D H A K A F R I D AY J U LY 1 0 , 2 0 2 0

COVID TEST
IN KHULNA
Medical college
lab sees backlog
SEE PAGE 12

REGD. NO. DA 781 VOL. XXX NO. 171 ASHAR 26, 1427 BS ZILQAD 18, 1441 HIJRI 16 PAGES PLUS TOGGLE PRICE : TK12.00

A fraudster in Drives on to
arrest Shahed

myriad guises
Immigration police
put on alert; BB orders
freezing his accounts
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
This is how a home ministry letter described
Immigration police have
Shahed 4 years ago, but he kept working been asked to remain
the system to make it big alert so that Regent Group
Chairman Md Shahed, who
PARTHA PRATIM BHATTACHARJEE is accused in a case over
false Covid-19 certificates,
“He is a man of dangerous fraudulent nature.” cannot leave the country.
This is how a home ministry letter back in 2016 “We have received an
described Mohammad Shahed, a person with official letter to bar him
many “identities”. from leaving the country.
The letter, sent to the inspector general of We are acting accordingly,”
police on September 29, read, “Shahed committed said an immigration police
various misdeeds at different times by introducing official at Hazrat Shahjalal
himself as major/lieutenant colonel, former cadet International Airport.
college student and ADC of the then prime minister during 1996-2001.” “All immigration points
The letter also asked the IGP to take action against him, but he somehow have been alerted,” he
managed to get away with it. added.
Recently, Shahed has once again hit the headlines after it was found Lt Col Ashique Billah,
that the capital’s Regent Hospital, owned by him, allegedly issued several director of Rab’s Legal and
thousand fake Covid-19 test reports. Media Wing, said they wrote
Once a close aide to BNP leaders, Shahed made his way in Awami to the investigation officer
League politics. But that’s just a little part of his “identity”. He is the editor to take steps so that Shahed Even a few months ago, the yard of Phulkuri Kindergarten and
and publisher of a daily, according to his accreditation card. Besides, he cannot leave the country. High School in the capital’s Basila used to buzz with children
frequently claimed to be a political analyst, a regular talk-show panelist, a “Drive is on to arrest
playing. But the pandemic has changed everything. The school
retired army officer and a high official of the Prime Minister’s Office. him,” he added.
He also has got a rich collection of photos where he is seen with the Also yesterday,
has remained closed since March, the owner has run out of
president, different past and incumbent ministers, top AL and BNP leaders, Bangladesh Bank asked all money and can no longer pay the teachers and make rent.
top journalists, and high officials of the government and law enforcement banks to freeze the accounts Recently, he has decided to sell the school along with all the
agencies. of Regent Group chairman furniture to repay bank loans. Inset, a notice in this regard next
Shahed also possesses several identity cards, almost all of which are and those of his business to the school gate.
fake, according to law enforcers. establishments for 30 days.
SEE PAGE 2 COL 3 SEE PAGE 2 COL 3 PHOTO: RASHED SHUMON

3,360 1,75,494 2,238 84,544 554,042 12,255,929

New cases in 24hrs Total cases Deaths Recoveries Deaths Total cases

Govt is blamed
MEDICAL SUPPLIES Bangladesh
has to pay
When there is already too much stress due to the pandemic, some
grim reports have added to the nation’s woes. A lawmaker detained
in Kuwait; the country’s ineligibility for Schengen visas; restriction on
MP Shahid
not Kuwaiti
Over Tk 100cr travel to South Korea and Japan, and headlines in Italian media for

embezzled by despite catching

dearly for it wrong reason -- all have come as heartbreaks and also put Bangladesh’s
image at stake abroad. In light of these developments, Foreign Minister citizen
GM Quader tells AK Abdul Momen talks to The Daily Star’s Golam Mortoza on the Says interior ministry
14 contractors the corrupt: PM House about fake challenges the country is facing on the global stage.
of the ME country
Covid-19 reports
DGHS blacklists them
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Deputy leader of the
MP’s arrest abroad DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT
Bangladeshi lawmaker

tainted our image

More than Tk 100 crore was
misappropriated by 14 contractors from
the coffers of various government medical
colleges and hospitals, as per a list sent
out by the Directorate General of Health
Services (DGHS) yesterday.
The 14 contractors were blacklisted by
DGHS towards the end of June, a whole
six months after the Anti-Corruption
Commission (ACC) asked them to do
so. The anti-graft body had submitted an
investigation report piling evidence against
them.
According to the list distributed by
DGHS, a Topkhana-based medical
equipment supplier called Bengal
Scientific and Surgical Company tops
the list with the most amount of money
embezzled.
It embezzled Tk 44.9 million from
Rangpur Medical College Hospital, Tk
16.6 crore from Satkhira Medical College
Hospital in one instance, and a further
SEE PAGE 10 COL 5
Saying that her Shahid Islam Papul is not
opposition and Jatiya Party a Kuwaiti citizen, Kuwait’s
government won’t Chairman GM Quader interior ministry said
tolerate any corruption yesterday told parliament yesterday.
and irregularities, that the nation would have
Prime Minister Sheikh to bear the brunt of Regent Action if Shahid’s role in human trafficking The ministry’s comment
came a day after Prime
Hasina yesterday told Hospital’s Covid-19 test
parliament that action scam as various countries is proved, foreign minister tells Minister Sheikh Hasina
said in parliament that the
would continue against have already banned lawmaker’s seat would be
the corrupt people irrespective of their identities. The Daily Star (TDS): Lawmaker Shahid Islam
Bangladeshis from entering vacated if he was found
While delivering her winding up speech in the shortest has been arrested in Kuwait on charges of human
their territories. to have secured Kuwaiti
ever budget session in the recent history of parliament, she trafficking and money laundering. What steps
“We have been affected citizenship.
said, “Certainly, we will not tolerate these irregularities. We have you taken in this regard?
on a personal level due to “We are talking with the
are taking actions no matter who they are. And our actions AK Abdul Momen (AAM): If the Kuwait
fake certificates of Covid-19 authorities inform us, if we can gather information Kuwait government about
will continue.” test. But Bangladesh as whether he [Papul] is a
Hasina, also Leader of the House, made the statement that he was involved in human trafficking and
a state has been affected money laundering, then we will take legal action citizen of Kuwait or not …
after several opposition lawmakers, including Jatiya Party much more,” he said. we’ll look into it. If he is a
Chairman and Deputy Leader of the Opposition GM against him.
He came up with the TDS: Is there any other way of collecting citizen of Kuwait, then we
Quader, criticised the government for corruption and remarks during the 8th will have to vacate his seat
intelligence, in case Kuwait doesn’t provide the information?
irregularities in the health sector. budget session of 11th because law will take its
AAM: The ACC [Anti-Corruption Commission] has started an
Describing in details of different charity activities parliament yesterday as own course,” Hasina said
investigation. We may get information from there.
carried out by the ruling Awami League and its associate Italy, Japan and South on Wednesday.
TDS: How damaging is this for a country when its lawmaker gets arrested
bodies, Hasina questioned the role of other parties and Korea put restrictions on abroad on such serious charges? Is there anything we can do right now? Kuwait’s General
organisations in helping the people in this tough time. Bangladeshi passengers in AAM: Of course, our image has been tarnished and we have zero Administration of Relations
“There are many political parties, NGOs, and voluntary the last two days. tolerance for such crimes. and Security Media at
SEE PAGE 2 COL 3 SEE PAGE 2 COL 1 SEE PAGE 10 COL 2 SEE PAGE 2 COL 6

