United News of Bangladesh

Jointly with the governments, universities, and industrial partners, Huawei will support South Asian countries such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal to cultivate 100,000 digital talents over the next five years, Huawei spokesperson said Thursday (May 20, 2021) at the Digital Talent Regional Summit online.  Themed “Cultivating a Talent Ecosystem for Inclusive Digital Prosperity”, the summit brought together ministers and scholars from the three countries, experts and representatives from UNESCO and the ICT industry, to explore collaborative initiatives for closing the digital skill gaps and facilitating the digital transformation in the post-pandemic economic recovery.   From Bangladesh, Zunaid Ahmed Palak, the State Minister for ICT; Prof Satya Prasad Majumder, Vice-Chancellor of BUET; and Beatrice Kaldun, Head of Office and UNESCO Representative to Bangladesh were present among other and shared their insights. Read Huawei Carrier Congress 2021 begins in Bangladesh“We believe the talent ecosystem is the cornerstone of the economic recovery and a long-lasting digital future. However, the lack of digital skills is one of the biggest challenges facing many countries,” said Jay Chen, vice president of Huawei Asia Pacific at the summit.“In the next five years, Huawei expects to develop more than 100,000 ICT talent and build a vibrant digital talent ecosystem in this dynamic region, especially Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.”The ministers appreciated the initiative of Huawei to support the government in providing ICT solutions and training the digital talents. Read Huawei to invest $220 million in cloud ecosystem for 2021”Now is the right time to create digital talent, along with the priority on digitalisation. The father of our nation said that the biggest asset of Bangladesh is the soil and people of the country. We are witnessing the reflection of those words in the present day. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Bangladesh is marching forward by fulfilling all the requirements of a developing nation, which have been possible for the efficient use of information and communication technology in all fields; consequently, Vision 2021 is being implemented,” Palak said.“We are confident that with the support of the private sector, we will be able to attain our goals within the specified time. Huawei has been working as a partner in various government initiatives to accelerate the country’s digitalisation process and upskill the youth,” he said.“With their support, our youth have the opportunity to learn about modern technology from industry experts. I strongly believe, such partnerships will contribute to the country's economic growth and prepare our youth to face the Fourth Industrial Revolution.” Palak added, according to a Huawei press release. Read `Hire and Train’, a model that impresses IT companiesHe stressed that the digital transformation will bring dramatic changes in society, and it is vital to upskill the youth and reskill the current employees. The government, educational institutions, and private sectors should continue to collaborate on the digital talent ecosystem.Scholars and experts from the region participated in the panel discussion at the event explored the recommendations for addressing the talent challenges. They emphasized approaches to developing talent aligned with the digital vision.Prof Satya Prasad Majumder said the pandemic has reminded us of the need for continuous innovation in order to remain ahead of the curve by using technology. “This can be achieved only if we continue to nurture talent in the ICT sector. For that, ICT leaders such as Huawei and institutes of academic excellence like BUET need to continue working together like we have been doing so far, with the support of the government,” he said. Read 35,000 modern digital labs to be installed to give more access to girls: PalakRepresentatives from the international organisation also emphasised the importance of closing the digital skills gap for sustainable development.“In order to cultivate a talent ecosystem for inclusive digital prosperity, we have to promote digital inclusion, mainstream digital skill developments, and foster digital-pedagogical transformation to ensure the quality of learning. Huawei is committed to this action and would like to build on its partnership with UNESCO, which started with the ‘TECH4ALL’ initiative in Africa, with the aim for global expansion. It is a long-term, digital inclusion initiative that targets empowering the world’s maximum population with essential digital skills,” said Beatrice Kaldun.During the pandemic, Huawei has cooperated with partners, including UNESCO, to provide digital solutions and online learning resources to students and professionals. Huawei plans to extend the digital talents cultivation initiatives and provide an end-to-end Huawei Talent Platform, which will help learners to improve their capabilities and assists them with career development by offering a one-stop service, covering the online course, examination, certification, and job seeking. Read KOICA helped establish pillars of Digital Bangladesh: Zunaid Palak

Chinese mobile phone manufacturer Tecno has launched the Spark 7 Pro hashtag campaign #SmileSnapshot on popular global short video platform Likee. The campaign, the first hashtag event with the shopping cart function on Likee in Bangladesh, started on May 11 and will continue till May 25. Read Join OPPO Likee hashtag challenge to win exciting prize With the name #SmileSnapshot, Techno wants to represent the main feature of smile-snapshot on their newly launched Spark 7 Pro, which has a 48MP Clear Triple AI Camera. Users will have to imitate a given dance gesture by selected Likee influencers in their videos with hashtag #SmileSnapshot to the tune of the official music named "Tecno Spark 7 Pro" to join the campaign. Read Infinix Hot 10 Play Review with Price in Bangladesh Tecno will choose the winners based on the quality and engagement of the videos. The top performer will win a Spark 7 Pro mobile; other prizes include Manchester City jerseys and footballs, read a press release.

