead to the hospital, a doctor said.</div><div><br></div><div>A senior police official said the cause of death would be known after investigation but, most likely, inhaling smoke could be the reason.&nbsp; Legal action would be initiated, the official said.</div><div><br></div><div>Twelve people were rescued from the building using a hydraulic platform and six, who suffered asphyxiation, were admitted to different hospitals, officials said. Some of those, who were trapped inside the building flashed cell phone lights seeking help.</div><div><br></div><div>The victims belong to Warangal, Mahabubabad and Khammam districts of Telangana. They were employed in a marketing company which had an office in the complex, officials said. The deceased were aged under 25 and had joined the company recently.</div><div><br></div><div>According to a witness, the fire started at around 7.30pm in the complex that houses several private offices, garments and electronic shops.</div><div><br></div><div>Ten fire tenders were rushed to the spot as huge flames leapt out from one of floors of the eight-storey building and smoke emanated from the premises earlier.</div><div><br></div><div>The fire was brought under control after midnight on Thursday, another official supervising the rescue operation said. The fire is suspected to have started from the fifth floor of the building and a preliminary investigation suggested short-circuit to be the reason behind the blaze, said the official. Source: PTI&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-17 10:40:40', '2023-03-17 10:40:40'),
(5834, 5834, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">In a madrassa in the Afghan capital, rows of teenage girls rock back and forth reciting verses of the Quran under the watchful eye of a religious scholar.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>The number of Islamic schools has grown across Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, with teenage girls increasingly attending classes after they were banned from secondary schools.</div><div><br></div><div>“We were depressed because we were denied an education,” said 16-year-old Farah, a veil covering her face and hair.</div><div><br></div><div>“It’s then that my family decided I should at least come here. The only open place for us now is a madrassa.”</div><div><br></div><div>Instead of maths and literature, the girls focus on rote-learning the Quran in Arabic — a language most of them don’t understand.</div><div><br></div><div>Those who want to learn the meaning of the verses study separately, where a teacher translates and explains the text in their local language.</div><div><br></div><div>AFP visited three madrassas in Kabul and in the southern city of Kandahar, where scholars said the number of girl students has doubled since last year.</div><div><br></div><div>For Farah, her ambition of becoming a lawyer was dashed when Taliban authorities blocked girls from secondary school — and months later banned women from attending university.</div><div><br></div><div>“Everyone’s dreams are lost,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>Still, Farah — whose real name has been changed to protect her identity like other students AFP interviewed for this story — counts herself lucky in that her parents allowed her to attend classes at all.</div><div><br></div><div>Education deadlock</div><div>The Taliban government adheres to an austere interpretation of Islam.</div><div><br></div><div>Rulings are passed down by the reclusive supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada and his inner circle of religious advisers, who are against education for girls and women, some officials say.</div><div><br></div><div>Akhundzada has ordered hundreds of new madrassas to be built as he establishes his Islamic Emirate based on sharia.</div><div><br></div><div>Authorities in Kabul have given several excuses for the closure of girls’ schools — including the need for segregated classrooms and Islamic uniforms, which were largely already in place.</div><div><br></div><div>The government insists schools will eventually reopen.</div><div><br></div><div>Education is the main sticking point behind a deadlock with the international community, which has condemned the stripping away of freedoms for women and girls.</div><div><br></div><div>No country has recognised the Taliban government, which is battling to keep afloat an economy where more than half the population face starvation, according to aid agencies.</div><div><br></div><div>Hosna, a former university student studying medicine, now teaches at a madrassa in Kandahar, reading verses of the Quran to a class of more than 30 girls who repeat the words back to her.</div><div><br></div><div>“Studying in universities helps to build a future, makes us aware of our rights,” she said. “But there is no future in madrassas. They are studying here because they are helpless.”</div><div><br></div><div>The madrassa, located in an old building, has small classrooms with no electricity.</div><div><br></div><div>Despite the financial constraints faced by the management of the school, dozens of students attend classes for free.</div><div><br></div><div>Friendship and distraction</div><div><br></div><div>The educational value of madrassas is subject to fierce debate, with experts saying they do not provide the necessary skills for gainful employment as adults.</div><div><br></div><div>“Given the present conditions, the need for modern education is a priority,” said Abdul Bari Madani, a scholar who frequently appears on local TV to discuss religious affairs.</div><div><br></div><div>“Efforts need to be taken so that the Islamic world is not left behind… letting go of modern education is like betraying the nation.”</div><div><br></div><div>Around the world, some madrassas have been associated with militancy.