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790 11,719 186 1,403 259,878 3,760,568

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

DIGITAL SECURITY ACT

11 sued, two
sent to jail
2 more shown arrested; cartoonist, journalist, writer
among those charged with ‘anti-govt activities’
ZYMA ISLAM and MUNTAKIM SAAD
It’s now a gag
Eleven people, including a cartoonist, a journalist and a
writer, were charged with “spreading rumours and carrying on the media,
out anti-government activities” under the Digital Security
Act yesterday. free speech
Swedish-Bangladeshi journalist Tasneem Khalil who
runs Netra News, and blogger Asif Mohiuddin are among Say legal experts,
those named in the case filed by Rab-3 Assistant Director
Abu Bakar Siddique with the Ramna Police Station.
rights activists
Of the other accused, Cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore ASHUTOSH SARKAR
and writer Mushtaq Ahmed landed in jail after they were
produced before a Dhaka court. Legal experts and rights
Two more accused -- Didarul Islam, a member of activists have expressed
politico-civic organisation called Rashtrachinta, and grave concern over
Minhaj Mannan Emon, managing director of BLE securities continuous filing of cases
and shareholder-director of Dhaka Stock Exchange -- were and subsequent arrests of
handed over to the Ramna police by Rab-3 yesterday journalists under the Digital
evening. Both of them were shown arrested in the case. Security Act, saying that the
Minhaj is the older brother of the slain LGBTQ activist law was formulated and
Xulhaz Mannan. now being enforced to “gag
THE CHARGES the media and freedom of
The first information report said, “These people have expression”.
been knowingly posting rumours against the Father of the They demanded that the
Nation, the Liberation War and the coronavirus pandemic government immediately
to negatively affect the nation’s image and to create Quantum Foundation volunteers in PPE walking towards a hearse on Mughda General Hospital premises
amend the act by repealing yesterday. Many people refuse to handle the bodies of those who die from coronavirus, but these volunteers
PHOTO:
confusion among the public through the social media and ANISUR RAHMAN
the relevant sections.
SEE PAGE 2 COL 1
SEE PAGE 2 COL 3
take the bodies from the hospitals to the designated graveyard and bury them.

POTENTIAL COVID-19 DRUG

6 local pharmas
SHOPPING MALLS Restrictions
on prayers at The spike of Burn unit
not testing
set to produce Big 2 won’t open, mosques go
new cases on all deceased
remdesivir
Beximco, Eskayef hope to
some in dilemma Govt issues a set of
health guidelines for
mosque-goers
790 infected in 24 hours;
Dedicated Covid-19
facility lacks instant
testing, mortuary
Home ministry says market authorities must 73pc of the dead are male capacity
launch it this month RASHIDUL HASAN
AHSAN HABIB ensure no one is without masks, gloves After around a month,
MOUDUD AHMMED SUJAN
RAFIUL ISLAM
MAHBUBUR RAHMAN KHAN and MOHAMMAD JAMIL KHAN the government yesterday The country continues to see a record surge in coronavirus
Six local drug makers are set to produce infections every day with 790 new cases reported yesterday, The burn unit of Dhaka
the experimental antiviral drug remdesivir, lifted restrictions on people Medical College Hospital,
Some of the capital’s largest shopping malls have decided not to reopen gathering at mosques, but taking the total to 11,719.
which has shown promise in fighting the on May 10 when the coronavirus restrictions will be relaxed. dedicated to treating
said the mosque authorities Besides, three more people died in the 24 hours till
new coronavirus, from this month. Covid-19 patients, has not
Shopowners at some other malls said they were not sure what to do as must follow some health 2:30pm yesterday. With it, the death toll hit 186, Prof Nasima
Beximco, Eskayef (SK-F), Incepta, been testing many who
Beacon, Healthcare and Square got the the number of new cases continues to rise. guidelines. Sultana, additional director general at the Directorate
Meanwhile, the home ministry ordered shoppers and store keepers to General of Health Services (DGHS), said in a bulletin. died there after exhibiting
permission to produce Remdesivir, a drug The religious affairs
wear masks at all times when the markets reopen. ministry has issued a notice No new patient, however, recovered during those 24 Covid-19-like symptoms.
developed by American biopharmaceutical
According to the website of Basundhara City Shopping Complex, nearly in this regard. hours, keeping the number of recovered cases at 1,403. The number of Covid-19
company Gilead Sciences.
The injection, which was previously two lakh people visit it on a typical day. But during festivals, the number is Health experts, however, The authorities had reported 688 and 786 cases on deaths across the country
developed to treat the Ebola virus but between five and seven lakh. expressed concern over Monday and Tuesday respectively. The first three cases were was five and one on May
did not work, has grabbed attention as Kazi Shah Alam, an officer of the mall’s security section, said the market the decision and said the reported on March 8. 4 and May 5, but 23
one of the most promising treatments for will not open before Eid. government was putting Of the three deceased, two were males, two were above patients died after showing
COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused Another maga shopping mall, Jamuna Future Park, is also unlikely to open. people’s lives at risk as such 60 while the other was aged between 41 to 50, Prof Nasima coronavirus symptoms
by the novel coronavirus that has killed Jamuna Group Director Mohammed Alamgir Alam told The Daily Star, congregations could lead said, adding that two of the deceased were from Dhaka. during that time at the
more than 250,000 people. “Considering everyone’s safety, we have decided not to open the market. to further transmission of Of all those who have died of Covid-19 so far in the unit.
Its potential to help COVID-19 patients Shop owners might be disappointed, but we can’t take responsibility for novel coronavirus. country, 73 percent were male and 27 percent female, The burn unit handed
is based on the ability to disable the people’s lives.” Following the Covid-19 shows data from the Institute of Epidemiology Disease over the bodies to families
mechanism by which certain viruses, However, many shopkeepers from Dhaka New Market, a major outbreak in the country, Control And Research (IEDCR). without collecting
including the new coronavirus, replicate attraction for shoppers, have repeatedly been asking the government for samples to test if they had
the ministry on April 6 Forty-two percent of the deaths -- the highest -- were of
themselves and potentially overwhelm
permission to reopen. asked people to offer Zohr patients above 60, while 27 percent were aged between 51 the pathogen, officials
their host’s immune system.
The US drug authorities granted After the authorities reported 790 new cases yesterday, the same people told prayers at home instead and 60, some 19 percent between 41 and 50, seven percent concerned said, citing lack
emergency use authorisation last week, The Daily Star that they were not sure reopening would be the safest move. of going to mosques to between 31 and 40, three percent between 21 and 30 and of capacity to test or store
paving the way for its broader use in New Market business association leader Dewan Aminul Islam Shahin offer Juma prayers on the other two percent under 10. bodies.
American hospitals after Gilead provided said his employees were regularly cleaning the market with dininfectants. Friday. The move was part No patient from the 11-20 age group, which constitutes Since the unit was
SEE PAGE 5 COL 3 SEE PAGE 5 COL 3 SEE PAGE 2 COL 1 SEE PAGE 2 COL 6 SEE PAGE 2 COL 6

