Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Dhaka Premier League T20 begins Monday
After a gap of one season due to the Covid-19 breakout in the country, the Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League (DPDCL) is back. The league, which has been rebranded as Bangabandhu DPDCL to celebrate the birth centenary of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is all set to kick off on Monday.A total of 12 Dhaka-based clubs are participating in this event including Abahani Limited and Mohammedan Sporting Club— the two most popular sporting clubs in Bangladesh. Along with the national team players, all the top cricketers of the country are going to compete in this event. Tamim Iqbal, the ODI captain of Bangladesh, will represent Prime Bank Cricket Club in Dhaka League and he will also lead this team. Two other national captains Mahmudullah Riyad and Mominul Haque will play for Gazi Group Cricketers. Mahmudullah will lead them in the league. Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan will represent Abahani and Mohammedan respectively and they will also lead these teams.
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The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has announced the schedule of the first five rounds of the league. A total of six matches will be played each day at three different venues— Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium and field number 3 and 4 of BKSP. In the opening game, Abahani will take on Partex Sporting Club in Mirpur. Mohammad Saifuddin, Abahani’s allrounder, said they are looking forward to playing a good brand of cricket and clinching a win in the first game. “We had a chequered start to the last season which was later cancelled at this venue,” Saifuddin said the media. “We lost five wickets in 60 runs against Partex, but Mushfiqur and Mosaddek (Hossain) did well, and I also contributed well scoring a quick 40, and eventually won the game. So Partex is not an easy team to beat. We have to play well against them to win the match.”Saifuddin also said he is eager to use his batting ability more for the team. “I know I won’t get a chance to bat at the top-order or middle-order. But I would like to request the team management to give me a chance to bat at an upper place in some matches. I have contributed to the team well with the bat earlier.”
READ: Mohammedan captain Shakib looks for good start to Premier LeagueOn the same day, Mohammedan will take on Shinepukur Cricket Club at BKSP. Mohammedan batsman Shamsur Rahman said he is so happy that the league is finally taking place. “It’s great that the league is going to happen this year,” he told the media. “We have been waiting for a long time to get back to the field. If the league was stuck at the table it would affect our cricket in a bad way. So I would like to thank the board for making it happen.”Shamsur also said that it’s a good fate for Mohammedan to have Shakib as their captain. He said: “It’s a plus point for us to have Shakib in the team. Not just us but Shakib brings advantage for any team in the world. His inclusion increases our chance to lif the title, but we know we have to go step by step.”All the cricketers who are going to take part in Dhaka League will have to maintain a strict bio-secure environment. The board is accommodating all the players and officials in four different hotels in the capital so that they can get a secure environment.
Expatriate Bangladeshis in South Korea urged to come forward to build "Sonar Bangla"
Bangladesh Ambassador to South Korea Abida Islam has said Bangladesh has been making significant contribution to the establishment of peace and conflict resolution following the ideology of peace propagated by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
She also mentioned that Bangabandhu’s effort to promote peace, cooperation and peaceful co-existence is best reflected in his foreign policy formulation that is based on the principle of friendship towards all, malice towards none.
The Ambassador, while addressing a virtual discussion on Sunday, called upon the expatriate Bangladeshis to provide combine efforts to build a hunger and poverty-free, happy and prosperous "Sonar Bangla" as envisioned by Father of the Nation.
Read: S Korean envoy shares historical documents with FM Momen
The Embassy of Bangladesh, Seoul celebrated the 48th Anniversary of the Bangabandhu’s receipt of Juliot-Curie Medal of Peace on Sunday with due fervor and festivity.
To observe the occasion in a befitting manner, the Embassy held an online discussion programme chaired by Ambassador Abida Islam and participated by expatriate Bangladeshis living in South Korea.
At the beginning of the programme, a documentary on Bangabandhu’s receipt of Juliot-Curie Medal of Peace was screened.
Ambassador Abida Islam paid rich tribute to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
She touched upon the background of Bangabandhu’s receipt of Juliot-Curie Medal of Peace and his great contribution in establishing lasting world peace.
Implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord by the Prime Minister in 1996 and submission of model of world peace at UN General Assembly in 2011 by empowering people and ensuring development are the shining examples of that.