</div><div><br></div><div>Many of the Taliban’s leaders were educated at the Darul Uloom Haqqania madrassa in Pakistan, which earned the nickname “University of Jihad”.</div><div><br></div><div>Niamatullah Ulfat, head of Islamic Studies at Kandahar province’s education department, said the government is “thinking day and night on how to increase madrassas”.</div><div><br></div><div>“The idea is that we can bring the new generation of this country into the world with good training, good teachings and good ethics,” he told AFP.</div><div><br></div><div>Yalda, whose father is an engineer and mother was a teacher under the ousted US-backed regime, was top of her class at her old school, but still shines at the madrassa and has memorised the Quran within 15 months.</div><div><br></div><div>“A madrassa cannot help me in becoming a doctor… But it’s still good. It’s good for expanding our religious knowledge,” the 16-year-old said.</div><div><br></div><div>The madrassa, on the outskirts of Kabul, is divided into two blocks – one for girls and the other for boys.</div><div><br></div><div>Still, classes are held at different times to ensure there is no interaction at all between the two genders.</div><div><br></div><div>Several girls told AFP that attending a madrassa does provide some stimulation — and the chance to be with friends.</div><div><br></div><div>“I tell myself that someday the schools might open and my education will resume,” said Sara.</div><div><br></div><div>If not, she is determined to learn one way or the other, reports AFP </div><div><br></div><div>“Now that there are smartphones and the internet… schools are not the only way to get an education,” she added.</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'International Desk', '[\"29\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-17 11:12:25', '2023-03-17 11:14:46'),
(5835, 5835, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Former Australia Test captain Tim Paine retired from cricket with little fanfare on Friday, bowing out after playing an inter-state match in Tasmania.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Paine led Australia between 2018 and 2021 after Steve Smith was stripped of the captaincy in the wake of the \"Sandpaper-gate\" ball-tampering incident against South Africa.</div><div><br></div><div>He skippered the team in 23 Tests -- winning 11, losing eight and drawing four -- and was credited with helping rebuild Australian cricket\'s reputation.</div><div><br></div><div>Paine was forced to stand down after it was revealed he had sent lewd messages to a female colleague in 2017.</div><div><br></div><div>As the scandal took its toll, he stepped away from cricket for the \"foreseeable future\", returning to the game almost a year later in October 2022.</div><div><br></div><div>The wicketkeeper-batsman, 38, played his final first-class game for state side Tasmania in a domestic fixture against Queensland on Friday, walking off through a guard of honour formed by players.</div><div><br></div><div>\"An inspiring captain, one of our finest glovesman and a legend of Tasmanian and Australian cricket,\" the Tasmanian Tigers said in a statement.</div><div><br></div><div>\"Congratulations Tim Paine on a truly wonderful career.\"</div><div><br></div><div>Paine played 35 Tests for Australia, with a top score of 92 and an average of 32.63. He also played 35 ODIs.</div><div><br></div><div>Australia regained the Ashes in England in 2019 under Paine\'s leadership, in what was otherwise a turbulent period for the Test side.</div><div><br></div><div>Current Test skipper Pat Cummins took over from Paine in November 2021, describing him at the time as a \"well-loved and respected figure of our team\". - AFP&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'sports Desk', '[\"20\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-17 11:24:49', '2023-03-17 11:24:49'),
(5836, 5836, '<div><b><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said a smart population is needed to build ‘Smart Bangladesh’, urging the children to be groomed properly with human qualities as today’s children will be the smart community of future Bangladesh.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>“I would like to tell the children that every child will have to engage in sports and physical exercises, remain neat and clean, obey teachers and guardians, follow the rules, and must have human qualities,” she said.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The premier said this while addressing a function here as chief guest marking the 103rd birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the National Children\'s Day-2023.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Mentioning the children as the future of the nation, she said her government’s goal is to develop them as the able citizens of the country.</div><div><br></div><div>“Today’s children will be the smart community in future who will build Bangladesh properly,” she said.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The Prime Minister thanked the Women and Children Affairs Ministry for picking this year’s theme of the day, adding that her government wants to transform the country into ‘Smart Bangladesh’ by 2041.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs arranged the programme with the theme \"Smart Bangladesher Swapne Bangabandhu’r Janmadin, Shishuder Chokh Somridhir Swapne Rangin (The birthday of Bangabandhu in the dream for Smart Bangladesh, Children are dreaming for prosperity)” under the management of Gopalganj district administration.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Fazilatun Nessa Indira, MP, spoke at the ceremony as special guest, while secretary of the ministry Md. Hasanuzzaman Kallol delivered welcome address. Little Swapnil Bishwas also spoke on behalf of the children.