Bangladeshi students in Kyrgyz Republic have been advised to stay indoors for the moment and get in touch with the Bangladesh embassy in Uzbekistan.
The Bangladesh Uzbekistan embassy, concurrently accredited to the Kyrgyz Republic, suggested the Bangladeshi students to contact at the following 24x7 emergency number +998930009780 for any issue, said a foreign ministry press release Sarturday. &nbsp; "The Embassy of Bangladesh in Uzbekistan is in communication with Bangladeshi students, currently studying in Kyrgyz Republic, regarding the recent incident of mob violence in Bishkek," said the release. &nbsp; The mission said that the situation in Kyrgyzstan is under control of the law enforcing agencies as per information released by the relevant state authorities.
The Embassy is also in touch with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyz Republic on this matter, said the release.

Bangladeshi students in Kyrgyz advised to stay indoor

Bangladesh Bank lost its ability, to make independent decisions for the banking sector, and it&rsquo;s now operating to implement decisions of outsiders, which is unable to resolve the crisis in the banking sector, said&nbsp;eminent economist Fahmida Khatun.
The executive director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) made these remarks on Saturday (18 May) while speaking as the chief guest at the shadow parliament debate competition organised by the Debate for Democracy at the FDC Auditorium, in the capital.
&ldquo;The culture of transparency and accountability is being lost in various regulatory bodies, including the central bank. As a result, the institutions are not able to fulfill the responsibilities, that the state assigned to them," said Dr Fahmida.
Currently, the anarchy in the banking sector has reached such a level that the decision to merge banks has to be taken on the advice of the IMF, she pointed out.
However, due to a lack of prior preparation, integration has been challenged. Forced bank mergers may not be sustainable. The banking sector has lost its ability to support the overall economy due to a lack of good governance, said Dr Fahmida.
She said that people have lost confidence in the banking sector. The central bank even cannot provide any guarantee to keep the deposits in the bank safe
As a result, there has been concern among depositors. Those responsible for the haemorrhaging of the banking sector remain untouchable. People are not able to know the correct information about defaulted loans in the banking sector from the BB, Dr. Fahmida opined.
Referring to the Bangladesh Bank's recent decision to restrict the entry of journalists, Chairman of Debate for Democracy Hasan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiran said the central bank owes them (journalists) an explanation.
&ldquo;Journalists have played a major role in publishing news of major irregularities in the country's financial sector, it is not a crime, but their professional responsibility to highlight any irregularities [of the banking sector] in the media, including the heist in the BB's reserves,&rdquo; the state minister said.

BB lost ability to make independent decisions for country’s economy: Dr Fahmida Khatun

Rail stations will be built in every district of Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to realise Bangabandhu's dream, Railway Minister Zillul Hakim said on Saturday.
All stations and lines will be renovated to facilitate connectivity in the public interest, he said.
He said this while visiting the site office of the broad gauge railway construction project from Madhukhali via Kamarkhali to Magura this afternoon and inspecting the progress of the project.
Later, the minister visited the under-construction railway bridge on Madhumati River, broad gauge railway and Magura's Ramnagar Thakurbari railway station areas.
Lawmaker Dr Biren Shikder, Secretary of the Ministry of Railways Dr. Md Humayun Kabir, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Abu Naser Baig, Superintendent of Police Mashiudullah Reza, Magura District Council Chairman and District Awami League General Secretary Pankaj Kumar Kundu, were also present.

Every district to get rail station, Minister Zillul Hakim says

Desk Report

Silmoon Pipe and Fittings have entered the market with a commitment to serving customers with high-quality plastic products.
The product was officially launched at an event held at the Gulshan Club in the capital, inaugurated by Silmoon&rsquo;s Chairman, Abdus Samad Labu, who is also the vice chairman of S Alam Group and Ekushey TV.
The event was organised under the slogan &ldquo;Tension-Free Life with the Right Pipe,&rdquo; and Silmoon&rsquo;s Managing Director assured the audience of the product&rsquo;s quality and affordability.&nbsp;
At the event, Abdus Samad Labu emphasised that Silmoon Pipe and Fittings will play a significant role in the plastic industry by maintaining high-quality standards.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The use of plastic products is increasing in the country, especially in the construction sector. With the customer in mind, Silmoon Pipe and Fittings have been introduced to the market,&rdquo; he said.
Additionally, a 26% discount was announced in celebration of the launch.
The launch event was attended by Silmoon&rsquo;s dealers, sales staff, and senior officials.

Silmoon Pipes and Fittings enters market with commitment to quality

Staff Correspondent

The Bangladesh Jewelers Association (BAJUS) has increased the price of 22-carat gold by Tk1,178 per bhori, setting the new price at Tk1,18,460.&nbsp;
This change will be effective from Sunday, BAJUS announced in a press release this evening (18 May).
According to the new rates, 21-carat gold is now Tk1,13,082 per bhori, 18-carat gold is Tk96,916 per bhori, and traditional method gold is Tk80,131 per bhori.
The adjustment is due to an increase in the price of pure gold in the local market, BAJUS said.
Earlier on 11 May, the price of 22-carat gold was Tk1,17,282 per bhori. The prices for 21-carat, 18-carat, and traditional method gold were Tk1,11,951, Tk95,960, and Tk79,339 per bhori, respectively.
This year, gold prices have been adjusted 23 times, with 12 increases and 11 decreases.&nbsp;
In 2023, prices were adjusted 29 times.

Gold prices hike again, 22-carat now Tk1,18,460 per bhori

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun today said by following the 'zero-tolerance' policy of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, militancy and terrorism have been brought under control in the country.
IGP said this while talking to reporters after inaugurating the Liberation War-themed terracotta 'Mrityunjai' at Moulvibazar District Police Lines and 'Bangabandhu Corner' at the District Superintendent of Police today, said a press release here.
He said there was a rise of militancy and terrorism in the country. Today, with the cooperation of all, Bangladesh Police has been able to maintain law and order in the country.
"In response to Bangabandhu's clarion call, on the night of March 25, 1971, the Bengali policemen at the Rajarbagh Police Lines mounted the first armed resistance against the Pakistani invaders forces with the only weapon 'Three Not Three' Rifles, he said.
The police chief said motivated by patriotism, every member of the Bangladesh Police is committed to ensuring safety of the people by keeping the spirit of the great liberation war alive.
DIG of Sylhet Range Sha Migan Shafiur Rahman, Sylhet Metropolitan police Commissioner Md. Zakir Hossain Khan, Superintendent of police of Moulvibazar district Md. Manjur Rahman and other officials were present in the function.

Militancy, terrorism now under control: IGP

Two cousins were killed and four others injured by lightning strike at Noabari village in Birbashinda union under Kalihati upazila of the district today.
The deceased were identified as Afzal Hossain, 52, and his cousin Amir Hossain, 50. They are residents of Chakdafarpur village of Pirganj upazila of Dinajpur district.
According to the locals, six workers, including Afzal and Amir, were harvesting paddy in the field of Hazrat Ali in the area early on Saturday morning. When it started to rain around 9:30am, lightning struck Afzal and Amir as they were running home from the paddy field. They died on the spot and four others were injured, sub-inspector (SI) of Kalihati Police Station Rajib said.
The injured were taken to Kalihati Upazila Health Complex, he added.
Md Sohrab Ali, union parishad Chairman of Birbashinda Union, said Afzal and Amir had rented a room at Awliabad Bazar and had been harvesting paddy in many nearby areas for the past week.

2 cousins killed in Tangail lightning strike

Jute and Textile Minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak today said the government is working tirelessly to return previous glory of golden fibre (jute).
Terming Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as labourer friendly and she is working for their welbeing, the minister said while addressing a press breifing after visiting a number of Jute and Textile Mills here.
The minister said that the Prime Minister have already paid all the dues of the labourers amid closed jute mills in the region.
Nanak, who is also a presidium member of Bangladesh Awami League, said that the leasee jute mills would not be able to showcase the expected result. The ministry can take new decision as the leasee of the mills can&rsquo;t fulfill lease conditions, Nanank added.
He, however, said the main condition of lease was to produce adequate jute goods &nbsp;and to create job opportunity of previous skilled labourers.
Besides, the government is considering to build economic zone of the lands of closed jute mills, he added.
Earlier, the Textile and Jute Minister visited Daulatpur Jute Mill, Platinum Jubilee Jute Mill, Crescent Jute Mill, Khalishpur Jute Mill under the BJMC and Khulna Textile Mill under the BTMC of the Ministry.
Mayor of Khulna City Corporation(KCC) Talukder Abdul Khaleque, Parliament member of Khulna-3 constituency S M Kamal Hossain, Chairman of BJMC Faruk Ahmed, Chairman of BTMC Brig Gen Zia, among others, were present.
The Textile and Jute Minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak later exchenged views with the members of Bangladesh Jute Association(BJA) at a hotel here as chief guest.
He urged the BJA members to work unitedly to reduce dependency of jute yield import.
Terming the farmers are growing 1,500 metric tonnes of jute yield across the country in a year and the remained 4,500 metric tonnes jute yeild has been collected from India as 5,000 jute yeild is needed in the country, he said, adding that we should inspire our fermers to produce huge jute yield in the country.
Chaired by the Chairman of BJMC Farhad Ahmed Akand, KCC Mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleque and Parliament Member S M Kamal Hossain addressed the meeting as special guests.

Govt is working to return glorious days of golden fibre: Nanak

Embracing the Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) compliance framework is essential for businesses in Bangladesh to align their values and strategies with sustainability objectives, foster economic growth, and remain competitive beyond LDC graduation, said DCCI President Ashraf Ahmed.
He highlighted these points during a roundtable discussion titled &ldquo;Navigating the Challenges and Opportunities of ESG Compliance in Bangladesh,&rdquo; organized by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce &amp; Industry (DCCI) on Saturday (May 18).
Ashraf Ahmed emphasised that as Bangladesh becomes more interconnected with the global economy and its international trade continues to grow, ESG compliance is becoming mandatory for businesses. Investors consider ESG factors when assessing a business's potential as they indicate resilience and long-term financial health.
He pointed out the increasing trend of ESG reporting in Bangladesh. Various organizations across different industries have started reporting on their ESG performance, and government bodies have also initiated efforts to promote and encourage ESG reporting. Recognizing the importance of ESG compliance, he recommended developing effective ESG compliance strategies aligned with the global value chain and integrating ESG considerations into decision-making processes and organizational culture.
He underscored the need to educate stakeholders, including employees, management, investors, regulators, and the public, about the importance of ESG compliance and its reporting. Furthermore, ESG compliance should be embedded in other policies such as industrial policy and SME policy, he added.
Md Munim Hassan, Director General, Department of Patent, Design &amp; Trademarks, Ministry of Industries, emphasized that compliance is mandatory in every sector and enhances business credibility. He stressed personal responsibility for environmental and social compliance and noted significant progress in Bangladesh's GI (Geographical Indication) certifications.
Md Anwarul Alam, Director General (Additional Secretary), Bangladesh Accreditation Board (BAB), Ministry of Industries, stated that the BAB is directly linked with ESG, ensuring the quality of goods and services with worldwide acceptance of BAB&rsquo;s certification. He encouraged lab owners to seek accreditation from BAB and highlighted the interconnection between ESG and the vision of Smart Bangladesh.
Keynote speaker Zaku Uz Zaman, Country Representative for UNIDO, Bangladesh, explained that the term "ESG" emerged in the early 2000s, with roots in the 1990s. ESG evaluates a firm's engagement with environmental, social, and governance factors, and investors are increasingly focused on a company's societal impact. He noted the lack of a defined format for ESG reporting, which challenges management in understanding reporting requirements. Compliance with ESG reporting can help Bangladeshi companies remain competitive post-LDC graduation.
Other speakers, including Dr. M Niaz Asadullah, Visiting Professor of Economics at the University of Reading, UK; Mohammad Bin Quasem, Director of Echotex Ltd.; Yeasmin Akther, Business Manager at Knowledge, Health and Nutrition, SGS Bangladesh Limited; M. Abu Horairah, former Vice President of DCCI; Enamul Haque Patwary, former Director of DCCI; and Rashid Shah Shamrat, former Director of DCCI, also contributed to the discussion. They stressed the need for an ESG policy, creating awareness, and having a monitoring and reporting system. They suggested educating people about ESG, emphasizing environmental safety, and advocating for massive afforestation across the country. The speakers called for concerted efforts and the implementation of rules and regulations to enforce ESG in Bangladesh.

ESG compliance reporting standard essential to boost trade: DCCI president

Bangladeshi civil society organizations (CSOs) have raised concerns about the country's increasing debt and its implications for sustainability following Bangladesh's transition to a middle-income country.&nbsp;
They demanded a people-centric budget at an event held today (18 May) led by EquityBD.
&ldquo;The total FY 2024-25 budget will be Tk8.05 trillion including a debt of Tk2.75 trillion. The per capita debt is now US $580. The repayment of this unprecedented amount of debt will cause reductions in the lifeline of people,&rdquo; said Omour Faruk Bhuiya of BDCSO Process.
Ferdous Ara Rumee from the International Rural Women&rsquo;s Day Observation Committee stated, &ldquo;91% of people are involved in the informal sector employment where 95% are women. We must evaluate women's progress through the yearly gender-budget reporting system.&rdquo;
Mustafa Kamal Akanda of COAST Foundation criticized the budget allocation for roads and highways, saying, &ldquo;The total budget for roads and highways is 875 billion Taka while there is no allocation for safety in the road. The number of deaths in road accidents in 2023 is 8,505.&rdquo;
Mir Mohammad Ali of Shere Bangla Agricultural University highlighted the challenges facing fisherfolk, explaining, &ldquo;Fisheries and aquaculture employed nearly 1.4 million people but the budget hardly considers how the poor fisherfolk survive during three to four fishing ban periods across the year.&rdquo;
Pradip K Roy of the Online Knowledge Society stressed the need for investment in skilled human resources, stating, &ldquo;The government must allocate enough budget for skilled human resources if we want to take advantage of the demographic dividend by 2040.&rdquo;
Abul Hasan of EquityBD pointed out, &ldquo;Internal climate-induced migration is one of the biggest challenges for Bangladesh. Even after five years of migration strategy paper is developed, not enough investment is declared on it.&rdquo;
Hasan Mehedi of CLEAN emphasized, &ldquo;The government&rsquo;s 8th FYP planned to achieve at least 10% renewable energy by 2025, now only 3%. The allocation for power in the upcoming budget is 450 billion Taka hardly has the allocation to achieve the target.&rdquo;
Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, the Chief Moderator of EquityBD, concluded, &ldquo;The entire budget process in Bangladesh is undemocratic. Even the participation of the parliament members in the budget process is questionable.&rdquo;
The event, moderated by Mustafa Kamal Akanda of COAST Foundation, featured speakers from various organizations, including Bangladesh Krishok Federation, CLEAN, CSRL, NDF, Online Knowledge Society, Sundarban Bachao Andolon, Young Change Makers, and Water Keepers Bangladesh.

Bangladeshi CSOs demand people-centric budget for 2024-25

President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Saturday stated that the defeated evil forces of foreign masters continue to make relentless efforts to tarnish the country's achievements even after 53 years of independence. He delivered this speech at the eighth council of the Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the city.
&ldquo;After winning the bloody nine-month war under the leadership of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, we forgot the torture, exploitation, and deprivation of the past. However, the anti-independence forces could not forget the despair of their defeat,&rdquo; he said.
He also mentioned that these evil forces are engaged in various conspiracies against the country and its freedom, collaborating with foreign powers in efforts to destabilize the spirit of the Liberation War.
Referring to the assassination of Bangabandhu along with his family on August 15, 1975, as part of a domestic-foreign conspiracy by the defeated forces of the Liberation War, he said, &ldquo;We could not save the Father of the Nation. It is our unforgivable failure as a nation.&rdquo;
President Shahabuddin said the anti-independence faction embarked on a series of conspiracies to destroy the spirit of the Liberation War and independence, attempting to erase the principles and ideals of Bangabandhu after coming to power. They took shameful steps to distort the history of the Liberation War and independence.
&ldquo;Whenever they get a chance, they want to strike like a poisonous snake. They do not believe in the country&rsquo;s development, democracy, human rights, or tolerance,&rdquo; he said.
He added that these forces want to use the country and its people for their own benefit and that of their local and foreign masters.
The President urged everyone to build an all-out resistance against the defeated forces of 1971 to continue the current development spree and maintain the country's independence and sovereignty.
&ldquo;There is no alternative to strong unity among all pro-liberation forces,&rdquo; he said, adding that everyone must work for the interests of the country and its people, putting aside individual and group interests.
He said those who spread negative propaganda about Bangladesh mainly aim to hinder its development journey.
Stressing the need to strengthen social bonds between religious and ethnic communities, he said any form of discrimination against citizens is against the rule of law.
&ldquo;It must be remembered that awareness, humanity, human rights, and respect for the beliefs and lifestyles of others strengthen social bonds among different groups in society,&rdquo; he added.
He urged the government as well as civil society to play an effective role in ensuring that no one is discriminated against regardless of religion, caste, or community.