COVID-19
Cop dies of They too join
infection,
journo with TCB queues
symptoms Vulnerable non-poor, middle-class groups
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
start feeling the pinch amid shutdown
Another police official died RASHIDUL HASAN and TUHIN SHUBHRA ADHIKARY
from coronavirus at a city
hospital yesterday, raising Even a month ago, small trader Didar Hossain had quite a decent life.
the Covid-19 deaths of He would supply construction materials to contractors, and work as a
police personnel to six. newspaper distributor on the side.
Raghunath Roy, 49, an While his combined income wasn’t great, Didar, in his early 40s, was
assistant sub-inspector of able to eke out a reasonable living for his eight-member family at a rented
Public Order Management house in Nandipara area of Bashabo.
(POM) of Dhaka Then came the coronavirus outbreak in the country and the
Metropolitan Police, was announcement of a shutdown. Like everyone else, Didar stocked up on
admitted to Central Police essentials to last a month. He also kept some cash in hand for emergencies.
Hospital on Monday after After over a month going by, however, with no income, Didar is feeling
he tested Covid-19 positive. the pinch. Last week, he had to go out to buy subsidised food items at an
He breathed his last open truck of the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), as his stock
around 8:15am yesterday at of food had begun to dwindle.
the ICU, Hasan Ul Haider, “For the first time in my life, I bought food items from a TCB truck out
director of the hospital, of desperation. We’re victims of the situation,” said Didar, after buying
told The Daily Star. dates, chickpeas, sugar, lentils, and oil, from the state-run TCB’s open
“He was diabetic. He market sales, meant for the poor and marginalised.
was well till 11:00pm last He, however, could not get subsidised rice as earlier in April, the food
ministry suspended selling rice at Tk 10 per kilogramme through its dealers
night [on Tuesday]. Around
amid allegations of misappropriation by many dealers.
midnight, suddenly his
“If the situation rolls on for too long, we will have nowhere to live,”
condition deteriorated with
Women entering through the partly shuttered gate of a market said the trader, whose monthly income is at least Tk 30,000.
acute breathing problems,” Like Didar, many belonging to the vulnerable non-poor and middle-
said Hasan, also deputy near Kellar More on Kazi Reazuddin Road in the capital
class brackets have seen their incomes fall significantly or dry up altogether,
inspector general of police. yesterday. Many shopkeepers and shoppers have been defying as a result of the outbreak and the shutdown. What worries them is the
Raghunath of the coronavirus restrictions putting themselves and others dwindling cash they have saved from their modest incomes.
Lakshmipur left behind at risk. Inset, people buying clothes from roadside vendors in While the need for a shutdown amidst the Covid-19 outbreak might
his wife, a daughter, a son, New Market area. have been inevitable, its impact has already left these brackets of society
and a host of relatives and vulnerable -- unleashing a new and potentially direr financial threat than
SEE PAGE 5 COL 1 PHOTO: FIROZ AHMED, PRABIR DAS SEE PAGE 2 COL 3
2 NEWS
11 sued, two sent to jail
FROM PAGE 1
cause the law and order situation to
deteriorate.
Tasneem was also charged for writing
about the members of the army and
different law enforcement agencies,
according to the FIR.
Kishore, Mushtaq, Saer Zulkarnain,
Shahed Alam, Ashik Imran, Shapan
Wahed and Philip Schuhmacher were
made accused for being the admins
of a Facebook page called “I am
Bangladeshi”.
The case documents claimed that
page contained “fake rumours” to
“negatively affect the country’s image”
and “hamper the law and order of the
country”.
The page “I am Bangladeshi”
mostly shared published news reports,
political cartoons and Facebook statuses
reflecting on the current crisis and funny
memes.
The FIR also said, “We found evidence
that he [Kishore] is spreading rumours
to create confusion by drawing cartoons
of different ruling-party leaders.”
While some were charged for running
the “I am Bangladeshi” Facebook page,
others were charged for having “anti-
government” chats with them.
Examining the cellphones of Kishore
and Mushtaq, evidence was found that
they had “anti-government” chats with
Tasneem, Shahed, Asif and Minhaj,
mentioned the FIR.
ARRESTS
According to the FIR, Kishore was
picked up around at 2:30am on May
5 from his Kakrail home. Two mobile
phones, an external hard disk, a desktop
computer and 200 CDs were also seized.
It mentioned that upon interrogation,
he disclosed the name of Mushtaq
who was then apprehended from his
Lalmatia house around 3:15am on May
5.
However, Mushtaq’s family alleged
that he was picked up in the early hours
of May 4.
His wife Lipa Akhter told The Daily
Star, “Rab personnel with five large
vehicles showed up at our Lalmatia
house around 1:45am on Monday. They
said that they were from Rab-3. They
took away Mushtaq around 3:00am
and since then we had no idea where he
was, or where he had been taken.
“Around 3:30am last night
[yesterday], I received a call from
the Ramna Police Station saying my
husband is with them and that I was to
come over to the station and give him
food,” she added.
Monirul Islam, officer-in-charge of
the police station, told The Daily Star
that a team of Rab-3 handed Mushtaq
and Kishor over to them yesterday
morning.
Mushtaq who writes under the pen
name “Michael Kumir Thakur” was
critical of the government’s handling of
the Covid-19 crisis on social media.
He wrote a book titled “Kumir
Chasher Diary” published in November
2018, and was working on another
book.
The family of one of the accused,
Didarul, an activist of Rashtrachinta,
alleged that he had been picked up
from his house in the capital’s North
Badda on May 5 evening.
Rab-3 personnel handed him over to
police yesterday evening, a day later.
“Some people arrived by two black
microbuses before iftar. They were in
plainclothes, but introduced themselves
as Rab-3 members. They said Didarul
would return soon. He was taken away
two minutes before iftar,” said his wife.
Another accused, Minhaj, had been
missing for over a day before he was
shown arrested in the case yesterday.
His wife Ivy Anwar said, “Around
May 5 noon, he received a call. He told
me that he had been called by a law
enforcement agency and that he would
be back soon.
“He left and I haven’t heard from
him since then. His phone is switched
off and I don’t even know which law
enforcement agency he had gone to
meet.”
In a separate incident, a man
named Momen Prodhan was arrested
in Narayanganj’s Rupganj for sharing
a video clip of a parliamentarian
harvesting green, unripe rice while
volunteering for a farm.
Mahmudul Hasan, officer-in-charge
of the Rupganj Police Station, said,
“Prodhan was arrested because he had
Restrictions on prayers
FROM PAGE 1
of government’s efforts to contain the
spread of the virus.
In the notice, the ministry also said
no one except those employed by
mosques would be able to offer prayers
there.
It said only five mosque staffers,
including imam and muajjin, would
be allowed to offer daily prayers at each
mosque. For Juma prayers, a maximum
of 10 mosque staffers would be allowed
to do so.
Before the beginning of Ramadan,
the religious affairs ministry in another
notice on April 23 said only 10 people
and two imams would be allowed to
offer Tarawi prayers at each mosque
during the month of fasting.
But yesterday, the ministry in its
notice said it would allow people
to offer prayers, including Tarabi, at
mosques from today’s Zohr prayers. But
the mosque authorities need to follow
certain conditions, including cleaning
mosques with disinfectants before each
prayer and not using carpets on the floor.
Besides, all devotees have to carry
their own Jainamaz (prayer mats),
while they would have to offer sunnah
prayers at their homes.
People have to enter mosques
wearing masks and the mosques must
have arrangements at their entrances for
washing hands with soap or using hand
sanitiser, said the notice.
shared the video clip as well as some
inciteful and anti-government Facebook
statuses.”
Meanwhile, as many as 97 noted
citizens, including researchers,
journalists, professors, students and
lawyers, gave a statement decrying the
arrests and the case.
“We are observing with extreme
concern and worry that even during
a pandemic, the law enforcement
units of the state continue to violate
fundamental rights in the name of
controlling rumours,” it said.
The signatories include noted
photojournalist Shahidul Alam,
Jahangirnagar University professor Dr
Anu Muhammed, Dhaka University
professors Samina Luthfa and Fahmidul
Huq, Supreme Court lawyers Jyotirmoy
Barua and Syeda Rizwana Hasan.
They demanded the release of all
those arrested for exercising their
freedom of expression online and in the
media, and called for the scrapping of
the Digital Security Act.
The filing of the case and the arrests
come hot on the heels of imprisonment
of photojournalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol
and several others arrested under the
Digital Security Act since the shutdown
began on March 26.
Kajol went “missing” on March
10 and was suddenly “discovered”
in Benapole by Border Guard
Bangladesh on May 3, 53 days after his
disappearance.
He is facing three cases under the
Digital Security Act for sharing on his
Facebook page a news link on ruling
party lawmaker Saifuzzaman Shikhor’s
alleged links to a notorious female Jubo
League leader.
Kajol was arrested -- initially on the
charges of trespassing, and later in the
evening under section 54 of the Code of
Criminal Procedure (CrPC) -- and sent
to Jashore Central Jail.
The following day, the Counter
Terrorism and Transnational Crime
unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police filed
a petition with the Chief Metropolitan
Magistrate Court, seeking to show him
arrested under the Digital Security Act.
The same day, Mohammad Mahtab
Uddin Talukder, Sunamganj district
correspondent of SATV and editor-
publisher of Daily Haorancholer Katha,
was arrested by police for updating an
unverified Facebook status claiming a
local parliamentarian had been arrested.
Earlier on May 2, three journalists
from Ghorashal in Narsingdi were
arrested for plagiarising a quote of a
police official from another report,
without talking to him.
Police also arrested journalist Golam
Sarwar Pintu of Dainik Bangladesher
Alo on April 14 after Sheikh Salim, a
Dhaka city councillor of Ward 38, filed
a case under the Digital Security Act
with Badda Police Station. Pintu’s crime
was that he had covered a protest staged
by locals demanding relief.
Besides, at least 11 other journalists
were detained or charged under the act
in recent times.
Toufique Imrose Khalidi, editor-in-
chief of bdnews24.com and Mohiuddin
Sarker, acting editor of jagonews24.
com, were sued under the act on April
19.
Samsung heir
apologises over
corruption scandal
AFP, Seoul
The heir to the Samsung empire
bowed in apology yesterday for
company misconduct including a
controversial plan for him to ascend
to the leadership of the world’s largest
smartphone maker.
Lee Jae-yong is vice-chairman of
Samsung Electronics and was jailed
for five years in 2017 for bribery,
embezzlement and other offences
in connection with the scandal that
brought down South Korean president
Park Geun-hye.
The 51-year-old was released a
year later on appeal but is currently
undergoing a retrial.
“We are recognised for our top-
class technology and products but the
public eye towards Samsung is still
critical,” Lee said.
Devotees also must maintain a
3-foot distance from each other while
offering prayers. Sick, elderly people
and children will not be allowed to
come to mosques.
No iftar or seheri will be allowed to
be arranged inside mosques, the notice
also said.
According to the notice, imams,
khatibs and mosque management
committee members will take steps
to fulfill the above conditions. The
local administration and the law
enforcement agencies will take legal
steps against anyone responsible in case
those are not followed.
Talking to The Daily Star yesterday,
former regional director (South East
Asia) of World Health Organisation Prof
Muzaherul Huq said the government
earlier decided to reopen shopping
malls and other markets, posing risks to
people’s lives.
“Today, the government made
another mistake by deciding to allow
people to offer prayers at mosques,” he
said. “Although the government said
people will have to follow certain health
guidelines, who will oversee that?” he
questioned.
Visiting two mosques in the
capital’s Jigatola area last night, this
correspondent saw people already
thronging the mosques for offering Isa
and Tarawi prayers. They were, however,
not following any health guidelines.
A locksmith in Kazir Deuri area of Chattogram city taking a nap inside his small shop in the middle of the day after
seeing no prospect of a customer yesterday. He said his daily income have drastically fallen in recent weeks.
They too join TCB queues
FROM PAGE 1
they have faced before.
As the days went by, more and more
people who fall in these groups are
coming to collect food items from TCB
trucks at its subsidised prices. Stock was
flying off the shelves of the trucks, with
the start of Ramadan also pushing up
the number of customers at each sale
point.
“The coronavirus is taking a heavy
toll on us. Neither can we go out on the
road seeking assistance from others, nor
is there any support programme for us
from the government,” said Didar.
NOT POOR, BUT STILL VULNERABLE
According to economists, a person
belongs to the middle-class category
when his/her income ranges between $2
and $3 per day, adjusted to purchasing
power parity.
A person earning between $1 and $2
per day is classified as the vulnerable
non-poor and someone whose income
is below $1 per day is regarded as living
below the poverty line.
Roughly, a person with a four-
member family who earns in the range
of Tk 30,000 and Tk 60,000 per month
is regarded as part of the vulnerable
non-poor, said Binayak Sen, research
director of Bangladesh Institute of
Development Studies.
A person with the same number
of family members earning between
Tk 60,000 and Tk 1 lakh per month
belongs to the middle-class category, he
said.
“The vulnerable non-poor group
is the worst hit of the situation and
faces many problems, because they are
not covered by most social safety net
programmes.”
Since social safety net programmes
cover only people living below the
poverty line, the government should
immediately do something for this
vulnerable non-poor group, said the
It’s now a gag on the media, free speech
FROM PAGE 1
A total of 60 cases have been filed
against more than 100 people,
including 22 journalists, under the
act between January 1 and May 6 this
year, according to a study by Article
19, a UK-based human rights body.
The study added that 63 cases
were filed under this law across the
country in 2019 and 34 cases were
filed in 2018.
Faruq Faisel, regional director of
Article 19, said the Digital Security
Act was formulated in 2018 repealing
the controversial Section 57 of the
Information and Communication
Technology Act in order to prevent
cybercrimes and to protect the
security of the state and government.
But all the sections of the
controversial ICT Act that were
exercised against journalists have
now been included in the Digital
Security Act, he told The Daily Star.
He also said due to cases and
subsequent arrests of the newsmen
under the act, freedom of expression
and free flow of information are
being hampered, depriving people of
accurate and complete information,
especially about the coronavirus
situation.
When contacted, Law Minister
Anisul Huq told this newspaper that
there is no scope to review the Digital
Security Act.
“Due process will be followed in
the investigation into each and every
case filed under the Digital Security
Act. If any accused is found innocent
in the investigation, the investigation
officer will submit the final report
exempting the accused from the case,”
the law minister said, without going
into further detail.
Eminent jurist and rights activist
Dr Shahdeen Malik said there was
a strong apprehension that the act
would be misused against journalists
and civil society members critical of
the government.
“Partly due to their own
weaknesses and mostly as a result
of the government’s oppression, the
opposition political parties were no
longer a threat to the government.
In this backdrop, it was clear that the
Digital Security Act would be used
against the fourth estate,” he told The
Daily Star.
He said that the apprehension that
economist.
“But only social safety net
programmes will not be enough for
them. The government also has to
work on ensuring health and safety,” he
added.
According to Sen’s research,
published in November 2015, around
20 percent of the population belonged
to the middle-income category in
Bangladesh that year.
It drew a rising trend in that category
-- in 1992, only nine percent of the
population belonged to the middle
class.
The research predicted that one-
fourth, or 25 percent, of the country’s
population will belong to the middle-
class income category by 2025 -- thanks
to greater access to education, finance
and IT services, and private sector
employment.
Many of the middle class rely
on income from savings, said the
economist.
So, the government should suspend
collecting tax at source on all interest
income from saving certificates, fixed
deposit receipts (FDR), and other
saving schemes to give the middle class
some comfort in this crisis period, he
added.
NOT JUST THE POOR LINING UP
Those working at private organisations
also face the uncertainty of being paid
in full, as most offices remain closed
since March 26.
“In my two years of working, I had
never thought I would face such a harsh
reality as I am facing now,” said Saiful
Islam, a private service holder.
In the month of Ramadan, usually
a time when extra money is needed for
spending, his office slashed salaries by
half, citing the economic downturn. So,
Saiful came to buy essentials from the
TCB truck’s sale point in Jigatola to save
some money.
the law would be misused is growing
deeper with every case filed and every
journalist arrested under the act.
“These cases and arrests are
shrinking and reducing our freedom
of expression and the [freedom of the]
press. This lack of freedom is clearly
substantiated by our very poor ranking
[151] in the list of countries prepared
by the Reporters without Frontiers,” he
said. “The criminalisation of freedom
of expression cannot coexist with the
freedom of expression and the press.
Therefore, the relevant sections of this
act have to be repealed.”
Advocate Manzill Murshid,
president of Human Rights and Peace
for Bangladesh, told this newspaper
that it is apparent that the act is being
enforced mostly against journalists.
Murshid, who has moved more
than 300 cases as public interest
litigations, said most of the cases
have been filed against journalists
for expressing opinions against and
criticising the government.
He said a few sections of the Digital
Security Act have been challenged
before the High Court and the court
has issued a rule questioning the
constitutionality of the sections.
If the government does not stop
misuse of the law, the High Court may
scrap the sections of the law after final
hearing of the rule, he said.
Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan, a
Supreme Court lawyer and editor of
Dhaka Law Reports, said a sense of
panic is prevailing among journalists.
In most events, ministers or other
members of parliament who are
aggrieved themselves do not file the
cases but make their agents do it
under the DSA and therefore the cases
may not sustain through the trial
proceedings, he said.
The lawyer said journalists are
being victimised by the filing of cases
against them under this law.
The government should modify
the act after soliciting opinions from
legal experts and journalists, advocate
Khurshid said.
He also said the state machineries
should be cautious in recording cases
against journalists before modifying
the law.
HC RULE AGAINST THE DIGITAL
SECURITY ACT
On February 24 this year, the High
Court issued a rule asking the
DHAKA THURSDAY MAY 7, 2020, BAISHAKH 24 , 1427 BS
PHOTO: RAJIB RAIHAN
“With the little money left for the
rest of the month, I had no choice but
to come here. I need to bear additional
expenses for Ramadan.”
Aminul Islam, an employee of a
private company, said those like him
with a modest salary can barely save
money for a time of crisis like this.
“I stood in the queue [before the
TCB’s truck] with uneasiness. But now,
I am seeing people like myself standing
in line to get commodities here,” he
said.
Demands for TCB’s food items like
sugar, chickpeas, lentils, dates, soybean
oil, and onions, are increasing, and so is
TCB’s supply.
TCB spokesperson Humayun Kabir
said in the beginning of April, TCB’s
food items were sold from 250 trucks
across the country, including 50 in
Dhaka city.
On April 25, they were selling from
460 trucks countrywide, with 111 in
Dhaka alone.
Each of the trucks, with some
occasional changes, contain 1,500
litres of oil, 1,000 kilogrammes of
sugar, 500 kilogrammes of chickpeas,
200 kilogrammes of lentils, 100
kilogrammes of dates, and 300
kilogrammes of onions, he said.
“We have reached optimum level
in Dhaka but we are increasing supply
outside the capital,” said Humayun.
He said all classes of people are now
buying food items from TCB’s trucks.
Most of the customers showing up
now are not the poor to whom they
are typically used to selling, as many
poor people cannot afford to buy
these commodities now, said Shamsul
Haque, owner of Rasel Store, one of
TCB’s dealers in Dhaka.
“Those in a relatively better status
than the poor are now our customers
and the number of customers is on the
rise.”
government to explain within four
weeks why sections 25 and 31 of the
Digital Security Act should not be
declared unconstitutional.
Section 25 criminalises anyone who
uses a website or digital device for the
deliberate distribution of information
“that is attacking or intimidating in
nature”, or false information intended
to “irritate, humiliate, defame,
embarrass or discredit a person” or
publishing of material that defames
the state or publishing of “fully or
partially distorted information or data
despite knowing that it is false”.
Section 31 criminalises any
publication or broadcast of material
that creates enmity, disrupts
communal harmony or causes a
deterioration in the law and order
situation.
The court came up with the ruling
following a writ petition jointly filed
on January 19 by nine people, who
said the two sections imposed a
blanket prohibition on publication
of materials and thus violate the
fundamental right of freedom of
speech and expression guaranteed
under article 39 of the constitution.
They added that the sections
conferred arbitrary and uncontrolled
powers upon the executive and the
prosecuting authorities to determine
whether a particular act satisfies the
vague and unspecified ingredients of
offence.
The government is yet to reply to the
rule and the High Court is yet to start
hearing of the rule, advocate Shishir
Manir, a lawyer for the writ petitioners,
told The Daily Star yesterday. He
added that they will take initiatives
for the hearing once the courts reopen
after the ongoing closure due to the
coronavirus pandemic.
The DSA was passed on September
19, 2018 in parliament. The journalist
community has since been protesting
it and demanding that several sections
be amended to safeguard freedom of
the press.
Several ministers and top brass
of the government -- including
Law Minister Anisul Huq -- assured
journalists on different occasions that
the loopholes and vagueness would
be removed.
That, however, is yet to happen.
The spike
FROM PAGE 1
almost eight percent of all Covid-19
cases, has died, according to the data.
In the 24 hours till 2:30pm yesterday,
some 6,241 individuals’ samples were
tested. So far, all the 33 Covid-19
testing labs across the country have
tested 99,592 individuals’ samples in
total.
Of all the infected people, 68 percent
were male and 32 percent female.
Dhaka continued to be the worst-
affected region, accounting for 58.65
percent of the new cases reported here.
It is followed by Narayanganj at 9.15
percent.
Until May 1, 54.7 percent of all cases
were reported in Dhaka city alone.
Yesterday, it rose to 58.65 percent,
shows the data.
Based on age-wise analysis of all
Covid-19 patients, 21-30 seems to be
the age group worst-affected by the
outbreak. Twenty-six percent of all
patients fall into this group, followed
by 24 percent in the age group of 31-40.
Analysing the daily number of new
Covid-19 infections and death cases,
experts said many hidden cases were
still out of the government radar and
that more people were likely to get
infected in the coming days.
“As the number of tests is inadequate,
the number we are being informed
of does not represent reality,” Prof
Ridwanur Rahman, a medicine and
infectious disease specialist, told The
Daily Star.
He thinks the country was heading
towards herd immunity, thanks to lax
detection, isolation and preventive
measures in the fight against
coronavirus.
Herd immunity is the indirect
protection from a contagious
infectious disease that happens when a
population is immune either through
vaccination or immunity developed
through previous infection, according
to Global Alliance for Vaccination and
Immunization (Gavi).
But experts said countries might see
a high number of fatalities before it
would be able to reach that point.
Another expert, Dr Mushtuq
Hussain, consultant at the IEDCR,
echoed the same.
“The virus is unknown. No
unscientific measure will work. We have
to face it scientifically,” Dr Mushtuq
told The Daily Star recently.
Burn unit
FROM PAGE 1
dedicated to Covid-19 treatment on
Saturday, 40 patients died there.
One died on the first day, 12 on
Sunday, 13 on Monday, 10 on Tuesday
and four till yesterday evening,
according to a tally of the unit.
The hospital authorities can say
for sure that four of the dead were
Covid-19 positive as most of the
bodies were handed over without
tests.
The four tested positive either at
the DMCH or elsewhere before they
were moved to the burn unit.
Hospital director Brig Gen AKM
Nasir Uddin admitted that they
handed over many bodies without
tests to families and Al Markazul
Islami Bangladesh, which bury bodies
of patients suspected to be Covid-19
positive.
He said they had to do that since
the system for collecting samples
instantly was not in place and they
had no room to keep the bodies.
“The bodies would have to be
kept in the mortuary if we wanted to
conduct the test on so many bodies …
Where do I keep the bodies since the
hospital has the capacity to preserve
only 12 at once?” the director told The
Daily Star on Tuesday.
“In normal cases, except for
unclaimed bodies, people take the
bodies away within a couple of hours.
But we might need to keep the bodies
almost a day [for collecting samples
and testing] … For these reasons we
are not preserving the bodies,” he
added.
Asked why samples had not been
collected before the bodies were
handed over, the director said they
collected from some bodies but not
all as they did not have the capacity to
get samples instantly.
“We collect samples twice -- in the
morning and in the afternoon … If we
get [bodies] between this time, we did
[collect samples] it,” he said, adding
that it takes time to collect samples
and prepare those before tests.
“It takes nearly 12 hours for a case
[to be tested]. So, we are not doing it,”
he said, adding that they are testing
those they can.
He said they were doing so at the
directive of health ministry officials.
“Patients from across the country
come to DMCH … the number of
deaths will be less in the main building
as the critical patients, whether
Covid-19 positive or not, come here
[burn unit] … So it will not be right to
come to the conclusion that so many
people died of coronavirus here,” he
added.
There might be some Covid-19
positive among the dead but that
does not mean that they all died from
coronavirus. Most of them came to the
unit in critical condition, he added.
“Previously, there was a rule that
bodies would not be handed over
to anyone except Markazul. Now,
it has been relaxed and bodies can
be handed over after informing [the
receivers] about health guidelines,” he
said.
The director said they keep the
bodies for around three hours before
handover as WHO says after three
hours the possibility of transmission
from the body reduces.
DHAKA THURSDAY MAY 7, 2020, BAISHAKH 24, 1427 BS
Lawmaker
Habibur
Rahman
passes on
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Awami
League MP
Habibur
Rahman
Mollah
passed away
at a hospital
in Dhaka
yesterday. He was 78.
The Dhaka-5 lawmaker
was being treated at the
hospital since April 25 for
kidney complications.
He was undergoing
dialysis and had suffered
two heart attacks in the last
few days, his son Masuzur
Rahman Mollah said.
Habibur was buried at
the city’s Matuail graveyard
after Asr prayers.
The four-time MP was
born on January 27, 1942.
Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina, Speaker Shirin
Sharmin Chaudhury,
leaders of AL and other
political parties expressed
deep condolences over his
demise.
CITY
TRANSPORTING ESSENTIALS, MEDICINE
Dhaka, Delhi mull
resuming rail service
PORIMOL PALMA and TUHIN SHUBHRA ADHIKARY
Bangladesh and India are likely to resume
rail operations to transport essential
commodities and medical supplies
between the two countries.
After Delhi proposed uses of railways as
a mode of transport in a video conference
on Monday, Dhaka yesterday formed a
technical committee to see how it can be
best utilised to operate trades between the
two neighbours.
Talking to The Daily Star, Sharifa Khan,
additional secretary (FTA) to the Ministry
of Commerce, said at least 17 types of
essential commodities like rice, pulse,
oil, wheat, maize and onion need to be
transported.
“Besides, we also may need to import
medical supplies due to the coronavirus
pandemic,” she added. The technical
committee would meet tomorrow to finalise
the modus operandi for transporting
commodities, she further said.
After a 41-day break due to Covid-19
shutdown, the two countries resumed
Even though boats, carrying people, gliding gently over the Buriganga is surely a welcoming sight, this is also
trade from last Thursday through trucks via
quite risky amid the coronavirus pandemic. With the ongoing shutdown in place, boatmen have been struggling Benapole port.
to make ends meet. Desperate, many have started plying their boats on the river to transport passengers from However, Bangaon municipality of West
Sadarghat to Keraniganj. This photo was taken on Tuesday afternoon. PHOTO: RASHED SHUMON Bengal has opposed exporting goods by
3
blocking trucks since Monday. As a result,
nearly 2,000 trucks remained stranded in
Bangaon.
Meanwhile, cargo trains are permitted
at four Indo-Bangla railway linkages at
Petrapole-Benapole, Gede-Darshana,
Rohanpur-Singhabad, and Radhikapur-
Birol, but operations of freight trains have
also remained suspended since March 26.
Mia Jahan, additional director general
(operation) of Bangladesh Railway,
yesterday said they took initiatives to return
Indian wagons from April 27, but no freight
train has reached Bangladesh from India.
Indian High Commissioner to
Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das, in a
statement following the video conference,
said, “Supply chains between India and
Bangladesh like any other part of the
world have been affected due to Covid-19
pandemic.”
Indian Railways has become the
backbone of the Indian logistics
supply chain. Also, E-commerce giants,
agricultural agencies, pharmaceutical
companies, factories using industrial raw
materials in India have strengthened their
partnership with the Indian Railways, she
SEE PAGE 4 COL 2

Where is social distancing? Syndicates selling used mask, gloves

Iftar gathering at Ctg ward councillor’s house
ARUN BIKASH DEY, CTG
An iftar gathering was held at a ward
councillor’s residence in Chattogram city
on Tuesday, without maintaining social
distance amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Around 50 leaders and activists of Awami
League and its associate organisations in
Patenga attended the programme arranged
by Saleh Ahmed Chowdhury, councillor of
ward-41 (South Patenga), party sources said.
However, Saleh Ahmed, also president
of the ward unit of the ruling AL,denied
arranging any iftar party. “I have got a letter
from the mayor to hold a meeting to form
a relief committee on May 2 and so I asked
our leaders and activists to come to my
residence,” he told The Daily Star yesterday.
“During the meeting, it was time for iftar
and we bought iftar items from shops,” he
said. “There was no preparation for iftar
party at my residence.”
When asked about social distancing, the
councillor said the space was too small for
around 50 people.“I’m sorry about that,”
he said.
Asked about the relief committee, he
said, “Some leaders were absent and so the
committee will be formed later.”
Saled claimed that his political rivals
took pictures of the gathering and spread
on the social media to “tarnish my image”.
Divisional Commissioner ABM Azad
said arranging such a meeting in the name
of forming a committee is a “lame excuse”.
Utpal Barua, officer-in-charge of Patenga
Police Station, said they were looking into it.
Contacted, city Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin,
also general secretary of city unit AL, said
he did not know about the gathering.
There are instructions for all ward
councillors from the city corporation and
AL to form relief distribution committees,
he said, adding that meetings have to be
held maintaining social distance.
“I will take steps so that such gatherings
are not held in future,” he said.
MAHBUBUR RAHMAN KHAN and
MOHAMMAD JAMIL KHAN
Taking advantage of growing
demand for hand gloves and masks,
several syndicates are reselling
discarded products exposing people
to the risk of contracting the novel
coronavirus in the country.
According to the World Health
Organization (WHO), the
coronavirus can survive up to 72
hours on plastic and stainless steel,
less than 4 hours on copper and
less than 24 hours on cardboard.
Single-use masks are not meant
to be reused, but these syndicates
are so desperate to make a quick
buck that they are collecting surgical
masks, gloves from different city
hospitals and dumping stations to
resell those to people.
“It’s cent per cent risky. They
[unscrupulous businessmen] are
actually increasing the risk of
infection,” said Dr Abu Hussain
Md Moinul Ahsan, civil surgeon
of Dhaka. “It’s better to go without
protection than wearing these
reused materials as these are more
destructive for health.”
The syndicate has a nexus with
medical staff and waste collector
that supply disposed hand gloves
and masks from hospitals. On
the other hand, scrap collectors
get discarded products littered on
roads and dustbins.
On March 24, a team of Rab-1
conducted a joint drive with Bhatara
Police Station in Balur Math area of
Bhatara and recovered 43 sacks of
used masks, hand gloves and PPE
(Personal Protective Equipment).
They arrested the alleged
ringleader of the syndicate, Monir
Hossain from the spot.
Sarwoer Alam, executive
magistrate of Rab HQ, led the
drive. He said the syndicate would
collect used masks, gloves and PPE
from different residential areas
and hospitals of the capital with
support from hospital staff and
scrap collectors, then re-sell those
in Keraniganj, Kamrangirchar and
Mitford market after washing.
“In interrogation, Monir also
told the investigators that some staff
members of medical waste collector
organisation, PRISM Bangladesh
Foundation, also helped them
collect these items,” he alleged.
Monir was sentenced to two
years of imprisonment.
PRISM Bangladesh collects
medical wastes from hospitals of
Dhaka city and dumps these at
the Sanitary Landfill in Matuail of
Demra.
“We have got some more names
from the arrestees and now we are
conducting drives to arrest them.
After that we will able to learn the
details about their profit and sales,”
added the executive magistrate.
Earlier on April 14, a Rab-2
mobile court sealed two warehouses
of an organisation and fined them
Tk 10 lakh on charge of stocking
and selling used hand gloves and
masks in Dhaka’s Panthapath.
“We found different renowned
companies’ box at their warehouse.
After collecting used masks and
hand gloves, they would wash and
repackage those,” said Palash Bosu,
executive Magistrate of Rab-3, who
led the drive.
Law enforcement agencies
primarily came to know about
these operations through scrap
collectors.
“We are now trying to get
details of the process to know how
many people are actually involved
behind the nexus,” said the official,
requesting anonymity.
According to Rab, eighteen
SEE PAGE 4 COL 3

India hands COVID-19 SHUTDOWN

over 30,000
PCR test kits Street vendors struggle
to make ends meet
STAFF CORRESPONDENT

