মুক্তাঙ্গন-এ উপরোক্ত শিরোনামের নিয়মিত এই সিরিজটিতে থাকছে দেশী বিদেশী পত্রপত্রিকা, ব্লগ ও গবেষণাপত্র থেকে পাঠক সুপারিশকৃত ওয়েবলিন্কের তালিকা। কী ধরণের বিষয়বস্তুর উপর লিন্ক সুপারিশ করা যাবে তার কোনো নির্দিষ্ট নিয়ম, মানদণ্ড বা সময়কাল নেই। পুরো ইন্টারনেট থেকে যা কিছু গুরত্বপূর্ণ, জরুরি, মজার বা আগ্রহোদ্দীপক মনে করবেন পাঠকরা, তা-ই তাঁরা মন্তব্য আকারে উল্লেখ করতে পারেন এখানে। ধন্যবাদ।
আজকের লিন্ক
এখানে থাকছে দেশী বিদেশী পত্রপত্রিকা, ব্লগ ও গবেষণাপত্র থেকে পাঠক সুপারিশকৃত ওয়েবলিন্কের তালিকা। পুরো ইন্টারনেট থেকে যা কিছু গুরত্বপূর্ণ, জরুরি, মজার বা আগ্রহোদ্দীপক মনে করবেন পাঠকরা, তা-ই সুপারিশ করুন এখানে। ধন্যবাদ।
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মাসুদ করিম - ১ জুন ২০২৪ (৬:৫০ পূর্বাহ্ণ)
South Africa’s Shock Election Imperils Business-Driven Reforms
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-05-31-south-africas-shock-election-imperils-business-driven-reforms/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1717215226
South Africa’s business community has been shaken by the country’s shock election result, which could see its partnership with the government crumble and a populist wave sweep aside belated programs to fix everything from power shortages to congested ports.
The African National Congress’s dismal performance in the May 29 vote has upended investor forecasts of business as usual as the ruling party has effectively been left with a binary choice: ally with populist parties and largely jettison President Cyril Ramaphosa’s program of economic reform; or seek the support of the centrist Democratic Alliance, its biggest political foe over the past two decades.
Ramaphosa’s allies are already pushing him to partner with the business-friendly DA. But the ANC could be drawn to the leftist Economic Freedom Fighters and the uMkhonto weSizwe Party — led by its former youth and national leaders, respectively — which include many disillusioned former ANC members and trade on its history.
An alliance with either “would create a hurricane, a tsunami in business sentiment,” said Martin Kingston, chairman of the local unit of Rothschild & Co. and chair of the steering committee of Business for South Africa. “We have to have a counterparty with the same level of commitment as the current administration.”
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Business leaders and Ramaphosa’s supporters argue that their partnership is bearing fruit. But little has trickled down to ordinary South Africans, who contend with some of the world’s highest unemployment and crime rates. The economy grew by an average of less than 1% a year over the past decade, and many people have grown disillusioned with the ANC’s failure to fully address apartheid’s legacy of racial inequality, a theme that both the MKP and EFF have exploited.
The ANC is projected to garner as little as 40.5% of the vote, losing its majority for the first time since the end of apartheid in 1994. Only days before the election, a survey by research group Krutham showed that more than two-thirds of local and foreign fund managers expected the ANC to form an alliance with minor parties that would have little impact on its decision-making.
That’s no longer an option and investors are concerned it may turn to either or both the EFF and MKP, which is headed by former President Jacob Zuma. The rand has fallen 2% against the dollar since May 29, the most of 16 major currencies monitored by Bloomberg.
Those parties have called for the nationalization of mines and banks — policies that Nelson Mandela dropped before the advent of democracy in 1994 — and large increases in welfare payments. The EFF has demanded that its deputy leader, Floyd Shivambu, become finance minister, and an alliance with either would likely mean Ramaphosa’s departure.
“What I am hearing directly from some of the largest international investors, institutions is that there are three veils that they don’t want pierced,” said Colin Coleman, an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School and a former Goldman Sachs partner in South Africa. “First that the president stays in place, second the integrity of the National Treasury and the fiscal monetary authorities is maintained, and thirdly that the institutions of the constitution remain intact.”
Since taking power in 2018, Ramaphosa has forged a close alliance with the leaders of the country’s biggest companies. That’s led to an influx in investment into electricity generation that is helping ease crippling power cuts, the adoption of a blueprint that could boost private participation in the near-collapsed freight rail and port networks and amendments to immigration legislation that could ease a chronic skills shortage.
Ramaphosa has “been a critical role player and leader in overseeing this process of structural reform, the head of driving the partnership,” Kingston said. “It would be very risky to substitute him with anyone who doesn’t have the credibility and confidence of the market.”
With many of the initiatives yet to be implemented they’ve yet to meaningfully change the country’s economic trajectory and could easily be reversed.
Chief executives of South African companies including Sibanye Stillwater Ltd., Sanlam Ltd. and Sasol Ltd. have worked within the partnership as have leaders of the local units of Anglo American Plc and Toyota Motor Corp.
Bloomberg Terminal clients can click on ELEC ZA for more on South Africa’s elections.
“We are essentially where we are in terms of infrastructure collapse and state company failures because of an approach which has demonized business, and did not see it as a partner,” said Khulekani Mathe, chief executive officer-designate at Business Unity South Africa. “We need a government that espouses policies that recognize the role of the private sector, that’s not anti-business. We would hope that there would be a set of policy positions that the ANC would not be easily willing to give up.”
মাসুদ করিম - ৩ জুন ২০২৪ (৪:১৮ পূর্বাহ্ণ)
Trouble brewing for tea as costs outpace prices
https://today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/first-page/trouble-brewing-for-tea-as-costs-outpace-prices-1717353512
Despite record production in 2023, local tea estates are facing financial strain as a number of commercial tea growers have been forced to shutter businesses in the face of recurring losses.
The cause of this crisis is a perfect storm: production costs have risen steadily, up 11.71 per cent per kilogram since 2018, according to official data. This trend coincides with a dramatic decline in auction prices, which have plummeted 34.56 per cent over the past five years.
“Since 2018, tea has been consistently sold at auction below production costs,” said Kamran Tanvirur Rahman, chairman of the Bangladesh Tea Association.
“Prices for essential foodstuffs like rice, pulses, ginger and garlic have all risen in recent years. However, tea prices have not kept pace, instead experiencing a decrease,” Mr Rahman, head of the tea estate owners’ association, told The Financial Express.
According to him, the consequences of this situation are “severe”. Dilkusha Tea Estate in Moulvibazar district exemplifies those challenges.
The estate was forced to lay off workers two weeks ago due to ongoing losses. Industry insiders fear other estates may face a similar fate unless auction prices improve.
The country currently has 168 commercial tea estates and gardens spread across eight districts, employing roughly 150,000 workers.
These estates and gardens are required to sell at least 75 per cent of their production through open auctions regulated by the Bangladesh Tea Board. There are three auction centres located in Chattogram, Sreemangal and Panchagarh.
Only a small number of tea estates — some 10-12 gardens — have their own packaging facilities, allowing them to bypass auctions for 25 per cent of their produce and sell it directly to consumers. The vast majority of estates rely solely on auction sales.
Local tea estates achieved a record-breaking production of 102.91 million kilograms in 2023, maintaining an upward trend since 2001. Domestic tea consumption sits at roughly 92.15 million kg, leaving a surplus.
