Maisson

India summons Turkish envoy over Erdogan's remarks on Kashmir Published: 17 Feb 2020 05:09 PM BdST Updated: 17 Feb 2020 05:09 PM BdST India summoned the Turkish ambassador on Monday to lodge a diplomatic protest over President Tayyip Erdogan's remarks on the disputed region of Kashmir and warned it would have a bearing on bilateral ties. During a visit to Pakistan last week, Erdogan said the situation in Indian Kashmir was worsening because of sweeping changes New Delhi introduced in the Muslim-majority territory and that Turkey stood in solidarity with the people of Kashmir. India, which considers all of Kashmir an integral part of the country, told Turkish envoy Sakir Ozkan Torunlar that Erdogan's comments lacked any understanding of the history of the Kashmir dispute, the Indian foreign ministry said. "This recent episode is but one more example of a pattern of Turkey interfering in the internal affairs of other countries. India finds that completely unacceptable," foreign ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar said. He said that India had served a strong demarche, or formal diplomatic note. India withdrew Kashmir's autonomy in August and brought it under federal rule as a way to integrate the territory fully into India and quell a 30-year revolt. Pakistan, which controls a part of Kashmir, slammed the measure, and other Muslim-majority countries such as Turkey and Malaysia joined in calls for India to reconsider its actions. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration has put curbs on palm oil imports from Malaysia in retaliation and officials have said it is planning to cut some imports from Turkey as well. India blames Pakistan for stoking the revolt in the territory in which tens of thousands of people have been killed. It accused Turkey of trying to justify its arch foe's use of "cross border terrorism." "These developments have strong implications for our bilateral relations," the foreign ministry spokesman said, referring to Erdogan's comments. Pakistan denies direct involvement in the rebellion, but says it provides diplomatic and moral support to the Kashmiri people in their struggle for self determination. Erdogan told Pakistan's parliament that the Kashmir problem cannot be solved through pressure but on the basis of justice and fairness.

