D H A K A W E D N E S D AY M AY 1 9 , 2 0 2 1

SECOND EDITION

REGD. NO. DA 781 VOL. XXXI NO. 119 JAISHTHA 5, 1428 BS SHAWWAL 6, 1442 HIJRI 16 PAGES PRICE : TK12.00

“Once upon a time, the state was run with “The country will be benefitted if strict action is taken “You are writing history with
the advice [from others]. But, I don’t do so… I against the corrupt people, not against the journalists.” your bloody hands.”
know better how we will develop the country.” AWAMI LEAGUE JOINT GENERAL SECRETARY TURKEY’S ERDOGAN LASHES OUT AT
PRIME MINISTER SHEIKH HASINA, PAGE-2 MAHBUBUL ALAM HANIF, PAGE-12 BIDEN FOR INACTION AGAINST ISRAEL

Carnival of graft
in time of Covid
Widespread scams plague health ministry
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Even when the nation was facing a grave
situation amid the Covid-19 outbreak,
systemic corruption raged in the health
ministry.
Instead of putting up all-out efforts to
tackle the outbreak and improve crippled
public health services, a section of ministry
officials has been embroiled in scams since
the pandemic hit the country in March last
year.
The custodian of the health sector hogged
the headlines time and again for all the wrong
reasons -- anomalies in purchasing N95
masks, issuing of fake Covid test certificates,
mismanagement in hospitals, amassing huge
illegal wealth by a DGHS driver, or scams in
recruitment of medical technologists.
Yet many of those involved in the graft
scandals are still untouched. Government
steps have so far been limited to filing a few
cases and some reshuffling in the ministry.
“It is unprecedented,” said Dr
Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of TIB.
“A section of people has converted the
pandemic into a festival of corruption. It has
been possible through collusion of a section
of business people with the senior ministry
officials,” he told The Daily Star yesterday.
“It flourished as no action has been taken
from the beginning of the pandemic in spite
of the stories of corruption coming out.
promote corruption.”
Graft in the health sector centring on
Covid-19 started surfacing when fake masks
and poor quality PPEs were found in Mugda
General Hospital in April last year.
Then, in July, the Rapid Action Battalion
uncovered the business of issuing fake Covid
certificates by the Regent Hospital and JKG
Health Care.
The Regent scam also brought to light how
a number of private medical hospitals were
running without any government licences.
The Directorate General of Health Services
signed an agreement with Regent Hospital
while being fully aware that the hospital’s
licence had expired in 2014. A photo of
Health Minister Zahid Maleque present at the
signing ceremony went viral on social media.
The news of fake Covid-19 test certificates
not only posed a risk to public health but
also put Bangladeshi expatriates in trouble. It
led many countries to close their borders to
Bangladeshis.
Other health sector scams that surfaced
since the beginning of the pandemic include
the supply of fake N95 masks to healthcare
staffers in public hospitals in and corruption
in an emergency Covid-19 project funded by
the World Bank and ADB last year.
Fake masks were found even in the
country’s premier medical college university Journalist Rozina Islam looks out of a prison van on the premises of the Metropolitan Magistrate’s
-- BSMMU -- in July. PHOTO:
Court in Old Dhaka yesterday. The court sent the daily Prothom Alo senior reporter to jail in a case filed STAR

Rather, there has been an effort to protect and SEE PAGE 2 COL 1 under the Official Secrets Act and Penal Code.

Rozina sent to
jail, hearing on
bail tomorrow
Court rejects remand plea
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
A Dhaka court yesterday sent Prothom Alo
journalist Rozina Islam to jail, as protests
raged on across the country demanding
her immediate release.
Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad
Jashim, however, rejected police’s petition
to take the senior reporter on a five-day
remand in a case filed under several sections
of Official Secrets act and the penal code.
The court also heard Rozina’s bail
petition partly and fixed Thursday for the
rest of the further hearing.
Rozina Islam, an award-wining reporter,
who wrote several in-depth reports on
corruption in the health sector amid the
ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, was sued by
the health ministry on charges of stealing
and capturing photos of “highly sensitive”
government documents.
Rozina’s family members and her
office, however, rejected the allegations
and said she was framed while discharging
her professional duties, as she exposed
corruption and mismanagement at the
health ministry in several recent reports.
SEE PAGE 2 COL 3
Editors’ Council
outraged by
Why should she be harassment
of Rozina
in jail for 3 days? STAFF CORRESPONDENT
The Sampadak Parishad
(Editors’ Council) has
Postponing bail hearing amounts to denying bail expressed outrage over the
MAHFUZ ANAM harassment of Prothom Alo
senior reporter Rozina Islam.
For what crime Rozina Islam, a senior correspondent of Prothom Alo, a “We are deeply worried
renowned journalist, highly respected among her peers and known for her and outraged, and we
bold and insightful reporting, is going to be in jail till tomorrow when strongly condemn and
protest the incident of
hearing of her bail petition will be held. The decision was made by a learned
court. As we have the highest regard for the judiciary, we do not question the harassing Rozina Islam for
decision but only raise a few related questions with a view to understanding six hours, handing her to
the law a little better. police, confining her to a
1. The provision of bail exists to ensure that no one suffers or is punished police station overnight,
before a trial is complete. Isn’t Rozina being punished -- three days in seeking remand of her by
prison, while being sick and a mother of a baby, along with the trauma and police, and sending her
humiliation of being in prison -- before even a single minute of trial being to jail instead of granting
held? bail,” the Parishad said in a
2. According to the law, there are three clear grounds on which bail can statement yesterday.
be denied: It said Rozina was
a) The accused may tamper with the evidence; prosecuted under the
b) The accused may threaten witnesses and thereby subvert the judicial Official Secrets Act of
process; 1923. “Prosecuting a
c) The accused may run away and thus escape the reach of the law. journalist in this era
Beyond these reasons there are no legal grounds to deny bail to any under a law formulated
citizen of the country. None of the above three conditions apply to Rozina. during the British rule is a
She will be in jail for three days. And it’s all due to postponement of bail manifestation of the negative
hearing. She could have been granted bail yesterday. attitude and ominous
SEE PAGE 2 COL 3 SEE PAGE 2 COL 6
‘Free Rozina now’
reverberates
Condemnations pour in over the journo’s arrest
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Calls grew louder for the immediate release of
Prothom Alo’s investigative reporter Rozina
Islam, who was arrested on Monday in a case
filed under the Official Secrets Act, 1923.
Journalists, different local and
international organisations as well as many
distinguished personalities of the country
criticised and condemned the arrest yesterday.
They also demanded the withdrawal of
the case without any further delay.
Rozina, senior reporter of the Bangla daily,
was confined to the health ministry inside
the Secretariat for more than five hours
before being handed over to Shahbagh Police
Station on Monday night.
Later, the law enforcers said she was
arrested in the case filed by Shibbir Ahmed
Osmani, deputy secretary of the ministry’s
health services division.
It all happened after the journalist on duty
went to the Secretariat.
The incident triggered a firestorm of
protests from journalists and different local
and international organisations.
Many journalists alleged that Rozina has
become a victim of vindictiveness because
she unraveled the truth through her reports.
Prothom Alo has recently published a series
of her investigative reports, which highlighted
how corruption was making a dent in the
health sector.
Many took to the social media to vent.
Yesterday, Rozina’s journalist colleagues
continued to demonstrate in the capital
and elsewhere in the country, calling for her
immediate release.
Besides, they demanded that those who
assaulted and harassed her at the Secretariat
be punished.
‘FREE ROZINA’
International Press Institute (IPI), a global
network of editors, media executives and
leading journalists that works to defend press
freedom, yesterday vehemently condemned
the arrest of Rozina Islam and demanded her
immediate release.
“We are greatly concerned that the arrest
of Rozina Islam is in retaliation to her
investigation into corruption related to
Bangladesh’s Ministry of Health,” said IPI
Executive Director Barbara Trionfi.
“Islam was doing her job as a journalist
PHOTOS ON PAGE 3 SEE PAGE 10 COL 3

BOMBARDMENT OF GAZA COVID VACCINES

Diplomacy yet
to bear fruit
Ceasefire calls fall on deaf
ears; death toll hits 213
AGENCIES
The UN Security Council was to hold
an emergency meeting yesterday amid a
diplomatic push to end the devastating
conflict between Israel and Gaza’s armed
groups that has killed more than 220
people.
Israel maintained its heaviest-ever daily
rate of bombardment of the blockaded
enclave overnight, sending a fireball
and a black plume of smoke into the
sky following one heavy strike, an AFP
journalist reported.
Israeli leaders said they would press on,
for now, with an offensive to destroy the
capabilities of the armed factions Hamas
and Islamic Jihad, amid calls by the
United States and other world powers for
an end to the conflict.
“The fighting will not cease until we
bring total and long-term quiet,” Israeli
Defence Minister Benny Gantz said in
a video statement, blaming Hamas for
the worst escalation in Israeli-Palestinian
fighting in years.
Israel launched its air campaign on the
Gaza Strip on May 10 after the enclave’s
rulers, the Islamist group Hamas, fired a
barrage of home-made rockets in response
to unrest in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem.
SEE PAGE 2 COL 6
One lakh Pfizer
shots to arrive
next month
Bangladesh asks Canada,
India for AstraZeneca shots
STAR REPORT
A total of 1.06 lakh doses of Pfizer vaccine
will arrive in Bangladesh on June 2, Health
Minister Zahid Maleque has told The Daily
Star.
He said the COVAX authority has written
to the health ministry, informing the
decision.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh has requested
Canada to provide two million AstraZeneca
vaccines in an emergency for second doses.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen
requested Canadian High Commissioner
to Bangladesh Benoit Préfontaine as the
latter called on the minister at the foreign
ministry yesterday.
Stating the emergency need of 1.6
million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to
provide second doses in Bangladesh, he
underscored that this is at present a high
priority for Bangladesh.
Bangladesh and Beximco
Pharmaceuticals Ltd signed a deal with
the Serum Institute of India to procure 30
million shots of the Oxford-AstraZeneca
Houses reduced to ashes by a fire in Marma Para of Bandarban’s Rowangchhari upazila yesterday. The
PHOTO: vaccine, but only 10.2 million doses have
blaze engulfed at least 70 houses of Marma families. The victims are now living under the open sky. COLLECTED been received from India, which has halted
The upazila administration has given Tk 3,000 to each of the affected families. SEE PAGE 2 COL 1

