Dhaka, Aug 10 (UNB) - As social media have turned out to be the tools of spreading rumours, media and IT experts think there is a necessity to make people, especially the youngsters, aware about mature digital lifestyle and increase their media literacy.

Besides, they said, a strong campaign is needed to be launched to make people understand the difference between rumours and truth and asses the validity of information being spread through Facebook, twitter, different apps and blogs.

The issue of social media abuse has come in the limelight once again as various false campaigns and rumours were carried out over the student movement for road safety. An actress was arrested and a number of less known online news outlets were sued by the cyber unit of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police for spreading rumours and fake news.

Contacted, former Chief Information Commissioner Prof Golam Rahman said some people are spreading false information and rumours using social media platforms with political or ill motives while some people doing the same simply for lack of awareness.

“People believe rumours when there is dearth of information or obstruction to free flow of information of the mainstream media,” said Golam Rahman, now a professor at Journalism and Mass Communication department of Daffodil University.

About some recent rumours on social media regarding the killing and rape of some demonstrating students, he said many people still believe those rumours as the mainstream TV channels could not properly broadcast live the attacks on students by miscreants. 
He said the government must ensure the free flow of information of the mainstream media so that people do not get confused with rumours and false information.

Besides, Golam Rahman, also a former professor of Dhaka University’s Journalism department, said vigorous campaigns and discussions are needed to make people aware about how they can avoid rumours and how they should use the social media. “The mainstream media can play a vital role in this regard. “Teachers in educational institutions also can teach students how to use social media.”

Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Mustafa Jabbar said people are using social media without having knowledge of how to deal with it. “Social media are being used across the globe as a communication tool.  But the users must be responsible and literate.”

 “A vested quarter is repeatedly trying to make their political gains by spreading propaganda and rumours using the Facebook,” he said.

The minister said the same quarter used social media as a propaganda tool during the trial of top war criminals, Hefajat’s agitation at Shapla Chattar, quota movement and students’ current movement for road safety.

Jabbar, also a noted IT expert, said people must know about digital lifestyle and be aware of its responsible use and protection.

Alongside people’s awareness, he said, the government must have technological capacity to tackle the abuse of technology. “That’s why we’re taking various steps in this regard.”

“I can give you good news that the Telecommunications Division has taken a around Tk 100-crore project on cyber security to enhance the government’s capability to check social media abuse using technology. We’ll monitor the social media and check rumours and find out its sources.”

Jabbar said the ICT Division is carrying out various campaigns to make people aware of justified use of social media. “We’ll intensify it further. We’re also now thinking of introducing a module on social media use in various trainings on ICT.”

Prof Fahmidul Haq of Dhaka University’s Mass Communication and Journalism department said increasing social media literacy is crucial to check the abuse of social media platforms. “We must make people aware to think before posting or sharing anything on the social media.”

He said the social media users should know their responsibility and how to use it. “An attitude or a habit must grow among people to cross-check the content of the social media so that they can ascertain the authenticity of any post before spreading or sharing it. A campaign is necessary for it”.

Besides, the media expert said the government and different socio-cultural organisations can arrange seminars, workshops and discussions to create mass awareness about responsible use of social media.

Ekushey TV CEO Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul also echoed Fahmid, saying social media literacy is important for discouraging people from spreading false campaigns or rumours on the social media.

He said the government should not interrupt the free flow of information of the mainstream media or regulate those to tackle the rumours on social media. “When people don’t get proper information from the mainstream media, they look for alternative media for information, and sometimes believe those.”

“Any false campaign or rumour will have to be dealt with authentic information. When people will get the right information from the mainstream media, they’ll trash the false information on social media,” the noted journalist said.

Dhaka, Apr 5 (UNB) – Bangladesh may be well below Iran, India, Hong Kong and Malaysia when it comes to FIFA ranking as a footballing nation. It’s true that with 102nd in FIFA ranking Bangladesh is also lagging behind neighbouring Himalayan nation Nepal (ranked 94th). But Bangladeshi young female booters have routed their counterparts from all these countries in recent months.     