With 7.5m rides a month, ridesharing services take over Bangladesh The estimated market value for the ridesharing start-ups, all business verticals combined, is worth USD 300 million at present. The value is expected to reach USD 1 billion within the next five to seven years, although it is expected by industry insiders that the industry will expand financially sooner Bangladesh, and the world, has seen an upheaval of technology-based sharing activities that have evolved considerably over time. Start-up companies using web-based platforms have opened up a brave new world of sharing-based businesses, blooming into "sharing economy". Dhaka has a fair share of start-ups offering ridesharing services. High traffic congestion and internet penetration rates have contributed to the business case of Dhaka-based start-ups. Since July 2019, 10 such companies - Pickme Limited, Pathao, OBHAI, Chaldal, Computer Systems, Akash Technology, Ezzyr Technologies Limited, Segesta Limited, Shohoz Limited and Uber Bangladesh Limited obtained licences, with the top 3 players being Uber, Shohoz and Pathao. Dhaka dwellers have adopted the app-based ridesharing services to a great extent and a study by Policy Research Institute says that the ridesharing industry of Bangladesh is valued at an estimated Tk2,200 crore and accounts for 23% of the transportation sector. According to data from January 2019, commuters took 6 million rides each month on an average via ridesharing apps. The current figures, however, have exceeded the 6 million mark and reached 7.5 million rides per month, reports industry experts. Drivers of growth Ridesharing services offer commuters certain benefits that mainstream transportation services do not provide. Dhaka, being one of the most densely populated and congested cities in the world, demands considerable efficiency, reliability, and safety for mass transportation from commuters. Three-wheeler auto-rickshaws, or CNGs, gained popularity due to its availability and fare-pricing. However, CNGs exploited the elasticity of demand of transportation for commuters by refusing to charge by the meter installed in the vehicles, hiking up fares and refusing to go to places that do not generate higher fare. Taxi cabs followed suit and started charging exorbitant fares - often comparable to the fares in more developed cities. This led to the downfall of mass usage of taxi cabs, hampering its growth. According to a World Bank report, traffic congestion eats up 3.2 million working hours per day in Dhaka, adding up to 660 million working hours per year. The advent of motorbike-based ridesharing has not only saved commuters' time and provided faster transportation by bypassing gridlocked traffic, but it has also created employment opportunities for thousands. A Reuters report says that around 200,000 drivers are currently registered under the local ridesharing start-up Pathao. With the introduction of app-based ridesharing services, commuters have been blessed with ease of finding transport, doorstep pick-up and app-based fare estimation – obliterating the struggles of haggling for reducing the fare. Market dynamics and estimations In contrast to western cities, where car-based ridesharing services have grown, Dhaka has seen the boom of motorbike-based ridesharing services since such ridesharing services are less expensive than the CNG auto rickshaws and taxi cabs. With year-on-year growth surpassing 40%, motorbike sales have continued to grow. Uber Moto, Pathao, and Shohoz Ride experienced success in its early stages in the motorbike-based ridesharing service sector. Each of these platforms have different strengths. While Uber is considered to have the best technology and training for drivers, Pathao has the most recognizable brand identity and early success rate. Shohoz, on the other hand, is the newest entrant with the largest single fundraising round among local start-ups and holds the most diversified position across business verticals. Although the car-based ridesharing sector has a clear market leader – Uber, the motorbike-based ridesharing market is still highly competitive. In 2018, Pathao raised USD 10 million in funding from investors, led by regional ridesharing heavyweight Gojek; while Shohoz raised USD 15 million in funding from investors led by Singapore-based Golden Gate Venture. However, the real stimulus for ridesharing companies and justification behind their successful fundraising rounds lies in the growth prospects of the various verticals in which they operate. Another ridesharing platform, OBHAI, provides motorbike and car services and it has ventured further by incorporating CNG auto rickshaws in their list of service offerings – which, unlike, the CNGs not listed on OBHAI, charge the commuters a fair amount through the app. Factors such as distance, traffic congestion, time of the day and pick-up area are taken into consideration to determine the initial fare. Another last-mile ridesharing service, Jobike, began operations earlier in 2018. Jobike is a bicycle-sharing app-based platform and it is the first of its kind in Bangladesh. Interviews with ridesharing company executives, investors, economists, and start-up ecosystem researchers suggest that a tremendous growth for this sector is in line within the next five years. The estimated market value for the ridesharing start-ups, all business verticals combined, is worth USD 300 million at present. The value is expected to reach USD 1 billion within the next five to seven years, although it is expected by industry insiders that the industry will expand financially sooner. Potential shifts in business models Major ridesharing services are branching out into service verticals. While Shohoz is pioneering bus, train, and launch ticket sales online, other platforms such as Uber and Pathao came forward with food delivery services. Uber Eats, Shohoz Food, and Pathao Food compete not only with each other, but also with established food delivery only platforms like Foodpanda Bangladesh – a dominant market leader in this space. The platform has solidified its market position by investing in technology as well as its dedicated driver network. Despite