2 NEWS
1,272
New cases in 24hrs
Govt won’t take advice
harmful for country: PM
BSS, Dhaka
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday
said her government would not take
any advice that would cause damage to
the country.
“Once upon a time, the state was run
with advice [from others]. But I don’t do
so. My word is -- the country is mine and
I know it better how we will develop the
country. We will take advice, but it will
not cause any damage to the country,”
she said.
Speaking at a meeting of the National
Economic Council (NEC) virtually
from the Gono Bhaban, Hasina said
the World Bank had earlier advised (a
previous BNP government) to stop
operation of the railway and BRTC
buses which are massively used by the
masses.
In line with the advice, a plan was
adopted to close down the railway across
the country for which an agreement was
signed at that time, the PM said.
Hasina said her government, after
assuming office, had decided to reopen
the railway for the welfare of the people.
She said she had set up a separate
ministry and provided necessary
allocation for it in the budget just for
the reopening of the railway.
Carnival of graft in time of Covid
FROM PAGE 1
Besides, allegations of misuse of funds
meant for the quarantine and food for
frontline healthcare professionals in
public hospitals led the government to
put such facilities on hold.
Last month, the allegation of
financial corruption involving the
much-awaited appointment of 2,500
medical technologists in public
hospitals surfaced in the ill-equipped
health sector.
In response to the fake test certificate
scam, the health ministry only removed
several top DGHS officials, including
the then director general.
But ministry officials, who were also
allegedly involved in the irregularities,
remained untouched while the then
health secretary Asadul Islam was
promoted as a senior secretary to
another ministry.
Last September, a DGHS driver
named Abdul Malek drew huge media
attention with investigators revealing
that he has wealth valued at no less than
Tk 1,000 crore. He landed in jail but no
progress has been seen in the case since.
LONG-RUNNING SYNDICATE
Experts said the corruption in the health
sector is a result of a long-running
syndicate involving officials of the
health ministry, from top to bottom.
“There is a systemic problem in the
health sector for which a well-organised
syndicate is taking the chance each
time,” Prof Dr Nasrin Sultana, director
of the Institute of Health Economics at
Dhaka University, told The Daily Star
yesterday.
“The syndicate is rooted even inside
the policymakers.”
Amid controversies over the purchase
of substandard PPE and N95 masks,
Brig Gen Md Shahidullah, director of
Central Medical Stores Depot (CMSD),
was taken back to army headquarters on
May 23 last year.
Before leaving charge as director,
Shahidullah wrote to the public
administration ministry on May 30
last year alleging that a syndicate with
administrative and political clout
control purchases in the health sector.
He died of Covid in July last year.
One lakh Pfizer shots to arrive
FROM PAGE 1
the export of vaccines because of its
high demand amid severe Covid-19
infections.
Canadian Procurement Minister
Anita Anand recently said Canada
might distribute excess stockpiles of
the AstraZeneca vaccine among the
developing countries.
Momen urged the envoy to pursue
with his government for at least two
million doses so that Bangladesh
receives those directly, not through the
COVAX facility of the World Health
Organization.
He also proposed that Canada
may help vaccinate the Rohingyas in
Bangladesh separately.
Bangladesh is also trying to acquire
vaccines from some other countries,
including China, Russia, and the US.
In response, the Canadian high
commissioner assured the minister
of following up the request with his
government.
High Commissioner Préfontaine
also stated that Canada would
continue its humanitarian support
for displaced Rohingyas and host
communities at the same scale for
the next three years, as was reflected
in their budgetary framework for the
next three years.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh has also
requested India to supply the Astrazeneca
vaccine as the stock of available
vaccine will run out soon, affecting the
inoculation campaign in the country.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen
made the request during a phone
call with Indian Foreign Minister S
Jaishankar yesterday.
The telephone conversation was
held when Bangladesh sent medicine,
injections, and other medical supplies
worth Tk 20 crore to India through
City
7,82,129
Total cases
“We keep everything [railway and
BRTC buses] open and the people are
now getting its benefits which is the
biggest thing.”
The premier said no country could be
developed unless its communication,
power and roads were developed. She
said her government has been working
tirelessly for the development of water,
rail and airways alongside the road to
ensure the overall development of the
country.
She appreciated the government
officials for carrying out nation building
activities as they were considering the
tasks as their own and performing their
duties accordingly.
Stating that the government is going
to place the national budget for 2021-
22 fiscal year in parliament on June
3, Hasina lauded the officials for their
hard work in preparing projects which
were being taken up under the Annual
Development Programme (ADP) or
placed for approval.
She asked officials to make necessary
amendments to the projects if required.
The PM’s cabinet colleagues and
officials concerned attended the
meeting from the NEC conference
room and Cabinet Division through
videoconferencing.
ACC PROBE
Against this much-talked-about
backdrop, the Anti-Corruption
Commission initiated a probe into these
graft allegations related to Covid-19 on
June 18 last year.
Three days later, the watchdog
issued a letter to the ministry, seeking
detailed information about the projects
undertaken to procure masks, PPE,
sanitisers, ICU equipment, ventilators,
PCR machines and test kits.
It also sought information from the
ministry about doctors who have been
transferred from their workplaces on
various grounds since late March as a
part of the enquiry.
Earlier, in January 2019, the ACC
sent a report to the health ministry,
identifying the sources of graft in the
health sector, setting off alarm bells.
The report said corruption takes
place during the purchase of medicine,
surgical equipment and machines in
absence of proper monitoring by the
government.
An alleged nexus of contractors
and officials from different
organisations under the ministry
buys many “inessential machines
and equipment to misappropriate
money,” it mentioned.
In the report, the ACC also came
up with 25 recommendations on
preventing graft and other corrupt
practices in the sector.
Most of these recommendations,
however, appear to have fallen on deaf
ears. In June 2020, the health ministry
only blacklisted 14 medical equipment
supplying companies.
In a latest development, the ACC
last month wrote to the Cabinet
Division to look after whether their
recommendations are implemented, a
source said.
Contacted, ACC secretary Md Anwar
Hossain Howlader told The Daily Star
yesterday, “We have sent the letter to
the Cabinet Division as we have no
jurisdiction to supervise any ministry.
We have not got any update on it yet.”
No officials from the health ministry
could be reached yesterday despite
several attempts.
Benapole land port as assistance
during the country’s devastating
Covid-19 situation.
Toufique Hasan, Bangladesh’s
deputy high commissioner in Kolkata,
handed over the supplies to the Indian
Red Crescent Society.
This was the second consignment of
medical assistance from Bangladesh.
On May 6, Bangladesh provided over
10,000 vials of Remdesivir injections
to India.
Under an agreement among the
Bangladesh government, Beximco
Pharmaceuticals Ltd, and Serum
Institute of India, Bangladesh received
10.2 million vaccines of 30 million
doses. Amid severe Covid-19 infections
and deaths, India has been halting
exports of vaccines since March.
In response to Momen’s request,
Jaishankar said he is aware of the
situation in Bangladesh and the
demand for Astrazeneca vaccines.
Foreign Minister Momen said as
India could not supply the vaccine in
time, Bangladesh has requested the
US to supply it immediately.
He also told his Indian counterpart
that he may request the US to supply
vaccines to Bangladesh. Jaishankar said
he would make the request to the US.
In another development, at
least 1,014 Bangladeshi expatriate
professionals, including doctors,
engineers, and professors -- led by
Dr AFM Haque -- have written an
application to the White House
requesting a supply of vaccines to
Bangladesh.
Besides, Georgia State Senator
Sheikh Rahman, Bangabandhu
Foundation US Branch, and
Muktijoddha Council there also
requested the White House for
sending vaccines to Bangladesh.
12,221
Deaths
Explosions light-up the night sky above buildings in Gaza City as Israeli forces shell the
Palestinian enclave early yesterday. Israeli jets kept up a barrage of air strikes against the
Palestinian enclave of Gaza.
Rozina sent to jail, hearing on bail tomorrow
FROM PAGE 1
She was kept confined at the health
ministry for more than five hours on
Monday before being handed over to
police. At that time, she was inside the
secretariat to gather news.
Her confinement and arrest both
triggered protests by journalists all over
the country.
She was manhandled by ministry
officials and staffers. She had fallen ill
and instead of being taken to hospital,
she was taken to Shahbagh Police
Station.
Police said Shibbir Ahmed Osmani,
a deputy secretary of the health services
division, filed a case against Rozina,
after which she was arrested.
In the case statement, Shibbir said
Bangladesh is now in negotiations
with several countries for purchasing
Covid-19 vaccines and some of those
include “non-disclosure agreements”.
He alleged Rozina was secretly
taking photos of the documents.
Rozina’s sister Sabina Parvin told
reporters at Shahbagh Police Station
on Monday night that her sister went to
the ministry for professional purposes
and received some documents from
her sources there.
“She was harassed there and her bag
was snatched away. Some papers might
have been put in her bag while she was
kept in confinement,” said Sabina.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Zahid
Maleque claimed she was not physically
tortured and said his ministry would
take action against anyone involved in
wrongdoings.
Journalists continued their protest
near the police station overnight before
they were driven away around 4:00am
yesterday.
As the day progressed, protests
spread across the country, while a group
of journalists in Dhaka boycotted
a press briefing held by the health
ministry over the issue. Some reporters
even went to Shahbagh Police Station
Why should she be in jail for 3 days?
FROM PAGE 1
The Code of Criminal Procedure,
1898 (Act no. V of 1898) clearly
states in section 497. (1) “When any
person accused of any non-bailable
offence is arrested or detained
without warrant… is brought before
a court, he may be released on bail
but he shall not be so released if there
appears to be reasonable grounds for
believing that he has been guilty of
an offence punishable with death or
transportation for life.
Provided that the court may direct
any person under the age of sixteen
years or any woman or any sick or
infirm person accused of such an
offence be released on bail.”
First as a citizen, then as a woman
and finally as someone sick, Rozina is
entitled to bail. With due respect to
the learned judge, we repeat, we hold
the judiciary in the highest esteem,
would we be wrong to ask as to how
the provision of 497 was followed in
Rozina’s case?
According to Barrister Tanjibul
Alam, “The right of a woman to seek
bail even if accused of a non-bailable
offence is provided in section 497 of
the Code of Criminal Procedure. There
are a number of judicial decisions of
the Appellate Division as well as the
High Court Division of the Supreme
Court of Bangladesh and India that a
person is entitled to bail if he is not
likely to abscond, destroy evidence or
intimidate witnesses”.
The law could not have been
clearer. Yet with all weight of the law
on her side, Rozina had to face foot-
dragging over her bail. Again, we do
not question the learned judge but
sincerely plead that we, the law abiding
citizens, stand totally confused as to
how we should understand the law
and seek justice.
Rozina Islam has been charged
under section 79 and 411 of the Penal
Code of 1860, and section 3 and 5 of
the Official Secrets Act of 1923.
The provisions of the Penal Code
deals with theft. What did Rozina
steal? She is accused of having taken
7,24,209
Recoveries
to embrace voluntary imprisonment.
While journalist’s associations in
different districts held demonstrations,
different local and international social,
political and rights organisations
demanded the immediate release of
the Rozina and the withdrawal of the
case.
ROZINA IN THE DOCK
Rozina was taken to Dhaka’s Chief
Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court
around 8:00am yesterday, where she
kept inside lockup for three hours
before the court started the case
proceedings.
In his forwarding, Inspector Arifur
Rahman Sardar, also the investigation
officer of the case, sought a five-day
remand “to unveil the mystery of the
case”.
Rozina was produced before the
court around 11:00am amid tight
security.
Her lawyer filed a petition seeking bail
and another petition for the cancellation
of the remand prayer.
But the prosecution opposed her bail
prayer, saying that she may “flee forever”.
During the hearing, defence
counsel Ehsanul Haque Shomaji said
the seizure list presented to the court
showed that the documents were not
taken from Rozina, but a government
official himself presented those.
“The allegations were defamatory
and offensive,” he added.
The lawyer further said his client
went to the secretariat to discharge her
professional duties.
She wrote several reports on
corruption and mismanagement of the
health ministry and she is a victim of
the situation for performing her duty,
he added.
“I’M BEING WRONGED FOR MY
REPORTS”: ROZINA
Rozina said she was wronged.
She made this comment in the
presence of some journalists while
being taken to the jail.
some snapshots by her mobile phone
which is now in the possession of
police. Whatever she did, she did
so while on duty as a professional
journalist and in public interest. There
was nothing personal in this matter,
it was only journalistic and hence in
public interest.
Section 3 of the Official Secrets Act
refers to “spying” which happens only
when information is collected and
passed on to an “enemy” country.
Nothing like that happened here.
Section 5 talks about “wrongful
communication by officials” and
entering “prohibited place”. Again the
room of PS to the secretary is “not a
prohibited” place and there has been
no “wrongful communication”. In fact
there has not been any communication
at all except the harassment of Rozina.
We would like to state forcefully
that the Official Secrets Act of 1923
is one of the most anti-freedom and
controversial laws that exist in our
statute books. This law clashes with
the fundamental principles of our
constitution that guarantees freedom
of expression subject to reasonable
restrictions under Article 39. It directly
contradicts the Right to Information
(RTI) Act which clearly states that the
RTI will take precedence over other
laws that contradict its provisions. It
means that as long as the RTI exists
the Officials Secrets Act should stand
superseded by the RTI.
Journalists in Bangladesh have
long struggled against this law and we
consider it to be a law that encourages
non-transparency and lack of
accountability and as such corruption,
nepotism and waste of public money.
Here are two examples of Rozina’s
several recent reports on corruption
within the health ministry. On May 18,
she published a two-part report titled
“You will get Tk 1 crore now, and more
later”. This was a story of recruiting
1,800 employees in the ministry.
Two members of the recruitment
committee made a written compliant
to the secretary of health services of
DHAKA WEDNESDAY MAY 19, 2021, JAISHTHA 5, 1428 BS
3,412,496
Deaths
PHOTO:
AFP
“I’m being wronged for my reports
on health ministry,” Rozina, escorted
by police, said when one of the
journalists asked if she had anything
to say.
Law enforcers, while taking her
away, were then heard saying that she
is not allowed to speak to the media.
She was sent to Kashimpur Women’s
Central Jail in Gazipur.
The court said Rozina will get
treatment according to the jail code
after her lawyer filed a petition seeking
her treatment.
Meanwhile, talking to reporters on
the court premises yesterday, Rozina’s
husband Monirul Islam Mithu said,
“Those who tortured, assaulted and
confined her [Rozina] will be sued.”
“Everyone has the video footage of
Rozina being tortured,” he said.
MINISTRY’S PROBE BODY
The Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare yesterday formed a three-
member probe committee to look
into the confinement and handover to
police of journalist Rozina Islam at the
Secretariat on Monday.
Joint Secretary (development)
Saifullah Hil Ajam was made the
convener of the committee, which has
been ordered to submit a report within
three working days, the ministry said in
a statement yesterday.
It also said if any official was found
involved in wrongdoings during the
probe, legal action would be taken
against them.
Rozina Islam, a journalist known
for her strong reporting on official
corruption was shown arrested
yesterday on charges of violating the
Official Secrets Act.
The journalist rejected all allegations
against her and said she had been
harassed inside the Secretariat.
Rozina Islam was taken to
Kashimpur Central Women’s Jail on
Tuesday afternoon after a Dhaka court
rejected police’s remand plea.
the health ministry that Tk 15-20 lakh
were taken from some candidates with
the promise of passing them in the
written test. This was revealed to the
selection committee when candidates,
during oral examination, could not
answer questions in which they got
60 to 70 percent marks in the written
examination.
Her second story titled
“Irregularities involving Tk 350 crore
for emergency purchases” revealed
that medical equipment and health
safety items were purchased from
parties without any agreement, and
other irregularities about which the
director of Central Medical Stores
Depot made a written complaint on
February 9 this year.
It is a natural question as to who
benefitted from such bold investigative
journalism of Rozina Islam. We think
there cannot be any doubt that the
taxpayers benefitted, with whose hard-
earned money such corruption takes
place. Theoretically, a government,
committed to good governance and
judicious use of public money, should
also be immensely benefitted.
Whatever Rozina did benefitted
the public and the government.
It is obvious that the documents
that benefitted the public and the
government’s accountability process
were not voluntarily given by
government officials to Rozina. She
got it somehow but her action was
meant for public benefit. There was
nothing personal in what Rozina did
and the benefit for all her actions have
been to the tax-paying public.
We urge the judiciary, the
government and all others to consider
that this was journalism meant for
public service and without such
investigative journalism our country
will be mired in more corruption and
misuse of our scarce resource. Such
journalism is always necessary for
any society to thrive, but it is more
necessary in this time of pandemic
triggered economic, social and more
appropriately existential crisis.
164,690,323
Total cases
Over 50 missing
after boat from
Libya sinks
33 others from Bangladesh
rescued
AFP, Tunis
More than 50 people were missing
yesterday when their boat sank after
leaving Libya heading to Europe,
Tunisia’s defence ministry said, with 33
others rescued.
Defence ministry spokesman
Mohamed Zikri said the survivors of the
shipwreck were picked up after clinging
to an oil platform off the southern coast
of Tunisia.
“There are 33 survivors, all apparently
from Bangladesh,” Flavio Di Giacomo,
a spokesman for the International
Organization for Migration, told AFP.
“At least 50 are missing.”
Diplomacy
FROM PAGE 1
Israeli air strikes have killed 213
Palestinians, including 61 children,
and wounded more than 1,400 people
in Gaza, according to the Gaza health
ministry.
Palestinian militants have fired
around 3,350 rockets toward Israel that
have killed 10 people, including a child,
Israeli authorities said.
Two Thai workers were killed
yesterday and seven people were
wounded in a rocket strike on an Israeli
farm just over the Gaza border, police
said. Hamas and Islamic Jihad claimed
responsibility.
The Security Council session, the
fourth since the conflict escalated,
was called after the United States, a
key Israel ally, blocked adoption of a
joint statement calling for a halt to the
violence on Monday for the third time
in a week.
US President Joe Biden, having
resisted joining other world leaders
and much of his own Democratic
party in calling for an immediate end
to hostilities, told Netanyahu Monday
night he backs a ceasefire, but stopped
short of demanding a truce.
The Israeli army yesterday said it
had struck dozens of “targets” inside
Gaza since midnight, while Palestinian
militants had fired 70 rockets, dozens of
which were intercepted by air defences.
“They destroyed our house but I
don’t know why they targeted us,” said
Nazmi al-Dahdouh, 70, of western
Gaza City, adding he was now homeless
after “a terrifying, violent night”.
Gaza resident Roba Abu al-Awf, 20,
said she expected a rough night.
“We have nothing to do but sit at
home,” she said. “Death could come
at any moment -- the bombing is crazy
and indiscriminate.”
A strike late Monday knocked out
Gaza’s only Covid-19 testing laboratory,
the health ministry said. The Qatari Red
Crescent said a strike damaged one of
its offices in the enclave.
The rate of positive coronavirus tests
in Gaza has been among the highest in
the world, at 28 percent.
Hospitals in the poverty-stricken
territory, which has been under Israeli
blockade for almost 15 years, have been
overwhelmed by patients.
Israeli fire has cratered roads and
battered crucial infrastructure, causing
blackouts and prompting the electricity
authority to warn Monday it only had
enough fuel left to provide power for
another two to three days.
Reuters reported a brief lull in fighting
after early yesterday’s bombardments
on the tiny strip. The UN said it was
able to send a small fuel convoy into
the enclave, where it says 52,000 people
are now displaced. It had to stop the
operations after fighting resumed.
Nearly 450 buildings in the Gaza
strip have been destroyed or badly
damaged, including six hospitals and
nine primary care health centres, the
United Nations humanitarian agency
said. Some 47,000 of the 52,000
displaced had fled to UN schools.
Fighter jets hit what the Israeli
military dubs the “metro”, its term for
Hamas’s underground tunnels, which
Israel has previously acknowledged run
in part through civilian areas.
Rockets have meanwhile also been
fired at Israel from Lebanon, where
protests against Israel’s Gaza campaign
have been held in the border area. The
Israeli army said the six rockets did
not reach its territory.
Editors’ Council
FROM PAGE 1
mentality of the authorities for muzzling
the voice of the press.”
This threatens independent
journalism, and freedom of expression
in the future, and also attempts to erode
the independence of the press, the
statement added.
“In a democratic society, deplorable
attempts like this threatens the very
existence of newspapers, and pose
challenges for the profession,” read
the statement, signed by Sampadak
Parishad President Mahfuz Anam and
Secretary General Naem Nizam.
The platform of editors said this
unprecedented incident would remain
as a black episode in the history of
Bangladesh’s journalism.
“Detaining Rozina Islam for six
hours to a room at the health ministry,
and then harassing her in various ways
is not just saddening, actions must
be taken against those involved in the
incident. An independent enquiry must
be conducted to find out under which
law a journalist was detained in this way.
Actions have to be taken against those
to be found guilty,” said the statement.
The Parishad also demanded
immediate release of Rozina.
DHAKA WEDNESDAY MAY 19, 2021, JAISHTHA 5, 1428 BS CITY 3

JOURNALISM IS NOT A CRIME

After the arrest of Prothom Alo’s investigative reporter Rozina Islam, journalists across the country yesterday
stood in solidarity with her, protesting her harassment and arrest. Prothom Alo journalists and staff formed a
human chain in front of their office at Dhaka’s Karwan Bazar, as did The Daily Star employees in front of their
office premises, demanding immediate release of Rozina. Members of Dhaka Reporters’ Unity also formed a human
chain in the capital, while electronic media journalists of Sylhet formed one in front of Sylhet Shaheed Minar.
Chattogram Journalists’ Union demonstrated in front of Ctg Press Club. Left-leaning student organisations staged a
demonstration at the base of Raju Memorial Sculpture in the capital, lamenting the muzzling of the press. Protests
were also staged in Narayanganj, Rangpur, Tangail, Pabna, and Patuakhali, among other places.

PHOTO: STAR

Chinese national 11 killed by lightning

stabbed dead by
compatriot in Sylhet
OUR CORRESPONDENT, Sylhet
A Chinese man was stabbed by his flatmate
after an altercation at their apartment in
Sylhet city’s Pathantula area yesterday
morning.
The deceased was identified as Wentao
Wei (48), hailing from Shanxi of China.
He was an employee of the power plant at
Kumargaon area in Sylhet.
His flatmate, a Chinese national, is also
an employee of the power plant, and was
injured after being stabbed by Wentao.
The flatmate was detained by police and
is undergoing treatment at Sylhet MAG
Osmani Medical College Hospital.
SM Abu Farhad, officer-in-charge of
Kotwali Police Station, said, “Along with
several other Chinese employees of the
power plant, the two used to stay in a
rented flat at Pathantula area. In the
morning, all others left for work while the
duo stayed back.”
“At around 8am, they got into an
altercation and ended up stabbing each
other. One of them died while the other is
SEE PAGE 4 COL 3
HOLIDAYMAKERS SCRAMBLING TO DHAKA
Gloomy weather adds to their woes strikes in three districts
STAR REPORT
Amid the gloomy weather,
holidaymakers were struggling
to return to the capital yesterday
following the Eid vacation, due to
the transport crisis caused by the
suspension of long-distance bus
service.
Over the last three days, hundreds
were seen entering the city as many
offices and factories have already
reopened after the holidays.
Many were seen flouting health
guidelines -- not wearing masks or
maintaining physical distancing
-- raising the risk of Covid-19
transmission.
While people from high-income
groups are returning either in private
cars, flights, or rented vehicles,
middle-class and low-income people
are using cheaper means.
But they’re also facing all kinds of
difficulties as they have to pay two to
three times more than the usual fare
due to the transport crisis, report our
correspondents.
Yesterday, their hassle increased
following rains in the late hour of the
day.
According to data released by
Bangladesh Telecommunication
Regulatory Commission (BTRC),
around 1.06-crore mobile phone
users left Dhaka from May 4 to
May 15, despite the movement
restrictions.
Health experts have expressed
concerns that the cross-country
travelling en masse may cause a sharp
spike in the number of new Covid-19
cases.
Yesterday, over 100 passenger buses
were halted at Kazipur upazila in
Sirajganj when buses from different
northern districts tried to go through
the area to dodge law enforcers on
highways.
Kazipur police, however, said
vehicles carrying passengers to Dhaka
were sent back from Sonamukhi area
of the upazila.
Additional police were deployed
at Sonamukhi and other important
places of the inter-district road
in Kazipur to stop the buses,
Panchanand Sarkar, officer-in-charge
of Kazipur Police Station, told the
Daily Star.
Passengers and buss staffers
demonstrated on the spot due to
that, said witnesses.
“I have to reach Dhaka to rejoin
my workplace tomorrow [today]. If I
don’t do that, I might lose my job,”
said Abdur Rahim, a Dhaka-bound
passenger.
Rahim claimed that he did not
want to go back home amid the
pandemic, but he had no choice due
to the sudden demise of his father.
officer-in-Charge of Bangabandhu
Bridge (west zone) Police Station
Mosaddek Hossain said more than
29,000 vehicles moved across the
bridge in the 24 hours till 6am on
Tuesday .
Most of them were motorbikes,
cars, microbuses and trucks, he
added.
SEE PAGE 4 COL 2
STAR REPORT
At least 11 people were killed in lightning strikes in Netrakona, Faridpur
and Manikganj yesterday.
In Netrakona, seven persons were killed and eight others injured as
thunderbolts struck them in separate incidents.
The deceased were identified as Bayezid Khan (42), Fazlu Mia (55),
Maulana Md Atabur Rahman (21), Md Sharif Mia (8), Oshek Mia (30),
Bipul Mia (32), and Monir Hossain (30).
Of them, Bayezid and Fazlu were farmers while Oshek, Bipul and
Monir were fishermen, said police.
Quoting locals, Madan Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Ferdous
Alam said Atabur and Sharif were killed on the spot and five others injured
as they were struck by thunderbolts while playing in a field of Pachim
Fatehpur in Madan upazila around 2:30pm.
The injured were admitted to Kendua Upazila Health Complex.
Kendua Police Station OC Kazi Shah Newaz said farmers Bayezid and
Fazlu died instantly as thunderbolts struck them while they were working
on their field in Kendua around 3pm.
Three fishermen -- Oshek, Bipul and Monir -- died on the spot and
three other fishermen sustained injuries while they were catching fish in
a waterbody in Gazipur area of Khaliajury around 2:30pm, Khaliajury
Police Station OC Md Mujibur Rahman quoted locals as saying.
The injured were given first aid, said the OC.
On information, police recovered the bodies and handed them over to
the families.
SEE PAGE 4 COL 3

MAYHEM IN SUNAMGANJ Woman run over

Jhumon Das, sued by truck in Natore
OUR CORRESPONDENT, Natore

under DSA, still in jail

DWOHA CHOWDHURY, Sylhet
A woman died on the spot after a truck ran
her over at Garmati area of Natore-Pabna
highway in Baraigram upazila of Natore
around 7am yesterday.
Jhumon Das Apon, accused in a Digital Security Act (DSA) case filed over The deceased was identified as Nurjahan
criticising Hefajat-e-Islam leader Mamunul Haque on Facebook, has been Begum (32).
in jail for over two months. Her husband Milon Uddin and their
Sunamganj District Judge Court, after hearing a bail prayer filed two children were accompanying Nurjahan
by Jhumon’s lawyer yesterday, did not give any order and postponed
while they were attempting to cross the
proceedings for two months.
highway.
The Facebook post allegedly led to the mayhem in Noagaon village
Milon and his son Mohin were able
of Sunamganj’s Shalla upazila on March 17, which saw about 90 Hindu
to cross the road but Nurjahan and their
houses vandalised and looted.
No lawyer was initially willing to defend Jhumon in the case for security daughter, Jannatul, couldn’t pass through
reasons, and that is why filing of a bail prayer was delayed, said his family. with them, so the two were waiting on the
Lawyer Debangshu Sekhar Das, who later agreed to defend Jhumon, said other side.
securing bail in a case filed under DSA is tough for an accused. “Suddenly, a truck carrying potatoes
After the hearing, the lawyer is planning to file an application on Sunday crashed into Nurjahan. She managed to
to know whether they will get an order. “The court postponed proceedings save Jannatul by pushing her away,” said
without giving an order. If we get an order, we can make appeals,” he said. Milon.
Police, with help of locals, detained Jhumon on March 16 to pacify Khandaker Shafiqul Islam, officer-
agitated Hefajat supporters and avoid a possible attack on the village, but in-charge of Bonpara Highway Police
in vain. They showed Jhumon (25) arrested under section 54 of Criminal Station confirmed the matter to this
Procedure Code (CrPC) and produced him before a Sunamganj court on correspondent.
March 17. The court later sent him to jail. The truck was on its way to Pabna, he
On March 22, police filed the case against the youth and 20-30 unnamed said.
persons under DSA. In the case statement, they attached Jhumon’s Despite all the health guidelines in effect on paper, buses in the capital can be seen taking in passengers Police seized the vehicle but its driver
Facebook post and mentioned that he intentionally spread information without face-masks and leaving no space for maintaining social distancing. This photo was taken yesterday and helper managed to flee, the police
SEE PAGE 4 COL 3 from Malibagh area. PHOTO: RASHED SHUMON official said.