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>With children representative Sneha Islam in the chair, two children --Rubaba Toha Zaman and A L Sharfuddin-- conducted the event.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>At the outset, a documentary titled “Bangabandhu and Children Rights”&nbsp; was screened.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>The premier distributed crests among the winners of a painting competition, quiz on Oshomapto Attojiboni (The Unfinished Memoirs) and Karagarer Rojnamcha (The Prison Diaries) as well as the historic 7th March Speech and recitation competition organized by the district administration.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>In the event, she also unveiled the cover of an illustrated book titled “Shishuder Sheikh Mujib (Sheikh Mujib of Children)” composed by Special Security Force (SSF) Director General (DG) Major General Md Majibur Rahman.&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Besides, the best art work selected from a painting competition where special children participated was given to the Prime Minister as memento at the function.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>&nbsp;In addition, 100 insolvent students received Taka 2,500 each as financial donation on the occasion of the Bangabandhu’s birthday and the children’s day.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Cabinet members, members of parliament, political leaders and high officials were present in the programme.</div><div><br></div><div>Dhaka Divisional Commissioner Md. Khalilur Rahman and Gopalganj Deputy Commissioner Kazi Mahbubul Alam were on the stage.</div><div><br></div><div>The Prime Minister said that her government is giving new books to the children so that they can concentrate on studies.</div><div><br></div><div>“In addition to this, we’ve also laid emphasis on computer education as a smart population is required to build a smart Bangladesh and that is why we’ve taken this measure so that children can learn it from their childhood,” she added.</div><div><br></div><div>She further said that they have incorporated computer coding system in the curriculum at the primary level alongside taking the initiative of improving the skill of teachers applying a blending approach.</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;“I will tell our children that we want to build digital Bangladesh and ‘Smart Bangladesh’ by 2041, and today’s children will be the smart population who will build the future Bangladesh,” she continued.</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;Sheikh Hasina said no child will be deprived of the light of education in the ‘Smart Bangladesh’. “In the Smart Bangladesh, no person will be homeless. None will suffer with the hardship of poverty. We will build Bangladesh by fulfilling the basic needs of every human being.”</div><div><br></div><div>“Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is no more among us today, but we have his ideology. We will pull the country ahead following his ideology. The Bangladesh of the future will be a Smart Bangladesh, a prosperous Bangladesh,” she added.</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;The Prime Minister said that all the children have to be imbued human qualities by grooming up properly through sports and physical exercises.</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;She asked the children to be sympathetic towards the persons with special needs or differently able persons.</div><div><br></div><div>“We give them (differently able persons) allowances and separate stipends. Everyone is a part of this society, everyone is the part of this world,” she said.</div><div><br></div><div>The head of government mentioned that Father of the Nation loved children very much and he had high compassion for them, and that is why the government has declared his birthday as the National Children’s Day, considering that children are the future and they would get the chance to develop as perfect citizens of the country. According to BSS reports&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"30\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-17 11:49:35', '2023-03-17 11:49:35'),
(5837, 5837, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">The national cricketers who are in Sylhet to play the three-match ODI series against Ireland celebrated the 103rd birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by cutting a cake at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium today.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">After their training session, ahead of the first match against the Irish on Saturday, all of the players and coaching staff of Bangladesh cut the cake.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The birthday of the Father of the Nation is being celebrated as \'National Children\'s Day\'.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\'Today the nation remembers you with humble respect. In our endless love, you will forever be immortal,’--- was written on the cake.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Happy 103rd Birthday to the Greatest Bengali of All Time, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Your contributions to our nation\'s independence and progress will never be forgotten,” ace allrounder Shakib Al Hasan posted on his facebook.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Fast bowler Taskin Ahmed wrote, \"Happy 103rd birthday to the architect of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman - your vision, courage and unwavering commitment to the Bengali people continue to inspire us today.\" BSS</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-17 12:57:16', '2023-03-17 12:57:16'),