A galaxy of young female booters has redrawn the footballing territory with some back-to-back remarkable performances. The age-based girls’ football teams of Bangladesh earned wonderful accolades rekindling hope that our football performance is catching up with the cricketing acumen.

Women footballers’ achievements are all the more welcoming against the backdrop of Bangladesh’s male booters’ long hiatus from international tournaments (nearly 18-month to be precise) until last month.  

Golam Rabbani Choton work hard behind them as head coach as-usual as Bangladesh Under-15 Women’s Football team clinched the title of the four-team Jockey Club Girls International Youth Invitational Football Tournament with all-win record.

Maria Manda’s side outclassed hosts Hong Kong 6-0 goals at Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground in Hong Kong on April 1 to get the title, starting the tournament with stunning 10-1 goals victory in the opener against Malaysia before upset the Asian power house Iran 8-1 goals.

Tohura Khatun scored the highest eight goals with two hat-tricks each one against Iran and Hong Kong among the 24 goals in three matches for Bangladesh while their opponents found the net twice.

With her stunning show in Hong Kong, Tohura completed four hat-tricks in international age level event as the forward struck hat-ticks twice before in the SAFF U15 Women’s Championship against Nepal at home and against India in the final of AFC U-14 Women’s Championship (zonal) in Tajikistan, back 2017 and in 2016 respectively.

Bangladesh girls clinched AFC Under-14 (Zonal) Women’s Championship in Nepal and Tajikistan in in 2015 and 2016.

Leaving from Hong Kong, Tohura Khatun, Shamsunnahar Sr, Shamsunnahar Jr and the other pride girls of Bangladesh team landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday night with spirited minds as they secured three age-level tournament in international football within three years.

However, in December 24, 2017 the roaring girls completed a successful campaign at home clinching the four-nation South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Under-15 Women’s Championship title defeating India in the final by one goal, which scored by Shamsunnahar.

In the SAFF U15 Women’s Championship, Bangladesh conceded no goals to set the record that for the first time they clinched any age-level international tournament title without conceding any goals and also with all-win record.

Including the one goal in the final, Bangladesh scored 13 goals in the four matches of the tournament.

They beat India by 3-0, Bhutan by 3-0 and Nepal by 6-0 in the opener of the league stage battles where forward Tohura Khatun slammed a hat-trick, which was her second hat-trick in any international age level event as she recorded another hat-trick in their 4-0 goal victory against India in the final of AFC U-14 Women’s Championship (zonal) in Tajikistan, back in 2016.

Bangladesh team defender Akhi Khatun who scored two goals for a 3-0 win against Bhutan and showed doughty performance throughout the tournament on artificial turf was adjudged most valuable player of the tournament.

Bangladesh U16 side staged an excellent team-game on a preparation camp in China in April 2017 where all players showed heart and desire, displaying their commitment to finish the tour on a winning note.

The Bengal girls beat the physically superior side Chinese U14 Team 3-1 asserting their dominance in this match from the very beginning at the Olympic Sports Village in Xian of Shaanxi Province on April 26.

On their China tour, Bangladesh lost the first match 0-1 loss against CPA U-14 team, played out goalless draw the second match against the same team, defeated Shaanxi U15 side by 4-1 goals before rout Chinese U14 by 3-1 goals.

It will be injustice, if we do not take the name of let Sabina Yasmin who passed away in September 26, 2017, from fever was a promising footballer of the national women's under-15 team and a ninth grader of Kalshindur Government School and College of Mymensingh.

A right-wing player, Sabina was in the squad of the under-15 team for SAFF U-15 Women's Championship and also in the preliminary squad of the AFC Regional U-14 Championship Qualifiers in 2015 in Tajikistan where Bangladesh had emerged champions.

Kalshindur is the school, which produced most of the age-level fighters of girls Bangladesh Women’s team participating in the Bangamata Gold Cup Football Tournament.

The pride girls of Bangladesh U-15 team who toured to Hong Kong: Mahmuda Akhter, Rupna Chakma, Akhi Khatun, Nilufa Yesmin Nila, Anai Mogini, Nazma, Dipa Khatun, Rumi Akther, Runa Akther, Maria Manda (captain), Monica Chakma, Laboni Akter, Tohura Khatun, Munni Akter, Shamsunnahar Sr, Sohagi Kisku, Ritu Porna Chakma, Sajeda Khatun, Anuching Mogini and Shamsunnahar Jr.