Defeated evil force still active to tarnish country’s achievements: President

Bangladesh Bank (BB) has issued a clarification over recent reports regarding restrictions on journalists' entry to the central bank.
In a circular issued on Wednesday, the central bank stated that it considers disseminating information to the public a top priority.
In the clarification, it said the central bank appointed an executive director-level official as its spokesperson while two director-level officers were assigned as assistant spokespersons to provide information to the media.
It said any journalist could get information and take BB statements at the main building of the central bank during official hours through communication with the assigned officials.
In case of any special requirement, the journalists could get any information and explanation after collecting entry passes from the official concerned, it said.
At the same time, it said, the central bank kept on disseminating information through holding press conferences, issuing press releases and other ways on a regular basis.
Simultaneously, the BB had been regularly publishing all the economic information and data on its website to ensure free access to information, the BB statement said.

BB clarifies on journalists' access to central bank

Four people, including a woman and her son, were killed in separate incidents of lightning in Narsingdi. 
The incidents occurred in Charanchala Alok Bali Uttarpara and Hajipur, both in Sadar Upazila, around 10 am on Saturday, April 18.
The deceased are Sharifa Begum, 50, wife of Kamal Mia, her son Iqbal Hossain, 12, and Qayyum Mia, 22, son of Karam Ali, all residents of Alok Bali Uttarpara. Kamal Mia was seriously injured in the incident. Additionally, Moslehuddin, 50, died in Chakpara of Hajipur Union in Sadar Upazila.
Narsingdi Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Tanveer Ahmed said all the victims were in agricultural fields harvesting paddy when the lightning strikes occurred.
He said Sharifa Begum and her son Iqbal died on the spot while Qayyum Mia died on the way to Sadar Hospital from his injuries.
Kamal Hossain is currently receiving treatment, he added.

Mother, son among 4 killed in Narsingdi lightning strikes

Health Minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen has sought support from the Oxford Vaccine Group at the University of Oxford to establish a vaccine centre in Bangladesh.
He recently visited the university where the AstraZeneca vaccine was developed during the Covid pandemic.
During the visit, the minister met with the Director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, Professor Sir Andrew Pollard F MedSci, and discussed opportunities for establishing cooperation to create a National Vaccine Project in Bangladesh for producing vaccines in the country, said the Bangladesh High Commission in London on Saturday.
The health minister highlighted the Bangladesh government's vision under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to provide high-quality health services for all.
He also mentioned that her government aims to establish a vaccine centre in Bangladesh to produce vaccines.
Taking note of all the points raised by Minister Sen, Sir Andrew Pollard assured him of all cooperation in developing vaccines in Bangladesh.
The minister visited the drug discovery unit at Oxford University, where he met with senior researchers and high-ranking officials.
They discussed the potential for establishing a laboratory in Bangladesh for large-scale industrial production of vaccines.
They also talked about collaborating to provide training to scientists, doctors, and health professionals.
The minister met with Professor Sir David Warrell, a leading figure in tropical medicine and the founding director of the Centre for Tropical Medicine in Thailand at the invitation of the Thai king.
They discussed the prospect of producing antivenom in Bangladesh under EDCL to address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Young researchers from Bangladesh who are studying in Oxford also attended the meeting.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK accompanied the health minister during the visit and the meetings.
Health Minister Dr Sen was in the UK on an official visit to attend the Conference on &ldquo;International Response to Antimicrobial Resistance,&rdquo; organised by the UK Government and the Royal Society.

Bangladesh seeks support of Oxford Vaccine Group to establish vaccine centre

Dhaka's green areas have decreased to 9% over the last 28 years, while wetlands have diminished to 2.9%, according to a study by the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP). 
This information was disclosed at a day-long conference marking the 52nd founding anniversary of the Center for Urban Studies, Dhaka, held at the Jatiya Chitrashala Auditorium on Saturday (May 18).
The BIP report indicates that as Dhaka's green areas and wetlands have decreased, the city's gray areas and concrete structures have increased. This shift has exacerbated the urban heat island effect, raising temperatures in urban areas. The study suggests that the reduction in greenery is a primary factor contributing to the ongoing heat wave in the country.
Urban planning standards recommend that an ideal city should have 25% green areas and 10-15% water bodies. However, due to global warming, temperatures in various parts of Dhaka city have increased by 5 to 6 degrees Celsius in the past year, whereas the expected rise was only 1 to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
BIP research shows that Dhaka's concrete-covered area was 64.99% in 1999, increased to 77.18% in 2009, and reached 81.82% in 2019. This increase has disrupted the overall environmental balance of the city.
Professor Md. Iqbal Sarwar from the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at Chittagong University highlighted the economic losses caused by heat waves, including decreased worker productivity, reduced agricultural output, disrupted industrial processes, and damage to infrastructure.
He noted that heat waves are considered extreme weather conditions with detrimental effects on human health. In 2024 alone, around 11 people have died across Bangladesh due to the severe heat wave.
The conference was presided over by Urban Research Center President Emeritus Prof. Nazrul Islam, with the chief guest being Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, Tajul Islam. Speakers included Jahangirnagar University Professor Dr. Abul Kalam, BUET Professor Israt Islam, BIP President Adil Muhammad Khan, and Architect Iqbal Habib.

Dhaka's greenery shrinks to 9% in 28 years

A light rain drenched the capital on Saturday morning, offering city dwellers some relief from scorching heat.
The sky had been gloomy since early morning and the much-awaited downpour started around 8:30am.
Light rain was reported in different areas of the capital including Shyamoli, Jatrabari, Agargaon, Farmgate, Kawran Bazar, Asadgate, Mohammadpur, Dhanmondi, Jigatala, New Market, Kalyanpur and Banglamotor areas.
Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has predicted rains or thundershowers in different parts of the country including Dhaka in 24 hours commencing at 9am on Saturday.
&ldquo;Rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind is likely at a few places over Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions and at one or two places over Rajshahi, Rangpur and Barishal divisions with hails at isolated places,&rdquo; it said.

Light morning rain in parts of Dhaka brings some relief

The fire that broke out at the Dholaikhal branch of Mutual Trust Bank in Dhaka has been brought under control.&nbsp;
Five firefighting units from Sutrapur and Siddik Bazar fire stations doused the fire around 11:57am, Sutrapur fire station's Senior Station Officer Hasan Ali told the Bangladesh First.
The fire originated at 10:40am at the bank located on the second floor of a four-storey building in Dholaikhal.&nbsp;
Hasan Ali said it is suspected that a short circuit sparked the fire.

Fire at Mutual Trust Bank's Dholaikhal branch under control

Two workers were killed and 10 others injured when the truck they were riding in after harvesting paddy fell into a ditch in Tala upazila of Satkhira early on Saturday (May 18).&nbsp;
The incident occurred in the Harish Chandra Kati area on Tala-Paikgacha road.
The deceased are Saidul Islam, 38, son of Taleb Gazi from Baga village in Koira upazila, Khulna, and Monirul Islam, 30, son of Tofazzal Sardar from Madarbaria village in the same upazila.
Injured laborer Zahidul Islam said they had gone to Gopalganj to harvest paddy. After completing their work, they were returning home on a truck carrying the rice they had received as remuneration. Near the Harish Chandra Kati area, the truck overturned, causing two workers to be buried under the paddy sacks and die on the spot.
Zahidul added that at least ten people were injured in the accident.
Locals suggested that the accident might have been caused by holes dug for road expansion on both sides of the road.
Tala police station Officer-in-Charge Mominul Islam said the bodies of the deceased have been recovered and the injured were admitted to Tala Health Complex.

Paddy harvest: 2 workers killed, 10 injured as truck falls into ditch

A Malaysian recruitment company is being taken to the Industrial Court for failing to pay salary arrears amounting to Tk2.3 crore to 733 Bangladeshi workers.&nbsp;
Despite a directive issued by Malaysia's Human Resources Ministry on February 5 to settle the outstanding amount within 45 days, the company has not complied, reports The Star quoting a ministry statement on Friday (May 17).
The ministry said the case is being referred to the court under Section S69(4) of the Employment Act 1955. If found guilty, the employer could face fines of RM50,000 for each offence in addition to paying the arrears.
The claim proceedings revealed that although the workers were legally brought into the country, they were not provided with any jobs. The statement noted that ten investigation papers (IPs) have been opened on the company. Permission for prosecution has been obtained for four IPs, with further instructions pending on the others.
Additionally, the company's recruitment licence has been revoked, preventing it from accepting any new applications. Of the 733 affected workers, 692 have since secured employment through the Special Employers Exchange Process.
"The ministry will not compromise with any parties who flout labour laws and will ensure that the welfare of workers is always guaranteed," the statement concluded.

Malaysian firm faces court for unpaid wages to Bangladeshi workers

A 40-year-old school teacher was beaten to death allegedly by his cousins over a land dispute in Mymensingh's Phulpur upazila on Friday.
The victim was identified as Sajjat Hossain Kamal, &nbsp;headmaster of Gowatla Raghurampur Government Primary School.
The incident took place at Puran Nagar village of Baola Union of the upazila around 11am on Friday.
Locals said Kamal had a long-standing dispute with his uncle Abul Khair and his cousin Zakaria Gong over a piece of land.
On Friday morning, when &nbsp;Kamal went to irrigate the disputed land, his cousins beat him mercilessly, leaving him seriously injured.
He was rushed to Phulpur Upazila Health Complex where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Phulpur Police Station Mahbubur Rahman said police visited the spot after receiving the information.
The body was recovered and sent to Mymensingh Medical College morgue for an autopsy.
Police have detained three people including the cousin and aunt of Kamal for questioning, added the officer.

Headmaster beaten to death

Two cousins drowned in a pond at Mominpara area of Gomstapur upazila in Chapainawabganj district on Friday afternoon.
The deceased were identified as Farhana, 4, daughter of Mofizul Islam, and Fahim Ali, 3, son of Dawud Ali of the upazila.
Moin Uddin, sub-inspector (SI) of Gomstapur police station said that two children fell into the water body in the absence of family members when they were playing on the bank of the pond near their house at around 12:30pm.
At one stage of a frantic search that followed the discovery that they were missing, the bodies of the children were found floating in the pond.
"As there was no complaint from the families of the victims, the bodies were handed over in the afternoon," said the SI.

Two minor cousins drown in C'nawabganj village pond

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal today said police will play the main responsibility towards implementing the Prime Minister's vision to transform the country into Smart Bangladesh. &nbsp; "Bangladesh is moving forward due to your (police) sincere efforts to control terrorism, militancy and crimes. Now Bangladesh has become a strong country," he told a function at Rajarbag police line here yesterday. &nbsp; The newly elected committee of Bangladesh Police Service Association (BPSA) held its installation ceremony with its president Special Branch Chief and Additional Inspector General of Police Md Monirul Islam. &nbsp; Kamal said, "We have come to this place today because of the vision of the honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as she materialized digital Bangladesh. Now she is talking about Smart Bangladesh. She formulated a plan to build a better Bangladesh. The main responsibility of implementing that plan lies on you." &nbsp; The minister inaugurated the installation ceremony of the newly elected 155-member committee of BPSA and said the association was formed to achieve professional excellence and solve various problems of the members of the police force. &nbsp; Md Mustafizur Rahman, Senior Secretary, Public Security Division and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun were present as special guests on the occasion. &nbsp; Among others, Md Mahabubur Rahman, Additional IGP, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Joint Commissioner Biplob Kumar Sarkar and Superintendent of Police of Narayanganj District and General Secretary of BPSA Golam Mostafa Russell spokes on the occasion. &nbsp; Mustafizur Rahman said that smart policing is necessary for smart Bangladesh. He urged members of the association to give smart policing as a gift to the people of the country. &nbsp; Welcoming the newly formed committee, the IGP said that members of BPSA will work tirelessly to provide services to people. He expressed his hope that members of the association will continue their efforts to make Bangladesh Police a service-oriented institution.
Md Monirul Islam thanked all said that Bangladesh Police can face any challenge in provision of security. &nbsp; He said that with the blessings and support of Prime Minister, BPSA has been playing a role in building Bangabandhu's dream 'Sonar Bangla'.&nbsp;

Police to play key role in building smart Bangladesh: Kamal

Senior Correspondent

State Minister for Women and Child Affairs Simeen Hussain Rimi said that suicide has emerged as a complex social problem in Bangladesh and emphasised that it is possible to eliminate it through combined efforts from both the public and private sectors.
&ldquo;Today, with the availability of the internet, mental health information is more readily available than ever before,&rdquo; said Simeen Hussain Rimi&nbsp;while speaking as the chief guest at the suicide prevention policy briefing organized by 'Kan Pete Rai' at the BRAC Center in Mohakhali today (May 17).
The state minister highlighted the close relationship between mental health and suicide. She noted that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given special importance to healthcare, alongside other sectors, in building a Smart Bangladesh.
The state minister mentioned that mental problems can lead to suicide. She explained that hormonal changes during puberty make teenage girls particularly vulnerable, as they become very sensitive during this time.
Pointing out the causes of suicide, the state minister identified several significant reasons, including parental ambitions regarding education, failure in romantic relationships, cyberbullying, profile hacking, and the frustration of not securing a job.
The State Minister added that the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs has been working on suicide prevention since its inception. The Ministry is striving to improve the mental health of teenagers through the 'Kishore Kishori Club' in every union in Bangladesh. Additionally, various government development activities are being disseminated to the public through the Information Apa Project. The government is also working tirelessly to improve mental health through Upazila Health Complexes.

Public, private efforts can eliminate suicide: State minister

Agriculture Minister Dr Abdus&nbsp;Shahid, MP, has said India, China, Russia and Belarus are very&nbsp;much interested in importing mangoes produced in Rajshahi,&nbsp;including its vast Barind tract.
He also said a Chinese team would see the Rajshahi's mangoes very soon and asked some of his officials to fix the proper prices of mangoes after dealing with the team accurately.
The minister revealed this while addressing a workshop titled&nbsp;"Water-efficient Futures: Scaling Agricultural Interventions in&nbsp;the Water-scares Barind Region" at Circuit House here today as&nbsp;the chief guest.
With Additional Divisional Commissioner Imtiaz Hossain in the&nbsp;chair, the workshop was addressed, among others, by&nbsp;Programme Manager of World Bank Michael John Webster and&nbsp;Managing Director of the Coca-Cola Bangladesh Limited Ju-un&nbsp;Nahar Choudhury.
Later, the agriculture minister visited a mango orchard under&nbsp;Ultra High Density Mango Planting (UHDMP) method and also&nbsp;shared views with farmers and others concerned on the occasion&nbsp;at Kumorpur village under Godagari Upazila in the district.
On behalf of their Water Efficient Technologies to Barind Tract&nbsp;(IWET) project, DASCOH Foundation and Syngenta Foundation&nbsp;are promoting UHDMP method with financial support of the&nbsp;Coca-Cola Foundation and World Bank benefiting 10,000&nbsp;farmers directly, while 50,000 others indirectly since 2018.
Agriculture Minister Dr Abdus Shahid said mango production&nbsp;might decline this year. So, there is an apprehension of&nbsp;syndication centering the seasonal fruit.
All concerned should remain alert in this regard so that the&nbsp;farmers can get their due price. "We don't allow any syndicate,"&nbsp;he added.
He urged the journalists to furnish media reports against the&nbsp;syndication so that they could be brought to book as early as&nbsp;possible.
Agriculture Minister Abdus Shahid also visited a Boro paddy&nbsp;field being cultivated through the irrigation technology of&nbsp;Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) method at Bijoy Nagar&nbsp;village under the same upazila.
The AWD has been reducing wastage of underground water&nbsp;coupled with boosting paddy yield making the marginalized&nbsp;farmers happy in the water-stressed Barind area.
DASCOH Foundation has also been promoting the AWD method&nbsp;through its Water Management Project (WMP) supported by the&nbsp;Coca-Cola Foundation aimed at promoting the water-saving&nbsp;technologies among underprivileged farmers.
Earlier, the disadvantaged and other marginalized farmers were&nbsp;imparted training on how to get additional yield in less water&nbsp;through using technology.
Salient features of the WMP are to enhance agro-water&nbsp;efficiency, reduce ground-water extraction and increase farmers'&nbsp;income.
&nbsp;

India, China, Russia, Belarus keen to take Rajshahi's mangoes: Agriculture Minister

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Md Atiqul Islam has called upon the councillors to strengthen awareness campaigns in the surrounding areas over dengue disease.
"Awareness programmes should be carried out in the surrounding areas of dengue-affected people including, their houses, after collecting lists. Inquiries should be made at houses of dengue-affected patients in their respective wards," he said.
He made the call while chairing the 27th corporation meeting of the 2nd Parishad in the hall of Nagar Bhaban in the city's Gulshan area on Thursday (16 May).
The mayor also stressed the need for holding meetings and awareness rallies with the participation of local dignitaries, politicians, imams, teachers and students to control dengue.
"Each councillor is being given Taka 50,000 to conduct awareness campaign for dengue menace," he added.
He also advised all to keep their homes and surroundings clean so that stagnant water cannot be confined in any place.
With DNCC Secretary Mohammed Masud Alam Siddique in the chair, the meeting was attended, among others, by Chief Executive Officer of DNCC Mir Khairul Alam, Chief Engineer Brigadier General Md Moin Uddin, Chief Health Officer Brigadier General Imrul Kayes Chowdhury, Chief Waste Management Officer Captain Mohammad Fida Hasan and all departmental heads, councillors and senior officials of DNCC.