Coronavirus CENTRALISED OXYGEN SUPPLY

transmission
on the rise
Show DGHS data; 41
deaths, 3,360 cases
recorded in a day
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
With 3,360 more
coronavirus cases recorded
in the last 24 hours until
yesterday, the country
reached another sad
milestone of 1,75,000
positive cases since the
outbreak began.
Bangladesh remains the
17th worst affected country
in the world in terms of
the number of cases with
1,75,494 confirmed cases.
The position is one step
ahead of France and one step
behind Germany, according
to worldometer.info.
In the last four days,
there was an increase in the
overall rate of infection
On Monday, 19.25
percent of those tested
reported positive for the
virus while the rate rose to
21.49 percent yesterday.
In the past 24 hours
till 2:30pm yesterday,
41 patients died of
Covid-19, taking the tally
to 2,238, according to the
SEE PAGE 2 COL 6
51 more public
hospitals to have
the system soon
TUHIN SHUBHRA ADHIKARY
With the number of Covid-19 cases increasing sharply in
the country, the government is going to set up centralised
oxygen supply system in 50 more public hospitals to
ensure uninterrupted oxygen supply to patients.
According to experts, uninterrupted oxygen supply in
hospitals is a very crucial component in the fight against
the Covid-19 pandemic and it can save many lives.
Officials said the authorities are now installing liquid
oxygen tanks in 23 public hospitals. Besides, the health
ministry last week ordered the Health Engineering
Department (HED) to install central gas pipeline and
liquid oxygen tanks in 21 more public hospitals.
Centralised oxygen supply system would be set up in 30
more public hospitals under a project funded by World Bank
and the plan is now awaiting approval, the officials added.
A total of 22 public hospitals had centralised oxygen
supply system before the Covid-19 hit the country in March.
The system was installed in five more hospitals after the
pandemic started.
Once all the ongoing works are completed, a total of
101 public hospitals would have centralised oxygen supply
system, officials said.
Earlier last month, a health ministry document painted a
grim picture of centralised oxygen supply in public hospitals.
In a letter to the National Electro-Medical Equipment
Maintenance Workshop and Training Centre (NEMEMW
A vessel near a bridge in the Padma in Kathalbari Matbarchar area of Madaripur. No vessel PHOTO: and TC) on June 2, the health ministry said most of the
can go under the bridge now that the water level of the river has risen. The photo was taken ANISUR RAHMAN 39 major public hospitals, including those dedicated to
yesterday. SEE PAGE 2 COL 1
2 NEWS
Stop spread of hatred
against Rohingyas
Activists urge host countries to treat the
refugees humanely amid pandemic
DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT
Rohingya activists have urged the host
countries to stop hatred against them
and treat them as human beings, saying
the refugees, who have fled genocidal
acts in Myanmar, are now facing
higher level of xenophobia amid the
coronavirus pandemic.
Stating that the countries like
Malaysia and Thailand denied accepting
the Rohingyas who tried to reach their
shores in the smugglers’ boats, they said
it was not their choice to take such risky
journeys but grave rights violations back
in Myanmar forced them to do so.
Rohingya activist Sujauddin
Karimuddin from Australia said just two
days back he got a call from a woman
that one of her two kids in Rakhine had
tuberculosis but she had no access to
medical service. To go to the town, she
needed $150 for a travel permit.
When she managed that, the
transport provider demanded double
and triple the normal fare, saying
radical Buddhists could attack the car if
he carried her, he said.
“You see, in the West if I have a
passport, I can travel anywhere in the
world. And in Rakhine, it is so difficult.
That’s why people take whatever means
they can to escape the situation where
they are denied of basic human rights,”
he said.
The observations came at an
eSymposium on “Hunger, Exploitation,
Hate Crime and Xenophobia: Rohingyas
in Land and at Sea” jointly organised by
the Refugee and Migratory Movements
Research Unit (RMMRU) and Free
Rohingya Coalition (FRC).
Sharifah Shakirah, director of
Rohingya Women Development
Network in Malaysia, said Rohigyas
take perilous sea journey for a better life
though they face tortures on the way
and after the arrival. That only proves
how dire situation they face at home.
Rohingyas, who were denied
citizenship in Myanmar since 1982,
faced violations of basic rights and
fled atrocities to Bangladesh and other
countries. They faced the most brutal
crackdown in 2017 when some 750,000
Roingya fled to Bangladesh.
Speakers said with a plethora of
discriminatory rules, famine like
51 more public
FROM PAGE 1
treating novel coronavirus patients,
still do not have a nonstop supply of
oxygen which is essential for treatment
of critical Covid-19 patients.
These hospitals, constructed by
the Public Works Department, have
medical gas pipeline system, but most
of them lack centralised oxygen supply
supported by liquid tanks.
So, they rely on inter-connected
oxygen cylinders. As a result, it is
not possible for them to ensure
uninterrupted oxygen supply to critical
Covid-19 patients who suffer from
severe respiratory problems, health
officials said.
The ministry asked NEMEMW and
TC to ensure liquid oxygen tanks in
those of the 39 major public hospitals
which do not have it on an urgent basis
to activate a centralised oxygen supply
system.
WORKS ON AT 23 HOSPITALS
Following the health ministry’s
directives, NEMEMW and TC, through
its contractors, has already set up liquid
oxygen tanks in three hospitals and
patients of those are getting benefit of
it, said Aminur Rahman, chief technical
manager of NEMEMW and TC.
The three hospitals are Kuwait-
Bangladesh Maitree Government
Hospital, Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical
College Hospital and Kurmitola
General Hospital.
Besides, works for installing liquid
oxygen tanks in 23 more public
hospitals started last month and those
are likely to be completed within this
month, he said.
The hospitals are Faridpur Medical
College Hospital, Syed Nazrul
Islam Medical College Hospital
in Kishoreganj, Shaheed Tajuddin
Ahmed Medical College Hospital in
Gazipur, MAG Osmani Medical College
Hospital in Sylhet, Sheikh Abu Naser
Specialised Hospital in Khulna, 250-
bed general hospitals in Chattogram,
Tangail, Gopalganj, Manikganj,
Jamalpur, Munshiganj, Habiganj,
Bangladesh has to pay
FROM PAGE 1
Earlier On Wednesday, Italian
authorities did not allow 125
Bangladeshi passengers to enter the
country.
Several passengers were tested
positive for Covid-19 after they landed
in different countries, although they
had documents certifying they had
tested negative for the virus, he said.
“Several countries have banned
landing of flights carrying Bangladeshi
passengers in their countries. It can
be said that we are on the verge of
becoming alone in this world,” said the
deputy opposition leader.
He said the health ministry got more
than three and a half months after
the first Covid-19 case was detected
in China, but they didn’t do anything
remarkable during this time to increase
health care facilities and tackle the virus.
He said reducing the death from
coronavirus would have been possible
had the health department taken timely
conditions prevail in northern Rakhine
where Myanmar government continues
to pursue its genocidal policies against
the Rohingya in violation of the explicit
order of the International Court of
Justice to protect the Rohingya.
There are more than 1 million
Rohingyas in Bangladesh, 300,000 in
Saudi Arabia, 150,000 in Malaysia,
30,000 in India and tens of thousands
more scattered across the world.
However, the refugee camps have
very rudimentary facilities and under
the Covid-19 situation available
services have been drastically curtailed.
Most Rohingyas in informal camps
and shanties in urban settings live in
crowded conditions with poor water
and sanitation facilities. All these
make them particularly vulnerable to
Covid-19, they said.
Shakirah said hatred and xenophobia
can never result in anything good, but
love and solidarity can.
“We are the same human being like
you and need basic rights as you enjoy.
Please don’t hate us. We don’t want
to be burden. Allow us to work, study
and stand by us. We will surely return
home,” she said.
Free Rohingya Coalition Coordinator
Nay San Lwin from Germany said
the UN is failing to ensure Rohingya
rights in Bangladesh. The refugees are
somehow surviving, but they have
limited scope for education and work.
The foreign investors in Myanmar
should create pressure if Myanmar
does not stop genocidal policies and
practices against Rohingya in Rakhine
state, he said. “Once the citizenship is
guaranteed, we are repatriated to our
original villages, Rohingya identity is
recognized, we will definitely return to
Rakhine.”
RMMRU Executive Director Prof CR
Abrar said any hatred and xenophobia
must end, including by media, and that
none should be left behind as the UN
works for Sustainable Development
Goals.
He also called for reparation from
Myanmar to the host countries that
are bearing the cost for sheltering
Rohingyas and a strong global stance
to make sure Myanmar enforces ICJ
order to stop Rohingya genocide.
Chapainawabganj, Kushtia, Sherpur,
Bagerhat, Barguna, Chuadanga, Bhola,
Magura, and Nilphamari, 100-bed
Children Hospital in Rangpur, and
Government Employee Hospital in
Dhaka.
MAG Osmani Medical College
Hospital has currently a liquid oxygen
tank with a capacity of 10 kilolitres,
which will be increased to 20 kilolitres.
WORKS FOR 21 MORE TO START
SOON
The health ministry on July 1
directed the Health Engineering
Department (HED) to install central
oxygen line and liquid oxygen tank in
23 public hospitals by following the
Direct Procurement Method.
However, the HED will install the
system in 21 hospitals as works for two
others have already been started by other
government agencies, Abdul Hamid,
superintendent engineer (electrical) of
HED, told The Daily Star yesterday.
“We have already started works
in two hospitals in Narayanganj and
Cumilla. We hope we will be able to
complete installation of centralised
oxygen supply system in seven hospitals
before the Eid-ul-Azha,” Hamid said.
Works in other hospitals will
also start before the Eid, likely to be
celebrated on July 1, but it would take
some more time, he added.
Hamid said setting up a centralised
oxygen supply system costs around Tk
3.25 crore for each 100-bed hospital.
The cost is Tk 4.25 crore for each 250-
bed hospital.
WB TO FINANCE 30 MORE
HOSPITALS
Meanwhile, centralised oxygen
supply system would be installed in
30 more public hospitals under the
Covid-19 Emergency Preparedness
and Response Project funded by World
Bank, health ministry officials said.
“Unicef will implement the project
and the procurement process in this
regard is underway,” a health ministry
official said wishing not to be named.
action.
“The health department was inactive
when they should have played an
active role,” he said, adding that a lack
of coordination in health ministry’s
activities has been evident since the
beginning of the outbreak.
Pointing to the Regent Hospital
scam, GM Quader questioned how a
hospital that didn’t have any facilities
to test Covid-19 and treat Covid-19
patients got approval from the respective
authorities of the health department.
Lambasting Directorate General of
Health Services (DGHS), GM Quader
asked what they did to monitor the
activities of Regent and other hospitals
after giving them permission to test
Covid-19 and treat Covid-19 patients.
“So far, we know, they [the DGHS]
didn’t take any timely actions against
the misdeeds and corruption [of Regent
Hospital] in the name of providing
health services,” he also said.
Maintaining physical distance, people receive rice and other relief materials, distributed by BGB 53 Battalion, in
an area close to the border with India in Chapainawabganj’s Shibganj upazila. The battalion said it has so far
helped 3,107 poor families since the pandemic hit the country. The photo was taken recently. PHOTO: COLLECTED
A fraudster in myriad guises
FROM PAGE 1
Perhaps, his biggest “identity” is that
he is the chairman of Regent Hospital,
which has recently been sealed off
on charges of issuing fake Covid-19
test certificates and illegally collecting
money from coronavirus patients.
According to police sources, Shahed
is involved in various crimes and the
illegal practice at the private hospital
was just the tip of the iceberg.
He is facing around 32 cases,
including for murder, money laundering
and embezzlement of public money. He
has already served in jail for embezzling
money. Most of the cases were filed
under Section 420 of the Penal Code.
The Daily Star repeatedly tried to
contact Shahed for comments, but his
mobile phone was found switched off.
According to Rab sources, initial
investigation revealed that he has
siphoned off a large amount of money
abroad.
The sources said Rab personnel
raided the hospital on Monday based
on intelligence report that the facility
was providing fake Covid-19 certificates
in exchange for money.
Law enforcers had received similar
allegations against him, but no action
was taken apparently due to his close
links with some politicians in power
and top government officials, said the
sources.
Recently, Lt Gen (retd) Chowdhury
Hasan Sarwardy, Bir Bikrom, gave some
interesting information about Shahed
in a Facebook post.
According to the post, Shahed
introduces himself as Major Iftekar
Ahmed Chowdhury, Colonel Iftekar
Ahmed Chowdhury and sometimes as
Major Shahed Karim, but his national
identity card mentions his name as
Shahed Karim.
But now he is using another NID
card with the name of Md Shahed.
Sarwardy mentioned the number of the
card as 269261714575.
Contacted, Sarwardy, who served as
GOC of 9th Infantry Division, director
general of SSF and Ansar and VDP
and director of Army Intelligence, told
The Daily Star that he provided the
information knowingly and confirmed
its veracity.
He, however, advised this newspaper
to conduct its own investigation.
The Daily Star has obtained a copy
of the temporary accreditation card of
Shahed issued by the Press Information
Department. His card number is
6845 and according to it, Shahed is
the Publisher and Editor of The Daily
Natun Kagoj and his national identity
card number is 8650406187.
One of Sarwardy’s posts also referred
to a report published in The Daily
Janakantha on December 11, 2014.
Going through the issue, this
correspondent found a report titled
“Uncertainty looms over 100 SSC
Drives on to arrest Shahed
FROM PAGE 1
Issuing the order, Bangladesh Financial
Intelligence Unit of the BB also sought
information on the accounts of Shahed
and that of the persons or organisations
linked to him, if found any.
Rab on Tuesday night filed a case
against Shahed and 16 staffers of
Regent Group and Regent Hospital
after a mobile court found proof that
the hospital authorities issued fake
Covid-19 certificates and charged
patients for test and treatment, violating
an agreement with the government.
The mobile court led by Executive
Magistrate Sarwoer Alam sealed off
Regent Group head office and two
branches of Regent Hospital in Uttara
and Mirpur.
According to Rab, the hospital
Govt is blamed despite catching the corrupt: PM
FROM PAGE 1
organisations. Who is doing how much
work now?” Hasina asked, adding that
it was easy to criticise the government
and find flaws in the budget staying at
home.
In her around one-hour speech, the
PM said the military dictators polluted
the society by destroying people’s
character for a long to stay their power
after 1975.
“They taught the people how to resort
to corruption, earning black money and
defaulting loans, and overall, they made
the society polluted to be in power after
grasping it illegally.”
Hasina said in the past, people used
to lead their lives maintaining ideology,
but the military dictators destroyed
people’s character for a long time to
make their power unchallenged.
“After coming to power,” Hasina
said, “The Awami League government
has been taking actions against those
involved in corruption and irregularities
irrespective of their political affiliations.
It is not a big matter [for us] who
examinees for unapproved Regent
School & College.”
At a briefing on Wednesday, Rab’s
Intelligence Chief Lt Col Sarwar-Bin-
Quasem also said Shahed was a fraud
and master of bluffs.
“We came to know that he had a
multi-level marketing business where
he embezzled a lot of money from
people. Later, he landed in jail. After
serving two years in jail, he came out in
2011. He didn’t stop. He continued with
his fraudulence,” he added.
Following Rab’s drive, other
information started surfacing.
At Regent’s head office in Uttara, a
room was allocated for Shahed with
many modern facilities, including an
automated door-lock that could only be
opened with a password.
His personal SUV featured a flag
stand, VIP horn and he had multiple
gunmen at all times for his security.
They used walkie-talkies.
According to Rab sources, he had no
permission to use those.
HOW SHAHED ‘MANAGED’
HEALTH MINISTRY
The directorate of health signed a
memorandum of understanding
(MoU) with Regent Hospital to turn
it into a dedicated Covid-19 hospital
on March 21, although the licence of
the facility has not been renewed since
2014.
According to the MoU, the
government would bear all the
treatment costs of Covid-19 patients.
But Regent Hospital charged patients
different fees and also submitted a Tk
1.98 crore bill to the government.
Sources said the health minister
and government high-ups were present
during the MoU signing ceremony.
But now the ministry is asking the
Directorate General of Health Services
(DGHS) to explain as to why the contract
was signed despite the hospital’s licence
had expired in 2014.
According to ministry sources, papers
of Regent Hospitals were not examined
before signing of the MoU, following
recommendations from government
high-ups.
Besides, Shahed had very good
relations with the director general of the
DGHS and top leaders of Swadhinata
Chikitsak Parishad (Swachip), a pro-
AL organisation for doctors, said the
sources.
Shahed’s party position as a member
of the AL’s international affairs sub-
committee helped him “manage” the
health ministry to pick his hospital as
a dedicated Covid-19 treatment facility,
according to multiple sources.
Asked why the health directorate
signed an MoU with a hospital that has
no proper documents, Aminul Hasan,
director of hospitals and clinics at the
DGHS, said, “We did it after ministry
high-ups asked me to allow Regent
authorities so far issued more than
10,000 Covid-19 test reports.
Around 4,200 of the samples were
tested in different government labs.
They threw away rest, prepared fake
reports and gave those to patients
without testing.
The hospital authorities took Tk
3,500 for each test, meaning they
embezzled more than Tk 3.5 crore,
despite having agreement with the
government to conduct tests and
provide Covid-19 treatment for free,
said Executive Magistrate Sarwoer Alam.
Meanwhile, the Directorate General
of Health Services, which reached a deal
with Regent for Covid-19 treatment
though its licence expired in 2014
and was never renewed, has asked the
hospital authorities to shut down its
belongs to what party.”
The PM said, “We caught the corrupt
people and thieves.”
The government is being blamed
despite catching the corrupt, Hasina
said.
“In the past, corruption turned
into policy and irregularities turned
into rules. But after assuming power,
the Awami League government has
been making an effort to make these
irregularities corrected and this effort
will continue,” Hasina said amid
thumping of desks by the treasury
bench lawmakers.
BUDGET
About the national budget for fiscal
2020-21, the PM said, “We know there is
a question whether we can implement
the budget fully because of this
coronavirus …. If the situation turns
good soon, we’ll be able to implement
it. If this situation continues throughout
the world, we may not reach our target,
but we placed the budget so that our
economic activities continue.”
She added that the government could
DHAKA FRIDAY JULY 10, 2020, ASHAR 26, 1427 BS
Hospital. We just executed the order.”
Prof Abul Kalam Azad, director
general of the DGHS, declined to
comment. “I have stopped talking to
journalists directly. We have assigned
two of our officials to talk to journalists,”
he told this newspaper on Wednesday
evening.
Although Shahed boast of being a
member of the AL’s international affairs
sub-committee during television talk-
shows, party leaders are now denying
his links with it.
At a press briefing at his office
yesterday, Information Minister Hasan
Mahmud, also the joint general
secretary of the ruling AL, said, “I use
to visit our party office regularly. I don’t
know about his membership at any
sub-committee of the Awami League.”
Talking to The Daily Star, AL Joint
General Secretary AFM Bahauddin
Nasim said Shahed has no involvement
with the party. “Shahed doesn’t hold
any executive posts of any committees
-- from central to grassroots level.”
This newspaper has, however,
obtained a copy of the list of the
committee members. The committee is
headed by ex-ambassador Muhammad
Jamir. Shahed’s name is mentioned
there.
Contacted, AL leader and Bangladesh
Medical Association (BMA) President
Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin termed the
MoU with Regent Hospital “shameful”.
“It was not ethical and the health
ministry can’t make such deals with any
hospital without checking documents.
The health ministry can’t do it,” he said,
adding that the image of the party and
the government was being tarnished
due to such activities.
Referring to the presence of Swachip
leaders at the signing ceremony,
Jalal said they could not avoid their
responsibility.
Former AL heath affairs secretary
Badiuzzaman Bhuiyan said checking
documents thoroughly was mandatory
before signing any agreement.
“I don’t know why the agreement
was made without a proper scanning on
such a sensitive issue,” he said.
Without naming anyone,
Badiuzzaman said, “The presence of a
third party during a government’s MoU
signing ceremony naturally raises some
questions.”
Our Satkhira correspondent adds:
Shahed was born to Sirajul Karim and
Safia Karim in Kaman Nagar area of the
district headquarters.
Safia was the former general secretary
of Mohila Awami League, the women’s
wing of the AL, in the district. Shahed
studied in Satkhira up to class nine
before moving to Dhaka where he
passed SSC from Rifles Public School
and College.
They had a shop in Satkhira, but the
family permanently moved to Dhaka
after Safia died.
branches immediately.
MORE ARREST
Rab yesterday arrested Shahed’s associate
Tariqul Islam Shibli from Nakhalpara
and seized some documents this
morning, said Sujoy Sarker, assistant
director of Rab’s Legal and Media wing.
With Tariqul, Rab so far arrested nine
persons in this connection. Seven of the
eight others, who are Regent Hospitals
staffers arrested during a drive on
Monday, have been placed on a five-day
remand. One arrestee is underage.
Lt Col Ashique Billah of Rab said
they also had picked up Shahed’s
brother-in-law on Wednesday night
for questioning. “As he was not found
involved with the Regent hospitals
and the Covid-19 certificate scam, we
released him [yesterday].”
place the budget when many developed
countries failed amid the outbreak of
Covid-19 pandemic.
JUTE MILLS
Pointing to the shutdown of state-
run jute mills, Hasina said those mills
would be reopened after modernising
them to catch the international market
of jute as the existing machinery of the
mills was old.
“It was not possible to make profits
running these old mills set up in 1960s
and 1970s. An industry cannot run
where the government have to pay
salaries of 25,000 permanent workers
and other temporary workers for years,”
she added.
The PM said her government
allocated Tk 5,000 crore to pay the dues
of the jute mill workers.
“The workers will be given 50 percent
of their dues in cash, while the rest will
be paid as saving certificate so that they
can get a handsome amount of money
from the interest [of the certificates] in
every three months,” she said.
The PM said the interested workers
FAKE COVID REPORT
Private clinic owner
held in Pabna
OUR CORRESPONDENT, Pabna
Less than a day after the Regent
Hospital’s scam of came to surface,
law enforcers on Wednesday arrested
the owner of a private clinic in Pabna’s
Ishwardi upazila on charge of issuing
fake Covid-19 certificates.
A Pabna court yesterday sent Abdul
Wahab Rana, owner of Rooppur
Medicare Clinic, to jail.
Earlier, acting on a tip-off, police
arrested him from the clinic and
recovered several fake test reports.
The clinic started collecting samples
from suspected Covid patients after
Eid-ul-Fitr holiday as the demand for
coronavirus testing suddenly surged
in the area, saidSheikh Nasir Uddin,
officer-in-charge of Ishwardi Police
Station.
It is because the authorities of
nearby Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant
made Covid-19 test mandatory for
their workers and staffers before
joining work, he said.
“They used to provide reports with a
signature of one Abu Sayeed, chairman
of Brammanbaria Medical College and
Hospital,” OC Nasir said.
The Daily Star could not
independently verify if the signature
was faked too.
MP Shahid
FROM PAGE 1
the Ministry of Interior said it was
circulated in some social media that the
Bangladeshi accused obtained Kuwaiti
citizenship, knowing that he resides
in the country according to the Aliens
Residence Law.
“What was circulated about obtaining
Kuwaiti citizenship [by Shahid Islam
Papul] is incorrect,” it said.
The administration called on all
media outlets to be accurate in running
news, saying that its doors are open
round-the-clock to respond to any
enquiries related to security affairs.
Shahid, lawmaker from Laxmipur-2,
is the managing director and chief
executive officer of Marafie Kuwaitia
Group. He was arrested by Kuwaiti
CID on June 6 on charges of human
trafficking, money laundering, and
bribery.
During quizzing by Kuwait’s Public
Prosecution, he confessed to bribing
Kuwaiti officials millions of dollars for
getting job contracts for foreign workers,
mostly Bangladeshis.
Workers alleged they had to pay
Tk 7-9 lakh each for jobs in Kuwait,
but were paid lower than that was
contracted for and even left jobless.
Some Kuwaiti officials have also been
detained in connection with the case.
Coronavirus
FROM PAGE 1
Directorate General of Health Services
(DGHS).
During this time, some 15,632
samples were tested in the 74 labs
across the country.
Since January 21, a total of 9,04,784
samples were tested for the virus.
Of them, 19.40 percent were tested
positive.
Of all confirmed cases, 48.17
percent have recovered, including
yesterday’s 3,706 positive cases,
while around 1.28 percent died as of
yesterday.
Of all deceased, 1,770 (79.09) were
males and 468 (20.91 percent) were
females.
Of the yesterday’s deceased, 29
were males and 12 were females while
38 of them died in hospitals and three
died in their homes.
Fourteen of them were from
Chattogram, six from Khulna, two
from Rajshahi, two from Mymensingh,
two from Sylhet and three were from
Rangpur division.
Of all deceased, more than 50
percent were from Dhaka division.
One of the yesterday’s deceased
was aged under 10 years while one
was between 11 and 20, two between
31 and 40, three between 41 and 50,
11 between 51 and 60, 12 between 61
and 70, nine within 71 and 80 and
two were between 81 and 90 years old.
Of all deceased, 44.19 percent were
above 60 years old and 29.04 percent
were aged between 51 and 60.
A total of 536 patients were released
from these hospitals in the 24 hours
before yesterday and 879 people were
put under isolation during this period.
would be given training on the latest
technology so that the skilled workers
could get jobs when the jute mills
would be reopened.
Jute products are an alternative to
getting relief from synthetic products
to prevent environment pollution, she
said.
“We’ve taken this step [modernising
the mills] so that we can catch the
international market of jute,” added
Hasina.
SOCIAL SAFETY NET
Mentioning that many people lost
their jobs due to the pandemic, Hasina
said her government would increase the
humanitarian assistance and expand
the coverage of the social safety net
programmes.
She added that the government
announced 19 stimulus packages
so that every people could continue
running their economic activities.
The PM urged all to follow the health
guidelines properly and do not get
panicked.
DHAKA FRIDAY JULY 10, 2020, ASHAR 26, 1427 BS
House session
prorogued due
to Covid-19
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
The budget and eighth
session of 11th parliament
was prorogued yesterday
due to the pandemic.
With only nine working
days, this was the shortest
parliament session in
recent history.
The shortest ever budget
session was prorogued
around 1:30pm, in
presence of Speaker Shirin
Sharmin Chaudhury.
Of the nine sittings, only
two days were allotted for
holding discussions on the
new budget. Discussions
on supplementary budget
for 2019-20 fiscal were held
only for one day.
Finance Minister AHM
Mustafa Kamal placed the
Tk 5,68,000 crore national
budget on June 11, while
the budget session began
on June 10.
According to the
parliament secretariat, 16
MPs -- 10 from Awami
League, three from Jatiya
Party and one each from
BNP, Jatiya Samajtantrik
Dal and Workers Party
-- took part in the budget
discussions.
A total of 5.18 hours
of discussions were had
on the new budget. In
recent years, 50-55 hours
SEE PAGE 4
CITY 3
CREDIT CARD FRAUD
Four members of
‘int’l gang’ held
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Cyber police teams of Criminal Investigation Department
(CID) have arrested 22 alleged frauds including 16
Nigerian nationals, in connection with two fraudulent
activities.
Four of the arrestees are members of an international
gang who have been using international credit cards of
foreigners to purchase different items in Bangladesh from
various online shopping sites, officials said.
“This is for the first time we have got hold of such a
fraud gang in Bangladesh that has members in different
countries,” CID’s Deputy Inspector General Shah Alam
told The Daily Star yesterday.
“Our investigation reveals that the arrested gang
members have so far used over 100 international credit
cards of different foreign countries like Brazil and Germany.
In some cases they were not successful,” CID’s Additional
Special Superintendent Kamrul Ahsan said.
He said through their members abroad, the frauds
received PIN and other necessary information of the
cards and used many of those for online shopping in
Bangladesh.
“We are still investigating how they managed the PIN
and other confidential information of those international
credit cards,” he said.
As the card holders received message that their cards
were used in purchasing items from a Bangladeshi online
grocery and food products provider, they informed the
shopping site, which lodged a compliant with police, he
added.
DIG Shah Alam said they started an investigation
receiving a complaint from the well-known product
delivery service, and arrested the four fraudsters from
Mirpur and Mohammadpur on July 6.
Motorbikes stand crowded at a red light in the capital’s Bijoy Sarani intersection, with little care for social distancing. Although two- They are: Mizanur Rahman (22), Rehanur Hasan Rashed
wheeled ridesharing services have remained suspended since the Covid-19 outbreak due to health concerns, most riders are seen (20), Anwar Parvez (22), and Al-Amin (22).
carrying a pillion passenger. The photo was taken yesterday. PHOTO: PRABIR DAS SEE PAGE 4

LURING JOB SEEKERS TO VIETNAM CORRUPTION IN MASK, PPE PROCUREMENT

Rab identifies 6 recruiting agencies Motazzerul Mithu skips ACC

STAFF CORRESPONDENT
All 11 recent Vietnam returnees to
Bangladesh, who were trafficked
by some unscrupulous recruiting
agencies with a promise of attractive
jobs, had permit cards from the
Bureau of Manpower Employment
and Training (BMET) which
showed them as entrepreneurs.
Once taken to Vietnam on
DN (Doanh Nghiep -- Business)
visa, Bangladeshi brokers there
seized their passports. Instead of
any permanent job contract, they
were offered menial jobs for short
periods. Some didn’t even get any.
Frustration gripped the job
seekers as they soon found out that
all their invested money was gone.
A job seeker died there and as
buried without any help from the
recruiting agency.
The Rapid Action Battalion (Rab)
came up with this information
after arresting three directors of
two recruiting agencies from the
capital’s Paltan area on Wednesday.
The arrestees are -- Jamal Uddin
alias Sohag (34), Kamal Hossain
(39) and Jamal Hossain (37).
Rab also seized 254 passports
from these two agencies, Lt Col
Rakibul Hasan, commanding
officer (CO) of Rab-3, told a press
briefing yesterday, held at Rab
media centre in Karwan Bazar.
Rab identified six such recruiting
agencies in Dhaka, who were
involved in illegally sending people
to Vietnam.
Those are -- Mash Career Service,
JK Overseas Limited, Advent
Overseas Limited, Sandhani
Overseas Limited, and Al Noman
Human Resource Limited.
After interrogation, Rab got
names of eight Bangladeshi brokers
in Vietnam, who are involved in
such illegal activities. They are
-- Abdul Jabbar, Mostafa, Golam
Azam Sumon, Kalpana, Azmeer,
Milon, Shovon and Atik.
Eleven Bangladeshi job seekers
returned from Vietnam on July
3. Meanwhile, 27 more are still
passing days in uncertainty, Rab
said.
In primary interrogation,
the arrestees told Rab that the
Bangladeshi brokers informed
them there is opportunity to work
in Vietnam as entrepreneurs.
They charged Tk 4-5 lakh from a
job seeker and promised jobs with
monthly salary of Tk 40,000-50,000
working in different companies,
especially in mobile phone sector.
Once agreed, they managed “offer
letters” from Bangladeshi brokers
in Vietnam.
DN visa is issued to foreigners
who come to work with companies
in Vietnam. The duration of DN
visa is no longer than 12 months.
Rab said the job seekers need to
have USD 2,000 on them to enter
Vietnam with such visa.
“Nine out of 11 Vietnam
returnees managed the BMET smart
cards as entrepreneurs. There was
no information about two other
cards in BMET registration,” the
Rab CO said, adding that they are
looking into the matter.
The Rab official said Bangladeshi
brokers seized the job seekers’
passports at the airport in Vietnam.
SEE PAGE 4
quizzing on health grounds
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Dhaka Central International Medical
College and Hospital Chairman Motazzerul
Islam Mithu, who allegedly committed
corruption in mask and PPE procurement,
yesterday skipped interrogation by Anti-
Corruption Commission on health ground.
Moreover, Motazzerul, also owner of
Lexicon Merchandize and Technocrat,
sent a letter through his lawyer to the anti-
graft watchdog where he claimed himself
innocent, said ACC Public Relations Officer
Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya.
The commission, however, did not
accept his claim, confirmed the PRO.
Meanwhile, ACC Director Mir Md
Zainul Abedin Shebly quizzed Meditech
Imaging Director Humayun Kabir over
the allegations of supplying poor quality
masks, PPE and other medical equipment,
needed to fight against deadly coronavirus,
said Pranab.
On Wednesday, ACC quizzed JMI
Hospital Requisite Manufacturing Ltd
Chairman Abdur Razzak and coordinator
(medical team) of Toma Construction Ltd
Motiur Rahman over the same allegations.
On July 1, ACC summoned Razzak,
Motiur, Motazzerul, Humayun and
chairman of Elan Corporation Aminul
Islam Amin for interrogation.
Aminul, already accused in a case filed by
Directorate General of Drug Administration
(DGDA) for importing “substandard” KN-
95 masks, did not appear before ACC on
the ground of ailment.
Earlier, ACC sources said they were cross-
checking the alleged persons’ statements
and documents.
SEE PAGE 4