“At least 10-12 million kilograms of tea are being sold to the market bypassing auctions,” said Tea Association Chairman Kamran Tanvirur Rahman.
However, Mr Rahman was concerned about “a huge quantity of very low-quality tea” being smuggled into Bangladesh from a neighbouring country, suggesting it may be impacting auction prices.
The Tea Association attributes rising production costs to factors like increased labour wages and surging input prices. Fertilisers, fuel and electricity are among the key contributors to this cost increase.
The association estimates a 159 per cent rise in labour wages over the past decade.
Meanwhile, the total production cost has climbed by 42 per cent. Conversely, the average auction price has fallen by a concerning 34 per cent compared to 2018 levels.
Adding to the industry’s woes, Deundi Tea Company Limited Managing Director M Wahidul Haque pointed at the growing threat posed by coffee consumption.
“Coffee is rapidly becoming a major competitor for tea in the local market, particularly among younger demographics,” he added.
The country’s tea exports, once a major source of foreign currency, are also not performing well.
While the country exported 12.92 million kg and 13.65 million kg of tea in 2001 and 2002, respectively, exports have not surpassed 2.66 million kg after 2009.
The country has transitioned from a tea exporter to an importer in recent years.
Sector people admitted the rising domestic demand as a contributing factor, but believe other issues are also at play for declining exports.
Major General Md Ashraful Islam, chairman of the Bangladesh Tea Board, advocated for quality improvement and effective branding to bolster tea exports.
Tea estate owners downplayed the tea import development, suggesting the import volume is negligible and does not pose a serious threat.
Tea cultivation in Bangladesh started during British rule. Although Sylhet division is currently the most famous for tea cultivation, the first initiative was taken in Chattogram between 1828 and 1840.
As both attempts failed, in 1854, or to popular belief in 1847, the first commercial tea garden of Bangladesh, ‘Malnichhara Tea Garden,’ was established near current Airport Road in Sylhet.
মাসুদ করিম - ১০ জুন ২০২৪ (৩:৫৭ পূর্বাহ্ণ)
Restaurant salad, six street foods found risky for public health
https://today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/last-page/restaurant-salad-six-street-foods-found-risky-for-public-health-1717958620
Ready-to-eat salad in restaurants of the capital is most risky for public health, as presence of hazardous pathogenic bacteria has been found in the food items, a study has revealed.
Besides, six street foods also have high levels of Escherichia coli (e-coli), salmonella spp, and vibrio spp bacteria, including chatpati, chhola-muri and sugarcane juice, according to a research by the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA).
The study styled “Prevalence of microbial hazards in street food and ready-to-eat salad items in restaurant and their probable risk analysis” was disclosed at the BFSA-funded research dissemination seminar at its auditorium in the capital on Sunday.
BFSA Chairman Md Zakaria presided over the function while AHM Safiquzzaman, head of the Directorate of National Consumers’ Rights Protection (DNCRP), and Dr Mohammad Mustafa, a member of the BFSA, spoke, among others.
These bacteria are known to cause various stomach diseases, including diarrhoea.
Md Latiful Bari, head of the Food Nutrition and Agriculture Research Laboratory under the Centre of Advance Research of Dhaka University and also head of the research team, shared this information at the seminar.
The research focused on street foods like chatpati, chhola-muri (chickpea and puffed rice), sandwiches, sugarcane juice, aloe vera syrup, and ready-to-eat salad in the city restaurants.
A total of 450 samples of these street foods and salads were tested after being collected from 37 zones under Dhaka north and south city corporations.
The study revealed alarming bacterial counts, with an average of 72 million E-coli, 750 salmonella, and 750 Vibrio bacteria found per plate of chholamuri.
Chatpati contained 7.4 million E-coli, 2,000 Salmonella, and 3.0 million Vibrio bacteria. Sandwiches had 2,000 E-coli, 2000 Salmonella, and 160 Vibrio bacteria.
Sugarcane juice showed 65,000 E-coli, 17,000 Salmonella and 13,000 Vibrio bacteria. Aloe vera syrup had 56,000 E-coli, 18,000 Salmonella, and 14,000 Vibrio bacteria.
Salad contained 1,800 E-coli, 510 Salmonella, and 300 Vibrio bacteria, the report reads.
The research also indicated that out of every 10,000 people consuming these street foods, two people fell sick due to E-coli, four due to Salmonella, and one due to Vibrio.
Dr Latiful explained that these germs enter the food due to contaminated water, dirty towels, unclean hands and dusty environments.
The lack of health and sanitation awareness among vendors further exacerbates the problem.
He stressed the need for training and daily monitoring of vendors to ensure safety for street foods.
Another study on “Use of Artificial Fruit Ripening Agents and Development of Fruit Ripening Chamber” was also presented by Prof Dr Abul Hasnat M Solaiman of the Department of Horticulture at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University.
The report mainly focuses on use of artificial agents scientifically to ripen fruits for commercial purposes through lessening post-harvest losses and wastage.
মাসুদ করিম - ১০ জুন ২০২৪ (৫:৪৪ অপরাহ্ণ)
Venomous sea snakes suffering from ‘cold shock’ wash up on SA beaches
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-06-10-venomous-sea-snakes-suffering-from-cold-shock-wash-up-on-sa-beaches/
Rare venomous yellow-bellied sea snakes have been washing up on Eastern Cape and Garden Route beaches, prompting marine experts to caution against touching these deadly creatures and advising to contact aquariums for assistance.
In the past year, six venomous yellow-bellied sea snakes have washed up on beaches in the Eastern Cape and along the Garden Route.
Brett Glasby, the marine wildlife programme management coordinator for the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation, said seeing these snakes is rare and he has never spotted one himself, except when he was called out to help where one was found.
“It is not a common thing for them to wash up. They like warm water and we find them in the Agulhas current mostly,” Glasby said.
But, he added, strong sea currents and bad weather sometimes push these snakes into cold currents where they sustain “cold shock” and are not able to swim further.
“I only know of a handful that have washed up in the last few years. I was lucky to rescue one. They don’t do well in captivity so I have released it again,” Glasby said. “If you see one you are very lucky. It is a rare event.”
If anybody spots a sea snake on the beach, it should be treated with respect and it is best to notify the nearest aquarium. Glasby said neither humans nor dogs should approach it.
“It would be the worst thing for the snake to put it back in the water. You will sign its death warrant if you put it back in the water,” he added.
When the aquarium gets one of these snakes, the staff have to warm it up very slowly over a few days to treat the cold shock.
“Normally, they will also be very dehydrated. They can’t process salt when they wash up so we bathe them in fresh water,” he added.
Glasby also emphasised that these are venomous snakes and their neurotoxic venom can be lethal. “Keep your distance from it,” he advised.
The yellow-bellied sea snakes grow about 1m long and can get fairly thick as they age.
“It is an open-ocean species. Unlike other sea snakes, it doesn’t live in a coral reef. It lives in the open ocean. They rest just underneath the flotsam and prey on other fish seeking shelter,” he said.
“I have had more people see puffadders and cobras in the sea than sea snakes,” he added. “These are not aggressive snakes.”
Cold shock spike
Glasby said the aquarium has had to treat more than 500 turtle hatchlings for cold shock this year.
Gqeberha-based herpetologist Dr Werner Conradie said there are more snakes than usual washing up on the beach but they are not uncommon.
He said the strong sea currents and storm surges owing to bad weather sometimes wash up these creatures.
