Chinese technology company vivo introduced various flagship devices and expanded its offering in 2021. It released multiple products with a variety of price ranges.  The brand added imaging technology from Zeiss to its premium X Series. The V series carries the identity for all-around smartphones with high-end capabilities, and the Y Series offers a wide range of affordable smartphones which are designed to meet the needs of young customers. Also read: Vivo V23 Pro Review: Does the quality concur with the look? V1, a fully customised integrated circuit chip dedicated to imaging and video applications with leading-edge visual quality, was unveiled by vivo. It meets user needs by optimising smartphone application scenarios. In Q1 2021, vivo became the second-fastest growing 5G smartphone brand in the world, with 19 million units shipped, up 62 percent from the previous quarter, according to the company. Also read: Vivo Y15s Review: Is this budget phone worth buying?

The Awami League’s powerful momentum in the country's political landscape continued in 2021 as it did not face any challenge from opponents. There is no political force in the field now to compete with this political party which has been in power for three consecutive terms and 12 years now - a generation has not seen them out of power. Last year, the Awami League celebrated the golden jubilee of independence in a grand procession and the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation through colourful ceremonies. Millions of leaders and activists participated in the biggest victory rally of the commemorative period. READ: 'Lack of Transparency' report on Dhaka's Covid response: Awami League The Awami League and its allies and affiliates have gained a huge reputation standing by the masses during the Corona period. Though the country's oldest party did not face any challenge from its opponents on the field, it has repeatedly faced embarrassing situations due to exaggerations of the leaders, intra-party conflicts and the rise of the rebel candidates Quader v Quader Earlier in 2021, Abdul Quader Mirza, younger brother of Awami League General Secretary, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, came to the discussion directly delivering controversial speeches against his brother. He also criticized the role of the administration in the election. His speech created an embarrassing situation in the political arena. The party, the government and the administration also felt embarrassed. Taposh v Khokon The open clash between the running mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation, Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and former mayor Sayeed Khokon was the talk of the city over the mayoral nomination. Then in January last year, their dispute over the amount of money deposited in the banks became public. Barrister Taposh has transferred hundreds of crores of money belonging to the city corporation to a bank he owns, but he is not qualified to be the mayor, alleged Saeed Khokon. The running Mayor avoided the issue terming Sayeed Khokon's statement as defamatory and that legal action would be taken, warned Barrister Taposh. Followers of the running and former mayors of DSCC organised processions and human chain over the issue after the fight of words had started. Both remained silent for months after the intervention of party policymakers. However, on a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in June, the court ordered the seizure of eight bank accounts of Sayeed Khokon's business and family. He again alleged that Taposh was behind the ACC's activities. However, Taposh did not reply and avoided the matter as it is the jurisdiction of the court and the ACC. Audacity of Gazipur mayor A video, containing statements of the former Gazipur Metropolitan Awami League general secretary and city mayor Mohammad Jahangir Alam, about the number of martyrs in the Liberation War and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman went viral on social media Facebook last September. On October 3, the Awami League protested against Jahangir Alam for his activities against the interests of the party and violation of organisational discipline. The party expelled him from the post of general secretary and primary member of the party at a meeting of the party's central working committee meeting on November 19. Then on November 25, the local government ministry also suspended him from the post of mayor. Rise and fall of Helena Jahangir Helena Jahangir is another name that has been discussed and criticised on social media for several years. She loved to introduce herself as a journalist, human rights activist, Awami League leader and singer. Last July, Helena was widely criticised for trying to form a nationwide 'Employees League'. Although she had never been involved in Awami League politics before, she became a member of the party's women's affairs sub-committee.