VIRTUAL COURT FUNCTIONS

Training for lawyers
to start on July 12
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
The public prosecutors, government
pleaders and individual lawyers across the
country will be provided training about
the technical and information technology
in order to increase their competence in
moving cases before the courts through
virtual system.
The law ministry has arranged the
training programme to start from July 12
to August 24 through video conferencing
in association with German Development
Organisation.
Local and foreign experts will conduct
PHOTO: AMRAN HOSSAIN
Bangladeshi workers not
being paid in Maldives
Envoy in discussion with their govt
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Many Bangladeshi migrant workers in Maldives have not been paid their
due wages and allowances by their companies and employers, Bangladesh
High Commissioner in Maldives M Nazmul Hassan said yesterday.
“We came to know many companies or employers have kept you [migrant
workers] unpaid. We have been discussing the matter with the Maldivian
government regularly, and they are sincerely trying to resolve it,” he said.
In a video message, the high commissioner urged Bangladeshi workers
in the archipelago to not turn violent and get involved in vandalism but
resolve the problem in a peaceful manner through discussion with their
employers.
The message was posted on the high commission’s social media page.

the training programme, law ministry
Public Relations Officer Md Rezaul Karim
told The Daily Star.
Law Minister Anisul Huq will inaugurate
the programme on July 12 when lawyers
including the public prosecutors and
government pleaders from Brahmanbaria
and Narsingdi will receive the training.
Then the lawyers from other districts of
the country will gradually be given training
Passers-by gather around the streetside stalls at Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital yesterday, looking for a on the same issue, a law ministry press
bargain. The hawkers recently reopened their stalls occupying a part of the road, after a long closure. release said yesterday.
An economic recession resulting from the coronavirus pandemic has
been prevailing across the globe and Maldives is not an exception, he said.
The economy of Maldives largely depends on the tourism sector. That
is why coronavirus’ impact on its economy has created an even bigger
crisis, he said, adding that Bangladeshi migrant workers have remained
unpaid amid this.
Hassan said the Maldivian government has been arranging two chartered
flights each week to repatriate undocumented Bangladeshi workers.
However, besides undocumented workers, many of the regular
or documented Bangladeshi workers have also applied via the high
commission’s social media page for repatriation, he said.
SEE PAGE 4

Road crashes kill 2

STAR REPORT
Two people were killed in road accidents in
two districts during the last two days.
A doctor was killed in a collision
between a motorcycle he was riding and a
battery-run auto-rickshaw on Lalmonirhat-
Burimari highway at Burirbazar in Aditmari
upazila yesterday, our Lalmonirhat
correspondent reports.
The deceased was identified as Dr AFM
Holam Ambiya Adil, said police.
He was on his way home in Khatapara
village from Rangpur on a motorcycle
around 3:30pm. The auto-rickshaw was
coming from the opposite direction, said
Aditmari Police Station OC Saiful Islam.
Adil was declared dead at Aditmari
Upazila Health Complex, said a duty doctor.
Dr Adil, who was working at Aditmari
Upazila Health Complex as a medical
officer, was transferred to Dhaka Medical
College Hospital one and a half years ago,
said his family and Dr Nurul Amin.
A labourer of a tractor died when the
vehicle ran him over after he fell off it at
Madhabbati village in Birol upazila on
Wednesday night, said police.
The deceased was identified as Faruk
Hossain (14), son of Aynal Hossain from
Chandamari village in Birol, reports our
Dinajpur correspondent.
US embassy provides
PPE to police
DIPLOMATIC CORRESPNDENT
The US embassy has provided essential personal protective equipment
(PPE) to Bangladesh Police as part of continued US support for
Bangladesh’s Covid-19 response efforts. Ambassador Earl Miller and
embassy representatives of the US Military’s Indo-Pacific Command
handed over the equipment to Bangladesh’s Inspector General of Police
Benazir Ahmed on Wednesday.
The donated PPE includes 4,000 KN95 surgical masks, 3,200 bottles
(200-milliliter) of hand sanitiser, 4,000 pairs of surgical gloves, 550 pounds
of powdered bleach, 22 disinfectant backpack sprayers, 700 face shields,
and 25 infrared thermometers, says a US embassy statement yesterday.
All the equipment were purchased locally from Bangladeshi companies.
The statement said police efforts have played a key role in Bangladesh’s
Covid-19 response, supporting the public and health ministry initiatives
throughout the country.
To date, the US, through the Department of State and USAID alone, has
provided over $43.4 million in aid to combat Covid-19 in Bangladesh.
The US embassy in Dhaka is providing assistance to organisations
throughout Bangladesh, building on more than $1 billion in health
assistance provided to Bangladesh over the past 20 years.
“This funding emphasises the long-term US commitment to helping
ensure access for all people in Bangladesh to quality, lifesaving healthcare,”
the embassy statement said.
Bangladesh’s police, and other first responders, together with healthcare
workers, customs officials, people who work in grocery stores and
pharmacies, journalists, and volunteer organisations perform remarkable Rickshaws are not supposed to be on the Postogola bridge, but there’s little regard for these rules as tens of
acts of service every day, it said, adding, “They are genuine heroes.” rickshaws remain parked in a row on the bridge. The photo was taken yesterday. PHOTO: AMRAN HOSSAIN
4 CITY DHAKA FRIDAY JULY 10, 2020, ASHAR 26, 1427 BS

Sacrificial animals No decision

on automatic
won’t be imported promotion of
students
this year: minister Says edu ministry
UNB, Dhaka
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim yesterday
said the government won’t allow import of sacrificial The Ministy of Education
animals on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha. has not taken any decision
“Under no circumstance, the government will allow to automatically promote
bringing cattle from abroad this year,” he said while students to further their
addressing an online meeting on ensuring the supply and education to the next grade.
“Many media houses
sale of healthy cattle at cattle markets.The minister noted
are carrying report that the
that the government will take all necessary measures to
ministry has decided to give
ensure the animals are sacrificed properly. “With a view
students auto promotion
to protecting the environment, all necessary arrangements
without holding any exams
will be made for marketing and selling of sacrificial animals
for different classes,” the
in a healthy way during Eid-ul-Azha,” the minister said. ministry’s public relation
He cautioned all to abide by health guidelines at cattle officer Mohammad Abul
markets and urged to discharge duties with responsibility. Khair said yesterday.
Recalling experience, Rezaul said, “We want no incident “This is a baseless
of extortion to happen this year. If animals are sold from rumour,” he said. “The
farms, the lessee won’t be allowed to collect tolls.” ministry has not taken any
He also assured that there is an adequate supply of decision regarding auto
sacrificial animals. promotion.”
According to the Department of Livestock Services, there In the wake of
is stock of 1.18 crore sacrificial animals this year, he said. coronavirus outbreak, all
The minister mentioned that 1,200 medical teams will educational institutions
work at the cattle markets to prevent sale of sick cattle and have remained closed since
monitoring teams will be formed in coordination with the March 17. The closure had
officials of the ministry. been extended till August 6.
He said the authorities are trying to focus on arranging Educational activities
online markets due to the coronavirus situation. of four crore students are
Fisheries and Livestock Secretary Raunak Mahmud, being hampered due to
Additional Secretary Kazi Wasi Uddin, Director General of the pandemic. as HSC
the Department of Livestock Services Abdul Jabbar Sikder, examinations have been
among others, participated in the event. deferred indefinitely.
Man held with
gold bars in Ctg
STAFF CORRESPONDENT, CTG
Police arrested a suspected
smuggler in possession of
three gold bars weighing
around 65 bhori worth Tk
33.3 lakh from a Chattogram
Railway Station platform
early Wednesday night.
The arrestee is Kanak
Chandra Banik (40).
Officer-in-Charge of
Chattogram Railway Station
Mustafizur Rahman said,
“Kanak is a gold smuggler.
He was on his way to Feni
to smuggle the gold across
the border.”
“Detecting suspicious
behaviour, police
challenged and held him
from platform number
eight of the station,” the
official said.
“On information,
senior officers of the force
rushed to the spot and later
recovered three melted gold
bars from his possession
which were concealed in his
legs with anklets,” added
OC Mustafizur.
“During primary
investigation, we came to
know that the gold was
melted at Hazari Lane area,”
Failing to find a proper fishing net, two children try their best to he said.
catch fish using a mosquito net beside Kirtankhola river at Barishal’s PHOTO: TITU DAS A case was filed in this
Muktijoddha Park area. This photo was taken yesterday. connection, said police.

House
FROM PAGE 3
of budget discussions were
the average.
In the supplementary
budget discussion, six MPs
participated.
Among other matters, 16
bills were placed and only
five of them were passed
in this session. Besides, 12
notices were received under
Section-71 of parliament
rules of procedure.
Some 26 questions were
for the prime minister; she
answered 11 of them in the
eighth session.
To follow health
guidelines, fewer MPs
could attend the session.
Senior lawmakers and MPs
from outside the capital
were discouraged to attend.
Minimum number of
staffers and officials of the
parliament secretariat were
asked to be present at Jatiya
Sangsad Bhaban.
Media were also
requested to not be
physically present to cover
the session and follow the
live coverage on Sangsad
Television.
BB governor’s age
limit now 67
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
A bill titled “The Bangladesh Bank (Amendment) Bill, 2020”
was passed in Parliament yesterday aimed at extending the
age limit of the governor of the central bank to 67 years.
Planning Minister MA Mannan placed the bill at House
in the absence of Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal
and it was passed by voice vote.Currently, the age limit
for the central bank governor is 65 years, according to
Bangladesh Bank Order 1972.
Several lawmakers of opposition Jatiya Party and BNP
opposed the bill, saying the bill aimed to give personal
benefits to a particular person.They demanded withdrawing
the bill and sending it to the committee of eliciting public
opinion. The demand, however, was rejected by voice vote.
Man run over in capital Bangladeshi
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
A man was killed in a road accident in Dhaka’s Tejgain
early yesterday.
The victim, Moksedul Islam (25), hailing from Dimla
upazila of Nilphamari, used to pull rickshaw in the capital
to make a living, said police.
Around 4am, Moksedul was crossing the Bijoy Sarani
area when an unidentified vehicle hit him, leaving him
critically injured, said Abdur Razzak, a sub-inspector of
Tejgaon Police Station.
He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital
where doctors declared him dead, he said. The victim’s
elder sister Fahida Akter said his brother used to live with
his family in East Nakhal Para area.
He went out with his rickshaw on Wednesday afternoon
and was supposed to return home yesterday morning. “A
police official informed us that he was killed in a road
accident,” she said, sobbing.
Bidyanondo gets
Thai donation
UNB, Dhaka
Ambassador of Thailand to Bangladesh
Arunrung Phothong Humphreys yesterday
handed over items worth Tk 1 lakh to
Bidyanondo Foundation to support its
emergency response in flood-affected areas
during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Firoz Salah Uddin, executive member,
represented Bidyanondo Foundation. This
donation represents friendship between
Thais and Bangladeshis, said the embassy.
The Thai community and the embassy
hoped that this contribution would help
address the needs of those affected by
Covid-19 at this difficult time.
FROM PAGE 3
He urged them to have patience until regular
communications between Bangladesh and
Maldives resume.
The Maldivian government is expected
to open its border after July 15, he said,
adding that regular workers will be able to
travel to Bangladesh either on vacation or
permanently once the flights resume.
He said the high commission in
Maldives remains committed to serving
Bangladeshis living there.
Four members
FROM PAGE 3
Three of them were involved in credit card
forgery while one used to receive different
items, CID said.
All four were either college or university-
educated and had expertise in IT. One
of them even worked in a government IT
project, CID said.
Police seized two laptops, eight phones,
a computer hard drive, 16 cards of different
banks, 26 boxes for keeping gold ornaments
and Tk 1.68 lakh in cash.
Following the arrests, a case was filed
against them with Banani Police Station
under Digital Security Act.
The four also made confessional
statements before a Dhaka court admitting
their involvement in the crime.
NIGERIAN NATIONALS HELD FOR
FRAUD
Eighteen people, including 16 Nigerian
nationals, were arrested in the capital’s
Pallabi area on charges of attempting
to grab a huge amount of money from a
Facebook friend, CID disclosed in a press
release yesterday.
They became Facebook friends with a
Bangladeshi citizen and offered to send
them expensive gifts free of cost through
parcel.
Then, one of their gang members
pretended to be a customs official, and
Rab identifies Motazzerul
FROM PAGE 3
He said JK Overseas Limited sent 14 job seekers with DN
FROM PAGE 3
The controversy over the mask supply
visa to Vietnam in November last year, who are yet to get came to the fore in early April when health
any jobs. professionals in various hospitals were
Nazmul Hasan (26), of Cumilla, died in Vietnam on
questioning the quality of respirators, with
April 3 without any treatment. JK Overseas declined to many resorting to social media to vent
provide any help to his relatives in Bangladesh. Finally, the
their frustration.
job seeker was buried at a Muslim colony in Ho Chi Minh With the complaints over poor quality
City on June 27, Rab said.
ventilators surfacing, the Central Medical
Besides, Mash Career Service did not have any recruiting Store Depot (CMSD), the government
license, he added.
body that sources medical supplies,
Contacted, BMET Director General Shamsul Alam said withdrew the masks previously received
they called the owners of six recruiting agencies and told
from JMI.
them that they must bear the expenses of the returnees and It also served a show-cause notice on
give compensation if the contracts get violated. the company.
He said they have cancelled their licenses and also In an official statement, JMI then said it
confiscated their security money. was a packaging mistake.
In a press release on Monday, the foreign ministry said Later, a government probe body found
Vietnam is not a country where much work opportunities that JMI supplied “research-stage N95
are available for prospective foreign workers. Brokers traffic masks” manufactured with “unapproved
Bangladeshi workers there with an aim to land them in
countries such as Australia, New Zealand and other parts
imported raw materials” against the
demand for regular ones.
of South-east Asia. But it did not say what steps should be
The BMET DG said Bangladesh does not have any MoU
taken against the supplier.
with Vietnam in this regard; however, sending people to
On June 18, the ACC formed a
Vietnam is nothing new. At least 1,275 people had gone committee to probe into the allegations
there in such a way since 2007. of corruption in the procurement of N95
Asked about the BMET card, he said, “You should ask the masks, protective equipment and other
returnees why they went to Vietnam in DN visa and what
safety gears.
were the promises made in the contract papers. If they went After forming the probe committee ACC
for jobs, why did they take BMET card as entrepreneurs?” Chairman Iqbal Mahmood said anyone
“We gave them the cards as per their contract papers,” found involved in the corruption would be
he added. brought to book.
asked for Tk 45,000 from him to release
the package.
As the victim paid the money, the
imposter then asked for Tk 2.5 lakh to
release the parcel.
He also threatened that if the money is
not sent, the victim will face a case under
Customs Act and Money Laundering Act
as the package contained foreign currency,
CID said.
As the victim informed the matter
to the cyber police team of CID, they
launched an investigation and arrested the
18 alleged fraud gang members, said DIG
Shah Alam.
The arrestees are Imran Hossain,
Harunur Rashed, Nigerian nationals
Chimezie Oyema, Agina Chukwujekwu,
Chimaobi Attah Gabrial, Kenechuku
Stanley, Okeke Celestine Abuchi, Uzoegbo
Samuel Ekene, Ufochukwu Tochukwu
Uchenna, Obuka Sunday Emmanuel,
Ndommadu Chineda, Enugwulike
Anthony Okwudiri, Chibuife Ezeonyi
Obinwanne, Ugochukwu Darlington
Chikelu, Kenechukwu Charles Onwuachu,
Ozo Rmgbo Henry Ejike, Chibuzor
Nwaneti Victor and Anoruka Ginika
Francis.
Police recovered Tk. 7.22 lakh, 29,000
Nigerian currency, and a huge quantity of
garments products.
DHAKA FRIDAY JULY 10, 2020, ASHAR 26 , 1427 BS COUNTRY 5

Agricultural machinery: Where is Bangladesh heading?

SHYKH SERAJ
The whole world is saying that the corona
situation will paralyze all economic sectors
for long. At such a stage, turning back to the
ancient profession of agriculture seems to be
a ray of hope. The same happened when we
saw the green revolution. It is indeed true that
agricultural mechanization is changing the
face of farming across the world. Let’s look
at Bangladesh in this aspect. If you cultivate
one bigha (33 decimals) of land using plough,
it will cost Tk 2,000 (23.59 USD). The cost
with a power-tiller is Tk 1,500 (17.70 USD).
If you do it with a tractor, it will cost you Tk
600 (7.08 USD). In case of harvesting paddy,
it costs Tk 2,000 on one bigha of land. It costs
Tk 500 (5.90 USD) if the harvest is done with
combine harvester. In planting the paddies,
it takes Tk 2,200 (25.95 USD) on one bigha.
It costs about Tk 500 to transplant and saves
time as well.
In all cases, the traditional method involves
a lot of money and time. Nevertheless, in the
modern mechanical system, the cost comes
down to somewhere half to somewhere a
quarter. I would like to highlight another issue
on the aspect of agricultural mechanization.
I have been to Japan several times. From the
grassroots farmers to the policy-makers of the
government, everything is in order. According
to a survey in 2015, the average age of those
Shykh Seraj is
Bangladesh’s pioneer
development
journalist. He received
country’s two highest
civilian honours,
Swadhinata Puroshkar
and Ekushey Padak,
respectively. He is
a BIDS, Ashoka and Bangla Academy
Fellow. He also received highest award
for agricultural journalism from the
United Nations, FAO A.H. Boerma
Award, Gusi Peace Prize (Philippines)
and many other prestigious accolades
at home and abroad. At Channel i, he’s
the Founder Director and Head of News.
He’s also Director and Host of Channel
i’s popular agro-documentary, Hridoye
Mati O Manush.
involved in agriculture in Japan is 67 years. This
average age is increasing day by day. Seventy
percent of farmers in Japan are over 65 years
of age. Therefore, the government is making
it easier for elderly farmers to work through
agricultural mechanization. On the other
hand, the government thinks that the youth
will be interested in mechanized agriculture.
A few months ago, at the International
Agricultural Machinery Exhibition in Qingdao,
China, the matter was discussed with Japanese
agricultural machinery researcher and
journalist Yoshisuke Kisida. He said that in
the last financial year, the largest budget in
The writer talks with an official of LOVOL, largest agro-machinery manufacturer in China, about the advanced
fertilizer and pesticide applying machinery. The photo was taken at Weifang city in China recently.
Japan’s history was announced. The amount
of the budget was 943.70 billion USD. For
the first time, Japan’s budget exceeded 100
trillion Yen (930 Billion USD). The budget for
agriculture was increased by 5.6 percent. Japan
increased its investment in agriculture with a
specific goal. They want to attract the younger
generation to agriculture. For this reason, they
emphasize the mechanization of agriculture
in their budget with organic farming and
GAP (Good Agricultural Practice) certified
agriculture.
In case of Bangladesh, a study in 2016 shows
that the average age of a farmer in Bangladesh
is 48 years. However, in 1978, the average age of
the farmers engaged in agriculture was 35 years.
Participation of the youth in the agriculture
of Bangladesh is decreasing. However, when
older people’s physical capacity is reduced,
they cannot play a successful role in agriculture.
This means, increasing the participation of
the youth in agriculture is just as important as
increasing the mechanization of agriculture on
a large scale.
Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the urgency
of raising Boro paddy at home made it clear
how much mechanization of agriculture is
needed today. The government has set up
about 1,300 combine harvesters and 934
reapers through a subsidy of Tk 200 crore
(23.5 million USD) to facilitate rice harvesting
across the country. The government took
the initiative to deliver various agricultural
equipment, including 22 rice trans-planters
to the farmers. Protecting the crops of Haor
during this difficult time was a big challenge.
At this time, 294 combine harvesters and 406
reapers have been used to harvest paddy in
Haor region. Of these, farmers bought 128
new combine harvesters and 23 reapers with
70 percent government subsidy. It is easy
to understand that without this emergency
mechanization service, the situation couldn’t
have been resolved. When there is a new urge
to increase agricultural production by making
maximum use of land, then in front of us, the
mechanization of agriculture has taken place
as the most important factor.
If we do not give farmers the right tools and
technology now, we will not be able to reach
the desired success in agriculture. When the
use of hoe in agriculture started in the world,
people found the science behind the work.
This mechanism has evolved and improved
over the years. More than a hundred years
ago, Rabindranath Tagore thought of the
first ploughing machine. He brought such a
machine to his ancestral Zamindari of Patisar
in Naogaon district. In the case of agricultural
machinery, Netrakona farmer Abdul Hai,
or the late Kanu Mistri of Mymensingh have
dedicated their lives in making sustainable
and affordable agricultural machinery. I have
seen all kinds of changes in the agricultural
machinery sector while working in the field.
Once upon a time, our country’s agricultural
workers used to get scared when they heard
about agricultural machinery. They thought
the machine would come and take away their
work. Now an agricultural machine is the safe
employment of a young man.
The picture of agricultural mechanization
in Bangladesh is 95 percent in land cultivation,
95 percent in irrigation, 1.5 percent in harvest,
PHOTO:
HRIDOYE MATI O MANUSH
95 percent in paddy threshing, and less than
0.5 percent in planting. If the farmers are
made efficient through the necessary training,
agricultural mechanization will be more
productive for us. Bangladesh Agricultural
University invented the modern machine
for drying rice. The machine made in a local
workshop can dry 500 kg of paddy, keeping
12 to 14 percent moisture in just four to five
hours. This instrument will come in handy
to the farmer in Boro or Aus season. The
reality is that the process of mechanization of
agriculture in our country is quite slow. The
government has taken an initiative to hand
over 56,000 agricultural equipment to the
farmers through a project worth Tk 3,198 crore
(31.98 Billion USD). Through the project,
farmers will be able to purchase agricultural
tools in the Haor area at 70 percent subsidy
and 50 to 60 percent subsidy in other areas.
Fisheries, dairy farms, and poultry industries
have also undergone diverse mechanization
worldwide. Much more production has been
ensured in these sectors due to mechanization.
I talked to Planning Minister Abdul
Mannan about why we are avoiding the
issue of mechanization in the sub-sector. He
said any initiative for agriculture would be
given priority. The government has plans to
mechanize not only crop agriculture but also
other sub-sectors of agriculture. About 80
percent of the agricultural machinery used in
our country comes from China. For several
years now, I have been attending one of the
largest agricultural machinery exhibitions in
the world held in China. The last fair was held
in Qingdao from October 30 to November 1.
Seeing the excellence of machinery there, it is
understood that the whole world is constantly
preparing for agriculture and food production.
China is now the world’s leading manufacturer
and trader of agricultural machinery. They
are also advancing very fast in the export of
agricultural machinery and hold the first
position. The United States is in second place
followed by Germany in third. Then there are
Japan, The Netherlands, South Korea, France,
Hong Kong, England, and Italy.
According to an estimate of Bangladesh
Agricultural University, the market for
agricultural machinery in our country last
year was USD 1.2 billion. However, the size
of this market is increasing due to various
reasons, including a rapid decline in the
rate of agricultural labour and an increase in
opportunities for crop production. I talked to
Alimul Ehsan Chowdhury, president of Agro
Machineries Manufacturers Association and
he said there is no tax to import complete
agricultural machinery. Nevertheless,
they are making or assembling, about 28
types of agricultural machinery. About 40
types of parts are required to make these
machines. The situation has improved and
the price of the device will be reduced a bit.
Besides imports, domestic manufacturers
are meeting 20 percent of the demand for
agricultural machinery in Bangladesh. The
demand for effective agricultural machinery
is increasing day by day, including harvesting,
planting, processing of crops, packaging,
and application of fertilizers in the land.
About 20 to 25 companies in the country are
involved in importing large scale agricultural
machinery while the number of importers of
small scale agricultural machinery and small
parts are much bigger. ACI Agribusiness is
playing a big role in building the agricultural
machinery market in Bangladesh. The
organization’s Managing Director and Chief
Executive Officer FH Ansarey said the main
problem of mechanization in agriculture is the
lack of communication with the farmers. He
urged the government to integrate all digital
platforms, including the mass media. There
are 60 foundries, 2,000 agricultural types of
machinery, parts manufacturing factories, and
20,000 machinery repair factories. Domestic
companies are meeting 80 percent of the
demand for spare parts.
To know what the government is thinking
about the mechanization of agriculture, the
Minister for Agriculture Abdur Razzaque said
the government would be able to ensure 100
percent use of agricultural machinery in the
harvest in three years while transplantation
will take more time. However, in the
mechanization of agriculture, the government
will have to patron the local agricultural
machinery and equipment manufacturers to
be more productive and self-sufficient. Today’s
world has become technology-dependent and
this dependence is further increased in the
corona situation. Technology must now be a
friend of development. Otherwise, we will not
be able to achieve the desired success in the
farming sector.