Two were found on beaches in Nature’s Valley and Keurboomstrand, one at Kenton-on-Sea, one each at King’s Beach and Maitlands in Gqeberha, and one in Jeffreys Bay.
They are poisonous, Conradie added, but only one fatality caused by this species has been recorded worldwide.
“They have a potent venom that paralyses their prey,” he said.
Steve Meighan, chairperson of the Western Cape Herpetological Association, said these yellow-bellied sea snakes wash up now and again.
“They come in on the warmer currents or if they are sick. It is important not to approach them and to contact an expert to remove them,” he said.
The snake is from the cobra family and so it is important not to touch it or try to help it get back in the water because no antivenin exists for its bite.
“Weather certainly plays a role when they wash up,” Meighan said.
মাসুদ করিম - ১৭ জুন ২০২৪ (১২:৫৬ অপরাহ্ণ)
Mexican fashion designer recycles election ads into tote bags
https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/mexican-fashion-designer-recycles-election-ads-into-tote-bags-2024-06-07/
Fashion designer Camilo Morales has upcycled everything from plastic shopping sacks to fabric scraps, turning them into bags, clothing and accessories.
His latest raw material is the vinyl political advertisements for candidates in Mexico’s local, state and federal elections, which took place on Sunday.
Among the winners was Claudia Sheinbaum, the former Mexico City mayor who will be the nation’s first woman president.
For the last year, Morales has been pulling down the ubiquitous banners, taking scissors to them and sewing them into tote bags, which he sells for between 100 pesos ($5.44) and 600 pesos ($32.63).
“This election season was ridiculous,” Morales said. “They started (hanging up ads) so soon.”
Morales’ cheapest bags, sold under his label Rere, use the all-white background of most ads. The most expensive one is a collage of the heavily shadowed eyes of Clara Brugada, the ruling party candidate set to be the next mayor of Mexico City.
“I joked that they practically grew on trees,” Morales said. “At night I would take down one ad, and the next day another one was already there to take its place.”
Under election law, political parties have four days after elections are over to take down their ads, and workers were removing them this week.
In Mexico City alone, an estimated 10,000 tons of trash were produced by political publicity this season, according Juan Manuel Nunez, a professor at the Iberoamerican University.
The banners have logos marking them as recyclable, but it was not clear how many were actually being recycled.
“Although promoted as environmentally friendly, these banners and tarps are usually made from PVC, which can take hundreds of years to break down,” Nunez said.
Other efforts to find new uses for the ads included a TikTok user who went viral for turning them into dog beds and migrants who have made them into tents.
($1 = 18.3900 Mexican pesos)
মাসুদ করিম - ১৯ জুন ২০২৪ (১১:৪২ পূর্বাহ্ণ)
Anouk Aimée, star of ‘La Dolce Vita’ and ‘A Man and a Woman,’ has died
https://www.lemonde.fr/en/obituaries/article/2024/06/18/anouk-aimee-the-great-french-actress-has-died_6675071_15.html
In a career spanning more than 70 years, she starred in 74 films and TV series and received prestigious awards. Her daughter announced that she had died on Tuesday, June 18, aged 92.
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https://www.lemonde.fr/en/obituaries/article/2024/06/18/anouk-aimee-the-great-french-actress-has-died_6675071_15.html
Anouk Aimée didn’t like people talking about her age. When we met her in 2012 for the theatrical re-release of Jacques Demy’s Lola, she began the interview with a request: “Please, let’s not talk about my age. It’s of no interest to anyone.” What was unsettling was that, in saying that, she sounded exactly the same as Lola did, 51 years earlier. That’s why it was so charming to hear her say “Lola, she’s me,” in the present tense, as if time had, indeed, not mattered. It was her own vain style, no doubt, this ageless present, and this style spoke volumes about the lady and the way she had steered her ship without much concern for sea spray, people’s opinions or having a career, before passing away on Tuesday, June 18, at the age of 92. “We have the immense sadness of announcing the departure of my mom Anouk Aimée,” wrote her daughter, actress Manuela Papatakis, in a message posted on Instagram. “I was right beside her when she passed away this morning, at her home in Paris.”
She had started very early, and had thereafter never wanted to stop, except for seven years: The time of a marital interlude in London at the end of the 1960s, with the actor Albert Finney, for whom she had wished to henceforth only play one role, that of a wife, in real life.
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https://www.lemonde.fr/en/obituaries/article/2024/06/18/anouk-aimee-the-great-french-actress-has-died_6675071_15.html
Born Françoise Dreyfus on April 27, 1932, in Paris, Aimée was the daughter of actors but said she had not been “born into it” at all. Like a wildflower, she had grown up far from the spotlight, being partly raised by her godfather and godmother on a farm. At first, her interest in cinema was so remote that it barely existed. Fate had to force her hand, by setting her on the path of director Henri Calef, who abruptly asked her if she would like to make films. She’d never really known where the “yes” that sprang to her lips had come from.
For her first film, La Maison sous la mer (“The House under the Sea,” 1946), Françoise was 13, and her character was called Anouk. The first part of her stage name was found with this first step, but the last name remained. The poet and screenwriter Jacques Prévert gave that to her. The story is well known: They met the following year on the set of Marcel Carné’s film La Fleur de l’âge (“The Flower of Youth”), in which she starred with Arletty, Serge Reggiani and Martine Carol. The film remained unfinished: About 20 minutes of it were edited, and only half of it was shot before the team stopped production. What remains are Emile Savitry’s on-set photographs of a ravishing Anouk and the name: “Aimée” – “because everyone loved her,” according to Prévert. You can’t refuse a name like that.
Inventing oneself
During the war, Françoise had already stopped calling herself Dreyfus to become Françoise Durand, and thus dodge the yellow star. “Anouk Aimée” was no longer a question of survival, but it still obeyed a vital principle: That of changing one’s name to invent oneself, yet without becoming something else. “I’ve never done a total composition. There’s always a piece of me in my roles,” she said. One of them, however, almost made her drop Anouk in favor of another name: Lola, that of the heroine of Jacques Demy’s film. “I no longer know where Anouk begins and Lola begins, or where Lola ends and Anouk ends,” she would say, even 50 years on.
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https://www.lemonde.fr/en/obituaries/article/2024/06/18/anouk-aimee-the-great-french-actress-has-died_6675071_15.html
Released the year after La Dolce Vita, Lola (1961) was just as much, if not more, important than Fellini’s film for the cinematic emergence of Anouk Aimée, who was so unique in her nonchalance. Where La Dolce Vita was intoxicated with capturing the silhouette, the angles of a face that had lost its adolescent cheeks, a hand with long fingers wrapped around a cigarette; Lola celebrated the on-screen debut of a body, the likes of which cinema would never again forget: A dance coach in a bodice and fishnet tights, as untouched by vulgarity as Botticelli’s nude Venus. It was impossible to imagine, yet Demy had done it. Aimée had simply trusted him, and didn’t try to explain the miracle. She simply observed: “There are people who can do anything. Women who say ‘Oh shit, you’re pissing me off.’ Some shock, others don’t. Lola can do it without shocking, be rude without being noticed, because there’s no vulgarity to her.”
After Demy, Aimée seemed to bring a bit of Lola to all her other roles: A kind of state of grace, which allowed her to do and play everything without ever being touched by crassness or mediocrity. Not that she was ever keen on tempting fate, but the fact that she almost always played elegant women, or that she made elegant women out of everyone she played, was elegance again and again, even – and this was by no means a given – with Jean-Pierre Mocky (Les Dragueurs [The Chasers], the director’s first film, which was released in 1959).