(5838, 5838, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>The nation honors its Father on the occasion of his 103rd birthday, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Born in Tungipara, Gopalganj, on March 17, 1920, he later rose to prominence as the chief architect of Bangladesh\'s independence.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He led the struggle for independence from Pakistan and finally achieved it on December 16, 1971.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangabandhu is the \"Father of the Nation\" - just as a father nurtures and protects his children, Bangabandhu worked tirelessly to protect the rights and dignity of his fellow Bangladeshis.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangabandhu spent his entire life advancing the interests of the Bangladeshi people. He was a bold leader who stood up for the rights of his people and helped create an independent, flourishing Bangladesh. A generation of Bangladeshis was motivated to rebel against tyranny and injustice by his unrelenting dedication to democracy, freedom, and social justice.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He became involved in politics during his student days and joined the All India Muslim Students Federation in 1940. In 1943, he became the joint secretary of the Islamia College Students\' Union in Kolkata and played an active role in organizing student protests against British colonial rule. In 1946, Bangabandhu joined the Bengal Provincial Muslim League and was elected as a member of its Working Committee. In 1949, he became the general secretary of the East Pakistan Awami Muslim League, which later became the Awami League. He was elected as a member of the East Pakistan Legislative Assembly in 1955. His political career saw many ups and downs, but he never lost sight of his goal of securing independence for Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He was a \"beacon of hope\" for the people of Bangladesh - even in the darkest days of oppression and tyranny, Bangabandhu\'s unwavering commitment to freedom and justice shone bright, inspiring millions to rise up against their oppressors.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">As we commemorate his birthday, we recall his well-known address on March 7, 1971, in which he urged his fellow Bangladeshis to rebel against the Pakistani government\'s oppression. He stated: \"The struggle this time is for our emancipation, the struggle this time is for our independence.\" The Bangladesh Liberation War, which finally resulted in the creation of Bangladesh, was sparked by this speech.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangabandhu\'s life story is one of great sacrifice and struggle. From a young age, he was inspired by the idea of a free and independent Bangladesh, and he spent much of his life working towards that goal. He was a vocal advocate for the rights of Bengalis, who were often marginalized and oppressed under the ruling Pakistani government. He was arrested multiple times for his activism, and spent a total of 4,682 days in prison.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 1966, he formed the Six Points demand for greater autonomy for East Pakistan. He led the Awami League to victory in the first general elections in Pakistan in 1970.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On March 26, 1971, Pakistan launched Operation Searchlight, which aimed to suppress the Bengali nationalist movement in East Pakistan. Bangabandhu was arrested and taken to West Pakistan, where he was kept in solitary confinement for months. However, his unwavering determination and leadership inspired the Bengali people to continue their struggle for independence.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangabandhu was a \"fierce lion\" - just as a lion defends its territory and its pride, Bangabandhu fearlessly fought for the rights of his people, even in the face of overwhelming adversity. Despite being imprisoned and persecuted by the Pakistani authorities, he never lost faith in his vision of a free and democratic Bangladesh. He believed that the people of Bangladesh deserved to live in a country that respected their rights and freedoms, and he worked tirelessly to achieve this goal.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangabandhu was not only a great leader but also a writer and a philosopher. His writings and speeches reflected his deep love for his country and his people. His quotation \"I am void and have nothing to offer but love\" is still evergreen in the heart of the people of Bangladesh. It represents the pride and dignity of the Bengali language and culture.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He was a \"guiding light\" for the Bengali people - his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to democracy and social justice lit the way for a new Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangabandhu was a visionary leader who fought tirelessly for the rights of the Bengali people. His political career began in the early 1950s when he joined the Awami League, a political party dedicated to the cause of Bengali nationalism. He quickly rose through the ranks and became the party\'s president in 1966.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Throughout his life, Bangabandhu worked with many international leaders to improve the position of Bangladesh in the world. He played a key role in establishing diplomatic relations with countries like China, Japan, and the United States. He also served as the Chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement from 1973 to 1974, which gave Bangladesh a prominent voice on the global stage.&nbsp;</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangabandhu\'s leadership and vision were recognized by international leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, with whom he signed the historic India-Bangladesh Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Peace on March 19, 1972. He also addressed the United Nations General Assembly on September 25, 1974, and his speech on the need for global peace and cooperation is still remembered today.