Killing in
‘shootout’
sparks protest
OUR CORRESPONDENT, Pabna
The killing of a youth in
a ‘shootout’ with cops
sparked protest in Pabna.
Family members of the
victim, Md Tanjib Sheikh,
30, son of Babu Sheikh of
village Ramchandrapur in
Pabna Sadar upazila, alleged
that the police mercilessly
beat him, later shot him
dead while district police
in a press release claimed
that Tanjib received bullet
injury in a gunfight with
cops at Char Shibrampur
Beribandh in Pabna town
during a raid to recover
firearms early Wednesday.
“Tanjib, accused in five
criminal cases, was arrested
from Library Bazar area
on Tuesday night. Taking
the arrestee, a police team
raided Char Shibrampur
Employees undergo medical check-up because of coronavirus outbreak while entering Rooppur PHOTO: Beribandh area at about
Nuclear Power Plant in Pabna’s Ishwardi upazila. STAR
12:10am on Wednesday. As
his fellows attacked police,
ROOPPUR NUCLEAR POWER PLANT the latter returned fire that
left Tanjib bullet-hit. He
later died at Pabna General

Rising infections among Hospital,” the press release

stated.
Police recovered a pistol,
a revolver, eight bullets and

workers
AHMED HUMAYUN KABIR TOPU, Pabna
More and more workers of different
sub-contracting firms at Rooppur
Nuclear Power Plant in Ishwardi
upazila are getting infected with the
novel coronavirus.
Upazila Health Officer Dr AFM
Asma Khatun said 103 people in the
upazila have been diagnosed with the
virus till July 6. Of them, around 90
workers were infected with Covid-19
in the last three days. The majority
of the workers who tested positive
for coronavirus work at Paharpur
Cooling Tower Ltd, a sub-contracting
firm of the Rooppur project.
The number of Covid-19 patients
has increased as over 800 employees
of the sub-contracting firms at the
plant gave samples to the labs of
different government and private
institutions for Covid-19 testing in
the last few days, said the doctor,
adding that the number of infected
workers is increasing every day.
Most of the Covid-19 patients are
the workers of Paharpur Cooling
Tower Ltd, a sub-contracting firm
of the plant, said Dr Asma Khatun,
adding that the authorities of
different sub-contracting firms at
Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant have
collected samples of several hundred
workers and sent those to the lab of
a private institution in Dhaka for
coronavirus testing but they are yet to
get copy of the test reports from the
private institution.
ABM Ruhul Kuddus, site officer
of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant,
said Paharpur Cooling Tower Ltd
is working for construction of
basement of the cooling tower under
the project. A few workers of the sub-
contracting firm tested positive for
coronavirus last month and it was
then put on lockdown.
There are 22 to 23 sub-contracting
firms at the plant, he said.
The novel coronavirus began
spreading among people in the area
but it is not hampering the entire
work of Rooppur Nuclear Power
Plant, claimed Dr Shawkat Akbar,
project director of the plant.
Construction work of Rooppur
Nuclear Power Plant runs under
medical monitoring, he said.
Asked about the infected
employees, Shawkat said they all
were the job seekers who came to
work at the sub-contracting firm, not
regular workers of the project.
There are around 8,000 local and
foreign workers at Rooppur Nuclear
Power Plant, he added.
Civil Surgeon Dr Mehedi Iqbal
said as of Monday, 584 people in
Pabna have been diagnosed with
Covid-19. Of them, 110 were infected
with the virus in the entire district on
July 6.
Eight people have died from
Covid-19 while 155 patients
recovered from the disease here till
the date, said the civil surgeon.
Meanwhile, 12 people have died
from coronavirus-like symptoms
till now, said sources at different
hospitals in the district.
five spent cartridges from
the spot and four policemen
including a sub-inspector
were injured in the incident,
police claimed.
Tanjib’s family members
in a press conference held at
Pabna Press Club yesterday
noon demanded justice for
the killing.
“Without investigating
police tortured and killed
Tanjib and tried to pass it
off as a shootout. We want
justice after proper judicial
investigation,” victim’s
father Babu Sheikh said in
the press conference.
Victim’s wife Meghna
Khatun claimed that he
took position against drug
peddlers in the village.
Asked about the
allegation against police,
Pabna Superintendent of
Police Md Rafikul Islam
said, “We will investigate if
the victim’s family members
submit complaint regarding
the incident.”
6 INTERNATIONAL DHAKA FRIDAY JULY 10, 2020, ASHAR 26, 1427 BS

UN forecasts
China landslides leave at
even warmer least 14 dead or missing
temperatures
over next 5 yrs
AFP, Geneva

The annual mean global

temperature is likely to
be at least one degree
Celsius above pre-
industrial levels in each
of the next five years, the
World Meteorological
Organization said
yesterday.
The WMO said there
was a 20 percent chance
that it will exceed 1.5
C above 1850 to 1900
average levels in at least
one year, according
to its annual climate
predictions for the coming
five years.
The last five-year
period has been the
warmest five years on
record, said the Geneva-
based United Nations
agency, which counts 193
member states.
Temperatures over the
next five years, 2020 to
2024, are very likely to be
within the range of 0.91
C to 1.59 C above pre-
industrial levels.
Almost all regions,
except parts of the southern
oceans, are likely to be
warmer than the recent
past, which is defined as
1981 to 2010.
Heavy rains and landslides in China have left at
least 14 people dead or missing over the past
day, burying houses and causing scenic areas
to temporarily shut. Photos from the scene
showed rescue workers clad in bright orange
uniforms combing through mud and rubble
in the mountainous regions of Tongren city
in in southwestern Guizhou province, where
infrastructure had been reduced to a heap. At
least 120 people have died or gone missing this
year in China from flood-related disasters as of
July 3, reported the state-run People’s Daily,
adding that the direct economic losses amount
to some 41.6 billion yuan ($5.9 billion).
Militants kill local BJP
leader in Indian Kashmir
Suspected militants shot dead a local leader of
India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in
the restive territory of Kashmir on Wednesday,
police said, an attack that could increase
tensions in the region. The militants fired at
Waseem Bari, a former district chief of the BJP,
and his father and brother while they were
in their shop in Bandipora district in north
Kashmir, police said. All three died in hospital
later. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP-led
government last year revoked Muslim majority
Protesters clash with police in front of Serbia’s National Assembly building in Belgrade on Wednesday evening during a demonstration against a weekend
Kashmir’s special autonomy in order to cement
curfew announced to combat a resurgence of Covid-19 infections. Serbia yesterday dropped plans for the lockdown after two days of violent protests. A its grip over a region that has faced years of
government crisis group tasked with fighting the virus decided instead on a more limited ban on outdoor and indoor public gatherings of more than 10 militancy and unrest. Militants have vowed to
people to minimize the risk of further infections. PHOTO: AFP fight the change. All 10 security guards of the
BJP leader were arrested after the attack, said
Kashmir Police Chief, Vijay Kumar.

Global cases top 12 million

AGENCIES
Millions of people in Australia’s second-
biggest city went into lockdown yesterday
to battle another coronavirus outbreak, as
the number of infections worldwide surged
past 12 million.
Caseloads and death tolls have risen
relentlessly in many of the world’s biggest
nations, with three million confirmed
cases in the United States alone. The US
recorded 55,000 new cases in 24 hours
Wednesday, a tally by Johns Hopkins
University showed.
India registered a record single-day
hike of 24,879 infections, which took the
nationwide tally to 767,296 yesterday.
In Melbourne, five million people began
a new lockdown just weeks after earlier
restrictions ended as Australia battles a
Covid-19 resurgence, with residents bracing
for the emotional and economic costs.
“The idea of not being able to see
people that you love and care for is really
distressing, really distressing,” said a tearful
Melbourne resident, Monica Marshall,
whose 91-year-old mother recently entered
a care home.
“I hope that people have got the message
that they really need to take notice -- it’s
very disconcerting watching some people
on the news where they really don’t care.”
In Europe, where many nations have
successfully suppressed their outbreaks,
the French government said it remained on
alert for a possible surge in cases too.
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
Millions placed under lockdown in Australia
US adds 55,000 new cases in 24 hours
India registers record single-day hike of
24,879 infections
Chinese state media has offered a
rare glimpse of the lab at the heart of
coronavirus conspiracy theories, as it seeks
to push back against claims the facility was
the source of the global pandemic.
Footage broadcast by state-run CCTV
is believed to be the first from within the
institute’s P4 lab -- for highly-dangerous
Class 4 pathogens -- since its inauguration
in 2017. However, it offered no new
information on the lab’s workings.
The global death toll from the virus
passed 550,000, while about half of the 12
million reported cases have recovered.
In the Middle East, hard-hit Iran reported
a record single-day death toll of 221, taking
its total to over 12,300, reports AFP.
India yesterday registered a record
single-day hike of 24,879 coronavirus
infections which took the nationwide tally
of cases to 7,67,296 today while the death
toll climbed to 21,129 with 487 more
fatalities, according to the Indian Health
Ministry data update.
Despite the rising tolls, Indian Health
Minister Harsh Vardhan yesterday said
the country has one of the lowest deaths
per million population. The global
comparison between the five most-affected
countries clearly depicted that India has
one of the lowest Covid-19 cases per
million (538) and deaths per million (15)
compared the global average of 1453 and
68.7 respectively, he said addressing a
meeting of Group of Ministers to review
the pandemic situation across India.
Hunger to kill more
than virus: Oxfam
Warns 12,000 could die per day
AGENCIES
Millions of people are being pushed towards hunger by the
coronavirus pandemic, which could end up killing more
people through lack of food than from the illness itself,
Oxfam has warned.
Closed borders, curfews and travel restrictions have
disrupted food supplies and incomes in already fragile
countries, forcing an extra million people closer to famine
in Afghanistan and heightening the humanitarian disaster
in Yemen, where two-thirds already live in hunger.
Oxfam said that up to 12,000 people could die from
hunger every day globally – 2,000 more than died from
Covid-19 each day in April.
Along with Afghanistan, the charity identified Yemen,
the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Venezuela, the west
African Sahel, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, and
Haiti as extreme hunger hotspots.
Oxfam said countries with existing problems, such as
South Sudan and Syria, were already seeing hunger worsen
but there was also concern for middle-income countries
such as India and Brazil.
Mass unemployment was affecting all countries, but
informal labourers were suffering the most, often unable
to travel to work.
Melania Trump statue
set on fire in Slovenia
A wooden sculpture of US first lady Melania
Trump was torched near her hometown of
Sevnica, Slovenia, on the night of July Fourth,
as Americans celebrated US Independence
Day, said the artist who commissioned the
sculpture. Brad Downey, a Berlin-based
American artist, told Reuters he had the life-
sized blackened, disfigured sculpture removed
as soon as police informed him on July 5th of
the incident. “I want to know why they did
it,” said Downey, who had hoped the statue
would foster a dialogue about the political
situation in the United States, highlighting
Melania Trump’s status as an immigrant
married to a president sworn to reduce
immigration. In Washington, the office of
Melania Trump did not immediately respond
to a request for comment.
SOURCE: ANN, REUTERS, AFP

TERRITORIAL DISPUTES WITH INDIA, BHUTAN

Trump must
release tax
return records
Rules US top court
REUTERS, Washington
The US Supreme Court
yesterday made it clear
that a sitting president
cannot evade criminal
investigations, ruling that
a prosecutor in New York
City can obtain President
Donald Trump’s financial
records including tax
returns.
The 7-2 ruling authored
by Chief Justice John
Roberts means that the
subpoena issued to Trump’s
long-term accounting firm,
Mazars LLP, for various
financial records to be
turned over to a grand
jury as part of a criminal
investigation can be
enforced.
“Two hundred years ago,
a great jurist of our Court
established that no citizen,
not even the President,
is categorically above the
common duty to produce
evidence when called upon
in a criminal proceeding,”
the court said. “We reaffirm
that principle today.”
The court was due
to issue a second ruling
imminently in related
litigation involving
subpoenas for Trump’s
financial records by
Democratic-led House of
Representatives committees.
Unlike other recent
presidents, Trump has
refused to release his
tax returns and other
documents that could
provide details on his
wealth and businesses.
China was ‘incredibly aggressive’
Says Pompeo over Ladakh clash; Beijing warns US against ‘paranoia’
AFP, Washington
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
on Wednesday denounced China’s
“aggression” toward India and said
that a fresh dispute over Bhutan
showed Beijing’s plan of “bullying.”
The remarks were the most
extensive by the top US diplomat since
a deadly clash between the world’s
two most populous nations on June
15, which killed 20 Indian soldiers
and sent tensions soaring.
Yesterday China’s top diplomat
replied warning the United States
against “McCarthy-style paranoia”
as tensions rise between the two
superpowers over a slew of issues.
“The Chinese took incredibly
aggressive action. Indians have done
their best to respond to that,” Pompeo
Damaged and overturned vehicles are seen in a river following heavy rains and flooding in Hitoyoshi,
Kumamoto prefecture yesterday. Japanese emergency services and troops scrambled yesterday to reach
people cut off by catastrophic flooding and landslides that have killed dozens and caused widespread damage,
with more torrential rain forecast.
told a news conference, saying he had
spoken about the tensions several
times with Indian Foreign Minister
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
Since the incident with India, China
has taken issue with an international
grant application by Bhutan for a
wildlife sanctuary, saying the border
with the Himalayan kingdom was in
dispute.
Pompeo linked China’s statements
on Bhutan, whose foreign policy is
guided by New Delhi, to Beijing’s island
disputes with Vietnam and Japan.
“There aren’t many neighbors that
can satisfactorily say that they know
where their sovereignty ends and that
the Chinese Communist Party will
respect that sovereignty,” Pompeo said.
“Beijing has a pattern of instigating
territorial disputes. The world shouldn’t
allow this bullying to take place.”
“The current US policy toward China
is based on strategic misjudgements...
and McCarthy-style paranoia,” China’s
foreign minister Wang Yi said, referring
to US senator Joseph McCarthy, who
led an anti-communist crusade in his
country in the 1950s.
In a pre-recorded speech to a
China-US think tank forum, Wang
warned that “artificially creating
various China threats may eventually
lead to self-fulfilling prophecies.”
But Wang said China is still willing
to resume dialogue at all levels to
resolve differences.
Experts say that India, despite a
growing relationship with the United
States, does not want to be seen as
following Washington’s lead on issues
touching on its own sovereignty.
PHOTO: AFP
Visitors take photos in front of statues illustrating the fate of people who do not uphold
the five precepts of Buddhism in a garden depicting a Buddhist version of hell at the Wat
Saeng Suk temple in the Thai coastal province of Chonburi yesterday.
PHOTO: AFP
Australia offers safe
haven to Hong Kongers
China furious, warns of retaliatory actions
AFP, Sydney Beijing shot back, condemning the
Australian announcements as violations of
Australia offered pathways to permanent
“fundamental principles of international
residency for thousands of people from
Hong Kong yesterday in response to relations”.
“China... reserves the right to take
China’s crackdown on dissent, drawing a
furious reply from Beijing. further reactions, all consequences will
be borne by Australia,” warned Chinese
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said his
foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian.
government was suspending its extradition
agreement with the city and, in addition to “Any attempts to suppress China will
extending the visas of 10,000 Hong Kongers never succeed.”
already in the country, threw open the door Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne
to thousands more wanting to start a new said China’s moves in Hong Kong were
life Down Under. discussed earlier yesterday with Australia’s
Morrison said the decisions were taken so-called “Five Eyes” security partners --
in response to China’s imposition last week New Zealand, the US, Britain, and Canada.
of a tough new security law in Hong Kong, The new law, which followed sometimes-
which he said “constitutes a fundamental violent pro-democracy protests, is the most
change of circumstances” for the semi- radical change in Hong Kong’s freedoms
autonomous territory. since Britain handed the city back to China
“Australia is adjusting its laws, our in 1997 under an agreement designed to
sovereign laws, our sovereign immigration preserve its way of life for 50 years.
programme, things that we have Beijing in recent months has imposed
responsibility for and jurisdiction over, tariffs on some Australian imports and
to reflect the changes that we’re seeing impeded trade in other key commodities
take place there,” he said during a press in response to Australian steps to counter
conference. Chinese interference in the country.

