The family of Puja Sarkar, the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission scientist who was killed in a road crash last Sunday at Boliarpur on the Dhaka-Aricha highway in Savar, is still lamenting the early death of their daughter as today is the birthday of Puja. When lamenting, Atul Sarkar, father of Puja, said “Today is my daughter Puja’s birthday and when she was six-year-old, her mother Alpona died at the age of 29. She also died at the same age. Puja was six-months pregnant and my whole family was preparing to celebrate her birthday. But all our hopes go shattered due to the death of my daughter.” “Puja was passing hectic days in her office as she was scheduled to go for maternity leave recently. I invited her with her husband on the occasion of 'Jamai Sasthi’ a Bengali custom but she said she will come during maternity leave,” said Atul while talking to UNB over phone. Also read: 3 BAEC officials among 6 killed in Savar road crash Like everyday Puja was heading towards her office at Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) from her Hatkhola road residence in the capital, he said. “After the demise of her mother from Cancer, I brought her up alone. She was a student of Viqarunnisa Noon School & College. She was a meritorious student. She obtained first class and earned second position in Physics while studying at Jahangirnagar University. She served as a teacher at Daffodil University for eight months and during the teaching profession she got the job at BAEC,” said Atul, a retired deputy general manager of Janata Bank. "If my Puja survived she would be a successful scientist," said Atul. He also claimed that the bus was unfit and the driver had no driving licence. Besides, the bus was plying on the road without any route permit. “How can a driver drive a bus on the road without any route permit? Is there any law in the country?” Expressing wonder, Atul also said no one has raised a movement protesting the accident. “No child should die like this,” he prayed. Also read: Mother, daughter killed in Kushtia road crash Four people including Puja, a scientific officer of BAEC, engineer Kawsar Hossain, 33, testing officer Arifuzzaman, 32, and bus driver Rajib, 30, were killed when a speeding bus ploughed through a road divider after its driver lost control over the steering and then crashed into a minibus carrying BAEC staff and a cattle-laden truck at the same time on the fateful day, SI Sabur Khan, in-charge of Aminbazar police outpost said. Forty people were injured during the accident. Maruf Hossain Munna, a driver of the ‘Safe Line Paribahan’ bus from Jhenaidah, succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday. Later, another BAEC official Farhana Islam succumbed to her injuries at Combined Military Hospital on Wednesday.

A bill titled Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (amendment) Bill 2022 was placed in Parliament on Monday. The Bill, which was placed by Science and Technology Minister Architect Yeafesh Osman, landed in the Parliament aiming to change names of two posts in the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission. The Bill was sent to the respective parliamentary standing committee. The committee was asked to submit its report within 30 days. Also read: Bill to establish new hydrocarbons agency placed in JSAccording to the Bill, there are two posts in the Commission named Finance Advisor and Secretary where the Public Administration Ministry posted deputy secretary ranked employees.As per s Cabinet Division directive on October 23, 2019 if there is any post called assistant secretary, deputy secretary, additional secretary and secretary in any office under any ministry or division, the name of the post has to be changed. Also read: Jatiya Muktijoddha Council Bill placed in parliamentThe bill states that the post of secretary will be named as working executive (admin) while finance advisor will be named as working executive (finance).

Information Center on Nuclear Energy in Dhaka (ICONE) has launched a special bus journey that will travel nearly 20 districts of the country to create public interest in science and technology and raise awareness about the safety of nuclear technology and its versatile use. A specially branded passenger bus started the 5-day journey from Dhaka on Thursday, said a Rosatom press release. The Ministry of Science and Technology, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) and Rosatom, the Russian contractor engaged to build the 2,400 MW Rooppur nuclear power plant, have been extending their support to make the tour a success. Also read: S Korean companies to be interested in Bangladesh’s nuclear energy sector: Envoy  Science and Technology Minister Yeafesh Osman  formally inaugurated the Nuclear Bus Tour at a simple ceremony in front of the Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) Bhaban in the city. Dr. Md. Shawkat Akbar, Project Director, Construction of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Project and Managing Director of Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Ltd. (NPCBL) and Alok Chakraborty, Chief Administrative Officer of BAEC were present on the occasion. During the tour, different public events will be organised at different places along the route to attract people and to ensure their active participation. Also read: Steam generators installed at Unit-1 of Rooppur NPP Different plans have been chalked out including road-side public interaction, visit of schools and universities, distribution of informative leaflets, booklets, science-based quiz competition and games among others. Most active participants and winners of the competitions will be awarded with attractive souvenirs. The Nuclear Bus will return to Dhaka on December 27. This special initiative has been taken within the framework of Russia-Bangladesh joint communication plan on nuclear energy.

Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) signed a contract with Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) for the modernization of the 3 MW BAEC TRIGA Research Reactor (BTRR). The contract-signing ceremony was held virtually on Thursday between KAERI and BAEC in presence of Dr. Md Sanowar Hossain, Chairman of BAEC, Dr. PARK Won-seok, President of KAERI, and Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-keun. The project includes the design, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of digital I&C system of BTRR, which has been in operation since 1986. The duration of the project is expected to be 18 months. The project became KAERI’s 6th major technology export related to research reactors, after its successful partnerships with Jordan, Greece, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Netherlands. It is also anticipated to be the stepping stone for further collaboration between KAERI and BAEC, including future research reactor development in Bangladesh. Ambassador Lee highlighted that the commencement of the project marks the beginning of the Korea-Bangladesh partnership in the peaceful use of nuclear energy and is opening a new chapter in the bilateral ties as the two countries move towards diversifying the areas of cooperation beyond the RMG sector. He also noted that Korea, ranking 6th in the world in terms of the total capacity of nuclear power generation, is a world-leader in the peaceful use of nuclear energy from research to electricity production. Fully committed to the international non-proliferation regime, Korea and Bangladesh will find further opportunities for cooperation in the future, he said. Ambassador Lee looked forward to an early signing of the proposed MOU between KAERI and BAEC and a meaningful progress in the discussions between the governments for the conclusion of the bilateral agreement on peaceful nuclear cooperation.

‘Bangaleer Joy, Bangaleer Berthota (Victory of Bangalees, Failure of Bangalees)’, a book by little known author Dr Faizur Rahman Al Siddique, has become a new attraction for booklovers at Amar Ekushey Book Fair-2020 after the publication of its second edition.