KILLING OF 26 MIGRANTS IN LIBYA IN 2019 Hefajat’s Mamunul EC mulls by-polls to

CID to press charges for
trafficking, not murder
SHARIFUL ISLAM
Nearly two years after investigating the
cases filed for trafficking and killing of 26
Bangladeshi migrants in Libya, the CID is
mulling to submit charge sheet only for
the human trafficking charges in a month,
keeping the murder charges pending.
Investigators said since except for
one, all Bangladeshi trafficking syndicate
godfathers and members who had direct
link to the killings could not be brought
back home for interrogation; they made
little progress in the probe into charges of
murder and grievous injuries to the victims.
“We will submit supplementary charge
sheets when we will be able to complete
investigation into charges of murder and
grievous injuries,” Criminal Investigation
Department Additional Superintendent
THB (trafficking in human being) AKM
Akteruzzaman told The Daily Star recently.
The officer said they are expecting to
submit charge sheet on human trafficking
charges before the second anniversary of
the gruesome murders of Bangladeshi
migrants.
On May 27 in 2019, alleged human
traffickers killed 30 migrant workers,
including 26 Bangladeshis in Libya. The
incident caused a huge public outcry at
home and abroad.
The killing took place at a warehouse
in the city of Mizdah near Tripoli. Twelve
more Bangladeshis were also injured in the
attack.
Twenty-six cases were filed by victims and
SEE PAGE 4 COL 4
brought to N’ganj
for interrogation
OUR CORRESPONDENT, Narayanganj
Police yesterday brought Hefajat-e-Islam leader Mamunul
Haque to Narayanganj from Dhaka to interrogate him
centring three cases which contain rape and violence
charges.
Mamunul, former joint general secretary of Hefajat, was
firstly taken to the office of district detective branch (DB)
of police around 9am. Then, police started interrogating
over the rape case.
“We have brought Mamunul on a total remand of
nine days for three cases. Firstly, we started interrogation
centring the rape case, in which he has been remanded for
three days. He will be interrogated for six days more for two
other violence cases,” said Mostafizur Rahman, additional
superintendent of police in Narayanganj.
Earlier on April 3, some ruling Awami League (AL) men
kept Mamunul confined in a room, where he went with a
woman. When the chaos was going on, Mamunul claimed
SEE PAGE 4 COL 3
Papul’s constituency
Discussion on postponed UP, municipal polls today
MOHIUDDIN ALAMGIR
The Election Commission is considering
to hold by-election to the Laxmipur-2
constituency -- of Mohammad Shahid Islam,
also known as Kazi Papul -- amid Covid-19
pandemic for constitutional obligation.
The election commissioners will sit in
a meeting today to discuss the issue of by-
elections to three others constituencies,
polls to 371 union parishads (UPs) in the
first phase and voting to 11 municipalities
in the sixth phase of the staggered elections.
“The commission will hold a meeting
on Wednesday on by-polls and union
parishad elections that were postponed due
to a steep rise in coronavirus infections,” EC
additional secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath
told The Daily Star.
According to the constitution, by-
elections to fill the vacant seat of a member
of parliament should be held within 90
days. Provided that in a case where, in the
opinion of the chief election commissioner,
it is not possible, for reasons of an act of
God, to hold such election within 90 days
period, such election shall be held within
ninety days following next after the last day
of such period, reads the constitution.
On February 22, parliament secretariat
issued a gazette notification announcing
that Laxmipur-2 constituency fell vacant
because of Kazi Papul’s moral turpitude. The
gazette has been in effect since January 28
when Papul was sentenced to four years of
rigorous imprisonment by a Kuwait court.
“So in that account, elections to
Laxmipur-2 constituency shall be held
within July. We are thinking about holding
SEE PAGE 4 COL 1
4 CITY DHAKA WEDNESDAY MAY 19, 2021, JAISHTHA 5, 1428 BS

‘Allow resumption of launch Jhumon Das FROM PAGE 3

operations immediately’
Waterways workers urge govt at rally in Barishal
OUR CORRESPONDENT, BARISHAL
Waterways workers in Barishal held a
rally yesterday, demanding resumption of
passenger launches.
Under the banner of Bangladesh
Naujan Sramik Federation (BNSF), they
staged the event at Barishal River Port.
Workers said they are living in financial
difficulties due to suspension of vessel
operation. If the restriction imposed on
passenger vessels is not withdrawn soon,
they will wage a tougher movement, they
warned.
“We want launches to be allowed on
waterways in accordance with the health
rules,” said a protester.
BNSF Barishal unit president Sheikh
Waterways workers bring out a procession at Barishal River Port yesterday,
demanding resumption of launch operation.
Abul Hashem presided over the event.
He said, “If launch owners do not pay
the workers salaries, bonuses and if the
government does not allow the operation
of launches, we will enforce a blockade for
cargo vessels.”
Speakers also alleged that launch
owners never speak on behalf of workers
as they are “loyal to the government”.
BNSF organising secretary
Asaduzzaman assured, “We will run
launches following all government
instructions.”
Speakers at the rally said around
30,000 launch workers in different areas
of the country are facing hardship due to
the ongoing shutdown.
PHOTO: STAR
that are aggressive, intimidating, false and disgraceful in
nature, and responsible for degrading law enforcement.
They also mentioned that Jhumon in his Facebook post
attached a defamatory photo of Mamunul Haque and three
posts targeting the Hefajat leader.
A Sunamganj court on April 20 placed Jhumon on two-
day remand in the DSA case. Police remanded him into
custody and sent him back to jail.
Speaking to The Daily Star on Monday, Jhumon’s mother
Nibha Rani Das said, “I could see my son only once, after he
was sent to jail. As a mother, I want my son to be freed, but
I’m worried about his safety. I also demand justice for him
through a fair probe into the incident.”
Advocate Bishwajit Chakraborty, general secretary of
Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council,
Sunamganj unit, said, “Jhumon’s Facebook post is not
aggressive nor did it hurt any religious sentiment. It
criticised a Hefajat leader’s intention and sought the PM’s
intervention to take necessary steps against those radical
people.”
“Now, as we are seeing what’s happening around Hefajat
and Mamunul, Jhumon should not be blamed for his
Facebook post, and yet, he’s in jail,” he said.
He also urged revelation of the truth behind the gruesome
attack on Noagaon through a fair probe. After the attack,
two cases were filed with Shalla Police Station -- one by a
local on behalf of villagers and another by police.
Nibha Rani on March 25 tried to lodge a case with
the police station over the attack on their house, looting
valuables and injuring her daughter-in-law, but police did
not record the case, said lawyer Debangshu Sekhar Das.
She then filed the case with Sunamganj Judicial
Magistrate’s Court on April 1, accusing 72 named and
around 2,000 unnamed people. Magistrate Shyam Kanti
Singha ordered the Detective Branch of police to probe the
case, the lawyer added.
However, police are yet to submit any report to the court.
Md Mizanur Rahman, superintendent of police in
Sunamganj, said 48 accused were arrested till Tuesday in
two cases filed over the Shalla mayhem. As the cases are
sensitive, and a large number of people are accused in those,
the probes are taking a longer time, he told this newspaper.
“We are intentionally delaying the submission of
the primary investigation report in the case filed by his
[Jhumon’s] mother, as it is linked with the two other cases.
We will be submitting all the investigation reports after
conducting fair probes,” the SP added.
He said, “We are also probing the case filed against
Jhumon, and we will submit the final report soon.”
CID to
FROM PAGE 3
their family members following the
incident. Some 299 people were made
accused in the first information reports of
the cases.
The CID officials said human trafficking
and murder charges were brought in 22
cases while only human trafficking charges
were brought in three other cases.
The officials said in nine cases charge
sheets have already been submitted after
investigation into the human trafficking
charges.
Investigators said some 11 Bangladesh
nationals living in Libya and other countries
played a leading role in trafficking and are
linked to the murders.
Their names came up in the interrogation
of the accused arrested so far and from the
accounts of survivors of the shooting in
Libya who were repatriated later.
They were mainly based in Libya,
Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, CID
investigators said.
Following a request from Bangladesh
counterpart, the Interpol issued a red notice
against six of them in November last year.
“We will soon request the NCB
(National Central Bureau) in Dhaka to
request Interpol to issue red notice against
at least five other masterminds responsible
for the trafficking and killings,” a CID
officer involved with the investigation told
The Daily Star recently.
He, however, did not disclose the
names of the five suspects for the sake of
investigation.
“We’ll be able to make progress in the
murder charges after some of those directly
linked with the killing could be brought
back home and interrogated,” said the
officer wishing anonymity.
Interpol put the six human traffickers
of Bangladesh in their “wanted list” on
charges of deceiving job seekers and
“wrongfully confining and killing” people
over ransom demands.
The six under red notice of Interpol are:
Jafor Ikbal (38) of Kishoreganj; Shahadat
Hossain (28) of Dhaka; Minto Mia
(41), Shapan (28) and Tanzirul (35) of
Kishoreganj, and Molla Nazrul Islam (43)
of Madaripur.
On January 14, Jafor was held in the
Italian city of Cosenza, while police
arrested Shahadat from Hazrat Shahjalal
International Airport in Dhaka upon his
arrival from abroad, investigators said.
Additional Superintendent
Akteruzzaman said they have already
sent all documents to Italian police
requesting to deport Jafor to Bangladesh
through Interpol since Bangladesh has no
extradition treaty with Italy.
According to CID officials, Italian police
said their court will decide whether Jafor
will be sent back to Bangladesh or will be
tried in Italy.
CID Dhaka Metro is investigating 14
cases. So far, CID have arrested 172 people
in connection with the human trafficking
cases from different parts of Bangladesh,
said sources.
The arrested accused are mainly
Bangladeshi brokers, staffers of recruiting
agencies and human traffickers.
Investigators said the human trafficking
syndicate members trafficked youths from
different districts including Madaripur,
Shariatpur, Gopalganj, Kishoreganj and
Sylhet tempting them to send them to
Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Greece and
Cyprus.
The members of the group used to
collect a one-month travel visa in Dubai for
the victims.
During the investigation, the police also
found that some Bangladeshis, who were
trafficked, were sent illegally to Cosenza
and Naples through the Mediterranean Sea
by boat from Tripoli to create trust among
migrants.
For this reason, the godfathers also
travelled to Italy.
Before leaving Bangladesh, the victims
were cheated out of a good amount of
money and after landing in Libya they were
forced to pay more in several phases while
being held hostage.

EC mulls
FROM PAGE 3
the polls. The election will be held strictly following the
health directives to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
No public meeting and door-to-door campaign will be
allowed during electioneering,” said a top EC official.
The official said polling personnel must wear gloves and
masks while issuing ballot papers, hand sanitizer for voters
before entering the polling booths must be ensured, and
physical distancing will be maintained.
The official said holding an election amid pandemic
will not be difficult as the commission already held
Chattogram City Corporation polls, several by-elections to
parliamentary seats, and five phases of municipal elections.
On March 3, the EC announced the schedule of by-
polls to the Laxmipur-2 constituency, polls to 371 union
parishads and 11 municipalities slating the election date
for April 11. On April 1, the commission postponed all the
elections due to deterioration of Covid-19 situation.
A top EC official said the matter of holding by-elections
to three others constituencies -- Sylhet-3, Dhaka-14 and
Cumilla-5 -- will be discussed at the meeting.
Sylhet-3, Dhaka-14 and Cumilla-5 constituencies fell
vacant following the deaths of ruling Awami League MPs
Mahmud Us Samad Chowdhury on March 11, Aslamul
Hoque on April 4, and Abdul Matin Khasru on April 14.
Gloomy weather 11 killed
FROM PAGE 3 FROM PAGE 3
Meanwhile, Saidul Islam, an employee of a private In Faridpur, two people were killed in separate lightning
hospital in Dhaka, along with other colleagues came to strikes in Sadar upazila.
Pabna on a private vehicle to celebrate Eid with his family The victims were identified as Anwara Begum (45) from
members. Moilla Dangi area and Kabir Mollah (48) from Gangabardi
village, said Kotwali Police Station OC MA Jalil.
He, however, could not manage a vehicle to return
In Manikganj, two people were killed by lightning
back to the capital yesterday.
strikes in Sadar upazila.
“I had to travel on a truck to reach Dhaka. The truck
was packed with passengers, but I had no choice as I have Day labourer Ahmat Ali (50) died on the spot as
thunderbolt struck him while he was harvesting paddy in
to rejoin work,” Saidul said.
Talking to The Daily Star, Hasibul Alom, superintendent Pouli area around 5:30pm, said Md Kabir Hossain, a ward
councillor of Manikganj municipality.
of Sirajganj police, said the rush of people returning to their
Meanwhile, Asif (16) was killed after being struck by
workplaces in Dhaka is expected to continue till Sunday.
thunderbolt while he was flying a kite in Gilond village
Additional police have been deployed at entry points
around 5:30pm, said sources.
to keep the situation under control, Hasibul told The
Daily Star.. [Our correspondents from Mymensingh, Faridpur and
“Although police halted bus movement on the Manikganj contributed to this report]
highways but we are unable to stop the huge rush of
people as they were trying to return to Dhaka for the sake
of their jobs,” the SP said.
Besides land routes, the ferry ghats were also swarming
with returnees.
As thousands of people from the southern districts
flocked to ferry terminals to reach the capital yesterday,
crowding was an inevitable scene at the terminals.
As a result, social distancing guidelines went almost
completely ignored.
Travellers said they didn’t have to wait for long at
the ghats, as 18 ferries operated between Shimulia and
Banglabazar, 16 between Paturia and Daulatdia, and four
between Aricha and Kazirhat. These ferry terminals are
gateways to the 21 southern districts.
However, after getting off the ferries, travellers faced
acute transport crisis and claimed they had to pay five to
six times more than the usual fare.
[Our correspondents in Pabna, Manikganj, and
Barishal contributed to this report]

Hefajat’s
FROM PAGE 3
that the woman is his
second wife, though AL
men were not satisfied with
the claim and alleged that
Mamunul had an extra-
marital affair with the
woman.
As the news of
Mamunul’s confinement
spread, several hundreds
of Hefajat men unleashed
violence there and took
Mamunul away.
Two days later on April 5,
two separate violence case
were filed against Mamunul
and many other Hefajat
men for vandalism and
arson.
On April 30, a woman
-- who, according to
Mamunul, was his second
wife -- filed a rape case
against Mamunul with
Sonargaon Police Station.
In the case statement,
the woman alleged that
Mamunul raped her
multiple times over the last
two years, promising to
marry her.
Police arrested Mamunul
on April 18 from Jamia
Rahmania Arabia Madrasa
in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur.