early and projected success stories of ridesharing, the year-on-year 40% growth in motorbike sales will add to the metropolitan's traffic congestion. As a remedy to this problem, transitioning from high-frequency ridesharing to high-occupancy ridesharing services are in talks. Industry insights indicate that at least three ridesharing services have already started work to develop such a service model. Jatri is one of such services. Jatri is a mass-transit bus service that will facilitate ticket sales and seat booking through an app for commuters of the same route and also allow real-time tracking of the bus's location. The bus can be boarded from specific stops. Meanwhile, another start-up of the same model called Shuttle focuses exclusively on female commuters. Shuttle provides microbuses to female commuters of the same route. The commuters can ride Shuttle vehicles, that are prescheduled and booked, from specific pick-up points. Another app-based service called Buddy will enable commuters of the same route to ride in one car. Major challenges The ridesharing industry, like all other industries, has pros and cons. The pro lies in the funds from investors, access to talent relative to other start-up sectors in Bangladesh, extraordinary publicity, among others. The cons arise with regulatory scrutiny and scepticism, unhealthy competition, and, in some cases, difficult questions about the sustainability of the ridesharing business model. Globally, share prices of ridesharing powerhouses have fallen this year, sparking serious introspection about the sustainability of the business model. In May 2019, Uber offered its shares to the public and experienced a world-record first-day loss since 1975. Additionally, Uber and Lyft's performance in the capital markets over the last several months have cast doubts in the minds of investors globally. Similarly, in Bangladesh, Pathao - valued at USD 100 million - faced massive challenges when investors started backing out from the venture. This stance caused the start-up to downsize through a mass layoff of mid to top-level employees. This move, despite not putting the ridesharing market at risk, did put into question the quality of business leadership at the helm of start-ups in Bangladesh. Another critical challenge for the platforms is ensuring consumer loyalty. When it comes to switching between services that cost the least, using multiple apps at the same time is not at all difficult. As a counter measure, platforms resort to offering promo codes to the users to initiate strategies for customer acquisition and retention. However, the promo-code driven growth strategy not been proven as successful in many countries, namely Indonesia. Heavy investments in promotions - intended to acquire larger market shares and increase its market value, lure in more investor funds. But such strategies tend to attract failure in the long-run once funds start draining out. In order to sustain in the market, ridesharing companies need to acquire and retain customers constantly. An effective method to do that is by branching out into vertical services. But introducing different strategies at the same time can drain investor funds too quickly. Problems for the app-based ridesharing companies arise when disintermediation takes place. This happens when the commuter and the drivers agree to transact, bypassing the app that is intended to connect them. The process of disintermediation has caused revenue loss for various sharing economy platforms. This process is part of a larger problem in Bangladesh which has led to grave consequences for corporate entities in the sharing economy. Disintermediation has been the cause behind the murder of a ridesharing driver who agreed to pick up a passenger offline recently. It leaves platforms and its users in a vulnerable state since drivers are not accountable to anyone but the commuter. In order to ensure safety of both the driver and the commuter, authorities need to regulate the process of picking up commuters offline. This also affects the revenue generation of the platform since the app is being bypassed while making transaction. Sustainability and policy directions Experts in sharing economy posit that critical mass - sufficient number of participants necessary to make the platform self-sustaining, plays an important role in the success of these platforms. Accordingly, ridesharing platforms must ensure a sufficient ratio of drivers and commuters in order to maintain healthy business environment. Promotions, despite not being successful in the long run, have been widely used to acquire new customers. Uber's retreat in Indonesia can be attributed partially to its spending spree on promotions. Platforms are increasingly focusing on data analytics to understand and predict the behaviour of its users. But in order to harness loyalty, these platforms need a deeper understanding of the user base. While predictive analyses are, to some extent, successful in harnessing users, platforms also need to engage in empirical research, refine their knowledge about the user base alongside customizing the user experience on the app and outside the app accordingly. The platforms also need to provide more reasons for its users to continue using the apps. It is important that customers recognize and even identify with the different platform brands but marquee advertising and indiscriminate marketing spending at this point may not be the solution. The rising number of ridesharing services, in the already densely congested cities, contribute to the traffic congestion. In order to harness loyalty, platforms need a deeper understanding of users. Shifting from the existing high-frequency ridesharing model to high-occupancy can have positive impact on both the commuters and city-dwellers. The classification of ridesharing services in Bangladesh reveals that there are at least three categories of ridesharing services and most are operating using the high-frequency model. In Bangladesh, with the increasing motorcycle-based ridesharing services, more and more people are leaning towards bicycling to commute. Currently, Jobike is the only service that facilitates