Visiting Executive Chair of Chambers Wales and leader of the delegation Paul Slevin said on Thursday that Bangladesh has recently done a tremendous prospect in infrastructure sector. “Now it is time for action and execution as we are serious about business. UK investors are keen to do partnerships here in Bangladesh with their state-of-the-art, intellect, knowledge and skills to help Bangladesh for its journey towards being a developed nation,” he said. He made the remark during a business networking meeting between Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a 10-member business delegation from Chambers Wales at DCCI Auditorium. He admired the preeminent role of the Bangladeshi private sector in building the economy. Read more: Bangladesh seeks ease of visa process, investment from Guatemala Slevin also said UK investors are already here and they are more eager to do business in Bangladesh, and they are being engaged with various new ventures already. Welcoming the business delegation from Chambers Wales of UK, DCCI President Rizwan Rahman said Bangladesh and the UK maintain a friendly diplomatic tie and bilateral relation since ages. “UK is the third largest export destination of Bangladesh and we kept maintaining positive trade balance with the UK. Bilateral trade reached approximately $4.11 billion in FY21, when Bangladesh exported around $3.75 billion. Read more: ADB to invest $2 billion over next 3 years in Bangladesh’s education sector DCCI Senior Vice President Arman Haque, and Directors Sameer Sattar, Malik Talha Ismail Bari were also present at the meeting.

With Wales on the verge of World Cup elimination, Gareth Bale was dismissive when asked if Tuesday’s game against England could be the last for his country. “Nope,” was his one-word answer. He chose not to elaborate. While questions hang over Bale’s long-term future, Wales’ concerns are more immediate. If Wales fails to beat England in its final Group B game it is out of the World Cup. But even a win might not be enough to secure qualification to the knockout stages. “We’re disappointed in the results and the performances,” Bale said Monday. “But that’s football, it’s not easy, it’s a World Cup. We don’t need to get anyone going — we just need to keep working hard and hopefully things will turn around for us.” Read more: Why are World Cup players donning unusual face masks on pitch? The 1-1 draw with the United States in Wales’ opening game, when Bale scored a penalty to tie, was a solid enough start. But a 2-0 loss to Iran has put Wales in jeopardy of World Cup elimination. So it is understandable that Bale had little interest in engaging in discussion about his storied career and what remains for his playing days. He was asked how a win against England and moving into the round of 16 would rank against his five Champions League trophies with Real Madrid. “I’ll let you know if it happens,” he said curtly. At 33, Bale doesn’t need to be told occasions like this might be over for him once Wales’ World Cup adventure ends. After leading his country to the semifinals of Euro 2016 and through to the knockout stages of Euro 2020, he ended Wales' 64-year wait to qualify for a World Cup. But his influence is declining, as has been evident in Wales’ opening two games. Meanwhile, other key players in Aaron Ramsey and Joe Allen are also past their peak. With a lack of obvious replacements coming through, qualification for another major tournament may not be on the horizon any time soon. Read more: Viral Wales video hangs over World Cup clash with England Bale has also said goodbye to elite European football – joining MLS team Los Angeles FC in the summer. In short, his opportunities to play in front of a global audience could be scarce beyond Qatar. But it would be unwise to write off a player who has made a career of producing game-changing moments on the biggest occasions. That's a fact England coach Gareth Southgate noted when was asked to pay tribute to one of British soccer’s greats. In his mind, Bale represents a very live threat. “He’s had a fantastic — or is having a fantastic career,” he said. “Clearly his club career and what he won with Real Madrid is phenomenal. We know that he’s capable of those individual moments of brilliance in the penalty area and from distance as well. Free kicks, of course, are a great strength.” Perhaps no team at the World Cup is more reliant on one player as Wales is with Bale. Not Portugal with Cristiano Ronaldo – or Argentina with Lionel Messi. “I do the same as I always do. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t,” said Bale. “Sometimes I have a good game, sometimes I don’t. It’s football, it’s difficult to always play well. “I will give everything, like I always do for my country. I will just try to lead by example and hopefully that’s enough on the day. That is all I can do.”