Read:Rohingya Crisis: Korea provides $4 mn to support 2021 JRP
Moreover, as a leading troop contributing country at the UN peacekeeping missions, Bangladesh continues to contribute to the world peace.
During the discussion session, the participants remembered with great respect the contribution of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in establishing lasting peace in the world.
Also, they discussed on Bangabandhu’s vision, philosophy and his tireless efforts to promote world peace and non-violence and peaceful co-existence.
New Delhi mission observes Bangabandhu's Joliot-Curie award anniversary
Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on Sunday observed the 47th anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s Joliot Curie Peace Prize given in recognition of his contributions to world peace.
The Father of the Nation was awarded the medal on May 23 in 1973. It was the first international award to the newly-independent Bangladesh.
The officers and employees of the mission, led by High Commissioner Muhammad Imran paid homage to Bangabandhu in the mission premises, said a media release.
"Hasina: A Daughter’s Tale" to be rescreened on May 17 by TV channels
Acclaimed both locally and globally, the docudrama titled "Hasina: A Daughter’s Tale", will be rescreened on BTV and BTV World at 3:30 pm on her Homecoming Day on May 17.
Some private television channels will also screen the visual.
On this day in 1981, Sheikh Hasina, now the Prime Minister, at the end of six years of waiting following her father - Bangabandhu's assassination, landed on the country whose flag and freedom owe to the leadership of her father.
Read: Hasina greets Freedom Fighters on Eid
A phone call from the other end of the world transmitted the most nightmarish news to Sheikh Hasina, now the Prime Minister and Sheikh Rehana that their father, also the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with his entire family was assassinated in Bangladesh.
That changed the course of their lives and also the course of the history of her land.
The ordeals, the ups and downs, and the turnaround Sheikh Hasina, came across since that moment on August 15, 1975, was narrated in her voice in the docudrama titled "Hasina: A Daughter’s Tale"directed by Piplu Khan.
Earlier, the film, produced by —Radwan Mujib Siddiq and Nasrul Hamid Bipu— two trustees of the Centre for Research and Information (CRI), was screened at Dhaka Lit Fest, Bangladesh Film Festival in Kolkata, and International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
Read: Don’t let Covid to spike with unguarded Eid celebrations: PM Hasina
China committed to remain engaged in future development
Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming on Wednesday said China will coordinate sustainable and green development and respond to the core concerns of Bangladesh and the international community on climate change.
He made the remarks at a webinar titled-“Impressions of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on newly born People’s Republic of China” organised by Bangladesh-China Silk Road Forum.
“Bangladesh has just completed a 10-day long grand celebration on the occasion of the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the Golden Jubilee of Independence. I would like to take this opportunity to pay my highest tribute to Bangabandhu. As a friendly neighbour, we are very proud and glad to see the prosperity and progress of Bangladesh,” he added.
Li Jiming also said over the past 46 years, China and Bangladesh have carried forward the traditional friendship, continuously deepened political mutual trust, and promoted economic and trade cooperation.
During President Xi's state visit to Bangladesh in October 2016, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative and decided to elevate bilateral ties to the level of a strategic partnership of cooperation.
“China has been Bangladesh's largest trading partner for years. In July last year, China began to offer zero-tariff treatment to 97% of Bangladesh's exports, and Bangladesh has ushered in a new golden age in exporting to China, Chinese market, the largest single retail market in the world and attracting Chinese and foreign investors,” he added.
Also read: Will strengthen development strategies with Bangladesh: Chinese President
During the pandemic, China and Bangladesh supported each other and worked together to overcome difficulties. At the difficult time for China to fight the pandemic, the government and people of Bangladesh donated a large number of medical materials to China, he also said.
The two countries have also overcome the impact of the pandemic to advance cooperation projects such as the Padma Bridge and a multi-lane road tunnel under the Karnaphuli River. The Payra Power Plant has been completed and is going to go into commercial operation.
“In 2021, China and Bangladesh have both entered a new stage of development. China has completed building a moderately prosperous society in all respects successfully and is going to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and embark on the 14th Five-Year Plan to achieve the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035, while Bangladesh celebrates the 50th anniversary of its independence and embark on the 8th Five-Year Plan to achieve the Vision 2041,” he also said.