Chinese
FROM PAGE 3
critically injured,” he said.
After learning of the
incident from the Chinese
men’s neighbours, police
recovered the dead body.
They took the injured
man to the hospital after
rescuing and detaining him,
said the OC.
DHAKA WEDNESDAY MAY 19, 2021, JAISHTHA 5, 1428 BS
The new eight-storey building of 250-bed Habiganj Sadar Hospital.
250-BED HABIGANJ SADAR HOSPITAL
Tk 30-cr building lies useless
without manpower, equipment
MINTU DESHWARA, Moulvibazar
An eight-storey building was built for
it at a cost of Tk 30.25 crore, but the
250-bed Habiganj Sadar Hospital has
yet to start its operations after more
than four years of its inauguration.
Inaugurated by the late
Mohammed Nasim, the then health
minister, on July 20, 2016, the
completed building of the hospital
has no equipment, nor has it any
beds.
Although the ‘100-bed Habiganj
Modern Sadar Hospital’ was
upgraded to a 250-bed hospital on
paper that year, the activities of the
hospital are still being conducted
in the old building, with the same
manpower that is not even adequate
for the smaller facility.
Currently, there is a 58-member
crew, including the superintendent
and 25 physicians, at the hospital
amid an increased demand for
medical services in the district.
While this correspondent was
visiting the hospital recently,
Covid-19 vaccination was being
administered on the ground floor of
the new building. The second and
third floors of it were being used for
the temporary campus of Habiganj
Sheikh Hasina Medical College and
the fourth floor was found set aside
for conducting surgery.
There were only a handful of beds
on the fifth and sixth floors where
a designated Covid-19 isolation
centre had been set up. However, no
patients were seen in isolation there.
While the entire multi-storey
building serves no inpatients, even
the floors in the wards and hallways
of the old hospital building were seen
being used to accommodate patients.
Sirajul Islam, 65, of Jatrapasha
Mahalla in Baniachang upazila, came
to the hospital at night with severe
chest pain.
He said that without conducting
any examination or administering
any primary treatment, the doctors
at the emergency transferred him
straight to Sylhet MAG Osmani
Medical College Hospital.
Many locals alleged that as soon
as seriously ill or injured patients
arrive at the hospital, they are sent to
hospitals in Sylhet or Dhaka.
Requesting anonymity, several
doctors at the hospital said the “250-
bed hospital” has acute shortage of
staffers and doctors.
The doctors working there do not
get any chance to take any break, as the
same person has to serve outpatients,
inpatients, provide services at ‘24-
hour Emergency Maternity Service
Centre’ and perform surgeries
whenever necessary, they also said.
Tofazzal Sohel, coordinator of
‘Shankhubdo Nagorik Andolon’,
said, “What’s the reason for leaving
a hospital building unused like this
after spending crores of taka? Why
isn’t its manpower being provided?”
“The health department is not
taking the people’s problems
into account. Such negligence is
COUNTRY
PHOTO: STAR
absolutely unacceptable,” he added.
Md Motashirul Islam, chairman
of Habiganj Sadar Upazila Parishad
and a member of the hospital’s
management committee, also
expressed discontent, as during
a recent visit to the hospital, he
encountered numerous irregularities,
negligence, malfunction of
equipment and failure to maintaining
proper hygienic atmosphere.
He said two new X-ray machines
were installed at the hospital, but
those were not found operational.
The ultrasonography machine has
been out of order for the last two
years, but the authorities did not
raise the issue at the meeting of the
committee.
And, four years after the
inauguration, the health department
did not start operations at the new
building, he added.
Helal Uddin, the hospital’s
superintendent, said manpower
shortage has been the main reason
why its operations at the new
building could not be started.
He already wrote to the health
department in this regard and he was
hopeful of launching services at the
new building soon, as the file was at
the office of the cabinet secretary, he
also said.
Deputy Civil Surgeon Mukhlesur
Rahman sought health ministry’s
intervention in resolving the issues
of required work force and medical
equipment at the new building.
Three girls
drown in
Gaibandha
OUR CORRESPONDENT, Bogura
Three college
including two siblings,
drowned in the Jamuna
river near Kalurpara area
in Gaibandha’s Saghata
upazila yesterday.
The deceased are Souda
Haque Ritu, 20, her sister
Sarah Haque Prity, 18,
daughters of late Saidur
Rahman of Babupara area
in Rangpur city, and their
cousin Fatema Akter, 18,
daughter of Rana Mia of the
same area.
After the Eid, they trio, also
student of different colleges
in Rangpur, came to visit
their uncle’s house at Kachua
village in Saghata upazila.
Officer-in-Charge
Saghata Police Station
Belal Hossain said the
three girls drowned while
they were taking a bath in
the Jamuna river.
40-yr-old mahogany
tree looted from upazila
parishad premises
Taking advantage of the Eid holidays criminals
cut down the tree
OUR CORRESPONDENT, Patuakhali
Unidentified miscreants have cut down
and looted a 40-year-old mahogany tree
worth Tk 50,00 from Barguna’s Amtali
Upazila Parishad premises on Thursday
night amid Eid vacation.
Amtali Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md
Asaduzzaman lodged a written complaint
with Amtali Police Station on Sunday
noon.
According to the complaint, Amtali
Upazila Parishad was formed in 1982. A
number of trees of various species were
planted in the Upazila Parishad premises
at that time. Those trees have now turned
into big trees.
A large mahogany tree, located near to
the main gate, was a respite for the people
coming to the parishad and that tree also
enhanced the beauty of the premises.
Hundreds of people who come to the
Upazila Parishad every day used to sit and
rest in the shade of that tree.
The office was closed on Thursday
during the Eid-ul-Fitr. Taking the
advantage of the closure of the office, a
group of miscreants cut down the tree that
night.
The cutting down of the tree has caused
anger among the people of the area. They
Miscreants cut down and loot a 40-year-old mahogany tree from Amtali Upazila
Parishad premises in Barguna on Thursday night during Eid vacation. PHOTO: STAR
girls,
of
demanded that those involved in the
incident be brought under the law and
punished.
Visiting the spot on Sunday, it was seen
that some leaves and some small baskets
around the base of the tree were strewn.
Some witnesses said that 14-15
miscreants cut down the tree and loaded
it on a vehicle late on Thursday night.
“We did not approach them fearing
consequence,” they said.
Amtali Upazila Awami League General
Secretary and also the municipal mayor
Matiar Rahman said the incident was very
unfortunate.
“If such thefts occur, no government
asset is secure. Those involved with the
incident must face the music,” he said.
Amtali UNO Asaduzzaman said a
written complaint was lodged with
the Amtali Police Station on Sunday
afternoon regarding the incident.
Amtali Upazila Parishad Chairman
Golam Charwar Forkan said the UNO has
been directed to take legal action against
the perpetrators.
Amtali Police Station Officer-In-
Charge Shah Alam Hawladar said, “I
have received a complaint regarding the
incident. Action is being taken subject to
investigation.”
5
Murder
accused
killed
OUR CORRESPONDENT, Bogura
Criminals killed a youth,
who was also an accused
in a murder case, in
Gaibandha’s Saddullahpur
upazila yesterday.
The deceased was
identified as Faruk Mondol,
33, son of Abdul Kuddus
Mondol of Boubazar area.
Police said Faruk was
accused in several cases
including for a murder that
took place five years ago.
Quoting locals, Officer in
Charge (OC) of Sadullahpur
Police Station Masud Rana
said some unidentified
criminals waylaid Faruk
near Boubazar area around
1:00am yesterday, stabbed
him indiscriminately with
sharp weapons and fled the
scene, leaving him critically
injured.
Hearing his cry for
help, locals rescued him
in critical condition and
admitted him to Rangpur
Medical College Hospital.
But Faruk succumbed
to his injuries while
undergoing treatment there
yesterday morning, OC
said, adding that after the
autopsy victim’s body was
handed over to his family
members.
Meanwhile, soon after
the killing police detained
one of the murder suspects
for interrogation, the OC
further added.
Housewife
tortured for
dowry
OUR CORRESPONDENT, Dinajpur
A housewife was tortured
by her husband and in-
laws allegedly for dowry in
Joypurhat’s Kalai upazila.
The victim, Tofela Begum,
20, wife of Saiful Islam of
Shantinagar village, is now
undergoing treatment at Kalai
Upazila Health Complex.
Although, the incident
took place on Sunday night,
Tofela’s father Mozammel
Hossain lodged a complaint
with Kalai Police Station in
this regard on Monday.
6 INTERNATIONAL DHAKA WEDNESDAY MAY 19, 2021, JAISHTHA 5, 1428 BS

Biden has
‘blood in his
hands’
Says Erdogan, slams
US’s $735m arms
sales deal to Israel
AGENCIES
Turkey’s Recep Tayyip
Erdogan has said US
President Joe Biden had
“bloody hands” because of
his support of Israel in the
raging conflict in the Gaza
Strip.
Erdogan had spent the
past few months trying
to mend relations with
Washington and reaching
out to other Western
allies after a year of sharp
disputes.
But he lashed out at
Biden directly in a furious
nationally televised address
on Monday.
“You are writing history
with your bloody hands,”
Erdogan said . “You forced
us to say this. Because we
can not stay silent on this
anymore.”
Erdogan has gained (From left, clockwise) Palestinian woman, children stand next to an unexploded bomb dropped by an Israeli F-16 warplane on Gaza City’s Rimal neighbourhood, yesterday; Palestinian rescue teams
support across the Middle inspect the damage outside a destroyed residential building in Rafah; and an Israeli security force member holds a protester during a demonstration held by Palestinians to show their solidarity amid
East by championing the
Palestinian cause during his Israel-Gaza fighting, at Damascus Gate just outside Jerusalem’s Old City. PHOTO: AFP, REUTERS

18-year rule. He last week

vowed to rally the world to
Gaza’s defence.
“Today we saw Biden’s
signature on weapons sales
to Israel,” Erdogan said
on Monday in reference
to US media reports of a
new $735m arms shipment
approved by the Biden
administration.
The arms sale, which
Congress was notified of on
May 5, a week before the
current Israel-Palestinian
escalation began, includes
Joint Direct Attack
Munitions (JDAMs), which
are used to turn bombs
into precision-guided
missiles, according to the
newspaper.
Under US law, the
administration is required
to notify Congress of such
sales. Legislators then have
20 days to pass a resolution
opposing the sales. Beyond
arms sales, the US provides
about $3.8 bn in annual
aid to Israel. That aid,
unlike to other countries, is
not conditional on Israel’s
human rights records,
according to Al Jazeera.
‘We will meet them soon’
Bereaved Gaza father, who lost wife, 4 sons to Israeli
bombardment, reunites with his only surviving child
AFP, Gaza City
Inside a Gaza hospital, Mohammad
al-Hadidi cradled his baby boy Omar
-- his only surviving child after Israeli
air strikes killed his wife and four
other sons in the night.
“I have no one left in the world but
you,” the 37-year-old father said.
After the strikes, rescue workers
pulled the five-month-old from
the arms of his dead mother early
Saturday, one of his tiny legs fractured
in three places.
All his other children -- Suhayb,
13, Yahya, 11, Abderrahman, 8, and
Osama, 6 -- perished in the bombing
along with their mother Maha Abu
Hattab, 36.
“They’ve gone to find God, we
don’t want to stay around here for
much longer,” the bereaved father
said, sobbing.
“We will meet them soon, you and
I. Oh God, let it not be too long.”
Sitting on the edge of a hospital
bed, Hadidi carefully kissed his child’s
cheek.
In his arms, Omar rested peacefully,
his right leg poking out of his romper
in a plaster cast. Under a crown of tiny
brown curls, his eyelids were bruised
dark and swollen, and his face covered
in scratches.
Saturday’s strikes hit at the
conclusion of Eid al-Fitr, usually a
time of joy when Muslim families
gather to mark the end of the holy
fasting month of Ramadan.
On Friday, Omar’s mother had
taken him and his brothers to visit
their cousins nearby in the Shati
refugee camp outside Gaza City where
they all lived.
“The kids put on their Eid clothes,
took their toys and headed off to their
uncle’s house to celebrate,” Hadidi
said. “They called in the evening to
beg to stay the night and I said OK.”
Hadidi then paused to gather
himself as he recalled what would
become a fateful night.
I slept “at home alone... (and)
woke up suddenly to the sound of
bombing,” he said. Soon a neighbour
called to say an Israeli missile had hit
his brother-in-law’s home.
“I hurried over as fast as I could, but
when I got there the home was rubble,
and rescue workers were pulling out
bodies.” His sister-in-law and four of
her children were also among the dead.
GAZA MEDIA TOWER DEMOLITION BY ISRAEL
Global network of editors,
journalists condemns attack
Pressure grows on Israel to justify strike
AGENCIES
The International Press Institute (IPI), the
global network of editors, media executives
and leading journalists, has vehemently
condemned the Saturday attack on
the building housing the offices of the
Associated Press and Al Jazeera Network in
Gaza by the Israeli defence forces.
Journalists and media staff working in
the building had been evacuated following
a warning by the Israeli forces to the owner
of the building.
“The targeting of news organisations is
completely unacceptable, even during an
armed conflict. It represents a gross violation
of human rights and internationally agreed
norms”, IPI Executive Director Barbara
Trionfi said. “In particular during times
of crisis, the media plays a fundamental
role in offering timely, accurate and fair
information about developments on the
ground. Israel must immediately stop such
attacks against news organisations.”
In a separate attack on May 12 the offices
of 12 media houses were destroyed when
another multi-storied building in Gaza
city was attacked by Israeli forces, The
Palestinian Journalists Syndicate told IPI.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony
Blinken yesterday said that Washington
had received further information about
the Israeli attack on the Gaza tower. But
he declined to comment further on it. The
Israeli military claims that Hamas used the
building for a military intelligence office.
The Associated Press’ top editor Sally
Buzbee on Sunday said they were yet to
see any evidence from Israeli officials to
justify the bombing and demanded an
independent investigation into the incident.
Amnesty International and Reporters
Without Borders asked the International
Criminal Court to investigate Israel’s
bombing of the building housing the media
organisations as a possible war crime.

CYCLONE TAUKTAE HITS INDIA NEWS IN BRIEF

Narada bribery case: 2 WB
At least 27 killed, ministers to seek bail again
A day after their arrest in the Narada bribery

dozens still missing

AFP, Mahuva
case, two senior ministers of West Bengal and a
Trinamool Congress leader are set to appeal the
Calcutta High Court’s stay on their bail granted
by a court in Kolkata. Transport and Housing
At least 27 people were dead and almost 100 missing yesterday after a
Minister Firhad Hakim; Panchayat Minister
monster cyclone slammed India, compounding the country’s woes as it
Subrata Mukherjee; MLA and former minister
recorded a new record number of coronavirus deaths in 24 hours.
Madan Mitra and former Kolkata Mayor Sovan
The colossal swirling system dubbed Cyclone Tauktae is the latest in
Chatterjee were arrested by India’s Central
what experts say is a growing number of increasingly severe storms in the Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday
Arabian Sea as climate change warms its waters. morning. Opposing the bail granted to the
Hundreds of thousands of people were left without power after the storm four politicians, CBI contended before the High
hit the Gujarat coast in western India on Monday evening, leaving a trail of Court that their judicial custody was necessary
death and destruction. because they are “influential” persons who
Winds up to 130 kilometres (80 miles) per hour smashed seafront could “tamper with evidence and influence”
windows and knocked over power lines and thousands of trees, blocking witnesses. Hakim, Mukherjee, Mitra and
roads leading to affected areas, officials said. ex-TMC leader Sovan Chatterjee were caught on
One support vessel serving oil rigs that were walloped by eight-metre camera accepting money in a sting operation
waves off Mumbai sank and 96 of the 273 people who had been on board by news portal Narada in 2014. The video tapes
were missing, the Indian Navy said yesterday. The defence ministry said 177 were released before the assembly polls in
people were rescued, with warships attempting to save the rest of the crew 2016. The Calcutta High Court had ordered a
in “extremely challenging sea conditions”. CBI probe into the case in 2017 and the probe
Navy helicopters managed, however, to rescue all 137 people stuck on agency filed a chargesheet against Hakim,
another barge that also slipped its anchor and ran aground. One other Mukherjee, Mitra, Chatterjee and a former
barge and an oil rig were also adrift. police officer, SMH Mirza in early 2019.
Elsewhere, seven fresh casualties took the toll to 27 including a child
crushed by a collapsing wall, an 80-year-old woman killed by a falling pole RSF launches ‘trust’
and a teenage girl by a crumbling roof. certification for media
More than 16,500 houses were damaged, 40,000 trees were uprooted
and 2,400 villages were without power.
France-based NGO Reporters Without Borders
Forecasters said the cyclone would ease into a deep depression during A motorist rides past a damaged car at a street in Mumbai yesterday, after Cyclone Tauktae hit the west coast (RSF) launched its “Journalism Trust Initiative”
the next six hours. of India with powerful winds and driving rain, leaving a trail of destruction. PHOTO: AFP
yesterday, a platform aimed at battling
disinformation by identifying and promoting
“trustworthy” news sources. The online
tool allows media organisations to apply for
NET-ZERO EMISSION TARGETS BY 2050
Twenty firms produce 55pc World must scrap all new
certification as a trustworthy source through
a three-step process that includes self-
assessment and an external audit. RSF hopes it
will encourage third parties, including internet

of world’s plastic waste

THE GUARDIAN.CO.UK
Twenty companies are responsible
for producing more than half of all
the single-use plastic waste in the
world, fuelling the climate crisis
and creating an environmental
catastrophe, new research reveals.
Among the global businesses
responsible for 55 percent of the
world’s plastic packaging waste are
both state-owned and multinational
corporations, including oil and gas
giants and chemical companies,
according to a comprehensive new
analysis.
The Plastic Waste Makers index
reveals for the first time the companies
who produce the polymers that
become throwaway plastic items,
from face masks to plastic bags and
bottles, which at the end of their
short life pollute the oceans or are
burned or thrown into landfill.
It also reveals Australia leads a
list of countries for generating the
most single-use plastic waste on a
per capita basis, ahead of the United
States, South Korea and Britain.
ExxonMobil is the greatest single-
use plastic waste polluter in the
world, contributing 5.9m tonnes
to the global waste mountain,
concludes the analysis by partners
including Wood Mackenzie, the
London School of Economics and
Stockholm Environment Institute.
The largest chemicals company in the
world, Dow, which is based in the US,
created 5.5m tonnes of plastic waste,
while China’s oil and gas enterprise,
Sinopec, created 5.3m tonnes.
Eleven of the companies are
based in Asia, four in Europe, three
in North America, one in Latin
America, and one in the Middle East.
Their plastic production is funded by
leading banks, chief among which
are Barclays, HSBC, Bank of America,
Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase.
The enormous plastic waste
footprint of the top 20 global
companies amounts to more than
half of the 130m metric tonnes of
single-use plastic thrown away in
2019, the analysis says.
Single-use plastics are made
almost exclusively from fossil
fuels, driving the climate crisis,
and because they are some of the
hardest items to recycle, they end
up creating global waste mountains.
Just 10%-15% of single-use plastic
is recycled globally each year.
The report said the plastics
industry across the world had been
allowed to operate with minimal
regulation for decades. By 2050
plastic is expected to account for 5%-
10% of greenhouse gas emissions.
fossil fuel projects: IEA
AFP, Paris
tool... with the aim of building a healthier news
All future fossil fuel projects must be scrapped if the world is to reach
net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and to stand any chance of limiting
warming to 1.5C, the International Energy Agency said yesterday.
In a special report designed to inform negotiators at the crucial COP26
climate summit in Glasgow in November, the IEA predicted a “sharp
decline in fossil fuel demand” in the next three decades as well as a 2040
deadline for the global energy sector to achieve carbon neutrality.
The Paris-based think tank called for a rapid and vast ramping up
of renewable energy investment and capacity, which bring gains in
development, wealth and human health.
IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said the roadmap outlined in the
report showed that the path to global net-zero by 2050 was “narrow but
still achievable”.
“The scale and speed of the efforts demanded by this critical and
formidable goal -- our best chance of tackling climate change and limiting
global warming to 1.5C -- make this perhaps the greatest challenge
humankind has ever faced,” he said.
Built using its industry network and energy modelling tools, the IEA’s
roadmap lays out more than 400 milestones on the path to net-zero by
mid-century.
These include “no new oil and gas fields approved for development”
beyond projects that are already committed as of 2021. The roadmap
also said that sales of new internal combustion engine passenger
cars would have to end in 2035 and energy efficiency would need to
improve four percent annually this decade -- around three times faster
than the current trajectory.
search engines and social media companies, to
differentiate more clearly between sources of
information. In a statement, the organisation
described it as a “game-changing transparency
ecosystem, identifying and rewarding reliable
reporting and restoring audiences’ confidence
in journalism at large.” The project was first
announced in 2018 and has been co-funded by
the European Commission and Craig Newmark
Philanthropies.
Myanmar anti-coup protest
death toll crosses 800
More than 800 people have been killed by
Myanmar’s security forces since a wave of
protests broke out across the country after the
military seized power in a coup in February,
an activist group said. Myanmar has been
in turmoil since the army ousted Nobel
Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected
government and detained her and officials
of her National League for Democracy party.
The military has responded to protests by pro-
democracy supporters in cities and towns with
lethal force, while there has been an upsurge in
fighting between the army and ethnic rebels in
border areas and newly formed militia forces.
SOURCE: AFP, REUTERS
 WEDNESDAY MAY 19, 2021
JAISHTHA 5, 1428 BS 7

GRACEFUL DANCERS
The famous mother-daughter dancer duo, Manipuri dancer and instructor Sharmila Banerjee and her daughter Sudeshna Swayamprabha sat
down in conversation with Rafi Hossain. They talked about the younger generation’s treatment of tradition and culture and how the pandemic
affected dance.