CSC members and volunteers with children, at their blood group campaign.
CSC looks out for
vulnerable communities
MAISHA ISLAM MONAMEE
Cholo Swpno Chui (CSC), a youth-led
social welfare organisation founded by
Muhtasim Abshad Zisan, a student of
Khulna University, supports orphans and
people with physical disabilities, through
their different projects. At their first event,
‘Hashi Futanor Utshob’, in 2019, they dis-
tributed food, dresses and school bags to
around 65 underprivileged children. They
also provide monthly financial aid to two
individuals in need.
CSC arranges annual programmes, in-
cluding winter clothing and blanket drives,
for underprivileged communities. Last year,
they distributed blankets to 175 orphans at
a madrassa. “These children find happiness
even in the simplest things, and they inspire
us to keep working,” added Zisan. Team
members and volunteers of the organisa-
tion also plant close to 100 trees every year,
during their tree plantation drives.
Competitions, arranged by the organi-
sation, are aimed at raising awareness on
different issues. “Our recent online drawing
contest for kids, focusing on life during the
coronavirus pandemic, had several enthusi-
astic and creative participants,” Zisan said.
The organisation’s response to the
coronavirus crisis is commendable. They
distributed iftar packets to over 72 under-
privileged families across Rangpur during
Ramadan this year, with their event, ‘Shobar
Jonno’. On the other hand, through their
project, ‘Khete Khawa Rojdar, Pothei
PabeIftar’, they served home-cooked meals
to over 1,500 people. In collaboration
CSC members and volunteers distribute face masks, promoting
safety practices.
with Ispahani Limited, they distributed 50
grocery packets to vulnerable communi-
ties in the region. During the last week of
Ramadan, CSC handed over food packets
from Bidyanondo Foundation to over 500
people in Rangpur, Lalmonirhat and Pirga-
cha. Volunteers and team members of the
organisation took all necessary precautions
when they stepped out. They celebrated Eid
at different orphanages in the area, serving
Members and volunteers of CSC distribute food boxes to children during their first event.
PHOTOS:
COURTESY
the children with food.
Many of their projects are focused on
healthcare. “It is crucial for rural women
to have proper knowledge about repro-
ductive health and menstrual hygiene, to
minimise risks of diseases,” said Ilma Hos-
sain, a student of Rangpur Medical College
and the secretary of women and children’s
welfare affairs at CSC. With their proj-
ect, ‘Aparajita’, they intend to distribute
AIDING COMMUNITIES IN
NORTH BENGAL
ASHLEY SHOPTORSHI SA-
MADDAR
Active Bangladesh, an organisation
founded by Moshiur Shafi and
Tasin Al Rafid, has been working
relentlessly to help underprivileged
communities, since two disasters
hit the nation — the coronavirus
pandemic and Cyclone Amphan.
With over 450 ambassadors
voluntarily working with them,
Active Bangladesh was established
with an aim to guide and employ
young, promising individuals to
combat social calamities.
Their first project, ‘Spread the
Hand’ is a food distribution initia-
tive based in areas of North Bengal,
including Bogura, Natore and
Rajshahi. “Through this project,
we intend to help daily labourers
who have been unemployed due to
the coronavirus pandemic,” shares
Moshiur, Executive Director, Active
Bangladesh. Till date, they have
facilitated food boxes on a weekly
basis for over 500 families in the
aforementioned regions.
People in regions of Khulna and
Barishal have been harshly affected
by Cyclone Amphan. To help locals
who have been completely depen-
dent on the Sundarbans for their
livestock, Active Bangladesh started
their initiative ‘Mission Mangrove’.
For the past one month, this
project, based in the Naldanga and
Tildanga areas of Khulna, has been
rehabilitating villagers who stay far
off into the forest, and providing
them with basic necessities such
as food, medicines, and cleaning
products, as they are not receiving
enough relief materials. On the
other hand, Active Bangladesh’s
project, ‘Reduce Her Risk’ has been
providing menstrual hygiene kits
to around 150 women and young
DHAKA FRIDAY JULY 10, 2020, ASHAR 26, 1427 BS
staryouth@thedailystar.net 7
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sanitary napkins to hundreds of women in
rural areas across the country. “We want to
install sanitary napkin vending machines
in village schools and run campaigns to
normalise talks about menstruation,” add-
ed Ilma. CSC plans to conduct at least five
healthcare campaigns every year.
Through their distribution event,
‘ShamorthoDan’, they extended their
support to over 52 families in need, with
groceries, medicines, soaps and masks. Ad-
ditionally, they ran awareness campaigns
on the coronavirus with posters and
KIT Innovation Challenge 2020
Each day, women and girls in the developing world
leaflets. “Our volunteers disinfected public
experience immense injustice. The injustice that
places and drew circles in crowded areas,
limits their agency and their capacity to flourish as
for people to maintain social distance,”
individuals and thrive within their communities. The
said Mohammad Nurunnubi Juwel, a
KIT Impact Challenge is open to organizations that
student of Rangpur City College and the
are driven by the desire to create meaningful change in
publication secretary of CSC. In a recent the lives of women and girls. If a team has an initiative
collaboration with Shunte Ki Pao, CSC that positively impacts health, education or livelihoods
also provided groceries to 15 physical- opportunities
ly-challenged individuals in Rangpur. “As
a part of our awareness campaign, we have DEADLINE: July 24, 2020 | Competitions 
started wall art as well,” added Juwel.
In response to recent floods in the
country, members and volunteers of
the organisation plan to distribute food
Global Peace Summit Turkey
packets, medicines and sanitary napkins
to affected families. “To curb the spread 2020 (Fully/Partial/Self-Funded)
of water-borne diseases, we will conduct Global Peace Summit Turkey 2020 (GPST) is providing
virtual medical campaigns as well,” said opportunities too extraordinary young, competent and
Zisan. enthusiastic peacebuilders from 100+ countries. This
Moving forward, CSC plans to establish summit aims to inspire youth to sharpen skills of peace
a school for underprivileged children, pro- education, facilitate the exchange of ideas and project
viding them with talent pool scholarships, sharing, and new network to form with like-minded
and expand their operations throughout individuals and world leaders.
Bangladesh. DEADLINE: August 30, 2020 | Conferences
Through their project, ‘Spreading Happiness’, Active Bangladesh members PHOTOS:
and volunteers distribute chips or other snacks to underprivileged children. COURTESY
girls on a regular basis in regions of financially struggling due to the tive Bangladesh plans to establish
Jhalokathi. pandemic.” Through their project a youth networking programme,
During Ramadan this year, the ‘Spreading Happiness,’ which start- called ‘Connecting the Stars’ soon,
organisation provided iftar boxes ed off in Bogura, Active Bangladesh where young people from 492
to over 600 families in need. “We has distributed chips or other upazillas of the country will col-
can only get through these trying snacks to underprivileged kids. laborate. “Amid the pandemic, we
times by helping each other,” Furthermore, Active Bangladesh’s have gone a little astray from our
asserts Tasin, who is also the Exec- ‘Feed the Paws’ project, which pro- main goal, which was to work for
utive Director of the organisation. vides food for stray animals, has career development and stand by
“We all had a different Eid-Ul-Fitr been running since March. lower-income families. Gradual-
this time. Although some of us A team of 20 executives, with ly, we are reaching out to young
had the privilege to celebrate it Assistant Directors Koushik Sarker people in remote areas across the
with our loved ones, many were and Estiuk Ahmed, and Deputy country. Once things get better, we
left starving on the streets. Our am- Directors Shaikh Rishad Ul Arab will contact them and help them
bassadors shared their Eid salaamis and Azmayeen Akmal, provide develop their soft skills for better
with at least one family who are guidelines for the ambassadors. Ac- careers,” concludes Moshiur.
8 EDITORIAL
DHAKA FRIDAY JULY 10, 2020, ASHAR 26, 1427 BS
Flawed beneficiaries’
list hampering cash
distribution
Corruption, weak targeting and
inefficiency are to blame
A
FTER the government imposed a countrywide
shutdown in late March, it announced a
number of stimulus packages to help people
and businesses cope with the economic shocks of the
pandemic. As part of this, the government allocated Tk
1,250 crore for the 50 lakh poor families whose earning
members have lost their jobs because of the lockdown,
and the fund disbursement began on May 14, ahead of
Eid-ul-Fitr. However, it is frustrating to learn that around
two months after the government started the programme,
it has managed to disburse funds among 16.16 lakh
targeted people only while a staggering two-thirds of
the 50 lakh poor families are yet to receive the cash
support (Tk 2,500 each) because of several flaws in the
beneficiaries’ list.
Just before the fund disbursement started on May 14,
The Daily Star ran a report that there were anomalies in
the list and that the beneficiaries’ NID numbers didn’t
match with those in the EC database. Two months later,
that problem still exists while many other new problems
have also been identified by the finance ministry.
Reportedly, the government’s information and
communications technology division and the disaster
and relief management ministry together compiled the
list of the potential beneficiaries from across the country
and sent it to the finance ministry. When the finance
ministry cross-checked the names of the beneficiaries,
apart from the NID mishap, they found some other gross
anomalies in the list and cut down around five lakh
names from the list—among them were government
officials, pensioners, and beneficiaries of other social
safety net schemes. Surprisingly, there were also names
of 557 people in the list who each owned Tk 5 lakh in
savings certificates while around three lakh names were
included there more than once. There were also several
types of inconsistencies in the list.
All these flaws in the list need to be fixed immediately
if the government wants to provide its cash assistance
to the right people—rickshaw and van-pullers, day
labourers, construction workers, agriculture farmers,
employees of shops, people employed at small
businesses, poultry labourers and transport workers,
etc.—who have been the worst affected by the pandemic.
And the first step to disburse the fund to the targeted
people would be to rectify the list from the field level. It
is good to know that the PMO has already directed the
upazila nirbahi officers (UNOs) to do so. The finance
ministry’s recommendation to identify the mobile phone
numbers that are being used by the potential beneficiaries
and opening Tk 10-account under the supervision of the
upazila administration should also be implemented.
Besides, the NID problems of the beneficiaries need to be
solved.
Corruption, weak targeting of people and inefficiency
have always marred the government’s safety net schemes.
We hope the government will soon solve these issues
and provide financial assistance to those who need it the
most.
Fake certificates
giving a false sense
of safety
Fraudsters must be arrested and
sent to jail
T
HE discovery of a hospital’s staff engaged in
issuing fake Covid-19 test reports to unsuspecting
patients is deeply worrying at a time when
accurate reports are vital to containing the pandemic.
We commend the members of the mobile court that
sealed off the Regent Hospital on charges of issuing
such fake reports while taking money from patients. Rab
has in fact, identified syndicates that are in operation,
swindling people and issuing these fraudulent reports.
The implications of such malpractice are devastating.
Individuals who may be infected with the virus may
be under the false impression that they are free from it
because the fake certificate has given a Covid-19 negative
result. This means the person may become extremely sick
without treatment and also unknowingly infect others.
For expatriate Bangladeshis working abroad it has far
reaching consequences as they are being refused by the
destination countries after testing positive even though
they had reports that stated they had tested negative.
The fraud has also badly affected Bangladesh’s image
abroad. Japan, Italy and South Korea have already
restricted the entry of Bangladeshis after some of them,
with documents certifying that they didn’t have the
coronavirus, tested positive after they arrived in those
countries. Recently 151 Bangladeshis were sent back
from Italy because earlier several Bangladeshi expatriates
arriving in that country with certificates saying they were
Covid-19 negative tested positive.
While we commend the government in catching
criminals and sealing off the hospital involved in the
scam, it cannot be emphasised enough how crucial it is
for other syndicates involved in this malpractice to be
caught and brought to book immediately. It is disturbing
to note that despite knowing that Regent Hospital’s
licence had expired years ago the health service division
of the health ministry still signed a deal in early March
with it to treat Covid-19 patients. The government must
carry out extensive monitoring of all Covid-19 hospitals
and pathological laboratories doing these tests.
There will always be fraudsters waiting to take
advantage of any crisis to make a quick buck. But
the enormity of the crime of issuing fake Covid-19
certificates warrants continuous vigilance on the part
of the government and its law enforcing agencies. It
also highlights the need to be more diligent about
scrutinising hospitals and making sure they have valid
licenses to function. If hospitals do not have valid
licenses they should not be allowed to operate at all,
let alone conduct tests. We sincerely hope that these
syndicates are brought to book and our image abroad
is restored so that Bangladeshis are not barred from
countries they travel to for work or other purposes. The
government should also create widespread awareness
about the dangerous consequences of wilfully buying
such certificates.
A distressfully uncertain future created by
the latest US foreign student guideline
M
ONDAY
NO STRINGS July 6
ATTACHED proved
to arrive with
ominous news
for international
students studying
in the US, some
AASHA
of them still in
the US, others
MEHREEN AMIN back home for
the summer as
well as those who
were scheduled to start university this
fall. A formidable statement issued by US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
(ICE) stated that all foreign students in
the US taking online classes would have
to leave the US while those scheduled
to get in would be denied visa. The
directive can affect the over one million
international students in the US; around
7,500 are Bangladeshis enrolled in
undergraduate or graduate programmes.
The announcement, came at a time
when these young men and women
were trying to cope with the anxiety of
staying cooped up in their apartments in
the US and suddenly transitioning from
regular Spring classes to online classes
because of the pandemic. They had to
take classes online (at the same cost as
regular classes) because US university
authorities were following the protocol
to protect their students, faculty and staff
from becoming infected by Covid 19.
Because there is a pandemic out there—
everywhere, with the US being one of the
worst hit bearing the loss of already at
least 130,000 lives. Because containing
infections is very difficult when there
are thousands of people walking around
in close proximity as is the case with
university campuses. Online classes were
therefore, not chosen by international
students. For many universities online
classes are the only classes offered next
fall. So according to ICE—if a student
is enrolled for only online classes they
cannot stay in the US and may face
deportation if they do.
So what would the cost be to the
US? Many international students pay
exorbitant tuition fees that significantly
contribute to the universities’
development. They also pay rent for their
dorms or apartments and spend money
on food, health insurance, transportation,
clothes, entertainment and so on. But
it’s not just the around USD 45 billion
they contribute to the US economy
(US Department of Commerce 2018).
Foreign students give American students
the opportunity to learn about other
cultures and different world perspectives.
MUHAMMAD SHAHIDULLAH’S 135TH BIRTH ANNIVERSARY
Shahidullah, a linguist and language activist
NAZMUL AHASAN
B
Y the time Muhammad Shahidullah
was old enough to begin his
secondary education, he already
knew five languages. Besides his mother
tongue of Bangla, he not only learnt
Urdu, Persian and Arabic—perceived to
be the languages of Muslims—but he
also became proficient in Sanskrit, the
primary liturgical language of Hinduism.
While studying in Howrah Zilla
School, Shahidullah met Harinath De,
his teacher and mentor. Harinath De
was a legendary polyglot who learnt
34 languages—20 European and 14
Indian ones—in a very short lifespan
of 34 years. He successfully infused
his passion for learning new languages
into Shahidullah. By the end of his life,
Shahidullah knew 24.
However, Shahidullah developed a
special interest in learning a particular
language: Sanskrit. In a society that was
divided strictly along religious lines, it
was very unusual for a Muslim student
to have fondness for Sanskrit. When
Shahidullah graduated with honours in
Sanskrit, he became the university’s first
Muslim student to have achieved this
remarkable feat.
In fact, he was so adamant about
mastering this language that he went so
far as to sue a Brahmin teacher at Calcutta
University who had refused to teach him
Vedas, a major Hindu religious text, as
part of his master’s course because he was
a Muslim. His case stirred an uproar when
Maulana Mohammad Ali, a prominent
Muslim writer, penned a scathing
editorial titled The Shahidullah Affair
in The Comrade newspaper highlighting
the discriminatory behaviour of the
university. Liberal Hindu intellectuals
found the conduct disturbing. Suren
Banerjee, editor of The Bengali, wrote of
the conservative Brahmin pundit: “Today,
these orthodox pundits should be thrown
into the Ganges.” Calcutta University
Syndicate tried to convince the teachers in
vain and regretted its inability afterwards.
Later, the case ended up in Delhi High
Court which eventually ruled that the
university accept Shahidullah as a student
in its Sanskrit programme, or create a new
department to accommodate him. The
university did the latter and created the
comparative philology department. It was
while studying in this department that
Shahidullah met his old mentor Harinath
De as a professor, though briefly.
He was the first student, and the only
in his batch, to have received a master’s
degree from the department. He might
Foreign students come on merit so they
bring in talent and innovation; many
are involved in groundbreaking scientific
research. Which is why there are so many
international students in MIT, Harvard,
UC Berkeley and all the other prestigious
US universities. It is a mutually enriching
experience that promotes camaraderie,
harmony and peace among people of
diverse cultures. These are compelling
reasons why universities should have
international students yet they seem to
have little relevance in the context of this
regulation.
If followed through, the regulation
will impose unbelievable hardship on
foreign students. Many have signed
year-long leases on their apartments
or dorms, many share apartments with
local students—how will their contracts
be sorted out? Will they be refunded
rent or security deposits already paid
for apartments they have rented?
Others would have to move out of their
apartments or dorm rooms with all
their belongings. Where will they store
them in the middle of a pandemic, more
importantly, for how long? What happens
to students who are from countries that
have travel bans? What happens to newly
enrolled students eagerly waiting to start
university in the fall?
Let’s not even get to the mental
anguish of leaving their university life,
their friends and going into an uncertain
future. Many students come from
countries where Internet connections are
not guaranteed to run smoothly which
will make online classes a frustrating
affair. The difference in time zones itself
will make attendance and concentration
challenging. Getting enrolled into another
institution that offers in person classes
not have studied Sanskrit exclusively as
he had insisted, but his academic works
in comparative philology allowed him to
learn and study a wide range of languages
and proved instrumental in his career.
Seven years later, Shahidullah joined
the department as “Sarat Kumar Lahiri
Research Assistant in Bengali Philology”
at the request of Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee,
the vice chancellor of the university
who was sympathetic to him. The next
year, in 1920, as part of his assignment,
Shahidullah published one of his most
important papers titled “Outlines of
an Historical Grammar of the Bengali
PHOTO: PROFESSOR RAFIQUL ISLAM/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Dr Muhammad Shahidullah and Dr Kazi Motahar Hossain at the inaugural ceremony
of a literature conference at Dhaka Curzon Hall in 1954.
Language” in the Journal of the
Department of Letters of the University
of Calcutta. This lengthy essay was
instrumental in composing subsequent
historical Bangla grammar. Subhadra
Kumar Sen, a professor of phonetics and
linguistics at Calcutta University who
wrote a book named after Shahidullah
covering his life and work, observed of
the paper: “This is a compact introductory
essay on the principles and application of
Historical-Comparative Grammar.”
In 1921, when Dhaka University
was founded, he joined its Bengali and
Sanskrit department as a lecturer. Four
years later, he shattered a popular myth
that Bangla had originated from Sanskrit.
would mean an extra expense many
students can ill afford. These institutions
may not even be able to provide the
students the courses they need to
complete their degree or maintain their
status as required by US immigration law.
So what is going on?
As analysts have commented the
reasons behind this harsh move seems
more political than pragmatic and a way
to arm-twist universities into resuming
regular classes. As President Trump has
tweeted: “SCHOOLS MUST OPEN IN
THE FALL!!!”. So just like wearing a
mask has been perceived as an act of
defiance against the president instigated
by Liberals and Democrats and other
undesirable opponents rather than a
life-saving safety measure advocated by
scientists the world over, keeping schools
PHOTO: CHRIS GRAYTHEN/AFP
and universities closed is perceived to
be another display of rebellion. But
what the Trump administration fails
to acknowledge is that having online
classes in lieu of physical classes is the
least desirable alternative for universities
but it happens to be the only one if the
health of the students and university
staff are to be protected. American
universities pride themselves for having
the most learned scholars and academics
teaching participatory, engaging, face-
to-face classes and providing vibrant,
intellectually stimulating campuses for
their students. In American classrooms,
students are forced to think for
themselves, be creative, inquisitive and
challenge conventional viewpoints.
The sprawling campuses, with their
grand architecture give students a
unique university experience which
includes building friendships with a
diverse student community and creating
He later contended that it was Gaudi
Prakrit, not Magadhi Prakrit as believed
by many contemporary linguists including
Suniti Kumar Chatterji, from which the
Bangla language had descended.
However, he did not disavow his old
love for Sanskrit. In 1926, he enrolled
himself at University of Sorbonne, Paris
where he studied Vedic (Sanskrit), Avesta
(ancient Persian), Tibetan languages and
comparative philology. At Sorbonne,
Shahidullah had the rare privilege of
undertaking research under Jules Bloch,
the most prominent scholar of Indo-
Aryan linguistics of that time.
By this time, Haraprasad Shastri, a
fellow Sanskrit scholar and Shahidullah’s
teacher, rediscovered a palm-leaf
manuscript of Charyapada, the earliest
specimens of the Bangla language.
Shastri let Shahidullah, among a few
others, study the ancient text, written in
Abahattha language, an ancient form of
the Bangla language we use today. Two
years later, he submitted his thesis titled
“Les Chants Mystiques de Kanha et de
Saraha (Songs of the mystics Kanha and
Saraha)”, deciphering the works of two
of the Buddhist poets who composed
Charyapada. According to Professor
Subhadra Kumar Sen, the biographer, the
doctoral dissertation was Shahidullah’s
memories that will stay with them
forever. It is precisely why it is a dream
for students all over the world to go
for higher education in the US. Online
classes deprive students of all these
joys of regular academic life and make
imparting education challenging, to say
the least, for the universities. So nobody
is excited about these online classes, it
is a compromise that is considered a
necessary measure purely because of a
health crisis that threatens lives. Covid
19 is still here and infections in many US
states continue to rise. The conditions are
still extraordinary and so imposing the
standard regulations during normal times
(that were initially stalled because of the
pandemic) is hardly logical.
The only sliver of hope for
international students devastated and
confused by all this is if their institutions
offer what is known as the hybrid
model—a mixture of online and in
person classes. This allows them to
take more than one class (three credit
hours) online and stay in the US. If
their institutions do not offer hybrid
classes then they can transfer to another
institution that does offer such classes
to maintain status and stay. This is
applicable only for F1 non-immigrant
students and not for F-1 students in
English language training programmes or
students pursuing vocational degrees on
M-1 visas.
As expected there has been widespread
backlash against a move that contradicts
the US’s image as a country that has
traditionally attracted students from all
over the world. Harvard and MIT have
sued the Department of Homeland
Security and ICE, seeking a temporary
restraining order against the rule.
According to Forbes the suit says that the
policy is “arbitrary and capricious and an
abuse of discretion”.
Meanwhile universities all over the
US are in a quandary of whether to have
hybrid classes or stay exclusively online.
Everything therefore depends on
whether there will be a spike in Covid-19
infections in the fall—as feared by health
experts. If that is the case it will make it
very difficult to hold even hybrid classes.
So if the regulation is imposed all foreign
students will be denied entry into the US.
It may also result in the loss of many new
international students for US universities
and direct them to more welcoming
countries. And that would hurt the US’s
educational institutions as well as its
economy.
Aasha Mehreen Amin is Senior Deputy Editor, Editorial
and Opinion, The Daily Star.
most significant work.
Shahidullah, in his lifetime,
contributed to nearly all branches of
linguistics, but his activist persona
occupied a big part of his legacy. He was
one of the first to demand Bangla to be
the state language of Pakistan.
Soon after the creation of Pakistan,
East Pakistan was dominated by questions
of language. As Congress had chosen
Hindi as the state language of India,
Pakistani ideologues thought they should
make Urdu their state language. Ziauddin
Ahmed, the then vice chancellor of
Aligarh University, was one of the first to
demand that Urdu be made Pakistan’s
state language. Ziauddin’s opinion
was important because he was also the
chairman of East Pakistan Educational
Reconstruction Committee in which
Shahidullah was invited to join as a
member but he declined.
In response to Ziauddin’s advocacy of
Urdu, Shahidullah wrote an op-ed titled
“Pakistan’s Language Problem” in Weekly
Comrade and Azadi newspapers. In this
opinion piece, he detailed his arguments
as to why Bangla should be made the first
state language of Pakistan. He was liberal
enough to propose Urdu to be made the
second state language although it was not
a native language in any part of Pakistan.
“It is a mistake to think that in a state
there can be only one state language... In
Canada, English and French; in Belgium,
French and Flemish; and in Switzerland,
French, Italian and German are
recognised as state languages. It would be
a retrograde step to make Urdu the sole
state language of Pakistan, in imitation of
or out of revenge for the recent Congress
decision in favour of Hindi...”
However, West Pakistani rulers did not
pay heed and went ahead with making
Urdu the state language of Pakistan. In
fact, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan’s
founder, clarified in Dhaka University
Convocation the next year that, “There
can be only one state language if the
component parts of this state are to march
forward in unison and that language, in
my opinion, can only be Urdu.”
His speech instantly triggered a
populist outburst which culminated in
the events on February 21, 1952, when,
according to Shahidullah’s biographer
Professor Sen, “his students as he rightly
observed to Sukumar Sen in a private
conversation had literally and freely shed
their blood for the sake of their mother
tongue.”
This article was first published by The Daily Star on
February 21, 2018.
DHAKA FRIDAY JULY 10, 2020, ASHAR 26, 1427 BS OPINION 9