“At present, the COVID-19 epidemic has brought the world into a period of turbulence and change. Only by maintaining strategic focus in the face of challenges, sticking to the theme of development and working together can we promote China-Bangladesh strategic partnership of cooperation entering a new stage. China and Bangladesh should adhere to the common commitment of upholding multilateralism made by the heads of states, and contribute to world peace and stability in the post-pandemic era,” Li Jiming said.
He added that Bangladesh’s GDP has maintained a growth rate of over 6% for many years in a row. This has raised the welfare of Bangladeshi people. Recently, Bangladesh has obtained the qualification to graduate from the Least Developed Countries as assessed by the United Nations.
Also read: Bangladesh, China discuss Covid vaccine assistance: Envoy
In his video message, China’s president Xi Jinping stressed that he attaches great importance to China-Bangladesh relations.
“In the future, we would like to work with people from all walks of life in Bangladesh to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of our two nations, promote the synergy between the two countries to achieve high-quality coordinated development, and promote the early realization of the Chinese Dream and the dream of "Sonar Bangla. I am confident that with the concerted efforts of China and Bangladesh, China-Bangladesh cooperation will yield even more golden fruits,” he also added.
Li Jiming said to continue the expansion of cooperation, China has decided to donate 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Bangladesh, ensuring the fulfillment of China's commitment to making vaccines more accessible and affordable in developing countries.
Professor Dr. Gowher Rizvi, International Affairs Adviser to Prime Minister; Rashed Khan Menon, President of Workers Party of Bangladesh, Hasanul Haque Inu, President of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Mozaffar Hossain Paltu, Advisory Council Member of Bangladesh Awami League, and Dilip Barua, Chairperson of Bangladesh-China Silk Road Forum also joined in the virtual discussion.
500 schools to get ‘Mujib’ graphic novel
To spread the ideals of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman among the students, bKash will distribute 20,000 copies of graphic novel 'Mujib' in 500 Bangla and English medium schools across the country this year.
The mobile financial service provider has taken this initiative to mark Bangabandhu’s birth centenary and the golden jubilee of Bangladesh’s independence.
Under the patronisation of bKash, graphic novel ‘Mujib’, published by Center for Research and Information (CRI) based on Bangabandhu's autobiography ‘Oshomapto Attojiboni’ (‘The Unfinished Memoirs’), will be distributed in schools by Bishwo Shahitto Kendro (BSK), an organisation well-known for enlightening minds.
Read Bangabandhu Memorial Museum: Witness to History and Tragedy
bKash will expand the programme with support of BSK to more schools along with the existing ones after the publication of next editions of the graphic novel.
Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed, the founder of Bishwo Shahitto Kendro, inaugurated the project by handing over the books to the school representatives at BSK Auditorium on Wednesday.
Kamal Quadir, Chief Executive Officer of bKash; Arif Khan, trustee of Bishwo Shahitto Kendro and Major General Sheikh Md Monirul Islam (retd), Chief External and Corporate Affairs Officer of bKash were present on the occasion.
Also read: 8th episode of Mujib Graphic Novel to be unveiled this evening
'Mujib' depicts direct experience of Bangabandhu's childhood, adolescence and social and political activities in a format suitable for both children and adolescents with a vibrant combination of dialogues, stories and illustrations. Graphic novel ‘Mujib’ will give readers of all ages the opportunity to know more about Bangabandhu, the greatest Bengali of all time and the architect of the sovereign Bangladesh.
Five sets of the graphic novel which means a total of 40 books will be given to each of the 500 Bangla and English medium schools across the country.
As a result, 40 students will get the opportunity to read the book from school library at the same time.
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Professor Sayeed said bKash has vested the responsibility on them to spread the biography of the greatest leader of to the children.
“Bangabandhu’s vigor, visionary nature, ability to dream big, unwavering devotion to be faithful, extraordinary personality and love for the people are exemplary for us. Bengalis were lucky to have a Sheikh Mujib, without whose thunderous voice, impeccable courage and extraordinary leadership, Bangladesh might have taken another 500 years to become independent,” he said.