PHOTO: SHAHREAR KABIR HEEMEL & SHEIKH MEHEDI MORSHED
Rafi Hossain: Today, we have the mother-
daughter duo Sharmila Banerjee and
Sudeshna Swayamprabha. We have
been in a place where we do not know
what the future holds for any forms
of art. What do you
both think the
future holds
for dance?
Sharmila:
Even
though we
were locked
in our houses
due to lockdown, productivity did not remain
stagnant. At the beginning of lockdown, I
started taking classes online. I was feeling a
lot of mental anguish in lockdown, so for me,
teaching dance classes online was a good way of
doing that. Most people attending these classes
were also happy with doing the classes online, as
it may have also helped them get distracted from
the ongoing pandemic. Most of the institutions
around the world have also been doing online
classes during the pandemic. There were even
festivals held online where students were able
to send recordings of their dancing. During
this pandemic, every artist out there has been
working on themselves and their craft.
Rafi: Sharmila Di, what would you say is the
dance form which represents Bangladesh the
most?
Sharmila: Sattriya dance is the dance which
represents the Indian Subcontinent a lot, and
since we are part of the subcontinent, we can
call it ours. Manipuri dance is also something
we can call Bangladeshi, as Manipuri people
have been living in Bangladesh. Rabindranath
has also given Bengalis a dance form through
his songs. His songs take elements from
different song types, so to dance to his songs
will also require dancers to take elements from
different dance forms. Only Bangla speakers
will be able to fully comprehend the beauty
of his words and songs. So that is also
something that is ours.
Rafi: It seems to me that for some reason,
contemporary dance forms are not
flourishing in Bangladesh. Is it true?
Sudeshna:I would not concur
with what you said, as there are many
instances of people in Bangladesh doing
great works in contemporary dance. Another
thing is that many people misunderstand what
contemporary dance means. Some think that
it is a collection of Western dances which are
connected. However, while that may have been
the case in some dance pieces, it is not accurate
with most. In reality, contemporary is mainly
an idea that portrays how to make your art
relevant to your current time, environment and
people. While traditional dance forms have a
set of rules which should be strictly maintained,
contemporary dance presents a way to think
more out of the box. A lot of great contemporary
dance programmes have been done in recent
years in Bangladesh. For a form of dance to
flourish somewhere, it requires a long time. So,
that’s why we cannot say that contemporary
dance is flourishing in Bangladesh, as it has not
been here for long enough. However, I think that
a time will come when contemporary dance is
widespread in Bangladesh.
Sharmila: I would like to add something to
what she said: dance needs to be studied a lot.
To properly learn a dance, you need to study
its grammar, watch it properly, understand the
meaning behind it, and ultimately internalize
that dance. So it will take time to do that with
contemporary dance in Bangladesh. But, there
will be a time when it is widespread.
Rafi: Is the younger generation losing interest in
tradition and culture?
Sharmila: They are not losing interest in
tradition and culture. The younger generation
will always want to learn more from other
places, but the root will always be there. People
have a misconception that if we bring in dances
that have Western influences, we will lose
our traditional dances. We have been taking
influences from Western dance for a long time,
and they have been also inspired by ours. I
think that if people studied the history of
dance more, then they would see how the idea
that they have is very incorrect. The younger
generation is getting access to Western dance
very easily due to the internet, and instead of
learning the basics of the dance, they are simply
learning it by looking at dances. That poses a
problem, but the majority of the ones who train
end up learning it adequately.
Sudeshna: I want to add that the only thing
constant in everyone’s lives is change. The
change will come, and it is better to accept it. The
Bharatanatyam done now is not the same as the
one done eighty to hundred years ago. Even the
grammar of the dance form has changed and
evolved with time. Research is being done on the
form constantly because evolution is what makes
it stay relevant with time. It will be different in
the future, but the essence will always remain the
same.
Rafi: Thank you, I had a great time talking to both
of you.
Sharmila: Thank you for having us, Rafi. It was
good talking to you because you let us talk
properly. We could be honest and open with you.
It felt easy for us to talk and I could see how you
were listening intently. I am looking forward to
talking to you again, Rafi.
Sudeshna: I am very happy to have been able to
come here and talk to you. I was able to tell you
a lot of things which I thought are relevant and it
felt comfortable to open up to you.
..............................................................................
Ridwan Intisaar Mahbub

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8 EDITORIAL
DHAKA WEDNESDAY MAY 19, 2021, JAISHTHA 5, 1428 BS
A chokehold
on investigative
journalism
Prothom Alo correspondent’s
harrowing experience
W
E are extremely disturbed by the way a senior
reporter of a leading daily in the country has
been treated in the line of her duty. Rozina
Islam, a senior journalist of Prothom Alo, was kept
confined at the health ministry for more than five hours
on Monday before being handed over to the police
around 8:30 pm. This happened after she went to the
secretariat to perform her duties. During her enforced
confinement, she was taken ill but was not provided with
medical aid. She has now been sued under the Official
Secrets Act. Although a request for taking her to remand
for five days has been rejected by the court, her bail
petition will not be heard until tomorrow.
We wonder whether any person has the right to confine
another against their will without being in breach of the
law. We believe that Rozina’s confinement in the room
was illegal, as was her being kept incommunicado for five
hours. If the said journalist had indeed violated the law,
why did it take five hours to hand her over to the police?
On what authority did government officials take the
decision to confine her without involving police officials?
Why were her colleagues refused information regarding
her whereabouts? We demand to know why she was not
afforded medical aid after she had fallen sick, and why
she was taken to the police station instead.
We condemn the harassment that the journalist is
being subjected to. We have reasons to believe that Rozina
Islam is the victim of official wrath. The treatment meted
out to her at the secretariat, as well as her being charged
under the Official Secrets Act, is not surprising, but
nonetheless distressing. The series of reports that she had
made in the last few months regarding the health ministry
helped reveal the depths of depravity and corruption that
the ministry had sunk into. Will such coercive behaviour
prevent the truth from being exposed? Haven’t those
reports benefitted the administration? Have not those
reports helped save millions of Taka that might otherwise
have been misused? We believe her reports have helped
the government to take corrective measures to offset
actions by corrupt officials that were sabotaging the
efforts of the prime minister to deal with the pandemic
and improve health services. But instead of gratitude from
the administration for a public service, she had to endure
the fury of those exposed by her reports.
While we are relieved that her remand was not granted,
it is unacceptable that she will still have to suffer the
indignity of police custody while she waits for the bail
hearing, simply for executing her responsibility as a
journalist and a conscientious citizen of this country.
In the meantime, her family will suffer the agony of her
absence, not knowing what is in store for her next. Rozina
Islam’s arrest is equivalent to putting handcuffs on the
entire media of Bangladesh. Such treatment of journalists
in the line of duty cannot be interpreted as anything other
than an attack on free press and our right to freedom of
speech, and has no place in a functional democracy.
VCs found guilty of
corruption must be
held accountable
Why hasn’t the education ministry
taken action?
T
HAT no action has been taken against at least four
vice-chancellors of public universities, even after
allegations of corruption and irregularities against
them were found to be true, is disconcerting. Over the
last year and a half, the University Grants Commission
had recommended taking action against the four VCs
after investigating the allegations. However, the education
ministry has so far ignored the UGC’s recommendation
and let the VCs go unpunished.
In separate probe reports submitted to the education
ministry, the UGC said it found evidence of corruption in
the appointment of teachers, construction of buildings on
university campus, mismanagement of allocated funds,
and many other irregularities against the VCs. In spite
of committing these serious crimes, two of the VCs were
allowed to finish out their tenure, while another’s is set to
end soon—only one VC had to resign early due to heavy
public criticism.
This is the type of inaction that generally leads to the
recurrence of irregularities—and this case in particular,
has caused irregularities at the highest echelons of
education institutions to repeat, said educationists. And
according to the UGC’s Chairman, “It gives a wrong
message and a kind of impunity” which could make
other top university administrators “feel that they would
also go without punishment even after committing
wrongdoings.”
That the authorities cannot see this most obvious
connection is simply not possible. Then why haven’t they
taken any action against the guilty VCs? What is taking
them so long? What message are they expecting to send
to other university officials? And what lessons are the
students witnessing this supposed to learn from it? It
is because of cases like these that our public education
system is fast losing its credibility, and for good reason—
the inaction on part of the authorities that is allowing
such corruption to repeatedly manifest itself is severely
hampering the quality of education being provided at our
public universities. And the damage that this is doing is
going to be extremely costly.
It is high time that the authorities recognised this and
took urgent action against the VCs who have already
been found guilty of corruption. Kicking the can down
the road and justifying their inaction using the excuse
that the “process is lengthy” is not good enough. Given
the timings of the UGC’s probe report submissions, they
have had ample time to get the ball rolling—which they
should have urgently done given the seriousness of the
situation.
The colonial hangover of
official secrecy
Should it override journalistic freedom and the right to information?
S
OUTH Asian
countries
share
common
traditions,
heritage, culture
and history. Thus
it is not surprising
that Bangladesh,
India and Pakistan
MD SAIMUM REZA
TALUKDER also share the
colonial legacy
of repressive
and authoritarian laws, often called the
“colonial hangover”. When enacted, the
tone, objective and approach of those
laws were rules that served to suppress
and oppress on behalf of the colonial
masters rather than protect the rights,
uphold dignity and ensure freedom
of the people. Among many laws, the
Official Secrets Act, 1923 (OSA) is one
of the widely used laws still applicable
in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.
The law is popularly known as an anti-
espionage law and has under its purview
all matters of secrecy and confidentiality
with regard to the government or state
affairs. The most commonly used sections
of OSA are Section 3 and 5. Section
3 criminalises spying and Section 5
criminalises unauthorised disclosure of
secret government information including
any secret official code, password, sketch,
plan, model, article, note and document
etc. However, the OSA has been criticised
because of the way it has targeted media
and press. Investigative journalism, in
particular has been its worst victim.
On the other hand, Bangladesh has
enacted the Right to Information Act
(RTIA) in 2009, which recognises in its
preamble that the right to information is
an integral part of the freedom of thought
and conscience, and of speech, recognised
as fundamental rights under Article 39
of the Constitution of Bangladesh. The
preamble of RTIA also recognises that right
to information ensures transparency and
accountability, reduces corruption and
establishes good governance.
Although there is no specific
Bangladeshi law which protects journalistic
freedom, Section 4 and 5 of the Public
Interest Information Disclosure (Provide
Protection) Act, 2011 (The Whistleblowers
Act) provide protection and safeguards to
whistleblowers if the information is true
and related to public interest. Article 39
(2) (b) of the Constitution guarantees
Freedom of Press. Bangladesh is also a
signatory to the International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Article
19 of ICCPR clearly mentions freedom
to seek, receive and impart information,
which supports journalistic freedom
including freedom to conduct investigative
journalism.
So any attempt to impose restrictions
on seeking, receiving and imparting
information in Bangladesh contradicts
Article 39 of the Constitution, Article 19
Now is the time to focus on loss and
damage from climate change
T
HE year
POLITICS OF 2020 will be
CLIMATE CHANGE remembered
as not just the year
of the pandemic,
but also for the
experienced
human-induced
climate change
impacts, making
SALEEMUL HUQ
loss and damage
from those
impacts a reality.
What this means is that every climate-
related hazard such as heatwaves,
droughts, floods and cyclones are no
longer entirely natural events, but have
become more severe because the global
temperature increase has already gone
above one degree Centigrade over the
last century. A good example of this
is the super cyclone Amphan that hit
Bangladesh almost a year ago, which
became a super cyclone while it was in
the Bay of Bengal where the sea surface
temperature was several degrees higher
than normal due to human-induced
climate change.
Fortunately, Bangladesh has one of
the best cyclone warning and evacuation
systems in the world and we successfully
evacuated over two million people to
cyclone shelters. In previous decades,
super cyclones had cost hundreds of
thousands of lives. This time, only a
few dozen people died, but thousands
are still homeless as they had lost
their homes or their land has become
salinised by sea water intrusion. Hence,
while Bangladesh has been good at
saving lives, it has still suffered loss and
damage to livelihoods and infrastructure.
Similar loss and damage from human-
induced climate change is being repeated
around the world, with wildfires in
California and Australia, floods in Asia,
typhoons in the Pacific, and hurricanes
in the Caribbean. In the United Nations
of the ICCPR, and the spirit of the RTIA
and Whistleblowers Act. Should conflicting
laws remain applicable at the same time?
Has not the OSA become obsolete and
should not it be declared unconstitutional
under the purview of Article 26 of the
Constitution of Bangladesh?
The vicious attack on Rozina Islam, a
senior reporter of Prothom Alo, while she
was trying to gather information and her
detention and arrest under OSA, illustrates
these contradictions quite clearly and
raises several questions.
Firstly, can investigative journalism
be conducted legally in Bangladesh as
long as the OSA exists? According to
Transparency International’s Corruption
Perceptions Index 2020, Bangladesh
is second-worst in curbing corruption
among the eight South Asian countries.
Under this situation, if a government
office does not give necessary information
Rozina Islam was produced before a Dhaka
court on May 18, 2021.
to a journalist within due time, what
alternative approach can the journalist
take which is “OSA-proof”? Or, often an
investigative report starts with information
leaked by an insider, but possessing such
information is criminalised by the OSA.
Then, can an investigative journalist get
safeguards under Section 4 and 5 of the
Whistleblowers Act? If the Whistleblowers
Act prevails over the OSA, then why
has Rozina Islam been arrested? Do we
have any case decision yet to clarify this
confusion?
Secondly, Rozina Islam was handed
over to Shahbagh police station after she
was confined for around five hours at the
health secretary’s office in the secretariat
on Monday. Why this delay of five hours
before handing her over to the police?
What happened during those five hours
when Rozina Islam was kept inside
the secretariat? How far was the police
station from the secretariat? Is this delay
Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC) process, this was
anticipated by setting up the Warsaw
International Mechanism (WIM) on Loss
and Damage at the 19th Conference of
Parties (COP19) held in 2013 in Warsaw,
Poland.
Since then, there has been some
progress in addressing the issue of loss
and damage in terms of learning about
the different impacts like sea level rise
versus fast moving events like floods
and cyclones. There is also the issue of
economic versus non-economic loss
and damage (such as loss of graves and
architectural heritage sites). At COP25
held in Madrid, Spain in 2019, there
was a decision to set up the Santiago
Network on Loss and Damage, which is
a positive development and needs to be
built upon at COP26 in November in
Glasgow, Scotland.
However, one of the aspects of the
issue that has remained highly politically
sensitive is financing, as the developed
countries do not wish to acknowledge
the notion of liability and compensation
that may be associated with loss and
damage from climate change. In fact, in
the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate
Change, the US government insisted on
including a paragraph making it explicit
that even though they had reluctantly
agreed to include Article 8 on Loss and
Damage, they wanted to clarify that
this could not be used for liability and
compensation. One of the reasons why
the developed countries refused to allow
this topic to be included was their fear
of being held to account for the loss and
damage they have caused.
Now that President Biden has rejoined
the Paris Agreement and has appointed
John Kerry as his Climate Envoy, and the
US is pitching itself as a global leader in
tackling climate change, the issue of loss
and damage cannot be ignored. In fact,
the vulnerable developing countries have
reasonable and acceptable? If this delay is
not proved reasonable in court, then will
a case of wrongful confinement under the
Penal Code be filed against the concerned
government officials?
Thirdly, was there any force used
against Rozina Islam while she was
detained or arrested? What kind of force
was used against her and was that use
of force lawful? Prothom Alo alleged that
Rozina Islam was harassed while she
was detained. She told fellow journalists
that she was assaulted physically by the
employees at the secretary’s office. So, if a
female journalist was physically assaulted
and detained against her will, then can
we think of bringing charges under the
Penal Code 1860, Women and Children
Anti-Repression Act 2000, and Torture and
Custodial Death (Prevention) Act 2013
against the government officials? Also,
the perspectives of the Convention on the
PHOTO:
COLLECTED
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
Against Women, UN Convention against
Torture, and UN Basic Principles on
the Use of Force and Firearms by Law
Enforcement Officials should be invoked
here as per the essence of Article 25 of the
Constitution. Prothom Alo also reported
that Rozina Islam got sick during the
detention and instead of sending her to the
hospital, she was sent to the police station.
As the right to health is an integral part of
the Right to Life, this was also a breach
of Article 31 and 32 of our Constitution
if Rozina Islam was denied her right to
health during detention and arrest.
Fourth, what kind of information was
Rozina Islam trying to obtain? Was that
information true and related to public
interest? Is such information barred
from disclosure by the Non-Disclosure
Agreement (NDA) with foreign countries?
If that information is true and concerned
the people’s right to health, should the
already made it clear that if COP26 fails
to address finance for loss and damage,
they will consider COP26 to be a failure,
despite any other agreements that are
reached. It can be argued that a “whole
of society” approach to tackling this issue
is needed before we even get to COP26
in November.
The first point to make is for
developed countries to think of
providing funding in solidarity with
the victims of human-induced climate
change around the world. The scientific
community is now in an excellent
position to calculate the attribution
of the impacts to the fact that global
temperature has risen over one degree
Centigrade above pre-industrial levels
due to the emissions of greenhouse
gases over that time. In this way, we
can shift the paradigm from liability
and compensation to solidarity. Major
philanthropic foundations, such as the
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and
the newly established Earth Foundation
set up by Jeff Bezos, should also look at
ways in which they could provide funds
to victims, especially in the poorest
developing countries.
With regards to how such funds could
be raised and managed, I would suggest
that International Non-governmental
Organisations (INGOs) such as Oxfam,
CARE, World Vision, Christian Aid and
others, who are already working with
some of the poorest communities, can
also help them with the loss and damage
that they are now suffering from. I
would argue that individual donors in
developed countries who contribute to
these INGOs would be most willing to
contribute to such a fund on the basis of
a moral argument for polluters to help
the victims of their pollution.
There must also be a focus on the
humanitarian sector, whose normal role
is to deal with climate-related natural
disasters. The good news is that these
organisations have already started
concerned ministry bar the disclosure just
because of NDA or for any other secrecy-
related reason?
The time has come to scrap the Official
Secrets Act immediately and review
the RTIA so that a mere NDA does not
prevent exposure of the truth that is
of public interest, such as that which
relates to the right to health. Also, the
restrictions on providing information
goes against the spirit of Goal 16 of the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),
which considers the right to information
as an essential part of sustainable
development, as it empowers people
with knowledge to demand services
from public authorities and promote
accountability on development issues.
As Bangladesh is committed to achieving
the SDGs, the OSA also goes against the
“Connecting Government to Citizens:
Implementing Right to Information Act
2009 in Bangladesh: Strategic Plan 2015-
2021”, which still can be found on the
government’s Cabinet Division’s website.
Finally, any criminal charge must be
proven beyond reasonable doubt. The
government will have to answer the
following questions regarding Rozina
Islam in court without any reasonable
doubt: How were the government officials
sure that Rozina Islam took pictures
of confidential official documents
through her mobile phone set, and is
there any CCTV footage? Who had the
possession of Rozina Islam’s mobile
phone during her alleged five hours of
detention at the secretariat? Can we be
sure that after confiscating Rozina Islam’s
mobile phone, no one took pictures of
confidential official documents with that
mobile phone in order to frame her? How
will the digital forensics of the mobile
phone be done? How can we be sure
that no one, except Rozina Islam, kept
confidential official documents inside her
bag?
There is always a dichotomy between
the “Black Letters of the Law” and the
“Spirit of the Law”. The Declaration
of the Independence of Bangladesh is
based on equality, human dignity and
social justice. So, any law enacted in this
land must uphold these three founding
principles. Therefore, should not the OSA
be declared unconstitutional under Article
26 of the Constitution as it restricts our
right to information? Shouldn’t the
Spirit of the Law be upheld by saying
that freedom to seek, receive and impart
information on public interest should not
be barred in the name of state security?
Should not the colonial hangover of
official secrecy be washed away by the
free flow of information? Should not
journalistic freedom be ensured, which
empowers people to maintain a culture
of transparency, accountability and
democratic norms?
Md Saimum Reza Talukder is a senior lecturer of
Cyber Law at the School of Law, BRAC University.
looking at this issue, with pre-finance
for potential climate victims by the Red
Cross and Red Crescent. These kinds of
examples can be expanded and refined to
enable climate change victims to reduce
loss and damage for themselves.
Finally, the role of young people,
who have already built a major global
network based on the paradigm of
solidarity, is crucial. For example, the
Fridays for Future movement led by
Greta Thunberg has linked school
children of developed countries pushing
for mitigation actions at home with
school children in developing countries
who are being impacted by climate
change. This kind of global solidarity can
be used for crowd funding for a global
loss and damage fund.
It needs to be asserted that dealing
with the scientifically attributable
negative impacts of climate change is
now a high priority for the entire world.
While there is an important role for
the UNFCCC in COP26, particularly in
developing the working modalities of the
Santiago Network on Loss and Damage,
it also has to be taken seriously by key
developed countries’ governments. In
this respect, the upcoming meeting of
the leaders of the G7 countries would
be an excellent occasion to declare a
willingness to provide funds for loss
and damage (as distinct from funding
adaptation). At the same time, both
developing and developed countries
need to set up networks of solidarity
to provide financial assistance to the
victims of climate change.
Let 2021 be the year when the issue of
loss and damage from human-induced
climate change is recognised with utmost
urgency and importance, and that
governments and civil societies around
the world rise to the occasion for the
victims of climate change.
Dr Saleemul Huq is the Director of the International
Centre for Climate Change and Development at the
Independent University, Bangladesh.
DHAKA WEDNESDAY MAY 19, 2021, JAISHTHA 5, 1428 BS OPINION 9