Dhaka North mayor urges councillors to boost awareness campaign for dengue

Three construction workers died after falling off a 10-storey under-construction building in the city&rsquo;s Sabujbagh area today.
The deceased were identified as Altafur Rahman, 40, Ontor, 25 and Mofizul Islam.
Standing on a scaffold, they were working at the under-construction building beside Mayakanon Jamiatul Masjid in the area around 10am, said Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Sabujbagh Police Station Praloy Kumar Saha.
Suddenly, they fell down breaking that makeshift shed, he said, adding that they were rushed to Mugda General Hospital with the help of the locals.
Altafur and Ontor succumbed to their injuries at the hospital while Mofizul, who was later transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), died at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) around 2.30 pm, reported BSS Dhaka Medicinal College Hospital correspondent.
The bodies will be handed over to the relatives after the autopsy.

3 construction workers die after falling off building in city

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday said her party &ndash; Bangladesh Awami League (AL) is the strongest, largest and the most credible political party in the country now.
&ldquo;Today Awami League is the strongest and biggest organisation in Bangladesh. It's a reality. The most acceptable party among the people is the Awami League,&rdquo; she said.
The AL president, Sheikh Hasina, made the remarks when her party leaders and activists came to Ganabhaban to greet her on her historic Homecoming Day.
Recalling her election as the President of Bangladesh Awami League in her absence before her return to home on May 17, 1981, the PM said she had no experience to lead a big party like AL at that time. It was definitely a big responsibility for her to lead AL, she added.
She said the party has overcome conspiracies on many occasions. "Conspiracies are hatched every time and we overcome them. We have to keep it up,&rdquo; she added.
Recollecting the day she had returned home ending six years of forced exile, the AL president said she had been welcomed by hundreds of thousands of people defying the storm and rain on that day.
She said when she returned to Bangladesh in 1981, the country was then run by war criminals and the killers of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with most of his family members.
The prime minister said she returned to the country despite knowing she might have been killed as she had trust in the countrymen and leaders and activists of Awami League.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;d returned home with a conviction as the desire with which the Father of the Nation made the country independent was not fulfilled. Rather the condition of the people deteriorated further,&rdquo; she said.
She said now her government has been able to implement at least to some extent the desire and the spirit with which Bangabandhu made the country independent.
&ldquo;All my strength and courage I&rsquo;ve got from my parents,&rdquo; said Hasina.
Talking about AL&rsquo;s role in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, she said, &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve been able to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic as we have a well-organised political party and its associate bodies.&rdquo;
She said no other political party except the Awami League stood beside the people during the period of Covid-19 pandemic and many AL leaders and workers sacrificed their lives in doing so.
"No other organisation except Awami League does make this sacrifice for the people of Bangladesh," said Sheikh Hasina, who has been steering the Awami League since 1981. The PM said her government has been able to change the country. &ldquo;But we&rsquo;ve to progress further in future,&rdquo; she added.
Earlier in the morning, AL leaders and activists led by its General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader greeted their party chief with flowers at Ganabhaban, marking her 44th homecoming Day.
Leaders and activists of the associate and friendly bodies of the Awami League were also present at that time. &nbsp;

Today AL is the strongest party: PM Hasina on homecoming day

The United Kingdom has signed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) with Bangladesh to facilitate the deportation of over 10,000 illegal Bangladeshi immigrants whose asylum applications have been rejected.
"Accelerating the removal process is a crucial part of our plan to prevent people from coming here and staying illegally. Bangladesh is a valuable partner of the UK, and it is excellent that we are strengthening our relationship with Bangladesh on this and other issues," said UK's Minister for Illegal Immigration Michael Tomlinson.
The agreement, reached during the first UK-Bangladesh Joint Home Affairs Working Group meeting held in London this week, includes fast-track procedures for deporting these individuals, according to a press release.
Last year, approximately 11,000 Bangladeshi nationals arrived in the UK on student, tourist, or work visas and subsequently applied for asylum. The UK immigration authorities rejected 95% of these applications.
These rejected asylum seekers will now be deported to Bangladesh under the new agreement.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK, Muna Tasneem, highlighted the historical value-driven diplomatic relations between the two Commonwealth countries, rooted in the friendship between Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the UK's former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath.
Reaffirming Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina&rsquo;s zero-tolerance stance against irregular migration, she said Bangladesh High Commission London in collaboration with UK Home Office has been returning certain numbers of undocumented Bangladeshis for more than a decade.
"That is why the number of undocumented Bangladeshis in the UK is minimal at this moment, and the Bangladesh Home Office would work closely with the British Home Office with support from the High Commission. The good news is that Bangladesh is not even within the top ten countries in terms of numbers of undocumented Bangladeshis, and yet we needed to formalize this MoU with the post-Brexit UK,&rdquo; she said.
The Bangladesh-UK SOPs on Returns is a successor to the earlier signed Bangladesh-EU SOPs of 2017, the procedure that used to be followed before UK&rsquo;s exit from the EU for returning Bangladeshi overstayers from the UK.

Over 10,000 Bangladeshi likely to be deported from UK

Operations against the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa), said the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
&ldquo;We carry out operations after receiving any information about Arsa,&rdquo; RAB Media and Legal Wing Director Commander Arafat Islam said during a press briefing in Dhaka on Friday (17 May).
&ldquo;One of the biggest threats in the Rohingya camps is Arsa. This group has been involved in various crimes including killings and kidnappings,&rdquo; he added.
RAB has conducted various operations, arrested many Arsa members and recovered huge amount of explosives and weapons from them over time, the official said.

Operation against Arsa will continue: RAB

The United States has said the sanctions imposed against Bangladesh's elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) are not being withdrawn.
"Those claims are false. The US is not withdrawing sanctions against the RAB," said Principal Deputy Spokesperson at the US Department of State Vedant Patel.
In a regular briefing at the US Department of State, he said sanctions are intended to change "behaviour and promote accountability".
Nobody from the government of Bangladesh claimed that the US is withdrawing the sanctions, prompting a question who made these false claims.
"The issue is with the US Department of Justice which is independent and separate from the White House and the State Department. They work independently," PM's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman told reporters earlier on Tuesday night in Dhaka.
Salman said the White House and the US Department of State are in favour of lifting sanctions on the RAB but it depends on the Department of Justice.
Donald Lu in Dhaka to "strengthen bilateral cooperation" with Bangladesh
"The issue is moving through a process," Salman said after his discussion over dinner with US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu who on a three-day visit here last week.
In January 2023, Donald Lu appreciated the &ldquo;tremendous progress&rdquo; made by Rab in &ldquo;respecting human rights&rdquo; while performing its duties.
&ldquo;We had quite a good discussion about the Rab. If you have seen the statement this week by the Human Rights Watch, they recognised and we recognised tremendous progress in the area of reducing extra judicial killings by the Rab,&rdquo; he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at that time.
&ldquo;This is amazing work. It shows that Rab is able to carry out its important counterterrorism and law enforcement function while respecting human rights,&rdquo; Lu added.

Sanctions against RAB will stay: US State Department

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday asked the economists to design their policies, plans and programmes considering the local realities as advice from a foreigner won&rsquo;t be fruitful here.
&ldquo;I want from the economists that you would design your policies, plans and programmes considering the soil and people of the country,&rdquo; she said.
The premier said this while inaugurating the 22nd biennial conference-2024 of Bangladesh Economic Association (BEA) at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) in the city&rsquo;s Ramna area.
She said if any plan and programme is designed focusing on local realities and public welfare, it would be effective.
&ldquo;If someone (a foreigner) comes here for a day or two and leaves giving us advice. There&rsquo;ll be no use of that advice for us,&rdquo; she said.
The PM, however, said Bangladeshi experts of course can learn anything from foreign sources but implement it here considering the country, its people and resources.
Noting that making Bangladesh developed is her goal by changing the fate of its people, she said Bangladesh has already progressed a lot in its development journey.
&ldquo;Inshallah, we&rsquo;ll continue to advance as we are doing now. We'll be able to overcome all obstacles no matter how many obstructions are there,&rdquo; said Hasina amid applause.
BEA President Prof Abul Barkat presided over the opening session of the two-day biennial conference.
Convener of the conference preparation committee Dr Jamaluddin Ahmed delivered the welcome speech, while BEA General Secretary Prof Md Aynul Islam gave the vote of thanks.

Keep local realities in mind while making plans: PM Hasina to economists

Mild to moderate heatwave is sweeping over eight&nbsp;divisions across the country, said met office forecast for the next 24 hours begins from 9am today.
"Mild to moderate heatwave is sweeping over Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh,&nbsp;Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions and it may continue," the forecast said.
Rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur&nbsp;at one or two places over Sylhet division with hails at isolated places.
Weather may remain mainly dry with temporary partly cloudy sky elsewhere over&nbsp;the country, it added.
Trough of westerly low lies over West Bengal to North-west Bay.
Country's maximum temperature on Thursday was recorded 39.5 degree Celsius at&nbsp;Ishwardi and today's minimum temperature 24.0 degree Celsius was recorded at&nbsp;Tetulia.
Maximum rainfall for the last twenty-four hours till 6am today was recorded 3 millimeters (mm) at Rajshahi.
Day and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country. Due&nbsp;to increase of moisture incursion, the discomfort may persist.
The sun sets at 6:35 pm today and rises at 05.15 am tomorrow in the capital.

Mild to moderate heatwave sweeps over country

Dhaka has ranked 10th on the list of cities with the worst air quality with an AQI index of 127 at 9:10am this morning (17 May).
Today&rsquo;s air was classified as 'unhealthy', according to the air quality index.
When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 50 and 100, air quality is considered &lsquo;moderate&rsquo;, usually sensitive individuals should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion, between 101 and 150, air quality is considered &lsquo;unhealthy for sensitive groups&rsquo;, between 150 and 200 is &lsquo;unhealthy&rsquo;, between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', while a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
India&rsquo;s Delhi, Pakistan&rsquo;s Lahore and Democratic Republic of the Congo&rsquo;s Kinshasa occupied the first, third and fourth spots in the list, with AQI scores of 216, 188 and 174, respectively.
The AQI, an index for reporting daily air quality, informs people how clean or polluted the air of a certain city is and what associated health effects might be a concern for them.
The AQI in Bangladesh is based on five pollutants: particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2, and ozone.
Dhaka has long been grappling with air pollution issues. Its air quality usually turns unhealthy in winter and improves during the monsoon.
As per World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, mainly due to increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections.

Dhaka’s air quality ‘unhealthy’ this morning

Prices of vegetables have been high in the kitchen markets of the capital despite a steady supply.
Visiting the capital's Karwan Bazar kitchen market on Friday (17 May), truckloads of goods were were seen to be unloaded and stacked on the side of the road.
Traders claim the supply from wholesale market to the retail market has been less than the demand.
"Even though there is sufficient supply of all products in the kitchen market, the prices of everything are high," complained a buyer named Amjad Hossain.
Meanwhile, vegetable trader Masum said, "Many vegetables are coming in the kitchen market. But it is less than the demand. So the price is a bit high. Basically, both production and import are less in summer. So the price always seems high to the customers."
Potatoes are being sold at Tk50-55 per kg. 
However, the price of onion has decreased slightly from Tk70 per kg and now it is being sold at Tk 55-60. 
Besides, the price of ginger and garlic has increased slightly. 
Ginger is selling at Tk240-280 per kg and garlic at Tk200-240 per kg.
Gourds are being sold at the rate of Tk70-80 per piece in the market, radish at Tk80 per kg, lemon at Tk40-50 per hali (set of four), bitter gourd at Tk80 per kg, brinjal at Tk100 per kg, radish at Tk60 per kg, Papaya at Tk100 per kg and pumpkin at Tk60 per piece.
Prices remain high in meat and fish markets
As before, beef is being sold at higher prices than the price set by the government.
Beef is being sold at Tk780-800 per kg, while mutton is being sold at Tk1150 per kg.
Besides, broiler chicken is being sold at Tk205-210 per kg.
Large and medium size hilsa are being sold at Tk1,400-2,000 per kg.

Vegetable prices high despite steady supply

The government has decided to appoint Major General Syed Tareq Hussain, OSP, awc, psc as the new ambassador of Bangladesh to Kuwait, said a press release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A decorated high official of Bangladesh Army, Major General Tareq was commissioned in 1989.
During his distinguished military career, he has served in various staff, instructional and command appointments.
Just before being deputed to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he was serving as Senior Directing Staff of National Defense College.
His major assignments throughout the career include Commandant of Bangladesh Ordinance Factory, GOC of 19 Infantry Division and Commander of 44 and 72 Infantry Brigades.
Major General Tareq had also the distinct honour of serving in United Nations Peacekeeping Missions in Angola and C&ocirc;te d'Ivoire. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Major General Tareq had the unique opportunity to obtain graduate degrees from some of the most prestigious military institutions across the globe; namely Defence Services Command and Staff College in Mirpur, Bangladesh, Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, India and US Army War College in Pennsylvania.
He also obtained three post-graduation degrees- Masters in Defence Studies from National University of Bangladesh, Masters in Defence and Strategic Studies from Madras University, India and Masters in Strategic Studies from US Army War College. &nbsp;&nbsp;
In personal life, Major General Tareq is married to Bilkis Begum Simi and the couple is blessed with two daughters.
His favourite pass-times include reading books, listening music and playing golf.&nbsp;

Major General Syed Tareq Hussain appointed Bangladeshi ambassador to Kuwait

The Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs is going to widen the service of its National Helpline "164300" to boost its effort to provide free legal aid to the people's doorstep.
The National Legal Aid Services Organisation (NLASO) is going to recruit six officials to give legal advice on a contractual basis to run the national helpline call centre, according to the ministry.
"After the appointment, citizens would be able to get free legal advice around the clock. People can dial the toll-free number "164300" from anywhere in the country and get legal advice," it said.
Law Minister Anisul Huq approved the necessary documents in this regard on May 15. He also asked the NLASO director to complete the appointment process very soon. At the time, he reiterated his call to take legal aid service to people's doorsteps to make it more successful.
Ministry sources said the responsibilities of the newly appointed officials would be to: receive phone calls, provide legal information, give legal counselling and aid, provide primary information on filing cases, forward any complaint regarding legal aid service via supervisor to appropriate authorities, and enter data regarding caller name, address, problem, and solution. To provide detailed information about where the indigent person can go or how to get legal aid, and to perform any other duties assigned by the National Legal Aid Agency.
The educational qualification for recruitment of legal counsel officers is - LLB (Honour's) or equivalent degree from a recognised university with a second-class or equivalent CGPA.
Candidates with experience working as advocates will be given preference in this regard.