Pressure is mounting on South Korean President Moon Jae-in to pardon Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong, who is back in prison after his conviction in a massive corruption scandal, even though business has rarely looked better at South Korea’s largest company. Lee is just the latest South Korean corporate boss to run his business from behind bars, communicating decisions through visiting company executives. But his imprisonment is causing national handwringing over the future of the technology giant in the country sometimes called the “Samsung Republic.” Many people — from business leaders and editorial writers to even Buddhist monks — have urged Moon to release Lee for the sake of an economy heavily dependent on Samsung’s technology exports. They worry Lee’s imprisonment could compromise Samsung’s speed and decisiveness, hindering its competitiveness in the fast-changing technology business. Lee has been in prison for nearly four months and few expect him to serve his full prison sentence through July 2022. There’s speculation Moon could free him on Buddha’s Birthday, which falls on Wednesday. Read:Samsung Galaxy A72 Full Review: Is it worth buying? There’s also Liberation Day in August, which celebrates Korea’s independence from Japanese colonial rule at the end of World War II. That also has often brought presidential pardons of high-profile politicians and businesspeople. Moon’s office said he will consider both the intensifying competition in the semiconductor market and public feelings about fairness before deciding whether to pardon Lee. Lee runs Samsung as vice chairman. He’s also the country’s richest person. He is serving a 2 1/2-year sentence for bribing then-President Park Geun-hye and her close confidante, who are serving lengthier prison terms, to win government support for a 2015 merger between two Samsung affiliates that tightened his control over the corporate empire. Samsung’s latest results suggest it is doing just fine. The company posted a near 50% jump in operating profit and its $58 billion revenue was the highest ever in the first three months of the year. Demand for its mainstay computer memory chips, TVs and other products has surged as the pandemic has forced millions to stay home. And Samsung’s sleek Galaxy smartphones and tablets are the biggest competition for Apple’s iPhones and iPads. Samsung has announced ambitious plans to expand its computer chip manufacturing. Last week it said it will invest 171 trillion won ($151 billion) through 2030 in higher-margin logic chips and its foundry business for contract chipmaking as it expands beyond its dominance in memory chips. The company expects demand for advanced chips to soar in coming years, lifted by emerging technologies such as fifth generation (5G) wireless networks, artificial intelligence and self-driving cars. Still, analysts say Samsung is increasingly falling behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. in the race for high-tech chips. The world’s biggest contract chipmaker, TSMC controls 55% of the global foundry business versus Samsung’s 17% share, according to South Korea’s Trade Ministry. Both could be threatened by U.S. efforts to reduce American dependence on Asian supply chains and rebuild the declining U.S. chip industry in response to chip shortages that have hobbled American auto manufacturing in recent months. In a statement to The Associated Press, Samsung said Lee’s role is to “contribute to the company’s overall strategic direction, and make decisions related to the future growth through his insights and global network of business leaders.” The company declined to comment on calls for Lee’s release and also would not say how often company officials are visiting him. “It’s not difficult for Lee to manage the company from prison through his visitors, and it’s not like he had ever run Samsung like an omnipotent king,” said Chung Sun-sup, chief executive of corporate analysis firm Chaebul.com. Even though Lee is the grandson of Samsung’s founder and is the family’s third generation helmsman of the company, important decisions are still weighed by the board, he noted. Read:Facing $11B tax bill, Samsung heirs donate mass art trove “But who knows what Samsung is missing when Lee isn’t visiting business sites or traveling abroad for new opportunities?” he said. Lee’s imprisonment comes at a time when Samsung should be pushing for a major reshaping of its semiconductor business, said Lee Seung-woo, a senior analyst at Seoul-based Eugene Investment and Securities. Samsung’s rise as a global technology powerhouse drew from its dual strength in parts and finished