India yesterday handed

over the third instalment
of emergency medical
assistance consisting of
30,000 RT-PCR Covid-19
test kits to Bangladesh.
Indian High
Commissioner Riva
Ganguly Das handed the
kits to Bangladesh Foreign
Minister AK Abdul Momen.
These test kits are
manufactured in India and
are widely used there for
Covid-19 detection, says
a statement of the Indian
High Commission.
Riva Ganguly stressed
that Bangladesh is the first
partner country to receive
test kits on priority basis,
and said this reflects the
importance of the bilateral
relationship by India.
The kits were dispatched
to IEDCR, under the Saarc
Covid-19 Emergency Fund
created by initiative of
Indian PM Narendra Modi.
HELEMUL ALAM and SHAHEEN MOLLAH
For traders, Eid is the busiest time. From
shop owners to vendors on the street, the
two Eids are the occasions for the most
volume of sales in a year. A lot of plans
and life goals rely on making a good profit
during the festivals.
Oli Ahmed Oli, a vendor in Karwan
Bazar area, planned to pay off all his debt
with profits from the Eid-ul-Fitr shopping
spree. But his plans have been hung out to
dry as public life has come to a halt due to
the coronavirus pandemic.
Not only he has outstanding debt of Tk
two lakh which he will not be able to repay,
he’s accruing even more. So far, he’s loaned
Tk 25,000 to run his family of five living
in the Monipur area during the lockdown.
“It’s the third month that I have failed to
pay my flat rent of Tk 10,000. I’m making
zero money right now,” said the former
general secretary of Tejgaon Hawkers’
League. “My relatives are still loaning out
to me but I don’t know how long they will
keep it up.”
Indian High Commissioner Riva Ganguly hands over a box of Covid-19 PHOTO: The situation is worse for Mohammad
COLLECTED
detection kits to Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen yesterday. Selim, a hawker in the Dainik Bangla
area, who has been unable to even borrow
money for the last one week.
“I have already borrowed Tk 21,000 to
run my five-member family as I have been
out of work since March 8. Even before this
I had an outstanding loan of Tk 70,000 so
now the situation is just worse,” said Selim.
“I have failed to pay my Tk 7,000 house
rent for two consecutive months,” he said.
“As my relatives are in similar situations, no
one has lent me any money for the last one
week.”
Selim said he has only Tk 100 left to run
his family. They are barely surviving on rice,
lentil and mashed potato for both iftar and
sehri.
“On top of this, I am not a voter of
Dhaka. I haven’t received any government
relief,” he alleged.
Not just Oli and Selim, around four
lakh hawkers in the capital are struggling
to survive. Most of them said they did not
get any relief.
“I tried to get relief from the local ward
councillor last week but he asked me to
wait,” said Shahidul Islam, a street vendor
in Jatrabari area.
SEE PAGE 4COL 1

Govt to bring back Trawler capsize

Prioritise response for D A EPRIVED OF ID
in Meghna
Bangladeshis from US leaves two dead Hundreds join
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
The government has taken initiative to bring back
OUR CORRESPONDENT, Barishal

Two people died after a

Bangladeshis, who are stranded in the US for over six
weeks, by a special flight next week.
The chartered flight of Qatar Airways is likely to fly from
Washington Dulles International Airport or New York
John F Kennedy Airport on May 14 or 15, said Bangladesh
Embassy in Washington DC.
A press release signed by Shamim Ahmad, minister
(press) at the embassy, said in coordination with
Bangladesh consulates in New York and Los Angeles,
authorities will facilitate return of the stuck Bangladeshi
citizens.
Before boarding, all passengers must present “Covid-19
negative certificate” obtained from any US hospital or
doctor.
Those willing to avail the special flight at their own
expenses are advised to contact Oryx Aviation Ltd by
visiting its online portal: galaxyaviationbd.com/airticket,
register their names and purchase tickets to confirm seats
by May 8, reads the release.
The fare for each ticket for economy class would be
approximately USD 2,200, the press release further
added.
The government has so far arranged special flights to
bring back Bangladeshis from India, Thailand, Singapore
and the Maldives.
Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh on May 5
extended ongoing ban on flight operation with all
countries, except for China, till May 16.
trawler capsized during a
sudden storm at Charkilla
area of Meghna river at
Hijla upazila of Barishal
yesterday morning.
Bangladesh Inland Water
Authority’s (BIWTA) Joint
Director at Barishal, Ajmal
Huda Mithu said a trawler
carrying farming labourers
was on its way to Janpur
when it capsized around
8:30am. The operator of the
trawler and ten passengers
reached the shore but two
were missing.
After three hours, Hijla
police recovered two bodies
from the river.
Hijla police station’s
Officer-in-Charge Asim
Kumar Sikder said, the
deceased were identified
as Abdur Rob Bepari (55)
from Gobindpur village,
and Rajib Bhuiyan of the
same village.
the vulnerable groups demos in Khulna
World Vision on the fight against Covid-19
STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Humanitarian organisation World
Vision yesterday warned that unless
the international community responds
immediately and prioritises the world’s
most vulnerable in the fight against
Covid-19, the huge progress that has been
made to save lives and reduce poverty over
the past 30 years will be reversed.
“Children will bear the brunt of this and
child mortality rates, which have more than
halved since 1990, may start to increase
again,” the organisation said in a press
release.
This stark warning came as the
international aid agency launched the
largest humanitarian response in its 70-
year history to curb the impact of Covid-19
among 72 million people – half of them
children.
“We have never witnessed an emergency
of this scale, impacting so many countries at
once. For the first time in our history, we are
shifting our focus in every single country to
an emergency response, so we can support
those who are most vulnerable to combat
this deadly virus and its aftershocks,” said
World Vision International President and
CEO, Andrew Morley.
The international child-focused aid
agency is launching a US$ 350 million
response that focuses on supporting the
world’s most vulnerable.
The ambitious response plan will
be executed in over 70 countries where
37,000 staff, 400,000 faith leaders and
220,000 community health workers will
be mobilised to support prevention and
response initiatives.
The NGO warns that many low income
countries are now entering the next phase
of this pandemic, an extremely dangerous
phase for the world’s most vulnerable who
are being forced to choose between risking
exposure to the virus or starving during the
lockdown.
It said this pandemic has already swept
through the world’s wealthiest countries,
and now the world’s most vulnerable
children are on the front lines with very
little to protect them.
OUR CORRESPONDENT, Khulna
Several hundred people, who said they have been deprived
of any aid, staged demonstrations in front of the Deputy
Commissioner’s office and Khulna Press club yesterday.
Protesters said they have barely received any relief
support from the government or any private organisations.
A number of them alleged discrimination in the relief
distribution process too. They said ward-21 councillor of
Khulna City Corporation did not provide relief packs to
the needy but distributed them among his acquaintances.
“He distributed food and other commodities only to
those he has connections with. This is blatant nepotism,”
said Shanta Begum, who came from Joragata area under
ward no-21 to participate in the demonstration.
“We have been starving for over a month now. My six-
member family has received only 4kg rice, half a kg oil, and
2kg potato in the last two months,” the protester added.
Solaiman, another protester from the ward, said, “We
wanted to meet the DC but he’s not in office.”
Contacted, ward-21 councillor Md Samsuzzaman Mia
Shapon denied the allegations.
Meanwhile, several hundred transport workers
blockaded Khulna-Dhaka highway at Phultala bus terminal
around 10am. They alleged that some 400 transport
workers are yet to get any relief from the government.
They freed the road after Parvin Sultana, Upazila Nirbahi
Officer of Phultala, agreed to arrange relief for the workers.
4 CITY DHAKA THURSDAY MAY 7, 2020, BAISHAKH 24, 1427 BS

Street vendors Dhaka Doa mahfil for

Abul Khayer,
FROM PAGE 3 FROM PAGE 3
He said he has already borrowed Tk 23,000 during the said at the conference
shutdown. Now, he has no idea about how the future is that was attended by his wife Ashu
going to pan out.
Arif Chowdhury, president of Jatiya Hawkers’ Federation,
Bangladesh officials from
the ministries of commerce
Ara Begum
said there are around eight lakh hawkers across the country, and foreign, and National CITY DESK
of whom four lakh are in the capital. Board of Revenue.
“All the hawkers are now running their families The meeting agreed The ninth death
borrowing money but many of them have stopped getting that the existing railway anniversary of Abul Khayer
fresh loans as the condition of their friends and relatives links could be explored to Majumder, an organiser of
are almost similar,” he said. decrease the congestion at the Liberation War, will be
Arif said the government will have to come forward the integrated check posts observed on Ramadan 16
to help the hawkers with loans and relief, as they will go and land custom stations. (May 10).
unfed otherwise. This could be an His wife Ashu Ara Begum
“We are planning to hold some programmes in near economical, user friendly died on April 25 this year.
future to demand relief, financial assistance, and loan and safer option for traders On the occasions, their
facilities from the government,” he said. of both the countries, it children, and grandchildren
Contacted, newly-elected Dhaka North City said. made a request to pray for
Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam said they are providing It also suggested that the salvation of the departed
assistance as much as they can but everyone will have to an additional advantage souls at Baitul Mukarram
come forward. would be the reduced National Mosque,
Not only hawkers, assistance is being sought by human interference, Shantinagar Chamelibagh
everyone, even from the lower-middle class, who have thereby reducing the Jame Mosque and all
never sought relief from the government before, he said. chances of transmission of mosques in Porshuram
He said DNCC is providing door-to-door food assistance Covid-19. upazila of Feni after the
based on their helpline phone calls. Smaller rake options Juma prayers on Friday.
“We have already prepared a list of 229 slums where we provided by the railways An executive magistrate of Barishal District Administration fines a pharmacy for selling hand sanitiser and On Saturday, a
will focus our relief efforts. We have to provide around 8 will further benefit the medicine at high prices. The drive was conducted at Barishal city’s Fakirbari area yesterday. PHOTO: TITU DAS
Qurankhwani and milad
lakh relief packs,” he said. “We have to prepare a list of traders to move smaller mahfil will be held and
hawkers who live outside the slums to bring them under quantities of essential prayers will be offered at
their graves.
food assistance programmes, but it is a tough job,” he
added.
commodities.
Officials at the Syndicates Shafiqul
Majumder Tipu,
Bahar
their
Beside the government, everyone will have to come Bangladesh commerce FROM PAGE 3 up its monitoring system to prevent told this newspaper. “If anyone can
forward, otherwise it will be tough to help out everyone and foreign ministries said companies have been sealed and eldest son, and an Awami
collection of used masks and gloves. catch any of our staff red-handed,
in need, he said. trade between Bangladesh nine people imprisoned for illegally League leader and former
Contacted, Khondkar Anisur we’ll take action,” he added.
Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has also decided and India, which stood at importing low quality testing kits acting secretary general of
Rahman, secretary general of On March 18, police arrested one
to provide food packs to one lakh poor families who are $10.25 billion in 2018-19, and selling used masks and hand Bangladesh Muktijoddha
the executive committee, PRISM person in Tongi, Gazipur for his
out of work during this Ramadan, DSCC Mayor Sayeed is vital for both countries. gloves in the capital’s Uttara, Gulshan, Sangsad Central Command
Bangladesh, brushed aside the alleged involvement in selling masks
Khokon had told this newspaper. Bangladesh’s exports Mohammadpur and Babubazar area allegation. and gloves that were discarded after Council, have appealed to
Many hawkers and their families will be benefited by to India were worth and a fine of Tk 62 lakh has also been “We are now collecting medical use in hospitals. their relatives, friends and
the initiative as well, he said. $1.25 billion during the imposed. waste with more caution. It is kept They used to sell the products after well-wishers to pray for
DSCC has already formed committees in every ward to same time, they told this Civil Surgeon Moinul Ahsan inside sealed bags so there is no scope washing them with shampoo, law their eternal peace staying
distribute the relief, the mayor added. newspaper. suggested city corporations to beef to collect masks, gloves and PPE,” he enforcers said at home.

Rabindra Jayanti observed 95pc boro

FROM PAGE 12
paid to Kabiguru, claims Bangabandhu.
In a message to a programme organised
by Bangla Academy on the occasion of the
poet’s birth anniversary, the prime minister
further says that Rabindranath Tagore’s
works have inspired Bangalees to live
up to the ideals of truth, justice and self-
determination. His ideas played a great role
in the liberation struggle of Bangladesh,
adds Bangabandhu.
BANGABANDHU’S DONATION TO
RED CROSS FUND
Bangabandhu has donated Tk 10,000
to the Bangladesh Red Cross fund. This
money will be used for rehabilitation of
the injured freedom fighters, informs a
spokesperson of the organisation. He also
confirms arrival of the first shipment of
food and medical aid from Hungary.
CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS CALL
ON BANGABANDHU
A delegation of chartered accountants
today calls on Bangabandhu at his official
residence. They submit a memorandum
to the prime minister seeking the
11 monkeys poisoned to death
FROM PAGE 12
then started visiting human habitation in
search of food, the sources told The Daily Star.
Locals said some people might have
given poisoned food to the monkeys to
stop the nuisance by them.
Local youth Yasin said, “When we saw
many monkeys falling sick in Madhya
Khagdi area on Tuesday evening, we tried
to pour water into their mouth.”
He claimed that at least 15 of the
monkeys died and many more were lying
ill there.
Yasin said they phoned the forest
department and municipal authorities, but
the response came late.
Tapas Kumar Sengupta, forest officer of
the district, said they visited the area on
Wednesday and filed a case in this regard.
He said poisoning animals to death was
a heinous crime and those involved in the
incident would be brought to justice.
“We have already informed the
local lawmaker and the district deputy
government’s support to overcome existing
barriers to the growth of this profession in
the country.
CHOLERA OUTBREAK IN KHULNA
Cholera infection has taken a serious turn in
Khulna. In the last month, over a thousand
people have been infected by Cholera,
among which more than a hundred people
have died. The government has opened two
cholera wards in the affected areas.
NATIONALISATIN OF JUTE
TRADING RECOMMENDED
A three-day national jute conference
concludes today in Dhaka. Participants
of the conference calls for nationalisation
of all internal and external jute trade in
the country. They urge the government
to allocate fund to develop jute research
and introduce specialised course on jute
in the technical educational institutions.
Mechanisation of jute cultivation is also
recommended at the conference.
SOURCES: May 8, 1972 issues of Ittefaq, The
Bangladesh Observer, Azad, Morning News,
Dainik Bangla and Purbodesh.
commissioner about the incident,” he added.
Tapas said they gave food to the monkeys
for the last three months. Food was given
also on Wednesday evening.
Madaripur Sadar OC Kamrul Islam Mia
said the forest department filed a case in
this regard on Tuesday night.
“Bodies of four monkeys were sent to
Madaripur livestock hospital for autopsies,”
he added.
3 ‘robbers’
FROM PAGE 12
Police also claimed to have recovered 18
firearms, 200 rounds of ammunition and
55,000 yaba pills from the spot.
The bodies were sent to Cox’s Bazar
General Hospital for autopsies, he said,
adding the injured policemen received
treatment at Taknaf Upazila Health
Complex.
“Three cases will be filed in connection
with the incident,” he added.
FROM PAGE 12
type of paddy was
cultivated there, he added.
Razzaque said farmers
cultivated boro on 47.54
lakh hectares of land across
the country this year and
the paddy from some
11.88 hectares of land was
harvested so far.
According to the
Department of Agricultural
Extension, boro was
cultivated on 4.45 lakh
hectares in the haor regions
of Kishoreganj, Netrakona,
Sunamganj, Moulvibazar,
Habiganj, Sylhet and
Brahmanbaria.
At the briefing, the
minister informed
journalists about different
strategies and directives of
the government on facing
the challenges resulting from
the Covid-19 pandemic.
He thanked local public
representatives, local
administrations, district
police, all concerned of
the health and agriculture
departments at the district,
upazila and union levels
for the success in harvesting
boro paddy.
Razzaque also expressed
gratitude to different socio-
cultural organisations,
political parties and student
organisations, including
Krishak League and Chhatra
League, students and
teachers of schools and
colleges, for helping farmers
in harvesting paddy.
Boy, 5
FROM PAGE 12
seen weaving across the
freeway as other vehicles
and trucks speed by.
The car then pulls over
to the left side of the
highway after trooper Rick
Morgan activates his siren.
High numbers amid lockdown
FROM PAGE 12
relief goods, MJF said.
The field-level data for the survey
was collected by MJF’s 24 affiliated
organisations in 27 districts.
Some 17,203 women were
interviewed on some specific
questions by phone, said MJF.
Addressing the press conference,
MJF Executive Director Shaheen
Anam said they did not make any
comparison whether domestic
violence increased or decreased during
the “lockdown” situation.
However, a staggering 1,672 women
admitted that they experienced
violent incidents for the first time in
their lives, she said.
Referring to a global survey
conducted by UNFPA, she said
globally domestic violence increased
by 20 percent during the Covid-19
pandemic.
Shaheen Anam said considering
Virus spread around world late last year
FROM PAGE 12
The UCL team’s findings, published
yesterday in the journal Infection,
Genetics and Evolution, confirm
that the virus emerged in late 2019,
Balloux said, before quickly spreading
across the globe.
The study was not able to
confirm the exact starting point or
location.
Balloux’s team screened the
genomes of more than 7,500 viruses
from infected patients around the
world. Their results add to a growing
body of evidence that SARS-CoV-2
viruses share a common ancestor from
late 2019, suggesting this was when
the current situation, they had to
conduct the survey with limitations
and in only those districts where they
have activities.
She said the organisation believed
the scenario of domestic violence
found during the survey was also
same in other parts of the country.
“It is a gruesome picture,” she said,
adding that MJF would also conduct a
similar survey in the coming months.
Referring to reports published in
six national dailies, Shaheen Anam
said 36 children were raped in one
month during the lockdown.
The MJF urged the government to
put emphasis on domestic violence
while focusing on necessities like food
assistance and income opportunities
amid the shutdown.
It called upon the authorities
concerned, including the home
ministry, law ministry, women
and children affairs ministry, and
the virus jumped from a previous
animal host into people.
This means it is most unlikely the
virus causing Covid-19 was in human
circulation for long before it was first
detected, Balloux said.
A study by French scientists
published earlier this week found a
man there was infected with Covid-19
as early as December 27, nearly a
month before France confirmed its
first cases.
The World Health Organization
said the French case was “not
surprising” and urged countries to
investigate any other early suspicious
cases.
inspector general of police, to direct
their field-level officials to enhance
their activities with the priority to
curb domestic violence.
It also urged national helpline
services like “109” and “999” to
increase their support during the
shutdown.
The MJF stressed the need for
effective steps from the shelter centres
so that women in distress could take
refuge there anytime.
It also placed emphasis on bringing
culprits to book and taking steps
regarding virtual court hearings to
ensure culprits’ punishment even in
the present situation.
The MJF called upon the media
to continue publishing reports on
violence against woman.
Besides MJF officials, members
of its affiliated organisations in
Mymensingh, Kushtia, and Bandarban
spoke at the press conference.
Balloux said the 198 small
genetic changes, or mutations, that
the study identified appeared to
have independently occurred more
than once. These may hold clues
to how the virus is adapting and
help in efforts to develop drugs and
vaccines.
“A major challenge to defeating
viruses is that a vaccine or drug
might no longer be effective if the
virus has mutated,” Balloux said. “If
we focus our efforts on parts of the
virus that are less likely to mutate, we
have a better chance of developing
drugs that will be effective in the
long run.”
DHAKA THURSDAY MAY 7, 2020, BAISHAKH 24 , 1427 BS INTERNATIONAL 5

