bangladesh
Marina Tabassum named in TIME’s list of the 100 Most Influential People for 2024
Bangladeshi architect Marina Tabassum has been named in influential US weekly TIME magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in the world for 2024. Tabassum was named in the Innovators section of the list for her commitment to sustainable design that “prioritises local cultures and values, as well as the perils faced by our shared planet.”
The citation for Tabassum, written for TIME by Sarah Whiting, dean of the Harvard School for Design, says: “Tabassum’s altruism even extends to buildings themselves. She cares for her creations as creatures partaking in the resources of our earth: describing her Bait Ur Rouf Mosque in Dhaka, Bangladesh, which won the prestigious Aga Khan Award, she said a building “has to be able to breathe without artificial aids.” Elsewhere in the country, which faces increased flood risks due to climate change, she has developed houses that are cost-effective and easy to move—clearly, buildings shouldn’t just breathe; they should avoid getting their feet wet. While she practices very locally, she teaches, lectures, and is recognized internationally, modeling architecture not as an individual signature but as a collective Esperanto.”
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Tabassum's work was previously honoured with the 2016 Aga Khan Award for Architecture and with the Soane Medal by the American Academy of Arts and Letters Awards in 2021.
She was also named as the winner of the Millennium Lifetime Achievement Award at the Lisbon Architecture Triennale in 2022.
Tabassum is the principal architect of Marina Tabassum Architects, which she founded in 2005. Previously she was at URBANA, which she co-founded in 1995, shortly after graduating from BUET in 1994.
She broke into the limelight with her design for the Bait ur Rauf Mosque in Abdullahpur, that won her the Aga Khan Award, and pioneered a new generation of architects in embracing indigenous design principles for mosques, distinguished by the lack of domes, the use of plinths, the earthen palette, and the intelligent, at times bewitching use of light streaming in through perforations on the roof and walls.
Read more: 'Architecture is truly global, can also be deeply local'
PM Hasina rues lackings in extraction of sea resources despite potentials
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said it's unfortunate that Bangladesh has not been able to extract resources from the deep sea although it has attained vast maritime territories.
“Actually we are not getting any entrepreneurs for this purpose. This is the reality,” she said.
The PM said this while addressing the inaugural session of the Livestock Services Week and Fair to promote poultry and the dairy farmers and development of the sector.
The Department of Livestock Services of the Fisheries and Livestock Ministry organised the 2-day fair at the old Trade Fair (Banijjo Mela) Ground at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar beside the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC).
Hasina said that Bangladesh has attained huge maritime boundaries and to utilise the marine resources it has also announced a plan for blue economy.
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“But it is unfortunate that we have not been able to extract resources from the deep sea,” she said.
She said that the prime aim of her government is to ensure food security first then ensure nutrition.
“…and we have taken that step. We have given priority to research as it is not possible to produce high yield varieties without it,” she said.
She also mentioned that the government is working to mechanise agriculture and for that a special attention has been given on this issue, including providing subsidies.
“Besides, we have taken huge programmes to increase the production of protein in the country,” she said.
She put emphasis on more research works as no country can advance without it.
PM Hasina also emphasised on improving the storage capacity of all kinds of products including food grains, and fish and meat items for ensuring food security.
She asked the people concerned to provide safe food to the fisheries and livestock for making food safe for humans.
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She encouraged the private sector to step forward for improving poultry, fisheries and livestock items in the country.
“The government will provide all kinds of support,” she said.
She asked to follow international norms in packaging along with cleanliness in agricultural production and its processing.
Fisheries and Livestock Minister Abdur Rahman and Fisheries, BPIC joint convenor Moshiur Rahman, BDFA president Mohammad Imran Hossain and Livestock secretary Md Selim Uddin also spoke.
A documentary on the development of the country's livestock sector was also screened at the programme.
4 shops, warehouses gutted in Gazipur fire
Four shops and several warehouses, used to keep daily essential products, were gutted in a fire that broke out at Alupotti in Tongi Bazar of Gazipur on Wednesday midnight.
The fire broke out at a warehouse around 11:45 pm near Tongi Sonavan Market and spread soon, said Shafiqul Islam, deputy assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defense (Uttara zone).
Onion, potato and daily essentials items were stored in the warehouses.
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Five firefighting units rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze after one hour.
The cause of fire and the extent of the damage could not be determined immediately.
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Historic Mujibnagar Day observed at Bangladesh Embassy in Washington
The historic Mujibnagar Day was observed at Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC on Wednesday, recalling the ceremonial oath-taking of the first government of independent Bangladesh on 17th April in 1971.
The day's programmes commenced with placing of a floral wreath by Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA Muhammad Imran at the bust of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the Bangabandhu Corner of the embassy.
‘Mujibnagar Day’ observed by Bangladesh High Commission in Brunei
Officials and employees of the Mission were present during the time.
Later, the messages issued on the occasion by President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina were read out by Minister (Commerce) Md. Salim Reza and First Secretary Wahiduzzaman Noor at the Bangabandhu Auditorium.
Afterwards, a documentary -- “Mujibnagar: The First Capital of Bangladesh” -- was screened which was followed by a seminar highlighting the significance of the day.
Taking part in the seminar titled “Mujibnagar Government in the Emergence of Bangladesh”, Ambassador Imran paid tributes to Bangabandhu, and four national leaders -- Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmed, Captain M Mansur Ali and AHM Qamaruzzaman -- who successfully led the nation’s nine-month war of independence in absence of the great leader.
The ambassador described the Mujibnagar Day as a glorious and memorable day of the country's history, and Mujibnagar as a symbol of heroics of the Bengali nation.