After a World Cup start clouded by a disastrous loss and persistent questions about the civil unrest back home, Iran is celebrating the prospect of its first ever trip to the knockout stage. But first, Team Melli faces the United States. Iran defeated Wales 2-0 Friday and collected the three points to rise from the bottom of Group B. England and the United States played to a scoreless draw on the same day — setting up a politically fraught match between Iran and the Americans on Tuesday that will decide which team goes through to the round of 16. The prospects of advancement certainly weren't as bright at the start of the tournament when Iran was routed by England 6-2. “I told the players, very clear: Football is a game of a different moments. It’s not because you win or you don’t win. Sometimes you lose your dignity, you lose your honor. After the first game, we were bleeding in our pride,” said Carlos Queiroz, the Portuguese coach who also led Team Melli at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups. Queiroz's task was to convince his team that all was not lost. But at the same time, Iran's players were facing pressure to answer for the wave of protests in Iran. The turmoil was sparked by 22-year-old Mahsa Amini's death in September while in custody for allegedly violating Iran's compulsory dress code for women. Her death has become a rallying cry against the country's treatment of women. Read more: Iran government supporters confront protesters at World Cup The players did not sing the national anthem before the loss to England in an apparent show of solidarity with protestors, but in the days before the match against Wales, it became clear that the team wanted to focus solely on soccer. Queiroz even sparred verbally with a reporter following a pre-match news conference. The tensions were heightened following the reported arrest Thursday of former national team player Voria Ghafouri in Iran for his criticism of the government. The players sang their anthem, although not forcefully, before the game against Wales and then went on to win on a pair of second-half stoppage-time goals. Rouzbeh Cheshmi, who scored the go-ahead goal, suggested afterward the team felt pressured. “I believe at this time, certain things happened for the players that were not quite fair. I believe that they were judged improperly and therefore they received some non-football pressures," Cheshmi said. "I believe that the entire family of the Team Melli helped each other and as a result the entire team were able to win. I scored the goal, that is true, but the team did the work.” But Iran could not entirely escape the discord at home: Outside the stadium pro-government fans clashed with the few who dared to wear “Women, Life, Liberty” T-shirts, a slogan of the movement. Those in the shirts had to change before they were allowed in the stadium. While the victory gave Iran back its joy, in the words of Quieroz, it will undoubtedly bring even more focus on geopolitics ahead of the deciding match with the United States. In addition to the over-arching tensions between the two nations, U.S. Soccer had taken a progressive stand for women's rights, granting equal pay between its men's and women's team — including the equal division of World Cup prize money. As it stands in Group B, if Iran can beat the United States, it will move on. The Americans win and they'll advance, but a draw or a loss sends them home. England leads the group after the scoreless draw with the Americans. England will qualify for the knockout stage with a win or a draw against Wales. The Welsh will need a victory to keep even slim hopes of advancing alive. Read more:| World Cup 2022: Cheshmi’s late goal sends Iran to 2-0 win over Wales If Wales beats England, Iran will need at least a draw against the United States and goal difference will matter. “Now we need to be sure that we are good enough to go to the second round. So we start immediately the preparation to play against the U.S., which is a brilliant team as well, as we saw them against Wales," Queiroz said. “Our preparation starts with a good rest, refresh the minds and put all the complementary and garbage things outside of our minds and focus on our goal, because what we want to do it to give this gift to Iranian fans.”

Hundreds of people marched Saturday through central London and other cities across England and Wales to protest the British government's plan to hand the police new powers to tackle demonstrations. Protesters walked past Buckingham Palace towards Parliament Square, just outside the Houses of Parliament. A ring of officers positioned themselves around the statue of wartime prime minister Winston Churchill in Parliament Square. The statue had been defaced during anti-racism protests last year. Protesters, including many who carried anti-sexism placards and chanted “Women scared everywhere, police and government do not care!” passed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson's office at 10 Downing Street. Also read: Anti-tobacco lobby wants stricter measures introduced through legislation London's Metropolitan Police said the majority of people “have tried to adhere to social distancing" but that a ”small minority" had blocked the road at Parliament Square. “Officers are on scene engaging and encouraging them to move so we can reopen the roads,” it said. The protests were taking place over the long Easter holiday weekend, including in the Welsh capital of Cardiff and in the northern England cities of Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle. The demonstrators were upset at the Conservative government’s Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which is currently going through parliament. Under the terms of the bill, which covers England and Wales, police will be able to ban or shut down protests. A recent protest against the new legislation in Bristol, southwest England, descended into widespread violence that saw police officers injured, a police station damaged and police vehicles torched. Separately, 27 police officers were injured during riots in Northern Ireland on Friday evening and eight people were arrested. The reasons behind the unrest were unclear.   Also read: Chinese officials lash out at US over new legislation The Police Service of Northern Ireland said 15 officers were injured in Belfast after being targeted by a crowd of mainly young people, throwing stones, fireworks, flares, manhole covers and petrol bombs. It said 12 more police were injured in Londonderry after young adults threw stones, bottles, petrol bombs and fireworks. Political leaders called for calm over the long Easter weekend. Northern Ireland's first minister, Arlene Foster, urged young people “not to get drawn into disorder."