April 2020 tied for CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

warmest on record
Last month tied 2016 for the hottest April
on record worldwide, with particularly high
temperatures over western Europe and
north-central Asia, the European Union’s
climate monitoring network said. Temperatures
were also well above average over parts of
Greenland and Antarctica. April 2020 was a
statistically insignificant 0.01 degrees Celsius
cooler than the same month in 2016, the
warmest April registered since the late 19th
century, when reliable records began. “The
average temperature for the 12 months to April
2020 is close to 1.3C above the pre-industrial
level,” the benchmark by which global warming
is often measured, it said. The country that
probably saw the warmest April compared
to the past was Switzerland, where the
thermometer last month rose a blistering 5C
above the 1871-1900 average.
Israel eyes major expansion
of West Bank settlement
Israel announced a plan for thousands of new
Jewish settlement homes in the occupied
West Bank yesterday as Washington voiced
readiness to back de facto Israeli annexations
there. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
wants to start cabinet discussions on July 1
about declaring Israeli sovereignty over the
settlements and the strategically important
Jordan Valley in the West Bank. Fresh
construction for the settlement of Efrat was
approved on land that could accommodate
“around 7,000 housing units”, Defence Minister
Naftali Bennett’s office said in a statement. The
settlements are deemed illegal by most world
powers and condemned by the Palestinians,
who see all the West Bank, which Israel
captured in a 1967 war, as theirs for a future
state.
Lockdown risks 1.4m
extra TB deaths: study
The global lockdown caused by COVID-19 risks
a “devastating” surge in tuberculosis cases,
with nearly 1.4 million additional deaths from
the world’s biggest infectious killer by 2025,
new research showed yesterday. TB, a bacterial
infection that normally attacks patients’
lungs, is largely treatable yet still infects an
estimated 10 million people every year. In
2018, it killed around 1.5 million people,
according to the World Health Organization,
including more than 200,000 children. Since
effective medication exists, the world’s TB
response is centred on testing and treating as
many patients as possible. But as COVID-19
forces governments to place populations on
lockdown, new disease models showed that
social distancing could lead to a disastrous
rebound in TB infections -- the effects of which
are set to persist for years.
SOURCE: AFP, REUTERS
BACK TO SCHOOL IN WUHAN
High school senior students study with plastic partitions in a classroom in Wuhan in China’s central Hubei province yesterday. Senior school
students in 121 institutions were back in front of chalk boards and digital displays for the first time yesterday since their city -- the ground zero
of the coronavirus pandemic -- shut down in January.
Germany plans to reopen ALLEGED VIRUS LEAK FROM WUHAN LAB
Pompeo has no
as death toll spikes in US evidence: China
Trump vows economic restart, admits danger
AFP, Berlin
Germany yesterday unveiled a plan for
reopening, as Europe’s largest economy
tries to get the wheels turning after weeks
of shutdown, as the deadly coronavirus
continued to wreak havoc in the United
States with a spike in the daily death toll.
The cautious steps towards normality
came as South Korea leapt back to life and
children in the Chinese city that is ground
zero for the global pandemic filed back to
classes for the first time since January.
Progress in lifting lockdowns was seen
from Europe to Hong Kong, even as the
global death toll hit almost 257,000,
according to an AFP tally.
In the United States, President Donald
Trump pushed for an economic restart as he
made his first major foray out of the White
House since US virus restrictions began.
And in a sign his administration no longer
considers the pandemic its top priority, the
White House is set to disband the emergency
task force handling the country’s outbreak.
But he admitted the reopening would
cost more American life.
“Will some people be affected badly?
Yes,” he admitted earlier at the factory. “But
we have to get our country open.”
The United States remains the worst-hit
country with more than 70,000 deaths. It
recorded 2,333 more fatalities in the 24
hours to Tuesday evening, according to a
Johns Hopkins University tracker, twice as
many as the day before.
Germany is eyeing an almost complete
return to normality in May, with plans to
send all pupils back to school and restart
top-flight football, according to a draft
agreement seen by AFP.
With about 165,000 cases and 7,000
deaths, Germany has so far been able to
prevent the scenes of dire overcrowding in
its hospitals that have been seen elsewhere
in Europe. The need to reopen the nation’s
economy was underlined yesterday by
fresh official data showing German
manufacturers in March endured their
worst plunge in new orders on record.
But elsewhere in Europe, hard-hit Spain
and France reported a levelling off of figures,
offering hope of an end to a pandemic that
has overwhelmed healthcare systems and
shattered economies.
PHOTO: AFP
AFP, Beijing
China yesterday hit back at US Secretary of State Mike
Pompeo over his claims that the coronavirus originated in
a lab in Wuhan, saying he “doesn’t have any” evidence.
Washington and Beijing have clashed repeatedly over
the virus, which emerged in China late last year but has
since spiralled into a global pandemic.
Conspiracy theories that the virus came from a
maximum-security virology lab in Wuhan have swirled
since earlier this year, but were brought into the mainstream
last month by US government officials.
Pompeo said on Sunday that there was “enormous
evidence” to show that the virus originated in a Chinese lab.
“I think this matter should be handed to scientists and
medical professionals, and not politicians who lie for
their own domestic political ends,” said foreign ministry
spokeswoman Hua Chunying at a regular press briefing.
“Mr Pompeo repeatedly spoke up but he cannot present
any evidence. How can he? Because he doesn’t have any,”
she said.
Most scientists believe the new virus jumped from
animals to humans, with suspicion around a market in
Wuhan that sold wildlife for meat.
The World Health Organization has said US claims
about the origin of the virus were “speculative”. The top
US epidemiologist Anthony Fauci has echoed the WHO’s
statement, telling National Geographic that all evidence so
far “strongly indicates” a natural origin.
LATEST UPDATES
MORE THAN 257,000 DEAD
At least 257,687 people have died of the novel
coronavirus since the epidemic surfaced in
China late last year, according to an AFP tally at
1100 GMT yesterday based on official sources.
There have been more than 3,675,869 officially
recorded cases spanning 195 countries and
territories. The United States is the worst-hit
country, with 71,078 deaths out of more than
1.2 million cases. Britain follows with over
32,000 deaths. Italy follows with 29,315 deaths,
Spain with 25,857 and France with 25,531.
ITALY CLAIMS FIRST VACCINE
Italian researchers claim to have developed
a vaccine that can neutralise the coronavirus
in human cells. Tests carried out at Rome’s
infectious-disease Spallanzani Hospital
generated antibodies in mice that work in
human cells. Human tests are expected after
this summer.
NEARLY NORMAL IN SOUTH KOREA
South Korea returns largely to normal as
workers go back to offices, and libraries reopen
under eased social distancing rules.
CELEBS CALL FOR RADICAL CHANGE
A host of celebrities and scientists including
Madonna, Robert de Niro and a clutch of Nobel
Prize winners sign an open letter calling for
radical change in the world rather than “a
return to normal” after lockdowns. Hollywood
stars Cate Blanchett, Jane Fonda and Marion
Cotillard are also among the 200 signatories of
the letter published in French daily Le Monde,
pleading for an end to unbridled consumerism
and a “radical transformation” of economies to
help save the planet.
15,000 DEATHS IN LATAM
More than 15,000 people have been killed by
the novel coronavirus in Latin America and the
Caribbean as of 0230 GMT yesterday, according
to an AFP tally based on official reports. Across
the region more than 282,000 COVID-19 cases
have been officially reported. Topping the
death toll list is Brazil, with 7,921 fatalities
and 114,715 cases; followed by Mexico with
2,271 fatalities and Ecuador with 1,569 deaths.
Experts believe that the pandemic will peak
there in the coming days.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING THREAT
The UN’s Office on Drugs and Crime yesterday
warned of increased risks to human trafficking
victims due to the coronavirus crisis with
people more vulnerable to exploitation and
protection limited. New UNODC analysis found,
other than the risk of catching the virus, some
rescued victims have been unable to go home
because of border closures. More children are
also being forced onto the streets in search of
food and income with closed schools no longer
providing shelter and nourishment.
SOURCE: AFP, REUTERS

Cop dies It’s ready to submit 6 local pharmas

FROM PAGE 1 FROM PAGE 12 FROM PAGE 1 “We have completed the first stage vials to help patients in the US.
well-wishers to mourn his death. The body was sent to Rapid Dot Blot can test both antibody and antigen in data showing the drug had helped of taking approval of medicine from Md. Ebadul Karim, managing
his village home for cremation. blood. Dr Zafrullah said this kit’s accuracy level is more COVID-19 patients. the government and now we are in director of Beacon Pharmaceuticals,
Bangladesh Police expressed deep shock over his than 90 percent which is close to RT-PCR that swabs Of the six companies, Beximco and the second stage,” said Rabbur Reza, said the drug maker is working on
death. nose and throat where new coronavirus can gather for Eskayef are in the advanced stage with chief operating officer of Beximco producing remdeivir.
Earlier, Sultanul Arefin, 44, a sub-inspector of POM, the test. their preparation, The Daily Star has learnt Pharmaceuticals. “But we can’t say the exact date of
SI Nazir Uddin of Special Branch of Police, Abdul Earlier on April 30, the Directorate General of Drug after speaking with the drug makers. In the second stage, the drug makers launch,” he added.
Khaleq, 26, an assistant sub-inspector of POM, Asheq Administration (DGDA) had permitted Gonoshasthaya “This is the generic version of Gilead’s need to work in the laboratory to see Mohammed Mizanur Rahman,
Mahmud, a constable of DMP’s Traffic North Division, Kendra to have their kits independently validated drug,” said Mohammad Mujahidul Islam, whether their medicine’s physical executive director of Square
and Jasim Uddin, a constable of Wari Division, died after by the BSMMU, after Gonoshasthaya rejected the director of marketing & sales at Eskayef. attributes are identical to remdesivir. Pharmaceuticals, declined to speak on
contracting coronavirus. Gilead has a patent on remdesivir, “Our our scientists are working round- the matter.
DGDA proposal on April 26 that the validation must
As of yesterday, 1,190 policemen were infected with which means it has exclusive rights to the-clock, so we hope to launch the Remdesivir gives a better result in
be done through the contract research organisations make it. But, international trade rules
coronavirus and 85 of them have recovered, said police product within the month,” he added. recovery but a narrow result in survival
(CROs). allow nations defined by the United
sources. Incepta is testing whether all the benefits, said Md Mujibur Rahman,
Zafrullah said CROs are a vehicle of corruption and Nations as least-developed countries, process of producing the product is head of Dhaka Medical College’s
Of the infected, 576 are working with Dhaka that it would have required much longer a time for the including Bangladesh, to ignore such okay, said Md Mizanur Rahman, deputy medicine department.
Metropolitan Police, they said. validation, increase the cost of test, which is not expected patents and make drugs more affordable general manager of its marketing and “The injection is not a magic bullet
Meanwhile, a journalist died after showing coronavirus at least during such a global pandemic. in those markets. strategy department. but it might aid in recovery from
symptoms early yesterday, said his colleague. On May 2, BSMMU formed a committee headed by its “We are very close to completing the “We are getting positive results. We COVID-19,” he added.
Mahmudul Hakim Opu, 51, was a senior journalist at virology department professor Dr Shaheena Tabassum. development process, so we are confident are on the right track. We might be able Data from a trial by the US’s
Dainik Shomoyer Alo. The committee first sought all the scientific documents of launching it this month,” Islam said. to launch the medicine very soon.” National Institutes of Health showed
His colleague Fakhrul Islam said Opu fell sick on on the development of Rapid Dot Blot and then began Eskayef started work on the product Asked about the pricing of the drug, remdesivir reduced hospitalisation stays
April 21 and had been staying at home since then. He preparing a protocol for validation. The protocol is straight after getting the approval in he said: “This is an expensive product.” by 31 percent compared to a placebo
was suffering from fever, cough, and cold, said Fakhrul. expected to be finalised on Thursday (today), said March. The price would be between Tk 5,000 treatment, but did not significantly
Opu was found dead when family members called Zafrullha Chowdhury. “As it is a complex injection, it needs and Tk 5,500 and a patient may need to improve survival.
him for sehri early yesterday, Fakhrul said, adding that “This is a time of an emergency. A lot of people are to pass through some hoops. So, we use 6 to 11 vials, he added. Bangladesh has so far reported
his blood samples had been collected for tests. being infected every day. Validation of our kit in a fast-track started to work on it very early.” Incepta’s pricing is the first indication 11,719 cases and 186 deaths from the
On April 28, Shomoyer Alo chief reporter Humayun manner is something that we would want. Being able to The injection would be available in of how the drug will be priced. Gilead disease, although some experts say the
Kabir Khokon, 47, who was infected with coronavirus, use this kit means a lot in terms of checking the spread of the government-authorised hospitals, is yet to announce its pricing; it has number of cases could be much higher
died at a city hospital. Covid-19,” he said. he added. donated an initial batch of 1.5 million given limited testing in the country.

Big 2 won’t open

FROM PAGE 1
“We’ll follow the guidelines,” he said, adding there are over
500 shops in the market.
President of Bangladesh Abhyantarin Garments
Manufacturing Owners Association Alauddin Malik told The
Daily Star that he along with leaders of other associations
will meet the officer-in-charge of Chwakbazar Police Station
today and decide when to reopen.
There are several markets including, Police Plaza Concord
Shopping Mall in Gulshan, Polwel Carnation in Uttara,
and Polwel Shopping Complex in Naya Paltan, built for the
welfare of police.
Ferdous Ali Chowdhury, assistant inspector general
(Welfare Trust) at Police Headquarters, told this newspaper
yesterday that the shop owners were asked to ensure sanitisers
and masks for everyone inside the buildings.
“We hope we will be able to make proper preparations in
the three days before reopening,” he said.
Muntasirul Islam, deputy commissioner of Lalbagh
Division, said,“We asked market authorities in Lalbagh
and Chawk Bazar to ensure social distancing and other
precautions.”
They will have to appoint volunteers, mark places where
shoppers will stand, have sanitiser at the entrances, and
masks and gloves for employees, and disinfection rooms,
he said, adding that police were working on issuing further
instructions.
According to the home ministry directives, shopping malls
can be open from 10:00am to 4:00pm, given there will be
sanitisers at the entrances, no one will be allowed inside
the buildings without gloves and masks, and there will be a
banner in front of malls saying that disregarding the health
directives will cause life risk.
Signed by Senior Assistant Secretary Kaizer Mohammad
Rabari, the ministry directives were sent to Inspector General
of Police, Director General (DG) of Border Guard Bangladesh,
DG Coast Guard and DG Asnar and VDP on Tuesday.
Incorporating the directives, the Police Headquarters sent
a 13-point directive to all unit chiefs and commanders across
the country.
It said people will be allowed to visit the markets of their
respective areas only. Shoppers will have to carry their
NIDs, reads the directives signed by Haider Ali Khan,
additional DIG (intelligence and special affairs).
 As on Wednesday
STOCKS COMMODITIES ASIAN MARKETS CURRENCIES
DSEX CSCX Gold Oil MUMBAI TOKYO SINGAPORE SHANGHAI
$1,689.20 $30.02 0.74% Closed 0.75% 0.63% 83.95 90.50 103.75 11.66
Closed Closed
(per ounce) (per barrel) 31,685.75 2,591.60 2,878.14 84.95 94.30 107.55 12.26

BUSINESS DHAKA THURSDAY MAY 7, 2020, BAISHAKH 24, 1427 BS • starbusiness@thedailystar.net

TAMING CORONAVIRUS RAMPAGE

Agent banking can deliver stimulus FBCCI goes out to

packages to remotest corners
AKM ZAMIR UDDIN
Agent banking will play a
greater role in implementing the
stimulus packages unveiled by
the government as the outlets
have footprints in Bangladesh’s
remotest parts where banks have
barely set their foot in, bankers
and experts said yesterday.
The model has already won
the hearts of millions of people
through secure and easy banking
facility, they said at a virtual
discussion titled “Agent banking
solutions during Coronavirus
pandemic” jointly organised by
The Daily Star and Bank Asia.
“Agent banking will become
a proper channel to implement
the stimulus packages for the
underprivileged people,” said Md
Arfan Ali, president and managing
director of Bank Asia.
Under the existing
infrastructure of agent banking,
funds can be transferred to 6 crore
people, he added.
“The central bank should
use agent banking properly for
implementation of the stimulus
packages as it will help give out
loans to small and medium
enterprises located in rural areas,”
said Atiur Rahman, a former
governor of the central bank.
The government has unveiled
a total of 18 stimulus packages
worth Tk 95,619 crore to help
industries, businesses, farmers
and people tackle the economic
crisis stemming from the global
coronavirus pandemic.
The number of agents of banks
is higher than the number of
branches of banks and this is a
highly positive matter to tackle
the ongoing crisis, said Md Abul
Kalam Azad, a former principal
secretary.
The central bank issued the
agent banking guideline in 2013
but the licensees did not start full-
fledged operations until 2016.
Agent banking offers limited
banking and financial services to
the underserved population by
engaging representatives.
It is the owner of an outlet who
conducts banking transactions on
behalf of a bank.
Agents provide services such
as cash deposits, withdrawals,
remittance disbursement, small
value loan disbursement and
recovery of loans, paying bills
and cash payments under the
government’s social safety net
programmes.
As of December, loan
disbursement through the agent
banking platform was Tk 446
crore, which is more than double
that from a year earlier. Deposit
collection went up 142 per cent to
Tk 7,517 crore, according to data
from the central bank.
The government will take
prompt measures to help owners
of agent outlets so that they can
run operations uninterruptedly
during the lockdown, said
Planning Minister MA Mannan.
“We should think about
how to integrate microfinance
institutions into agent banking.
This could lead to greater success
for our rural economy.”
Banks should lay emphasis
on providing banking service to
the marginalised people, who
did not get the scope to make
AGENT BANKING FORGING AHEAD
Licence/Operation
No. of Agents
No. of Outlets
No. of Accounts
Female Accounts
Deposits
Loan disbursement
Inward Remittance
themselves educated, according to
the minister.
“Agent banking will become
an important tool to bring people
under the banking system,”
Mannan said, adding that the
banking window is working to
provide financial services to the
rural women, which is highly
praiseworthy.
Most of the agent outlets
are facing losses, said Ahsan H
Mansur, executive director of
the Policy Research Institute of
Bangladesh.
Loan disbursement under
agent banking will not get a boost
during the ongoing recession
if the government does not
share the risk for funds of the
stimulus packages, he said.
“The government would
consider taking measures to make
the agents’ outlets profitable
so that they can survive,” the
planning minister said, adding
that he was willing to write to the
central bank about it.
As per the National Financial
Inclusion Strategy, the government
has set a target to open a bank
account for every people by 2024
and agent banking will play a
crucial role in materialising the
plan, Ali said.
“We should take initiative to
set up banks’ kiosk in each village
within the period in order to
make the rural economy vibrant,”
he added.
The lender, which started agent
banking on a pilot basis in 2013
before the central bank formally
rolled out the financial window,
now takes government funds to 8
2018
21 (19)
4,493
6,933
24.57 lakh
8.50 lakh
Tk 3,112.4cr
Tk 189.5cr
Tk 5,557.4cr
lakh people under various social
safety net programmes.
Bank Asia, which popularised
agent banking in Bangladesh, has
so far opened 26.60 lakh accounts
under the system.
The central bank took a
number of initiatives to expand
financial inclusion in 2009 when
the financial crisis rattled the
globe, Rahman said.
The rural economy and
the marginalised people were
deprived of getting loans from
the banking sector at the time.
The measures of the financial
inclusion later helped make the
rural economy vibrant, the former
central bank governor said.
The fund allocated for the
social safety net schemes would
have to be doubled in the next
budget compared with the current
one due to the ongoing recession.
“The funds can be distributed
by using the agent banking
channel,” he added.
There is no need to set up
infrastructure as agents can
provide banking service by going
from door to door, said Mansur,
also the chairman of Brac Bank.
The bank has 360 agents
who are operating banking
activities without setting up any
infrastructure. “This is helping
them provide the service in a cost-
efficient manner,” he said.
There are 8,500 post offices
in the country and they could be
integrated with agent banking,
Azad said.
If the integration can take
place, the country’s financial
inclusion drive will get a huge
2019
24 (21)
7,856
11,320
52.69 lakh
22.98 lakh
Tk 7,517.2cr
Tk 446cr
Tk 15,534.3cr
boost, he added.
“There have been many harsh
questions about the country’s
banking sector, but agent banking
is an exception,” said Khondaker
Golam Moazzem, research director
of the Centre for Policy Dialogue.
The number of both agents and
outlets is on the rise and they are
mobilising a significant amount of
deposits from the rural areas.
“But they have little interest in
disbursing loans in the rural areas.”
The loan-deposit ratio under
agent banking is only 6 per cent,
much lower than the ratio of the
overall banking sector.
“Many Bangladeshi expatriates
have already returned home due to
the financial meltdown and agent
banking could play a positive
role in disbursing loans to them.
This will help them do business,”
Moazzem added.
Transaction through agent
banking has declined due to the
ongoing movement control order,
said Syed Mahbubur Rahman,
managing director of Mutual Trust
Bank.
“We should take measures to
GEOGRAPHICAL
CONCENTRATION OF
DEPOSITS
(Oct-Dec)
RURAL URBAN
5867.12 1650.04
SOURCE:BB
make agent banking interoperable.
This will help customers of one
bank deposit or withdraw funds
from the agent outlets of another
lender,” he said.
Two-thirds of agents of Dutch-
Bangla Bank are now loss-making
as they are unable to make a profit
unless deposits amounting to
Tk 50 lakh can be mobilised per
month at the very least, said its
managing director Abul Kashem
Md Shirin.
The agents will become
profitable if the government
distributes the stimulus packages
to the rural people through the
channel.
Dutch-Bangla Bank has so far
given approvals to 4,100 agents to
run the financial tool, Shirin said.
Many banks don’t have the
available branches in rural areas
where agent banking is providing
the service to the people, said
Mashrur Arefin, managing director
of City Bank.
Agents are now facing difficulty
in transferring money due to the
lockdown as the central bank has
stopped the operation of the real-
time gross settlement.
“People are afraid of using
fingerprints to carry out banking
through agent booths. So, we
should take measures to disinfect
the equipment,” he added.
Agent banking will help provide
banking service to women, said
Nazneen Ahmed, a senior research
fellow of the Bangladesh Institute
of Development Studies.
There are 5,000 union digital
centres and some of them are
equipped with agent banking.
“Women feel secure to perform
banking transactions at digital
centres. So, we should set up agent
banking outlets in every digital
centre,” she said.
Currently, 24 banks have agent
banking licences. Of them, 21 are
in operation and together they
had 52.69 lakh accounts as of
December.
Muhammad Zahidul Islam, a
senior reporter of The Daily Star,
moderated the discussion.
bat for cottage and
micro enterprises
Trade body wants easy terms
for bailout loans for them
STAR BUSINESS REPORT
The country’s apex trade body yesterday called for relaxing
the terms and conditions for disbursing loans from the
government-announced bailout package such that every
sector, especially the cottage, micro and small businesses,
can receive funds on time.
The country has many cottage and small enterprises
that are yet to come under the formal banking coverage
but those have been badly affected by the coronavirus
pandemic, said the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of
Commerce and Industry (FBCCI).
For example, it said, there are some 46 lakh units of
grocery shops and cottage industries in different districts
but their owners can barely fulfil the conditions of the
banks to take funds from the stimulus package.
“The central bank and scheduled banks should reach out
to them with easy rules so that they too are benefitted by the
bailout package,” said FBCCI President Sheikh Fazle Fahim.
The terms and conditions should be relaxed for large
businesses as well, he said, while addressing businesspeople
and bankers via a virtual conference on “roadmap to
stimulus loan execution”.
On April 5, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina unveiled a
Tk 20,000 crore package for the cottage, micro, small and
medium enterprises (CMSMEs), and another Tk 30,000
crore for the industries and service sector companies.
The loan proposals should be executed on time because
the enterprises are in trouble, Fahim said, while calling for
quick assessment of documents.
“But at the same time, everybody should be careful
so that the banks don’t fall in trouble while saving the
industries,” he added.
While the FBCCI
demanded easy access to loan
from the bailout package by
all sectors, bankers called
for the formation of a credit
guarantee scheme through
which the banks can recover
the loans that bear risks.
The proposed credit
guarantee scheme will protect
the banks in loan recovery
through insurance. For
instance, if any small or large enterprise owners fail to
repay the loans timely, the banks will recover the amount
from the credit guarantee scheme through insurers.
Banks would be able to manage the funds as they have
adequate liquidity now, said Ali Reza Iftekhar, chairman of
Association of Bankers, Bangladesh.
“But banks are worried about the risks associated with
loan recovery,” he said.
Md Abdus Salam Azad, managing director of Janata
Bank, said his bank will grant loans to micro or small
enterprises and especially to female entrepreneurs if they
can provide proper documents.
If any media outlets come up with proper documents
his bank will disburse loans to them as well, he said.
The credit guarantee scheme is particularly needed for
the cottage and micro industries as the majority of those
enterprises do not have adequate financial strength, said
Selim RF Hussain, managing director of Brac Bank.
Of the bank’s total clients, 47 per cent are CMSMEs, he
added.
Cottage and micro enterprises will have to be treated
on an urgent basis as they are going through a rough
patch now due to the pandemic, said Md Shafiqul Islam,
managing director of the SME Foundation.
Of the total businesses registered with the SME
Foundation, 80 per cent are cottage and micro and 1 per
cent are small enterprises.
“We should not put a lot of burden on banks so that the ill-
fated banking sector does not go through further crisis,” said
Mashrur Reaz, chairman of Policy Exchange, a think-tank.
Loans should be disbursed on a priority basis to the worst
affected sectors like the aviation and retail businesses, he
added. Munir Hossain, a director of the FBCCI, suggested
the banks open separate help desks in their branches such
that the clients do not face hassles while taking loans from
the bailout package.
“There is no liquidity crisis in the banking sector now,”
said Kazi Akramuddin Ahmed, a former FBCCI president.
Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin and Mir Nasir Hossain, two
former FBCCI presidents, also spoke.