A total of 3703 women and girls were subjected to different forms of violence including rape and murder in 2021, according to a report of Bangladesh Mohila Parishad. Some 1235 females were raped in the last year. Of them 1028 females including 629 girls were raped, 179 females including 62 girls were gang raped and 31 females including 22 girls were killed after rape, said the report published on Monday. Bangladesh Mohila Parishad President Dr Fouzia Moslem and its General Secretary Maleka Banu presented the report at a press briefing in the city. Also read: Women suffer more violence from jobless men staying home: Webinar The organisation compiled the statistics based on the reports published in13 newspapers. According to the report, 155 females including 93 girls were subjected to rape attempt while 33 females including 14 girls were subjected to sexual assault while 95 females including 62 girl children faced sexual harassment. Besides, acid attacks were carried out on 22 women including five girls while four of them succumbed to burn injuries. The report also said that 23 females including three girl children were subjected to burn injuries and of them ten succumbed to their injuries. Meanwhile, 180 females including 153 girl children were victims of abduction while eleven others were subjected to such attempts. Forty-two females including six girl children were trafficked while 46 women, including 32 girl children were harassed at different times. The report also said 138 females including one girl child were subjected to physical torture for dowry and of them 45 were killed for dowry. As many as 208 females including 58 girl children suffered physical torture while 444 females including 114 girl children were killed for various reasons. Also read: UN voices "serious concerns" over increasing violence against women Eighty-seven women, including 19 children were subjected to murder attempt while 427 females including 131 girl children died mysteriously, said the report. A total of 121 female students including 43 girl children committed suicide while eleven attempted to commit suicide. There were incidents of 327 child marriages across the country while 63 females including 23 girl children were victims of cybercrime. There were 260 incidents of child marriages in Kishoreganj district alone while 1242 incidents of child marriage were reported from Tangail in the past one and half year.

As Rabindranath Tagore once said “Let life be beautiful like summer flowers and death like autumn leaves” – the time of the year back once again, as it always goes back and forth every year when the nation remembers those who departed from their families and admirers to answer the ultimate call.  Sadly, due to several reasons and especially the still raging Covid-19 pandemic, many of the passionate and respected individuals in the entertainment and cultural arena of Bangladesh bade their final adieus to the world during the past twelve months in 2021.  These legendary figures have dedicated their eventful lives to the betterment of Bangladeshi culture; and because of their lifelong contributions, today Bangladesh is well-known and respected among the global community of culture and entertainment, in the genres of Literature, Art, Cinema, Television, Theatre and Music.  READ: Writer, freedom fighter Begum Mushtari Shafi dies  This article fondly remembers all eminent and legendary figures that Bangladesh has lost throughout this year, categorized based on their individual and respective genres. Literature The rueful adieus started with the departure of the Ekushey Padak winning legendary novelist Rabeya Khatun, who passed away on January 3 at the age of 85 due to old-age complications.   Bangla Academy, the oldest and dedicated organization promoting Bengali literature in the country, has lost many of its guardian angels this year including two of its immediate past chairmen, Professor Shamsuzzaman Khan (81) who passed away on April 14 after his failed battle with Covid-19, and National Professor and renowned Nazrul researcher Rafiqul Islam (87) on November 30. Meanwhile, the immediate past Director General Habibullah Sirajee (72) also left the world on May 24. Ekushey Padak winner eminent Bangladeshi short-story writer and novelist Hasan Azizul Huq passed away on November 15, at the age of 82. Meanwhile, this year’s Ekushey Padak conferred fiction writer Bulbul Chowdhury passed away on August 29. Sheikh Abdul Hakim, popularly known as the ghostwriter of superhit spy thriller series 'Masud Rana', breathed his last at the age of 75 on August 29 after losing his long battle with bronchitis. Renowned Bangladeshi publisher and founder of the University Press Limited Mohiuddin Ahmed left the earth on June 22.  Cinema Ekushey Padak and National Film Award-winning legendary Bangladeshi actor ATM Shamsuzzaman passed away on February 20 this year at the age of 79, while another silver screen legend and Member of Parliament Sarah Begum Kabori breathed her last on April 17 after losing her battle with COVID-19 at the age of 70. Another actor from Bangladeshi’s ‘Golden Era’ of cinema Mesbahuddin Ahmed, popularly known by his stage name Wasim, passed away the very next day. The former ‘Mr East Pakistan’ breathed his last at the age of 74 due to old age complications, while veteran director Shafiqur Rahman, known for his famous movie “Dhaka 86,” died on September 2 at the age of 70. Television and Theatre A large group of known faces from the television and theatre arena left the world this year, starting with actor and freedom fighter Mujibur Rahman Dilu (69) on January 19. Legendary playwright and Martyred Intellectual Munier Chowdhury’s wife, translator and theatre activist Lily Chowdhury (93) breathed her last on March 2. Ekushey Padak-winning actor SM Mohsin (73) passed away on April 18 due to COVID-19, while Jahangirnagar University Drama and Dramatics Department co-founder, professor and playwright Dr Afsar Ahmed (60) died on October 9 due to cardiac arrest.  The month of October was a horrific month this year, as a handful of prominent personalities passed away on this month. Ekushey Padak winning veteran actor, director, playwright, and academic Dr Enamul Haque (77) breathed his last on October 11, renowned actor-playwright-director Kayes Chowdhury (74) passed away on October 21 and his student, television, film, and theatre actor Shamim Visti (55) died the very next day after suffering a heart attack. Due to COVID-19 related complications, veteran actor and current State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid’s elder brother Mahmud Sajjad passed away on October 24, at the age of 73. Music 2021 snatched away many of the legendary personalities from the music industry in Bangladesh, starting with legendary music maestro and trainer of classical music, ustad Sanjib Dey (68) who passed away on January 28 following a cardiac arrest. Jane Alam, one of the last remaining pop legends, passed away on March 3 due to COVID-19, at the age of 65. A tragic road accident in Chattogram’s Mirshorai brutally took away the lives of renowned Percussionist Hanif Ahammed (41) and drummer Partha Guha (50) on March 13.  READ: National Professor Rafiqul Islam dies at 87 Ekushey Padak winning Rabindra Sangeet exponent Mita Haque (59) passed away on April 11 due to COVID-19, while National Film Award-winning music director Farid Ahmed (60) passed away on April 13 due to the same reason. Freedom fighter and Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra artiste Anup Bhattacharya (77) passed away on May 6, while noted lyricist Fazal-e-Khuda, known for writing the song "Salam Salam Hajar Salam" which boosted the spirit of Freedom Fighters during the 1971 Liberation War, died of COVID-19 on July 4 at the age of 81. This year, COVID-19 also snatched away another folk and pop legend, the “Gono Sangeet” pioneer Fakir Alamgir who passed away on July 23 at the age of 71. Apart from all these legendary figures, some other renowned personalities also left the earth this year, leaving behind their families and admirers. Ekushey Padak winning veteran journalist-dramatist-poet Rafiqul Haque (85) ‘Dadubhai’ passed away on October 10; another Ekushey Padak winning late artist Qayyum Chowdhury's wife artist Tahera Khanam passed away at the age of 86 on November 1 and eminent British journalist Simon Dring, known for reporting the horrors of Bangladesh's War for Independence from Pakistan in 1971 and later changing the landscape of Bangladeshi television industry as the Managing Director of Ekushey Television, passed away on July 16 in Romania at the age of 76. UNB remembers all these legendary figures with profound respect, for their unforgettable and influential contributions to their respective fields.