bicycle-sharing through an app. However, the ever-expanding bike sharing services in heavily congested cities like Dhaka is a courageous initiative due to the lack of dedicated bicycle or bike lanes. Recently, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) established a 9 km long bike lane for the first time in Bangladesh. Meanwhile, debates regarding the many aspects of the drafted Ride Sharing Services Policy 2017 need addressing. Car owners and service providers have yet to come to a common ground regarding car registration policy – which states that one car is allowed to be registered to only one platform, as it goes against the spirit of entrepreneurship. The draft policy states that a car has to be more than a year old to be registered on a ridesharing platform, but does not state the car's maximum age for registration. And since the number of motorbikes in the city still growing, a mechanism of progressive taxing should be formulated for the ridesharing companies, since the fleet is large enough to significantly contribute to the city's traffic. As ridesharing companies majorly rely on drivers to act as throttles for the business, the relationship between platforms and drivers need to be explored more for the business's sustainability in the future. Currently, ridesharing companies treat drivers as third-party contractors by not providing them benefits and protection which, as a matter of fact, the platforms to not deny to their clerical employees. One of the reasons why platform-based sharing services adopt the contractor-based model is because it keeps costs of the business at bay. But the risks that emerge from this ambiguous relationship with drivers are not sufficiently mitigated in the current model. These risks have caused the most recent ban of Uber in London. Some of the ridesharing platforms also tend to stray away from ridesharing and branch out into verticals. Similar business detours have been piloted by local ridesharing companies. The question that arises here is how do the regulators define the businesses once they have branched out? Can the platforms still be defined as ridesharing companies? If the answer is yes, is it legal for the platforms to use user data obtained from the ridesharing end to develop the verticals? Some insiders opine that it is too early in the stage to regulate ridesharing start-ups if this space needs to be grown. Regulatory measures need to be introduced later in the process so such businesses can drive value creation, innovation and employment. What is for certain is the fact that digital transformation of various business and economic sectors in Bangladesh, and globally, is inevitable and this is high time for more research and policy dialogues in this space. Globally, sharing platforms have existed long before even the idea of it existed in Bangladesh. Napster is one of such services dating back to 1999 - that facilitated the digital sharing of music within users as a form of peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing. With time, sharing economy services have already disrupted several industries and according to analysts, the growth potential of the sharing economy is rather compelling. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), global revenues from the five sectors of the sharing economy will increase to 2,133% between 2015 and 2025. The monetary range will exceed $335 billion from the current $15 billion. This economy has also broken several social taboos. 15 years ago, sleeping on someone else's bed in exchange for money was a wild thought. But now, every night, 2 million people are sleeping on the bed of a stranger, while Airbnb has accommodated 500 million such people. However, given the disruptive nature of sharing economy services, controversies have followed in some cases. Meanwhile, regulators globally have struggled to keep up with the innovative business models on offer. Safety concerns have risen as well due to carrying out transactions with strangers on the internet. Additionally, traditional sectors have pushed back against sharing economy companies, while recently 10 major European city governments have requested the European Union (EU) to regulate Airbnb in the fight against the worsening housing crisis faced by the city dwellers. There are also high-profile cases of start-up failures, even for the privately-owned start-up company Unicorns. Its equity value has dropped significantly in the last few years. A snapshot of global ridesharing Simply put, ridesharing services connect drivers with people looking for rides. The mobile application or platform that enables the service calculates real-time data regarding demand and supply, traffic and distance in order to determine the cost of the ride. This then allows the driver and rider to communicate – ultimately leading to the transaction. Despite recent scepticism about its long-term profitability, analyst forecasts suggest ridesharing services will continue to claim a bigger slice from the transportation pie globally. From 2018 to 2025, the ridesharing market size has grown and is expected to grow from around $61 billion to $218 billion and by 2030 and the figures are likely to reach $285 billion annually. By the next three years, almost 100 million users are expected to be added to ridesharing services globally. The North American region represents the largest ridesharing market at present, while the Asia Pacific region constitutes the fastest growing. Uber is the poster child of ridesharing services. The industry has also seen the rise of such giants like Ola in India, Lyft in the US, Grab in Malaysia, Carpooling.com in Germany, Gojek in Indonesia, Didi in China and so on. Many automotive corporate giants, like BMW's DriveNow, are also investing in in-house ridesharing services. The industry has also seen fierce competition, resulting in takeovers and exits. In China, Didi's market dominance forced Uber to sell its Southeast Asian businesses to Grab in 2018. Meanwhile, Japan's Softbank became an unexpected winner in the ridesharing battle - which holds a considerable amount of equity positions in Uber, Ola, Grab, Didi, and Brazil's 99.