Her career soon took off internationally. At the age of 17, she starred alongside Trevor Howard in The Golden Salamander (1949), by British director Ronald Neame, the producer of David Lean’s first films. In 1955 and 1956, she appeared in two German films, Ich suche Dich (“I Seek You”), by O.W. Fischer, and Nina, by Rudolf Jugert. In 1959, she played a small role in Le Voyage (The Journey), an American film by Anatole Litvak, who, six years earlier, in Un acte d’amour (Act of Love), had cast the very young Brigitte Bardot, two years Anouk Aimée’s junior.
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https://www.lemonde.fr/en/obituaries/article/2024/06/18/anouk-aimee-the-great-french-actress-has-died_6675071_15.html
At the age of 16, Catherine Deneuve was biding her time: The blonde Bardot and the brunette Aimée embodied the two faces of French beauty abroad, and it’s hard to imagine them being more different: One was the bikini-clad baby doll, with sun-kissed hair and curves. The other, the mysterious halo of dark hair, alabaster skin, the slim figure, with that single astonishing Hollywood feature of heavy eyelids under thick black eyeliner, à la Monroe.
On screens the world over
If Bardot’s international aura owes little to her rare film collaborations outside France, Aimée has had a more lasting impact on screens the world over, where she found some great roles. Fewer, no doubt, than those that her absolute precision in acting and her subtle mastery of restrained emotion deserved. Fellini, unsurprisingly, was one of them: The bored middle-class woman in La Dolce Vita; the deceived but smiling wife in 81⁄2. Later, Bellocchio, for whom she plays the depressed Marta, consumed by dizziness, earned her the Best Actress prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 1980 for A Leap in the Dark.
She was also courted by the US, where her charms were more unexpected (in 1962, she played a peplum-clad queen for Robert Aldrich and Sergio Leone in Sodom and Gomorrah), or were directly inspired by her aura as a fashion icon, when she played a model in Sidney Lumet’s The Appointment in 1969. She was 37 at the time of the film’s release, and the character aptly sums up her unique status in the cinematic landscape: The mysterious Carla, officially a model, is suspected by her jealous fiancé or husband of working as a prostitute.
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https://www.lemonde.fr/en/obituaries/article/2024/06/18/anouk-aimee-the-great-french-actress-has-died_6675071_15.html
On the one hand, the icon, the untouchable, the woman that seems to exist only on the glossy paper of elegant magazines. On the other, the public, purchasable, disposable body. Two contradictory – or perhaps complementary – fantasies, that have continued to shape the archetypal image that people in America often have of the beautiful French woman.
Bardot was already “the” woman in Et Dieu… créa la femme (And God Created Woman, 1956), when 10 years later Aimée became “a” woman for Claude Lelouch, in Un homme et une femme (A Man and a Woman, 1966): A woman, any woman (the stranger Lelouch meets on a beach, who inspires him to make the film), and eventually the one we’ll never forget again – in the romance the film depicts, and from our point of view as enchanted spectators.
She played Anne Gauthier (the character’s name hardly matters), a film technician, the heroine of the simplest story and one of the world’s most beautiful romance films. It won hearts the world over, amassing awards, the Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, and the Golden Globe for Best Actress for Aimée. Although intended as a lover’s hymn for Romy Schneider, this story seemed tailor-made for the great romantic Aimée was then, and will be thereafter.
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https://www.lemonde.fr/en/obituaries/article/2024/06/18/anouk-aimee-the-great-french-actress-has-died_6675071_15.html
She married three times, to Greek filmmaker Nico Papatakis at 19; to musician Pierre Barouh, whom she met on the set of A Man and a Woman, for which he wrote and performed the famous “chabadabada” melody; and to English actor Albert Finney. She lived with Elie Chouraqui, had an affair with Omar Sharif, her co-star in The Appointment – so many pages of her life that she always kept under a veil of mystery, although she never forbade herself from talking about them.
A taste for secrecy
Her most eloquent expression of this was not through her own words, but those of American playwright Albert Ramsdell Gurney, whose Love Letters she – although she was no veteran of the stage – performed tirelessly on stage between 1990 and 2014; first with Bruno Cremer, then Jean-Louis Trintignant, Philippe Noiret, Jacques Weber, Alain Delon, Gérard Depardieu, etc.
Aimée loved to talk, but she despised words that reveal, decipher and deflower. She was not a woman to spell things out. When questioned about the immense success of A Man and a Woman, she was asked if she had foreseen it. She replied, at the age of 80, yet with adolescent candor: “You never know these things, but you’re happy. I think that’s a good sign.”
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On this occasion, as she had always done, she would move forward with the interview counter to any analysis or exegesis, which didn’t seem to have the slightest appeal to her. Gossip had even less appeal; though no more, on the other hand, than political correctness or doubletalk did for her. Simply, she answered each question in keeping with the grammatical form of an answer, and the things she said, sometimes mischievously, raised questions three times over.
Was it the sign of a taste for the true role of the mystery woman, “a” woman – who could be any woman and yet who remains the woman we never forget? More simply, beyond any role, a taste for secrecy, and for those things that are all the more beautiful for not being explained? Perhaps, even more simply, the secret of that unrivaled, enduring elegance that made her such a unique presence, peaceful in her naturalness, yet somehow drawing the impossible substance of her mystery from her very transparency.
মাসুদ করিম - ২১ জুন ২০২৪ (৯:৪৬ পূর্বাহ্ণ)
Study reveals ancient quake that redirected Ganga’s course in Bangladesh
https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/study-reveals-ancient-quake-redirected-gangas-course-bangladesh-878931
Scientists announced on Monday that they have discovered a 1km-to-1.7km-wide ancient riverbed, known as a paleochannel, situated 45km south of the present-day Ganga-Padma river’s main course. This paleochannel is a remnant of the river’s earlier path before the earthquake struck.
A previously unidentified earthquake 2,500 years ago dramatically altered the course of the Ganga River, rerouting its primary channel through what is now Bangladesh and leaving behind a floodplain currently used for rice farming, according to a recent study.
Scientists announced on Monday that they have discovered a 1km-to-1.7km-wide ancient riverbed, known as a paleochannel, situated 45km south of the present-day Ganga-Padma river’s main course. This paleochannel is a remnant of the river’s earlier path before the earthquake struck.
The paleochannel, identified via satellite imagery, along with features known as sand dikes in the mud—indications of an earthquake-triggered process called liquefaction—suggests a magnitude 7 or 8 earthquake that occurred more than 180km away, the researchers reported.
“In delta regions, rivers typically shift over decades to centuries, which is not uncommon,” said Elizabeth Chamberlain, a geologist at Wageningen University in the Netherlands and the lead author of the study, in a telephone interview with The Telegraph. “But this was a sudden, significant geological event,” she added.
The study’s findings, published in the journal Nature Communications, highlight the susceptibility of the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta region in Bangladesh and eastern India to even moderate earthquakes.
“Geological records indicate that large earthquakes have struck Bangladesh and surrounding areas multiple times in both historical and prehistoric periods,” said Syed Humayun Akhter, a former geology professor at Dhaka University, now the vice-chancellor of Bangladesh Open University and a co-author of the study.
These earthquakes have left behind evidence such as sand dikes, altered terrain features, and river avulsions—the rapid abandonment of a river channel and the creation of a new one.