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In 1972, he worked to establish diplomatic relations with other countries and secure aid for the reconstruction of the war-torn nation. He promulgated the new Constitution of Bangladesh, which established a parliamentary democracy in 1973. He led the Bangladesh delegation to the 29th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he called for the recognition of Bangladesh\'s sovereignty and independence in 1974. In 1975 he led efforts to promote regional cooperation through the establishment of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Despite his achievements, Bangabandhu\'s life was tragically cut short by the assassination on August 15, 1975. However, his legacy lives on and continues to inspire generations of Bangladeshis.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangabandhu\'s legacy is not limited to his contributions to the independence movement. He also played a pivotal role in shaping the new nation of Bangladesh. As the first President and later Prime Minister of Bangladesh, he worked tirelessly to rebuild the country and create a new political, social, and economic order. His policies focused on improving the lives of the people, particularly the poor and disadvantaged.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In his book, \"The Unfinished Memoirs,\" Bangabandhu wrote, \"I have no ambition in this world but one, and that is to be a father to my nation.\" He lived up to this ambition and remains a beloved figure in the hearts of the people of Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">On his 103rd birthday anniversary, Bangladesh pays tribute to Bangabandhu and his contributions to the nation. His vision and leadership continue to inspire generations of Bangladeshis and serve as a reminder of the values that define our nation.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Bangabandhu was not just a man, he was a movement. His name will forever be synonymous with the struggle for freedom, justice, and equality. He was, and will always remain, the heart and soul of Bangladesh.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'Nirodh Kumar Barman', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-17 13:37:43', '2023-03-17 13:37:43'),
(5839, 5839, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Actress Mahia Mahi has been arrested from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital in a case filed under Digital Security Act, say media reports.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Confirming the news on Saturday noon, Gazipur Metropolitan Deputy Commissioner (media) Ibrahim Khan said she (the actress) has been taken to the office of Gazipur Metropolitan Police Commissioner.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Her husband Rakib Sarkar, a businessman, has remained absconding, the police officer said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Sub Inspector of Basan Police Station of Gazipur city Mohammad Rokon Mia filed the case on Friday night.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Early Friday the couple alleged on their Facebook pages that miscreants led by Gazipur Metropolitan Police Commissioner attacked their car showroom to occupy it.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-18 07:58:15', '2023-03-18 07:58:15'),
(5840, 5840, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Chinese President Xi Jinping’s plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow next week highlighted China’s aspirations for a greater role on the world stage. But they also revealed the perils of global diplomacy: Hours after Friday\'s announcement of the trip, an international arrest warrant was issued for Putin on war crimes charges, taking at least some wind out of the sails of China\'s big reveal.</span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The flurry of developments — which followed China\'s brokering of an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran to resume diplomatic relations and its release of what it calls a “peace plan” for Ukraine — came as the Biden administration watches warily Beijing\'s moves to assert itself more forcefully in international affairs.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">U.S. President Joe Biden said Friday he believes the decision by the International Criminal Court in The Hague to charge Putin was “justified.” Speaking to reporters as he left the White House for his Delaware home, he said Putin “clearly committed war crimes.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">While the U.S. does not recognize the court, Biden said it “makes a very strong point” to call out the Russian leader for his actions in ordering the invasion of Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Other U.S. officials privately expressed satisfaction that an international body had agreed with Washington’s assessment that Russia has committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Asked about the Xi-Putin meeting, Biden said, “Well, we’ll see when that meeting takes place.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The Biden administration believes China\'s desire to be seen as a broker for peace between Russia and Ukraine may be viewed more critically now that Putin is officially a war crime suspect, according to two U.S. officials. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the matter publicly, said the administration hopes the warrants will help mobilize heretofore neutral countries to weigh in on the conflict.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A look at the Xi-Putin meeting and how it may be affected by the warrant.