The Delimitation of Constituencies Bill, 2021 seeking to formulate an act to replace a military regime-era ordinance in line with a court judgment was placed in Parliament on Saturday. Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Haq placed the Bill and it was sent to the respective Parliamentary Standing Committee for examination. The committee was asked to submit its report within 60 days. The proposed law has been designed aiming to make an act instead of the existing Delimitation of Constituencies Ordinance 1976, which was promulgated during the military regime of Ziaur Rahman. As per the Bill, the Election Commission shall, for the purpose of elections to the seats in Parliament, divide the country into as many single territorial constituencies as the number of members to be elected as per the Constitution. READ: Parliament passes Finance Bill, allows whitening of undisclosed money The constituencies shall be so delimited, having regard to administrative convenience, that each constituency is a compact area. In doing so, due regard shall be to the distribution of population as given in the latest census report. After making such enquiries and examining such records as it may deem necessary, the Commission shall publish in the official Gazette a preliminary list of territorial constituencies specifying the areas proposed to be included in each such constituency together with a notice inviting objections and suggestions within such period as may be specified in the notice. After hearing and considering the objections and suggestions, if any, the Commission shall make such amendments, alterations or modifications in the preliminary list published as it thinks fit and shall, also after correcting any errors arising from any accidental slip or omission, publish in the official Gazette the final list of territorial constituencies showing the areas included in each such constituency. READ: Parliament passes new budget of ‘lives and livelihoods’ The validity of the delimitation or formation of any constituency or of any proceedings taken or anything done by or under the authority of the Commission, under this Law shall not be called in question in or before any Court or other authority. The territorial constituencies shall be delimited afresh- upon the completion of each census, for the purpose of general election to Parliament to be held following such census; and unless otherwise directed by the Commission for reasons to be recorded in writing, before each general election to Parliament.

The Prizes of the Mujib Borsho Walton First Division Chess League’ 2021, sponsored by Walton Group and organized by Bangladesh Chess Federation, officially handed over on Monday at a function at the Chess Federation hallroom.

Bangladesh and the rest of the world bid adieu to 2020, a year many would like to forget, and welcomed 2021 with hopes that the new year will be different – and better.