I don't think they are "Pakistani agents" but we will do what is necessary to ensure peace and respect in the forum.

I have unbanned @Zoro96 and @Darth Nihilus for now.

We should update the forum policies because we did not believe people would start using fake email addresses so soon or engage in that kind of negative behaviour. Screenshots have been kept for record so in future if they cause trouble I will dispose of their accounts forthwith.

I don't know if I should laugh or be angry at this person. If this was a comic sketch he would be a winner however its not. He mean't to do real harm to members of the public and as such he should be afforded the maximum penalty under British law. He has also brought embarrassment to his community and family through his actions.

Members are requested not to respond to any of @Zoro96 comments. He has been permanently banned. ---- The Bangladesh Air Force might be incompetent for whatever reason but as a whole it is not corrupt, nor are members of the armed forces in general. The armed forces remain the most trusted institution in the country due to their dedicated and hard work. As such this forum is not appropriate to give false or unfair evaluations on their activities. Members should steer clear of such acts and anybody that encourages that sort of discussion will be immediately thrown out of this forum. This is not acceptable for discussion in military forums of any country in the world. Aside from that there is no problem to discuss about aircraft, defence budget, equipment, reorganisation and so on.

Zoro96 Using disposable email addresses (twice now) Encouraging and posting anti-Bangladesh armed forces posts Darth Nihilus Encouraging and posting anti-Bangladesh armed forces posts Outcome: Both accounts suspended for varying periods up to one week in length.

Members who are banned permanently or have their account suspended will be listed here. We hope this system will discourage violation of forum rules.

@Shahim ali can you participate in the forum. We noticed you are signing on in anonymous mode and lurking without any other activities. Your account is in real danger of being suspended.

Fake rupees: Forging in Dhaka, trading in India Eight suspects were arrested while forging rupees in a flat of a six-storey building The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Detective Branch on Sunday busted a factory of fake Indian currency in Dhaka's Bashabo Kodomtola area. "Acting on a tip-off, a police team confiscated millions of fake rupees, printing material and copper from the scene. Eight suspected forgers, including the mastermind of the racket were also arrested," said Deputy Commissioner (Detective Branch) Moshiur Rahman, who led the drive. The suspects were arrested while forging rupees in a flat of a six-storey building. Among the arrestees, there were counterfeiters, distributors and currency dealers. During the primary investigation, they confessed that a certain group of Indian citizens had been frequently visiting the fake currency factory to buy the counterfeit rupees. They came to Dhaka through the Chapainawabganj border, said police sources. The same border was being used to smuggle the counterfeit currency to India. Police have arrested the eight suspects in different cases several times before. The culprits learned the process of making and distributing fake Indian currency while serving their prison sentences, said sources concerned. Bashirullah, the ringleader of the racket, was imprisoned for a drug-related case a few months ago. Meanwhile, Monir was arrested in a cheque fraud case. During interrogation, Monir revealed that a man named Durud Zaman taught them the basics of safely running a currency counterfeiting gang. Quoting Monir, police said that after learning from Zaman, Bashirullah convinced him to join the racket by saying that he could earn a lot of money in just a month. The counterfeiting racket in Dhaka, and the Indian gang that visited Bangladesh to buy fake rupees, both parties were under the police scanner for a long time. "We will seek help from the Indian Law Enforcement agencies regarding their citizens' involvement in the rupee counterfeiting gang," said Deputy Commissioner Moshiur Rahman.