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF XI MEETING WITH PUTIN?</div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The visit to Russia will be Xi\'s first foreign trip since being elected to an unprecedented third term as China\'s president. It comes as Beijing and Moscow have intensified ties in steps that began shortly before Russia\'s invasion of Ukraine with a meeting between the two leaders in Beijing during last year\'s Winter Olympics at which they declared a “no limits” partnership.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Since then, China has repeatedly sided with Russia in blocking international action against Moscow for the Ukraine conflict and, U.S. officials say, is considering supplying Russia with weapons to support the war. But it has also tried to cast itself in a more neutral role, offering a peace plan that was essentially ignored.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The meeting in Moscow is likely to see the two sides recommit to their partnership, which both see as critical to countering what they consider undue and undeserved influence exerted by the U.S. and its Western allies.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE ICC ARREST WARRANT ISSUED FOR PUTIN?</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In the immediate term, the ICC\'s warrant for Putin and one of his aides is unlikely to have a major impact on the meeting or China\'s position toward Russia. Neither China nor Russia — nor the United States or Ukraine — has ratified the ICC\'s founding treaty. The U.S., beginning with the Clinton administration, has refused to join the court, fearing that its broad mandate could result in the prosecution of American troops or officials.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">That means that none of the four countries formally recognizes the court\'s jurisdiction or is bound by its orders, although Ukraine has consented to allowing some ICC probes of crimes on its territory and the U.S. has cooperated with ICC investigations.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In addition, it is highly unlikely that Putin would travel to a country that would be bound by obligations to the ICC. If he did, it is questionable whether that country would actually arrest him. There is precedent for those previously indicted, notably former Sudanese President Omar Bashir, to have visited ICC members without being detained.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">However, the stain of the arrest warrant could well work against China and Russia in the court of public opinion and Putin\'s international status may take a hit unless the charges are withdrawn or he is acquitted.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">WHAT IS THE VIEW FROM WASHINGTON?</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">U.S. officials have not minced words when it comes to Xi\'s planned visit to Moscow. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby called Beijing’s push for an immediate cease-fire in Ukraine a “ratification of Russian conquest” and warned that Russians could use a cease-fire to regroup their positions “so that they can restart attacks on Ukraine at a time of their choosing.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We do not believe that this is a step towards a just, durable peace,” he said. Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan this week called on Xi to also speak with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian leader has also expressed interest in talks with Xi.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">WHAT IS THE VIEW FROM KYIV?</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Speaking before the ICC warrant was unveiled, Ukrainian analysts cautioned against falling into a potential trap ahead of the Xi-Putin meeting. “We need to be aware that such peace talks are a trap for Ukraine and its diplomatic corps,” said Yurii Poita, who heads the Asia section at the Kyiv-based New Geopolitics Research Network.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“Under such conditions, these peace talks won’t be directed toward peace,” said Nataliia Butyrska, a Ukrainian analyst on politics related to Eastern Asia. She said the visit reflects not so much China\'s desire for peace but its desire to play a major role in whatever post-conflict settlement may be reached.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“China does not clearly distinguish between who is the aggressor and who is the victim. And when a country begins its peacekeeping activities or at least seeks to help the parties, not distinguishing this will affect objectivity,” Butyrska said. “From my perspective, China seeks to freeze the conflict.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">WHAT IS THE VIEW FROM MOSCOW?</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Even if China stops short of providing military assistance to Russia as the U.S. and its allies fear, Moscow sees Xi\'s visit as a powerful signal of Chinese backing that challenges Western efforts to isolate Russia and deal crippling blows to its economy.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kremlin spokesman Yuri Ushakov noted that Putin and Xi have “very special friendly and trusting personal ties” and hailed Beijing’s peace plan. “We highly appreciate the restrained, well-balanced position of the Chinese leadership on this issue,” Ushakov said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Observers say that despite China’s posturing as a mediator, its refusal to condemn the Russian action leaves no doubt about where Beijing’s sympathy lies.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The Chinese peace plan is a fig leaf to push back against some Western criticism on support for Russia,” said Alexander Gabuev, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “The optics that it creates is that China has a peace plan, both parties of war endorsed it and were ready to explore the opportunities and then it was killed by the hostile West.