Law ministry to expand duration of national helpline service to provide free legal aid

District Correspondent

At least five people were killed when a bus lost control and fell into a ditch in Chauddagram upazila of Cumilla.
The incident occurred in the Basantpur area of the upazila on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway early on Friday (17 May),&nbsp;Miabazar Highway Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Lokman Hossain told media.
"A bus of Relax Paribahan was going from Dhaka to Cox's Bazar early on Friday morning.&nbsp;When the bus reached Basantpur area of Chauddagram upazila on the highway, it lost control and fell into the nearby ditch. 5 people died on the spot. About 15 people were injured," he added.
The injured were rescued and admitted to Chauddagram Upazila Health Complex.
Fire service and police are engaged in rescue operations at the scene.
&nbsp;

5 killed in Cumilla road accident

Congratulating Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her reelection, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said he looks forward to working with PM Hasina to strengthen their bilateral relationship and together contribute to regional peace, prosperity and security.
&ldquo;As Indian Ocean nations, we share an interest in a region that is grounded in sovereignty, promotes the prosperity and security of our citizens, and addresses the threat of climate change," he said in a letter written to PM Hasina.
The Australian PM highlighted the importance of their partnership in promoting "peace, prosperity and security" in the Indian Ocean.
He affirmed his support for growing bilateral and regional cooperation between Australia and Bangladesh.
&ldquo;We have many common interests in increasing our trade and investment, promoting human rights, cooperating on people smuggling and addressing the Rohingya issue,&rdquo; Albanese wrote.
He, on behalf of the government and people of Australia, congratulated Sheikh Hasina on her reelection as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.
Awami League President and daughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Hasina took oath as the prime minister for the historic fifth time as well as her consecutive fourth term in January this year.

Australian PM together with PM Hasina keen to contribute to regional peace, prosperity, security

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday (16 May) expressed profound shock and sorrow and highly condemned the incident of shooting at Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic with an intention of killing him, according to a press release of Press Wing of PM.
In a letter addressed to President of the Slovak Republic, Zuzana Caputov, she said, "The people of Bangladesh and I are deeply shocked and alarmed to learn the heinous assassination attempt on the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic, Robert Fico."
"I pray and hope for his quick and complete recovery, and my thoughts and prayers are with his family members and the people of Slovakia," she also said.
Sheikh Hasina continued: "Such a senseless act of violence is an&nbsp;assault on global democratic norms and values, and I condemn it in the&nbsp;strongest terms."
"I assure you that at this time of distress, we stand by the&nbsp;side of Slovakia," she said.

PM condemns attempt on life of Slovakian Premier

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid has said that environment-friendly, energy efficient green buildings are the need of the hour.
&ldquo;Along with saving energy in all areas, initiatives to make buildings energy efficient should also be continued,&rdquo; he said.
He was addressing the open architectural design competition for Design of the NESCO Main Control Center (MCC) in Rajshahi at the Institute of Architects, Bangladesh building on Thursday.
Northern Electricity Supply Company (NESCO) PLC has taken initiative to construct the Main Control Center for monitoring and controlling all NESCO substations in Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions.
NESCO organised the open architectural design competition in collaboration with the IAB to make the proposed building attractive and iconic.
A team of 12 students, led by Mohammad Naimul Ahsan Khan, stood first in the competition.
Nasrul Hamid said that in the 1960s, architects designed buildings keeping climate change in mind.
Buildings in the power sector will be constructed keeping the country in mind, in sync with local culture, he added.
He noted that as green building construction activities increase, a healthier environment will be developed faster, creating a positive outlook towards an eco-friendly future.
With IAB President Professor Dr. Khandkar Sabbir Ahmed in the chair, the function was also addressed by Senior Secretary of Power Division Md. Habibur Rahman, Chairman of Power Development Board Md. Mahbubur Rahman, Chairman of the Board of Directors of NESCO and Additional Secretary of Power Division Dr. Masum Ahmed Chowdhury and Managing Director of NESCO Zakiul Islam. &nbsp;

Time to build environment-friendly, energy efficient green buildings: Nasrul Hamid

As it watched the country&rsquo;s foreign exchange reserves keep draining away, from the peak of $48.1 billion in August 2021 to a net figure that may be less than $13 billion today, Bangladesh Bank became engaged in studying the minutiae of different types of calculations and definitions of a country&rsquo;s reserve holdings, and all their different interpretations, like an A Levels Macroeconomics student.
The convoluted discussion it created around the country&rsquo;s reserves - this formula, that formula, IMF manuals, and payouts from the reserve in the form of loans that were not initially disclosed, have all contributed to a cloud over the entire situation for a while now. &nbsp;Consumers are forced to grapple with all kinds of different information becoming and some unethical traders are cashing in on this by increasing prices arbitrarily.
As a result, common people are suffering as businesses and different trading syndicates have taken to using the pretext of &lsquo;the dollar crisis&rsquo; to hike prices. Talking with common people, economists and businesses, the correspondent got this opinion.
Mohammed Alam, 50, from Charfashion in Bhola, has been working in the Moghbazar area of Dhaka as an electrician for the last 17 years. He is self-employed and works on call if anybody needs an electric line installed, a fan to be setup, etc.
For the last one month, since Eid ul Fitr, Alam has been charging a minimum bill of Tk500 for any call leading to a home visit. Till Eid this year, and for the longest time in fact, this service was charged Tk300.
&ldquo;We would not be able to provide service if anyone offered below Tk500, as prices of food, medicine, utility bills, our own expenses have shot up since the dollar crisis started. Why can&rsquo;t our service bill increase,&rdquo; said Alam.
Alam himself had to ask the UNB correspondent, if there is really a dire emergency over the reserves, because almost all shopkeepers have started charging a higher price for any product.
When Alam asked about the reason behind the higher price, they always replied &ldquo;price hiked due to the dollar crisis in Bangladesh.&rdquo;
Ekabbar Ali, 60, from Jamalpur Meladhoh Upazila, has worked as a rickshawpuller for the last 25 years, living in the capital&rsquo;s Rampura area. He is now charging a minimum fare of Tk 30-40 for the same distance that he used to charge Tk20 to at times Tk25 till Eid ul Fitr.
Ali said that the garage from which he leased out &lsquo;his rickshaw&rsquo; had increased the daily deposit it charged from its pullers each day. Everything increased recently claiming a &lsquo;dollar crisis&rsquo;.
&ldquo;The prices of food, medicine, and all our bills have increased due to the dollar crisis. Imports had soared, as a consequence prices of almost all goods and services rose. If rickshaw fare is not increased, we cannot survive,&rdquo; Ali said with absolute conviction.
Habibur Rahman, a grocery trader in Bara Moghbazar rail gate area, said that his suppliers are hiking prices several times a week, again claiming higher price of dollars. So they (traders) have to sell goods at an additional rate.
The central bank of Bangladesh provides 3 figures of Bangladesh's foreign exchange reserves, measured by three methods.
Bangladesh Bank's &lsquo;total reserves&rsquo; fell to $23.77 billion (May 14) after meeting the liabilities of March and April to the Asian Clearing Union (ACU). Total reserves is a method of BB, which also includes the reserves money spent in the export development fund (EDF).
According to the IMF&rsquo;s BPM6 method, the gross reserve figure is $18.32 billion. While actual or usable reserves are slightly less than $13 billion. In calculating actual usable reserves showed excluding different debt liabilities. This method is also followed by the IMF to understand the financial health of Bangladesh.
According to a central bank official, the amount of usable reserves is slightly less than $13 billion, which is referred to as net reserves in the media. This calculation of reserves excludes the money repaid for loans from the Export Development Fund, as well as the dollars held as SDRs by the IMF.
However, the central bank never publishes the net reserve data officially.
Dr Ahsan H. Mansur, executive director of the Policy Research Institute and a former senior economist at the IMF&rsquo;s Washington office, told UNB that the gross reserves are now $18 billion-plus. It means reserves are not at risk yet.
But there is a lack of confidence in the money market and macroeconomic situation, and the reserves of Bangladesh remain in an unstable situation, he said.
Uncontrolled money laundering has created a sense of alarm over the Bangladesh economy, which is bringing instability in reserves and macroeconomic management as well, Dr Mansur pointed out.
Dr Zahid Hussain, the former chief economist of the World Bank in Dhaka, said that there are two principal risks associated with rapidly dwindling forex reserves. One is the inability to make dollar payments, which would usually be required for imported goods. The associated fall in imports may lead to increased prices in domestic markets.

‘Dollar crisis’ being seized upon by unethical traders to hike prices

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud today said the UNHCR may involve India and China more in the process of commencing the Rohingya repatriation from Bangladesh to their land of origin Myanmar.
"Internal conflicts in Myanmar are almost a century old. He emphasized that there is no alternative to increasing effective international pressure on Myanmar regarding the repatriation of Rohingyas," he said.
The foreign minister made the remark while the UNHCR representative in Bangladesh Sumbul Rizvi called on him at the foreign ministry here.
During the meeting, Rizvi informed the minister of the ongoing armed conflicts between Myanmar army and other conflicting groups inside Myanmar.
They also talked about the fleeing members of the Myanmar forces to the Bangladesh border.
The foreign minister proposed that in addition to education in the Rohingya camp, various trade training can be provided to Rohingya people by forming small groups for enhancing their skills.
This training will help them to build their professional career when they return to their home country, he said. &nbsp; Hasan also laid emphasis on the relocation of more Rohingyas to Bhasanchar and regular maintenance of the facilities there.
Later, the Foreign Minister met the Spanish ambassador to Bangladesh Gabriel Chinchetru and discussed various bilateral issues. &nbsp; Pointing out that Spain is Bangladesh's second-highest export destination in the European Union, the foreign minister urged the country to invest in Bangladesh's special economic zones and IT villages.
Besides, the minister and the envoy agreed in principle on inking the 'Migration Mobility Agreement' with Spain.
Currently Bangladesh has the 'Migration Mobility Agreement' with Greece and negotiations are underway with Italy, Austria and Malta.
The Spanish Ambassador said there are about 60,000 Bangladeshi expatriates living in Spain and contributing to the Spanish economy.
He invited the foreign minister to visit Spain at his convenience.

UNHCR may involve India, China more in Rohingya repatriation: Hasan

Special Correspondent

Bangladeshi politicians prefer economists to be obedient if not servants, said eminent economist Professor Mohammed Farashuddin.
&ldquo;There are asymmetric relationships between politics and economy. The politicians like to see economists as obedient if not servants,&rdquo; he said today at an event to launch a book written by himself titled "Bangladesh's Future Development: Agenda for Reforms&rdquo; arranged by the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS).
Mashiur Rahman, Economic Affairs Advisor to the Prime Minister, made remarks as chief guest at the event held at the BIDS auditorium.
Wahiduddin Mahmud, former advisor of the caretaker government, Fahmida Khatun, executive director of the Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD), and others spoke at the event, which was moderated by Binayak Sen, director general of the BIDS.
Wahiduddin Mahmud highlighted the significant disparity between the economic analysis of project outcomes and the gains and losses of political parties, a phenomenon known as political economy.
He said governments often lack the resources and capacity to conduct necessary policy analysis and implementation. This is exacerbated by challenges in reforming administrative processes, leading to a notable gap between political decisions and economic realities.
He noted the deviation caused by the political government's failure to act on advice based on economic analysis. He criticized the political strategy that allowed some individuals to accumulate wealth unfairly overnight, stating that it was unnecessary.
He added that real industrial entrepreneurs who have grown fairly are being deprived, and the business environment has suffered due to this discrimination.
Farashuddin said economists frequently share their knowledge in the media, and political leaders should heed their advice.&nbsp;
"I am not a renowned economist. However, I believe steps should be taken to alleviate poverty through industrialization rather than conventional methods," he said.&nbsp;
He also suggested that the position of the governor of Bangladesh Bank should be elevated to a constitutional status and recommended that the governor's term be set for six years.
Mashiur Rahman said there should be no disagreement about the autonomy of the central bank and its governor, but acknowledged that current practices diverge from this ideal.
Binayak Sen said politics and the economy cannot coexist harmoniously. He stressed the need to reduce the influence of the wealthy on politics, noting that this is a global concern.
Commenting on the lack of good governance in the banking sector, Fahmida Khatun said banks are not places for games. She emphasized that people have deposits in banks, and there should be no opportunity to play with these deposits.

Politicians prefer economists to be obedient: Mohammed Farashuddin

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Muhammad Faruk Khan today&nbsp;urged Ankara to invest in Bangladesh&rsquo;s tourism industry, as Turkiye has a longstanding&nbsp;experience in the travel and leisure sector.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Bangladesh ensures the most investment-friendly environment in the South Asian region while our labour cost is more realistic compared to other countries&rdquo;, he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;
The minister made the call during a meeting with Turkish Ambassador to Bangladesh Ramis Sen at the secretariat, according to a press release here.&nbsp;
Pointing out that Bangladesh has a huge internal market with high potential, the minister assured the ambassador of all assistance for the Turkish businessmen to invest in Bangladesh&rsquo;s tourism sector.&nbsp;
Noting that the relations between Bangladesh and Turkey are historically deep-rooted, Khan said, it can be transformed into people-to-people ties with the help of the tourism sector.
The minister also sought Turkish assistance to train the Bangladeshi workforce working in the tourism and leisure sector. &nbsp; &nbsp; He also recommended that Turkish scholarship awards for Bangladeshi students be given to study tourism-oriented subjects.
In reply, the Turkish envoy assured the minister that his country is ready to share its extensive experiences in the tourism sector with Bangladesh.
Sen said he will discuss and encourage Turkish investors to invest in different areas of Bangladesh&rsquo;s tourism industry.
Emphasizing the importance of aviation and tourism for the Bangladesh economy, he said &ldquo;We want to make our existing ties more tangible in the aviation sector&rdquo;. &nbsp;&nbsp;
Sen said that he would contact the Turkish institutes to train Bangladesh's tourism sector&rsquo;s employees. &ldquo;We will highly consider any institutional proposal about training&rdquo;, he added.
Besides, the envoy assured that he would inform the respective authority to consider the Turkish scholarship awards for Bangladeshi students in tourism-oriented subjects.&nbsp;

Faruk seeks Turkish investment in tourism sector

Workers of goods-laden transport vehicles have announced a 36-hour strike in Chattogram city and adjoining five districts, set to begin on 19 May.
The strike, called by the Greater Chattogram Goods-laden Road Transport Workers Coordination Parishad, aims to press for several demands, including the construction of designated terminals for transport vehicles.
Rabiul Maola, coordinator of the Parishad, made the announcement at a press conference held at the Chattogram Press Club.
The Parishad comprises nine workers' unions operating in the Chattogram region.
The strike will involve workers from various types of goods-laden transport vehicles, including trucks, trailers, covered vans, container-carrying prime movers, and mini trucks, running from 6:00am on 19 May to 6:00pm on 20 May.
The workers' demands include the issuance of appointment letters, easing the process of obtaining driving licenses, stopping alleged harassment by law enforcers, and amending the Road Transport Act.
"Our demands include issuing appointment letters to workers, easing the driving license issuance process, stopping harassment by law enforcers, and amending the Road Transport Act," said Maola.
Maola also claimed that different unions collect a service fee at loading points to create a welfare fund for workers, but law enforcers in Chattogram harass them during this process.
He further criticized the Road Transport Act, stating that various clauses are against workers' interests and that the absence of appointment letters in the transport sector violates labour laws, depriving drivers and helpers of due pay and rights.
The press conference was attended by Parishad Member Secretary Md Abul Khair and leaders of various unions.