Uphold the rights of the Palestinians:

End aggressions
W
HILE
the
Muslim world
was observing
the holy month
of Ramadan,
the people in
the occupied
AK ABDUL MOMEN territory of
Palestine were
yet again facing the atrocities and
brutality of the Israeli forces while
trying to perform their prayers in the
holy mosque Al Aqsa. The aggressions
are continuing and so is the number
of casualties (as of yesterday, it
reached over 198 people, including
58 children), while the torch-bearers
of human rights and humanity are
watching from the sidelines, blaming
Palestine for failing to protect
themselves.
Since becoming a member of the
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
(OIC) in February 1974, Bangladesh
has been continuing to play an active
role in the activities of the organisation
based on the “Islamic values for
Sustainable Peace, Solidarity and
Development”. We are also an active
member in the Al Quds Committee
and resolve in reaching a solution to
the Palestinian cause. Today’s scenario
reminds me of 1947, when persecuted
Jews were given shelter in Palestine
and Jewish people put up a banner
that read “The Germans destroyed
our families and homes—Don’t
destroy our hopes”. Sadly, the once
persecuted Jewish community are now
destroying the homes, families and
hopes of unarmed Palestinians, those
who provided them shelter during
their difficult days. It is time for the
leadership to reflect and review, and
come forward to establish justice.
A renowned American Philosophy
Professor of MIT, Noam Chomsky,
Jewish by birth (but not Zionist),
refuted the argument of Israel that, in
a war, casualties are normal. He said,
“Israel uses sophisticated attack jets
and naval vessels to bomb densely-
crowded refugee camps, schools,
apartment blocks, mosques and slums
to attack a population that has no
air force, no air defence, no navy, no
heavy weapons, no artillery units, no
mechanised armour, no command in
control, no army and calls it a war. It is
not war, it is murder.”
Another relevant comment is by
an Israeli former Air Force Captain,
Yonotan Shapira. When he was asked
about what Israel is doing, he replied,
“It is a war crime, a massive war crime,
a crime not only against Palestinian
people but also against the Israeli
people.”
Bangladesh is saddened and
expresses its deepest condolences
to the victims, while strongly
condemning the repeated attacks by
the Israeli occupation forces against
the Palestinian people in Al-Quds
Al-Sharif (Jerusalem), and the entire
occupied land of the State of Palestine,
preventing worshippers from accessing
holy sites for their religious rites. We
also condemn the storming by the
Israeli occupation forces of the Al-
Aqsa Mosque compound, followed by
attacks on the Palestinian worshippers
there. Bangladesh believes that there
is no pretext that can justify killings
A Palestinian family sits outside their home after it was hit by an early morning
Israeli air attack, in Gaza City, Monday, May 17, 2021.
of innocent civilians; no argument
can justify the breach of international
humanitarian laws and human rights
standards.
As the principal organ of the
UN with the mandate to ensure
international peace and security,
Bangladesh urges the UN Security
Council to take up the issue of
violence and breach of security in
the Al-Quds Al- Sharif and the entire
occupied land of the state of Palestine.
The OIC Group at the United Nations
has taken note of the current act of
aggression seriously and has issued
a statement which Bangladesh
endorses. Bangladesh also agrees with
PHOTO: AP/KHALIL HAMRA
the suggestion of the resumption of
the 10th Emergency Special Session
of the General Assembly if the
Security Council fails to uphold its
responsibility.
Honourable Prime Minister
of Bangladesh, in her letter to
the Honourable President of the
State of Palestine, said, “I take this
opportunity to reiterate Bangladesh’s
unflinching commitment in realising
the inalienable rights of the brotherly
people of Palestine for an independent
homeland and a sovereign and viable
State of Palestine based on the 1967
borders with East Jerusalem as its
capital.”
Bangladesh continues to maintain
its principled position for a
comprehensive and durable solution
to the Palestinian issue in accordance
with the relevant UN resolutions,
the Arab Peace Initiative, and the
Quartet Road Map. We believe that
the international community should
come together towards realising this
solution.
Bangladesh opines that the
decisions taken during the June
10, 2020 Open-Ended Virtual
Extraordinary Meeting of the OIC
Executive Committee, at the level of
Foreign Ministers, on the threats of
the Israeli occupation government to
annex parts of the State of Palestine’s
territory (occupied since 1967), are
noteworthy and the international
community in general and the OIC
members in particular should continue
their efforts to implement them.
Implementation of the directives,
together with our decisions from
the open-ended meeting of the OIC
Executive Committee at the level
of Foreign Ministers to discuss the
ongoing developments in Palestine
(held on May 16, 2021 virtually),
will lead towards the realisation of
a comprehensive solution for the
Palestinian cause.
Only by mobilising and optimising
our synergies can we create a society of
shared peace and stability, which our
future generations will inherit. At this
crucial junction, let us stand strong
together and work for the betterment
of humanity, and finally stop this
massacre.
Dr AK Abdul Momen, MP is the Foreign Minister of
Bangladesh.

WORLD FAMILY DOCTOR DAY

Family doctors can help us manage

the pandemic
MD KABIR AHMED KHAN wave is knocking at our door as our public health authorities. They can
citizens are not following precautionary act as a family friend and healthcare

T
HE observance of World Family
Doctor Day on this day every
year can highlight the role and
contribution of family doctors in the
healthcare system. Family doctors, or
physicians who are regularly consulted
by all family members in the time of
medical need, have been the backbone
of healthcare systems around the
world. But what do we mean by family
doctors, and why are they important?
A family doctor is a personal
medical guide and health adviser
with a holistic approach to patient
management irrespective of age, gender
or organs involved, which is known
as the comprehensive approach. They
are competent and equipped to serve
diverse health needs. Usually, they are
specialists in Family Medicine, which
is a structured training programme to
meet patients as a first point of contact,
address their total health needs, both
urgent and chronic, and offer personal
medical care in one or more fields of
healthcare within the context of the
family and community.
The importance of family doctors
lie in the fact that they link the
community to higher medical centres
for specialised healthcare. Therefore,
they play a pivotal role by establishing
effective referrals of patients. Family
doctors also tend to be more aware
about the specific health needs of the
community, changing epidemiological
patterns and diseases load, so they
can be in important positions to plan
health services.
Family doctors can also help to
reduce health disparities in underserved
population by strengthening primary
medical care in the remotest areas of
the community. Multiple evidences
suggest that family doctors can provide
quality and cost-effective healthcare
and strengthen the prevention and
promotion of health-related activities
in the community to add value to the
healthcare system.
World Family Doctor Day has
opened up opportunities to create
awareness amongst the general
population and highlight the important
contributions of family doctors, as
well as create an atmosphere of global
solidarity among family doctors. This
year, the theme of this day is “Building
the Future with Family Doctors”, which
is aligned with the Year of the Health
and Care Workers 2021, declared by the
World Health Organization (WHO).
There are also four fundamental
pillars of World Family Doctor Day
PHOTO: COLLECTED
2021 which aim to overcome challenges
and build a better future. These are:
family doctors working together with
multidisciplinary primary care teams to
strengthen health systems and deliver
high quality and affordable care to
all; putting patients at the centre of all
activities to provide ongoing support
and ensure continuity of care; adopting
new technologies as fundamental
tools, especially during the Covid-19
pandemic; and involving everyone to
raise their voices, share their activities
and efforts, and contribute to building
the future with family doctors.
The world is now experiencing
an unprecedented health challenge
as the global coronavirus pandemic
continues to spread, with almost all
countries experiencing a second or
even third wave. The threat of the third
measures to ward off the infection,
and our neighbouring countries are
experiencing unprecedented sufferings
in the face of the new Covid-19
variants.
Lack of access to quality healthcare
has become a significant challenge in
combating Covid-19 in Bangladesh.
Due to insufficient resources, poor
healthcare delivery infrastructure
and lack of coordination in health
sectors, patients are struggling to
receive healthcare—not just to manage
Covid-19, but for other chronic health
conditions as well. We have also
seen how patient loads can quickly
overwhelm the local healthcare system,
forcing patients to move from one
hospital to another one without any
support. In this scenario, a family
doctor can act as a leader amongst
frontline health workers and provide
primary care, which is the first point of
contact for those who seek any type of
health services.
The need of the hour is to
understand and incorporate into our
healthcare system well-trained family
doctors who can form the backbone
of our healthcare system. As “gate-
keepers” at primary care facilities, they
can improve the cost-effectiveness
of healthcare delivery, during the
pandemic and beyond.
In the present pandemic situation,
the roles and responsibilities of family
doctors as primary care physicians are
manifold. They can maintain the triage
(order of treatment) at the frontline by
disease screening, provide telemedicine
consultations, train auxiliary healthcare
providers, educate the community,
guide community leaders and assist
advocate in this crisis situation, and
can address mental health issues as
well. They can also reduce the load of
patients in specialists’ chambers as well
as the number of hospital admissions.
This would, in turn, improve patient
satisfaction and build confidence in our
healthcare system despite the resource
constraints in the country.
Covid-19 infections have been
divided into four categories—mild,
moderate, severe and critical. Almost
80 percent of all cases are mild, and
15 percent are moderate. It is now
well established that all mild and a
small potion of moderate cases can
be easily managed at home under the
supervision of a family doctor though
the help of telemedicine. In this way,
trained family doctors can play a vital
role in managing the current pandemic.
For example, some private hospitals are
providing access to quality healthcare
through video consultations by well-
trained family doctors and other family
health professionals, along with testing
for Covid-19, home sample collection
and pharmacy deliveries all over
Dhaka.
Bangladesh is in dire need of more
family doctors in order to build a
stronger health system. There should
be strong policy directives with detailed
roadmaps regarding the utilisation of
family doctors in the public health
system by the government. There
should also be some initiative to raise
awareness regarding the role of family
doctors in caring for families and
communities.
Dr Lt Colonel (Retd) Md Kabir Ahmed Khan is
Consultant Family Medicine at Praava Health.