Scientists have documented over 100 river avulsions throughout history, including those of the Mississippi in the US, the Yellow River in China, and the Kosi in India.
“Most avulsions are naturally occurring river shifts. This is the first documented case of a major river avulsion linked to an earthquake,” said Michael Steckler, a geophysicist at the Columbia Climate School in the US and a member of the study team.
“The (Ganga) river shifted from flowing southeast along a path parallel but south of the current Ganges-Padma rivers to flowing down the Bhagirathi-Hooghly channel,” Steckler told The Telegraph via email.
The earthquake caused the Ganga’s main channel to shift westward to a north-south flow. However, subsequent changes in land elevation have since redirected the river into its current channel.
Between 1550 and 1650, the river shifted course again, moving eastwards to join the modern lower Meghna channel. “These later avulsions occurred over decades and were not triggered by earthquakes,” Steckler noted.
The researchers suggest that the earthquake 2,500 years ago may have been caused by either the slip of the oceanic crust under the continental plate below Bangladesh, Myanmar, and northeastern India or by the slip of the Indian plate beneath the Asian plate in the Himalayan region.
A previous study in 2016 by Akhter and US collaborators indicated that these zones were accumulating stress that could potentially lead to earthquakes similar to the one 2,500 years ago. A high-intensity earthquake in 1762 had even triggered a tsunami that traveled upriver and struck Dhaka.
The Ganga-Brahmaputra delta landscape rests atop a deep accumulation of mud layers—sediments carried downstream from the Himalayas into the delta—up to 30km thick. This mud is highly susceptible to liquefaction, a process where water-saturated mud layers behave like a liquid.
“The likelihood of large-magnitude earthquakes in the nearby Himalayan and Burmese fronts is significant,” Akhter said.
“The effects of strong shaking from such an earthquake would impact much of the country, including densely populated Dhaka. While large earthquakes are less frequent than severe floods, they can affect much larger areas and have lasting economic, social, and political consequences,” he added.
It remains unclear how the Ganga’s abrupt course change 2,500 years ago may have affected local communities, said Chamberlain, who specializes in studying how rivers change course and impact local populations.
“We can assume the event would have caused some population shifts and the emergence of new settlements—archaeological research may provide the answers,” Chamberlain concluded.
কিন্তু বাংলায় রিপোর্টটা কেন যেন হয়ে গেল।
আড়াই হাজার বছর আগের ভূমিকম্পে গতিপথ ‘বদলে যায়’ পদ্মার
https://bangla.bdnews24.com/bangladesh/382c7eb2165f
৭.৫ থেকে ৮ তীব্রতার শক্তি নিয়ে আঘাত হানে ভূমিকম্পটি, যার প্রভাবে পদ্মা বা গঙ্গার মূল গতিপথ অনেক দূর সরে যায়।
আড়াই হাজার বছর আগে শক্তিশালী এক ভূমিকম্পে ’বদলে যায়’ প্রমত্তা পদ্মার গতিপথ, যে নদীটি ভারতে গঙ্গা নামে পরিচিত।
নতুন এক গবেষণায় এমনটিই তুলে ধরে বলা হয়েছে, এত দিন বিজ্ঞানীদের কাছে ওই ভয়ানক ভূমিকম্পের তথ্য অজানা ছিল। ঢাকার অদূরের বিশাল অঞ্চলের ভূমির গঠন ওলট-পালট করে দেওয়া বিপুল সেই শক্তির মাটির গভীর থেকে ফুঁড়ে বেরিয়ে আসার কিছু কারণ জানতে পেরেছেন গবেষকরা।
তারা প্রথমবারের মত এমন তথ্য সামনে এনেছেন ‘ন্যাচার কমিউনিকেশনস’ জার্নালে প্রকাশিত এক গবেষণাপত্রে। গত সোমবার (১৭ জুন) এটি প্রকাশিত হয়।
এতে বলা হয়, রিখটার স্কেলে ৭ দশমিক ৫ থেকে ৮ তীব্রতার প্রচণ্ড শক্তি নিয়ে আঘাত করে ভূমিকম্পটি, যার প্রভাবে পদ্মা বা গঙ্গার মূল গতিপথ বহু দূর সরে যায়। যদিও ভূমিকম্পের কেন্দ্র থেকে সরে যাওয়া পদ্মার অংশটির দূরত্ব ছিল অন্তত ১৮০ কিলোমিটার।
নদীর গতি পরিবর্তনের চলমান প্রক্রিয়াকে বলা হয় ‘অ্যাভালশন’ বা ‘ছিন্নকরণ’। ভূমিকম্পের কারণে নদীর অ্যাভালশনের নজির আগেই পেয়েছেন বিজ্ঞানীরা।
তবে গবেষণাপত্রটি সম্পর্কে এক বিবৃতিতে এর সহ-লেখক মাইকেল স্টেকলার বলছেন, “আমরা মনে হয় না, (পদ্মা) নদী ছিন্নকরণের এমন বিশাল ঘটনা আগে কেউ কখনও দেখেছেন।”
স্টেকলার যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের নিউ ইয়র্কের কলাম্বিয়া ক্লাইমেট স্কুলের ল্যামন্ট-ডোহার্টি আর্থ অবজারভেটরির ভূপদার্থবিদ্যার অধ্যাপক।
গঙ্গা বিশ্বের বৃহত্তম নদীরগুলোর একটি, যার দৈর্ঘ আড়াই হাজার কিলোমিটার। ভারত ও চীন সীমান্তের হিমালয় পর্বতমালা থেকে সৃষ্ট গঙ্গার প্রবাহ পূর্ব দিকে ভারত হয়ে বাংলাদেশের ওপর দিয়ে যাওয়ার পথে অন্যান্য বড় নদী যেমন ব্রহ্মণপুত্র ও মেঘনার সঙ্গে মিলেছে।
এসব নদীর প্রবাহ একত্রে গঠন করেছে বিশ্বের সবচেয়ে বড় ‘ব-দ্বীপ’ অর্থাৎ বাংলাদেশ; এবং সব প্রবাহ গিয়ে মিশেছে বঙ্গোপসাগরে।
অন্যান্য বড় ব-দ্বীপের মধ্য দিয়ে বয়ে যাওয়া নদীগুলোর মত ভূমিকম্প ছাড়াই গঙ্গা বা পদ্মাও আপন খেয়ালে তার গতিপথ বদলায়। উৎস থেকে চলার পথে বয়ে আনা প্রচুর পলি জমে পদ্মার বুক ক্রমেই উঁচু হচ্ছে। এতে করে নদীর বুকে চর জাগছে, যেগুলো নদীর দুই পাড়ের ভূমির চেয়েও উঁচু হয়ে যাচ্ছে।
চরের কারণে স্রোত বাধাগ্রস্ত হওয়ায় ওইসব স্থান থেকে আপন গতিতেই সৃষ্টি হয় নদীর নতুন পথচলা। বছরের পর বছর ধরে এ প্রক্রিয়ায় নদীর গতিপথ বদলায়, যেখানে ভূমিকম্প এক নিমেষেই ঘুরিয়ে দিতে পারে নদীর স্রোতধারা।
গবেষণাপত্রটি প্রধান লেখক লিজ চ্যাম্বারলাইন পৃথক এক বিবৃতিতে বলেছেন, ভূমিকম্পের কারণে নদীর গতিপথ বিশেষ করে পদ্মার মত প্রকাণ্ড নদীর গতিপথ বদলে যেতে পারে, এমন কোনো তথ্য আগে কেউ নিশ্চিত করতে পারেননি।
লিজ চ্যাম্বারলাইন নেদাল্যান্ডসের ওয়াশিংটন ইউনিভার্সিটির ভূপদার্থবিদ্যার অধ্যাপক ও একজন ভূবিশারদ।
তার বিবৃতির তথ্য অনুযায়ী, অতীতে পদ্মার গতিপথ বদলানোর সূত্র তারা প্রথমবার ধরতে পারেন স্যাটেলাইট চিত্র বিশ্লেষণ করে। চিত্রগুলো পরীক্ষা-নিরীক্ষা করার সময় তারা দেখতে পান, ঢাকার প্রায় ১০০ কিলোমিটার দক্ষিণের অবস্থানে পদ্মার কাছে মাটির গভীরে সমান্তরালে পুরোনো নদীর মত একটি চ্যানেল রয়েছে।