products. But that’s proving a disadvantage in its competition with TSMC as major clients like Apple shift orders to TSMC to avoid relying on chips manufactured by a competitor. Samsung should be considering bold moves, such as splitting its foundry business into a separate company and listing it on the U.S. stock market to ease the concern of clients, Lee said. “Lee Jae-yong clearly has a role to do,” he said. “Lee could be meeting (Apple CEO) Tim Cook asking Apple to invest in the new foundry company.” Samsung’s daily operations are mainly handled by co-CEOs who each lead its semiconductor, smartphones and consumer electronics divisions. Samsung reaped robust profits during Lee’s earlier stints in jail, in 2017 and 2018, when it finalized a deal to acquire American auto electronics firm Harman. That assuaged jitters about a possible void in decision making. Legal troubles have long dogged the company. Lee’s late father, its former chairman Lee Kun-hee, received suspended sentences in 1996 and 2008 for crimes including bribery and tax evasion. The scandal that snagged Lee Jae-yong again underscored traditionally cozy ties between “chaebol,” or South Korea’s family-owned conglomerates, and the government. Park was ousted and jailed in 2017 following months of protests by millions. Moon has been sidestepping the pardon issue for months, having taken office vowing to curb the excesses of chaebol families after winning the presidential by-election following Park’s ouster. South Korea has long been lenient toward white-collar crimes, letting convicted tycoons run their businesses from prison. Officials say that’s best for the economy even though the crimes committed by chaebol bosses usually put their personal interests ahead of corporate concerns. SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won held nearly 1,800 meetings with his lawyers and other visitors in 17 months through July 2014 while serving a four-year prison term for embezzlement and other crimes, according Justice Ministry comments to lawmakers. Read:Samsung reports profit jump driven by strong chip deman Hyundai Motor Corp. reportedly set up a “liaison office” nearby to receive guests and staff visiting its former chairman Chung Mong-koo after he was arrested in 2006 on charges of embezzling company funds to bribe officials. Chey and Chung received presidential pardons, as did Lee’s father. The calls for Lee’s release show Samsung still holds excessive influence, said Park Sang-in, a professor of public enterprise policy at Seoul National University. He believes pardoning Lee would damage public trust. “Was there ever a time when pardoning a chaebol boss really helped a company or the Korean economy? No, not even once,” Park said.

Electric car maker Tesla will stop accepting Bitcoin as a payment, CEO Elon Musk tweeted on Wednesday, citing environmental concerns. “We are concerned about rapid increasing use of fossil fuels for Bitcoin mining and transactions, especially coal, which has the worst emissions of any fuel,” Musk said on Twitter. He added that cryptocurrency is a “good idea on many levels” but its promise cannot come at a “great cost to the environment.” Read:Consumer Reports tricks Tesla to drive with no one at wheel Tesla, he added, won’t be selling any of the Bitcoin it owns. The price of bitcoin fell about 5% to $51,847 after Musk’s comments on Twitter. Tesla’s stock finished Wednesday down 4.4%. Tesla said in February that it had invested around $1.5 billion in Bitcoin and it planned to begin accepting the digital currency as payment “soon.” The fair market value of Tesla’s Bitcoin holdings as of March 31 was $2.48 billion, according to securities filings. Bitcoin relies on computers, which rely on electricity, to exist. The number of computers and the energy needed to power them is rising — the growing value of bitcoin is directly tied to the amount of energy it uses. Bitcoin miners unlock bitcoins by solving complex, unique puzzles. As the value of bitcoin goes up, the puzzles become increasingly more difficult, and it requires more computer power to solve them. Estimates on how much energy Bitcoin uses vary. Read: Scrutiny of Tesla crash a sign that regulation may be coming A 2019 study by researchers at the Technical University of Munich and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology concluded that, in late 2018, the entire bitcoin network was responsible for up to 22.9 million tons of CO2 per year — similar to a large Western city or an entire developing country like Sri Lanka. Total global emissions of the greenhouse gas from the burning of fossil fuels were about 37 billion tons last year.