Moody’s latest report reflects Bangladesh’s economic strength The review highlights how Bangladesh balances robust growth prospects against very low per capita income and economic competitiveness Moody's Investors Service has just completed its periodic review of a group of issuers – including Bangladesh. Bangladesh's credit profile reflects the country's economic strength – which balances robust growth prospects against very low per capita income and economic competitiveness. It also shows the country's vulnerability to climate change risks – given its low-lying nature with large coastal areas prone to flooding and the influence of seasonal monsoon rains on rural incomes and consumption. The review of the strength of institutions and governance takes into account weaknesses in the government's effectiveness, corruption control and low credibility in its legal structures – although macroeconomic policies are effective and conducive to macroeconomic stability. It assessed the fiscal strength of Bangladesh's government – which balances the government's low debt burden against weak debt affordability because of its narrow revenue base. The review also covers susceptibility to domestic political risk – incorporating a high-probability, low-impact scenario involving protests motivated by issues ranging from wages to road safety – that threatens to slow economic activity and raise perceptions of risks in the country. Meanwhile, banking sector risk remains elevated given the persistent weakness of state-owned banks.

Govt to spend Tk 470m on buying 50 SUVs for UNOs Senior Correspondent, bdnews24.com Published: 13 Feb 2020 07:10 PM BdST Updated: 13 Feb 2020 07:10 PM BdST The government has cleared a proposal to purchase 50 sport utility vehicles or SUVs at a total cost of Tk 470 million for Upazila Nirbahee Officers or UNOs. Each of the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport QX vehicles will cost Tk 9.4 million, according to the proposal cleared in principle by the cabinet committee on finance in a meeting on Thursday. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, who chaired the meeting, said the government would buy the vehicles for the executive officers at the Upazilas under a direct purchase process from Pragati Industries. The committee also provisionally approved another proposal to set up LED streetlights in Dhaka North at an estimated cost of around Tk 3.7 billion. The government will build a 500-bed hospital and a 100-seat medical college on a six-acre abandoned piece of land of Bangladesh Railway in Chattogram at an estimated cost of Tk 4.86 billion.

Bangladesh to export cashew nuts to UAE In 2010, India became the first country to import raw cashew nuts from Bangladesh Chattogram's GreenGrain Cashew Processing Industry signed a deal for exporting cashew nuts to the UAE. As Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzak visited GreenGrain Cashew's factory on Sunday, its owner Shakil Ahmed handed over a copy of the agreement paper to him. The company made a deal of exporting 3,500 kilograms of nuts with SG International, Dubai, on January 24 this year. In 2010, India became the first country to import raw cashew nuts from Bangladesh, said Shakil.

If you think you can just post one liners to get yourself verified here you are dead wrong. You should provide logical posts otherwise this platform is not for you. Consider this as a first and last warning.

De Havilland Canada will deliver another 5 Dash 8 Q400 turboprop powered regional airliners to Biman Bangladesh Airlines by 2021. https://www.defseca.com/civil-aviation/5-more-dash-8-q400-aircraft-for-biman-by-2021/

The Myanmar Air Force uses its JF-17Ms armed with SD-10 BVRAAM, PL-5EII SRAAM and C-802AK anti-ship missiles.

Myanmar Air Force's Yak-130 trainer/light attack aircraft with various weapons include R-73E short-range air-to-air missiles, S-13 122mm rocket on B-13 rocket pod, S-8 80mm rocket on B-8 rocket pod and SNPU-130 pod 23mm gun pod.

