President Abdul Hamid on Monday urged the physicians and the authorities concerned to find out the reasons why people go abroad for medical treatment despite having many reputed doctors and hospitals. "Despite having many reputed doctors and medical institutions in our country about 25 lakh Bangladeshis go abroad for treatment every year. So we have to think where the real problem is," he said. He said this in the fourth convocation of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Medical University held at Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Convention Hall in the city. The president and chancellor of the university Abdul Hamid presided over the event while vice-chancellor Professor Dr Sharfuddin Ahmed delivered the welcome speech. Saying that a doctor must first be a good listener to gain the trust of the patient, Hamid said many things may seem irrelevant but it is a matter of emotional satisfaction for the patient. So the patient should be treated with sufficient time, he said. He said reports of various inducements by pharmaceutical companies to prescribe drugs to patients often appear in the press. Emphasising on avoiding this sick and unfair competition, Hamid said the issue of introducing Generic Name like abroad should be considered. Hamid mentioned that the number of doctors and nurses in proportion to the population in the country is insufficient and the number of specialist doctors is also less than the demand. "Many are being deprived of specialised treatment. You know humanitarianism is a divine virtue. Unwell people rely on a doctor and a nurse after God. Your kindness and treatment is a must for any patient," he said. The President said if doctors work with a generous mind, they can be considered a good doctor as well as a great person among the public. Calling this university as a repository of knowledge not only in the field of medical services but also in all fields of research and medical science, Hamid asked the new graduates to maintain its continuity in their life what they have learned and seen here. Saying Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University as the birthplace of experts in medical related subjects, he said that the result of their hard work is the country's expert doctors, medical scientists and medical teachers. "There is no substitute for research in improving the quality of education, while our medical education has very little research," he added. Emphasising on own research, Hamid said types of disease in our country are different from developed and western countries. That is why own research work can only make the real solution available to the patients of this country by inventing effective and affordable treatment methods for diverse diseases of this country. Health Minister Zahid Maleque and Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni spoke as special guests while Prof Rajvardhan Azad, chairman of University Service Commission, Bihar, India was the convocation speaker. The Institute of Postgraduate Medical Research (IPGMR) was converted into BSMMU in 1998. The last convocation of the university was held in 2018, before the global outbreak of Covid-19.

Foreign diplomats Wednesday lauded Bangladesh's progress in women empowerment but lamented that a large number of the women are still out of economic activities. They said a country cannot move forward leaving half its population out of economic activities. The diplomats recommended that the poor and vulnerable women should be provided with opportunities for education, skill development and economic activities. Ambassadors of France, Germany, Canada and Sweden made these observations in two different events – one organised by the Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) at the Jatiya Press Club and the other by the French-German Embassy at its premises in the city – marking International Women's Day. At the DCAB event, Swedish Ambassador Alexander Berg von Linde said digital technology is going to be an important factor in the coming days. "It can open doors for many, but also deprive others." Lots of hatred and sexual abuses are committed through digital media, she said, adding that the authorities must create opportunities for all so they make the best use of the digital space and it is not used for harassing women. "Opportunities for education and digital skills for the poor and vulnerable women must be ensured," Linde said. Canadian High Commissioner Lilly Nicholls said as the media plays a critical role in creating awareness, participation of women in journalism needs to be increased.

Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla called on the visiting Sri Lankan Foreign Minister in Delhi on Tuesday to discuss ways on bolstering bilateral ties in several areas. "Foreign Secretary @harshvshringla called on the visiting Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka Prof. G. L. Peiris. Discussed strengthening of the relationship in multiple spheres including a people-centric development partnership," Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted after the one-to-one meeting. READ: 7 Indian soldiers found dead near China border On Monday, Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar held talks with Peiris in the national capital. Officials said that the two Ministers discussed investment initiatives and tourism opportunities to boost Sri Lanka's economy, as well as steps needed to enhance the island nation's energy security. Peiris's three-day visit to India comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi government's US dollars 500 million financial assistance to the island nation. READ: Indian scientists claim to have designed vaccine against all variants of coronavirus Separated by the Palk Strait, India and Sri Lanka occupy a strategic position in South Asia and have always sought to build a common security umbrella in the Indian Ocean. The two countries are also close on economic terms, with India being the island's largest trading partner though Sri Lanka is said to have moved closer to China in recent years.

China on Monday unveiled two shortened negative lists for foreign investment, as part of efforts to further open up the economy and promote high-quality economic development. This marks the fifth consecutive year that the world's second largest economy has revised its national negative list and pilot free trade zone (FTZ) negative list. The number of items that are off-limits for foreign investors will be cut to 31 in the 2021 version of the national negative list from 33 in the 2020 version, according to a statement jointly released by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the Ministry of Commerce. The number of items on the pilot FTZ negative list will be reduced to 27 from 30 in the 2020 version. The two new negative lists will take effect on Jan. 1, 2022. According to the new lists, foreign ownership caps on passenger car manufacturing companies will be removed. All manufacturing sectors will be open to foreign investors in the pilot FTZs. READ: China orders lockdown of up to 13 million people in Xi’an Foreign investors' access to the service sector in pilot FTZs will also be widened. Foreign investment will be allowed in the social survey industry, but ownership by foreign investors should be no more than 33 percent and the legal representatives should have Chinese nationality. For those industries that are not included in the negative lists, foreign-invested enterprises should be given national treatment, said an official with the NDRC. China has remained steadfast in opening up wider and further facilitating foreign entry to the country over the past few years, as well as in improving its business environment. The number of sectors prohibited to foreign investors has been markedly reduced. Meanwhile, a number of major opening-up measures have been introduced in industries including finance and automobiles, creating broader room for foreign investment. READ: Harvard professor found guilty of hiding ties to China Bucking a sharp drop in global cross-border investment, China attracted 149.34 billion U.S. dollars of foreign investment in 2020, maintaining its status as the world's second biggest recipient of foreign investment.

North Korea has banned foreign tourists to guard against the spread of a new virus from China, tour operators in China said.