The first car made in Bangladesh named Bangla Car is going to be on the road. The name of the manufacturer is Bangla Cars Ltd which actually a sister concern of Hossain Group. Their factory is at panchabati of Narayanganj. The car is going to be available in the market from June after Eid with the Made-in-Bangladesh tag. This 7-seater car with all kinds of modern facilities will cost only 3 million Taka. So far they have made 36 cars where the number of cars sold is 14. Feature of Bangla Car Let’s find out more about this car of the domestic brand.  Artificial intelligent Virtual Assistant feature with 100+ voice commands and 28 distinct ones to mark where you go with it  1.5 Litre Turbo Engine and Triptonic mode power pack for shifting between automatic and manual transmission  Bold sporty look with a swift connectivity  Modern LED parking lights, fog lamps, and headlights including infinite starlight grille DVR camera to record your commute for safety  Furnished with the finest leather and prime grade materials Read Mazda Mx-30 Elevates Journey Of Electric Vehicle To A New Altitude  9-inch infotainment display for a large and enhanced interface for all entertainment powered by a Multimedia console controller  Bluetooth connectivity- USB and auxiliary under the center armrest for easier connectivity  Automatic AC with climate control  7-seater with better legroom  Four airbags placed in steering wheel placed in the dashboard and lower mount for knee protection  Multi speaker rich audio system for the delightful sound experience  The new generation 6-speed CVT gearbox for improving the power output and efficiency  Tire pressure monitoring system for keeping an eye on tire pressure when on the go with smart tire sensors parked trouble-free with electronic parking sensors in a dynamic 360 degrees parking camera  Traction control system for giving it the power to take sharp turns with stability in the complex road.   Digital and analog speedometers cruise control  Built-in navigation system  The automatic power trunk opening with buttons both in and outside the car for convenient access to the trunk  18-inch alloy rims with red calipers empowering you to reach new heights with a strong grip by pressing a button or commanding your virtual assistant  2-layer panoramic sunroof for enjoying the weather from both the front and back seat  The Warranty and guarantee of five years back to back Read: Tesla Cybertruck: The Future Of Trucking Looks Good Bangla Car and Car industry in Bangladesh Usually, Maa Enterprise directly imports the DFSK’s Glory i-Auto in Bangladesh. Bangla Cars Ltd is in fact an authorized assembler of DFSK. In fact, the deal between Bangla Cars and DFSK was one and a half years old. The activities didn’t go any further because of the impact of coronavirus. Still, Bangla Cars Ltd has been making cars with the parts assembled from worldwide reputed companies such as China, India, Japan, and Indonesia. With ISUZU of Japan for the engine, the body parts from China, and the chassis parts from Indonesia, they have been building the cars. The Haval cars directly originate from China, Toyota originates from Japan whereas Bangla Car is completely Made in Bangladesh. PHP is manufacturing Photon’s car, Progoti is manufacturing Mitsubishi’s car where Bangla Cars Ltd is making the Bangladeshi car. Unlike Photon or Mitsubishi, they are capable of building the cars of all models. However, although the selling activities are up, the official journey has not started yet. They had a schedule for an opening ceremony in the last 26 March. But due to ongoing pandemic situations, they postponed it after Eid. From this June, Bangla Car will start its journey with pickups. They already have a showroom in 181-182 Tejgaon. They showcase the cars there in 8 different colors. They are Red wine, Electric Blue, Mid-Night Blue, Brown, White, Silver, Red, and Black. Apart from this, they are also ready to feature the on-demand color for the clients’ needs. The new model car of 2021 has already been taken to the showroom. Most necessarily, such an SUV (sporty utility vehicle) costs more than 10 million Taka where you can get it at only 3 million Taka. Read Luxury car brand Jaguar to go all-electric by 2025 Future of Bangla Cars Bangla Cars Ltd will be making its cars with their own designs after Eid. There will be building 12 types of cars from the factory of Narayangonj. Notable among them are private cars, buses, trucks, lorries, pickups, etc. For the first phase, showrooms will be opened in each of 8 divisions of the country. Moreover, the carmaker company is going to launch 30 more showrooms over the country. In every making, all of the manufacturing processes will focus on domestic brand and design. Subsequently, Bangla Cars Ltd plans to deliver the cars from 1500 to 2500 cc to meet the clients’ demand. If everything goes as plan, they are about