The “Living Eagle” who beat the

heavy odds!
H
E departed
STRATEGICALLY rather
SPEAKING
unsung, his
glorious past recalled
in this country by
only a few of his
friends and admirers,
limited to Facebook
posts mainly. The
BAF burial ceremony
BRIG GEN
SHAHEDUL ANAM KHAN was a very fitting
NDC,PSC (RETD) farewell, by his
brothers-in-arms who
don the sky blue, to
an ace pilot to whom so much will be owed
by so many peoples and so many countries
for a long time. None though, perhaps, who
had shared the sky with him could be present.
There are possibly only a very few amongst us
living who had the good fortune to share the
company of this very unassuming personality,
when he was in harness. Behind that simple
and modest facade hid a personality whose
company many kings and coronets, princes
and prime ministers, generals and air
marshals, had felt proud to have.
Group Captain Saiful Azam lived fully up
to his name, which means the Great Sword,
both in letter and spirit. Azam demonstrated
the mettle in him as a potentially great fighter
pilot from the very seminal stages of his career
which started with his commission in 1960
in the PAF. He attended the Advanced Fighter
Course in the US and earned the most coveted
“Top Gun Trophy,” an award earned only by
the best among the best of the trainee officers
for excellence in flying skills. He is the only
pilot to have participated in combat for three
different air forces, and the only pilot to have
shot down three Israeli aircraft. When the Arab
Israeli war of 1967 broke out, Azam was an
advisor to the Royal Jordanian Air Force. And
when the Israelis attacked the vital Mafruk
airbase in Jordan they were surprised by the
lone Hunter fighter opposing them—flown
by Azam. In the aerial combat that ensued, he
shot down one Mystère and damaged another.
He did the same for the Iraqi Air Force taking
the toll of two more Israeli aircraft. The only
pilot to have earned high gallantry awards
from three countries, Azam’s international
repute as a fighter pilot also earned him
the unique distinction of being included in
the International Hall of Fame by the US
Government as a “Living Eagle” in 2001,
thereby joining the illustrious company of a
handful of legendry pilots.
The dawn and the prime of his life were
scripted by Providence. His prime was as
if the gods were vying with one another to
shower him with approbation and accolades
and adorn him with the crown of glory for
his successes and triumphs. But it is a feeling
of remorse that one is overcome with to
think that the departure of a brave heart—of
a legend—who has gone finally to meet the
Almighty whose nearness he must have felt
often up in the vast blue expanse when he was
chasing Indian fighters in the 1965 Indo-Pak
War or Israeli Mystères in the Arab-Israeli War
of 1967, has gone almost unnoticed by the
media in Bangladesh.
But those who owe a deep debt of gratitude,
both at individual and national levels, did
not forget Group Captain Saiful Azam on
his passing away. And that is not one or two
but four different countries. Iraq and Jordan
are grateful for his valour in the air which
Group Captain Saiful Azam (September 11,
1941 - June 14, 2020)
salvaged a modicum of credibility for those
two countries. Palestinians did not forget
him either on his passing away; renowned
Palestinian journalist Tamer al-Mishal extolled
Azam, as “the Eagle of the Air”. In the 1965
Indo-Pak War, his interdictions and ground
attack missions, twelve in 10 days, wreaked
havoc on the advancing adversary in the Kasur
and Sialkot sectors.
Not only his friends but also his foes
recalled his heroics. In Israel, Azam is
recognised for his bravados, recalled anew
when his death was reported prominently in
major Israeli newspapers. But in Bangladesh
he got mentioned in just a few lines in the
inside pages of a few newspapers only.
In the air battles he was like the chivalrous
soldiers of yesteryears. It is said that Saladin
in one of his battles against Richard the
Lionheart displayed his lion heartedness
when, learning that Richard had lost his
mount had a fresh one sent to him, because
he didn’t want to fight a battle against an army
with a disadvantaged commander. So did
Azam, in the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. On one
occasion, in spite of having an Israeli aircraft
in his gun sight from the enemy’s rear, he
rolled over and approached the enemy from
his side, shooting at his tail instead at his
fuselage. The Israeli pilot parachuted safely to
earth—to recount the incident.
What the Israeli pilot says also is that as
he was descending, Azam made a roll and
loop and waved at him before pulling away to
shoot down another Israeli aircraft. If Azam
had wanted, the Israeli would not have been
alive to tell the story to his son, who narrated
it to a Bangladeshi officer, in the presence
of many other officers who happened to be
attending a course in Switzerland in 1979 with
him. All Azam had to do was to shoot at the
fuselage instead of the tail. And that would
have been the end of the Israeli. This reveals
the chivalrous as well the humane element
in the man. War is not about blood and guts
only. He destroyed the Israeli Mystère but
afforded a second chance at life to the enemy
pilot, acknowledged as such later by the pilot
himself. Can there be a greater blend of the
humane and the chivalrous in a person? That
was Saiful Azam the man. He was a brave
man as well as a brave soldier, he rejoiced in
adversity just as he triumphed in war, fitting
perfectly the definition of both a brave man
and a brave soldier as characterised by Seneca
2,000 years ago.
In 1971 April, while in Karachi Masroor
Airbase, Azam along with a number of Bengali
pilots had planned to hijack a PIA Boeing.
But that was aborted, betrayed by a fellow
Bengali. He was under surveillance of the
Pak authorities and grounded along with all
the Bengali officers. He was in on Bir Shresto
Matiur Rahman’s plan to hijack a PAF trainer,
which eventually Matiur did. Azam was
arrested, tried and awarded the death penalty
which reportedly was commuted at the
intervention of the King of Jordan. In Amman
a road has been named after him.
Azam’s accomplishments in air battles
make one recall the likes of the Prussian
Manfred von Richthofen—better known as
the “Red Baron” of First World War fame,
or of Wing Commander Douglas Bader, the
British ace pilot of Second World War. But
Richthofen achieved his accomplishments
in 750 days; Azam achieved it in less than
16. Richthofen did not live long enough to
enjoy his glory. Azam saw the duly deserved
accolades being heaped on him long after
the air battles had become a glorious part of
history. Richthofen died of injuries suffered
in combat. Azam eluded all the bullets the
enemy could hurl at him.
There is an axiom in the air forces which
goes thus: You will meet bold pilots and
you will meet old pilots, but you will never
meet an old bold pilot. The stakes are very
high against the latter. Azam beat the odds.
He lived to be 80, passing away on June 14.
Group Captain Azam’s name shall forever
be etched in history as one of those who
conquered the sky.
Brig Gen Shahedul Anam Khan, ndc, psc (Retd), is a for-
mer Associate Editor of The Daily Star.

How to fight a complex, unpredictable virus

AHMED A AZAD
B
ANGLADESH had three-months’ notice
to prepare for a possible outbreak of
Covid-19 but failed to prepare for
it. The authorities have tried very hard to
convince everyone to use the public health
measures that are known to minimise
community transmission, but these have
not been easy to implement in the densely
populated environment of Bangladesh.
Lack of coordination, insufficient testing,
contradictory and inconsistent directives,
and an eagerness to prematurely reopen
businesses, have allowed Covid-19 to spread
to all corners of the country. Large numbers
of healthcare workers, policemen, journalists,
transport workers, and other frontline
workers, have worked tirelessly and selflessly
to help stop the carnage, and in the process
far too many of them have paid dearly with
their lives.
With rampant infection and death rates
increasing every day, and faced with the
resulting economic freefall, the government
has decided to divide the country into non-
contiguous red, yellow and green zones,
and impose lockdown in the red zones first.
Till now only a very small number of red
zones with the highest number of infections
have been locked down on an experimental
basis. More experiments will waste valuable
time and further delay may see more yellow
zones turning red, and more green zones
turning yellow. An all-out war has to be
launched against the virus in all red zones
simultaneously through total lockdown (not
public holiday!) enforced if required with
curfews and troop deployment, together
with extensive testing to identify infected
individuals and their close contacts, followed
up with their isolation and treatment in
designated public buildings within the red
zones.
The obvious weak links in fighting
Covid-19 are low capacity of RT-PCR testing
and ineffective contact tracing. For contact
tracing, the authorities could invite young
people living within a red zone to help in
neighbourhood surveillance—a strategy
that has worked very well in Vietnam’s fight
against Covid-19. The huge numbers of
tests needed in each red zone is simply not
possible with RT-PCR because of the limited
availability of very expensive equipment and
Attempts to produce
effective vaccines
against many
pathogens has failed
even after years of
trying, and it would
not be wise to put all
our eggs in the vaccine
basket.
reagents and shortage of trained personnel.
To complement RT-PCR testing, the
government should seriously consider the use
of alternative tests that are inexpensive, rapid
and not dependent on specialist equipment
or personnel.
To cope with a second wave of Covid-19
in sizable parts of Melbourne (Australia),
besides total lockdown a RT-PCR testing blitz
has also been launched in which saliva has
been substituted for throat and nose swabs.
About two months back Bangladeshi media
reported on a rapid antigen detection kit,
developed by Gonoshasthya Kendra-RNA
Biotech Ltd., that also detects SARS-CoV-2
in saliva samples. While RT-PCR test detects
viral RNA, the rapid antigen test detects
viral surface proteins. So, both tests should
essentially provide the same information
about the presence or absence of virus.
However, the locally-produced rapid
antigen kit is claimed to provide results
within 10 minutes, does not require any
equipment or trained manpower, and costs
only a fraction of RT-PCR. These claims
should be verified independently by using
the same saliva sample for both RT-PCR
and rapid antigen tests. If validated and
approved by DGDA, this inexpensive and
simple homegrown kit would be ideal
for rapid testing and follow up of a large
number of people in the red zones. A rapid
antibody detection kit (also developed by
GK-RNA Biotech) which has been approved
by DGDA for studying antibody response
to Covid-19 could nicely complement the
rapid antigen kit, as together, they would
identify all infected individuals who have
also seroconverted. The rapid antibody kit
can also be used as a powerful research tool
to ask and answer a number of fundamental
questions about the consequences of
Covid-19 infection.
Antibody testing of blood from Covid-19
patients has yielded some unexpected results.
A recent study showed that 3 percent of
RT-PCR positive patients failed to produce
antibodies against Covid-19 and 4 percent
of patients who were RT-PCR negative were
correctly picked up by antibody test (Quan-
Xim Long et al, Nature Medicine, April 2020).
Another study from John Hopkins University
also shows (Annals of Internal Medicine,
2020) that RT-PCR can produce 20 percent
Only quality clinical and health sciences research and
innovation will provide the technological base for Bangladesh
to successfully counter this and future medical emergencies.
false negatives. This demonstrates the value
of using RT-PCR/antigen test and antibody
test in parallel. In another study comparing
Covid-19 symptomatic and asymptomatic
patients, antibody response was found to be
much weaker in the asymptomatic group,
and within 8 weeks of infection 40 percent of
asymptomatic and 13 percent of symptomatic
patients showed no antiCovid-19 antibodies
in their blood (Quan-Xin Long et al., Nature
Medicine, June 2020). This brings into
question the prospects of long-term natural
or vaccine-induced immunity.
The rapid antibody test could also be
useful in selecting suitable plasma donors
from among recovered patients. Analyses
of 370 plasma samples from Covid-19
recovered patients showed that almost 17
percent had almost no antibody response,
and while over 80 percent generated varying
levels of antibody, only about 10 percent
had high levels of neutralising antibodies
able to neutralise a laboratory-safe Covid-19
pseudovirus (New York Blood Centre and
Rockefeller University, medRxiv, 2020).
The above studies show that plasma from
asymptomatic and seronegative recovered
patients will be of little utility, and only about
PHOTO:
DADO RUVIS/REUTERS
10-12 percent of the seropositive plasma will
be suitable for harvesting and enrichment of
strong antiCovid-19 neutralising antibodies.
This could be the first step towards
developing a therapeutic vaccine.
Although an effective prophylactic vaccine
is highly desirable, there is no guarantee that
one will be produced soon or be available
to Bangladesh. Attempts to produce effective
vaccines against many pathogens has failed
even after years of trying, and it would not
be wise to put all our eggs in the vaccine
basket. It is quite possible that deliverance
may come not from a preventive vaccine
but from drugs as happened with HIV/
AIDS. A previous op-ed (Covid-19: Taming
the Beast, The Daily Star, April 14, 2020)
pointed to some therapeutic approaches that
Bangladeshi scientists could try using with
Bangladesh’s own capabilities and strengths.
Bangladeshi scientists have demonstrated that
full genome sequencing is well within their
capability, but instead of being in a race to be
the first or who can sequence the most viral
genomes, they could collaborate on trying
to understand why different people react
differently to Covid-19, why some infected
people remain asymptomatic, and why some
infected patients never produce antiCovid-19
antibodies.
The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed
the very poor state and safety of our health
services and hospitals, shortage of trained
healthcare workers, and insufficient testing
capacity needed to meet the challenge.
Covid-19 has also doubled the number of
“very poor” to 40 million. An annual budget
in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic
would have been expected to specifically
make special allocations for the health,
wellbeing and rehabilitation of the poorest
and most vulnerable, for improving hospital
treatment and public health, and educating
and training of adequate numbers of
clinicians and healthcare workers.
Covid-19 is not about to disappear soon,
and could come back in future in a more
deadly form. Only quality clinical and health
sciences research and innovation will provide
the technological base for Bangladesh to
successfully counter this and future medical
emergencies. Unfortunately, the token
increase in health and education budgets
are not enough to have much impact on
bringing about the above changes or building
technological capacity for the future. Perhaps
Covid-19 will nudge our policymakers to
realise that investment in health, education
and medical research today will be a lasting
investment in a healthy, just and prosperous
Bangladesh.
Ahmed A Azad is a retired academic and biomedical
scientist, who has had a lifelong involvement in the
discovery, development and commercialisation of biotech
vaccines and drugs.
Email: aaazad1945@gmail.com