Cargo transport workers call 36-hour strike in Ctg starting 19 May

Police headquarters ordered field level police officers to implement the 'No Helmet, No Fuel' policy to prevent road accidents.
The order was given from the monthly crime review meeting held at the police headquarters on Thursday with Additional IGP (Crime and Operations) Md Atiqul Islam in the chair.
Commissioners of Metropolitan Police, Range DIGs and District Superintendent of Police (SPs) joined the meeting virually, while DIG Operations &nbsp;Md Anwar Hossain, DIG (Crime Management) Jaydev Kumar Bhadra and concerned officials were present in the meeting in person.
During the meeting, Additional IGP Atiqul Islam directed the police officials to complete the investigation of the road accident cases fairly.
He said special drive against unfit vehicles will continue.
Atiqul Islam emphasised proactive policing with the aim of creating public awareness to prevent suicide by investigating the real cause of suicide.
The meeting discussed the overall crime review for the month of April, 2024, arrest warrants issued, case investigation and trial results, conviction rates and recent important events in detail. &nbsp;

Implement ‘No Helmet, No Fuel' policy: Police HQ asks field level officers

Currently about 70 per cent of total public procurement are being conducted through electronic Government Procurement (e-GP).
Mirza Ashfaqur Rahman, Director (Additional Secretary) of Bangladesh Public Procurement Authority (BPPA), informed this while addressing an awareness workshop on BPPA&rsquo;s functions and e-GP in Netrakona on Thursday.
He said the public procurement system has been digitized through implementation of e-GP, resulting in widespread increase in the use of the system.
Describing the progress of e-GP, he said, through the e-GP system, the average processing time of public procurement has come down to 57 days from 87.7 days.
At present, 100% of tender notification and contract award notices are being published in the e-GP system.
He noted that the use of the e-GP system saves 600 million US dollars every year.
Besides, 105 crore pages of paper so far have been saved which has reduced 1.54 lakh tonnes of carbon emissions, he added.
&nbsp; The workshop, organised under the Digitizing Implementation Monitoring and Public Procurement Project (DIMAP) of BPPA, was facilitated by Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (BCCP).
With Rafiquzzaman, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General), Netrakona, in the chair, the workshop was attended by representatives of procuring entities, tenderers and journalists.
Dr. Zeenat Sultana, Program Director and Deputy CEO of Bangladesh Center for Communication Programs (BCCP) was also present at the programme.
It was informed in the event that aiming at building Smart Bangladesh under the Vision 2041, the government is working to ensure sustainable development as part of the 8th Five Year Plan and the Perspective Plan.
For this, all concerned must maintain maximum transparency and accountability while conducting public procurement in order to ensure the best use of public money. &nbsp;

Currently 70 per cent of public procurement is made through e-GP system: BPPA

Indian High commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma today paid a courtesy call on Land Minister Narayon Chandra Chanda at the latter's office here today.
The land minister expressed his strong optimism for strengthening the strategic, commercial and global partnerships between the two countries while lauding the various initiatives taken by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.&nbsp;
He apprised the high commissioner of the smart land management programmes of Bangladesh.
High Commissioner Pranay Verma lauded Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's strong leadership in the rapid industrialization and development of Bangladesh.&nbsp;
Bangladesh-India is two friendly-countries, he said. Terming the digitalization of land services in Bangladesh as a great achievement, he said service digitalization empowers people and increases transparency of the government initiatives as it reduces the exploitation of middlemen to a great extent.
Land Secretary Md Khalilur Rahman, Additional Secretary (Development) of the Ministry Ziauddin Ahmed and officials of the ministry and Indian High Commission, among others, were present.&nbsp;

Indian High Commissioner calls on Land Minister

Amid the lack of carbon trade-related knowledge among potential stakeholders, as well as insufficient management manpower and infrastructure in Bangladesh, discussants emphasized the need for top-notch coordination and policy coverage to finance climate change adaptation by tapping into the international carbon market.
During a seminar titled 'Application of Carbon Financing: Challenges and Policy Options for Bangladesh', held at Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS in Dhaka on Thursday, participants said that the government should streamline the Clean Development Mechanism to generate carbon credits from all emitting industries, in addition to the RMG sector.
The discussants requested government initiatives to ensure the sale of quality carbon credits, backed by proper baseline evaluation, auditing, and verification, in developed country markets that pay higher prices.
To achieve the net-zero goal by 2050, carbon financing, sometimes translated as green financing, is an innovative funding tool that assigns a financial value to carbon emissions and allows companies to offset their own emissions by acquiring carbon credits from sustainable projects.
It is noteworthy that the Kyoto Protocol-defined Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) allows a country to implement an emission-reduction project.
Such projects can earn saleable certified emission reduction (CER) credits, each equivalent to one tonne of carbon dioxide, which can be counted towards meeting Kyoto targets.
In Bangladesh, the Infrastructure Development Company Limited (IDCOL) is authorized to sell CERs. Among the panelists, IDCOL&rsquo;s executive director and CEO, Alamgir Morshed, said, &ldquo;The big challenge is there is no common marketplace for carbon credits. Amidst this, Bangladesh needs a framework because the country&rsquo;s CDM has phased out. Without a framework, we cannot register a project that would qualify for the carbon credit.&rdquo;
Another panelist, the World Bank&rsquo;s senior environment specialist Eun Joo Allison Yi, said, &ldquo;Many entities are working around green growth and green financing, but they are not together. Bangladesh needs a central entity to take the leadership, to coordinate green financing.&rdquo;
Keynote presenter and BIISS research director Mahfuz Kabir provided several recommendations, including the establishment of a strong domestic demand-driven voluntary market. He requested the government to raise awareness among big businesses about their carbon footprint and encourage them to take the necessary steps to purchase carbon credits.
During the open discussion, prominent climate change expert Professor Ainun Nishat expressed his confusion about the realization of the Kyoto Protocol, especially when its Articles related to carbon financing have not been finalized yet.
State Minister for Finance, Waseqa Ayesha Khan, said that more confusion will arise if different ministries and departments explore the international carbon market separately.
&ldquo;Besides coordinated efforts, Bangladesh also needs to learn how to negotiate for benefits in the volatile carbon markets,&rdquo; she said.
Chaired by BIISS chairman Ambassador AFM Gousal Azam Sarker, the seminar was also addressed by BIISS director general Major General Md Abu Bakar Siddique Khan, additional foreign secretary (bilateral East and West) Dr Nazrul Islam, UNDP Bangladesh&rsquo;s nature, climate and energy programme specialist Arif M Faisal, BGMEA director and Shasha Denim managing director Shams Mahmud, among others.

Bangladesh needs coordinated framework to harness benefits of carbon financing

State Minister for Expatriate Welfare and Foreign Employment Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury assured that the Malaysian labour market will remain open for Bangladeshi workers.
"The government is actively working to secure and expand the labour quota in Malaysia. We have been in contact with Malaysian authorities, and I can confidently state that Malaysia's labour market will not be closed. It will remain open," the minister said at a program at the ministry on Thursday (16 May).&nbsp;
Under the current quota, the Malaysian government has mandated that workers from 14 labour-sending countries, including Bangladesh, must enter Malaysia by 31 May 2024.&nbsp;
"We are working diligently to ensure that all our workers are sent to Malaysia within the stipulated timeframe," the minister added.
The ministry has also requested an extension for this deadline to ensure that all workers can be deployed as per the quota.&nbsp;
"Even if the extension is not granted, we are prepared to meet the 31 May deadline," Shafiqur Rahman assured.
All the workers remaining in the quota are in the process of going to Malaysia.
He said that our technical training centres are working to create skilled manpower and send them abroad as per the instructions of the honourable Prime Minister.&nbsp;
"Skilled manpower is one of the tools for Bangladesh to move forward. Freedom fighters made Bangladesh independent, remittance fighters are working to make the country prosperous and smart," said the minister.
Since October 2022, Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOSEL) has been sending manpower to Malaysia free of cost.&nbsp;
A total of 1,308 workers have been sent through Bangladesh Overseas Employment and Services Limited (BOSEL) so far.&nbsp;
Another batch of 73 workers will move to United Plantations Berhad, one of Malaysia's largest plantation companies.

Malaysia's labour market will not be closed: Minister

BSS/AFP

Skipper Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli hit key knocks to help Royal Challengers Bengaluru seal the last play-off spot in the Indian Premier League with a 27-run win over defending champions Chennai Super Kings on Saturday.
Bengaluru posted 218-5 after Du Plessis, who hit 54, and Kohli, who smashed 47, laid the foundations for the total in a rain-hit innings at their home M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Chennai were held to 191-7 in reply and with both sides level on 14 points, Bengaluru went through to the play-offs on run-rate after a sixth win in a row.
"What a night! Such a great atmosphere," player of the match Du Plessis, who did a lap of honour with his team for the home fans, said.
"Just a pleasure to finish the season in front of the home crowd with a win."
Bengaluru will now play in the eliminator on Wednesday in Ahmedabad.
Table-toppers Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad had already made the play-offs, which will begin with the first qualifier on Tuesday in Ahmedabad.
The final is on May 26 in Chennai.
Rachin Ravindra hit 61 before Ravindra Jadeja, who made an unbeaten 42, and old warhorse M.S. Dhoni (25) gave Bengaluru a scare in a stand of 61 as Chennai fell short of the qualification mark.
The match could be Dhoni's last IPL outing as a player and also the final face-off between him and Kohli -- two legends of Indian cricket.
Dhoni, 42, was widely expected to retire after he led the team to a record-equalling fifth title last year, but vowed to come back for one more season after a knee operation.
Dhoni handed over the Chennai captaincy ahead of the season to Ruturaj Gaikwad, who won the toss and elected to field first in the virtual knockout for the final play-off place.
"Happy with the seven wins, couldn't get over the line though," said a disappointed Gaikwad.
Du Plessis stunner
Kohli, who leads the batting chart with 708 runs, and Du Plessis started on the offensive before rain halted their charge after the third over and suddenly the ball began to turn once play resumed.
Both openers waded their way through Chennai's spin charge from Maheesh Theekshana and Mitchell Santner as Kohli hit a couple of sixes.
New Zealand's Santner, a left-arm spinner, denied Kohli his fifty and got Du Plessis run out through a deflection from his finger at the non-strikers end.
Rajat Patidar, who hit 41, and Cameron Green, who struck an unbeaten 17-ball 38, then steadied the ship and hit back in a partnership of 71 off 28 balls.
Bengaluru returned strong with the ball and Glenn Maxwell struck on the first ball to send back Gaikwad for a duck.
Fast bowler Yash Dayal had Daryl Mitchell caught by Kohli to dent their chase.
But it was Du Plessis who pulled off a stunning one-handed airborne grab at mid-off to send back Santner.
Jadeja and Dhoni raised hopes of a turnaround as Chennai needed 17 off the last over to qualify but Dayal kept his calm to dismiss Dhoni and then gave away just one run.

RCB win six in row to make IPL play-offs, Chennai out

Heavy clashes and&nbsp;bombardment rocked Rafah on Saturday, as Israel pressed an assault against&nbsp;Hamas militants that has led hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to flee the southern Gaza city.
The Israeli military said its air forces hit more than 70 targets across&nbsp;the Gaza Strip while ground troops conducted "targeted raids" in eastern Rafah,&nbsp;killing 50 militants and locating dozens of tunnel shafts.
Hamas's armed wing, the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, said it fired a&nbsp;barrage of rockets towards the Israeli city of Ashkelon and targeted an Israeli&nbsp;command centre at the Jabalia refugee camp in the north of the Gaza Strip.
An AFP reporter said air strikes and artillery shells pounded eastern Rafah&nbsp;as warplanes criss-crossed over the city on Gaza's border with Egypt.
More than 10 days into what the army called a "limited" operation in Rafah&nbsp;that sparked an exodus of Palestinians, fighting between Israeli forces and&nbsp;Palestinian militants has also flared again in northern Gaza.
Israel said in early January it had dismantled Hamas's command structure in&nbsp;the north, but the army said Hamas -- whose October 7 attack sparked the war --&nbsp;had been "in complete control here in Jabalia until we arrived a few days ago".
&nbsp;

Fierce fighting on streets of Gaza's Rafah

Twenty-three people trying to cross the&nbsp;Mediterranean to Europe from Tunisia have been missing for the past two weeks,&nbsp;the country's National Guard said in a statement on Saturday.
The National Guard, which oversees the North African country's coastguard,&nbsp;said searches were still under way after the group departed in early May.
"They set sail overnight between May 3 and 4" from the city of Nabeul, the&nbsp;statement said, adding that relatives of the missing only contacted the authorities 10 days later.
Acting on orders from prosecutors in Nabeul, the National Guard said it had&nbsp;arrested five people allegedly involved in organising the crossing.
It said two of the missing were related to some of the organisers.
Tunisia is a key departure point for irregular migrants who risk perilous&nbsp;sea journeys hoping to reach Europe.
More than 1,300 died or disappeared last year in shipwrecks, according to&nbsp;the Tunisian Forum for Social and Economic Rights (FTDES) non-governmental&nbsp;organisation.
Last week, authorities reported a 22.5 percent increase in the number of&nbsp;migrant interceptions, with more than 21,000 people prevented from leaving&nbsp;Tunisia or rescued during the first four months of 2024.
According to the National Guard, 21,545 people were intercepted between&nbsp;January 1 and April 30, compared with 17,576 over the same period last year.
Since January 1, the bodies of 291 shipwreck victims have been recovered&nbsp;compared with 572 last year in almost triple the number of operations (1,967 this year against 686 in 2023).
Last year, Tunisians accounted for the second largest number of irregular&nbsp;migrant arrivals in Italy, at 17,304 people, second only to Guineans at 18,204,&nbsp;Italian government figures show.
The increase in interceptions come after agreements between Tunisia and the&nbsp;European Union and Italy, who provide financial aid and economic cooperation&nbsp;deals in return for the debt-ridden country's commitment to curb migrant&nbsp;departures.
Tunisia has also been shaken by political tensions after President Kais&nbsp;Saied orchestrated a sweeping power grab in July 2021.

23 missing for two weeks off Tunisia: officials

AFP/BSS

Indian eminent film actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, in her second appearance at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, once again opted for a gown by designer duo Falguni Shane Peacock.
Aishwarya wore a shimmery blue and silver gown as she walked the red carpet on Friday for the screening of acclaimed filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos' latest feature "Kinds of Kindness", starring two-time Oscar winner Emma Stone.
The outfit boasted a sweeping trail and bold, dramatic shoulders, featuring metallic fringe.&nbsp;
The actress had a cast on her right hand that she has been wearing for an unspecified injury.

Cannes 2024: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan walks in blue-silver gown in second appearance

Press Release

Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC organised a webinar on &lsquo;Compliance of Shari&lsquo;ah in Banking Operations&rsquo; on 15 May.&nbsp;
Dr Tanveer Ahmad, vice chairman of the bank addressed the webinar as chief guest, reads a press release.&nbsp;
Presided over by Mohammed Monirul Moula, Managing Director of the bank, Mawlana Obaid Ullah Hamzah, Chairman, Shari&lsquo;ah Supervisory Committee of the Bank addressed the webinar as chief discussant.
Dr. Mohammad Abdus Samad, Member Secretary of Shari`ah Supervisory Committee addressed as special guest. Muhammad Qaisar Ali, Additional Managing Director addressed the welcome speech while Md. Shamsuddoha, Executive Vice President presented key note on the topic. J.Q.M. Habibullah, FCS &amp; Md. Altaf Hossain, Additional Managing Directors, Mohammed Shabbir, Kazi Md. Rezaul Karim, Miftah Uddin &amp; Dr. Md. Abdullah Al Mamun, Deputy Managing Directors, Taher Ahmed Chowdhury, CAMLCO and Md. Nazrul Islam, Principal of IBTRA along with executives and officials of head office, IBTRA &amp; eight corporate Branches attended the webinar.

IBBL holds webinar on Shari‘ah  awareness

Reuters

Some Canadian provinces have logged a jump in unclaimed dead bodies in recent years, with next of kin citing funeral costs as a growing reason for not collecting loved ones' remains.
The phenomenon has prompted at least one province to build a new storage facility. Demand for memorial fundraisers has surged. The overall cost of a funeral in Canada at the top end has increased to about $8,800 from about $6,000 in 1998, according to industry trade group estimates.
In Ontario, Canada's most populous province, the number of unclaimed dead bodies rose to 1,183 in 2023 from 242 in 2013, said Dirk Huyer, the province's chief coroner.
In most of those cases, next of kin were identified but unable to claim the body for a variety of reasons, the most common being money. Finances went from being the reason for 20% of the total unclaimed bodies in 2022 to 24% in 2023.
"It's distressing because it's a person who has passed and there's nobody &ndash; family, friends, or others &ndash; that are in a position to be able to provide instructions or plans for that person after their death," Huyer said.
Officially, in Ontario, a body is deemed unclaimed after 24 hours. But the coroner's office staff may spend weeks trying to locate next of kin, he said. If the relatives confirm they are unable to claim a body, the local municipality works with a funeral home to provide a simple burial.
In the meantime the body is kept in a morgue or temperature-controlled storage facility.
"There's always been families that are in need of additional assistance. (But) I've never seen the number of unclaimed remains that currently exist," said Allan Cole, owner of the Toronto-based funeral home MacKinnon and Bowes.
In Quebec, the number of unclaimed bodies grew to 183 in 2023 from 66 in 2013. In Alberta, the number of bodies for whom no next of kin could be located to claim them rose to 200 in 2023 from 80 in 2016.
Historically, the Health Sciences Centre in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador did not encounter enough unclaimed remains to warrant long-term storage, a spokesperson for Newfoundland Health Services told Reuters.
Now, in the wake of an uproar over unclaimed bodies kept in freezers outside the hospital, the province is constructing a permanent storage unit to hold remains.
"People weren't claiming bodies because they realized they couldn't afford to bury them," said Jim Dinn, leader of the province's opposition New Democratic Party. "It's not about building a bigger storage unit: It's about addressing the underlying cause causing the accumulation of bodies and removing the barriers so people can have a dignified burial."
Location matters: An adult single grave with the Mount Pleasant Group on average costs $2,800, but the price in midtown Toronto was $34,000 as of April 1, according to the website of the cemetery, funeral and cremation provider across the Greater Toronto Area. The price excludes opening and closing of the grave, funeral, tombstone, taxes and other items.
A funeral can cost C$2,000 to C$12,000, said Funeral Services Association of Canada President Jeff Weafer, up from about C$1,800 to C$8,000 in 1998.
The number of memorial fundraisers on crowdfunding site GoFundMe has ballooned to 10,257 in 2023 from 36 in 2013, a spokesperson for the site said.
Government support for funerals has failed to keep pace with rising funeral costs, advocates have said. The federal government announced a C$2,500 top-up to the C$2,500 death benefit in the Canada Pension Plan in the April budget.
"Losing your life partner or spouse is devastating for a senior. It can also be an immense financial burden after a lifetime of hard work," Katherine Cuplinskas, press secretary for Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, wrote in an email.
"That is why we are strengthening the Canada Pension Plan to provide a top-up to the death benefit."
That is not enough, Weafer said.
"This is not a respectful end for Canadians," he said. "The reason deceased individuals are going unclaimed by their families is about affordability."