CROSSWORD BY THOMAS JOSEPH BEETLE BAILEY BY MORT WALKER

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FROM PAGE 12
condemned the incident.
He said what happened to Rozina
at the Secretariat was very saddening
and unexpected.
Hanif said the media is the mirror
of the society through which people
get the accurate picture of the country.
It also acts as a supporting force for
the government.
Therefore, there should be good
relations between the government
and the media, but the corrupt people
cause disruptions to this at times, he
added.
‘JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED’
Meanwhile, Law Minister Anisul Huq
has assured that justice will be served
for senior journalist Rozina Islam.
“The government does not want
that there will be any distance between
journalists and the government over
any issue. If there is any confusion in
this regard, the government will take
steps to dispel it. Journalist Rozina
Islam must get justice,” he said.
The minister was briefing reporters
last night after a meeting with
2 ‘muggers’ killed
FROM PAGE 12
The DC said they have been setting up
several checkpoints at Khilkhet area to
ensure security for people returning to
Dhaka as incidents of mugging – with
muggers posing as fellow passengers
in auto-rickshaws and microbuses --
have led to killing and injuring several
people before Eid.
Around 2:15am, as law enforcers
signalled an auto-rickshaw at a
check post to stop, its driver refused
and tried to speed his way towards
Purbachal area. The DB team then
informed another one of their teams
ahead who intercepted the auto-
rickshaw, he said.
Then, two of the muggers came out
of the auto-rickshaw and started firing
at the law enforcers, who fired back in
self-defence, leaving the men bullet
hit, claimed the DC.
They were rushed to Dhaka Medical
College Hospital, where doctors
declared them dead.
Detectives claimed to have arrested
two more muggers -- Nayan and
Yeamin -- and recovered the auto-
rickshaw, a pistol, two bullets, a sharp
weapon, a scarf and an ointment from
Donors pledge $340m for
FROM PAGE 12
appeal was just 59.4 percent funded.
Aid agencies made the united call
on the international community
to step up support to the Rohingya
refugee crisis in Bangladesh, which
has now entered its fourth year.
The JRP seeking $943 million is
to meet the needs of over 880,000
Rohingya refugees and 472,000
vulnerable Bangladeshis in Ukhiya
and Teknaf Upazilas in Cox’s Bazar
district.
In total, the JRP aims to protect
and assist 1.4 million people this year.
More than half of this population are
women and children.
“The appeal focuses on
strengthening the protection of
Rohingya refugees, delivering quality
lifesaving assistance to those in
need, fostering the well-being of the
communities surrounding the camps,
and helping Rohingya refugees build
their skills and capacities towards
sustainable return and reintegration
in Myanmar, on a voluntary basis,
when conditions allow them to do so,
in safety and in dignity,” said ISCG in
a statement.
The most commonly reported
needs among the host communities
269 doctors died in 2nd wave
FROM PAGE 12
the first wave of the pandemic.
India’s total tally of coronavirus
cases now stands at 25.23 million,
health ministry data showed,
following 263,533 new infections
over the past 24 hours, while fatalities
rose by a record 4,329. The official
total death toll is now 278,719.
The government said about 98%
of India’s population of 1.3 billion
remained susceptible to infections.
Only the United States has had
more cases, or a worse single day
death toll, when it lost 5,444 people
on February 12. But whereas the
epidemic peaked months ago in the
United States, there is no certainty
that India’s infections have.
Though the official count shows
new infections subsiding, there are
fears that the new, highly infectious
B.1.617 variant, first found in India,
is out of control and that many cases
are going unreported due to lack of
testing.
Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra
Modi’s home state, has suffered a 30%
increase in infections since May 2,
while the total number of vaccinations
it administered last week was just 1.1
million - half the total of a month
earlier.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind
Kejriwal yesterday urged the
government to immediately cancel
all air services with Singapore, saying
a new strain of coronavirus in that
country is said to be “very dangerous”
for children.
This new strain of virus could be in
India in the form of a third wave, he
said in a tweet.
City
journalist leaders, led by Jatiya Press
Club President Farida Yasmin, at his
Gulshan residence in capital.
Anisul said the court will decide
on granting bail to Rozina. “I cannot
interfere in the court proceedings. I
will ask the prosecution to enquire
about the case filed against Rozina
Islam.”
The law minister told the meeting
that he would talk to the jail
authorities so that Rozina was not
harassed or tortured in prison.
Farida at the meeting demanded
the law minister take necessary steps to
withdraw the case filed against Rozina,
release her immediately and conduct
an inquiry into Monday’s incident to
identify those officials who kept the
senior journalist confined, misbehaved
and assaulted her at the Secretariat.
The journalist leaders demanded
carrying out the probe by officials
from any other ministry except that of
health.
They described the incident of
assaulting and misbehaving with
Rozina to the law minister.
their possessions.
DB officials said this gang, along
with others, offered ride-sharing
to people on auto-rickshaws and
microbuses when they saw commuters
waiting for transport.
On the way, they used to mug those
people and many of their victims
sustained injuries due to their torture.
A Dubai expat, who was travelling
from Bogura to Dhaka earlies this
month, was strangled to death by one
such gang, law enforcers said.
His body was found on the Kuril
flyover in the capital.
The arrestees told detectives that
they gathered in Tongi area yesterday
to pick up unsuspecting victims. As
they did not find anyone there, they
were heading toward Dhaka, DC
Mashiur said.
Nayan and Yeamin said they used
to snatch valuables from victims. If
anyone tried to resist, they used to
strangle him with a towel or scarf.
They used to carry firearms as well, he
said, quoting the arrestees.
Those arrested are accused in
several cases for mugging, robbery
and drugs, police said.
include access to food as well as cash,
along with essential health services,
reflecting the impact of the Covid-19
outbreak and associated measures
needed to mitigate the spread of the
virus on food security and livelihoods
among the people of Bangladesh, it
said.
The Covid-19 pandemic has
compounded vulnerabilities for them
as well as Rohingya refugees.
“More than 40 percent of this year’s
financial appeal focuses on two of the
most basic and critical human needs,
food security and health,” says Nicole
Epting, senior coordinator for the
ISCG.
In addition, the priorities for this
year include water, sanitation and
hygiene, wider health needs including
sexual and reproductive health with a
focus on women and girls, education,
and addressing the protection
concerns of the Rohingya refugee
population in the camps.
UN Refugee Agency Head Filippo
Grandi appealed to the global
community to show compassion
and solidarity with the Rohingyas
and continue supporting Bangladesh
who has generously sheltered and is
bearing the brunt of it.
Kejriwal also said children whose
parents died because of Covid-19 will
get Rs 2,500 per month (till they turn
25) and their education will be paid
for by the Delhi government.
‘GOD’S MERCY’
In the northern state of Uttar Pradesh,
home to more people than Brazil,
rural areas have been severely hit, as
healthcare systems have struggled to
cope.
Incensed by scarce testing and
tracing, a state court said on Monday
the situation was turning to “God’s
mercy” and hurtling towards a third
wave.
“If this is the state of affairs of five
districts, one can guess where we are
leading people of this state to, i.e. (a)
third wave of the pandemic,” said the
Allahabad High Court.
Chandrakant Lahariya, a public
policy and health systems expert, said
in the Hindustan Times newspaper
that India’s vaccine policy urgently
needed a reset.
“For six weeks now, India’s
vaccination drive has been struggling,”
he said. “The political leadership
should give a free hand to technical
experts to decide and implement new
strategies.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi yesterday said
continuous efforts were being made
to increase the supply of vaccine on a
very large scale.
“The Health Ministry is
streamlining the system and process
of vaccination. Attempts are being
made to give a schedule of the next 15
days to the states in advance,” Modi
said.
NEWS
A health worker wearing PPE suit (Personal Protection Equipment) attends a coronavirus patient outside an
emergency ward at a hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal yesterday.
Bangladesh Liberation
FROM PAGE 12
repatriated at the earliest possible time.
U Thant had under consideration a
request from Pakistan for food and
equipment to ease the situation in
Bangladesh.
BANGLADESH LIBERATION
COUNCIL ESTABLISHED
Noted intellectuals of Bangladesh
today formed Bangladesh Liberation
Council with Dr AR Mullick, vice
chancellor of Chittagong University,
as president. Aims of the Council
included support to the Bangladesh
government in the war, mobilisation
of the displaced intellectuals and
publicity for the liberation movement
at national and international level.
The council would also produce
feature and documentary films on
the Bangladesh Liberation War, send
abroad intellectual squads to organise
an international conscience troop for
defence of human rights and democracy.
Famed writer and film director Zahir
Raihan is the secretary of the council.
ARAFAT CONVEYS GOOD WISHES
TO BANGLADESH
‘Free Rozina now’ reverberates
FROM PAGE 1
to investigate and expose corruption
and speak truth to power. As a
democracy, Bangladesh should respect
the right of journalists rather than
silencing their voices to hide corruption
in the government.”
The IPI said press freedom and safety
of journalists have suffered a severe
setback in Bangladesh as well as in its
neighbouring countries in South Asia.
According to IPI’s Covid-19 Press
Freedom Tracker, so far over 100
violations have been reported from four
South Asian countries, including 12
cases in Bangladesh, it added.
ARTICLE 19, an international
human rights organisation based in
the United Kingdom, too condemned
Rozina’s arrest.
In a statement, it said the five-hour
detention, harassment and torture of
Rozina Islam, while on duty, by the
government employees of the health
ministry is a threat to all journalists
across Bangladesh.
“This grievous and shameful
incident has raised questions on the
government’s willingness in protecting
the rights to freedom of expression and
ensuring the security of the journalists of
the country,” said Faruq Faisel, regional
director, ARTICLE 19, Bangladesh and
South Asia.
“Moreover, after detaining her for 5
hours, filing a case against the journalist
over the incident almost at midnight
has also created the impression that the
entire matter is intentional,” he added.
Terming the matter a threat to
journalism in Bangladesh, ARTICLE
19 expressed grave concern and
condemned such harassment of a
senior journalist.
The rights organisation also
demanded the unconditional release
of the victim, withdrawal of the case,
fair investigation into the incident and
punishment of the officials and staff
members involved.
The incident has unveiled that the
practice of free and fair journalism is
absence in the country and that all
media workers are performing their
duties under tremendous risks and
continues threat.
ARTICLE 19 also expressed grave
concern over such a wrath on free media
and investigative journalism.
In a joint statement, 11 eminent
personalities yesterday condemned
the assault on Rozina by government
officials at the Secretariat when she was
collecting information from the health
ministry.
Besides, they condemned the filing
of the case against her over “stealing
classified information”.
They mentioned that the government
and the public are jointly working to
tackle the Covid-19 situation at present
and the health ministry and health
workers are playing a significant role in
this regard.
But at the same time, the government
was embarrassed by irregularities by
some officials and employees of the
ministry at different times. It also took
action against them, they said.
In those cases, the government was
benefitted due to investigative reports
by journalists like Rozina Islam.
“In this situation, we demand the
government enquire the reason behind
The Palestine guerilla leader Yasser
Arafat conveyed his good wishes to
Bangladesh through Indian political
leader Jayaprakash Narain who
called on him yesterday. Jayaprakash
Narayan arrived in Cairo on a two-
day visit in the course of a global
tour he had undertaken on behalf of
the Gandhi Peace Foundation and
Sarva Seva Sangh to mobilise public
and government opinion about the
situation in Bangladesh.
Yasser Arafat was found “very
understanding and sympathetic” about
Bangladesh developments. He told
the Indian leader that he could quite
understand the military character of
the Pakistan regime because “we have
suffered in Jordan”, where the Pakistan
army helped the Jordanian army to
fight the commandos.
PAKISTAN REJECTS INDIAN
PROPOSAL
In Islamabad, it was stated that Pakistan
had rejected an Indian proposal that a
Swiss representative should visit Dhaka
to try to resolve the difficulties facing
members of the Indian diplomatic
the incident and also identify those who
assaulted Rozina Islam, and conduct an
investigation on their activities.”
Nasiruddin Yousuff, Abdul Gaffar
Chowdhury, Prof Muntassir Mamoon,
Shahriar Kabir, Ramendu Majumdar,
Hasan Azizul Haque, Anupom Sen,
Sarwar Ali, Mofidul Haque, Mamunur
Rashid and Abdus Salim signed the
statement.
In another statement, Editors Guild
expressed serious concern over the
incident, saying that Rozina Islam was
kept detained at the Secretariat for more
than five hours and taken to Shahbagh
Police Station after she was tortured
physically and mentally.
Signed by Mozammel Haque
Babu, president of Editors Guild, the
statement strongly condemned the way
Rozina Islam was treated while she was
carrying out her professional duty at the
health ministry.
Editors Guild thinks that it is unjust
to detain a well-known journalist for
hours. “There is a need for a proper
investigation into the reasons for her
detention and why she was not taken
to the hospital even after she fell ill. We
also need to find out who is responsible
for harassing Rozina,” the statement
said.
Editors Guild said when the policy
of the government focuses on freedom
of the media, it is also necessary to
investigate who is doing these things
inside the bureaucracy or within the
administration and thus turning the
media against the government.
Editors Guild also thinks that it is
journalism’s job to expose the truth, to
expose lies, and to expose corruption.
Rozina Islam was doing that. If there
is any deviation from the law, it is
desirable to seek redress through the
legal process. But physical and mental
torture for hours is not a normal
process, the statement added.
It urged the government to launch an
impartial investigation into the incident
and punish the perpetrators.
Besides, it demanded that the
case against Rozina be withdrawn
immediately.
Transparency International
Bangladesh (TIB) also strongly
condemned the way Rozina was
confined at the health ministry for a
long time while she was performing her
professional duties.
In a statement, TIB Executive
Director Iftekharuzzaman called for the
immediate withdrawal of the case and
Rozina’s unconditional release.
At the same time, TIB urges all
the authorities concerned of the
government to show prudence by
ensuring exemplary punishment of the
culprits through proper investigation
into the incident.
“I think this is a warning message
from the corrupt for those who are
doing journalism with principle
and dedication, despite hundreds
of adversities, trying to protect the
public interest through investigative
journalism.”
In a statement, Manusher Jonno
Foundation (MJF) strongly condemned
the physical and mental abuse of Rozina
Islam.
Shaheen Anam, executive director,
MJF, demanded the journalist’s
immediate release.
After Rozina fell ill, she was taken to
DHAKA WEDNESDAY MAY 19, 2021, JAISHTHA 5, 1428 BS
PHOTO: AFP
mission there.
COLD LONDON WELCOME FOR
YAHYA’S ENVOY
MM Ahmad, special envoy of
Pakistan President Yahya Khan, had
talks in London today with Sir Alec
Douglas-Home, the UK Foreign
Secretary. They discussed emergency
food supplies and Pakistan’s financial
crisis. MM Ahmad had previously
had discussions with US President
Richard Nixon and the United Nations
Secretary General U Thant. Although
no statement was issued, MM Ahmad
was believed to have received in
London the same correct and chilly
treatment he had in America.
Basically, Britain and the United
States, supported by Canada, West
Germany, and other governments
in the World Bank aid consortium,
were saying that Pakistan must reduce
expenditure on troops in East Pakistan,
and put her finances in order, if she
expects assistance.
Shamsuddoza Sajen is a journalist
and researcher. He can be contacted at
sajen1986@gmail.com
a police station, instead of a hospital.
It was inhumane, she said in the
statement.
MJF demanded a fair investigation
into the incident and a fair trial.
In another statement, Forum for
Freedom of Expression, Bangladesh
(FExB), a network of media rights
organisations in Bangladesh, said it
protested the arbitrary arrest of Rozina
Islam for “breaching” the Official
Secrets Act.
In Dhaka, journalists protested in
front of Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU)
at the city’s Segunbagicha.
DRU leaders at the programme said
they would wage a tough movement if
Rozina was not released immediately.
Journalists in Chattogram, Rajshahi,
Sylhet, Tangail, Lalmonirhat and
Kurigram also demonstrated and
formed human chains, seeking justice
for Rozina.
Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters’
Forum (BSRF) yesterday decided to
boycott all events of the health ministry
until Rozina was released.
Journalists have also decided to form
a human chain in front of Jatiya Press
Club at 11:00am today, demanding
unconditional release of Rozina,
withdrawal of the case filed against her
and action against those who assaulted
and confined her.
The BSRF yesterday also boycotted
a press conference organised by the
health ministry. The press conference
was scheduled for 11:00am.
Jana Sanghati Andolon also staged a
protest programme in front of the Jatiya
Press Club.
In separate statements, BNP,
National Human Rights Commission,
Jatiya Press Club, Workers Party,
Communist Party of Bangladesh,
Human Rights Support Society, Adibasi
Forum, Bangladesh Chhatra Union,
Karmajibi Nari, Aviation and Tourism
Journalist Forum of Bangladesh,
Diplomatic Correspondent Association
of Bangladesh, Bangladesh National
Women Lawyers’ Association, SAARC
Human Rights Foundation, Capital
Market Journalist Forum, Economic
Reporters’ Forum, Bangladesh
Muktijoddha Mancha, National Girl
Child Advocacy Forum, Udichi Shilpo
Gosti and Labour Party also demanded
immediate release of Rozina and
withdrawal of the case against her.
Meanwhile, 57 noted citizens in a
joint statement said the harassment
of Rozina Islam has undermined
independent journalism, human rights
and human dignity of the people of the
country.
They said those who have been
infuriated by Rozina for practicing
media freedom and publishing
reports against various corruptions
and irregularities, have harassed her
and filed a case against her to muzzle
journalism.
Serajul Islam Choudhury, Sultana
Kamal, Rasheda K Chowdhury,
Hafizuddin Khan, Hossain Zillur
Rahman, Debapriya Bhattacharya,
and Hamida Hossain are among the
signatories.
Besides, journalists from Prothom
Alo and The Daily Star formed
human chain programmes in front of
their offices in the capital yesterday,
protesting the arrest of Rozina.
3 more cases
FROM PAGE 12
60 while the rest were aged between
31 and 60, the DGHS said in its daily
bulletin.
The overall death rate stood at 1.56
percent till yesterday, it mentioned.
At least 1,272 new infections were
recorded, raising the total number to
782,129. The positivity rate was 7.55
percent with 16,855 samples tested
across the country in 24 hours. The
overall positivity rate now stands at
13.64 percent.
Besides, 1,115 Covid patients
recovered during the period, taking
the total number to 724,209.
Bangladesh sends
FROM PAGE 12
Tk 20 crore.
Mostafizur Rahman, deputy
commissioner of Benapole Customs
House, said around 3:30pm, the items
were sent to India after completing all
the formalities of customs.
Riazul Islam, a counsellor of Deputy
High Commission of Bangladesh
in Kolkata, Port Director Abdul Jalil
and other officials were present at the
handover ceremony.
Nasa spacecraft
FROM PAGE 12
be the noise of the universe beyond
our own neighbourhood.
The drone appears to be emitted
by interstellar gas or plasma waves
that are out in the largely empty space
between the stars.
Country sees
FROM PAGE 12
Pakistan, the second-highest recipient,
saw an increase of 17 percent, according
to the WB’s Migration and Development
Brief.
Although Bangladesh remained
at third position in South Asia, the
country has become the seventh-largest
remittance earner among low- and
middle-income countries and the
eighth-largest earner in the world as
expatriates sent home a record $22
billion last year.
The WB report said the remittance
flow accounted for 6.6 percent of the
country’s gross domestic product.
In 2019, the remittance inflow was
$18.36 billion, which put Bangladesh
in the ninth position globally.
The main drivers for the steady flow
included fiscal stimulus that resulted
in better-than-expected economic
conditions in host countries, a shift in
flow from cash to digital, from informal
to formal channels, and cyclical
movements in oil prices and currency
exchange rates, the WB report read.
The inward remittance to South
Asia rose by about 5.2 percent to $147
billion in 2020, driven by a surge in
flows to Bangladesh and Pakistan,
according to the report.
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic,
remittance flows remained resilient in
2020, registering a smaller decline than
previously projected, it said.
Officially recorded remittance flows
to low- and middle-income countries
reached $540 billion in 2020, just 1.6
percent below the 2019 total of $548
billion.
India became the largest remittance
earner in both the world and the South
Asian region, having received $83.15
billion in 2020, which was 0.2 percent
less than the previous year.
The decline is mainly caused by a
17 percent drop in remittances from
the United Arab Emirates, which offset
resilient flows from the United States
and other host countries.
Pakistan, also the sixth-highest
recipient globally, received $26.11
billion in 2020, with the biggest growth
coming from Saudi Arabia, followed
by European Union countries and the
United Arab Emirates.
Sri Lanka witnessed a remittance
growth of 5.8 percent.
China was in the second position
in the world, receiving $59.51 billion
in 2020, followed by Mexico, the
Philippines and Egypt, who received
$42.88 billion, $34.91 billion and
$29.60 billion respectively.
In contrast, remittances to Nepal fell
by about 2 percent, following a 17 per
cent decline in the first quarter of 2020.
For 2021, it is projected that
remittances to the region will slow
slightly to 3.5 percent due to a
moderation of growth in high-income
economies and a further expected drop
in migration to the GCC countries.
The average cost of sending $200
to the region stood at 4.9 percent in
the fourth quarter of 2020, the lowest
among all regions.
Some of the lowest-cost corridors,
originating in the Gulf Cooperation
Council (GCC) countries and
Singapore, had costs below the SDG
target of 3 percent owing to high
volumes, competitive markets, and
deployment of technology.
“As Covid-19 still devastates families
around the world, remittances continue
to provide a critical lifeline for the poor
and vulnerable,” said Michal Rutkowski,
global director for social protection,
labor and jobs at the World Bank.
“Supportive policy responses,
together with national social protection
systems should continue to be inclusive
of all communities, including migrants.”
“The resilience of remittance flows
is remarkable. Remittances are helping
to meet families’ increased need for
livelihood support,” said Dilip Ratha,
lead author of the report on migration
and remittances and also the head
of Global Knowledge Partnership
on Migration and Development
(KNOMAD).
“They can no longer be treated as
small change. The World Bank has been
monitoring migration and remittance
flows for nearly two decades, and we
are working with governments and
partners to produce timely data and
make remittance flows even more
productive,” Ratha said.
 e-mail: sports@thedailystar.net
T SPORTS Newcastle vs Sheffield

WHAT TO WATCH
DHAKA WEDNESDAY MAY 19, 2021, JAISHTHA 5, 1428 BS
English Premier League
Tottenham vs Aston Villa
Live from 11:00 pm
Burnley vs Liverpool
Live from 1:15 am (Thursday)
STAR SPORTS SELECT 1
English Premier League
Live from 11:00 pm
West Brom vs West Ham
Live from 1:15 am (Thursday)
STAR SPORTS SELECT 2
English Premier League
Crystal Palace vs Arsenal
Live from 12:00 am (Thursday)

Forwards lose their shooting boots

SPORTS REPORTER
National forward
Mahbubur Rahman
Sufil shot wide from
the top of the box after
a quick one-two but
left-back Rahmat Mia
finished clinically to
spark celebrations at the Bangabandhu National
Stadium yesterday.
It was not against the backdrop of a competitive
or practice match. It was instead a training
session for the national football team players,
who were tasked with shooting past dummies.
However, the training was not all too pleasant
for goalkeeping coach Les Cleevely.
The bulky coach even had to demonstrate to

PHOTO: FIROZ AHMED

Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman joined training camp
yesterday in Mirpur for the Tigers’ upcoming three-match
ODI series against Sri Lanka after their mandatory 14-day
quarantine was shortened to 12 days by the Health Ministry.
national forwards how to play the perfect forward
pass for strikers in and around the danger zone,
akin to a training session for budding players at
a tender age.
Whereas forwards Sufil, Mehedi Hasan Royal,
Suman Reza and midfielders like Sohel Rana
and Mohammad Abdullah could hardly keep
their shots on the target, defenders like Rahmat,
Kazi Tariq Raihan and Riyadul Hasan Rafi proved
more accurate and finished smartly in the drill. Jamie Day wants, are to get some points. In Bangladesh have experience against them.
PHOTO: match situations, obviously forwards have to do “They are ahead of us but all of us here are the
Bangladesh know they must score some goals
FIROZ AHMED
the job up front. best performers of the league. I hope everyone
in the World Cup Qualifying matches against
Afghanistan and India if they, as head coach “The matches in Qatar are going to be tough. is fit and confident because we are discussing
It is not possible to win if someone gives only among ourselves and I felt everyone wants to
fifty per cent. We all have to give hundred per do something in the three matches,” said Zico.