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">WHAT IS THE VIEW FROM BEIJING?</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Chinese officials have been boasting about their new-found clout in the international arena as their country\'s foreign policy has become increasingly assertive under Xi.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">In announcing the Xi visit, China\'s foreign ministry said Beijing\'s ties with Moscow are a significant world force. “As the world enters a new period of turbulence and change, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and an important power, the significance and influence of China-Russia relations go far beyond the bilateral scope,” it said.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">It called the visit “a journey of friendship, further deepening mutual trust and understanding between China and Russia, and consolidating the political foundation and public opinion foundation of friendship between the two peoples for generations.” AP/UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-18 08:10:17', '2023-03-18 08:10:17'),
(5841, 5841, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><b style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Former President Donald Trump has returned to Facebook after a more than two-year ban.</b><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“I’M BACK!” Trump posted on the site weeks after his personal account was reactivated. Trump, who is running his third campaign for the White House, also shared an old video clip in which he said: “Sorry to keep you waiting. Complicated business.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">He posted the same clip on YouTube, which announced Friday that it, too, was welcoming him back.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Facebook parent Meta had said in January that it would be restoring Trump ’s personal account in the coming weeks, ending the suspension it imposed in the wake of the Jan. 6 insurrection, when Trump\'s supporters violently stormed the U.S. Capitol in a bid to halt the peaceful transition of power.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">His access was restored to Facebook and Instagram on Feb. 9, the company confirmed.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“The public should be able to hear what their politicians are saying — the good, the bad and the ugly — so that they can make informed choices at the ballot box,” Nick Clegg, Meta’s vice president of global affairs, wrote at the time.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">The company also said it would be adding “new guardrails” to ensure there are no “repeat offenders” who violate its rules, even if they are political candidates or world leaders.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Facebook, the world’s largest social media site, had been both a publicly tool and a crucial source of fundraising revenue for both of Trump\'s previous campaigns.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">YouTube, in a tweet, announced earlier Friday that, “Starting today, the Donald J. Trump channel is no longer restricted and can upload new content.”</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">“We carefully evaluated the continued risk of real-world violence, while balancing the chance for voters to hear equally from major national candidates in the run up to an election,” they wrote.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Twitter also reinstated Trump\'s account last year after Elon Musk took over the company, but the former president has thus far chosen not to tweet.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Instead, he has been posting frequently on his own Truth Social site, which he launched after the suspensions.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">A Trump campaign spokesman and Meta representative both declined to comment. AP</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"1\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-18 08:13:55', '2023-03-18 08:13:55'),
(5842, 5842, '<div style=\"text-align: justify; \"><span style=\"font-size: 1rem;\"><b>Two people were killed and at least 20 others were injured as a bus carrying a group of picnic-goers overturned at Manikchari area of Rangamati on Friday evening.</b></span><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">The identities of the two deceased couldn\'t be known immediately.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Of the injured, 4 were admitted to Rangamati Sadar Hospital as their condition was critical. The rest were released after primary treatment.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Locals said that a group of brick kiln workers from Chattogram’s Bhatiari area came to Rangamati this morning. After visiting various tourist spots of Rangamati, the bus was returning to Bhatiari when its driver lost control over the steering and overturned, leaving two dead on the spot and more than 20 injured.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kotwali Police Station Second Officer Md Akhtar said that the accident occurred when a tourist bus, returning to Chattogram, overturned at Manikchari area.</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Two people are buried under the bus at the scene, said the officer, adding that the Fire Service team is working to rescue them. UNB</div><div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><br></div><div style=\"text-align: justify; \">bnbd24/kh</div>', NULL, 'News Desk', '[\"19\"]', NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, '2023-03-18 08:22:56', '2023-03-18 08:22:56');
