March 2021 Edition

Keeping pace with every month... MAGAZINE

CELEBRATING Writer Mushtaq Ahmed dies in jail years Myanmar’s military OF GLORY seized power MBS approved the operation

www.currentdigest.xyz March 2021 Edition

Keeping pace with every month...

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currentdigest.xyz March 2021 Edition

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currentdigest.xyz March 2021 Edition

A probe body of Jatiya Muktijoddha Council will meet soon to look into the legal aspects of revoking gallantry awards given to late president Ziaur Rahman and killers of Bangabandhu and their patrons. The council at a meeting on Feb 10 decided in principle to revoke the gallantry awards of Zia and four self-declared killers of Bangabandhu. After dicision, a clash occurred between BNP activists and police in front of the city’s Jatiya Press Club during BNP’s protest and BNP continuing its protest against the decision to revoke the gallantry award given to late president Ziaur Rahman.

Opponents of Myanmar’s military coup sustained mass protests for last month as continuing arrests of junta critics added to anger over the detention of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The United Nations human rights office said on Friday more than 350 people, including officials, activists and monks, have been arrested in Myanmar since the Feb. 1 coup, including some who face criminal charges on “dubious grounds”. Anger in Myanmar has been fuelled by videos showing more arrests of government critics - including a doctor who was part of the civil disobedience movement. Some arrests have taken place during the hours of darkness. Internet memes captioned “Our nights aren’t safe anymore” and “Myanmar military is kidnapping people at night” have circulated widely on social media. currentdigest.xyz March 2021

At a glance of the month of February 01.02.2021 (Monday) 05.02.21 (Friday) At least 12 people have died from allegedly consuming One of the accused in the case over rape of a private counterfeit alcohol in Dhaka and Bogura district over university student confessed to a Dhaka court that he the last 48 hours. had raped the victim at her friend’s house in the city’s A lawmaker from Mymensingh-3 lodged a general diary Mohammadpur area. against the new elected Gouripur Municipality mayor The home ministry sacked a senior jail superintendent Syed Rafiqul Islam for allegedly threatening him. and a jailer of Kashimpur Central Jail-1 for letting an inmate spend time with a woman inside a prison officer’s room. 12 people die drinking counterfeit alcohol Top of the At least 12 people, including two students of a private university Week and three staffers of a media organisation, have died from allegedly consuming counterfeit alcohol in Dhaka and Bogura district over the last 48 hours. Police said they are investigating the incidents. In Dhaka, around 41 employees of the media organisation went to a resort in Gazipur last Friday for an office tour, according to sources. After returning to Dhaka, many were hospitalised for poisoning. While undergoing treatment, two employees died on Sunday and another died, said the team member, who also received treatment after having the drinks.

02.02.2021 (Tuesday) 06.02.21 (Saturday) Bangladesh authorities have termed an Al Jazeera Bangladesh is expecting visits by British Prime investigative report “false, defamatory and a politically Minister Boris Johnson and several other VVIPs to motivated smear campaign”. Bangladesh this year. Around 41,000 people have got registered online in The health directorate reported 305 new Covid-19 seven days till Feb 01 afternoon for taking Covid cases today, the lowest daily number in 10 months. vaccines. 07.02.21 (Sunday) 03.02.21 (Wednesday) A probe has found that Hallmark General Manager Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday expressed Tushar Ahmed spent around two hours with a woman displeasure over frequent revisions of projects and at a prison officer’s room in Kashimpur Central directed the authorities to take legal action. Jail-1. Criticising Al Jazeera for a recent report on Prime The High Court observed that the Anti-Corruption Minister Sheikh Hasina, top ministers of the Commission should not act like a toothless tiger in government said they were mulling legal action combatting corruption and irregularities. against Al Jazeera for “spreading misinformation”. 08.02.20 (Monday) 04.02.2021 (Thursday) Police have pressed charges against photojournalist Fifty people, including a former BNP lawmaker, were Shafiqul Islam Kajol, and others in two cases filed last jailed for different terms in a case filed over the attack year under the Digital Security Act. on Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina’s motorcade in Chattogram district police on Sunday arrested six Kolaroa in 2002. police constables of the Chattogram Metropolitan BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman was sentenced to Police (CMP) on charge of extortion. two years’ imprisonment by a Narail court in a defama- The High Court warned that it will not spare any tion case over making derogatory comments about corrupt people no matter how powerful they are -- be Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. it ministers or lawmakers. currentdigest.xyz 5 March 2021