PPEs and surgical masks now VAT-free

SOHEL PARVEZ
The National Board of Revenue (NBR)
yesterday exempted value-added
tax on domestic manufacturing on
personal protective equipment (PPE)
and surgical face mask to reduce
the cost and encourage increased
production for the fight against
coronavirus.
The revenue board also exempted
the indirect tax in the supply and
trading stage until June 30, 2020,
according to a notification.
“Any firm that will make these will
get the exemption benefit,” said a
senior official of the NBR seeking to
remain unnamed.
The waiver comes following
appeals from a couple of companies
and the Bangladesh Garment
Manufacturers and Exporters
Association (BGMEA) to facilitate
increased manufacturing of PPE
and surgical masks in the face
of escalating cases of COVID-19
along with fatalities, fuelling the
requirement for the protective gears
for physicians, nurses and other
healthcare personnel.
In March, the NBR suspended
duties and taxes on imports of
medical supplies, including protective
equipment and test kits.
The NBR said a huge number of
PPE and face masks might be required
for treatment in the coming days as
the pandemic continues to take on a
ferocious form.
The revenue official said a 15
per cent VAT is applicable at the
manufacturing stage of PPE and
surgical masks. For supply, 7.5 per
cent VAT is applicable, and for trading,
a 5 per cent VAT.
These protective items would be
VAT-free for the next two months until
June 30.
The VAT benefit comes as concerns
about the quality of PPE remains high
in the country that reported 11,719
coronavirus positive patients and 186
deaths until yesterday.
Syed Naved Husain, director of
Beximco Group and chief executive
of Beximco Ltd, said the company
is working to make protective gears
for both the domestic and global
market.
“When Beximco does something,
it will not be a seasonal thing.
Whatever we do, we look at 20 years
ahead. We are not going to do it as an
opportunistic thing,” he said.
Husain said there is
misunderstanding in the market that
if one has a workforce that can stitch,
one can make PPEs.
“That’s very dangerous.”
The medical standard is very
different from the fashion standard.
“In the fashion standard, you make
a mistake, someone will get angry
because the clothes that he bought
does not look nice or it does not fit.
But in this, you have zero tolerance.
You have to deliver quality and that
quality must comply with the very
clear international standard. So, we
are looking at all of that in a proper
way on a long-term horizon of 20
years.”
Husain said it is not clear when
Beximco would be able to get its PPEs
ready.
“There is a lot of work going on.
We are doing global research to get the
a product up to the best international
standard.”
Asked whether Beximco is
collaborating with a firm on the
venture, he said: “Yes. But I cannot
SK ENAMUL HAQ disclose their names.
B2 DHAKA THURSDAY MAY 7, 2020, BAISHAKH 24, 1427 BS BUSINESS
TAMING CORONAVIRUS RAMPAGE

Govt confident of managing its foreign

loan payments just fine
Many nations reeling from the global coronavirus pandemic is mulling over renegotiating their external debt obligations. But Bangladesh,
which is banking on a V-shaped recovery, is not considering the option. By Rejaul Karim Byron and Md Fazlur Rahman
GOVT WON’T SEEK DEBT SERVICE FREEZE
FROM G20 ECONOMIES
Bangladesh has decided not to avail the
temporary debt service suspension facility
extended by the Group of 20 major economies
as the country is capable of meeting its current
obligations despite the coronavirus pandemic
hitting the economy hard.
The economy stands to lose a staggering $13.3
billion for the coronavirus outbreak, according
to the Asian Development Bank, which is 4.9
per cent of Bangladesh’s gross domestic product.
And yet the country is confident that it can
manage its debt obligations just fine.
The G20 is made up of 19 countries and the
European Union. The countries are Argentina,
Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany,
France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico,
Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea,
Turkey, the UK and the US.
On April 15, the G20 nations agreed to freeze
bilateral government loan repayments for low-
income countries until the end of the year as
part of a plan to tackle the health and economic
crises triggered by the coronavirus pandemic and
prevent an emerging markets debt crunch.
The moratorium on bilateral government debt
repayments will begin on May 1 and will apply
to the 76 countries that are eligible to receive
assistance from the World Bank’s International
Development Association (IDA), which works
with the poorest countries, as well as all nations
defined as least-developed countries (LDCs) by
the United Nations.
In recent years, Bangladesh has been among
one of the largest recipient countries of the IDA
fund. The WB has informed all of its IDA-recipient
countries about the debt freeze opportunity. But
Bangladesh has officially informed both the WB
and the G20 countries that it would not use the
facility, said an official of the finance ministry.
The government has decided against availing
the debt suspension facility as the country is set
to graduate to a developing country from the
LDC group.
Rapid growth enabled Bangladesh to reach
the lower middle-income country status in
2015. In 2018, the country also fulfilled all
three eligibility criteria for graduation from the
LDC list for the first time and is on track for
graduation in 2024.
If Bangladesh avails the debt freeze, it would
have to cough up an additional $10 million per
month over the three years, the finance ministry
official said.
The G20 countries also don’t lend much to
the country.
Bangladesh repaid $1.57 billion in debt
payment in fiscal 2018-19, more than 80 per cent
of which went to the multilateral lenders. Of the
sum, $1.18 billion was in principle amount and
the rest in interest.
The country would pay $310 million in debt
obligations to the G20 countries this fiscal year.
Bangladesh’s borrowing from the G20
countries has accelerated in recent years and is
largely limited to the economies such as Japan,
China and Russia. The repayment for the loans
for the large creditors would begin after 25 to 30
years, the finance ministry official said.
Besides, if Bangladesh uses the debt
suspension opportunity, its space to receive
official development assistance from Japan
would squeeze, the official said.
The announcement from the G20 economies
came after the WB urged the G20 to let the poorest
countries suspend all repayments of official
bilateral credit due to the adverse impact on their
economies due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The actions to freeze both principal
repayments and interest payments will free up
more than $20 billion for the countries to spend
on improving their health systems and fighting
the coronavirus pandemic, Saudi Finance
Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan told reporters
after a virtual meeting of G20 finance officials
on April 15.
The debt suspension will last until the end
of the year but creditors will consider a possible
extension during 2020, taking into account a
report on countries’ liquidity needs by the World
Bank and the IMF.
The repayment period will be three years,
with a one-year grace period.
As per conditions, each beneficiary country
will be required to commit to using the
created fiscal space to increase social, health or
economic spending in response to the crisis. A
The Airport Road, which is typically teeming with traffic, is almost deserted for the
countrywide shutdown enforced since March 26 to flatten the curve on coronavirus.
monitoring system is expected to be put in place
by international financial institutions.
The countries will have to disclose all public
sector financial commitments (debt).
The recipient countries will not get new non-
concessional debt during the suspension period,
other than agreements under this initiative or in
compliance with limits agreed under the IMF
Debt Limit Policy (DLP) or World Bank Group
policy on non-concessional borrowing.
DHAKA URGES BEIJING TO CUT INTEREST
RATES ON PROJECT LOANS
Meanwhile, Dhaka has requested Beijing to cut
the interest rate at which China is bankrolling
projects worth billions of dollars in Bangladesh
by half and speed up signing loan agreements
to help the country in its quest for a V-shaped
recovery from the economic fallout of the global
coronavirus pandemic.
Beijing’s move would give a fillip to
ZINA TASREEN
the economy and create jobs through the
implementation of the projects as soon as the
effects of the deadly bug that set off from China
peter out. Dhaka has sent a letter to Beijing
to this effect and the mid-level officials of the
Chinese government have assured they are
actively looking into the issues.
The issue came up as China usually takes long
to approve a project and the pandemic has just
made the situation worse.
China was supposed to sign agreements by
June to provide $2.13 billion in loans for the
construction of the Dhaka-Ashulia elevated
expressway and strengthening the Power Grid
Company of Bangladesh’s (PGCB) grid network.
The two projects involve $1.15 billion and
$970 million respectively.
Now, only the project involving the PGCB
would be signed, said an official of the Economic
Relations Division (ERD).
Bangladesh has demanded China cut the
interest rate on loans to 1 per cent from 2 per
cent on the projects, citing the example of India.
The country is implementing a number of
projects under the $7.5 billion three-phased line of
credits from New Delhi at 1 per cent interest rates.
As the pestilence ravaged countries after
countries, China has received a wave of applications
for debt relief from crisis-hit countries included in
the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Chinese policy advisers and bankers told the
Financial Times that Beijing was considering a
number of responses, including the suspension
of interest payments on loans from the country’s
financial institutions.
“We may cut interest rates by a few percentage
points or have it removed. We could also reduce
principal payment by a moderate amount. The
idea is to keep borrowers from going under, which
may undermine our interest,” Mei Guanqun, a
researcher at the China Centre for International
Economic Exchanges, a government think-tank
in Beijing, told the FT.
Officially, Bangladesh is not part of the BRI.
But Beijing considers some of the projects out
of the 27 that China had agreed to bankroll
during its President Xi Jinping’s Dhaka visit in
October 2016 for about $20 billion as part of the
initiative.
The projects that Beijing considers part of BRI
involve $11 billion. A joint working group was
earlier formed to probe slow progress of the 27
projects. And Dhaka has recently called for fast-
tracking loan agreements, the last step before the
release of funds.
Until November, loan agreements for six
projects involving $5.71 billion were signed
and $1.09 billion was disbursed. The projects
are Karnaphuli river tunnel, Info-Sarkar, Single
point mooring in Maheshkhali, telecom network
upgrade, Padma bridge rail link and expansion
of power network in Dhaka.
The BRI, which was launched in 2013 as the
signature foreign policy initiative of President Xi
Jinping, is aimed at building infrastructure and
boosting China’s influence around the world.
Most of the 138 countries that have officially
signed up to the BRI are developing nations,
many with the weakest credit ratings in the world.