চ্যাম্বারলাইন লিখেছেন, এরপর তারা আরও তথ্যপ্রমাণ সংগ্রহের জন্য ঢাকার দক্ষিণের ওই অঞ্চলে অনুসন্ধান শুরু করেন এবং কাদামাটির নিচে পুরোনো চ্যানেলের মত আঁকাবাঁকা আরও পথ খুঁজে পান।
ভূমিকম্পের কারণে কাদামাটির নিচে এমন উলম্ব আঁকাবাঁকা বালির চ্যানেল তৈরি হয়, যেগুলোকে ‘সিসমাইট’ বা ভূকম্পনের ফলে সৃষ্ট ‘বালির উলম্ব বেণী’ বলা হয়।
চ্যাম্বারলাইন ও তার সহকর্মীরা এটা প্রমাণ করতে পেরেছেন, ঢাকার দক্ষিণে পদ্মার সমান্তরালে চলা বালির উলম্ব বেণীগুলো আসলেই সিসমাইট অর্থাৎ ভূমিকম্পের কারণে সৃষ্ট চ্যানেল। তারা সিদ্ধান্তে উপনীত হয়েছেন যে, একটি ঘটনা থেকেই চ্যানেলগুলো তৈরি হয়।
মাটি ও বালির রাসায়নিক পরীক্ষায় তারা এটাও দেখতে পেয়েছেন, গবেষণা অঞ্চলটিতে অন্তত আড়াই হাজার বছর আগে ভয়াবহ ভূমিকম্প হয়।
ওই শক্তিশালী ভূমিকম্প দুটি কারণের যে কোনো একটির জন্য হয়েছিল বলে বিশ্বাস চ্যাম্বারলাইন ও তার সহকর্মীদের।
প্রথমত, ভারতের উত্তর-পূর্বের শিলং মাসিফ অঞ্চলে ভারতীয় টেকটোনিক প্লেট ও ইউরেশিয়ান প্লেটের মধ্যে টক্করের কারণে আড়াই হাজার বছর আগের ওই ভূমিকম্পটি হয়ে থাকতে পারে।
দ্বিতীয়ত, ভারত মহাসাগরের খড়িমাটি ক্রমেই বাংলাদেশ, মিয়ানমার ও উত্তর-পূর্ব ভারতীয় প্লেটের নিচে আরও গভীরে ডুবতে থাকার চাপজনিত শক্তির বিস্ফোরণ ঘটে।
তবে যে দুই অঞ্চলে ঘটা ভূতাত্ত্বিক প্রক্রিয়ার কারণে ভূমিকম্পটির সৃষ্টি হয়েছিল, সেখান থেকে পদ্মার গতিপথ বদলের যাওয়ার বা বালির চ্যানেলগুলো খুঁজে পাওয়ার স্থানের দূরত্ব অন্তত ১৮০ কিলোমিটার।
এর আগে অধ্যাপক মাইকেল স্টেকলারের নেতৃত্বে শিলং মাসাফি ও ইন্দো-বার্মা অঞ্চলের প্লেট বিশ্লেষণ করে ২০১৬ সালে একটি সমীক্ষা প্রকাশ করা হয়। তাতে বলা হয়, সাড়ে ৭ বা ৮ তীব্রতার শক্তিশালী ভূমিকম্প আবারও এ অঞ্চলে আঘাত করতে পারে। এর প্রভাব পড়তে পারে ১ কোটি ৪০ লাখ মানুষের ওপর।
https://x.com/urumurum/status/1803999909890396523
মাসুদ করিম - ২৩ জুন ২০২৪ (৫:৪০ পূর্বাহ্ণ)
BD, India to work on shared vision
https://today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/first-page/bd-india-to-work-on-shared-vision-1719075816
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi Saturday vowed to collaborate in realising their respective visions of ‘Smart Bangladesh’ and ‘Viksit Bharat’ as they witnessed the signing of wide-ranging bilateral cooperation pacts.
The common consent was revealed by both the leaders after a bilateral meeting at the Hyderabad House in Delhi where the countries signed 10 MoUs and made an 11-point announcement on joint actions in vast vistas of mutual interests.
There was an agreement by both leaders to give “new direction, new impetus and new substance in strengthening our bilateral and sub- regional cooperation in order to turn this relationship into a transformation partnership”.
In the meeting both leaders jointly agreed to the India-Bangladesh shared vision for future enhanced connectivity, commerce and collaboration for shared prosperity.
“We agreed to collaborate with each other for the betterment of our people and countries. We charted the future course of action to ensure a smart Bangladesh by following Vision 2041 and Viksit Bharat by 2047,” Sheikh Hasina told journalists in a briefing after the talks, led in by a one-on-one between the two newly reelected premiers.
Earlier, the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, said that both the countries made the commitment to cooperate with each other for making their visions, namely ‘Smart Bangladesh by 2041’ and ‘Prosperous India by 2047’, a success.
“This vision document of futuristic partnership seeks to realize our respective national development visions of Mixit Bharath Bharat 2047 and smart Bangladesh vision of 2041,” said the Indian foreign secretary while briefing the press on the meeting outcome.
The eleven announcements made after the meeting are (i) e- visa for Medical Patients from Bangladesh (ii) New Assistant High Commission of India in Rangpur in Bangladesh (iii) New train service between Rajshahi and Kolkata (iv) New bus service between Chittagong and Kolkata (v) Commencement of goods train services between Gede-Darsana and Haldibari-Chilahati upto Dalgaon (vi) Construction of Inland Container Depot (ICD) at Sirajganj under grant assistance (vii) Commencement of export of 40 MW of power from Nepal to Bangladesh through Indian grid (viii) Joint Technical Committee for discussions on renewal of the Ganga Water Treaty (ix) Visit of technical delegation to Bangladesh for project on conservation and management of Teesta River inside Bangladesh (x) 350 training slots for Bangladeshi police officers (xi) Muktijoddha Scheme for medical patients with an upper ceiling of 8 lakh per patient
The 10 MoU accords signed in the meeting are: Shared Vision for India-Bangladesh Digital Partnership, Shared Vision for India-Bangladesh Green Partnership , MoU on Maritime Cooperation and Blue Economy, MoU between In-Space and Bangladesh’s Ministry of ICT and Telecom, MoU between Ministry of Railways, Government of India and Ministry of Railways, Government of Bangladesh for railway connectivity , MoU for Cooperation in Oceanography between Bangladesh Oceanographic Research Institute (BORI) and India’s National Institute of Oceanographic Institute (NIO) under CSIR , MoU between Defence Services Staff College (DSSC), Wellington and Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC), Mirpur, for cooperation concerning Military education in the field of strategic and operational studies, Renewal of MoU for cooperation in Health and Medicine , Renewal of MoU between NDMA and Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief for cooperation in the field of Disaster Management, Resilience and Mitigation and Renewal of MoU for cooperation in Fisheries.
