The Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program for International Teachers (Fulbright DAI) is accepting applications for the academic year 2023-2024.   The US Department of State exchange programme provides scholarships for Bangladeshi primary and secondary-level teachers to participate in a semester-long non-degree, non-credit professional exchange programme with other educators from around the world.   The participants will get an opportunity to develop expertise in their subject areas, enhance their teaching skills, and increase their knowledge about the US.    They will receive full scholarships to take classes and engage in professional development activities in the North American country. While studying at a US university, each participant will work on completing an individual or a group project on a topic of their choice. They can choose to audit a range of academic courses that align with their professional development goals. The host university will provide coursework on a wide range of topics, including curriculum development, second language instruction, comparative education, educational leadership, and teaching methodologies, among others, from which participants can choose.   Fulbright DAI participants will take part in a seminar at their host university featuring discussions led by university staff, faculty members, and guests. The seminar topics will focus on reflecting on the field experience, shaping the inquiry projects, and examining trends and current issues in education, such as curriculum, instruction and learning, assessment, instructional technology, student-centred learning, and teacher leadership, among other topics that are of interest to participants.   Participants will be placed at an American elementary or high school to observe classes, co-teach, and share their expertise and information about their home country with their host institution.    Each of them will gain access to a virtual community of practice where they can collaborate and exchange ideas with like-minded peers and educational professionals working in various countries around the world.   The eligible participants need to have a minimum of five years of professional experience in full-time teaching by the start of the programme. They are also required to have excellent oral and written English language skills, to engage in postgraduate level coursework, familiarity with using Microsoft Office suite platforms such as Microsoft Word and Excel, and to be Bangladeshi citizens currently residing in Bangladesh.  The application window will remain open till 11:59pm EST Washington DC time May 13, 2023.

A special prayer and Milad mahfil was organized at Bangabhaban Durbar Hall on the occasion of Eid-e-Miladunnabi.   President  Abdul Hamid participated in doa and milad mahfil.    Before the Milad Mahfil, Cabinet secretary Khandaker Anwarul Islam spoke about the importance and significance of Eid-e-Miladunnabi and the life and work of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).    State Minister for Religion Faridul Haque Khan, Member of Parliament Rezwan Ahmed Taufiq, members of the President's family, Acting Chiefs of the three Armed Forces, secretaries of the President and military and civil servants of Bangabhaban took part in the ceremony.   Read: Holy Eid-e-Miladunnabi observed   After the Milad, a special prayer was offered in the court of Allah, wishing for the peace and prosperity of the country, the welfare of the people, and the greater unity of the Muslim Ummah.   Pesh Imam Saiful Kabir of Bangabhavan Mosque conducted the milad mahfil and prayers.

An activist of Jubo Dal, BNP's youth wing, was killed and at least 50 people were injured in a clash between police and the opposition party members in Narayanganj's No 2 rail gate area Thursday. Similar clashes broke out between the party activists and police in Netrakona, Sirajganj and Manikganj as BNP held political programmes to celebrate its 44th founding anniversary. The deceased in Narayanganj was identified as Shaon, 21, son of Shahed Ali and an activist of Fatullah unit of Jubo Dal. Anisur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station, said the BNP activists took out a procession around 10.45am, marking the founding anniversary of the party. When the procession reached the No-2 rail gate area around 11.30am, police stopped them, triggering a chase and counter chase. At one stage, the protesters attacked the cops, prompting the law enforcers to fire rubber bullets. The whole Bangabandhu road from No-2 rail gate point turned into a battlefield during the clash that left 50 people injured. Read: 30 hurt in BNP activists-police clash in Netrokona; 13 held Shaon received bullet injuries during the clash. He was taken to Narayanganj General Hospital, where the doctors declared him dead on arrival. Another five Jubo Dal activists- Md Badal Bhuiyan,35, Nabir Hossain Nabin,30, Jewel Arman,40, and Md Faruq,30, were admitted to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) after suffering bullet wounds during the clash, said, Bacchu Mia in charge inspector of DMCH police outpost. UNB Netrakona correspondent reports: at least 30 people, including 13 cops, were injured in a clash between BNP activists and police in Netrokona town. Fakhruzzaman Jewel, Additional Superintendent of Police of the district, said vehicular movement in the district’s Chhoto Bazar area was suspended as BNP activists started to gather in front of their party office to celebrate the 44th founding anniversary of the party. “The clash erupted when police went to normalize the traffic situation. BNP activists attacked us when we tried to free up the road. We had to use tear gas and fire blank shots to bring the situation under control,” said Jewel.   Police have so far arrested 13 BNP activists in connection with the clash. In Sirajganj, at least 27 people including seven police were injured during  a clash between police and BNP activists. The clash broke out around 11:30 am at SB Fazlul Haque road in Sirajganj  near district BNP office. BNP activists exploded crude bombs at Nabadwip Pool area during a rally to mark the party’s 44th anniversary, said Jashim Uddin, Additional Superintendent of Sirajganj police. As police charged baton to take control of the situation as an altercation with the BNP activists satrted, he said. Later police was forced to fire rubber bullets and tear shells to control the situation. Seven police members were hurt during the clash, said the additional SP.  Police  detained a Bangladesh Chhatra Dal activist with a sharp weapon from road before the rally started, said police. Meanwhile, Saidur Rahman Bacchu, general secretary of district BNP claimed at least 20 of their activists were injured when police attacked them. In Manikganj, Twenty-eight people including five police members were injured during a clash between BNP activists and police. The incident occurred around 11 am at Khalpar area in Manikganj city when the activists were moving towardd their party office in Seota area with a procession and police obstructed them , the witnesses. The BNP activists threw brick chips at police while cops charged baton and resorted to  tear shells to disperse them. According to police,  Manikganj sadar police station’s Officer-in-Charge (OC)Abdur Rauf were among the injured.  Police arrested five BNP activists after the incident, said OC Abdur Rauf. Meanwhile, BNP leaders in a press briefing later claimed that 25 of their activists and leaders were injured during the clash.

Allegation of irregularities, and beneficiaries being deprived has been raised in a 40-day project of the government's ‘Employment Generation Program for the poorest’ in Magura. On a recent visit to the project sites, UNB reporter could spot maximum of 8 to 10 labourers working on each site. The project was being conducted in a lax manner defying the government rule of appointing 35 to 40 workers to each site. A local Awami League leader reluctant to disclose his name said the irregularities persisted in the project to benefit some corrupt public representatives of the district's Kuchiapara union. The appointed poor workers suffer to maintain their family with the insufficient wage of Tk 200 per head, he said. A headman from the project said the later the bills get paid the more it benefits the local chairman and MPs. As they have to share the profits with officers, cashing bills twice in 40 days benefits them more while the poor workers suffer, added the headman. When asked about the matter, Project Implementation Committee (PIC) members Kanak Bala, Imroj and Babul Hossain Molla claimed there is a scarcity of labourers as paddy harvesting season is going on. Most of the project headmen echoed the same reason for inadequate labourers being appointed at the sites. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Abu Sufiyan and education officer Bajnedra Nath said they have asked for increasing the number of labourers but the heads of the project didn’t pay heed. When informed, the Project Implementation Officer of the project said bills will be paid only for the appointed number of workers. The chairman of the union Jahangir Hossain didn’t receive the call when contacted over the phone on this matter.