to export the car in the middle of the next year. Even like Toyota, they hope to export besides fulfilling the domestic demands. Now the cars are on trial production. After June-July, they expect to manage more cars commercially. Then they will be able to show the cars made in Bangladesh to the world. Moreover, they are going to launch the electric car next year. Consequently, Bangladesh will get a place in the thriving worldwide automobile industry. The users will get all types of car facilities from Bangladesh. The carmaker company already plans to marketize 4-5 thousand cars every year. And, that will certainly cover all types of vehicles including electric vehicles. As a result, there will be a remarkable contribution to the Bangladesh economy. Final Words Like the garment industry, Bangla Car made in Bangladesh is going to be a big achievement. With an affordable rate, the Bangladeshi people will be able to enjoy superb facilities. Besides, there will be a lot of foreign currency earnings through export. However, it will be a technological advancement in the automobile industry as the car contains all the hi-tech specs. Read Best Car Loans in Bangladesh to Grab Your Dream Car

Google says it expects about 20% of its workforce to still work remotely after its offices reopen this fall, while some 60% will work a hybrid schedule that includes about three days in the office and two days “wherever they work best.” The remaining 20% can change their location to a different Google office. The policy announced Wednesday relaxes the company’s stricter earlier stance. Also read: Google gets into sleep surveillance with new Nest Hub screen “The future of work is flexibility,” CEO Sundar Pichai wrote in an email to employees that was also posted on Google’s website. “The changes above are a starting point to help us do our very best work and have fun doing it.” Most of Google’s 135,000 employees can continue to work from home through September of this year. For up to 20 days per year, Google employees will also be able to work from any location other than their main office. That’s up from a previous allotment of 10 days. The company based in Mountain View, California, will also continue offering extra “reset” days — days off to help cope with the pandemic. Google was among the first major technology companies last year to tell its employees to work from home at the onset of the pandemic. Other tech giants, such as Facebook and Twitter, have announced that people can work from home permanently after the pandemic if their jobs allow for it.

Walton announced various prizes including free ACs for writing attractive slogans or taglines for the Walton air conditioners. Under the ‘Creativity Challenge Season-1’ campaign, 10 best taglines or slogans will be awarded. Of them, the best three writers will get 2, 1.5 and 1 ton Walton AC respectively. The remaining seven writers will get a Walton blender of WBL-10GX65 model each. The competition will run until May 31. Also read: Walton AC records 450% sales growth during Jan-April Khalilur Rahman, brand manager of Walton AC, said the participants will be able to submit their taglines or slogans through Google form or making comment or sending message on Walton AC’s verified Facebook page. After submitting the slogans or taglines, participants have to share the photo banner of Walton Smart AC’s Creativity Challenge on their Facebook timelines. The person who submits first will be given preference in case of the same taglines or slogans. The Google form can be found on this link- t.ly/tu7Q. Phone calls can be made to these numbers- 16267 or 09612316267 for more information. Also read: Air Conditioner Brands, Buyer Guide, Models, with Price in Bangladesh Walton Hi-Tech Industries Limited’s Deputy Managing Director Humayun Kabir said that most of the people are staying home during this pandemic. “Walton’s AC department is working to develop people’s skills and talents by involving them in creative works during this lazy time. I think participants’ creative skills will be developed through this campaign,” he said. He added that the taglines or slogans related to Walton AC could be written in Bengali or English using elegant language. Creating awareness about Walton and information about its products should be given emphasised in this creative writings. Also read: Air Cooler price in Bangladesh with Buying Tips Besides, Walton is providing various facilities to its AC customers. Among them, up to 200 percent sure cashback is given under the ongoing digital campaign season 10. Customers are enjoying free installation and home delivery services. Walton is also providing up to 40 percent discount on specific models of ACs. There is also 1 year EMI and installment facility up to 36 months with 0 percent interest. Customers can also purchase new ACs of Walton brands at a 25 percent discount in exchange for their