Container handling plunges Yanmar harvester: a

to six-year low in April
DWAIPAYAN BARUA, Ctg
The Chattogram port handled
86,783 twenty-foot equivalent units
of containers in April, the lowest
single month throughput in six
years, as the coronavirus pandemic
put a brake on global and domestic
trade.
Last month, the country’s premier
port handled 53.76 per cent fewer
containers, both inbound and
outbound, compared with March,
when 1,87,551 TEUs of containers
went in and out through the port.
The country’s import and export
experienced a decline in January
following the coronavirus outbreak
in China and the deadly bug had
an impact on the port’s cargo
handling.
The cargo handling situation
slightly improved in March after
Chinese factories and ports started
to reopen in late February. But when
the virus spread through Europe
and the US, the major destinations
of Bangladesh’s garment exports,
the foreign sales nosedived in late
March and the major hit was felt in
April.
The number of export containers,
which were shipped to the vessels
from the port, plunged 76.84 per
cent to 14,744 TEUs in April from
63,648 TEUs in March.
Unloading of import containers
from the vessels plummeted 41.90
per cent 71,986 TEUs against
123,903 TEUs in March.
Shipping liners blamed the
overall fall in global trade caused by
the pandemic for such a plunge in
container throughput.
Mediterranean Shipping
Company (MSC), one of the
world’s leading container shipping
lines and the second largest in
transporting containerised cargo
to and from Bangladesh, faced
a noticeable drop in container
transport last month.
The operator usually transports
on average more than 10,000
TEUs of import containers and
more than 6,500 TEUs of export
containers every month through the
Chattogram port.
In April, it transported 4,538
TEUs import containers and 1,138
TEUs export containers.
CHITTAGONG PORT’S CONTAINER HANDLING SO FAR THIS YEAR
250,000
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
0 The government
Jan Feb
Many foreign buyers, including
Verner, Walmart, Primark, JC Penney
and Adidas either cancelled or put
on hold their orders bringing down
the exports, said Md Ajmir Hossain
Chowdhury, assistant general
manager for operations of MSC.
Overall, cargo handling in the
port also reduced.
In March, 1.03 crore tonnes of
cargoes, both containerised and
bulk, were handled by the port. It
was 70 lakh tonnes in April.
The port handled 257 vessels last
month, down from 366 in March,
364 in February and 357 in January.
Port officials blame the acute
container and vessel congestion
for the poor container handling in
April.
There were enough imports last
month but due to the space scarcity
at the port, the containers had to be
stuck on the vessels in the sea, which
(in TEU)
Import
Mar
CARGO HANDLING SO
FAR THIS YEAR
(In million tonne)
10.9 10.3
9.4
7 Experts said Yanmar is a robust and
Jan Feb Mar Apr
RAJIB RAIHAN
impacted the overall container
handling.
The port was not closed even for a
single hour despite the countrywide
shutdown caused by the coronavirus
outbreak, said Chattogram Port
Authority (CPA) Member Md Zafar
Alam.
“The export might have been
hit by the fall in global trade but
the import was ample ahead of
Ramadan,” Alam said, adding that
most of the import containers could
not be unloaded on time as the
vessels had to wait in the sea due to
the container congestion.
More than 20,000 TEUs of import
containers that arrived last month
could not be unloaded as they were
stuck in the sea.
If they could be unloaded timely,
the overall container throughput
would have been much higher, said
port officials.
blessing for farmers
STAR BUSINESS REPORT
An acute shortage of agricultural
labourers during the time of paddy
Export harvesting throws a spanner in the
works, putting the farmers’ back-
breaking efforts to ensure food security
on the line.
Bangladesh’s agriculture sector has
been facing this unique workforce
challenge for several years due mainly
to rural depopulation and migration
of agricultural labourers to non-farm
sectors.
Apr The country-wide restrictions
imposed on the movement of people
and vehicles to contain the spread of
coronavirus have added fuel to the
woes of farmers.
In the throes of these uncertainties
and desperations, Yanmar combine
harvesters marketed by ACI Motors in
Bangladesh come as a godsend to take
farm mechanisation to the next level.
ACI Motors has been working since
2007 to mechanise and modernise the
agriculture sector of Bangladesh and
bring down the post-harvest losses the
farmers incur every season, officials said.
Since the harvesting period in
Bangladesh is very limited, mobility of
the harvester is necessary if the owner
wants a higher profit. For that reason,
faster after sales service with proper
driver training plays a pivotal role in
making the machine cost-effective.
It costs Tk 9,000 to Tk 10,000 to
harvest paddy from one acre of land in
the traditional way, but the use of the
Yanmar harvester can bring down the
cost by about 50 per cent to Tk 5,000
per acre, the officials said.
According to an assessment by ACI
Motors, the use of 1,000 harvesters can
save around Tk 200 crore in labour cost.
About 12 per cent of crop is wasted
while cutting paddy in the traditional
way, but the Yanmar harvester brings
down the wastage to less than 5 per cent
and thus the use of 1,000 harvesters can
save rice worth Tk 100 crore.
Currently rice production cost in
Bangladesh is around Tk 21 per kg but
the use of Yanmar harvester can reduce
the production cost by Tk 2 per kg.
A gigantic task farmers face every
year is minimising the post-harvest
losses along with reducing the labour
cost and bringing down the time
involvement.
Post-harvest losses of paddy at the
farm level are 9.49 per cent, 10.51 per
cent and 10.59 per cent for aman, boro
and aus paddy respectively, according
to a study on “combine harvester:
impact on paddy production in
Bangladesh” conducted by Bangladesh
Agricultural University (BAU).
Cost savings, labour savings and
benefit-cost ratio in mechanical
harvesting of paddy using combine
harvester indicate that investment in
combine harvester is highly profitable,
according to the study.
has been
supportive for
promoting the
use of combine
harvester from the
very beginning,
said Subrata
Ranjan Das,
executive director
of ACI Motors Ltd
Harvesting cost and labour savings
in combine harvester was found 57.61
per cent and 70 per cent respectively
over manual harvesting.
The government has been supportive
for promoting the use of combine
harvester from the very beginning, said
Subrata Ranjan Das, executive director
of ACI Motors Ltd, adding that farmers
could not afford harvesters without
any kind of financial support.
Many farmers have been using
harvesters for the last few years with the
help of government subsidy, he said.
Amid the rising demand, the
government has recently sanctioned an
additional amount of subsidy to give a
fillip to farm mechanisation.
“This policy is aligned with the
requirement of our farmers by
providing subsidy for bigger harvesters.
Also, banks must come forward to
provide financial support to farmers in
order to utilise the subsidy,” he added.
The government’s subsidy was
crucial to introducing the technology
as the prices of the farm machinery are
high, while farmers have a shortage of
capital, Professor Emeritus MA Sattar
Mandal of the BAU had said earlier.
The government allocated Tk
100 crore to help provide subsidy
to the farmers as part of its efforts to
spread and popularise agriculture
mechanisation, said Hasanuzzaman
Kallal, additional secretary to the
agriculture ministry.
He said the government is providing
70 per cent subsidy to the farmers in
haor areas for purchasing combined
harvesters and 50 per cent to the
growers in the plain land.
“Farmers are getting benefit by
using harvesters like Yanmar,” he said,
adding that the government has already
provided subsidy for purchasing 181
harvesters of different brands including
Yanmar in the current season.
He said a harvester’s performance is
equivalent to that of 150 workers, and
so, it saves 50 per cent cost compared
to manual harvesting.
ACI Motors, which has 12 years of
experience in harvesting technologies,
have tried several other harvesters of
different brands before finally choosing
Yanmar as it is one of the leading
Japanese agriculture machinery brands.
Yanmar harvesters can rotate 360
degrees, providing the advantage
of turning the machine in a small
fragmented land, while the rate of crop
loss is very low as it prevents shuttering.
stout machine which prevents rough
harvesting with the help of six unique
sensors. The harvester is compatible
with much of the land in Bangladesh
as it can operate in both mushy and
dry lands for multipurpose uses for
paddy and wheat.
Mustofa Kamal, a farmer from
Palashgaon village of Bishwambarpur
upazila in Sunamganj, said he recently
bought a unit of combined harvester
from ACI paying Tk 3 lakh as down
payment.
“At first I faced some technical
problems as I had no training on how
to operate the machine but later a
team of ACI came to provide training
and servicing,” he said, adding that
the harvester is working well now and
generating income.
“Farmers are getting a huge benefit
as they can harvest their paddy
instantly without any hassles.”
Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury,
another farmer from Derai upazila of
Sunamganj, said he bought a harvester
from ACI with the help of officials of
the local agriculture department and is
now reaping benefits.
8 EDITORIAL
DHAKA THURSDAY MAY 7, 2020, BAISHAKH 24, 1427 BS
Ensure all laboratories
and experts are being
utilised
This crisis will spiral out of
control without widespread testing
I
N a press conference in mid-March, WHO head Tedros
Adhanom Ghebreyesus had memorably said it is not
possible to “fight a fire blindfolded” and “we have
a simple message for all countries—test, test and test.”
However, Bangladesh is yet to fully take this advice on
board, as there are still a good number of laboratories
and experts based in universities and government research
institutions that are not being utilised in the fight against
coronavirus. According to a report in this daily on May
6, there are some 26 real-time polymerase chain reaction
instruments in 17 public institutions, and 46 in 37 private
ones, as well as hundreds of scientists and technicians who
have specialised knowledge of using these instruments.
However, only three out of the 17 public institutions,
and seven non-government hospitals and institutions, are
conducting coronavirus tests.
Given recent reports on how almost 1,000 people are
lining up for hours at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical
University (BSMMU) every day to get tested (although it
only has the capacity to test 200-250 people per day), it
is shocking that the government has been allowing these
resources to remain underutilised due to organisational
inertia from the health ministry. Recently, this daily carried
photos of a mother crying over the body of her 11-month-
old son, who had flu-like symptoms for three days, and died
before he could get tested. We will never know if this child
had coronavirus, and we still have no clear idea how many
people might be infected but remain untested. Against this
backdrop, why are requests from these institutions—such
as the University of Dhaka’s proposal to the health ministry
regarding the use of university laboratories for Covid-19
diagnosis—being so negligently ignored? Given that health
officials suspect that Bangladesh could have between 50,000
and 100,000 cases of coronavirus by the end of May, why are
we still screening people at only 33 designated centres that
have the capacity to test around 3,000 samples in 24 hours?
Now that shopping malls, all types of shops and other
businesses have permission to resume operations starting
May 10, it is even more crucial for us to ensure widespread
testing and stop a wave of community transmission before
it is too late. We urge the authorities to immediately take
steps to ensure all laboratories across the country are able to
diagnose Covid-19. The health ministry must immediately
provide support to adequately equip these laboratories and
coordinate with them to guarantee tests for all suspected
cases of Covid-19.
Feeding the hungry
during the lockdown
Initiative taken by DU students
should be emulated by others in
society
I
T is heart-warming to learn from a report in The Daily
Star that a group of Dhaka University students led by a
DUCSU member has been serving free sehri and iftar
meals among around 1,000 hungry people every day on
the campus. The students have been providing food to the
underprivileged since the beginning of the shutdown on
March 26. Encouraged by this initiative, their friends, several
professors of the university, politicians and DU alumni have
also come forward to help them as much as they can so that
the students can continue feeding those who have lost their
income and are unable to buy food for themselves as well
as for their families.
As this daily reported recently, the ongoing countrywide
shutdown has taken away income opportunities from tens
of thousands of people. And the urban poor who mostly
used to work in the informal sector have been hit hard
by the pandemic, as they are not getting much help from
the authorities concerned. Although the government has
been trying to provide financial and food assistance to the
poor across the country to help them survive through the
pandemic, this is just not enough.
Individuals, associations, voluntary organisations, and
student bodies all should come forward to overcome this
huge humanitarian crisis. As we know, some voluntary
organisations including the Bidyananda Foundation have
been doing a tremendous job of helping people fight the
crisis. Students of pharmacy, chemistry and biochemistry
departments at DU and JNU have been preparing hand
sanitisers to distribute among the poor. Many student
organisations in and outside the capital have been
providing the working class with food and other assistance.
Moreover, some student organisations have been trying to
help farmers harvest their boro crops. All these initiatives
taken by the students make us optimistic about our young
people’s sincerity in helping the vulnerable. We hope to see
more such initiatives by not only students, but also others
in society.
LETTERS
TO THE EDITOR
letters@thedailystar.net
Reopening plan very risky
It came as a shock to me when I learned about the
“partial” opening of the RMG sector late last month.
Seeing the influx of workers pouring into the capital
disregarding all social distancing guidelines was
even more shocking, to say the least. One does not
need to be an expert to assess the risks of such a
development. Now the government has decided to
reopen shopping malls and other businesses on a
limited scale starting May 10.
I can comprehend that we are living in strange
times and it tends to take a toll on us when we are
being forced to live within the confines of walls, but
reopening businesses would simply ruin the very
purpose of the nationwide lockdown. We are all well
aware of the devastating outcome of this pandemic.
I know the economy is taking a hit particularly and
many people are going through extremely difficult
circumstances. It is also true that livelihoods need to
be saved. But at the cost of lives? I beg to differ.
Sanjana Bushra, Dhaka
Four key areas that need
urgent attention
T
HE
economic
crisis caused
by Covid-19
is deepening
in Bangladesh
every day. This
level of crisis is
unprecedented at
SELIM RAIHAN both the national
and global levels.
It is now inevitable
that the global economy will fall into a
deep recession. If the economic crisis in
Bangladesh is prolonged, there is also a
big risk of social crisis. The health crisis
in Bangladesh is also growing. We are
already observing worrisome health-
related impacts in the country, with the
number of coronavirus-infected people
increasing at an alarming rate along with
the number of deaths.
Although there is much debate about
the country’s economic growth rate
during this crisis, there is no doubt that
all the drivers of economy have been
severely affected. These include the export
sector, especially the garment industry,
remittances, domestic industries and
services, agriculture, poultry, fisheries, and
the small and medium enterprises. The
crisis is also having a heavy toll on the
poor and vulnerable people. SANEM’s
ongoing research shows that the crisis
could lead to a big jump in the poverty
rate in Bangladesh, and that the success
of poverty reduction in the country over
the past decades could be lost. However,
the depth of its impact on the economy
will depend on the duration and spread
of the crisis. Nevertheless, considering the
dynamics of the crisis so far, it is obvious
that it is going to leave a big mark on the
economic growth and social achievements
of Bangladesh.
To cushion the blow of the economic
crisis, the government has announced
a stimulus package that involves a big
amount, which may increase further in
the coming days. However, the success
of this stimulus package depends on
three things: financing, management
and monitoring. There are four possible
sources of financing for this huge amount.
First of all, it is necessary to immediately
suspend or cancel the “unnecessary” or
less important projects of the government.
Second, borrowing from international
organisations such as the World Bank,
IMF and ADB. Third, borrowing from
the banking sector (however, in the face
of the prevailing crisis in the sector, it
is necessary to borrow with sufficient
caution). If these three options are
exhausted, then the fourth option is to
print money, which, in my view, should
be kept as a last resort.
Proper management of the stimulus
package is vital. There are two aspects to
the package: one is to provide assistance
to the affected industries, and the other
is to address the food safety problem
of the poor and vulnerable people. In
both cases, there is a need for efficient
Midwives in times of crisis
E
VERY
day, every
moment, a
mother gives birth
and a new life
begins. However,
around the world,
poor quality and
limited access
ASA TORKELSSON to sexual and
reproductive
health services and
information lead to tragic and preventable
deaths and illness among women of
childbearing age.
As we observe the International Day of
the Midwife, we salute all the midwives
around the world who are putting their
lives at risk to provide pregnant and new
mothers with the care that they need.
Clad in gloves, masks, goggles, and
gowns, these midwives are our heroes.
They are braving Covid-19 to ensure that
no mother dies while giving birth.
Bangladesh can be proud of the
remarkable progress made on the
maternal health front.
I have been fortunate to meet so
many midwives around Bangladesh,
continuously inspired by their service.
Just before the travel restrictions, I visited
a health facility in rural Moheshkhali,
where midwives described their
experience saying: “Living in this remote
area, away from our family and home,
is definitely not easy. We face many
hardships and sacrifice a lot, but it brings
us great joy to serve the women. We
want to serve all mothers in Bangladesh.
Everyone deserves the right to quality
healthcare.” This is the resilience, sheer
determination, and wholehearted serving
of the midwives in Bangladesh, and these
are the heroes that we salute today and
every day.
Despite their commitment and
the progressive improvements in the
healthcare system, maternal mortality,
however, has remained stagnant in
Bangladesh, at close to 200 per 100,000
live births over the last 10 years. At
present, about half of the births still take
place in homes, at substantive risk for
mother and child.
When a crisis strikes, skilled birth
supervision—who will get the money
and how. The government needs to
ensure transparency and accountability
in the whole process. Without proper
monitoring of the use and management
of the stimulus package funds, its purpose
will be severely hampered. This requires
the immediate formation of a national
monitoring committee comprising
representatives from government
agencies, NGOs, civil society, the business
community, and labour organisations.
Given the severity of the crisis, a two-
year economic recovery plan is needed,
the main objective of which should be to
bring the economy of Bangladesh back to
its pre-crisis state. At this juncture, there
is a need for proper implementation of
the stimulus package as well as some
“politically feasible”, much-needed policy
reforms in trade policy, tax structure
Ensuring food security for all will be a big challenge in the coming days.
and banking sector. In this case, the next
national budget (2020-2021) should
be very different from the past budgets.
This budget needs to have specific action
plans for the health sector, the affected
economic sectors and social security
programmes on a priority basis. In all
these areas, a quick assessment is needed
now to accommodate a large amount
of additional funds under the stimulus
package. We don’t need to worry much
about the budget deficit at this time. In
contrast to the 4-5 percent budget deficit
in normal times, the government may
consider a budget deficit of up to 8-10
percent during this crisis.
Above all, there is an urgent need
to pay special attention to four areas:
health, food security, agriculture and
normalisation of the economy. Let me
explain each in the following paragraphs.
First, the crisis caused by Covid-19
has shown us that there is no alternative
to public spending and government
initiatives in the health sector. Surprisingly,
in the last two decades, public expenditure
on health as a proportion of GDP in
attendance and emergency obstetric care
become even more important, especially
in a country such as Bangladesh where it
is estimated that around 400 births take
place every hour.
Every woman must have access to
respectful maternity care including
emergency obstetric care. Hospitals,
in particular, must be equipped with
skilled professionals to be able to treat
emergency cases and prevent them
through early detection. As the UN’s
sexual and reproductive health agency,
UNFPA believes in safe birth, everywhere,
all the time, under all circumstances.
This includes during health emergencies
and humanitarian situations such as the
Covid-19 pandemic.
Midwives are key caregivers for
mothers and their new-borns
Midwives play a crucial role in the health
and wellbeing of a mother and their
new-born. They are key caregivers, during
pregnancy, labour, childbirth, and in
the post-delivery period, and are skilled
birth attendants that are educated to
identify and provide initial treatment of
complications, serving mothers heart-to-
heart.
In addition to enabling safe childbirth,
professional midwives also play a critical
role in providing comprehensive sexual
and reproductive health information
and services to women and couples
within their communities, such as family
planning services, information and
counselling, including on gender-based
violence. They can also perform breast
and cervical cancer screening. Such
services are crucial to ensure healthy
women, healthy families, and healthy
communities, and thus must continue
to be provided amidst humanitarian and
health emergency situations.
Midwives must be skilled
professionally to deliver life-saving
services
In 2010, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
called for the introduction of a new cadre
of professional midwives in line with the
UN Secretary-General’s “Every Woman,
Every Child” initiative. UNFPA is proud
to have supported the government of
Bangladesh in establishing the country’s
Bangladesh has remained at 0.5 percent,
which has declined over time. This should
be at least 4 percent. The ongoing crisis
shows the dilapidated state of government
hospitals and public health services. At the
same time, it shows a lack of accountability
in private hospitals and private health
services. This needs to be fixed. It is also
important to keep in mind that with the
significant increase in public expenditure
in the health sector, transparency and
accountability in spending must be
ensured.
Second, in order to ensure food
security for the poor and vulnerable
people, it is necessary to distribute
essential food items at the local level
on the basis of the list of the poor that
the government has under the social
security programme. There is a need to
come up with new lists to include the
excluded poor and vulnerable people. At
the local level, administrations, public
representatives, volunteers and NGOs
can work together to create and update
the lists, distribute food, and prevent
irregularities throughout the process.
Capable individuals in the private sector
and private-sector organisations (such as
BGMEA, FBCCI, MCCI, DCCI) need to
come forward to ensure food security for
their workers and staff.
Third, several steps need to be taken
to implement the government’s stimulus
package for farmers. Since the domestic
supply chain of the agricultural market
has collapsed, the current crisis in the
sector cannot be solved by just giving
loans to farmers. This requires measures
to ensure the supply of agricultural
inputs at the field level is maintained in
compliance with health safety norms,
even in this lockdown. In this case, the
ministries of agriculture, health, transport
and home affairs will have to work
jointly with the local administrations
and businessmen. An immediate issue
is the management of boro harvesting.
first ever Professional Midwifery
Programme.
The flagship initiative has introduced
a system of standardised pre-service
education and deployment of midwives,
focusing on sexual and reproductive
health services. Currently, 1,149 registered
midwives have been deployed to 342
Upazila Health Complexes around the
country. A total of 4,623 midwives have
graduated and 4,399 are licensed.
Since the deployment of licensed
midwives in August 2018, the access
and quality of women’s healthcare has
improved across Bangladesh, with the
safe delivery of over 100,000 babies
and provision of family planning
services to 100,000 women, including
in humanitarian emergency situations.
Additionally, 155 Upazila (sub-district)
Health Complexes have reported an
increase in delivery rate by over 10 births
per month. These are the midwives who
today are braving Covid-19 to ensure that
every mother and new-born, across the
country, receive the care and attention that
they need.
This increase in professional midwives
has only been possible through the
joint efforts of the government, UNFPA,
UNICEF, WHO, and the civil society, and
support from our many development
partners, particularly the governments
of Canada, Sweden, and the United
Kingdom.
Midwives deserve enabling
environments to deliver quality care
However, gaps within the system still
exist, and there is room for improvement,
including clear career development,
conducive environments, opportunity for
higher education, and clear accountability.
Midwives must be recognised as separate
from nurses, and as accountable and
autonomous professionals, providing
sexual and reproductive health services
and information.
Given the current Covid-19 context, it is
of utmost importance that midwives have
access to Protective Personal Equipment
(PPE) and receive training on how to
effectively and efficiently use PPE for their
own safety and that of their patients. It
is vital that they are able to operate in a
Agricultural workers, who travel from
different districts of the north to work
during boro cultivation across the country,
are unable to travel during the lockdown.
Due to this, there is an extreme crisis of
agricultural workers in different parts
of the country. A similar crisis is seen in
the cultivation of summer fruits. In this
case too, the ministries concerned must
work closely with local administrations to
ensure safe travel for agricultural workers,
in compliance with health regulations.
My recommendation is to give interest-
free loans to farmers under the stimulus
package. It is important to keep in mind
that ensuring food security for all will be
a big challenge in the coming days. The
highest priority thus must be given to the
agricultural sector, and every effort must
be made to ensure that production is not
disrupted.
STAR FILE PHOTO/MINTU DESHWARA
Fourth, initiatives can be taken to keep
the necessary economic sectors open to
a limited extent while maintaining the
highest level of health safety standards
for workers. In this case, the relevant
government agencies and factory owners
need to come up with appropriate sector-
specific and region-specific protocols.
At the same time, full transparency and
accountability must be ensured in how
this protocol will be implemented. But
the implementation of such an initiative
depends on the level of coronavirus-
related health risks in the country, which
is changing every day.
I think it’s not just the government’s
responsibility to deal with the kind of
crisis we’re going through and the huge
economic blow we’re going to face in the
days ahead. In this case, the government,
NGOs, civil society, various industrial
and business organisations and workers’
organisations all need to work together.
Dr Selim Raihan is Professor, Department of
Economics, University of Dhaka, and Executive
Director at South Asian Network on Economic
Modeling (SANEM). Email: selim.raihan@gmail.com
safe and enabling environment, in line
with Bangladesh’s health policies, that set
a clear agenda for midwives to take the
lead in providing maternal and new-born
health care.
It is vital that women continue to
feel safe and get the proper support
in hospitals, and that safe deliveries
are maintained even under these
unprecedented and difficult circumstances.
Saluting midwives today and every
day
Every day, midwives bring lifesaving
health services to women, particularly to
vulnerable women and girls. They play a
critical role in the realisation of the 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development,
accelerating the ICPD Programme of
Action in Bangladesh, as well as in
delivering UNFPA’s mandate of ensuring
every childbirth is safe, every pregnancy
is wanted, and every young person’s
potential is fulfilled.
This is why 2020 has been declared
as the International Year of the Midwife.
It is a global movement recognising the
unwavering commitment and service
that midwives dedicate towards women
around the world. On behalf of UNFPA, I
commend the government of Bangladesh,
in particular the Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare, for ensuring a strong
midwifery programme in the country,
which has strengthened the health system
to be able to respond better during
health emergencies such as Covid-19. It
is through this programme that we have
been able to ensure professional midwives
are deployed across the country to provide
life-saving services.
As we salute midwives today, and every
day, we remain committed to supporting
the government of Bangladesh in ensuring
that more midwives are educated,
licensed, and deployed across the country,
to reduce its maternal mortality and
safeguard the precious lives of all mothers
and new-borns in the country.
Thank you midwives for your brave and
selfless service, everywhere, and under all
circumstances. You continue to inspire all
of those around you.
Dr Asa Torkelsson is UNFPA Representative in
Bangladesh.
DHAKA THURSDAY MAY 7, 2020, BAISHAKH 24, 1427 BS OPINION 9