Dhaka, July 17 (UNB) – Bangladesh women’s cricket team have achieved a great feat by claiming triple title victories in T20 format on the trot. 

After their back-to-back victories in the six-nation Asia Cup and 2-1 victory in a bilateral T20 series against host Ireland in June, Tigresses on July 14 emerged all-win champions in the eight-team world T20 qualifiers tournament in the Netherlands.

As champions of the qualifiers tournament, Bangladesh got a spot in the Group-A to compete in the ICC Women’s World T20 in West Indies in November 9 to 24.

They will play the first group game against defending champions and host West Indies in the opener on November 9 before playing England, Sri Lanka and South Africa on November 12, 14 and 18 respectively.          

Another finalist team of the qualifiers tournament Ireland will join in Group-B with Australia, India, New Zealand and Pakistan to play the world event in Carrabin.
 
Bangladesh’s victory against Ireland by 25 runs in the final of the Women’s WT20 Qualifiers was their 12th win against two losses in this format, since June 3.   

Tigresses remained unstoppable throughout the eight-nation qualifiers tournament event as they got a 25-run victory against Ireland in the final after outplaying Scotland by a 49-run win in the second semifinal, setting their entry into the 10-team Women’s World T20 in West Indies in November 9 to 24.

In their Pool ‘A’ battles, Bangladesh routed Papua New Guinea (PNG) by eight wickets, the Netherlands by seven wickets and United Arab Emirates (UAE) by eight wickets.

Bangladesh kept all their opponent teams to below 100 runs in the qualifiers event as the highest total against them was of 97/10 by Ireland in the final.

The Tigresses restricted Scotland on 76/7 in the semifinal before PNG post 84/6 -- the highest in the group stage battle -- while the two other teams the Netherlands and UAE  were ended to below 50 runs, scoring 42/10 and 39/10 -- the lowest total against Bangladesh-- respectively.

Prior to their Women’s WT20 mission in the Netherlands, Bangladesh women’s team toured to Ireland to play a three-match T20I series where they routed host side twice by four wickets to seal the series before conceded a six-wicket defeat in the 3rd and last game of a last ball thriller in Dublin on July 1.

Player of the series pace bowler Jahanara Alam set the record of taking a five-for as the first Bangladesh women cricketer, conceding 28 runs in four overs, in the first match to restrict Ireland on 134/8in 20 overs at YMCA Cricket Club in Dublin on June 28.

Bangladesh, notably, conceded the defeat against Ireland after seven successive victories in T20Is in a streak, which began in the successful six-nation Women's Twenty20 Asia Cup campaign for maiden multinational tournament title in Kula Lumpur earlier in June.

Bangladesh women’s team started their big move to draw the international attention with their first-ever title win in a multinational tournament in the Women’s T20 Asia Cup where they found victories twice against upper-ranked and 6th time champions India.

In the Asia Cup, Bangladesh defeated India by three wickets in the final following a seven-wicket victory in the league phase.     

Bangladesh started their campaign in the meet in Malaysia with a six-wicket loss against Sri Lanka in the first game, and then bounced back for four successive victories; registering seven-wicket wins each against Pakistan and India, crushed Thailand by nine wickets before huge70-run victory against host side Malaysia for final berth.

The Asia Cup success promised huge boost in popularity with social media abuzz and monetary support for Bangladesh women's cricketers as the Bangladesh Cricket Board reward 20 million taka ($236,000) cash for the team and promised to review salaries.

The national team players were being paid BDT 10,000 to 30,000 per month for the last few years, since the salary structure came in place in 2012. Now the scale has been increased BDT 20, 000 to 50,000 per month as BCB decided in a board meeting on June 11.

Dhaka, May 8 (UNB) – When people in Bangladesh discuss sports often they miss out the sporting event of golf, but it comes under spotlight since trailblazing golfer Siddikur Rahman carried the national flag as a competitor in the Olympic in 2016.

