United News of Bangladesh

Adviser to the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Farida Akhter, has said the interim government is working to control commodity prices, although matching them to production costs remains challenging. “Commodity prices are deeply intertwined with production costs and the overall market system. Due to this, price control has become a challenge for the interim government,” she said on Saturday. Farida was speaking as the chief guest at the inauguration of a national technical seminar on "Food Security and Health," held at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU). Bangladesh Society for Safe Food (BSSF) organised the seminar. BAU students can now submit complaints online and offline as university seeks to address past misconduct She identified feed as the primary barrier to reducing poultry prices. “We must ensure feed safety because unsafe feed leads to unsafe poultry,” she noted. The adviser also highlighted the harmful practice of using pesticides or toxins in fishing, posing significant health risks. She emphasised the need for stricter enforcement to penalise those engaging in this harmful method of fishing. “Food safety awareness is crucial across all sectors,” she urged. She underscored the importance of implementing the "One Health" approach, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health professionals. “One health can only be achieved through collaborative efforts,” she said. BSSF President Dr Md. Khaled Hossain presided over the event, while BAU Vice-Chancellor  Prof. Dr AK Fazlul Haque Bhuiyan offered patronage. The keynote was presented by Prof. Dr. Md. Mahmudul Hasan Sikder from BAU’s Department of Pharmacology, with Prof. Dr. KHM Nazmul Hussain Nazir from the Department of Microbiology and Hygiene serving as the event’s moderator.

Cosmos Education organised “Study Abroad Expo 2024”, held on Saturday at a restaurant in Dhaka. The event provided detailed information to students interested in pursuing higher education abroad, featuring various educational institutions from multiple countries. Through Cosmos Education, students can explore and apply to their preferred destinations for study. "We are committed to simplifying your study abroad journey with expert guidance and support, helping students unlock global opportunities with confidence.,” said Kate Jaro Khan, director of Cosmos Education. Over 69% candidates participate in Agriculture Cluster Admission Test Cosmos Education offers a one-stop solution for educational queries, overseas relocation, and application procedures. The organisation provides expert guidance on when and how to study abroad without any service charge. The expo highlighted on-spot assessments, top-ranked universities, tuition fee coverage, and scholarship opportunities.

The entry test into bachelor degree in Agricultural Sciences through Agriculture Cluster Admission System (ACAS) was held peacefully Friday on Sylhet Agricultural University (SAU) campus following clashes between general students and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) activists late Thursday. At least five to six students from both groups were injured in the clash that erupted over tearing a banner of the JCD outside the campus. It was learned that the JCD men hung a banner outside the second gate of the university to wish the admission seekers earlier. Unidentified miscreants tore the banner triggering anger among the JCD followers on the campus, though there is no committee of the BNP’s student wing. Centring the issue, an argument broke out between the general students and Chhatra Dal men at a resident dormitory around 1am late Thursday. The general students allegedly beat up an outside JCD leader after identifying him at the hall. Enraged by it, the outsider, in collaboration with locals, chased the students at the hall, causing a counter-chase that left five to six students injured. Though initially the university authority tried to rein in the situation, failing the sought intervention from police and army personnel, said proctor Prof Md Mozammel Haque. The law enforcers brought the situation under control around 2am, he said. Accusing the proctor of being failed in performing duty, the students demonstrated seeking removal of the teacher. Meanwhile, the central JCD dissolved its SAU committee following the clash and suspended the committee’s Senior Vice President Sahedul Islam Roman. Moreover, the JCD formed a two-member body to investigate the incident and asked to submit a report by October 27. The SAU got a JCD committee in 2017 and since then no committee was approved.  The post bearers of the committee have already left the campus after completing their academic life. Shah Poran police station’s Officer-in-Charge Md Monir Hossain they deployed additional forces to ward off any unwanted incident. A total of 75,017 applications were submitted for the admission test in the agricultural cluster at nine public universities offering degrees in Agricultural Science for the 2023-2024 academic session. With 3,718 seats available across these universities, approximately 20 candidates competed for each seat. Some 4,210 admission seekers sat for the entry test at nine centres on the SAU campus.

The cluster-based admission test for first-year undergraduate programs in agricultural sciences at nine public universities took place simultaneously across the country for the 2023-24 academic year. This year's attendance rate was 69.06%. Khalilur Rahman, Senior Deputy Director of the Public Relations and Publication Office at Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (CVASU), shared the attendance information with UNB on Friday. The test, organized under the supervision of CVASU, was conducted at 11 centers, including Dhaka University, starting at 11:00 am. Out of 75,017 registered candidates, 51,811 attended the exam, resulting in 23,206 absentees. According to sources from Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), the attendance rate there was notably higher at 78.16%. Of the 12,634 applicants expected to take the exam at the BAU center, 9,875 participated, while 2,759 were absent. Collectively, the agriculture cluster universities offer a total of 3,718 seats. The admission test results are anticipated to be published on October 30, with in-person admission procedures scheduled from December 9 to December 12. The results will be announced on October 30, with in-person admission procedures scheduled to take place from December 9 to 12.

Professor Nakib Muhammad Nasrullah, Vice-Chancellor of Islamic University (IU), underscored the university's mission to provide globally competitive education and research at the Islamic University Alumni Association (IUAA) general meeting on Friday. Addressing attendees as the event's chief guest, he emphasized that the university is distinct in its commitment to integrating modern and Islamic education, aiming to forge an academic path unique to Bangladesh. Held at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) in Sher-E-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, the meeting drew a crowd of around 3,000 registered alumni. The role of the alumni is pivotal in supporting the university’s growth and preserving its dignity, Prof. Nasrullah said. He called on the IUAA to strengthen its involvement in advancing IU’s mission, particularly as the university continues to embody an international character through its founding vision. Alumni convener Muhammad Nazmul Haque Saeedi chaired the meeting, with member secretary Muhammad Abdul Hai delivering the opening remarks. Several esteemed university figures and alumni leaders also spoke, including DIG Dr. Md. Ashrafur Rahman, Professor Dr. Md. Abdul Hannan, and Advocate Abdul Awal.