Shakib, Fizz join up HIGHLIGHTS

Winger Mohammad Ibrahim has been
isolated at a hotel room after he was the
cent if we want to win,” captain Jamal Bhuiyan
told reporters after sweating it out for nearly
two-and-a-half hours.
Asked how they could win matches when
“We played against them before. We lost 0-1 to
Afghanistan and drew 1-1 with India. We more
or less have an idea about their players and we
will get more information in the coming days.”

as training begins only one to test Covid-19 positive out of 32

players.
Goalkeeper Ashraful Islam Rana has been
forwards could hardly hit the target, win the
matches where the forwards could Jamal said:
“I don’t know about others but I shot on target
four times out of five shots. We won’t get points
While Jamal Bhuiyan wants to judge the
strong and weak points of his side by playing two
practice matches before the main competition,
the Bangladesh Football Federation has yet
SPORTS REPORTER for Kolkata Knight Riders, managing 38 ruled out of the preliminary squad due to if we can’t score goals.” to confirm the date of departure for Qatar as
runs and picking up only two wickets injury while Rasel Mahmud Liton has been Goalkeeper Anisur Rahman Zico believes well as dates for the practice matches. India
A 23-member before being dropped from the playing recalled to the squad. Afghanistan and India are ahead of Bangladesh are supposed to reach Doha today to avail the
Bangladesh eleven. but was confident of doing something good as facilities in Qatar ahead of practice matches.
squad underwent On the other hand, Mustafizur played
their first official all seven matches for Rajasthan Royals
training session

Hockey loses its guardian

at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium
in Mirpur yesterday ahead of the three-
match ODI series against Sri Lanka.
Although rain forced the cricketers to
stay in the dressing room for the majority
of the time, the Tigers did spend some
time warming up and playing football.
Star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan and
left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman joined
the training session after their mandatory
14-day quarantine was relaxed to 12 days
by the ministry of health.
Both cricketers returned to Dhaka from
India on May 6 after the Indian Premier
League was suspended. They quarantined
at hotels before returning home on May
17.
“The board had appealed to the health
ministry to relax the quarantine period
for the two cricketers so that Shakib and
Mustafizur could join the training from
the beginning. The authorities accepted
our appeal,” said Bangladesh Cricket
Board physician Monjur Chowdhury.
Both cricketers had contrasting outings
in the IPL.
Shakib could only play three matches
and took eight wickets, with the left-arm
seamer looking in fine rhythm.
The Bangladesh team checked into the
team hotel yesterday while the Sri Lankan
team is expected to start group training
from today after completing a three-day
mandatory quarantine in their hotel
rooms.
Both Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are
scheduled to play intra-squad practice
games on May 20 and 21 respectively
at BKSP. The selectors are expected to
announce the final Bangladesh squad
after the warm-up game on May 21 ahead
of the first ODI on May 23.
Meanwhile, the BCB sold its television
broadcast rights for home series for the
next two years for 19.7 million dollars to
local marketing agency Ban Tech.
They quoted just above the USD 19
million floor price set by BCB last month.
The broadcast rights are applicable for the
national men’s team’s home series from
May 18, 2021, to October 5, 2023.
The Tigers are scheduled to play
nine home series during this period,
comprising seven Tests along with 18
ODIs and 19 T20Is.
Ruman gets
bye, others
fail
SPORTS REPORTER
Although archer Ruman
Sana crossed the hurdle of
the first round elimination
in men’s recurve bow
event of Archery World
Cup Stage-2 with a bye in
Switzerland, his three other
teammates were eliminated
from the first round
yesterday.
Sana, who finished 31st
in qualification round,
will play against Oona
Mart of Estonia in the
second-round elimination
while Tamimul Islam,
Ram Krishna Saha and
Hakim Ahmed Rubel lost
their respective first-round
matches to be eliminated.
SPORTS REPORTER people and I never saw him angry,”
said his contemporary hockey player
A contemporary of legendary hockey Mohammad Hasan.
players such as Abus Sadeque, “I played with Bari bhai for one
Ibrahim Saber and Mohammad year in Mahuthtuli SC. He was a real
Mohsin and an absolute legend of the gentleman,” said BHF vice-president
game’s administration, Shamsul Bari Sadek A Adel.
breathed his last at a hospital in the Veteran organiser Moinuzzaman
capital yesterday morning. He was 74. Pila said, “Bari bhai had a great
Bari successfully administered capacity to manage everyone and
Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF) no one could refuse him as he was
as a general secretary from 1988 to a gentleman. His departure will
2007. He also worked as joint secretary undoubtedly impact the environment
and vice-president of the federation. of hockey.”
A Blue of Dhaka University, Bari The late organiser had been
played for Combined SC, Mahuthtuli suffering from diabetes, kidney
SC, Abahani and Mohammedan SC The successful organiser paid his ailment before contacting Covid-19.
from 1964 to 1978 while representing last visit to the Maulana Bhasani Even though he recovered from the
the national team from 1972 to 1978. Hockey Stadium in a coffin yesterday infection but could not survive the
After ending his playing career, he as former players, organisers and impact of the disease. Bari, who left
worked as an organiser, judge and others paid their last tribute by behind his wife, two sons and a host
umpire. He was also a member of attending his namaz-e-janaza. of well-wishers, was laid to rest at the
Asian Hockey Federation. “He had a great power to unite Banani Graveyard.

Doctors calls
for Olympics
cancellation
REUTERS
A top medical organisation
has thrown its weight
behind calls to cancel the
Tokyo Olympics saying
hospitals are already
overwhelmed as the
country battles a spike in
coronavirus infections less
than three months from
the start of the Games.
The Tokyo Medical
Practitioners Association
PHOTO: COLLECTED/STAR representing about 6,000
Sports journalists protested against the harassment of Prothom Alo’s senior primary care doctors said
hospitals in the Games
reporter Rozina Islam yesterday. Reporters, photographers and cameramen host city “have their hands
from various media houses, who went to cover national football team’s practice full and have almost no
session at the BNS and cricketers’ practice in Mirpur, demanded justice for the spare capacity” amid a
fellow journalist, holding a banner with a statement ‘Journalism in not a crime.’ surge in infections.

‘Federer is just a synopsis of greatness’

REUTERS is on 18.
The 39-year-old Federer is this
While fans
week playing only his second
and pundits
tournament since returning to
continue to
the Tour in March after spending
debate who more than a year on the sidelines
should be
due to two knee operations.
considered the
“I think two words sum it
greatest men’s
up: Roger Federer,” Williams,
tennis player of all time, 23-times who turns 40 in September, told
Grand Slam winner Serena
reporters at the Emilia-Romagna
Williams says Roger Federer gets Open in Parma on Monday.
her vote. “He’s just a synopsis of
Rafa Nadal picked up a record- greatness and class and amazing
extending 13th French Open title and really changed the game.
in October to join Federer at the You see players playing like
top of the list of men’s Grand
him, moving like him, doing his
Slam winners with 20 titles, while techniques. The guy is (a) genius.”
world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, the Williams won the last of her
youngest of the ‘Big Three’ at 33, majors at 2017 Australian Open
before becoming a mother and
has since been chasing a 24th
major title to equal Margaret
Court’s record.
On Monday, the American
won her first match since losing
in the Melbourne semi-finals
in February and said she was a
Federer “superfan”.
“I just feel like he is really the
greatest player,” Williams said.
“You can’t like the guy, that’s
how I feel. His game is so fantastic.
If I could only play like him.”
Top-seeded Federer will begin
his campaign in Geneva later on
Tuesday against Spaniard Pablo
Andujar, who said he has been
Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema poses with the
looking forward to a match
UNFP trophy for Best French Player Abroad. Benzema,
against the Swiss for a long time.
who has scored 29 goals in all competitions for Real
“It was something that I
wanted, to have a match against this season, was all set to be included in France’s
Roger, just to tell my kids and squad for next month’s European Championship
my grandkids when I get older in a surprise move by coach Didier Deschamps on
that I played him,” Andujar told Tuesday. He has not played for Les Bleus since 2015
reporters. “I think when you following a blackmailing scandal - over which he
play Rafa, Novak, and Roger ...
these guys became myths, (they faces a trial in October. French newspaper Le Parisien
are) something above the sport. I reported on Tuesday that the 33-year-old, who scored
would say that the most important 27 goals from 81 caps, would feature in Deschamps’s
is that they grew the sport.” 26-man squad. PHOTO: TWITTER
12 DHAKA WEDNESDAY MAY 19, 2021, JAISHTHA 5, 1428 BS
City

DEALING WITH ROHINGYA CRISIS Take action

against the
Donors pledge corrupt, don’t
sue journos
$340m for Says Hanif; law
minister assures
this year justice
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT
Terming the incident
Amid the risks of a delayed Rohingya repatriation over involving journalist Rozina
coronavirus and unrest in Myanmar, donors yesterday Islam unexpected, Awami
pledged $340m for the Rohingyas and host community in League Joint General
Cox’s Bazar for 2021. Secretary Mahbubul Alam
Inter Sector Coordination Group (ISCG), coordination Hanif yesterday said the
body for the Rohingya humanitarian crisis, said, “Some country would benefit if
$340 million has been committed towards the 2021 JRP stern actions were taken
by the international community so far, amounting to more against corrupts instead
than 35 percent of the total requirements.” of filing cases against
Of the funding, the US has announced providing nearly journalists.
$155m, making the total US humanitarian assistance Rozina, a senior reporter
for this response to more than $1.3 billion since 2017, of Bangla daily Prothom
including more than $1.1 billion for programs inside Alo, was confined to the
Bangladesh. health ministry at the
Up to $2.32 billion in funds have been committed to Secretariat on Monday for
successive JRPs since the outset of the crisis in 2017. This around five hours before
amounts to 69 percent of total the financial requirements being handed over to police.
needed to protect and assist the Rohingya refugee Later that day, a deputy
population and host communities in the last four years. secretary of the Health
This year, the fund pledged is 35 percent of what has Services Division filed a
been sought in the 2021 Joint Response Plan (JRP) for the case against the journalist
Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis launched by the Bangladesh with Shahbagh Police
government, UN, and other aid agencies via a virtual donor Station under the Official
conference from Geneva yesterday. Secrets Act.
Last year, the UN appealed for more than $1 billion Speaking to The Daily
to meet the needs of the Rohingya refugees and host
Shrubs and bushes grow tall beside trains parked at the Kamalapur Railway Station. Star, Hanif, a lawmaker
PHOTO:
communities in Cox’s Bazar. At the end of 2020, this Passenger trains have been taken off service since April 5 to contain the spread of Covid-19 RASHED SHUMON from Kushtia-3 (Sadar),
SEE PAGE 10 COL 1 in the country. The photo was taken yesterday. SEE PAGE 10 COL 1

COVID MEDICINE INDIAN COVID VARIANT ROAD TO FREEDOM REMITTANCE INFLOW

Bangladesh
sends India
4 truckloads
OUR CORRESPONDENT, Benapole
Bangladesh yesterday sent
four trucks of medicine
and injections to India for
treating Covid-19 patients
as gift.
In the second
consignment, injections,
medicines and hand
sanitisers among other items
were sent there through
Benapole land port.
On May 6, Bangladesh
sent 10,000 injections to
India as gift.
Deputy High
Commissioner of
Bangladesh in Kolkata
Toufique Hasan received
the items and handed over
those to the Indian Red
Crescent Society.
Health department
official Abu Taher said
four trucks carrying 18
items, including medicine,
injection and hand
sanitiser, is worth around
SEE PAGE 10 COL 6
Nasa spacecraft 3 more cases THIS DAY IN BANGLADESH LIBERATION WAR HISTORY
Country sees
hears ‘hum’ outside detected Bangladesh Liberation Council formed highest growth
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
solar system Three more cases of the MAY 19, 1971
Indian Covid-19 variant
have been detected at the
SHAMSUDDOZA SAJEN in South Asia
Genome Centre of Jashore
University of Science and
THANT’S APEEAL
UN Secretary General U Thant
It’s due to shift to digital,
Technology. appealed today to all governments formal channels: WB report
All three are India and private sources to send relief
returnees and have been STAFF CORRESPONDENT
assistance for the Bangladesh refugees who had crossed over to
kept in institutional India. In a public statement he said while he could not estimate the Bangladesh’s remittance growth in 2020
quarantine in Jashore, Dr exact number of refugees who had crossed the border there was no was the highest in South Asia with an 18.4
Md Iqbal Kabir, assistant doubt that the “unfortunate people” needed immediate assistance percent rise from the previous year, thanks
director of the centre, told from all quarters of the world. to a shift in flow from cash to digital and
this newspaper yesterday. “The Indian government’s preliminary estimates indicate that from informal to formal, said a latest World
Of them, two are male such assistance might be of the order of about £73 million for the Bank report.
and the other is female. next six months,” he added. The remittance flow to India, the
INDEPENDENT.CO.UK “Following genome He expressed the hope that the refugees would be voluntarily region’s highest recipient country, fell by
sequencing, the three cases
A Nasa spacecraft is picking up a strange “hum” SEE PAGE 10 COL 3 0.2 percent from the previous year while
were found to be of Indian
outside our solar system. variant known as B.1.617,” SEE PAGE 10 COL 6
Voyager 1 is the most distant human-made he mentioned.
object ever, as one of a pair of spacecraft launched Meanwhile, 30 people
towards the edge of the solar system, 44 years died from Covid-19 in 24
ago. Its journey has taken it right to the edge hours till 8:00am yesterday,
and beyond it – and it is now fying through the taking the death toll to
“interstellar medium” beyond our own Sun’s 12,211, according to the
influence. Directorate General of
Instruments on board the spacecraft that Health Services (DGHS).
attempt to analyse that interstellar medium Of the 30, 16 were
have heard a constant drone, which appears to women and 14 men.
SEE PAGE 10 COL 6 Sixteen of them were above
SEE PAGE 10 COL 6

2 ‘muggers’
killed in
‘gunfight’
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Two alleged muggers were
killed in a “gunfight”
with detectives in Dhaka’s
Khilkhet area early
yesterday.
The dead were identified
as Enamul, 30, and Md
Rasel, 28.
The incident took place
around 2:30am, when
a team of the Detective
A car and a motorbike are parked on the pavement of Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue Branch of Police, along
at Karwan Bazar in the capital yesterday significantly narrowing the room for with local police, chased a
group of muggers who were
pedestrians. PHOTO: PRABIR DAS
on an auto-rickshaw, said
Mashiur Rahman, deputy
commissioner of (DB-
COVID CRISIS IN INDIA Gulshan) of the Dhaka
Metropolitan Police.
269 doctors died in 2nd wave SEE PAGE 10 COL 1

Says IMA as virus caseload surges past 25m; SII

hopes to restart export of vaccine by year-end
AGENCIES
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) said
that 269 doctors across the country have
lost their lives due to Covid-19 infection in
the second wave of coronavirus pandemic
as total caseload surged past 25 million
yesterday.
The IMA said Bihar suffered the largest
number of casualties (78) followed by
Uttar Pradesh (37) and Delhi (28). “The
surge has been very devastating,” its
secretary-general, Jayesh Lele, told Reuters.
State-wise data by IMA showed 22
doctors died due to Covid-19 in Andhra
Pradesh, 19 in Telangana, 14 each in
Maharashtra and West Bengal, and 11
fatalities were reported in Tamil Nadu. It
added that 10 doctors also died in Odisha,
PRAYER TIMING MAY 19
eight in Karnataka, and five in Madhya
Fazr Zohr Asr Maghrib Esha
Pradesh.
AZAN 4-10 12-45 5-006-36 8-00
According to the IMA Covid-19 registry, JAMAAT 4-45 1-15 5-15 6-40 8-30
748 doctors succumbed to the disease in
SEE PAGE 10 COL 1 SOURCE: ISLAMIC FOUNDATION

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