He said the Mujibnagar Government and independence of Bangladesh are tied to the same thread, and Bangladesh attained incredible achievements in all sectors in continuation of the success of the Mujibnagar Government.
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Counsellor (Political) Arifa Rahman Ruma presented the keynote paper at the seminar and discussed in detail the background and importance of the historic day. The day's programmes concluded with offering a special prayer seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of the Father of the Nation, the four national leaders and three million martyrs of the War of Liberation as well as continued peace, progress and prosperity of the nation. First Secretary Ataur Rahman conducted the programs.
PM Hasina opens Livestock Services Week and Fair
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday inaugurated the Livestock Services Week and Fair aimed at promoting poultry and dairy farmers through development of the sector.
The prime minister formally opened the 2-day fair at the old Trade Fair Ground at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar beside the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC).
Department of Livestock Services of the Fisheries and Livestock Ministry has organised the fair.
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The fair will remain open from 10 am to 8:00 pm every day. No entry fee is needed for the visitors.
The farmers of poultry and dairy sector across the country will join the event to display their cattle and birds in the fair.
Simultaneous fairs have been organized at 466 upazilas of 64 districts.
The prime minister visited the fairground and stopped at various stalls to see the livestocks displayed at the show.
According to the organisers, some 25 pavilions and 30 stalls have been set up in the fair ground to showcase the varieties of livestock of the country. Of those, seven pavilions have been dedicated to the government authorities.
More than 3,000 farmers out of total 55,000 members of the BDFA from Dhaka, Cumilla, Manikganj, Munshiganj, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Bogura, Pabna, Sirajganj, Jashore, Benapole, Kushtia, and Chuadanga, and other districts joined the fair.
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According to the organisers the fair will provide the grassroot farmers to conduct business with the mega companies.
One held with 2 kg crystal meth in Cox’s Bazar
Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have arrested a young man along with two kgs of crystal methamphetamine (crystal meth or ice) in Ramu upazila of Cox’s Bazar district on Wednesday night.
The arrestee was identified as Sain Mong Thoai Marma, 18, son of Mongsain Marma of Bandarban district.
Acting on secret information that a big consignment of drugs will be smuggled into the country from Myanmar, a team of BGB intercepted a CNG-run auto-rickshaw at Moricha checkpost and seized two kgs of crystal meth, kept in a shopping bag, from it, said a press release of BGB.
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Later they arrested the driver for possessing drugs. He was later handed over to Ramu Police Station.
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Dhaka’s air quality remains ‘unhealthy’ amid heat wave
As heat wave continues to impact daily life, Dhaka’s air quality has been again marked ‘unhealthy’.
With an air quality index (AQI) score of 156 at 8:59 am this morning, Dhaka ranked ninth on the list of cities worldwide with the worst air quality.
Pakistan’s Lahore, India’s Delhi and Nepal’s Kathmandu occupied the first three spots on the list, with AQI scores of 206, 191 and 178, respectively.
No improvement in Dhaka’s air quality, still ‘unhealthy’
When the AQI value for particle pollution is between 101 and 150, air quality is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, between 150 and 200 is ‘unhealthy’, between 201 and 300 is said to be 'very unhealthy', while a reading of 301+ is considered 'hazardous', posing serious health risks to residents.
In Bangladesh, the AQI is based on five criteria 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.
Air pollution consistently ranks among the top risk factors for death and disability worldwide.
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As per the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year, largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.
Teen drowns in Sitakunda waterfall
An 18-year-old boy drowned while bathing in a waterfall in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram on Wednesday.
The deceased was Tahmid, of Gahira village of Raozan and a resident of Kusumbagh area of the metropolis.
Tahmid and his two friends came to the waterfall in the Chhoto Darogarhat area under Sitakunda upazila from the port city in the morning.
Around 1:30 pm, they all went down Suptodhara waterfall to take a bath and suddenly Tahmid drowned.
On information, a team of Sitakunda Fire Service rushed to the spot and recovered the body of Tahmid around 3 pm, said Nurul Alam Dulal, senior station officer of Sitakunda Fire Service and Civil Defense.
Kamal Uddin, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Sitakunda Police Station, said that as there was no complaint the body was handed over to the family.
Tamabil land port to remain closed on April 18-19 for Indian general election
Import-export and immigration activities through Tamabil land port in Sylhet will remain suspended on Thursday and Friday.
Indian immigration police verbally informed Tamabil immigration police that import-export and immigration activities at Tamabil land port will be closed for the next two days on the occasion of the 18th general election of India.
Runu Mia, In-charge of Tamabil Immigration Police, confirmed the matter on Wednesday.
He said no letter has been received yet in this regard.
The 18th general election of India will be held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1.
It is to be noted that voting will be held in the first phase on April 19 in the two Lok Sabha seats of Meghalaya state, India, located opposite to Tamabil land port.
Unidentified boy crushed under CU shuttle train
An unidentified boy aged around 14 years was crushed under the wheels of Chittagong University shuttle train in Sholo Shohor area on Wednesday.
The accident occurred in front of the Pilkhana Mosque next to the city's Sholo Shohor railway station around 6pm while the train was going from the university campus to Chittagong city.
“We recovered the body of the boy wearing a yellow coloured T-shirt and black jeans and sent it to the Chittagong Medical College and Hospital,” said Khorshed Alam, sub-inspector (SI) of Railway Thana police outpost.
He said the victim was a street boy.
He also said that they did not find any witness who could describe how the accident occurred.
Police are trying to know his identity, added the officer.