What students think about online class

and assessment in private universities
ASAD KARIM KHAN PRIYO and UMMAHA over the past month may have created need to use plagiarism checking
HAZRA a perception that students only want software and ensure that students
a long holiday without any class and get rewarded for unique answers. We

A
FTER the Covid-19 lockdown
started in Bangladesh and our
university opted for online
classes, a student wrote to us. She
moved back to her village and did not
have her own laptop. She feared that
her grades would suffer and others
with better internet access would get
undue advantage. This concerned us
as teachers and we replied that we
would provide video recordings of
all the lectures. She can watch those
later in her own time—even offline
after downloading—and ask questions
anytime through the university’s digital
platform. She was relieved and so were
we. As the lockdown days unfolded, we
attentively followed the conversations
of the authorities from all sides and
noticed that students were not part of
the formal conversation. As teachers,
we believe that our main accountability
is towards our students and we feel an
obligation to bring students’ voices into
the discourse.
We surveyed 204 top-tier private
university students who attended
online classes during the Covid-19
lockdown: 61 percent of them are male
and 64 percent are undergraduate
students; 90 percent of the students are
between 21 and 30 years old. About
one third of the students are currently
living outside Dhaka and 12 percent
in rural areas. About 42 percent of
respondents reported having some
form of income generating occupation
before lockdown. After lockdown, 34
percent of them have lost that job and
57 percent have experienced a decrease
in income. Almost half the respondents
lost a part of their pocket money.
Some students’ self-reports and a
few teachers’ accounts in social media
exam. This selective perception belittles
the students and their intention to
ensure a level playing field with less
psychological stress. In contrast, our
survey suggests that 52 percent of
students want some form of class
during the Covid-19 pandemic and,
among them, 82 percent prefer online
class as opposed to in-person class with
proper safety measures. Half of the
students prefer some form of grading
to finish the ongoing semester without
much delay to avoid session jam.
Among them, 96 percent are in favour
of some type of online assessment
whereas only 4 percent want a grade
based on work done during in-person
classes.
All respondents had experience
with both live/real-time online classes
and recorded video lectures during the
lockdown. Among them, 58 percent
prefer recorded video lectures and 42
percent prefer live/real-time online
classes. Students who prefer live/real-
time online classes find those to be
more interactive and easier for instant
queries. In contrast, students who prefer
recorded video lectures find those to be
more flexible, less bandwidth intensive,
less costly, and more equitable.
About 76 percent of the respondents
experience a slower internet connection
after the lockdown and that may be
why 84 percent of those who do not
prefer live/real-time online classes
report connectivity problem as the
main reason for their choice. About 71
percent of the respondents who prefer
recorded video lectures report that they
can go over the recordings as many
times as they need to while more than
half of this group complain that some
materials presented during the live/real-
time classes are inaccessible later.
Online classes are not perfect
substitutes for in-person lectures and
we find that respondents are stressed
about grades as 58 percent report a
lower grade expectation after the start of
the online classes. This stress is due to
the innumerable uncertainties students
face during this pandemic. They are
under huge psychological pressure like
the rest of the society. Therefore, an
innovative and empathetic approach
is important while designing online
assessment tools that take into account
the digital divide as well as the
psychological aspects.
In our survey, we find that 86
percent of the respondents prefer
take-home assignments as opposed
to real-time online exams. Take-home
assignments can significantly reduce
the digital divide by addressing the
connectivity problem to a large extent.
Usually, take-home assignments have
submission deadlines of 24-48 hours
whereas live/real-time online exams
need to be completed within 1-2 hours
and can cause significant anxiety. In an
already difficult situation of Covid-19
pandemic, we need to make the playing
field level for everyone. Take-home
assignments, if properly designed, can
be as rigorous as in-person exams. Most
courses, may be with the exception of
purely mathematical ones, can use a
combination of analytical questions,
case studies and policy analysis to
test students’ critical thinking ability
and creativity. Since students can
communicate among themselves and
consult books, websites etc., teachers
should remember that in this digital
age, with people having multiple
devices, it is almost impossible to
guarantee a collusion and plagiarism
free exam even in a live online
environment.
Unlike most other sectors, the
education sector, with the help of
technology, can keep operating even
during the Covid-19 pandemic without
increasing the risk of spread. The recent
directives of the education ministry
and the University Grants Commission
(UGC) urging all universities to
ensure online classes and allowing
private universities to hold online
assessments following UGC guidelines
are commendable. However, we feel
that the voices of the students are
missing from the ongoing discourse.
This survey is an effort to fill that
void and, on the basis of the survey,
we recommend that all online live
classes should provide video recordings
to the students for future reference,
and assessments should be based on
well-designed take-home assignments
in as many courses as possible. For
students, their education and grades
are very important, they are uncertain
about what is going to happen during
the Covid-19 pandemic, and they are
anxious. The authorities need to create
a clear set of guidelines regarding
online classes and assessments with
a view to reducing the ambiguity and
the resulting anxiety. Incorporating
students’ perspective in the guidelines
is imperative to achieve that.
Dr Asad Karim Khan Priyo is Assistant Professor,
Department of Economics, North South University.
Dr Ummaha Hazra is Assistant Professor, Depart-
ment of Management, North South University.

Saadat Husain: A friend, mentor,

and unassuming hero
D
R Saadat
AN OPEN Husain,
DIALOGUE former
chairman of
Bangladesh
Public Service
Commission,
passed away on
April 22, 2020.
Saadat Bhai, as
ABDULLAH SHIBLI
I used to call
him since I first
met him in Boston, was a friend and a
mentor. During the last four decades
that I have known him, he and his wife
Shahana were close to me and my wife,
Nasreen Shibli (Rumi), and his demise
is a personal loss for us.
I first met Dr Saadat Husain in
September 1977, when we both enrolled
in the PhD programme at Boston
University. For the next two years, we
were enrolled in the same programme,
took the same courses, and lived in the
same building. The PhD programme
at Boston University is a very rigorous
and demanding journey that required
us to be completely immersed in an
academic regime. I came straight out
of Dhaka University, but Saadat Bhai
had spent the previous seven years in
administration. However, from the
point when the first classes started, he
did not miss a single beat. Some of
his peers who came from government
services had spent the previous summer
preparing at the University of Colorado,
Boulder orientation workshops before
taking courses at Boston University.
However, Saadat Bhai flew straight from
Dhaka two days after I did, and dived in
head-first. That speaks volumes about
his intellectual agility and his ability to
tackle complex academic problems as
needed which he demonstrated during
his illustrious career, first in the Civil
Service of Pakistan (CSP) and then for
four decades in Bangladesh government
service.
Joining our cohort to study
economics under the legendary Prof
Gus Papanek at Boston University was
Saadat Bhai’s close friend, Dr Saiful
Huq, and Dr Zaidi Sattar, both of who
had previous stints at Dhaka University.
But Saadat Bhai, whose career in the
civil service took him from the Training
Academy in Lahore to wade through
the mud fields of mofussil towns in
independent Bangladesh, immersed
himself in tackling mathematics,
econometrics, and all the differential
equations.
What impressed me about this
unassuming and humble civil servant
was his sense of values, the straight-
shooter attitude, and his dedication
to public service. After we finished
our grinding course work in 1979
and were preparing to undertake the
long and tedious work of writing our
dissertation, Saadat Bhai decided
that he was going to come back to
Dhaka and write his dissertation in
Bangladesh. This was 1981, just after
the assassination of President Ziaur
Rahman, and he had decided that
as a Freedom Fighter he needed to
come back and offer his service to the
government. This surprised many of
us. Of the dozens of civil servants (ex-
CSPs) who were enrolled in the PhD
programme, no one else had taken this
decision to apply for a leave of absence
at the graduate school and go back
to his homeland. He felt that he had
already spent three years on study leave
and he owed it to the country to offer a
few more years of service to the nation,
and later pick up where he left off. (He
came back in 1987 for a few months
and finished off the dissertation.)
Saadat Bhai’s sense of humour
would provide us with hours of
entertainment and inspiration during
the long and arduous slog through
the 128 credit hours of the PhD
programme. One of the toughest
subjects we grappled with was in our
first semester. A course in mathematical
economics was a requirement,
and was taught by a no-nonsense
professor, Victor Cholewicki. Since
our preparation at Dhaka University
Dr Saadat Husain (1946-2020)
fell short on this aspect of higher-
level work in graduate school, we all
struggled with the weekly assignments
and examinations. At one point, each
of us, including veterans of the civil
service, was nervous about getting a low
grade in this course. Our mentors and
seniors including Dr Farashuddin, Dr
Abdus Samad and Dr Shah Mohammed
Farid warned us about getting
anything less than a B+. However,
Saadat Bhai worked diligently with us,
and helped us navigate through our
textbook, “Fundamental Methods of
Mathematical Economics” by Alpha C.
Chiang. Fortunately, his wife Shahana
Bhabi, a college professor, was still
in Dhaka, and as a bachelor pro-tem,
Saadat Bhai was able to dedicate hours
on the problem sets. He not only
shared his notes with us, he taught us
all the tricks he mastered. Whenever we
would find a problem that was difficult
to solve, and were walking around with
a gloomy look, Saadat Bhai would
appear with his smiling face, and give
his war cry—“Arey, Lagrange maro”—
which to our mind, already fatigued by
our struggles with optimisation using
the Lagrange Method, gave us hope to
carry on and not be too doleful.
Whenever I visited Dhaka, either
during my long fieldwork in 1981-1983
or subsequently for other reasons, both
personal and professional, I would stop
by his office or his home for a cup of
tea. He offered his unstinted help for
my work in Cumilla during his BARD
days, and later at ERD, as a brother
would. He was a source of strength for
me when my elder brother Shadani
passed away in 1987 and he was
finishing up his dissertation in Boston.
When Saadat Bhai was working at
the ERD in 1993-1994, he encouraged
me to apply for a UNDP programme
known as TOKTEN. The Transfer
of Knowledge Through Expatriate
Nationals (TOKTEN) programme
is a global mechanism funded by
the UN for tapping into expatriate
nationals who had migrated to other
countries and achieved professional
success abroad. TOKTEN volunteers
were invited by the government of
Bangladesh to undertake short-term
consultancies. They were not paid
direct salaries but were entitled to
a roundtrip air ticket and a daily
subsistence allowance (DSA). Saadat
Bhai connected me with another
Boston University alum, Dr Mohiuddin
Khan Alamgir, who was then chairman
of the Tariff Commission, and the
result was a feasibility study of a carbon
tax in Bangladesh. My work in 1994
led to my subsequent work a few years
later, in 1996, when I was invited
by USAID and UNDP to work as an
environmental economist for National
Environmental Management Action
Plan (NEMAP). I owe it to Saadat
Bhai for getting me interested in the
newly emerging field of environmental
economics.
During the years of 2000-2005,
when I was working at Harvard
University, I visited Bangladesh several
times both for professional and
personal reasons. His wife, Shahana
Bhabi, would invite us to his house in
Gulshan every time Rumi came with
me to Bangladesh. When I last went to
visit him in Niketon, to invite him to
my book inauguration, I missed him
by a minute as he had already left to
see his daughter. I called him on the
day of my book launch to remind him.
His last words to me during the call
was, “Shibli, I will try but as you know,
my health does not always want to
cooperate with my wishes.”
Saadat Bhai, wherever you are, we
will always remember you as a friend.
For your warmth. For your wit, affection
and, not to mention, your hearty laugh
and pithy one-liners.
Dr Abdullah Shibli is an economist and senior
research fellow at International Sustainable
Development Institute (ISDI), a think tank based
in Boston, USA.

CROSSWORD BY THOMAS JOSEPH BEETLE BAILEY BY MORT WALKER

ACROSS 32 Walking aid 8 Mayday and the
1 Like lions 33 Good pair like
6 Olympics award 34 Bargain 9 Poker payment
11 Cohort of Kirk 36 TV warrior 10 For fear that
and Sulu princess 16 Dickens boy
12 Speculate 38 Parcel out 18 Set eyes on
13 Milk source 40 Flour factories 19 Money
14 View obscurers 43 Piglet’s creator 21 Jokes
15 Chimney grime 44 Key 23 Pressing need
17 Proofing note 45 Newark’s county 24 Words of
18 Surgery 46 Peevish understanding
memento 25 Young ones YESTERDAY’S ANSWERS
MARIE CURIE 20 Lab aide of film DOWN 27 Earshaped shell BABY BLUES BY KIRKMAN & SCOTT
(1867-1934) 22 Mythical piper 1 Marsh stuff 30 Dr. Ruth’s field
Polish-born French physicist, famous 23 Cry after 2 Cry of insight 33 Biscotti flavor
for her work on radioactivity and reaching the 3 Barrage from 34 Titled woman
twice a winner of the Nobel Prize. summit telemarketers 35 Yale students
Nothing in life is to 26 Film prize 4 Slip 37 Radiate
28 Painting base 5 Harry Belafonte 39 Cowboy
be feared, it is only to 29 Springsteen hit nickname
be understood. Now is nickname 6 May honoree 41 Rent out
the time to understand 31 Match part 7 Series unit 42 Pig’s digs
more, so that we may
fear less. WRITE FOR US. SEND US YOUR OPINION PIECES TO
dsopinion@gmail.com.
 THURSDAY, MAY 7, 2020
BAISHAKH 24, 1427 BS 10

Virtue of An Actor Known for portraying iconic Bengali detectives on-screen,

NANCY’S
Generous
the Feluda and Kakababu of West Bengal, Sabyasachi
Chakraborty, is one of the prolific names in the Initiative
entertainment industry. Over the years, he has done Singer Nancy has recently announced
that she will offer her house for
this benefits people. She added, “I
have already talked to the Netrokona
many films and received multiple accolades for his doctors to treat patients suffering from Deputy Commissioner (DC) Moinul
the corona virus. She said, “I have a Islam about the issue. He is now trying
acting, including winning the ‘BFJA Best Actor’ award duplex house in Netrokona. I have to figure out how exactly the house can
decided to offer it for public interest. be used. If the administration wants, it
in 2005. A recent addition to his filmography is his I took this initiative as the country may be used for isolation. Other artists
debut Bangladeshi movie ‘Gondi’, directed by Fakhrul is currently going through a difficult
time. It would mean a lot to me if
who have more than one house can
also do the same thing.”
Arefeen Khan. Previously, during an exclusive interview
with Rafi Hossain, the star talked about his acting style
and how his sons also pursued acting like him.
Rafi Hossain: Welcome to Uncensored with Popular actor Moushumi has
Rafi Hossain. Today, we are here with Sabyasachi remained indoors ever since the
Chakraborty. Thank you for giving us your time. declaration of nationwide lockdown
Sabyasachi Chakraborty: Thank you for in Bangladesh. She said, “I didn’t
having me. realise that the virus would end
Rafi: What do you think is the definition of a up becoming so threatening. The
talented actor? government is doing their part in
Sabyasachi: The definition of good acting stopping the spread of the virus,
varies from person to person and over time. but it is also our responsibility
Everyone has their unique upbringing and to abide by the rules and stay
thoughts. Also, acting changes over time. indoors. Without fear, we shall fight
There is more place for experimentation now this invisible threat and, in this
which wasn’t possible before. Personally, I situation, our doctors have a leading
think that good acting depends on how well a role to play. She added, “With
character is portrayed. everyone’s effort around the globe,
Rafi: Do you think there is a basic guideline that the dominance of the virus will be
has to be followed to be a good actor? brought down and the world will
Sabyasachi: I don’t think there is such a again rejoice together.”
thing. Acting, now, is logic-based. Everything
is more toned down now, from the makeup
to the volume. There have been many
technological changes and improvements,
like high resolution cameras, so even minor
details can be noticed. Now, people don’t
like the overacting that used to be prominent
before.
Rafi: What are your thoughts on stylisation?
Sabyasachi: I think that a lot of actors
employ stylisation. From Charlie Chaplin
and Gregory Peck to Robert Di Niro and Al
Pacino, everyone has their own style. Some
actors, when they realise that the audience
appreciates one style, they don’t want to get
out of it. Other actors don’t act for stardom.
One has to sacrifice acting for stardom. I
think that characterisation is more important
than stylisation. I think like the character
I’m portraying. I have so many facets and I
have to forget those and completely immerse
myself in the roles.
Rafi: Both of your sons are also involved in
acting, right?
Sabyasachi: Yes, they are. They had completely
different interests before, but somehow, by
chance, they followed acting. I never persuaded
them. The main beacon towards acting for my
sons was Prosenjit Chatterjee. He once called
me to inform that he took my sons to star in I can speak easily in Bangla, but that isn’t the other character I dream to portray. Bangladesh Television has decided to the 6th of April, Kothao Keu Nei and
a series even though they didn’t do any acting same for, say, English. However, now, there Rafi: Do you have any parting message for the once again air the popular television Bohubrihi are being broadcasted at
before. I think that that is where it started. are some Bengalis who don’t have a proper readers? drama Shongshoptok to provide 8:30 and 9 pm on BTV. Shongshoptok
They are better actors than me because they are grasp of their mother tongue, and that shocks Sabyasachi: I have only one thing to say: people with entertainment during has been scheduled to be aired right
exposed to many more things that I have even me. There are even some actors who can’t we should all help each other. We have a quarantine. The drama, which was after those. The drama stars the likes
been. They have a vast knowledge in this arena. read Bangla properly. It is very disheartening tendency of not letting someone else succeed created by Imdadul Haq Milan, of Ferdousi Mazumder, Humayun
Rafi: Does travelling benefit you in acting? when my co-actors are like that. when we can’t. We should refrain from was based on the novel written by Faridee and Raisul Islam Asad,
Sabyasachi: Not at all. I have met and talked Rafi: Is there any character you want to play? this. Even if we can’t achieve something, Shahidullah Kaiser. It was directed among many others. Shongshoptok is
to many people while travelling, but I would Sabyasachi: I have been in this field for many we should help someone else do that. This by Abdullah Al Mamun, Al Mansur being aired on BTV once again after
fail miserably if I had to portray them because years, so I don’t want to be involved in any new applies to every facet of our society. and Mohammad Abu Taher. Since almost thirty years.
I haven’t lived in their environment, had their project. I had always dreamed of portraying ............................................................................
food, talked in their dialect. Being a Bengali, Feluda, and I was able to do so. There isn’t any Amina Hossain

Find the differences from, “The Willoughbys.”

Extraordinary You
Extraordinary You is a South stars Kim Hye-yoon, Rowoon
Korean TV series based on and Lee Jae-wook, among
July Found by Chance by Moo others. It follows the life of a
Ryuyee. It was written by In girl who, upon learning that
Ji-hye and Song Ha-young,
directed by Kim Sang-hyeop,
she is an extra in a comic book,
does anything in her power HIT: The First Case
Outer Banks produced under the banners
of MBC Drama Production and
RaemongRaein Co., Ltd, and
to change her predetermined
future. It was aired on October
2, 2019 on MBC TV.
HIT: The First Case is a Telugu
mystery-thriller film. It has been
Outer Banks is an action-drama series, directed by Sailesh Kolanu,
aired in April 15, 2020 on Netflix. It produced by Nani and Prashanti
was created by Josh Pate, Jonas Pateand Tipirneni, with Vishwak Sen
Shannon Burke, produced by Aaron and Ruhani Sharma in the lead.
Miller and Sunny Hodge under the The story revolves around a
banners of Rock Fish and Red Canoe police officer struggling as he
Productions, and stars Chase Stokes, faces a personal tragedy, who
Madelyn Cline and Madison Bailey. The has to remain strong in order to
plot follows the lives of some teenagers continue his investigation and
who discover a treasure map which find a missing girl. It was initially
reveals a big secret. released on February 28, 2020.