Could Bangladesh’s plans to attract more foreign students backfire? Mehedi Al Amin Published at 11:14 pm February 11th, 2020 Foreign students infograph According to the University Grants Commission (UGC), in 2018 there were 2,190 international students in public and private universities in Bangladesh - 1,386 in private and 804 in public A government plan to increase the number of foreign students enrolled at public universities may be poised to discouraging foreign enrolment instead. On December 9, the Ministry of Education issued an order instructing all private and public universities to obtain ministry approval before admitting a student of foreign origin. The order was requested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Public universities have already had the rule in place. Private university authorities fear that the direct involvement of the state may induce bureaucratic complexities, effectively reduce admission requests from abroad. While the number of foreign students at universities has seen a noticeable uptick since 2012 save for a few hiccups, it still trails behind the private university numbers. According to the University Grants Commission (UGC), in 2018 there were 2,190 international students in public and private universities in Bangladesh - 1,386 in private and 804 in public. The government’s case Currently, private universities recruit students directly through scholarship, Memorandum of Understanding between partner universities and direct applications from foreign students. After getting student visa, the university authority helps renew the student visa every year. The new admission process will see foreign students submit their application to Bangladesh missions in their home countries. The applications will be forwarded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Ministry of Education, while the Ministry of Home Affairs carry out security checks. A total of nine steps of verification by an equal number of agencies will be involved, according to sources familiar with the change. However, private university authorities have privately expressed their concerns for lengthening the process, instead suggesting a one-stop service and a fixed timeframe for operation. The UGC is also in favour of an easier process, but it has already begun to implement the rule. Abdullah Al Hasan Chowdhury, an additional secretary at the Ministry of Education said: “It should be clarified how private universities recruit students. The Ministry of Home Affairs has to be in the loop. Foreign applications should come through embassies. We have issued the instruction to homogenize the process for public and private universities alike.” The UGC also wants an easy way to provide clearance from the ministry of education. Dr Md Fakhrul Islam, a director (Private University Division) at the UGC, said that the majority of the students arrive in Bangladesh without proper student visa or proper channels. He said: “There was a time when there were many foreign students at public universities. But that number has dwindled. But private universities have more international students. Our prime minister wants the number of international students in Bangladesh to reach 10,000 by 2020. “It is difficult to start studying in Bangladesh because documents need to be verified by nine government agencies. Can a student meet all the requisites and begin the semester on time? Unlikely. We suggested a four-step verification, but this is what it is.” The rebut According to private university authorities, the approval process is complex and discouraging international students to consider Bangladesh. The new steps are expected to stretch the whole admission process, dampening the rising flow of foreign students, and having and adverse impact on foreign cash flow as well. Sheikh Kabir Hossain, president of the Association of Private Universities of Bangladesh, said: “Whatever the government is doing is for the well-being of the country. The government should know what kind of people are enrolling in our universities. It will be better if the government consults us.” Mohammad Imtiaj, director of Branding, Communication and Public Relations at Southeast University, said: “We welcome the move, but the requirement must be clear and the process has to have a fixed timeframe otherwise the students are going to miss their semesters.” State of foreign students in Bangladeshi universities Of the 50 public universities in Bangladesh, there are 23 where the 804 international students are enrolled. On the other hand, 37 private universities among 103 have 1,386 international students, according to the UGC. Dhaka International University has the most, with 285 international students, followed by Daffodil International University with 167 students and North South University with 120.

Tales of 'Akbar the Great' and feeding sweets to strangers Bangladesh celebrates Independent Online/ESPNcricinfo For a moment, a nation stopped breathing. People got out of their cars, while sitting in endless traffic jams, to celebrate with each other. Some went in search of a nearby TV, whether it was at an electronics store or a clubhouse tent, to celebrate with more strangers. There were chants of "Bangladesh, Bangladesh" across cities, towns and villages, with reports of victory processions in several places. A Facebook video showed one man wearing a Bangladesh jersey, feeding pedestrians and rickshaw-pullers from a box of sweets. There was one photo of a group of people crowding around a phone, trying to catch the game, at a wedding. Millions congratulated the youngsters and the country on social media, while newspaper headlines on Monday morning screamed of the achievement - Bangladesh's first major global sporting trophy. One headline even made reference to "Akbar the Great". Still, all this qualifies as muted celebrations by Bangladeshi standards. More fun had probably been had after Bangladesh won the 1997 ICC Trophy, and after some of their major ODI wins of the last 20 years. Massive celebrations of those victories at the Dhaka University campus and Old Dhaka had often included rong khela (playing with coloured powders, much like during the festival of Holi) and fireworks. But the reaction to Bangladesh's three-wicket win over India in Potchefstroom wasn't massive mainly because the cricket-watching public was cautious - they have experienced too many heartbreaks in finals to keep pots of water colours or fireworks handy. It was also an Under-19 World Cup final, as opposed to a senior tournament, so for many casual fans, it must have become an occasion only after Bangladesh had bowled out India cheaply. As the evening went on, with many disillusioned by the senior men's performance in the Rawalpindi Test, switching TV channels was the way to go. Akbar Ali's men provided enough drama when they faltered in the chase, and needed their captain to bail them out. By the time Rakibul Hasan hit the winning runs, the wild celebrations had begun. Winning major titles is rare thing in Bangladesh sports. There was however a connection between both cricketing achievements,1997 and 2020. Present on both occasions was Hasibul Hossain, the former fast bowler who is now an age-group selector travelling with the U-19 team. Hasibul had famously hit the winning runs in the 1997 final in Kuala Lumpur. "These are different feelings, it is hard for me to describe," Hasibul told ESPNcricinfo from Potchefstroom, soon after the triumph. "We are overjoyed by winning this title. It had been a long time coming, and we have planned this for so long. It is really satisfying to see these boys reach such a height." There were celebrations still going on behind Hasibul it seemed, and later the ICC published video of dressing-room scenes: players and team management dancing together. The celebrations will continue when the team arrives in Dhaka, with reports and rumors of cash rewards awaiting the players. It will be a heady time for these young cricketers, and how they cope with all the attention and fame is going to have a major influence on the rest of their lives.