ON THIS DAY CROSSWORD BY THOMAS JOSEPH BEETLE BAILEY BY MORT WALKER

IN HISTORY ACROSS
1 Feel nostalgic for
30 Sub shop
31 Equip
“Blade”
9 Molten rock
5 Reduced amount 32 Steals 11 Play parts
9 Like some 34 Choose to 15 Zebra features
toothpaste participate 19 Egg layers
10 Sports setting 37 Plain to see 20 Gorilla, for one
12 Fiery crime 38 Paris’s river 22 Engine parts
13 Elementary 39 Talks crazily 23 Fido’s foot
14 Complains 40 Mailed 24 “Jeepers!”
16 Fitting 41 Ceases 25 Immobilize
17 Rock growth 26 Rely YESTERDAY’S ANSWERS
July 10, 1962 18 London’s river DOWN 27 Tips off BABY BLUES BY KIRKMAN & SCOTT
TELSTAR 1 LAUNCHED 21 Museum focus 1 Vanity feature 28 View obscurers
22 Fancy flapjacks 2 Be adamant 29 Abbr. in
Telstar 1, the first 23 “Common 3 Ceases company names
communications satellite
to transmit live television Sense” writer 4 “Auld Lang–” 30 Backless sofa
signals and telephone 24 Title holders 5 Chemist’s place 33 Dressed in
conversations across the 26 River blocker 6 Memorable time 35 Travel stop
Atlantic Ocean, was 29 Enjoy a 7 Bagel choice 36 Badminton
launched this day in 1962, bookstore 8 Westey of need
inaugurating a new age in
electronic communications. WRITE FOR US. SEND US YOUR OPINION PIECES TO
dsopinion@gmail.com.
10
3 Rohingya
FROM PAGE 12
through the border around 4:00am,
the BGB men signalled them to
stop. But the smugglers opened fire,
forcing them to retaliate, triggering a
“gunfight”, said Haider.
At one stage, the yaba smugglers
managed to flee the scene.
Later, BGB members found the
trio with bullet wounds. They were
declared dead after being taken to
Ukhia Upazila Health Complex, he
added.
BGB members also recovered three
lakh yaba pills, two pipe guns and five
cartridges from the spot, the official
said.
The Daily Star, however, could not
independently verify the BGB claims.
Rodents feel
FROM PAGE 12
One or two bystanders, who were
rendered unhelpful by giving them
a low dose of the anti-anxiety drug
midazolam, were then added to the
scenario.
In the presence of these unhelpful
bystanders, a rat that had previously
been helpful in a one-on-one
interaction now stood by idly and did
not rescue the subject.
On the other hand, when
undrugged, helpful bystanders were
placed at the scene, a rat that had been
helpful one-on-one became even
more keen on being a good Samaritan.
“I think this is a very apt study for
the times,” said Mason, pointing to
how during recent US protests against
police racism, protesters rushed to aid
injured peers while police stood by.
“In the George Floyd case, there
were three other police officers,
including one who went into the
police force to change the narrative
about police brutality against black
people -- and nonetheless, he stood
by and did not intervene,” she added.
Mason likened these officers to
the drugged rats, “except they didn’t
take the chill pill, they took years of
training.”
If a person does not help, “that
individual is less likely to be a bad
apple and more likely to just be an
apple in the orchard, the orchard of
mammalian behavior. This is what we
do.”
The term “bystander effect” was
first coined by psychologists after the
1964 murder of Catherine “Kitty”
Genovese in New York, whose death
was reportedly witnessed by more
than 35 of her neighbors, none of
whom intervened.
The story was later found to
be highly misleading -- but the
basic finding held up in controlled
experiments where human subjects
were placed in distressing situations,
such as smoke entering the room or a
person having a seizure.
When bystanders were added to
these scenarios, members of the public
who weren’t a part of the experiment
often failed to respond.
This led psychologists to
hypothesize that perhaps people
weren’t willing to take responsibility
when others were present.
Mason’s team believes that in
humans, as for rats, the decision to
help or not is more likely linked to
the brain’s internal reward circuitry
than it is to notions of who should be
responsible.
10 more die
FROM PAGE 12
with cold, fever, chest pain, and
breathing problems, said Assistant
Surgeon Istiaque Zaman Chowdhury,
adding that they were aged between
38 and 65.
The dead are residents of different
parts of the district.
With the 10, 199 people have so
far breathed their last at the hospital.
Of them, 164 died with coronavirus
symptoms and 35 after they tested
coronavirus positive.
The authorities said 17 new patients
were admitted to the hospital in the
last 24 hours as of 8:00am Thursday.
Twenty-four patients were discharged
from the hospital during the period.
At present, there are 114 patients
at the coronavirus unit. Of them, 26
are Covid-19 positive and 88 are with
coronavirus symptoms.
So far, 1,000 patients have been
admitted to the unit, and 700 of them
were already released.
Bring back
FROM PAGE 12
only early recovery but also is making
spectacular progress every month so far
as its operational efficiency in respect
of shipping and cargo-handling is
concerned. This was possible due
to relentless effort made by the port
authority and gratuitous assistance
given by the Soviet salvage team to
bring back the port to normalcy. The
Karnaphuli, which became blocked
due to sunken vessels, has now almost
been cleared for ships to navigate.
CHINA HAPPY OVER SIMLA
AGREEMENT
Chinese Premier Chou En-
Lai welcomes the India-Pakistan
Agreement in Simla as an important
development which would lead to
peace and stability in the region.
SOURCES: July 11, 1972 issues of
Bangladesh Observer, Dainik Bangla and
Dainik Ittefaq.
Medical volunteers wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) gear take temperature reading of a woman as
they conduct a door-to-door medical screening inside Dharavi slums to fight against the spread of the COVID-19
coronavirus, in Mumbai, yesterday.
MP’s arrest abroad
FROM PAGE 1
TDS: You recently said he was arrested
as a businessman, not lawmaker. What
did you mean by this?
AAM: According to our information,
he was not travelling with a diplomatic
passport. Our ambassador was aware
that he was doing business in Kuwait. I
did not say he is a Kuwait citizen.
When a lawmaker travels abroad,
they usually carry a diplomatic
passport. I don’t know why he did not
do that.
TDS: Regardless of the type of
passport being carried, doesn’t the
identity as a lawmaker give one’s
actions some level of significance?
AAM: A lawmaker, elected by
the people, is a respectable person.
They have responsibilities. It is really
unfortunate when such a responsible
person gets involved in corruption.
We have a zero-tolerance policy
against human trafficking and money
laundering.
TDS: You are talking about zero-
tolerance. Is there any legal action
being taken against Shahid Islam alias
Papul?
AAM: You better ask the law ministry.
The foreign ministry is involved here
because he is now in a foreign country.
TDS: It is happening at a time
when Bangladeshi expatriates are
facing difficulties. Around 2.5 lakh of
them face the grim prospect of being
deported from Kuwait. You have spent
most of your time abroad over the
years. As the foreign minister, what will
you do to overcome this crisis?
AAM: We are doing a lot. Most of
our expats, nearly 80 percent, are in the
Middle Eastern countries. We, along
with the expatriates welfare and other
ministries, have taken a number of
steps. Firstly, we have talked with the
expatriates, and told them to stay put
despite the difficulties posed by such
trying times. We told them better days
will come. We talked to the government
of those countries. We requested them
to ensure that these people do not die
of hunger during the pandemic. They
agreed to provide healthcare and food
support [to our workers]. We have also
sent money and relief goods for them.
TDS: How much money has been
distributed so far?
AAM: Several crore Taka. Besides,
the embassies have also distributed
food…. during lockdowns. Our
migrants -- both legal of illegal ones --
never register their contact details with
our foreign missions. Our mission
officials worked day and night to reach
as many people as they could and
distributed the goods.
TDS: Bangladeshi expatriates largely
remain detached from our missions
across the world.
AAM: It is the responsibility of every
migrant to register their name with our
mission office in the country they have
travelled to. For example, if you are an
American and have travelled to another
country, it is your responsibility to
inform the mission office how long
you will be staying there.
TDS: The US embassies take their
citizens’ responsibilities. There are
Of long wait
FROM PAGE 12
Dr Suzat Ahmed, civil surgeon of
Khulna, told this correspondent on
Tuesday, “In the division, 44 percent
of the positive cases are in Khulna
district, and 1,900 are in the city.
The virus is also spreading in the
surrounding villages. This is very
alarming.”
Till yesterday, the total number
of Covid-19 cases in the district was
2,751 while the total in the other nine
districts of the division was 3,518.
NO COORDINATION AMONG LABS
Besides the one at KMC, Khulna
division has two more RT-PCR labs --
one at the Genome Centre of Jashore
University of Science and Technology
(JUST) and other at Kushtia General
Hospital.
Neither of these have any backlog,
according to the lab authorities.
Earlier this week, HM Anwarul
Islam, civil surgeon of Kushtia, said,
every day around 180 to 230 samples
come to the district for testing from
NEWS
allegations that our embassies do not
do that.
AAM: I think that is an exaggeration.
You go to any of our foreign missions.
You will get respect from them. The
allegations are baseless. Anyways, let’s
talk about what we actually are doing.
We have told the government of those
countries that if a worker gets fired,
make sure the worker gets six months’
salary and other benefits. And if
possible, employ the workers in other
jobs. After the pandemic, food crises
might become an issue. Our workers
can be employed in farming.
TDS: Please name the countries you
have talked to and the ones that agreed
to give what you asked for.
AAM: I have talked with most
governments of the Middle Eastern
countries. Talked with Malaysia and
Singapore. We have also talked with
countries where there is a large number
of Bangladeshi expats.
TDS: I have recently talked with
some Bangladeshis in Italy. They
appeared to be embarrassed because
some Bangladeshis tested positive
for Coving-19 when they returned
to Italy. Our national flag carrier was
termed a ‘coronavirus-carrying-bomb’.
What is the reason? Do we lack the
precautionary measures?
AAM: Ask the people who are
sending them to the airport. I’m really
embarrassed, it is unfortunate. We
do not have strict surveillance at our
airport. Rather, we try to get landing
permission in that country.
TDS: But, some responsibilities fall
on you because you are the one who
will do the negotiation.
AAM: Recently, it was decided that
only the IEDCR’s Covid-19 negative
report will be accepted from a person
wishing to travel abroad… I believe it
will work.
TDS: But the number of Bangladeshi
expats ready to travel abroad is around
a few lakhs while the daily testing
capacity of IEDCR is limited. How is it
going to help the expats?
AAM: We will look into the matter.
We will have to start somewhere and
it is not possible to solve all the issues
overnight.
TDS: You have talked about citizens
staying connected to the foreign office.
When some expats in Vietnam went to
our foreign office, it was alleged that
the expats tried to seize the facility. Did
they really go there to seize the foreign
office? Or, did they go there to press
their demand to return home?
AAM: Those who turned up at
our embassy in Vietnam went to that
country with visitors’ visas. According
to our mission office, it was a Friday
and 11 Bangladeshis were returning
home from Vietnam on a flight that
day. At that time, 27 Bangladeshi
expats turned up to our small embassy
office where only six officials were
posted. They told that they will not
leave the embassy if their demand for
a special flight to return home was
not met. They placed their demand
through a video conference and gave
a 24-hour deadline. Our mission then
informed us of their demand. The
Meherpur, Chuadanga, Magura and
Jhenaidah, and between 270 to 280
samples can be tested per day.
“No sample remains pending [for
test] here,” he said, “But sometimes,
report delivery is delayed by about
two days.”
From April 25 to July 9, Kushtia’s
lab tested 10,928 samples, of which
only 803 or about 7 percent were
positive.
Compared to the other two, the lab
in JUST tested only 7,862 samples,
mostly from Jashore and Magura,
between April 17 to July 9. Among
those 1,546 or 20 percent came out
positive.
Md Iqbal Kabir Zahid, professor
of JUST’s microbiology department
and associate director of the Genome
Centre, said they run three shifts
testing 270 samples per day now.
If more samples are received one
day, they accept fewer samples for
testing on the following day, he said.
When asked why they are not
PHOTO: AFP
ministry responded by saying that the
rules for the arrangement of return
is applicable only for those legally
working as expatriates. We don’t offer
the same service for those who work
there illegally. It agitated the expats
present there and they demanded that
an arrangement must be done for their
return.
They went there with visitors’ visas
and their visas expired six months or
so ago.
TDS: Were they stuck in Vietnam
while travelling?
AAM: They were working there. I
have heard that they did not like the job
they were offered and fled from their
workplaces. They also demonstrated in
front of a police station, prompting the
law enforces to follow them. Then they
took shelter at the mission.
TDS: If they had taken shelter there,
why was it alleged that they tried to
seize the mission office? DUCSU VP
Noor also appeared in discussions
about the allegations.
AAM: They told the mission officials
that they would not leave the premises.
Before that, they said in a video
conference that they would take hold
of the mission office. They also said
that an expatriate rights body was also
with them.
TDS: Do you think it is believable
that a student leader can seize a mission
office by instigating the expatriates?
AAM: No, I don’t want to believe it.
But the information came from there.
TDS: Bangladeshis for the time are
not eligible for Schengen visas. Italy
has suspended flight operations from
Bangladesh. Is it the beginning of the
world closing its doors to Bangladesh
citizens?
AAM: Only 44 out of 193 countries
have come into the purview of
the Schengen visa. They said it is
a temporary measure. Only a few
countries outside the European Union
have got the permission. They told us
they were updating the list. Some of
our neighbouring countries were also
not granted the permission. Besides,
not many people in our country will
be interested to travel to Europe during
the pandemic. We will get permission,
if we can contain the coronavirus
outbreak.
TDS: Do you think the recent
incident in Italy puts us in more
trouble?
AAM: There is a chance. Those
who are travelling also need to be
more responsible. They can think
of travelling only after making sure
they do not have the coronavirus.
Those who are sending them also
cannot deny their responsibilities.
It is not only with Italy. Before that,
four passengers who travelled to Japan
under the supervision of the Japanese
government tested positive there. Three
consecutive flights to South Korea saw
coronavirus positive cases among the
Bangladeshis.
Those who are travelling have
responsibilities. Why were they
travelling knowing that it was
forbidden?
helping out with KMC’s backlog, the
professor said, “We do not accept old
samples. There are chances of getting
false negative from such samples. The
results of these types of samples are
not reliable.”
Samples are tested within 24 hours
of collection at the Jashore’s lab, he
claimed on Monday.
However, the JUST lab often
remains closed for cleaning. It was
closed for the same purpose from last
Friday to Sunday, said Md Iqbal.
When the KMC’s principal was
asked why pending samples are not
sent to Jashore for testing, he alleged
that the test result of Jashore’s lab is
not reliable.
About the efficacy of old samples,
he said if the samples are preserved
in a proper manner, results are not
affected. “We preserve the samples
properly in our lab,” he claimed.
A total of 114 patients died of
Covid-19 in Khulna division and
2,230 have recovered, as of yesterday.
DHAKA FRIDAY JULY 10, 2020, ASHAR 26 , 1427 BS
Iran to bolster Syria air
defences, counter US ‘pressure’
AFP, Tehran
Iran has said it will strengthen Syria’s
air defences as part of a bilateral
military deal aiming to “fight
terrorism” and counter American
pressure.
Key US ally Israel, Iran’s arch-
enemy, has launched hundreds of
strikes in Syria since the start of a civil
war there in 2011, including against
Iranian forces.
Over Tk 100cr embezzled
FROM PAGE 1
Tk 60.6 million from Satkhira Medical
in conjunction with Messrs Mercantile
Trade International and Universal
Trade Company.
Bengal Scientific embezzled money
from Chittagong Medical College
Hospital as well, but the amount was
not clearly specified in the DGHS
statement. A case was however filed
by the ACC against Bengal Scientific
and M/S Ahmed Enterprise in this
regard on November 25, 2019. In
addition, three cases were filed against
the company in Rangpur and Satkhira
between July and October last year.
M/S Ahmed Enterprise was also
named for embezzling funds from
Faridpur Medical College Hospital,
along with M/S Amin Traders. The
amount of money misappropriated by
these two contractors was Tk 10 crore
according to the DGHS statement.
A case was filed in this regard in
November last year.
Rangpur Medical College Hospital
had another case of misappropriated
Thousands out of work
FROM PAGE 12
the remote chars like Nawapara.
Contacted, the district’s deputy
commissioner Ziaul Haque said he
would talk to UNO about this issue.
Sariakandi Upazila Nirbahi Officer
(UNO) Rasel Miah said he would look
into the matter.
In Nilphamari, most people of
Char Kharibari village live on catching
fish from the Teesta, but now all are
unemployed and somehow maintain
family with relief goods given by
generous people, organisations or
Italy bars entry
FROM PAGE 12
on board a transit flight of Qatar
Airways -- into the country and sent
them back to Dhaka.
“Upon request of the Italian health
ministry all flights/passengers from
Bangladesh with final destination to
Italy are forbidden,” Qatar Airways
said in a statement today.
“Effective from July 8 and valid till
October 5, passengers are not allowed
to travel to Italy from Bangladesh
irrespective of any nationality and
irrespective of any routing involved
where flight originates from
Bangladesh,” said the statement.
Meanwhile, the 151 Bangladeshi
passengers are likely to return to
Dhaka by last night, sources at the
Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport
said.
On July 8, an official of Qatar
Airways at the HSIA said they did
not know the Italian government’s
decision that no passengers from
Owner of Mayur-2 arrested
FROM PAGE 12
investigating officer of the case.
The six other accused in the case are
Mayur-2 master Abul Bashar Molla,
65, master Jakir Hossain, 54, engine
driver Shipon Hawlader, 45, driver
Shakil Hasan, 28, sukani (launch
staff) Nasir Mridha, 40, and Ridoy, 24.
All the six are on the run.
The accused were charged with
negligence that caused deaths and
also with some other offenses under
sections 280, 304 A, 437, and 34 of
the Penal Code.
At least 34 people drowned in the
Buriganga as a novice was allegedly at
the helm of Moyur-2 around 9:15am
on June 29 when the vessel slammed
into a smaller launch -- Morning Bird
-- causing the latter to sink in the river
in the capital’s Shyambazar area.
WHO sets up review panel
FROM PAGE 12
Union, called for an “impartial,
independent and comprehensive
evaluation”.
It said the investigation should
probe “the actions of WHO and their
time-lines pertaining to the Covid-19
pandemic”.
The United States on Tuesday
formally started its withdrawal from
the WHO, making good on Trump’s
threats to deprive the UN body of its
top donor over its management of the
pandemic.
Public health advocates and
Trump’s political opponents voiced
outrage at the move.
‘THIS HAS TO STOP’
Tedros hit out at divisions in the
international community and warned
of severe consequences if this were not
rectified.
“Make no mistake: the greatest
threat we face now is not the virus itself
-- rather, its the lack of leadership and
solidarity at the global and national
levels,” he said.
“We cannot defeat this pandemic
as a divided world. The virus thrives
Iran, one of President Bashar al-
Assad’s main allies in the conflict, has
always denied sending forces to fight
in Syria, saying it only has military
advisors there.
Under the latest deal, “we will
strengthen Syria’s air defence
systems in order to improve military
cooperation between the two
countries,” Iranian state TV quoted
armed forces chief Major General
Mohammad Bagheri as saying.
funds -- when Messrs Manila
Medicine, Messrs SK Traders, MH
Pharma, Messrs Ovi Drugs, M/S Albira
Pharmacy and SM Traders, embezzled
Tk 51 million for equipment, Tk
35.1 million for pharmaceuticals,
and Tk 95.4 million in unapproved
purchases. A case was filed by the ACC
in July 2018 in this regard.
The infamous DGHS accountant-
turned millionaire Abzal Hossain’s
wife Rubina Khanam was also named
in the statement for embezzling
money. Khanam’s company Rahman
Trade International misappropriated
Tk 37.5 crores meant for purchase
of equipment at Cox’s Bazar Medical
College and a further Tk 59 million
of DGHS funds. Two cases were filed
against the company in April and June
of last year.
Blair Aviation misappropriated
Tk 7.5 million and pocketed Tk
8.75 million from Dinajpur Medical
College Hospital, said the statement,
adding that a case was filed in 2015.
government.
Shahidul, 52, of Char Kharibari
village in Dimla upazila, said he could
not go for fishing as on rush of water
in the river could sink his boat.
Dimla Upazila Nirbahi Officer
Joyoshree Rani Roy said they had
identified 3,125 families as flood
victims and supplied 49 metric tonnes
of rice and Tk 3 lakh to ease miseries.
Our Lalmonirhat, Bogura
and Nilphamari correspondents
contributed to this report.
Bangladesh would be allowed to enter
into Italy.
The 151 passengers were on their
way to Fiumicino International
Airport in Rome from Dhaka via
Doha, Qatar.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines recently
operated several chartered flights from
Bangladesh to Italy and a number
of passengers of those flights tested
positive for Covid-19 after they landed
at the airport in Italy.
After resumption of international
flight operation on June 16,
Bangladesh government allowed a
limited number of foreign airlines
including Qatar Airways to operate
transit flights from Dhaka.
Earlier in June, Japan put
restrictions on special flights between
Dhaka and Tokyo after four passengers
who had travelled from Bangladesh
tested positive for Covid-19 while in
quarantine in Japan.
Rezaul Karim Bhuiyan, officer-
in-charge of Sadargaht River Police
Station, said the master of Mayur-2,
Abul Bashar Mollah, was in the launch
but sukani Nasir Mridha was driving
the vessel when it hit Morning Bird.
“We are investigating the incident
thoroughly. The Mayur-2 was
scheduled to leave the terminal at
noon on that day [June 29]. The vessel
was supposed to go to the terminal
about one hour before its departure.
But on that day, it was arriving near
the terminal much earlier than its
scheduled departure time…. So we
are investigating whether there is any
conspiracy,” the OC told The Daily
Star.
The authorities seized Mayur-2
following the incident.
on division but is thwarted when we
unite.”
The novel coronavirus has killed
more than 550,701 people since
the outbreak emerged in China last
December, according to an AFP tally
yesterday.
“How is it difficult for humans to
unite to fight a common enemy that’s
killing people indiscrimately? Tedros
said.
“Together is the solution, unless we
want to give the advantage the enemy,
to the virus that has taken the world
hostage -- and this has to stop.”
Tedros said it was time for honest
reflection, and stressed it was
important to remain vigilant.
“We’re in the midst of this battle.
The battle of our lives, and we have
to do better, not just now but for the
future. Because these threats will never
stop and, in all likelihood, they will
get worse,” he said.
The panel will stage one mission
briefing per month to give updates,
while it will present an interim report
to the next World Health Assembly
gathering in November.
 e-mail: sports@thedailystar.net
DHAKA FRIDAY JULY 10, 2020, ASHAR 26, 1427 BS SONY SIX Live from 11:30pm
England v West Indies Real Madrid v Alaves
First Test, Day 3 Live from 2:00am
Live from 4:00pm (Saturday)
FACEBOOK LA LIGA
Real Sociedad v Granada

England’s
top order
crumbles
REUTERS, Southampton
West Indies dominated the
second morning of the first
Test against England on
Thursday as Shannon Gabriel
and Jason Holder took full
advantage of bowler-friendly
conditions to leave the hosts
reeling on 106-5.
England began the day
on 35 for one after only
17 overs were completed
at the Ageas Bowl on
Wednesday, but their
top-order crumbled under
murky skies as experienced
paceman Gabriel struck
twice in the first hour.
Gabriel had bowled
Dom Sibley on Wednesday
and produced a similar
delivery that nipped back in
to hit Joe Denly’s off stump
in the sixth over of the day.
In his next over Gabriel
trapped opener Rory Burns
(30) in front of his stumps.
That brought Ben Stokes
to the crease and he got off
the mark in his first match as
England captain by pulling
Gabriel to the boundary.
A mess locals
could help fix
MAZHAR UDDIN
The coronavirus pandemic has led many
sectors to realise the importance of having
their own resources. In that vein, Bangladesh
cricket is facing tough questions about its
reliance on foreign coaching staff.
Due to the pandemic, the Bangladesh
national team’s foreign coaching staff -- including head
coach Russell Domingo -- are yet to resume their duties.
It seems unlikely that they will join the Tigers until the
situation in the country improves and, more importantly, the
Bangladesh Cricket Board had to wait for the international
flights to resume.
It has been nearly four months since cricketing activities
in Bangladesh were stopped and questions are now being
asked about whether the BCB should take the initiative to
start training the national team by utilising local coaches.
Then again, questions arise over the ability of local
coaches to handle the national team due to the lack of
exposure and faith on local coaches that has been prevalent
for quite a while.
According to many, it is important to place faith on
local coaches and give them exposure so that BCB can
utilise them in such situations and develop a structure that
gives importance to local coaches at the international level.
There are a total of 15 High Performance coaches
who are under the game development programme,
including prominent coaches like Wahidul Gani, Dipu
Rai Chowdhury, Abdul Karim Jewel, Mahbub Ali Jackie,
West Indies captain Jason Holder celebrates after taking the wicket of Ollie Pope on the second day of the first Test yesterday. PHOTO: Golam Faruk Chowdhury Suru, Sohel Islam and Jafrul
Holder, along with Shannon Gabriel, dismantled England top order in the first session by taking two wickets each. REUTERS Ehsan. There are many others who have been working
within Bangladesh cricket for long time now.