The Russian House in Dhaka organised an educational seminar at the Legend International School on the possibilities of getting higher education in Russia under the quota of the Russian government. Director of the Russian House in Dhaka P. Dvoychenkov told the participants about the procedure for selecting students for educational programmes of higher and additional professional education within the quota established by the Government of the Russian Federation and about the process of submitting documents by candidates on the online platform https://education-in-russia.com . More than 300,000 students from around the world come to study at Russian universities every year, and this number is constantly growing. This level of trust in the quality of Russian education makes the country one of the leaders in popularity among foreign students. In the system of higher education of the Russian Federation there are more than 750 universities and more than 650 specialties at various levels of education. As part of the event, the participants watched video presentations about Russia and Russian education and also received answers to questions about registration on the online platform https://education-in-russia.com.

A total of 75,017 applications have been submitted for the admission test in the agricultural cluster at nine public universities offering degrees in Agricultural Science for the 2023-2024 academic year. With 3,718 seats available across these universities, approximately 20 candidates will compete for each seat. Khalilur Rahman, Senior Deputy Director of the Public Relations and Publication Office at Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (CVASU), confirmed this information to UNB on Thursday. The admission test will take place simultaneously across the country on October 25 at 11 am, with eight main centres and three sub-centres designated for the exam. The main centres include Bangladesh Agricultural University, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Sylhet Agricultural University, Khulna Agricultural University, and Habiganj Agricultural University. The sub-centres are Dhaka University, Khulna University, and Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (Cuet). BAU professor suspended over ‘sexually harassing’ Malaysian student The results will be announced on October 30, and in-person formalities regarding the admission will take place from December 9 to 12.

The admission test for undergraduate programmes of Dhaka University (DU) for 2024-25 academic session will begin on January 3. The admission tests will begin with the exam of the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) on January 3. The entry test of Fine Arts faculty has been scheduled to be held the next day on January 4. Admission exam of Arts, Law and Social Science unit is scheduled to be held on January 25, the exam of Science unit will be held on February 1 and the entry test for business unit will be held on February 8. Hijab on Raju Sculpture female figure: DU forms probe committee This decision was taken on Monday afternoon in a meeting of the general admission committee. Deans of faculties confirmed the information too. According to the notice, the candidates will be able to apply for the exam from 4th November and it will continue till 25 November. Students have to pay an amount of total Tk 1050 against every application.

A four-member probe committee has been formed to investigate the incident in which a hijab was placed on the female figure of the Raju sculpture at Dhaka University. The incident occurred late Sunday night when unidentified individuals draped a hijab over one of the female figures of the iconic Raju sculpture. The act has raised concerns over campus security and the university's response to such actions. Those responsible for the act have not yet been identified. DU-affiliated college students block Nilkhet, Newmarket intersections Upon being informed, University Proctor Saifuddin Ahmad dispatched two assistant proctors—Muhammad Rafiqul Islam and Md. Rabiul Islam—to inspect the site around 1 pm on Monday. Assistant Proctor Muhammad Rafiqul Islam said, "We visited the Raju sculpture and saw that the hijab had already been removed. As of now, we do not know who is responsible for this incident." He assured that the authorities are investigating the matter and will review CCTV footage from the area. "Those involved will be identified through a thorough examination of the CCTV footage," he added. Additionally, he confirmed that a four-member committee has been set up to investigate the incident in detail. "The footage will be sent to relevant agencies for further analysis," he noted.

A group of students from seven colleges affiliated with Dhaka University blocked the Nilkhet and Newmarket intersections in the capital today, demanding the cessation of their affiliation with Dhaka University and autonomy of the colleges. Beginning at 10 am, students from the seven colleges gathered at Dhaka College and staged a protest on the campus, chanting slogans in support of their demand for autonomy. Students of 7 DU-affiliated colleges stage protest blocking Nilkhet Around 11 am, they exited the campus and blocked the Science Laboratory and Nilkhet crossings. During the demonstration, the protesting students expressed their frustrations, saying they have faced numerous problems due to their affiliation with Dhaka University. They specifically cited discrimination in the exam evaluation system. The students declared they would not leave the road until their demands were met and would not participate in any examinations or attend classes. Mohammad Tahsin, a student of Dhaka College, told UNB that students from the DU-affiliated colleges have faced long-standing discrimination. "We do not want to be placed under the National University. We seek an independent platform free from this disparity, and it could take the form of a new university." He continued, "We have a severe shortage of classroom space and other facilities, and our teachers face limitations. They instruct us according to their capacity, which does not match our needs. However, Dhaka University’s teachers evaluate our papers, creating an imbalance that affects our results. Furthermore, the bureaucratic issues at the DU register building exacerbate our struggles. We want to be rid of these problems." "We will end the blockade if the authorities promise to form a committee or commission to establish the seven colleges as an independent entity," he added. Rahatul Islam, a student from Kabi Nazrul Islam Government College, said that they have approached various authorities over the years, but no one has paid attention to their demands. As a result, they felt they had no option but to stage this protest. "We understand that many people and passersby are suffering due to our actions on the roads, but we are not responsible for this. The education adviser and the DU vice-chancellor are accountable for this public suffering," he asserted. It is worth noting that the blockade has caused severe traffic congestion in the New Market and Nilkhet areas.