In her address, Sheikh Hasina said the engagements between the two countries in the highest level continue to contribute to the socio-economic development and for the economic emancipation of both the countries.
She said Dhaka and New Delhi agreed about a shared vision for digital and green partnership to ensure a sustainable future for both the nations.
“Both countries endorsed the ‘Vision Statement’ to guide us toward a peaceful and prosperous future. We agreed to have a shared vision for ‘Digital Partnership’ and ‘Green Partnership for a Sustainable Future,” she said.
The entire gamut of binary relationship that includes the sharing of water from common rivers, security and trade has prominently come for discussion during the bilateral meeting of two neighbouring countries, she said.
On a note of gratitude, Sheikh Hasina said that Bangladesh will always remain grateful to India for its people’s sacrifice during the liberation war of Bangladesh.
And this is the main reason for the unique friendship between the two countries, she told the press.
She said they had very productive meetings discussing “politics and security, trade and connectivity, the sharing of water from common rivers, power and energy, and regional and multilateral cooperation, among other issues of mutual interest”.
Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for inviting her to visit Delhi, she said this is her first bilateral visit to any country after the formation of new government in January this year.
She also invited the Indian PM to visit Bangladesh to see for himself how Bangladesh is making stride for development spree.
Mr Modi said that after successfully establishing road, rail and waterway connectivity both the countries were now focusing on digital and green development cooperation.
He mentioned that Bangladesh is a key part in India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’, ‘Look East’ and Indo-Pacific Policy.
He also assured India’s cooperation in Bangladesh’s effort to modernize its defence forces.
This visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he said, is special as this is the first state visit by a foreign head of government to India in the current tenure of his government.
Mr Modi said that India is committed to helping Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in materialising the dream of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for a prosperous Bangladesh.
In a briefing after the bilateral meeting, Indian foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra said, “In terms of substance of the discussions, the conversations between the two Prime Ministers covered a full range of our bilateral engagement as also issues of regional and global importance.”
Asked about the discussion on the longstanding Teesta issue in the meeting, he said that a technical team has been constituted essentially to look at the Teesta Water Restoration Project.
“Naturally, given that are close and friendly ties with Bangladesh cross -boundary River issue becomes important. This is also a subject matter of discussion under the Joint River Commission between the two countries. And these subjects do come up for discussion in today’s meeting between the two leaders”, he added.
“One of the subjects matter in this, which came up for discussion, was the conservation of Teesta River which requires a fair degree of, I should say, technical management. It’s less about water sharing per se. It’s more about the management of the water flows within the river,” he added.
“As I said, these three vision documents will set the cause for new areas of partnership between India and Bangladesh in months and years ahead. The two leaders also agreed to intensify engagement on counterterrorism, counter -radicalization and management peaceful management of our long land border.”
In terms of bilateral partnership on the river management, common rivers and their suitable management is of utmost importance… To this end, a joint technical committee to initiate discussions for renewal of the Ganges water-sharing Treaty of 96 has been formed.
“As you may all know, Bangladesh is a key part of India’s sagas doctrine and the Indo-Pacific vision in this respect, the renewal of the MOU on maritime cooperation and blue economy that was signed and exchanged earlier today aims to develop our ocean-based blue economy and maritime cooperation.
“Defence Cooperation also figured between the two leaders, and they underscored the need and keenness to argument bilateral defence cooperation. And to this end, support plans for both modernization of Bangladesh armed forces, defence industrial cooperation between the two countries,” he said.
Responding to a question he said border killing was discussed widely in the meeting ad India Connectivity continues to remain one of the central pillars of India-Bangladesh partnership. “We believe that connectivity can transform geographical proximity into new economic opportunities not just between India and Bangladesh but also for the entire region. In this respect, we are starting a new passenger train service between Rajshahi and Kolkata.”
On CEPA, he said the number of tariff lines that get traded between the two countries and which actually constitute the bulk of the volume of India-Bangladesh bilateral trade are very crucial in the CEPA-negotiating framework.
“The expansion in the trade basket, what kind of tariff concessions do you provide to different HS code digits of different products -all these constitute a very important part of negotiations, which would then be spread out across various chapters of CEPA negotiations. I think both sides have held initial technical discussions to better understand how they want to position the respective set of goods perhaps even services and other trade facilitation related measures in CEPA”
On the discussions about the border killing issue he said, “This is an issue which we take we look at it with great sensitivity and we on our side have been taking all the requisite measures that are necessary to ensure that the fatalities are reduced. And this even includes the use of non lethal measures.
“But whenever our border-security forces sometimes get attacked at close quarters in Indian Territory by nefarious elements, then the measures in self-defence have to be taken and they do result sometimes in unfortunate loss of life. But what I want to mention is that we are very careful about it. We approach this matter with great sensitivity.
“And we naturally do that with the expectation that the border- guarding forces or both sides will take necessary measures on their respective sides. To maintain the sanctity of the border so that such even such incidents do not happen and are prevented.”
On Rohingya issue, he said, “Yes, Rohingya issue was discussed… this has been an issue which India and Bangladesh have discussed periodically…”
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina returned home later on Saturday after wrapping up her two-day state visit to India.
She went to New Delhi on Friday at the invitation of her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.
A flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the prime minister and her entourage members landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 8:25pm.
Earlier, the flight departed Palam Airport in New Delhi at 6:20pm (Bangladesh Time).
Indian Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change and also Minister of State for External Affairs Shri Kirtivardhan Singh and Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Md Mustafizur Rahman saw the prime minister off at the airport.
This was the first bilateral visit by any head of government to India after the BJP-led alliance formed its government for the third consecutive time following the Lok Sabha elections. Besides, this visit was Sheikh Hasina’s second trip to the Indian capital in less than 15 days, as she was among the dignitaries invited to Modi’s swearing-in ceremony on June 9.
On the second day of the visit, Dhaka and New Delhi signed 10 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), seven of these new and three renewed to further consolidate the ever-growing relationship between the two neighbouring countries.
মাসুদ করিম - ২৬ জুন ২০২৪ (৬:৪৯ পূর্বাহ্ণ)
Prices of ration rice, wheat for army, police rise 800% – after 33 years
https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/prices-ration-rice-wheat-army-police-rise-800-after-33-years-884526
Appreciating the initiative, Policy Research Institute Executive Director Ahsan H Mansur terms it a ‘very good and timely decision’
The prices of rice and wheat, distributed as ration items at subsidised rates to officers and employees of 10 government institutions including the Bangladesh Police and the Armed Forces, have been increased up to 800%.
Effective from 1 July this year, the finance ministry has set the price of ration rice at Tk11 per kg and wheat at Tk12 per kg, based on 20% of their economic value. The current ration prices range from Tk1.09 to Tk1.80 per kg, depending on the institution.
According to a circular signed by Finance Division (Budget) Deputy Secretary Noor Uddin Al Faruk, the selling price of rice and wheat will be set at 20% of their determined economic value for the respective fiscal year.
The last adjustment to ration product prices took place in 1991, with specific rates set for each item.