In Canada, bodies go unclaimed as costs put funerals out of reach

Bangladesh actively participated in the World Bank Land Conference 2024, held at the World Bank headquarters in Washington, DC from May 13 to 17. This marked Bangladesh&rsquo;s inaugural participation in the conference, during which it showcased the 'Smart Land Service' program.
The theme of the conference was &ldquo;Securing Land Tenure and Access for Climate Action.&rdquo;
About 1,500 representatives from government, non-government, and international organizations, academia, civil society, and various stakeholders discussed land ownership, land-related laws, land administration, and civil land services. They exchanged experiences, information, and knowledge at the conference.
Land Minister Narayon Chandra Chanda nominated Dr. Md. Jahid Hossain, Joint Secretary of the Digitization, Knowledge Management, and Performance (DKMP) Wing of the Ministry of Land, to represent Bangladesh at the Regional Operational Workshop session of the conference.
Under the direction of Land Ministry Secretary Md. Khalilur Rahman, it was decided to highlight the smart land management activities undertaken under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's special initiative 'Digital Bangladesh' at the conference.
The conference provided an opportunity to learn about technical achievements, challenges, and innovations in individual management workshops for different countries and regions of the world. On the final day of the conference, May 17, a day-long workshop titled &ldquo;Breaking Barriers: Access to Land and Poverty Reduction and Climate Resilience&rdquo; was held at the World Bank Headquarters Main Complex C2 Hall. Bangladesh participated in the workshop along with various countries from the East Asia, Pacific, and South Asia regions.
Land Minister Narayon Chandra commented on Bangladesh's successful participation in the World Bank Land Conference 2024, saying, &ldquo;Our presence at this conference reflects our unwavering commitment to land reforms through 'Smart Land Management' and the 'Bangladesh Digital Survey' under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. We will continue to work towards building a smart Bangladesh by providing citizens with land services using smart innovations.&rdquo;
Joint Secretary Jahid Hossain highlighted the 'Smart Land Service' programs of Bangladesh in the workshop. Currently, more than 10 land-related services are provided online to citizens through this program. He explained to the world how the digitization of land services has ensured the security and tenure of land ownership for millions of Bangladeshis.
At the conference, the initiatives of the Ministry of Land to increase citizen services and awareness in the land sector were highlighted. These initiatives include user-centric design, seamless integration with essential services, automation, efficient workflow management, critical analytics and reporting, robust digital security, and a commitment to an open data governance policy.
The Ministry of Land also shared information about plans for the integrated automation of registration, mutation, Khaitan (record of rights), and map updating following the transfer of land. Additionally, the increase in revenue in the land sector due to the digitization of land services was lauded at the conference.
The positive impact of the digitization of land services in Bangladesh on climate resilience, green growth, and urbanization generated significant interest among delegates from different countries. Bangladesh also gained valuable insights from the best practices of land management in other countries.
Notably, the Ministry of Land has already received international recognition by being awarded the United Nations Public Service Award in 2020 for the e-Mutation System and the ITU WSIS Prize in 2022 for the Digital Land Development Tax System.
The World Bank organizes the Land Conference as an international forum to direct and inform investments in the land sector, facilitate and advance multi-stakeholder dialogues and collaboration, advocate for evidence-driven policymaking, and share knowledge on emerging best practices and innovative research. The 2024 conference aimed to highlight effective strategies for securing land tenure and access in support of climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Bangladesh showcases smart land service initiatives at World Bank Land Conference 2024

Hundreds of protesters in Peru's capital marched on Friday to demand the scrapping of a new law that describes transgender people, among others, as having a mental illness so they can access health benefits.
Around 500 demonstrators peacefully walked the streets of downtown Lima, hoisting banners with slogans that read "No more stigmas" and "My identity is not a disease."
The law, which was approved administratively last week by the government of President Dina Boluarte, specifies that those who identify as transgender, along with "cross dressers" and "others with gender identity disorders," are considered to be diagnosed with "illnesses" that are eligible for mental health services via both public and private providers.
The protesters reached the health ministry offices, but no clashes were reported.
"Gender identities are no longer considered pathologies," said activist Gahela Cari Contreras, who accused Boluarte's government of trying to trample on the LGBTQ+ community's rights. "We're not going to let them."
Critics of the law have argued that its update of the country's PEAS health regulations was unnecessary, since existing rules already allowed for universal access to mental health services.
Government officials have sought to chalk up the controversy as a misunderstanding.
In a statement released shortly after the law was promulgated, the health ministry insisted that it rejects the stigmatization of LGBTQ+ people and that the legal language simply seeks to ensure more complete health coverage.
The ministry "categorically reaffirms respect for the dignity of the person and their free actions within the framework of human rights, providing health services for their benefit," according to the statement.
Despite the ministry's argument, the protesters were not persuaded and some medical experts advocated for the law to be corrected via an amendment.
"We don't see any need to incorporate diagnoses or pathologies that no longer exist into health insurance plans," said Pedro Riega Lopez, dean of Peru's CMP medical college and himself a doctor.

Peru protesters slam new insurance law that deems transgender people mentally ill

Taiwanese lawmakers shoved, tackled and hit each other in parliament on Friday in a bitter dispute about reforms to the chamber, just days before President-elect Lai Ching-te takes office without a legislative majority.
Even before votes started to be cast, some lawmakers screamed at and shoved each other outside the legislative chamber, before the action moved onto the floor of parliament itself.
In chaotic scenes, lawmakers surged around the speaker's seat, some leaping over tables and pulling colleagues to the floor. Though calm soon returned, there were more scuffles in the afternoon.
Lai, who is to be inaugurated on Monday, won January's election, but his Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lost its majority in parliament.
The main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), has more seats than the DPP but not enough to form a majority on its own, so it has been working with small Taiwan People's Party (TPP) to promote their mutual ideas.
The opposition wants to give parliament greater scrutiny powers over the government, including a controversial proposal to criminalise officials who are deemed to make false statements in parliament.
The DPP says the KMT and TPP are improperly trying to force through the proposals without the customary consultation process in what the DPP calls "an unconstitutional abuse of power".
"Why are we opposed? We want to be able to have discussions, not for there to be only one voice in the country," DPP lawmaker Wang Mei-hui, representing the southern city of Chiayi, told Reuters.
Lawmakers from all three parties were involved in the altercations, and traded accusations about who was to blame.
The KMT's Jessica Chen, from the Taiwan-administered Kinmen islands that sit next to the Chinese coast, said the reforms were to enable better legislative oversight of the executive branch.
"The DPP does not want this to be passed as they have always been used to monopolising power," she told Reuters, wearing a military-style helmet.
Taiwan is a rambunctious democracy and fighting does on occasion take place in parliament. In 2020, KMT lawmakers threw pig guts onto the chamber's floor in a dispute over easing U.S. pork imports.
The clashes raise the prospect of more turmoil - and parliamentary conflict - ahead for Lai's new government after it takes office.
"I am worried," said the DPP's Wang.

Dramatic scenes In Taiwan parliament as MPs exchange blows, kicks

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader questioned why a journalist would need to enter a central bank complex when all necessary information is available on the bank's website.
&ldquo;Which country in the world allows open entry to the central bank? Everything is available on the website. You need information. Why would you enter inside?&rdquo; said Quader, referring to the restriction on journalists&rsquo; entry to the Bangladesh Bank.
He made this comment at a press conference at the Awami League President&rsquo;s Dhanmondi office in Dhaka on Saturday (May 18).
When asked if the government was worried about the depletion of reserves from $48 billion to $13 billion, Quader said, &ldquo;Who told you that the reserves have declined to $13 billion? Did the media report so? We have our information.&rdquo;
When journalists mentioned that the Bangladesh Bank Governor stated that the reserves had declined to $13 billion, Quader replied, &ldquo;Then you should ask the governor how the reserves reached this stage. We have no idea. What we know is that the reserves are hovering between $19 billion and $20 billion.&rdquo;
In reference to the restriction on journalists' entry to the central bank, Quader said, &ldquo;Can anyone enter India&rsquo;s federal bank (Reserve Bank of India)? Why would they enter? Everything is available on the website. You need to know why you would have to enter the complex.&rdquo;
When informed that economists had expressed concern over the depletion of reserves to $13 billion, Quader said, &ldquo;How much were the reserves when we started our journey after independence? Did we have dollars? How much did the BNP leave for us when we took power? Only three billion. Now we have $19-$20 billion; is that a poor amount? Additionally, our export income and remittance are on the rise. The reserves will ultimately increase if earnings from exports and remittances rise.&rdquo;
He added, &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t consider one thing&mdash;how Bangladesh has made so much development and progress. This became possible due to the continuity and stability in the government, leading to development and achievements that have taken the world by surprise.&rdquo;
&ldquo;The people of this country are very close to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. She stood by the side of the frustrated people of this country and united the Awami League,&rdquo; Quader said.

Where on Earth is access to central bank open: Quader

At least 50 people are dead following a fresh bout of heavy rain and flooding in central Afghanistan, an official said on Saturday.
Mawlawi Abdul Hai Zaeem, the head of the information department for the central Ghor province, told Reuters that there was no information about how many people were injured in the rain spell that began on Friday, which had also cut off many key roads to the area.
Zaeem added that 2,000 houses were completely destroyed, 4,000 partially damaged, and more than 2,000 shops were under water in the province's capital, Feroz-Koh.
Last week, flash floods caused by heavy rains devastated villages in northern Afghanistan, killing 315 people and injuring more than 1,600, authorities said on Sunday.
On Wednesday, a helicopter used by the Afghan air force crashed due to "technical issues" during attempts to recover the bodies of people who had fallen into a river in Ghor province, killing one and injuring 12 people, the country's defence ministry said.
Afghanistan is prone to natural disasters and the United Nations considers it one of countries most vulnerable to climate change.
It has battled a shortfall in aid after the Taliban took over as foreign forces withdrew from the country in 2021, since development aid that formed the backbone of government finances was slashed.
The shortfall has worsened in subsequent years as foreign governments grapple with competing global crises and growing condemnation of the Taliban's curbs on Afghan women.

Fifty dead in heavy rain, floods in central Afghanistan, official says

Tourists normally have to pay big money and&nbsp;brave cold climates for a chance to see an aurora, but last weekend many&nbsp;people around the world simply had to look up to see these colourful displays&nbsp;dance across the sky.
Usually banished to the poles of Earth, the auroras strayed as far as Mexico,&nbsp;southern Europe and South Africa on the evening of May 10, delighting skygazers and filling social media with images of exuberant pinks, greens and purples.
But for those charged with protecting Earth from powerful solar storms such&nbsp;as the one that caused the auroras, a threat lurks beneath the stunning&nbsp;colours.
"We need to understand that behind this beauty, there is danger," Quentin&nbsp;Verspieren, the European Space Agency's space safety programme coordinator,&nbsp;told AFP.
Mike Bettwy of the US Space Weather Prediction Center said that "we're&nbsp;focused on the more sinister potential impacts" of solar storms, such as taking out power grids and satellites, or exposing astronauts to dangerous&nbsp;levels of radiation.
The latest auroras were caused by the most powerful geomagnetic storm since&nbsp;the "Halloween Storms" of October 2003, which sparked blackouts in Sweden and&nbsp;damaged power infrastructure in South Africa.
There appears to have been less damage from the latest solar storms, though&nbsp;it often takes weeks for satellite companies to reveal problems, Bettwy said.
There were reports that some self-driving farm tractors in the United States&nbsp;stopped in their tracks when their GPS guidance systems went out due to the&nbsp;storm, he told AFP.
- 'Definitely not over' -
These strange effects are caused by massive explosions on the surface of the&nbsp;Sun that shoot out plasma, radiation and even magnetic fields at incredibly&nbsp;fast speeds born on the solar wind.
The recent activity has come from a sunspot cluster 17 times the size of&nbsp;Earth which has continued raging over the week. On Tuesday it blasted out the&nbsp;strongest solar flare seen in years.
The sunspot has been turning towards the edge of the Sun's disc, so activity&nbsp;is expected to die down in the short term as its outbursts aim away from our&nbsp;planet.
But in roughly two weeks the sunspot will swing back around, again turning&nbsp;its gaze towards Earth.
In the meantime, another sunspot is "coming into view right now" which could&nbsp;trigger "major activity in the coming days", ESA space weather service&nbsp;coordinator Alexi Glover told AFP.
So the solar activity is "definitely not over", she added.
It is difficult to predict how violent these sunspots could be -- or whether&nbsp;they could spark further auroras.
But solar activity is only just approaching the peak of its roughly 11-year&nbsp;cycle, so the odds of another major storm are highest "between now and the&nbsp;end of next year", Bettwy said.
- What threat do solar storms pose? -
Geomagnetic storms such as the recent one create a magnetic charge of voltage&nbsp;and current, "essentially overloading" things like satellites and power&nbsp;grids, according to Bettwy.
The most famous example came in 1859 during the worst solar storm in recorded&nbsp;history, called the Carrington Event.
As well as stunning auroras, the storm caused sparks to fly off of telegraph&nbsp;stations. The charge that originated from the Sun was so strong that some&nbsp;telegraphs worked without being plugged into a power source.
So what would happen if such a powerful geomagnetic storm struck Earth again?
Bettwy said most countries have improved their power grids, which should&nbsp;prevent prolonged outages like those that hit Sweden in 2003 or Canada in&nbsp;1989.
Still, he suggested people have an emergency kit in case electricity is&nbsp;knocked out for a day or two. Fresh water might also help in case filtration plants go offline.
Astronauts are particularly at risk from radiation during extreme solar&nbsp;activity. Those on the International Space Station usually take the best&nbsp;shelter they can when a bad storm is expected.
Bettwy said a massive solar storm could expose astronauts to an "unhealthy&nbsp;dose" of radiation, but he did not think it would be lethal.
Emphasising that he did not want to "instil fear", Bettwy added that&nbsp;radiation can also potentially "get through the fuselage" of planes flying near the north pole.
Airlines sometimes change routes during extreme solar storms to avoid this&nbsp;happening, he added.
Several upcoming missions are expected to improve forecasting of the Sun's&nbsp;intense and unpredictable weather, aiming to give Earth more time to prepare.
If the ESA's Vigil mission, planned to launch in 2031, was in place today, it&nbsp;would give us far more information about the currently rotating sunspot, Glover said.