BHEESHMA
Bheeshma is a Telugu romantic
action comedy film. It has been
directed by Venky Kudumula,
produced by Suryadevara
Nagavamsi under the banner
of Sithara Entertainments,
with Nithiin and Rashmika
ANSWERS FOR THE PREVIOUS ISSUE: Mandanna in the lead. It tells
1. Apron 2. Window panel 3. Moustache 4. Light 5. Wardrobe knob.
the story of a man who makes
memes on social media and
always wishes to remain single.
The film was released on
February 21, 2020.
.........................................................
Amina Hossain
& Shreya Shomoyeeta
 e-mail: sports@thedailystar.net
DHAKA THURSDAY MAY 7, 2020, BAISHAKH 24, 1427 BS

‘A piece that had torn off a

newspaper inspired me’
Undoubtedly, cricket is the most loved and followed sport in Bangladesh. People across the country
get excited and pumped to see the likes of Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim in action and to know
their stories as it is the men’s team that are often highlighted most. However, during this period of
nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, The Daily Star tried to contact the women
cricketers and bring up the stories of their struggles, hardships or their prime reason behind choosing
the profession and present those stories to the readers. In today’s episode, we unveil the story of
all-rounder Ritu Moni, who featured for the Tigresses in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup
held in Australia earlier this year.
MOSTAFA SHABUJ

All-rounder Ritu Moni, who now

holds the record for the best
bowling figures by a Bangladeshi
women cricketer in World Cups
thanks to her four for 18 against
New Zealand in Melbourne during
the World Cup this year, once did
not even know that a women’s team
existed in Bangladesh.
It was after 2006 that the
now 27-year-old learned that
women in Bangladesh played
cricket professionally and at the
international arena.
“One day as I was returning
home from my school, I saw a piece
of torn newspaper lying on the road
where I saw a headline that Salma
[khatun] apu got four wickets in a
tournament. I can’t remember what
tournament or match it was.
“I came to my mother with
the paper and told her, ‘see maa,
women of our country are playing
cricket. I want to play cricket too.’
Hearing that my mother replied,
‘if you want, you can; we will help
you.’ Since then every member of
my family had helped me a lot in
becoming a cricketer,” Ritu told this
reporter, sharing the story behind
choosing cricket as a profession.
This was just the beginning of
Ritu’s dream. And like most of the
ambitious dreamers, Ritu, who
hails from Bogura, also had to
go through a lot of struggles and
had to make sacrifices in order to
achieve what she had dreamt of --
playing for the Bangladesh team.
“In 2008, I took part in a running
event at the Altafunessa ground of
our town, organised by the district
sports association. I got chance
to meet Moslem Uddin sir (the
late Bogura district coach). I told
him that I want to be a cricketer.
Moslem Sir told me that if I wanted
to be cricketer, I had to concentrate
on cricket only. Since then I started
playing cricket with boys in my
village.
“Me, my three sisters and my
brother had to go through a lot
of financial hardship since my
father died in 2004. When I started
practising cricket at the Shaheed
Chandu Stadium in Bogura, 30
kilometres from my village, my
family sacrificed a lot. Sometimes,
we did not have enough money to
cover food and other necessities for
my family. My elder brother, Jewel
Mia, gave me whatever he had.
Such struggles I had to go through
until I got called for the national
team in 2012,” recalled Ritu.
The all-rounder also recalled that
in a society where women are often
discriminated and discouraged from
participating in sport, how her elder
brother endured taunts from people
as he supported Ritu in pursuing her
dream.
Even today Ritu has to manage
with limitations and struggle as she
works hard to keep her professional
career afloat.
“During this coronavirus crisis,
I have been facing troubles to
maintain my fitness. I returned from
Dhaka on March 5. I did my physical
exercise and had light running at the
Shaheed Chandu Stadium. And after
the lockdown, I used to have light
running at a playground adjacent
to my house. But since Ramadan
started, I have had no opportunity
to do any kind of physical exercises.
At home, I have no gym facilities
and I have to rely on only free-hand
exercises,” explained Ritu, who also
mentioned having some financial
issues recently with coronavirus
halting women’s NCL and DPL.
Even though Ritu had to
overcome a lot of barriers and go
through a lot of struggles, still the
all-rounder keeps on dreaming big.
And it never seemed far-fetched for a
small town girl when she mentioned
that after her cricketing career she
would like to become a successful
businesswoman.
Enamul eager to
return home
ANISUR RAHMAN
Grand Master Enamul
Hossain Rajib can now
breathe fresh air outside
his sister’s house in
Mainz, Germany after
spending two months
inside the house due to coronavirus
lockdown. The country’s youngest GM
is eagerly waiting for the resumption
of international flights to return to
Bangladesh.
Rajib went to Germany along with
brother-in-law, FIDE master Tayebur
Rahman, on March 6 to take part in the
Chess Bundesliga, arguably the strongest
league of its kind. However, the 38-year-
old was immediately confined within
his sister’s house as Germany enforced
nationwide lockdown.
“I planned to stay 20 days for two
competitions and thought of returning
in the last week of March ahead of the
Bangladesh Games, but nothing went
according to plan due to coronavirus
and I was stuck in Germany as all
international flights were cancelled,”
Rajib said. “I also planned to meet my
sister as I came here with my mother,
a sister and her husband. But it’s really
tough to stay for two months as I only
wanted to stay 20 days.
“Lockdown here is a bit flexible now.
We can go outside and walk freely and
take long breaths of fresh air. To be frank,
I am now waiting for the resumption of
international flight to return home,” said
the former national champion.
While stuck in Germany, Rajib is
trying to make use of his time by playing
online chess, studying chess journals and
spending time with family members.
“It is easy for the chess players to stay
at home compared to other athletes
because we are habituated with this
situation. At home quarantine, I am
spending time playing online chess
and studying journals related to chess.
Besides, I spend some quality time with
the family members as most of our
family members are now in Mainz,”
Rajib said, informing that former World
Chess Champions GM Viswanathan
Anand of India is also stuck in Germany
due to the pandemic.
Rajib, however, laments not being
able to take part in any competitive
tournament as all sporting activities
around the world, including chess, has
been halted.

Cricket rivals unite on Stokes runs

biosecurity plans
AGENCIES
Leading cricket medicos
from around the world
have united to help
advance biosecurity plans
that will allow the sport
to resume after the crisis.
Alex Kountouris has
been involved in cricket since 1995, first as
physiotherapist of Sri Lanka’s national team
before returning home to work for Cricket
Australia.
Now their head of sports science,
Kountouris suggested he has never dealt
with anything as complex as mapping a
path out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kountouris and respected sports doctor
John Orchard have been working overtime
to draw up various plans for coming months.
The stakes are high; England’s board could
lose 380 million in 2020.
CA chief Kevin Roberts continued to paint
a grim picture of the sport’s financial crisis
half-marathon
for NHS
AFP, London
during a video call with staff on Wednesday, England all-rounder Ben
although the players’ union contacted Stokes ran a half marathon
to raise money for Britain’s
members on the same day advising cricket’s
National Health Service.
financial position remained “very positive
World Cup winner
relative to Australia’s winter sports”.
Stokes completed the
Kountouris is optimistic CA may be
run in one hour and 39
able to resume matches without needing
minutes and will donate
exemptions that have underpinned the NRL
and AFL’s road to a restart. the money raised to NHS
The next commitment for Justin Langer’s Charities Together and
team is a tour of England in July but there is national children’s cricket
growing expectation that could be shifted to charity Chance to Shine
September. amid the coronavirus
“It’ll depend on the stage of the virus ... pandemic.
we’ll be guided by government and it’s a bit Stokes completed the
too early to say,” Kountouris said. “The first run near his home in the
part is getting the sign off from government North-East of England.
that we can travel and return ... then from After completing the
a biosecurity perspective, just seeing what run, in a video posted on
they’ve got in place and where they’re at. his social media channels,
the 28-year-old Stokes said:
“But I’d be very confident we’re all going
to have the same stuff. There’s that much “That was so hard! Please
information being shared. At the moment we donate if you can, it’s all
want to get training up, that’s our priority.” for a great cause!”
Govt offers
financial help
for athletes
SPORTS REPORTER
The government has
decided to extend a helping
hand to athletes facing
financial crisis due to the
nationwide shutdown.
“We will initially try to
help 1000 players of 27
disciplines by providing Tk
10,000 each. Federations
have selected players, who
are going through acute
financial crisis following
the suspension of sporting
activities,” State Minister
for Youth and Sports, Zahid
Ahsan Russel, said in video
message yesterday.
He informed that they
Lionel Messi is pictured at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper yesterday, where had asked 64 district sports
associations to prepare a
Barcelona players underwent coronavirus tests. They were taken to clear players
list of people, whom they
as La Liga clubs begin restricted training ahead of a proposed resumption of the are planning to provide Tk
season next month. Barcelona are currently top of La Liga with 58 points, two 2,000 each per month for
ahead of Real Madrid, with 11 games remaining. PHOTO: AFP the next one year.

Bundesliga
set for May
restart
AFP, Frankfurt
Berlin plans to allow
Germany’s Bundesliga
to restart behind closed
doors in May after weeks
of shutdown imposed to
control the spread of the
coronavirus, according
to a draft government
agreement seen by AFP
Wednesday.
Politicians believe
restarting the first and
second divisions to “limit
economic damage” for the
36 clubs is “acceptable”, .
Chancellor Angela
Merkel and state premiers
will set a date for the
games to begin in a
telephone conference later
Wednesday, with German
media reporting May 21
was a possible candidate.
“Restarting match activity
must be preceded by a
two-week quarantine, where
Carol Raleigh, a 77-year-old ocean swimmer, makes waves at Clovelly Beach in Sydney after appropriate in the form of a
PHOTO:
authorities in Australia announced an easing of some of the coronavirus restrictions that were REUTERS training camp” for players,
implemented to curb the spread of coronavirus. the document read.
Morgan bats for T10
cricket at Olympics
REUTERS, London
England’s World Cup
winning captain Eoin
Morgan says cricket’s
10-overs format would
be ideal for a global
multi-sport event such
as the Olympics as the
entire tournament could be squeezed into
10 days.
Cricket featured at the 1900
Olympics and was played in the 1998
Commonwealth Games but has largely
been absent from multi-sport events,
which some say has restricted its growth
beyond the traditional pockets.
The 2022 Commonwealth Games
in Birmingham will feature a women’s
Twenty20 competition but Morgan says
the T10 format would be a better fit than
T20, 50 overs or Test cricket.
“The one thing that T10 offers above the
three formats that makes it so appealing to
an Olympic Games or a Commonwealth
Games is the fact that you can play a whole
tournament in the space of 10 days,” he
said in a video conference.
“To have a tournament in such a short
space of time maximises the opportunity
and the exposure that it will have for the
sport.
“When you can play a cricket
tournament in eight-10 days it really does
make it appealing, and on top of that it
really would be extremely entertaining,”
said the 33-year-old, who captains Delhi
Bulls in the Abu Dhabi T10 league.
Twenty20 has emerged as cricket’s most
popular format, having spawned several
franchise-based leagues around the world
including the lucrative Indian Premier
League (IPL).
But Morgan, who plays for the IPL’s
Kolkata franchise, said T10 has its own
merits.
“The most important part of a T20 game
is always overs 10 to 20,” said Morgan,
who also captains Delhi Bulls in the Abu
Dhabi T10 competition.
But he believed it was also challenging.
“But if you look at a T10 game, the
earlier overs are the most important. You
need to make the most of that very short
powerplay, so who you put in those key
positions and in the form that they’re in,
is the most critical factor.”
12 DHAKA THURSDAY MAY 7, 2020, BAISHAKH 24, 1427 BS

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN GONOSHASTHAYA

It’s ready to
High numbers submit kit
amid lockdown Saturday for
validation
MJF finds over 4,000 victims STAFF CORRESPONDENT
after telesurvey on 17,000 Gonoshasthaya Kendra will
STAFF CORRESPONDENT start providing 1,200 home-
grown rapid testing kits
Some 4,249 women faced different forms of domestic to Bangabandhu Sheikh
violence in April this year during the shutdown enforced Mujib Medical University
to contain coronavirus spreading in the country, says a (BSMMU) on Saturday for
telesurvey report of Manusher Jonno Foundation. validation.
Of the victims, 848 fell victim to physical violence and “We are ready with our
2,008 to mental torture. Food and financial support of kits. We could give those
1,308 women were withheld, it said. any time, but they wanted
Besides, 85 women were victims of sexual violence, MJF the kits from Saturday –
said while sharing the report with journalists at a press not all together, but step
conference on “Domestic Violence during Lockdown in by step,” Gonoshasthaya
Bangladesh” via video conference yesterday. Kendra Founder and Trustee
Apart from the incidents of domestic violence, a woman Dr Zafrullah told The Daily
was killed, four were raped, and 20 were subject to sexual Star yesterday.
harassment. BSMMU will conduct
During the time, 33 incidents of child marriage took tests for Covid-19 on both
place, while another 141 child marriages were averted as positive and unknown
MJF affiliated bodies took prompt actions. persons to understand
Moreover, 424 children became subject to torture within the accuracy level of the
their families during the shutdown, the report said. rapid test kit -- Rapid
Around 92 percent of them were tortured at the hands Dot Blot -- developed by
of their parents and relatives. Gonoshasthaya Kendra
The number of other incidents, including rape and scientists. The tests will also
sexual harassment, was 42 in April, according to the survey be compared with those of
outcome. RT-PCR kits, he said.
Of the 42 children, four were raped, 16 were subject to RT-PCR, which is
attempted rape, 10 were subject to sexual harassment, two Frontline health workers at Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital in the capital collecting samples from considered gold standard
PHOTO:
were kidnapped, and 10 others were raped while receiving behind a glass barrier for coronavirus testing yesterday. Some of those outside the barrier are employees of RASHED SHUMON for testing Covid-19, is
SEE PAGE 4 COL 5 the very hospital, they said. costly, but rapid test kit
is low-cost and can give
result in 5-10 minutes and
are being used by many of
95pc boro FIRST YEAR OF BANGLADESH
3 ‘robbers’ Boy, 5, pulled over the countries for large-scale
testing.
BANGABANDHU’S NATION-BUILDING CHALLENGES killed in Large-scale testing is
harvest in ‘gunfight’ in US while driving being recommended by the
epidemiologists because

haors done Rabindra Jayanti observed in OUR CORRESPONDENT,

Cox’s Bazar
to California the positive cases can be
isolated and spread of the

Says agriculture minister

RASHIDUL HASAN
independent Bangladesh Three suspected robbers,
including two siblings,
virus can be prevented.
SEE PAGE 5 COL 3

were killed in a “gunfight”

In a major progress, 95 percent boro with police in Teknaf
paddy in haor areas has been harvested till upazila of Cox’s Bazar early
yesterday despite a shortage of harvesters yesterday.
due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The dead are Nurul
In the country’s other areas, harvesting Alam, 40, his younger
of 25 percent boro crop has been brother Syed Alam, 35,
completed, Agriculture Minister Abdur and Abdul Monaf, 20, of PRAYER TIMING MAY 7
Razzaque told The Daily Star yesterday. Rongikhali area in Hnila Fazr Zohr Asr Maghrib Esha
He said farmers in haor areas would be union of the upazila, said AZAN 3-52 12-45 5-006-34 8-00
able to harvest the rest of their paddy by police. JAMAAT 4-02 1-15 5-15 6-44 8-30
this week. Prodip Kumar Das, SOURCE: ISLAMIC FOUNDATION
Amid a shortage of harvesters, the Bangabandhu addressing a large gathering of students at Dhaka officer-in-charge of Teknaf AFP, Los Angeles
agriculture ministry sent at least 75,000 University on May 6, 1972. Police Station, claimed they
workers to haor areas from different other locked into the “gunfight” A police officer in the western US state of Utah was
parts of the country. May 7, 1972 around 3:00am while stunned after stopping what he thought was an
Razzaque, also a presidium member conducting a raid in the impaired driver on a highway only to find a five-
SHAMSUDDOZA SAJEN year-old behind the wheel.
of Awami League, said about 350,500 area on information that
workers harvested paddy in haor areas BANGABANDHU’S TRIBUTE TO a group of heavily armed The Utah Highway Patrol said the boy told the
maintaining health guidelines. RABINDRANATH TAGORE robbers took position trooper who pulled him over on Monday that he
Earlier on Tuesday, speaking at an On the occasion of Rabindranath Tagore’s there. left home following an argument with his mother
online views-exchange meeting with birth anniversary Bangabandhu Sheikh In the “gunfight” that who had refused to buy him a Lamborghini.
journalists from his Secretariat office, the Mujibur Rahman pays glowing tribute to the great poet. He says continued for “four hours”, “He decided he’d take the car and go to
senior minister expressed optimism that Bangalees have proved their love for Rabindranath Tagore by five policemen were also California to buy one himself,” the Highway Patrol
farmers would be able to harvest cent sacrificing their blood. They have established the right to study injured, he said, adding said in a tweet. “He might have been short on the
percent paddy within next month. Rabindranath’s literature in Bangladesh by liberating the Bangalee that the criminals fled the purchase amount, as he only had $3.” SEHRI, IFTAR TIMING
Harvesting was delayed in haor areas as nation from the clutches of Pakistan. This is the best tribute ever scene at one point of the In a dashcam video of the incident released by RAMADAN MAY SEHRI IFTAR
the BRRI-29 (having a 165-day lifespan) SEE PAGE 4 COL 1 “gunfight”. the department, the SUV the boy was driving is 13 7 6:34
SEE PAGE 4 COL 4 SEE PAGE 4 COL 2 SEE PAGE 4 COL 4 14 8 3:51 6:34
15 9 3:50 6:35

11 monkeys
poisoned
to death
OUR CORRESPONDENT, Faridpur
At least 11 monkeys have
allegedly been poisoned to
death by some unidentified
people in Madhya Khagdi
area of Madaripur town.
Locals claimed that
some people poisoned the
starving monkeys as they
became a nuisance in the
area.
Some local youths
buried seven mammals
beside a canal in the area
on Tuesday evening. They
posted footage and photos
of the dead animals on
Facebook and demanded
justice for their death.
The incident triggered
a huge outcry after the
footage and photos went
viral on social media.
Sources at the local
forest department office
said there were around
2,500 monkeys in
wards-8, 9 of Madaripur
municipality.
The forest department
distributed food among the
monkeys until last week
when a 76-day feeding
programme ended.
The starving monkeys
SEE PAGE 4 COL 1
Virus spread
around world
late last year
Reveals new genetic analysis of
samples from over 7,500 infected
REUTERS, London
A genetic analysis of samples from more than 7,500 people
infected with Covid-19 suggests the new coronavirus spread
quickly around the world late last year and is adapting to
its human hosts, scientists said yesterday.
A study by scientists at University College London’s
(UCL) Genetics Institute found almost 200 recurrent
genetic mutations of the new coronavirus - SARS-CoV-2 -
which the researchers said showed how it may be evolving
as it spreads in people.
Francois Balloux, a UCL professor who co-led the
research, said results showed that a large proportion of the
global genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 is found in all of
the hardest-hit countries. That suggests that the virus was
already being transmitted extensively around the globe
from early on in the epidemic.
“All viruses naturally mutate. Mutations in themselves
are not a bad thing and there is nothing to suggest SARS-
CoV-2 is mutating faster or slower than expected,” said
Balloux. “So far we cannot say whether SARS-CoV-2 is
becoming more or less lethal and contagious.”
More than 3.68 million people have been reported to
be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 257,000
have died, according to a Reuters tally. Infections have been
Monkeys poisoned to death in Madhya Khagdi area of Madaripur are left beside a canal. After inspecting the scene reported in more than 210 countries and territories since
PHOTO:
on Tuesday, forest officials said those who killed the primates will be brought to justice and filed a case in this COLLECTED cases were first identified in China in December 2019.
connection later. SEE PAGE 4 COL 5

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