old ACs of any brands. Walton released various new models of inverter technology ACs with dual-defender, ioniser, ultra-violet care features which helps protect houses from virus or bacteria. Its Inverna series ACs consume electricity only Tk 2.8 per hour in eco-mode which is tested by BUET. Read How to Use ACs (Air Conditioners) Safely Amid COVID19 Pandemic? Besides, 1, 1.5 and 2 ton split ACs, Walton is producing and marketing 4 and 5-ton cassettes and ceiling type ACs for medium establishments like school-college, mosque, madrasa, hospital, hotel, restaurant, conference hall. For larger establishments like factories and offices, Walton has variable refrigerant flow (VRF) and Chiller. Walton is providing one-year replacement guarantee as well as 10-year guarantee on the compressor of its split type ACs. Walton has 76 service centres across the country under the ISO Certified Service Management System to provide fast and best after sales service. Walton’s skilled and experienced engineers and technicians are providing free service to AC buyers after every 100 days. Read Walton TV offers big discounts ahead of Eid

Smart device brand Oppo is airing new microfilm to inspire the privileged people to share the happiness of Eid with the needy ones during the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr.    In the microfilm, Siam Ahmed and Safa Kabir are seen preparing food and buying new attire for their beloved ones and in the end, they share their good feelings and joyous moments with the old parents at a nursing home. Read Robishop brings big deals, discounts ahead of Eid F19 Pro Eid edition Oppo has also launched the limited Eid edition of F19 Pro. The phone uses Oppo's popular Reno Glow Effect and its crystal silver colour introduces an improved printing effect that is a step above the etching process. Moreover, the F19 Pro Eid edition also features Dual-View Video along with AI Color Portrait Video mode that comes with a suite of AI algorithms, which provide the subject matter in natural colours while presenting the background in natural monochrome. Read bKash offers up to 40% instant cashback on Eid shopping, iftar, grocery payment The Dual-View Video feature lets users harness both the rear and front cameras to make a split-screen video that offers both perspectives. F19 Pro is equipped with 30W VOOC Flash Charge 4.0; the users can enjoy 3.2 hour-talk times with five minutes of charge and it takes only one hour to charge the device fully, read a press release. Read iPhone Eid mega deal in G&G

Walton has started offering big discounts on its smart and LED TVs ahead of Eid. Under the campaign, which will continue till May 17, customers can buy Walton's FHD WD43RS model 43-inch smart TV at a discounted price of Tk32,900 and 32-inch WD32RS21 model smart TV at Tk22,900, and WD32F110 model LED TV at Tk17,900. Read Eid-ul-fitr offers, deals on electronics gadgets in Bangladesh in 2021 Walton TV Chief Executive Officer Engineer Mostafa Nahid Hossain said, "Walton TV witnessed about 85% sales growth during January-April this year compared to the same period of last year. We have set a target of selling 50,000 units of TVs this Ramadan." The "Made in Bangladesh" Walton TVs are now being exported to nearly 35 countries including Germany, Greece, Ireland, Croatia, Spain, Poland, Romania and Italy. Read Robishop brings big deals, discounts ahead of Eid Walton surpassed its TV exports of 2020 in the first quarter of this year, nearly 137 % more than last year, read a press release.

Robi Axiata's e-commerce platform Robishop (https://robishop.com.bd/) has recently launched a big discount campaign ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr. During the campaign, which will continue till May 15, customers can enjoy up to 67% discount on selected digital gadgets like smartphone, smartwatch, trimmer, shaver, headphone, headset, and earphone by placing their orders online. Read Community Bank, Robi launch device bundle offer Also, they can enjoy a 10% discount on credit card payments along with a 0% EMI facility. However, a maximum of Tk500 discount can be availed using cards. Customers can also get 10% cashback with a maximum discount limit of Tk100 on bKash payments. Moreover, a flat discount of Tk300 can be availed on a single new sign-up on the Robishop website. Read OPPO presents trove of gifts, offers for Eid Robishop lets the consumers discover and experience products and offers from a wide array of categories ranging from electronics to household appliances, latest phones, computers, laptops, and accessories. Popular mobile handset brands like Vivo, Oppo, Samsung and Motorola are on offer as part of the Eid campaign; branded digital gadgets from Philips, Remax, Joyroom, Lenovo, Anker, Havit are also available under it, read a press release. Read Eid-ul-fitr offers, deals on electronics gadgets in Bangladesh in 2021