'Danger behind the beauty': More solar storms could be heading our way

Dabney Coleman, a character actor who brought a glorious touch of smarm to the screen in playing comedic villains, mean-spirited bosses and outright jerks in films such as "9 to 5" and "Tootsie," has died at age 92.
Coleman "took his last earthly breath peacefully and exquisitely" in his Santa Monica, California home on Thursday, his daughter Quincy Coleman said in a statement on Friday on behalf of the family.
While best remembered for his arrogant, unctuous and uncaring characters, Coleman said it was all an act.
"It's me kidding around," Coleman once told the New York Times.
"That's just a guy that I'm playing, just to fool around, you know," he said.
Not all of Coleman's characters were cads. He won an Emmy playing a lawyer in the 1987 television movie "Sworn to Silence" and played Jane Fonda's decent dentist boyfriend in the 1981 film "On Golden Pond" and a federal security official in 1983's "War Games."
His final screen credit was playing John Dutton Sr. in the TV series "Yellowstone" in 2019.
Coleman was born on Jan. 3, 1932, in Austin, Texas. He studied law and served in the U.S. Army before trying acting.
His early work in the 1960s and 1970s included one-off roles in a variety of television shows, as well as a semi-regular part as Marlo Thomas' neighbor in "That Girl."
His first movie job was 1965's "The Slender Thread," directed by his acting teacher and friend, Sydney Pollack, who would later hire him for "Tootsie."
Coleman's breakout role - and the one he said was his favorite - came in 1976 on producer Norman Lear's TV series "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman." He played Merle Jeeter, the creepy mayor who has an affair with the title character, in that soap-opera spoof and in spinoffs "Fernwood Tonight" and "Forever Fernwood."
His first big movie role - and the one that established his acting persona - was in 1980 as Franklin Hart, the sexist, egotistical business executive who harasses underlings played by Fonda, Dolly Parton and Lily Tomlin until they take him hostage and boost corporate productivity in "9 to 5."
Coleman was no more likeable two years later in "Tootsie" as a soap opera director who runs afoul of Dustin Hoffman's dressed-in-drag title character.
In 1983, he took the comic villain role even further in his first starring television role. In the short-lived sitcom "Buffalo Bill," he played a radio talk show host whose idea of a tender marriage proposal was: "You're better than 90 percent of those bimbos out there."
"It is fun to play those characters because they are so well-defined," Coleman told People magazine in 1983.
In the 1980s and 1990s, he also starred in the sitcoms "The Slap Maxwell Story" as a sportswriter, "Drexell's Class" as a corporate raider turned teacher and "Madman of the People" as a magazine columnist working for his daughter. None of the shows lasted more than two seasons.
More recent roles included HBO's "Boardwalk Empire" in 2010-11 as the man who once controlled Atlantic City, New Jersey. His part had to be rewritten when Coleman was diagnosed with throat cancer, which left him unable to speak at times.
A devoted tennis player, Coleman was twice married and divorced. He had four children with his second wife, actress Jean Hale.
"My father crafted his time here on earth with a curious mind, a generous heart, and a soul on fire with passion, desire and humor that tickled the funny bone of humanity," the statement from his daughter said.

Actor Dabney Coleman, villainous boss in '9 to 5,' dies at 92

Three Spanish tourists were killed and at least one Spaniard was injured in an attack by gunmen in Afghanistan's central Bamyan province, Spain's foreign ministry said on Friday.
Earlier on Friday, Taliban interior ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qaniee had said that three foreign tourists and one Afghan citizen had been killed in the attack.
Four foreign nationals and three Afghans were also injured in the attack when gunmen opened fire, he added. Four people have been arrested, he said.
The Spanish foreign ministry said that the consular emergency unit had been fully mobilised and the victims and their families were being assisted.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote on social messaging platform X that he was "shocked by the news of the murder of Spanish tourists in Afghanistan". There was no immediate indication of why the attack happened.
Mountainous Bamyan is home to a UNESCO world heritage site and the remains of two giant Buddha statues which were blown up by the Taliban during their previous rule in 2001.
Since taking over Afghanistan in 2021 the Taliban have vowed to restore security and encourage a small but growing number of tourists trickling into the country and sell tickets to access the Buddha statues.
Friday's attack was among the most serious targeting foreign citizens since foreign forces left and the Taliban took over in 2021.
The Islamic State claimed an attack that injured Chinese citizens at a hotel popular with Chinese businessmen in Kabul in 2022.

Gunmen kill three Spanish tourists in Afghanistan's central Bamyan province

The White House said Friday that it had not seen any surprising advance in relations between China and Russia despite Vladimir Putin exchanging a hug with Xi Jinping on a visit to Beijing.
"Exchanging hugs? Well, that's nice for them," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told a briefing when asked about the significance of photos showing the two US adversaries locked in an embrace.
"I'm not good at talking about personal human bodily affection one way or the other. I think I'll leave it to these two gents to talk about why they thought it was good to hug one another," said Kirby, a naval admiral known for his dry remarks from the podium.
The United States has repeatedly voiced concerns about Chinese companies supplying Russia with technology for its invasion of Ukraine.
But Kirby said Putin's visit did not seem to have secured any major advances in this regard and Washington had not seen Xi "rush" to assist Moscow's armed forces.
"We didn't see anything coming out of this meeting that we were necessarily surprised by," he said.
But he added that "I wouldn't go so far as to say we weren't concerned about this relationship and where it's going. "We're watching."
Putin arrived Thursday on his first trip abroad since his March re-election, meeting Xi for talks in which the leaders framed their nations' ties as a stabilizing force in a chaotic world.
&nbsp;

'Nice for them': White House jokes about Putin, Xi meeting

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with AFP on Friday warned Russia could intensify its offensive and said Kyiv would only accept a "fair peace" despite the West's calls for a quick solution.
Zelensky also repeated pleas for allies to send more air defence and fighter jets and said the "biggest advantage" for Russia was a ban on Ukraine using Western-donated weapons to strike Russian territory.
With a mobilisation law coming into force on Saturday, he admitted issues with staffing and "morale" in Ukrainian ranks, which have been often outgunned and outmanned as the third year of the war grinds on.
While Russian troops have made gradual advances in recent months, it has seen larger gains along the northeastern border in an offensive that began on May 10 in Kharkiv region.
But Zelensky said on Friday that Ukraine would hold its defensive lines and stop any major Russian breakthrough.
"No one is going to give up," said Zelensky, who has been the face of Ukraine's resistance against Russia since the invasion began in February 2022.
- 'Nonsense situation' -
Zelensky also rejected French President Emmanuel Macron's call for an Olympic truce during the Paris Games, saying it would hand an "advantage" to Moscow by giving it time to move around troops and artillery.
He said Ukraine and its Western allies had the "same values" but often "different views", particularly on what the end of the conflict might look like.
"We are in a nonsense situation where the West is afraid that Russia will lose the war. And it does not want Ukraine to lose it," Zelensky said.
"Everyone wants to find some model for the war to end faster," he said, when asked about the possibility of a scenario for ending hostilities like the one that established a dividing line on the Korean peninsula.
The president urged China and countries from the developing world to attend a peace summit with dozens of leaders being hosted by neutral Switzerland next month to which Russia has not been invited.
He said global players like China "have influence on Russia. And the more such countries we have on our side, on the side of the end of the war, I would say, the more Russia will have to move and reckon with."
The 46-year-old former comedian wore one of his trademark khaki outfits for the interview in Kyiv -- his first with foreign media since the start of Russia's Kharkiv region offensive.
"We want the war to end with a fair peace for us," while "the West wants the war to end. Period. As soon as possible. And for them, this is a fair peace," he said.
- 'First wave' of Russian offensive -
Zelensky said the situation in the Kharkiv region, where thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes, was "controlled" but "not stabilised".
An AFP estimate based on data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) showed Russian forces have advanced more than 278 square kilometres (107 square miles) in their offensive-- their biggest gains in a year and a half.
Zelensky said Russian troops had penetrated between five to 10 kilometres along the northeastern border before being stopped by Ukrainian forces.
Russia's offensive "could consist of several waves. There was the first wave" in Kharkiv region, he said.
Zelensky played down Russia's gains in the offensive so far but added: "We have to be sober and understand that they are going deeper into our territory. Not vice versa. And that's still their advantage."
- 'They are like a beast' - Speaking about the offensive during a visit to China on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said it was a response to Ukraine shelling border regions.
"I said publicly that if this continues, we will be forced to create a security zone," he said. When asked whether Russia planned to capture the city of Kharkiv, which has over a million inhabitants, Putin said: "As for Kharkiv, there are no such plans as of today."
But Zelensky said that Russian forces "want to attack" the city although they realise it would be "very difficult".
"They understand that we have forces that will fight for a long time," he said.
He also said Russia did not have enough forces for "a full-scale offensive on the capital like the one they had at the beginning of the offensive".
But he emphasised that Ukraine and its Western allies should not show weakness and called for the deployment of two Patriot batteries to defend the skies over the Kharkiv region and show Ukraine's resilience.
"They are like a beast... If they feel a weakness somewhere in this direction, they will press on," he said.
- 'Biggest advantage' for Russia -
In the interview, he said Ukraine only had "about 25 percent of what we need" to defend the country in terms of air defence.
He also said "120 to 130" F-16 fighter jets or other advanced aircraft were needed "in order to have parity" with Russia.
He was highly critical of restrictions on striking Russian territory with Western arms, although Britain and the United States have hinted in recent days that these bans could be eased.
"They can fire any weapons from their territory at ours. This is the biggest advantage that Russia has. We can't do anything to their systems, which are located on the territory of Russia, with Western weapons," he said.
When asked about the issue during a visit to Ukraine this week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that "ultimately Ukraine has to make decisions for itself about how it's going to conduct this war."
On a more personal note, Zelensky said his sense of professional pride and duty helped him keep going.
"I'm just a very responsible person. I was just raised to be such a person... I know that what I do, I have to do better than anyone else," he said.
But he said his comedy days were behind him: "I don't make anyone laugh. It seems to me that today it's the opposite."

Zelensky warns Russia could step up offensive: AFP interview

OpenAI on Friday confirmed that it has disbanded a team devoted to mitigating the long-term dangers of super-smart artificial intelligence.
OpenAI weeks ago began dissolving the so-called "superalignment" group, integrating members into other projects and research, according to the San Francisco-based firm.
Company co-founder Ilya Sutskever and team co-leader Jan Leike announced their departures from the ChatGPT-maker this week.
The dismantling of an OpenAI team focused on keeping sophisticated artificial intelligence under control comes as such technology faces increased scrutiny from regulators and fears mount regarding its dangers.
"OpenAI must become a safety-first AGI (artificial general intelligence) company," Leike wrote Friday in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Leike called on all OpenAI employees to "act with the gravitas" warranted by what they are building.
OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman responded to Leike's post with one of his own, thanking him for his work at the company and saying he was sad to see Leike leave.
"He's right we have a lot more to do," Altman said. "We are committed to doing it."
Altman promised more on the topic in the coming days.
Sutskever said on X that he was leaving after almost a decade at OpenAI, whose "trajectory has been nothing short of miraculous."
"I'm confident that OpenAI will build AGI that is both safe and beneficial," he added, referring to computer technology that seeks to perform as well as -- or better than -- human cognition.
Sutskever, OpenAI's chief scientist, sat on the board that voted to remove fellow chief executive Altman in November last year.
The ousting threw the San Francisco-based startup into a tumult, with the OpenAI board hiring Altman back a few days later after staff and investors rebelled.
OpenAI early this week released a higher-performing and even more human-like version of the artificial intelligence technology that underpins ChatGPT, making it free to all users. "It feels like AI from the movies," Altman said in a blog post.
Altman has previously pointed to the Scarlett Johansson character in the movie "Her," where she voices an AI-based virtual assistant dating a man, as an inspiration for where he would like AI interactions to go.
The day will come when "digital brains will become as good and even better than our own," Sutskever said during a talk at a TED AI summit in San Francisco late last year.
"AGI will have a dramatic impact on every area of life."

OpenAI disbands team devoted to artificial intelligence risks

Nicholas Pooran starred in Lucknow Super Giants' 18-run victory over pre-tournament favourites Mumbai Indians in the last game of a disappointing Indian Premier League season for both teams Friday.
The maverick West Indies' wicketkeeper-batsman hit eight sixes in his 29-ball 75 to take Lucknow to 214-6 after Mumbai skipper Hardik Pandya won the toss and chose to field first.
Mumbai crashed to 196-6 despite an impressive start by openers Rohit Sharma and Dewald Brevis in their rain-interrupted chase.
Pandya said that it was "quite difficult" for five-time champions Mumbai, who finished the 10-team league in last spot.
"This season we didn't play good quality cricket and it cost us the whole season," Pandya said.
Lucknow too failed to qualify for the playoffs and ended the tournament in sixth spot.
Captain KL Rahul said that it was "very disappointing".
He blamed mid-season injuries to key players and said that they "didn't play well enough collectively and couldn't come together" as a team.
Earlier, Nuwan Thushara got Mumbai off to a great start and removed opener Devdutt Padikkal for a first ball duck.
Padikkal's partner Rahul stitched together a 48-run partnership with Australia's Marcus Stoinis, who fell to Piyush Chawla's leg-spin for a 22-ball 28 in the sixth over.
Chawla also removed Deepak Hooda (11) to reduce Lucknow to 69-3 by the 10th over.
Thushara finally removed Pooran in the 17th over to end his match-defining, 109-run partnership with Rahul.
He also removed rookie Arshad Khan (0) in the same over and finished with 3-28 in his four-over spell.
Chawla removed Rahul, who took 41 balls for his 55 runs, in the 18th over and finished with 3-29.
Key unbeaten cameos by Ayush Badoni (22) and Krunal Pandya (12) took Lucknow to 214-6.
Mumbai's openers took their team to 88 before Brevis fell for 23 in the ninth over.
India skipper Sharma top-scored with a 38-ball 68 with 10 fours and three sixes before he fell in the 11th over.
In between, Mumbai also lost their best T20 batsman, Suryakumar Yadav, for 0 and were reduced to 97-3 while out-of-form skipper Pandya fell for 16.
Indian rookie Naman Dhir hit five sixes and four fours in his unbeaten 28-ball 62.
Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi, who removed Sharma, and Afghanistan's Naveen-ul-Haq, who removed Brevis, took four key Mumbai wickets between them.

Pooran powers Lucknow to dead-rubber IPL win over hapless Mumbai

Speedster Shaheen Afridi believes Pakistan will come good in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 after missing out on success in the recent editions and has a good opportunity to win their second title.
Speaking to the PCB Podcast, the left-arm speedster opined that Pakistan were close to success after recent near misses in the 2021 and 2022 edition, reports ICC.
"It's not possible that you put in the hard yards, and you don't get the results. Like Lahore Qalandars put in the hard work for six years [in PSL]," Shaheen said. "They did the player development program as well and despite finishing at the bottom in the early years, they won back-to-back tournaments recently.
"And the Pakistan team is in a similar process, we're very close to achieving [T20] World Cup glory."
Shaheen recalled the previous two events, where Pakistan did well before faltering at the closing stages.
Shaheen was a central character in both the contests. In the 2021 Men's T20 World Cup semi-final, he was taken to the cleaners by Matthew Wade in the 19th over as Australia emerged as the eventual winners.
In the final of 2022, he injured his knee while fielding and couldn't complete his spell against England. His absence was felt as Pakistan were a bowler short and England managed to overcome a middle-over stutter to win their second title.
"You're disheartened if you get so close and still lose the World Cup. Both events were painful. We were hurt after the first loss [2021] and in the second event, I couldn't help the side because I was injured. I tried my best to come back [on the field] but I wasn't allowed to do so."
However, Shaheen added that this time, Pakistan are ready to overcome the disappointments of the previous events.
"Our efforts during the World Cup is to play in a united fashion. This isn't a time for disagreements. Everyone should follow the same process in a united way to achieve a singular goal."
Recalling newly appointed white-ball coach Gary Kirsten's words, Shaheen said the focus was on playing as a team over individual performances.
"Gary [Kirsten] told us, don't play for the name on the back of your jersey but for the badge in front of your shirt. And that stayed with me."
When asked about Pakistan's historic maiden T20 World Cup win against India in 2021, during which Shaheen played a crucial role with the wickets of India's top-order batters, the left-arm pacer recalled that he had contacted Pakistan legend Shahid Afridi before the game for advice.
"I called up Lala (Shahid Afridi) as his performance has always been the best against India. He advised me not to take any pressure, and to give my best. To ensure that my presence is felt on the field, to give my best in all departments: bowling, batting or fielding.
"So we tried our best, and achieved success."
Recalling his three crucial scalps, namely of Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli, Shaheen said the breakthroughs turned the game in favour of Pakistan.
"If you pick the first three wickets against any side, you essentially break their back because the top three are very important to set the tone.
"It's always my effort to attack more [with the new ball], and that's what I tried because if you get the early wickets you make it easier for your bowlers because the openers cannot get set and make the most of later overs."
After losing to Pakistan in 2021, India won their rematch in 2022 on the back of a brilliant 82* from Kohli. The two sides will meet again in the 2024 event on June 9 in New York.