PN & PLAN Sea Guardian 2020

Green Park working on the first all-in-one condo in Chattogram Sanmar Properties Ltd, a reputed real estate company, is building the towers called ‘Green Park’ Architects’ concept model of the Green Park housing complex of Sanmar Properties Ltd in Chattogram. PHOTO: SANMAR PROPERTIES LTD Three tall towers, each having 26 levels, are being built on a 128.36 katha plot of land in the Arefin Nagar area of Chattogram city. Each floor of the towers will have six apartments. The towers will have restaurants, badminton courts, a basketball corner, gymnasium, internet connection, spa and swimming pool. The towers will house 468 families. Sanmar Properties Ltd, a reputed real estate company in Chattogram, is building the towers called "Green Park" based on the design of local and foreign architects. This is the first such project that Sanmar is undertaking, and the company claims that it is the first of its kind in Chattogram. On a spot visit, this correspondent found that the towers are being built at the base of some hills, and around 50 percent of one tower has been completed. The three basements of another tower have been cast and work on yet another tower has started. Urban planners say that such apartment buildings are popular in many countries because they provide housing for a large number of people on a relatively small plot of land. This apartment complex will have a playground, space for walking, a community centre to hold family and social events, an ATM booth, a pharmacy and a shop for essential items. Delwar Hossain Majumder, a city planner, said, "Many families can live in such an apartment complex which also offers all kinds of civic amenities. Besides, many people can live in a small space. It is necessary to implement such projects because they solve the housing problems of the middle class and upper middle class. Both government and private firms will have to undertake such projects." Hillol Chowdhury, manager of Sanmar Properties, said that tower-2 will be completed in 2024, tower-3 in 2025 and tower-1 in 2026. Mahfujul Bari, general manager of Sanmar Properties said, one can enjoy the natural beauty of Chattogram from level 10 upwards of each tower, and one can see the Bay of Bengal from level 26. Apartment Complex facilities The apartment complex will be a gated community, and will feature nine lifts, a fire suppression system, backup power generators and CCTV cameras. The area will be covered in greenery and will have many civic amenities including prayer rooms. The complex will have aesthetic landscaping, colourful lighting and barbeque facilities. The residents of the towers will enjoy special offers in the high quality restaurants there. Apart from grocery shops, there will also be a beauty salon, men's salon, a book shop, cafeteria, laundry, ATM booth, a pharmacy and doctor's chambers. The 180-feet wide Bayezid Link Road runs by the apartment complex. This road – to be opened in June this year – will connect the towers to the city and to the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway. The road will facilitate communication for the residents of the complex.

Bangladesh's activities seems like Professor Mansky's moves in The Coldest Game. I think the Government of Bangladesh will make a surprising move that would knock out everyone. For this we require more maturity and patience collectively as a nation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Coldest_Game