“bKash’s initiative to spread the book in schools across the country has created an opportunity for students to know more about our father of nation. Let Mujib open the pages of wisdom in our hearts, let Mujib awaken everyone's blood - I have this dream.”
Also read: Graphic novel ‘Mujib’ launched in Japanese language
Kamal Quadir, CEO of bKash, said the autobiography written by Bangabandhu, while he was imprisoned, is a historical document for us.
“In his memoirs, Bangabandhu presented many important chapters of history very passionately and sincerely. The way he laid the foundation of leadership is exemplary for today's children and teenagers. The graphic novel ‘Mujib’ is a unique initiative to make these exemplary stories more attractive to future generations. bKash is proud to be a partner of this initiative to celebrate the birth centenary of Mujib and the golden jubilee of our independence,” he said.
bKash has provided 253,600 books to 3.2 million students from 2,900 educational institutions since 2014 to cultivate the habit of reading books among next generation.
Read Bangabandhu would have been proud of Bangladesh’s achievements: Macron
In 2020 Book Fair, bKash collected books from visitors, donated from its own fund and distributed all 7,500 books among the underprivileged children through Obhizatrik Foundation.
The MFS provider has been offering cashback at book fair for the last eight years to encourage people to buy books.
bKash has also been working with Bangla Academy as the key sponsor of Ekushey Book Fair for the last four years.
Read Startup Bangladesh Ltd to invest Tk 100 crore for 50 startups marking birth centennial of Bangabandhu and Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh
World starts looking at Bangladesh in a new light: FM
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Wednesday said it is evident that the rest of the world has started looking at Bangladesh in a new light.
He said the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Fellowship will again enhance opportunities with Germany and other European countries for academic studies and exchange focusing on Bangladesh and South Asia.
“There is likely to be growing academic interest in our nation’s history, culture and politics to understand the dynamics these phenomena bring into play across the wider region and beyond,” Dr Momen said while addressing a virtual briefing to announce the final selection for the “Bangladesh Chair: Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Professorial Fellowship”.
Prof Kazi Shahidullah, Chairman, University Grants Commission of Bangladesh and Peter Fahrenholtz, Ambassador of Germany to Bangladesh also joined.
“I feel happy to inform you that we have reached the final stages of setting up the Bangladesh Chair titled Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Professorial Fellowship at the South Asia Institute under the Centre for Asian and Transcultural Studies at the Heidelberg University in Germany,” Dr Momen said.
Pak scholar wants their govt to apologise to Bangladesh
Internationally renowned scholar from Pakistan Husain Haqqani has said the people of Pakistan should urge their government to offer a formal apology to the people of Bangladesh for all the atrocities that were committed in 1971.
“To this day, no apology has been forthcoming.... an apology is the most courteous thing ...," he said who served as Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States from 2008 to 2011.
Referring to the general elections of 1970 in the then Pakistan and the Pakistan military, Haqqani, now living in the United States, said the military’s reaction in the form of imprisoning Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and initiating genocide against the Bengalis.
He made the remarks in a virtual talk on ‘‘Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman: An Iconic Leader of People’s Struggle for Freedom’’ organised by the Embassy of Bangladesh to Belgium and Luxembourg, and Mission to the European Union in Brussels on Monday.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen joined the event as chief guest while Bangladesh Ambassador in Brussels, Mahbub Hassan Saleh, moderated the event.
Ambassador Husain Haqqani, currently a Senior Fellow and Director for South and Central Asia at Hudson Institute, a top think tank in Washington, D.C., United States, said Bangabandhu is not only the greatest Bengali of all time, he is one of the greatest leaders emerging out of South Asia.
He also said Bangabandhu is a great leader in the history of the world, and an iconic figure of struggle for freedom that the world has seen throughout the 20th century.
Bangabandhu would have been proud of Bangladesh’s achievements: Macron
Appreciating Bangladesh's progress, President of France Emmanuel Macron has said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman would undoubtedly have been proud of Bangladesh’s achievements.
"Bangladesh indeed deserves our admiration for the progress made in economic and human development, including in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic," he said in a message sent to President Abdul Hamid.