We’re very close to achieving World Cup glory: Shaheen Afridi

Thirteen Western countries, including many traditionally supportive of Israel, appealed to it Friday not to launch a large-scale offensive on Rafah.
"We reiterate our opposition to a full-scale military operation in Rafah that would have catastrophic consequences on the civilian population," read the appeal, sent by the countries' foreign ministers to their Israeli counterpart Israel Katz and made public.
The signatories were Australia, Britain, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and EU member states Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden.
The ministers welcomed recent measures adopted by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet to improve the flow of international aid into Gaza, but called for "further steps".
"We urge the Government of Israel to let the humanitarian aid enter into the Gaza strip through all relevant crossing points, including the one in Rafah," they said.
They called on Israel to take "concrete action for the protection of civilians, international and local humanitarian aid workers and journalists".
The appeal also called for "a sustainable ceasefire".
The ministers urged Israel to "open all possible overland supply routes into Gaza" for aid, to "resume electricity, water and telecommunication services", and boost significantly "the supply of critically needed goods... particularly medical supplies".
Finally, they called on Israel to "facilitate further evacuations by issuing exit permits for all our citizens, eligible persons, and Palestinians admitted to relocate for humanitarian or medical reasons abroad".
Eight months after the start of the war, Israel is vowing to intensify its ground offensive in Rafah despite international concerns for the hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians in the southern city.
The Israeli siege of Gaza has brought dire shortages of food as well as safe water, medicines and fuel for its 2.4 million people.
The arrival of occasional aid convoys has slowed to a trickle since Israeli forces took control last week of the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing.
The war broke out after the October 7 attack on southern Israel which resulted in the deaths of more than 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.
Out of 252 people taken hostage that day, 128 are still being held inside Gaza, including 38 who the army says are dead.
Israel vowed in response to crush Hamas and launched a military offensive on Gaza, where at least 35,303 people have been killed since the war erupted, according to data provided by the health ministry of Hamas-run territory.

13 Western countries urge restraint from Israel over Rafah

Former Manchester United and Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez on Friday quit as coach of Argentinian club Independiente.
According to local media, the former Argentina international will lead the club for the last time on Sunday against Platense for the second match of the championship.
Tevez's departure comes after the club failed to qualify for the final phase of the Argentine League Cup and lost their first league match of the season 3-1 at home to Talleres de Cordoba.
The 40-year-old arrived at Independiente, a club from the province of Buenos Aires, last August and saved them from relegation.
His record was 14 wins, 11 draws and six defeats in 31 matches.
Despite a rich history seven-time Copa Libertadores winners Independiente are also struggling off the pitch with a financial crisis.
Before Independiente, Tevez made his coaching debut in 2022 with Rosario Central, resigning after five months due to differences with club management.
Tevez's playing career included successful stints in the Premier League with both Manchester clubs, as well as a spell with Juventus in Italy before his third and final playing contract with Boca Juniors.
At Manchester United he won two Premier League titles and the 2008 Champions League.
He helped Manchester City win the 2011-12 Premier League, their first English league title since 1968.
At international level he won 76 caps for Argentina, and was a member of the 2004 Olympic gold medal-winning team.

Tevez quits as Independiente coach

China announced "historic" steps on Friday to stabilise its crisis-hit property sector, with the central bank facilitating 1 trillion yuan ($138 billion) in extra funding and easing mortgage rules, and local governments set to buy "some" apartments.
Investors hoped the measures marked the beginning of more decisive government intervention to compensate for waning demand for new and old apartments, to slow down falling prices and to reduce a growing stock of unsold homes.
Analysts have long called for the government to step in with its own purchases to prop up a sector which at its peak accounted for a fifth of GDP and remains a major drag on the world's second-biggest economy.
Since the property market began its steep downturn in 2021, a string of developers have defaulted, leaving scores of idle construction sites behind, and sapping confidence in what had for decades been the preferred savings instrument for the Chinese population.
China Real Estate Newspaper, a publication managed by the housing ministry, said the "heavyweight policies" marked "a significant historic moment" for the sector.
China's CSI 300 Real Estate index of shares jumped 9.1% on the announcements.
"It's a bold step," said Raymond Yeung, chief Greater China economist at ANZ, of the measures.
"The biggest problem is whether the government purchase programme will induce private sector demand. Clearing inventory will increase cash flow to developers and help their financial stability, but it does not address private sector confidence."
After waves of support measures over the past two years failed to put a floor under the property sector, China's housing ministry said local governments can instruct state-owned firms to buy "some" homes at "reasonable" prices.
Municipal financing vehicles, blamed for what Beijing calls "hidden debt," won't be allowed to buy.
The homes would be used to provide affordable housing, Vice Premier He Lifeng said, without giving a timeline or a target for the purchases.
He also said local governments, already some $9 trillion in debt, can repurchase land sold to developers, and promised that authorities will "fight hard" to complete stalled projects.
LARGE INVENTORY
China's central bank said it would set up a relending facility for affordable housing that it says would result in 500 billion yuan worth of bank financing. It would also further lower mortgage interest rates and downpayment requirements.
Additionally, it would make another 500 billion yuan available in its pledged supplementary lending facility to support policies including the redevelopment of some urban areas with older dwellings.
Officials did not provide an estimate of the total cost of state-directed housing purchases.
Goldman Sachs estimates saleable housing inventory at 13.5 trillion yuan at the end of 2023.
There were 391 million square metres (4.2 billion square feet) of new housing for sale in January-April, up 24% year-on-year, the latest official data show.
Analysts at Tianfeng Securities estimate it will cost around $1 trillion to buy the entire stock.
"The policies on clearing inventory are considered quite powerful compared to all previous ones," said a senior executive at a defaulted Shanghai-based developer, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the topic.
"Psychologically, it'd let investors think the government is 'paying the bill', and it is shifting the risks from property to banks and local governments."
Since the property market soured in 2021, China has lowered interest rates and down payments, while most cities have eased or removed prior purchase restrictions.
A whitelist developer funding programme for project completion is also struggling to get traction.
And a campaign flagged by Chinese authorities at a key political meeting last month to encourage people to replace their old apartments with new ones is off to a poor start.
Longer-term questions about housing demand persist in a country facing a severe demographic downturn and where 96% of households already own at least one home.
POOR DATA
The stock market's upbeat market reaction to the new measures contrasted with the harsh reality on the ground, highlighted by poor housing data earlier on Friday and a Hong Kong court hearing of a petition seeking the liquidation of embattled developer Country Garden.
The hearing was adjourned for Jun 11. Another major developer, China Evergrande, was ordered to be liquidated in January.
New home prices fell for a 10th consecutive month in April, by 0.6% month-on-month, the fastest decline since November 2014. Separate data showed property investment in the first four months of 2024 falling 9.8% from a year earlier.
Property sales by floor area in January-April logged a 20.2% slide year-on-year, while new construction starts fell 24.6%. Funds raised by developers were also down 24.9% year-on-year.
"Record high housing inventory and liquidity pressure on developers threaten financial stability ... and the still frail economic recovery," said Rocky Fan, economist at Guolian Securities.
"The policies seem to be designed to prevent further fallout of the property crisis, but it will take time to reverse the downward trend."

China unveils 'historic' steps to stabilise crisis-hit property sector

The napkin on which Barcelona promised to sign Lionel Messi when he was a 13-year-old has been sold for 762,400 pounds ($969,000, auction house Bonhams said on Friday.
The napkin was signed in December, 2000 by Barca's former sporting director Carles Rexach and transfer advisor Josep Minguella along with Argentine agent Horacio Gaggioli over lunch at a tennis club.
Messi became one of Barcelona's greatest players, winning over 30 trophies and leaving the Catalan club as their all-time leading scorer with 672 goals.
He also won a record eight Ballon d'Or awards for the world's best player and led Argentina to the World Cup crown in 2022. Messi now plays for U.S. club Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
"Yes, it's a paper napkin, but it's the famous napkin that was at the inception of Lionel Messi's career," Ian Ehling, the head of fine books and manuscripts at Bonhams New York, said in a statement.
"It changed the life of Messi, the future of FC Barcelona, and was instrumental in giving some of the most glorious moments of football to billions of fans around the globe."

Napkin used by Barcelona to sign Messi sold for nearly $1 million

Massimiliano Allegri was sacked by Juventus on Friday after exploding with anger during his team's midweek Italian Cup triumph.
Juve said in a statement that they had dismissed Allegri for "certain behaviour during and after the Italian Cup final that the club deemed incompatible with its values".
The Serie A club won their 15th Italian Cup on Wednesday night but Allegri burst into a rage, first being sent off in the final minutes after ranting at match officials and then dismissively waving away sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli during the post-match celebrations.
He is also alleged to have manhandled and threatened the chief editor of newspaper Tuttosport before the post-match press conference.
Juve had already been widely rumoured to be replacing Allegri with Bologna coach Thiago Motta in the summer, but were pushed to announce their decision with two matches of the season remaining.
Juventus sit fourth in Serie A after collecting just 15 points in their last 15 league matches and are at Bologna on Monday night, with the two teams level on 67 points and already qualified for next season's revamped Champions League.
The Turin giants did not specify whether they had dismissed Allegri with just cause, a move which would potentially save the club from paying Allegri the remaining year of his contract, worth around seven million euros before bonuses.
The Italian Football Federation's disciplinary tribunal has launched an investigation into Allegri, who on Thursday was given an automatic two-match ban in the cup for his straight red card but could receive further punishment.

Juventus sack coach Allegri after Italian Cup rampage

About a month before Taiwan's January presidential election, China began sending intruders over the Taiwan Strait: more than 100 balloons, some of which passed through the island's airspace or busy, Taipei-controlled air corridors for civil aviation.
Experts say the balloons could be psychological warfare, carry surveillance tools or simply gather meteorological data. On some days, as many as eight were detected within a few hours; at other times, weeks passed without any balloons at all. In the week leading up to Taiwan's presidential election on Jan. 13, an average of three balloons were spotted each day.
Then on April 11, they stopped altogether.
The increased frequency has raised alarms both domestically and abroad.
A senior Taiwanese security official briefed on the matter said Chinese balloon flights near Taiwan took place on an "unprecedented scale" in the weeks leading up to Taiwan's elections and described the incidents as part of a Chinese pressure campaign &ndash; so-called grey-zone warfare designed to exhaust a foe using irregular tactics without open combat.
Taiwan inaugurates its new president, Lai Ching-te, on May 20. China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory despite the island's objections, has a strong dislike of Lai, believing him to be a dangerous "separatist", whose repeated offers of talks it has rejected, including one in May.
China's defence ministry did not respond to a request for comment.
China's Taiwan Affairs Office referred Reuters to its comment on Jan 31, in which it dismissed complaints about the balloons, saying they were for meteorological purposes and should not be hyped up for political reasons.
Before Dec 8, balloon data was not public, making historical comparisons impossible.
But Jan Jyh-horng, the deputy head and spokesperson of the Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan's top China policy-making body, told Reuters that in the past, a balloon would be spotted "maybe once a month".
Between December 2023 and April 2024, more than four balloons were detected on eight separate days. In total, just over a hundred balloons were flown during that period.
Three Taiwanese officials briefed on the matter confirmed that the number of Chinese balloons had increased significantly in recent months. The majority are weather balloons collecting atmospheric data, including wind, temperature and humidity, they said, but Taiwan still sees them as Chinese harassment.
The balloons have flown at an altitude of 11,000 to 38,000 feet, with a mean altitude of 22,294 feet &ndash; well under the usual altitude for meteorological balloons. According to the US National Weather Service, weather balloons typically reach altitudes of more than 100,000 feet.
"Sending them over at that kind of altitude is dangerous," said Alexander Neill, strategic adviser on Indo-Pacific geopolitics formerly at the International Institute for Strategic Studies and the Royal United Services Institute. "You are within air traffic corridors, and the potential for a collision is concerning."
Jan agreed, saying the balloons are threats to aviation safety.
"They fly very slowly while planes move speedily," he said. "It could be too late when they were spotted, if they were sucked into the engines."
China's most frequent form of "grey zone" activity has been the almost daily air force and navy missions in the waters and skies around Taiwan, forcing the island's armed forces to repeatedly scramble to see off the intruders.
Other tactics Taiwanese officials have expressed concern about include sand dredging close to the Taiwan-controlled Matsu islands, which sit near the Chinese coast.
A second senior Taiwanese senior security official said, citing intelligence gathered by Taiwan, that the data potentially collected by the balloons would be useful for the PLA's rocket forces, because atmospheric factors could affect missile launches.
"If China was planning to mount an air assault onto Taiwan, they would need to understand the meteorological conditions and wind patterns of the island," Neill said.
Wang Ting-yu, a senior lawmaker for Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party and chair of parliament's foreign affairs and defence committee, told Reuters balloons are hard for military radars to detect unless their sensitivity is set to high levels.
But ultra-sensitive radars are likely to spot objects such as birds, and as a result, Taiwan's military might miss other vital targets such as incoming missiles.
"It's a challenging task," he said.
Raymond Kuo, director of the RAND Corporation's Taiwan Policy Initiative, says he thinks the purpose of the balloons is primarily psychological.
"I personally am sceptical of what additional intelligence China could get from balloons that they couldn't get from other platforms," Kuo said. "I think they're mostly meant to signal to Taiwan that they can't even defend their airspace."

Tracking China's 'grey zone' balloon flights over Taiwan

Aid trucks began moving through a temporary U.S.-built pier off the Gaza Strip on Friday, amid growing international pressure to get more supplies into the besieged coastal enclave, where hundreds of thousands face an acute humanitarian crisis.
U.S. President Joe Biden announced the plan for the pier in March as aid officials implored Israel to improve access for relief supplies into Gaza over land routes.
Below is a timeline of events leading to the arrival of the pier off Gaza.
March 7 - Biden says in his State of the Union speech the U.S. military will build a temporary port on Gaza's Mediterranean coast to receive humanitarian aid by sea. The announcement came as he seeks to cool anger among many in his Democratic Party over his support for Israel in its offensive in Gaza since Oct. 7, given the steep toll on civilians.
March 8 - The Pentagon says Biden's plan could take up to 60 days to become a reality and involve more than 1,000 American troops. Officials say a floating pier would be installed in place off Gaza and attached to land by a temporary causeway. Aid will be shipped to it from Cyprus where Israeli officials will inspect it, as they currently do at the land borders, to stop anything going into Gaza that they deem to have a possible military use.
April 3 - The U.S. State Department says an attack that killed seven World Central Kitchen aid workers on April 1 would not affect U.S. efforts to build the pier.
April 25 - A United Nations team in Gaza visiting the site for the pier and the staging area for maritime aid operations had to seek shelter in a bunker "for some time" after the area came under fire, a U.N. spokesperson says.
April 25 - The Pentagon says U.S. troops have begun construction of the pier off the coast of Gaza, as international officials warn of the risk of famine in northern Gaza. Concerns about the risk to American troops getting caught up in the Israel-Hamas war were underscored as news emerged of a mortar attack near the area where the pier will eventually touch ground. No U.S. forces were present, however, and Biden has ordered U.S. forces to not step foot on the Gaza shore.
April 29 - A U.S. defense official says cost estimate to build the pier has risen to $320 million, illustrating the massive scale of a construction effort.
May 1 - The Pentagon says the U.S. military has so far constructed over 50% of the pier, which has several different components. "The floating pier has been completely constructed and setup. The causeway is in progress," a spokesperson said.
May 2 - White House says the pier should be open within a matter of days, despite poor weather hampering preparations.
May 3 - The U.S. military said it was temporarily pausing the offshore construction of the pier because of weather conditions and instead would continue building it at the Israeli port of Ashdod.
May 9 - The U.S. flagged vessel Sagamore carrying aid to be unloaded at the pier sets sail from the port of Larnaca, Cyprus in the morning.
May 15 - A British shipment of nearly 100 tonnes of aid has left Cyprus bound for the temporary pier, the British Foreign Office says.
May 15 - The U.S. military starts moving the pier towards the Gaza coast, a U.S. official says.
May 16 - The pier is anchored to a beach in Gaza.
May 17 - The U.S. Central Command said trucks carrying humanitarian assistance began moving ashore via the pier at 9 a.m. local time (0600 GMT).

Aid trucks begin moving ashore via US Gaza pier

The severe heat wave sweeping parts of Bangladesh continued unabated and rain may increase in the northeastern part of the country on &nbsp;Sunday or Monday, said the Bangladesh Meteorological Department.
&ldquo;Severe heat wave is sweeping Khulna division, Dinajpur, Nilphamari, Rajshahi, Pabna, Faridpur and Gopalgonj districts. Mild to moderate heat wave is sweeping the Barisal division, parts of Rangpur, Rajshahi and Dhaka divisions and Mymensingh, Moulvibazar, Rangamati, Chandpur, Noahkali, Feni &amp; Bandarban and it may continue,&rdquo; said a Met office bulletin.
It also issued a warning that the ongoing heat wave may persist for 72 hours starting Thursday morning.
Rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind are likely to occur at one or two places over Chattogram and &nbsp;Sylhet divisions with hails at isolated places.
The weather may remain mainly dry with a temporary partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the country.
Day and night temperatures may remain nearly unchanged over the country in 24 hours commencing 9am on Thursday.
Due to the increase of moisture incursion, the discomfort may persist.
The highest temperature of the country was recoded at 41.6 degree Celsius at Mongla in Khulna on Wednesday.

Severe heat wave persist in parts of country, rainfall likely in northeastern districts next week

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