‘We have to Medical guidelines ready

win three for national booters
games’ ANISUR RAHMAN
The resumption of the
national football team’s
activities is gradually
becoming a reality as the
medical committee of
the Bangladesh Football Federation
(BFF) yesterday completed their health
guidelines in light of FIFA guidelines
to resume football activities ahead of
October’s World Cup Qualifiers.
The medical committee’s deputy
chairman, Dr Ali Emran, yesterday
submitted the guidelines to ensure
a safe training camp for the national
booters, who are supposed to start
preparations in late August for the
tie against Afghanistan to be held on
‘I just feel October 8.
privileged to be “If we can control the negative
impacts around us and the players
able to enjoy and officials obey instructions such
as wearing masks, rinsing hands with
playing for the soap, and social distancing norms and
best team in don’t loiter in crowded places, then
it is possible to have a Covid-19 free
the world.’
environment,” Dr Emran told The
- LUIS SUAREZ Daily Star yesterday.
Apart from testing all footballers,
coaches, officials and support staff,
PHOTO: TWITTER the medical committee has also
recommended to even test anyone
Luis Suarez struck the only goal against Espanyol in
from catering services and stadium
the 56th minute, lashing a loose ball into the net for his and dormitory staff.
195th goal with Barca. The goal took him past Hungarian “The medical committee wants the
Laszlo Kubala as the club’s third top scorer of all time. national team to stay in a coronavirus-
The medical committee wants the
national team to stay in a coronavi-
rus-free environment and to ensure
that environment, each of footballers,
coaches, officials and support staff
must be tested. Besides, we also need
to test anyone from catering services,
and the staff of the stadium and dor-
mitory, where footballers will train
and stay during the training camp
DR ALI EMRAN
BFF MEDICAL COMMITTEE DEPUTY
CHAIRMAN
free environment and to ensure that
environment, each of footballers,
coaches, officials and support staff
must be tested. Besides, we also need
to test anyone from catering services,
and the staff of the stadium and
dormitory, where footballers will
train and stay during the training
camp,” Emran, who is also an AFC
Elite Panel medical officer, added. He
emphasised the need to test drivers
and assistants of the vehicles which
will carry footballers.
“There is no opportunity to resume
training with any infected booters or
any infected person surrounding the
national team,” Emran said, adding
that they would formulate some
guidelines for the training camp in
line with FIFA recommendations after
the first-phase of testing.
He also informed that FIFA
had a series of meeting with six
confederations, medical officials and
the World Health Organisation before
finalising its guidelines. It also clearly
stated that the associations must
consider the pandemic and available
health-service facilities of their own
countries before formulating their
own guidelines.
“FIFA guidelines also recommended
not to during a lockdown and there
is no need to restart football if there
is any possibility of spreading the
coronavirus,” Emran said.
He also suggested testing the
players in groups instead of testing the
whole team together at least 72 hours
before the start of the training camp
and keeping them isolated before
moving to the place where the team
will have their training camp.
Tests could be arranged at the
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical
University and reports could be
delivered within the day if the BFF
wants, he added. Finally, the medical
committee suggested that anyone
who shows symptoms must inform
authorities concerned.
There are a total of twelve divisional coaches and 63
district coaches And there are training programmes in which
the BCB now has 309 Level-1, 133 Level-2 and 20 Level-3
coaches. However, among the twenty Level-3 coaches, at
least ten are now not associated with coaching for the BCB.
Anyone in Bangladesh can do the Level-1 coaching
programme which is conducted by the BCB each year, but
there has been no Level-2 programme in Bangladesh for
the past three years due to a lack of qualified educators.
The biggest setback for local coaches has been their
inability to adapt to latest coaching methods. It is a matter
of fact that there are very few coaches in Bangladesh who
can match such standards.
Among those very few, the likes of Nazmul Abedeen
Fahim, Mohammad Salahuddin and Sarwar Imran are not
associated with the BCB and to some extent the board has
been unable to utilise their expertise to encourage local
coaches by providing them with bigger roles.
However, there are few in the BCB who are well-
equipped and capable of handling national players, with
the likes of Khaled Mahmud and Sohel Islam being highly-
respected by cricketers.
Like local coaches, trainers, physios and umpires are also
lagging behind when it comes to competing with foreign
recruits. The BCB must provide enough of a platform and
opportunities as well as monetary support to develop its
own resources rather than relying on the foreigners.

MOST GOALS FOR BARCELONA (ALL COMPETITIONS, TOP FIVE)

Player Goals Australia Mohamed Salah remained in the hunt for
a third Golden Boot in as many seasons
Lionel Messi (Argentina) 630 as a Liverpool player as he slotted home
César (Spain) 232
must tour Naby Keita’s cross to open the scoring
during a 3-1 Premier League win at
Luis Suarez (Uruguay)
László Kubala (Hungary)
195
194
England, Brighton on Wednesday. Salah was more
clinical when he headed home Andy
Josep Samitier (Spain) 184 says Langer Robertson’s corner at the near post for his
19th Premier League goal of the season to
REUTERS
AGENCIES move to within three of Jamie Vardy in the
Australia must tour race for the Golden Boot. Jurgen Klopp’s
Barcelona kept their faint title hopes alive and
doomed Espanyol to relegation on Wednesday England for the “health side are hoping to break the 100-point
as Luis Suarez’s goal proved the winner in a of world cricket” and let record established by Manchester City
pivotal Catalan derby at the top and bottom of its top players compete in
in 2018 as the champions moved to 92
La Liga. this year’s Indian Premier
League (IPL) if it goes points with four games remaining.
This 1-0 victory was a far cry from the
sparkling 4-1 win over Villarreal on Sunday but ahead, coach Justin Langer
it moves Barca to within a point of Real Madrid, who play has said. PHOTO: COLLECTED
their game in hand at home to Alaves on Friday. Australia are slated to
“We did not play well today,” Barca coach Quique Setien tour England for limited
overs series in September
said. “Their defensive shape made life very difficult for us
as they were very tight and compact and we weren’t precise
enough to find a way around it,” he added.
“We have to win our next three games,” said Suarez.
despite the logistical
challenges posed by the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Asia Cup postponement to put BCB’s
“I think we have to go

resumption plans on hold?

“What Madrid do is up to them. If they drop points,
fantastic. We just have to be there if they do.” to England. There’s lots of
“We knew how difficult this game would be because of challenges, of course, but
Espanyol’s situation and we were tired from Sunday’s game we have to find solutions to
and we played with less intensity,” Suarez said adding that: make sure that can happen ABDULLAH AL MEHDI press release yesterday that the announced on Wednesday that had told The Daily Star they were
“But the important thing is that we won the game and if possible,” Langer said tournament has been postponed. ‘keen to target the Asia Cup since
the tournament had been called
picked up more points.” in comments published Words have been They added that they would try to off, although he did not offer any preparation for the shorter version
With the superior head-to-head and a kind last four by the Daily Telegraph on exchanged between reschedule for June 2021. explanation. is relatively easier’.
fixtures, Real Madrid remain firm favourites. Thursday. relevant boards, at least The tournament was scheduled to Bangladesh Cricket Board With the fate of the ICC World
“Life or death” read the front page of Mundo Deportivo “That’s my view. I think through the media, be held late this year with Pakistan president Nazmul Hassan is the T20 2020 in doubt, Bangladesh’s
on Thursday morning - for Barcelona, who had to win to for the health of world with Pakistan Cricket playing hosts. India’s reluctance to current president of the ACC and only realistic chance for cricket
stay in touch with Madrid, and for Espanyol, given they cricket. Board (PCB) media director saying play in Pakistan meant the ACC is currently in England. But the this year are the three T20Is in
needed a victory to prolong their survival effort. “If things out of control yesterday that BCCI president Sourav were looking for a move to neutral postponement may also throw off New Zealand (October) and three
Griezmann’s combination with Suarez and Messi, happen and we can’t end Ganguly’s announcement of the territory. With the coronavirus Bangladesh’s plans to return to ODIs at home against Sri Lanka
coming after his sumptuous chip against Villarreal, sustains up going, at least we can cancellation of the Asia Cup, holds pandemic dictating things, the PCB training with the target of playing (December). Given the state of the
the Frenchman’s momentum but this was more of a gritty say we’ve done everything no weight. were keen for Sri Lanka to host the the Asia Cup. pandemic, a return to cricket and
win against an Espanyol team that hit the post at 0-0 and in our power to make it However, it was confirmed tournament on their behalf. BCB Cricket Operations those series taking place now looks
had chances. happen.” through an Asian Cricket Council BCCI president Ganguly had Committee chairman Akram Khan like a difficult prospect.
12 DHAKA FRIDAY JULY 10, 2020, ASHAR 26, 1427 BS

AIR TRAVELLERS
COVID TEST IN KHULNA Italy bars
Of long wait and entry from
Bangladesh
BACKLOG
DIPANKAR ROY, Khulna
till Oct 5
Cites fake Covid
reports as reason
STAR REPORT
For more than two weeks, Champa Raptan and her husband
Uttom Mondol from Khulna’s Dacope upazila have been In a major setback for many
waiting anxiously for their coronavirus test results. Bangladeshi expatriates
The couple had given their samples at Khulna Sadar waiting to return to
Hospital on June 23, after developing Covid-19 symptoms. their workplaces in Italy,
Since then, Champa called Khulna Sadar Hospital’s the European country
resident medical officer, as well as the district’s civil surgeon yesterday put restriction
a couple of times, but neither of them could give her any on entry of passengers
information about the test result. from Bangladesh into its
Like Champa, hundreds of people in Khulna district are territory till October 5.
waiting for their coronavirus test results. Earlier on July 7,
On Tuesday, around 3,000 samples were waiting to the Italian government
be tested RT-PCR lab at the microbiology department imposed the restriction for
of Khulna Medical College’s (KMC), according to Prof a week after a significant
Shahnaz Parvin, head of the department. number of passengers of
Among those samples, some were collected more than a special flight of Biman
two weeks back, said lab sources. Bangladesh Airlines tested
Around 2,000 samples were sent to Dhaka and testing of positive for Covid-19 once
750 are still pending, Prof Shahnaz told this correspondent they landed at the airport in
yesterday afternoon. Rome on July 6.
Dr Mehedi Newaz, vice principal of KMC, said since The passengers had
early July, they were receiving 450 to 500 samples every documents certifying that
day, whilst they can test 288 samples per day, running they had tested negative for
three shifts. Covid-19 and were safe to
He suggested setting up RT-PCR labs in Satkhira, Narail travel.
and Bagerhat to reduce the pressure on the KMC’s lab. Later, Italy on July 8
From April 7 till yesterday, KMC’s lab tested 16,694 Many cobblers sit idle and call customers for polishes at the capital’s Mirpur-1. There has been a drop in people’s
PHOTO: denied entry to around 151
samples, of which 3,577 or 21 percent, came out positive. movement on roads due to the pandemic, hitting their income badly. Earlier, a cobbler earned Tk 600-800 a day, but PALASH KHAN Bangladeshi passengers --
SEE PAGE 10 COL 2 now they barely make Tk 100, some of them said. The photo was taken recently. SEE PAGE 10 COL 5

10 more die
HANDLING OF COVID PANDEMIC
FIRST YEAR OF BANGLADESH
‘GUNFIGHT’ WITH BGB
Rodents feel with Covid
WHO sets up BANGABANDHU’S NATION-BUILDING CHALLENGES 3 Rohingya symptoms
‘yaba dealers’ peer-pressure
review panel Bring back university autonomy in Cumilla
Hits out at divisions in int’l July 10, 1972
killed in to be helpful OUR CORRESPONDENT, Cumilla

community, urges solidarity SHAMSUDDOZA SAJEN Cox’s Bazar Ten more people died
after showing coronavirus
AGENCIES OUR CORRESPONDENT, symptoms at the Covid-19
BANGABANDHU RESUMES OFFICE TODAY Cox’s Bazar unit of Cumilla Medical
Feeling still very week, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman comes College Hospital in the last
The World Health Organization, which to his official residence, the Gono Bhaban, today and immerse in Three Rohingya men,
faced fierce US criticism over its handling two days.
work and meetings with political leaders. He spends more than 10 suspected to be yaba According to the hospital
of the coronavirus crisis, launched an hours in the office. The prime minister, it may be mentioned, had smugglers, were killed
independent panel yesterday to review its authorities, six people
been taken ill on July 5 with pain in the abdomen and is still under in a “gunfight” with
response to the pandemic. breathed their last in the
the treatment of his personal physician. members of Border Guard
The Independent panel for Pandemic last 24 hours as of 8:00am
WITHDRAW UNIVERSITY ORDINANCE Bangladesh in Ukhia
Preparedness and Response will be headed yesterday and four others
The teachers’ associations of Dhaka, upazila of Cox’s Bazar early
by former New Zealand prime minister from 8:00am Tuesday to
Rajshahi, Jahangirnagar, and Engineering yesterday.
Helen Clark and former Liberian president 8:00am Wednesday.
University in a joint statement demand The dead are Noor Alam,
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. The victims were
the immediate withdrawal of 1961 45, of Tumru Rohingya
“Through you, the world will AFP, Washington admitted to the hospital
University Ordinance which was camp in Ghumdhum,
understand the truth of what happened imposed by the Pakistani regime to Hamid, 25, of Balukhali SEE PAGE 10 COL 1
and also the solutions to build our future Rats are less likely to assist a fellow rodent in
suppress freedom of expression in camp, and Nazir Hossain,
better as one humanity,” World Health need if other members of their group are being
academic institutions. Terming it to be an 25, of Kutupalong camp,
Organization chief Tedros Adhanom unhelpful, according to a study that sheds new
encroachment on the autonomy of the universities the association BGB said.
Ghebreyesus said at the UN agency’s light on the so-called “bystander effect.”
maintains that political parties were in support of its withdrawal Lt Col Ali Haider Azad,
headquarters in Geneva. Peggy Mason, a neurobiologist at the University
since its first imposition. During the 1969 mass movement the commander of 34th BGB
At their annual assembly in May, WHO of Chicago and the senior author, told AFP the
demands of its withdrawal was raised by the political parties, it adds. battalion, said the border
member states agreed to an independent findings helped explain certain human behaviors
20,000 EVACUATED IN SIRAJGANJ guards took position
probe into the UN agency’s coronavirus such as why police officers fail to intervene when
Erosion by the Jamuna has become severe at Sirajganj town and on Tulatoli frontier on
response, following repeated US attacks. one of their own is engaging in brutality.
various other places of the subdivision. So far four villages adjacent to information that a big
US President Donald Trump had In an experiment published in Science
Sirajganj town are completely washed away and 20,000 inhabitants consignment of yaba
accused the WHO of botching its handling from Myanmar will enter Advances on Wednesday, scientists found that
are evacuated to safer places.
of the pandemic and of being a “puppet of CHITTAGONG PORT IN FULL SWING Bangladesh. when a rat encountered a distressed peer in PRAYER TIMING JULY 10
China”. When a gang of 10 to 12 a restrainer, they were generally interested in Fazr Juma Asr Maghrib Esha
The war-affected and crippled port of Chittagong has made not
The resolution, tabled by the European were entering Bangladesh opening a door and rescuing them. AZAN 4-10 12-30 5-006-55 8-17
SEE PAGE 10 COL 1
SEE PAGE 10 COL 5 SEE PAGE 10 COL 1 JAMAAT 4-45 1-15 5-15 7-00 8-45
SEE PAGE 10 COL 1
SOURCE: ISLAMIC FOUNDATION

Thousands out LAUNCH ACCIDENT

Owner of
of work in flood- Mayur-2
arrested
hit areas
STAR REPORT
in capital
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
People in the flood-hit districts of northern Bangladesh
Police arrested the owner
are struggling to survive with their families as a wave of
of Mayur-2 launch,
unemployment hit them hard.
which hit another one
To face this crisis, in Lalmonirhat and Kurigram, many
causing the latter to sink
were borrowing money from local lenders at a high interest
in the Buriganga late last
rate and some were taking advance payment from local
farmers against their labours. month, from the capital’s
Abdal Hossain, 56, of Char Sholmari in Lalmonirhat’s Sobhanbagh area early
Kaliganj upazila, said unemployment and flood made yesterday.
their lives miserable. A team of River Police
“I need money to repair my damaged house and survive picked up Mosaddek
with my family. I was forced to take loan from a local Hanif Swad, 33, from a
moneylender at a high interest,” he said. house around 3:00am,
Mazibar Rahman, 52, of Char Parbati in Kurigram Sadar Khondoker Faridul Islam,
upazila, said he and five other members of his family were superintendent of River
suffering due to lack of jobs at the time. Police in Dhaka, told The
In Bogura, over 400 families live in Nawapara Char and Daily Star.
Chakratinatha Char in Sariakanddi upazila. Almost all of Later in the day, senior
them remained unemployed due to flood. judicial magistrate of
Bipul, 38, of the Nawapara Char, said, they had no work Dhaka, Monika Khan,
in the Char area and they could not even go outside the placed the arrestee on
upazila due to restrictions for Covid-19. three-day remand after
“I used to earn Tk 300 every day before coronavirus and River Police Sub-Inspector
flood hit us. Now, I earn nothing. No one gave us relief Shahidul Alam produced
A hoopoe, which is distinctive for its “crown” of feathers, spotted at the Sher-e-Bangla National even in the flood. I am passing the hardest days of my life him before the court with
Stadium in Mirpur. This bird having barred black-and-white wings and tail is found across Asia, with six of my family members,” he said. a seven-day remand prayer.
Hosneara, 40, of Nawapara Char, said they did not Mosaddek was placed
Africa, and Europe. It lives on different kinds of insects. receive any flood relief from anyone and were barely on remand in a case filed
surviving by lending money from others. by River Police on June
More than 55,000 people in Bogura have been affected 30 in connection with the
PHOTO: FIROZ AHMED
by floods and the worst affected people are those living in incident. SI Shahidul is the
SEE PAGE 10 COL 5 SEE PAGE 10 COL 5

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