On the occasion of the National Day of Bangladesh, he sent the message on his behalf and the people of France with warm congratulations.
"Bangladesh is celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of its declaration of independence on March 26. This important date in the history of a young and promising State was made possible thanks to the admirable courage of the Bengali people to defend their cultural heritage and freedom at the call of the Father of the Bangladeshi Nation," said the President of France.
Also read: Curtain falls on 10-day celebration marking golden jubilee, Bangabandhu’s birth centenary
In 1971, Macron said, André Malraux called on the world to support the freedom of the Bengalis.
"Half a century later, Bangladesh can be proud of its achievements, and France remains ready to best meet its needs in the areas of the environment, energy, telecommunications, the blue economy and sovereignty in matters of defense and security, in the spirit of an inclusive, open and secure Indo-Pacific space," he said.
President Macron said the Bangladeshi government and people have shown their generosity by welcoming the Rohingyas forced to flee, once again, Myanmar in 2017.
"Your country has asserted itself as a responsible power: it is the main provider of troops for the peacekeeping operations in the world; it defends multilateralism and the norms of international law; it is committed to the defense of the environment and access to essential global public goods, such as health," he said.
He renewed his congratulations to President Hamid and the people of Bangladesh on the fiftieth anniversary of Bangladesh.
Bangabandhu-Bapu Digital Exhibition inaugurated in Bangladesh
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Friday (March 26, 2021) jointly inaugurated the Bangabandhu-Bapu Digital Exhibition in Bangladesh. It was arranged for commemorating two of the most-reputed leaders of this subcontinent, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Mahatma Gandhi, in city’s Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.
The exhibition, a story of Bangladesh and India showcasing the bond of blood and shared sacrifices, was jointly inaugurated by Prime Minister Hasina and her Indian counterpart Modi on December 17 during a virtual summit.
After Bangladesh, the exhibition will move to the United Nations for displaying and later, it would culminate in Kolkata in 2022.
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Historic quotes of the two great leaders will also be exhibited on the walls in the hall apart from displaying photographs and digital contents on different historic events of the two countries.
Key points of interest of the exhibition are a "meeting wall" that displays the only photo in the world that has both Bangabandhu and Bapu in one frame, a robotic signature of both the leaders and their favourite music.
Historical moments like Mahatma Gandhi's salt march, historic March 7, 1971 speech of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman are the areas of main attractions.
Read Two-month long art show on Sheikh Hasina ends with tributes to Bangabandhu
The exhibition will show the pain and suffering of Indian and Bangladeshi people in the genocides by the forces General Dyer in Jallianwala Bagh in 1919 and the genocide perpetrated by the Pakistani army in 1971.
The "genocide tunnel" will show the depiction, the experiences of the many Bangladeshis who were brutally tortured in the hands of the Pakistani army in 1971 War of Liberation.
Photographs on the barbaric torture on Bangladeshi women by the Pakistani army during the country's War of Independence in 1971 are also on display.
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Photographs of Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on different historic events are also displayed digitally.
A Holographic Time Machine will be displayed historical photos with a timeline and provides a unique interface to the users to reference their time and lives.
Both the leaders visited different sections of the exhibition.
PM's younger sister Sheikh Rehana was present beside her on the occasion.
Read British, Turkish envoys impressed by artworks featuring PM Hasina
Indian Prime Minister Modi is in the two on a two-day official visit to attend the celebrations of the birth centenary of Bangabandhu and the golden jubilee of country’s independence.
Both the leaders later attended at the cultural programme and banquet dinner hosted by Prime Minister Hasina in honour of her Indian counterpart.
Curator of the exhibition Birad Rajaram Yajnik briefed the two Prime Ministers regarding the exhibition.
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He said that after exhibiting for two days at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre, it will be moved to Jatiya Shilpakala Academy for one month.
Later, it will be exhibited in Chattogram, Khulna, Rajshahi and Sylhet for three weeks each.
It will finally be transferred to UN Headquarters for one month where the exhibition will be open for all.
Yajnik thanked Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, Liberation War Museum, National Museum, National Archive and Mujib Borsha Udjapan Committee for their support.
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