Many know the story of country’s two-time Asian Tour winner Siddikur, who lactated as a petite caddy-boy at Kurmitola Golf Club (KGC) is singly opened the door for the other golfers of the country. 

Though a very small portion of the population knows about the golf itself, which symbolizes sophistication and is still non popular game in Bangladesh, Siddikur is proudly representing Bangladesh in the world event. 

Siddikur is the only golfer getting all the spotlights, but people of the country are still unaware about the talents Bangladesh has in this sports. 

Mentioning that the federation is working toward getting a stronger position for Bangladesh in golf, Lt Col Mohammad Abdul Bari (Retd) General Manager of Golf Operations of Kurmitola Golf Club (KGC) and coordinator of Bangladesh Golf Federation (BGF) told UNB, the federation selects player based on their score and make an Amateur National Golf Team of 10 players.

"In the last three and a half years, around 10 professional golfers have been explored who can participate in the upcoming Asian Tour games, he added.  

“In terms of financial aspect, it’s a big challenge to make the game popular in the country,” said M A Bari adding that “people’s will is also very important in this regard.”

Many prefer to utilise their land for commercial purpose and not intend to understand that creating golf course can also be beneficial, M A Bari said urging more government cooperation for the development of country’s current status in the game.

Secretary General of Bangladesh Professional Golfers’ Association Brig Gen GM Quamrul Islam (Retd) told UNB, 

According to Brig Gen GM Quamrul Islam (Retd), Secretary General of Bangladesh Professional Golfers’ Association, Bangladesh people always perform better individual event and in a game, which need sticks to play. 
“We can do better in individual event than team game. We the Bangladeshi people always play better with sticks,” said Quamrul Islam when he was practicing at KGC. 

“Golf fulfills both the requirements earning Asian Title twice but no other game emerged as such title till date. It proves that, Bangladesh’s performs better than any other sports, he said to UNB.
There are about 20 to 25 bright talents in this game in our country who are not getting sufficient facilities or support whether it is physical, mental or financial, said the secretary general.

“Almost every week Bangladeshi golfers are playing international games, and they are playing well. But they are not being exposed to the people”, he said adding that media can play a greater role to popularize the game through following the game and keep people updating about all the developments with sincerity.

He also alleged that golf courses are being destroyed in the country. “We have lost courses like Cox’s Bazar and Ramna, this should not let to be continued”, he concluded. 

UNB team made a visit at the KGC before its hosting the AB Bank Bangladesh Open --a golf tournament of Asian Tour (AT) as the 4th time for Bangladesh hosting an event of the world’s 3rd major AT tournament. 

Bangladesh Open will kick off on May 9 with the format of ‘Stroke Play Over Round’ and 71 pars at the green garden where so far 143 golfers from 25 countries, including 34 professional and six amateurs of Bangladesh, are taking part with wildcards free entry.

Narayanganj, May 16 (UNB) – Stagnant water from incessant rainfalls in the surroundings of Khan Saheb Osman Ali Stadium (KSOAS) in Fatullah, commuters are facing difficulty in their daily movements while the stadium also becomes unfit for playing cricket.     

KSOAS is the only international venue for cricket in Narayanganj that hosted two Tests, 10 ODIs and four T20Is – apart from domestic cricket – since March 2006. Every year the stadium faces the problem of waterlogging during rainy season. 

The inside of the stadium is still safe with muddy appearances in some areas.

This correspondent made a visit to the KSOAS area and found that local cricket loving youths are fed-up with this scene each year as all sporting activities, including training, remain suspended during the rainy season due to waterlogging. 

“Cricketers of several clubs do their daily practice at the outer stadium and some matches of local clubs held here, but all of these got suspended due to stagnant rain water,” said a local resident.

“I used to play cricket here with my friends in every afternoon, but now it is not possible. So, cricketers like me became upset. As a sports lover and local cricketer, I’m expecting necessary steps from the authorities soon,” said Faysal, a local cricketer.

Another cricket buff of the locality Russell, “Our country has advanced far in cricket and we have big dream with it. But such an environment surrounding an international venue hurts us.  Concerned authority should give importance to this matter.”

KSOAS could not host the tour match of Australia in August 2017 as it was inundated with contaminated water after rain that time.