When queried about the economic prices for the upcoming fiscal year, finance department officials were unable to provide detailed information. However, it has been calculated that rice and wheat are valued at Tk55,000 and Tk60,000 per tonne respectively. In the current fiscal year, the economic values were Tk51,894.589 per tonne for rice and Tk47,302.140 per tonne for wheat.
Furthermore, Finance Division officials could not confirm whether prices for sugar, lentils, and soybeans distributed in rations would increase.
At present, various levels of officials and employees of 10 government institutions are getting ration facilities. Those are – Special Security Force (SSF), Directorate of National Security Intelligence (NSI), the Armed Forces division (Army, Navy, and Air Force), Bangladesh Police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Directorate of Ansar and Village Defense Party, Anti-Corruption Commission, Prisons Directorate, Department of Fire Service and Civil Defense and Department of Narcotics Control.
A family of four members gets 35kg of rice and 30kg of wheat per month at Tk1.09 to Tk1.80. Besides, 5kg of sugar is available for Tk3 per kg, 8kg of lentils for Tk1.20, and 8 litres of soybean oil for Tk2.30. Bangladesh Police currently get rice and wheat at Tk1.20 per kg.
Finance Division officials said currently, the prices of ration rice and wheat do not exceed Tk2 per kg. Employees of various institutions enjoy lifetime ration benefits.
The government purchases these products at market prices, either domestically or through imports, and distributes them as rations. This requires a substantial annual subsidy. Increasing the price of ration rice and wheat will help reduce the subsidy burden.
In the budget for the next fiscal year, Tk7,360 crore has been allocated for food subsidies.
Policy Research Institute Executive Director Ahsan H Mansur praised the initiative to increase the price of ration rice and wheat, calling it a “very good and timely decision.”
Mansur suggested that the prices of all ration products should be gradually increased and adjusted further, advocating for the complete phasing out of the ration subsidy.
“All benefits for government employees should be limited to their salary and pension,” he also opined.
During AHM Ershad’s tenure in 1982-83, Bangladesh first ever introduced ration facilities for members of the armed forces. Later, other institutions were included in different phases.
মাসুদ করিম - ২৬ জুন ২০২৪ (৬:৫১ পূর্বাহ্ণ)
ICSF Slams UK Supreme Court’s Position on Mueen-Uddin’s Criminal Conviction
https://www.facebook.com/icsforum/posts/pfbid0xucMWGTmGEe6yz9TYBVnmtZ62U8m8pkh4XHAApaJrePL2VcRWPwJ3ypT6hMyUzHSl
The International Crimes Strategy Forum (ICSF) voices shock and disappointment following UK Supreme Court’s (UKSC’s) recent decision in the case Mueen-Uddin (appellant) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (Respondent) [2024] UKSC 21 in favour of the appellant. Chowdhury Mueen-Uddin, now a UK citizen, has been convicted a decade ago for crimes against humanity by the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh (ICT-BD) for his role in the infamous intelligentsia murders during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. The decision reached in the course of a mere civil trial in the UK, although have no binding effect on ICT-BD’s original finding of Mueen-Uddin’s criminal liability, and in no-way signifies his exoneration even by the UK court, is based on a number of unadjudicated issues, unfounded claims, and uncalled for remarks by the UKSC (against the ICT-BD) which it has no authority whatsoever to make. This decision by the UKSC undermines decades-long efforts of Bangladesh and her civil society to end impunity through bringing known perpetrators of mass atrocity crimes to justice, betrays the victims and survivors of these crimes, and raises serious questions about UK judiciary’s commitment to international justice and human rights towards victims of international crimes in faraway lands.
UK Judiciary and Government Under Scrutiny:
Knowledge and understanding of ICT-BD’s law, rules, and practices governing Mueen-Uddin’s criminal trial in Bangladesh—which the UK courts failed to acquire in the course of this current libel case—were crucial to assess the veracity of the claims put forward by Mueen-Uddin’s UK legal team. ICSF has closely monitored the UK proceedings so far and—based on the organisation’s decades of collective legal expertise on ICT-BD’s process as a network supporting the victims and survivors of 1971 crimes—we found UK apex court’s decision fundamentally misled, misinformed, and manifestly erroneous of law and material facts in relation to Mueen-Uddin’s original criminal case in Bangladesh. It is shocking that lawyers from both parties and the judges of all three tiers of UK courts failed to demonstrate even the minimum level of scrutiny which could have ensured identification and rectification of some of these blatant errors which the UK Supreme Court’s decision is built on.
In the past, rights groups in the UK have also raised deep concerns regarding the UK’s problematic record of sheltering thousands of individuals responsible for international crimes perpetrated around the world. This latest ruling will not only reinforce the perception of the UK being a safe haven for such perpetrators but will also put in jeopardy the country’s own immigration filtering process concerning individuals accused and convicted of international crimes in foreign lands.
ICSF is concerned that this verdict sets a worrying precedent of “conviction laundering,” with United Kingdom becoming a lucrative jurisdiction for forum shopping convicts from foreign jurisdictions seeking to clear their names by using “some” UK judges’ ignorance (of both foreign laws and accepted practices of international criminal law), supremacist attitudes (towards foreign courts), and prejudices (against foreign stakeholders). All three of these traits were witnessed in the course of this strike-out proceeding.
As a signatory to the Genocide Convention, and host of other international human rights treaties, such decision signals UK’s lack of commitment towards preventing and prosecuting mass atrocity crimes and upholding victims’ rights.
Furthermore, the UK Supreme Court’s greatest shortcomings in this case was its inability or unwillingness to strike a balance between the human rights of Mueen-Uddin and of his victims and survivors, particularly, their right to justice. The latter was ignored.
In public interest, ICSF looks forward to disseminating soon its detailed analysis of the case elaborating the said failures and errors overlooked by the UK courts, as well as the ones made by the Supreme Court itself.
Bangladesh Government’s Role Questioned:
The lack of engagement from the Bangladesh Government in this matter has been conspicuous from the start which ICSF found very surprising. As a member of the Commonwealth, opportunities for diplomatic engagement, including extradition efforts, have not been adequately pursued. The handling of Interpol’s Red Notice on Mueen-Uddin also appears to have been deficient, with no action whatsoever taken since 2019 when the UK case first emerged.
Such silence and inaction from Bangladesh authorities have been disheartening for those affected by the 1971 genocide. Whereas, the Bangladesh government had a responsibility to support the victims of 1971 genocide, and to uphold its own justice process as the ICT-BD judgments signify conclusive judicial determination of historical facts.
Therefore, ICSF calls on the Government of Bangladesh to investigate its series of failures in the matter and make the findings public, assess short and long-term implications of these failures, implement mitigating steps, and prevent repetitions of such failures.
Other Concerns Stemming from the Verdict:
The verdict by the UKSC is concerning, because it sets a precedent of undermining findings of international crimes by foreign tribunals of sovereign nations. In addition to denying closure to victims of mass atrocity crimes, such verdicts also enable convicted individuals to relitigate their established criminal liabilities in the guise of libel trials as a strategy to muzzle public discourse using law to intimidate researchers and writers.
Conclusion:
In closing, ICSF reiterates its unwavering stance of not forgetting and not ceasing its pursuit of justice for those who suffered during one of history’s darkest chapters. This UK verdict may be a setback, but it will not deter the fight for accountability. ICSF stands committed to advocating for accountability and ensuring that such injustices are never erased from collective memory, or glossed over retrospectively by misconceived legal proceedings as evidenced in the recent decision of the United Kingdom’s Supreme Court.