At a glance of the month of February

Protest against decision to revoke Zia’s Bir Uttam Top of the A clash occurred between BNP activists and police in front of the city’s Week Jatiya Press Club during BNP’s protest against the decision to revoke the gallantry award given to late president Ziaur Rahman. Police claimed at least 10 of their members were injured during the clash while BNP said 119 of its members were injured “in police attack.” Witnesses said several hundred protestors started gathering in front of the Jatiya Press Club around 10:00am and started a rally with huge police presence nearby. Several senior leaders of BNP, including Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, and Amanullah Aman, joined the rally organised by Dhaka south and north city units jointly as part of the party’s countrywide programme in all cities. 09.02.21 (Tuesday) 13.02.21 (Saturday) The High Court said it would not allow any “pick and PK Halder used forged national identity cards to borrow choose policy” of the Anti-Corruption Commission. Tk 450 crore from three financial institutions (NBFIs) More than 8.7 million people died in 2018 from fossil and laundered the money, according to Anti-Corruption fuel pollution, One in 5 deaths globally: study Commission findings. The Maldives will recruit workers from Bangladesh by A clash occurred between BNP activists and police in creating a solid framework under an agreement, said front of the city’s Jatiya Press Club during BNP’s visiting Foreign Minister of the Maldives Abdulla protest against the decision to revoke the gallantry Shahid. award given to late president Ziaur Rahman. 10.02.21 (Wednesday) 14.02.21 (Sunday) A Dhaka court set February 16 for delivering the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said many countries judgment for the murder of blogger and writer Avijit have expressed their interest in providing novel corona- Roy in February 2015. virus vaccines to Bangladesh. Zainul Haque Sikder, chairman of the renowned Sikder Municipal polls: Many places were marked by wide- Group of Companies, passed away in a hospital in spread allegations of voter fraud, ballot-box stuffing, Dubai. flouting of laws and violence that left one man dead 11.02.21 (Thursday) and at least 26 injured. Detectives pressed charges against lawmaker Haji 15.02.21 (Monday) Salim’s son Mohammad Erfan Salim and four others in Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar said that a case filed over the assault and attempted murder of a elections in the country are becoming “one-centric” Navy officer in October last year. which cannot be an element of multi-party democracy. Investigators have charged photojournalist Shafiqul The government has reverted to its original plan of Islam Kajol with circulating indecent, defamatory, administering the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine objectionable and fake information about some minis- eight weeks after the first phase instead of the gap of ters, MPs and leaders on Facebook. four weeks between the two doses. 12.02.21 (Friday) 16.02.21 (Tuesday) PK Halder’s close associate Sukumar Mridha told a A Dhaka court handing down death sentences to five Dhaka court that over 100 people, mostly bankers, had militants and life imprisonment to another for killing helped Halder execute financial scams. Avijit Roy on February 26, 2015. Ron Haque Sikder, managing director of Sikder Group, Bangladesh Army Chief General Aziz Ahmed has said got an interim bail five hours after his arrest upon that demeaning the army chief is tantamount to arrival at Dhaka airport in a case filed over torturing 2 demeaning the prime minister. The Al Jazeera state- bankers on. ment was completely ill-motivated, he added. currentdigest.xyz 6 March 2021

At a glance of the month of February 17.02.21 (Wednesday) 21.02.21 (Sunday) A sedition case was filed against four people over the Al Two college students -- a girl and a boy -- were Jazeera report titled “All the Prime Minister’s Men”. sexually harassed by youths who forced them into a The High Court directed the telecom regulator to imme- compromising situation and videotaped them in diately remove Al Jazeera report “All the Prime Minis- Noakhali Sadar upazila. ter’s Men” from online platforms in order to prevent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said her government “further worsening of the situation”. has been working to ensure that no language across the world faces extinction. Avijit Roy was killed to gag free speech Top of the Writer-blogger Avijit Roy was killed to gag and discourage freedom of expres- Week sion so that no one in the country can write or express themselves freely. He had to pay with his life for writing and expressing his opinions freely. Judge Md Majibur Rahman of the Anti-Terrorism Special Tribunal made the observation yesterday while handing down death sentences to five militants and life imprisonment to another for killing Avijit on February 26, 2015. Labelling Avijit an atheist, the convicted members of Ansar al Islam brutally murdered him as per a decision of the banned militant outfit, said the judge. Those sentenced to death are Syed Mohammad Ziaul Haque alias Major (sacked) Zia alias Sagar alias Boro bhai, Akram Hossain alias Abir alias Adnan alias Hasibul alias Abdul- lah, Abu Siddique Sohel alias Sakib alias Sajid alias Shahab, Mozammel Hossain alias Saimon alias Shahriar and Arafat Rahman alias Siam alias Sazzad. 18.02.21 (Thursday) 22.02.21 (Monday) A human trafficking syndicate formed a nexus with The seat of independent lawmaker Mohammad immigration police personnel at Sylhet Airport, a Shahid Islam, also known as Kazi Papul, has been CID probe has found. vacated on grounds of moral turpitude. A Dhaka tribunal cleared Mohammad Erfan Salim in Second lot of twenty lakh doses of Oxford-AstraZen- an arms case as the police did not find any evidence to eca vaccine from Serum Institute of India reached prove the charges against him and the prosecution did the country. not seek further investigation. Education Minister Dipu Moni announced that 19.02.21 (Friday) in-person classes at universities would resume on At least 50 people were injured in clashes between two May 24 after the Eid-ul-Fitr. factions of ruling Awami League over establishing 23.02.21 (Tuesday) supremacy in Noakhali’s Companiganj upazila. The High Court came down heavily on a section of A woman and her two children have been murdered Bangladesh Bank officials over their alleged links allegedly by her stepson over a family feud in with financial scams involving People’s Leasing and Sylhet sadar upazila. Financial Services Ltd (PLFSL). 20.02.21 (Saturday) Rab arrested a fugitive convict, Iqbal Hossain alias Noakhali Awami League leaders backtracked from their Jahangir alias Selim, from the capital’s Diabari area decision to relieve Abdul Quader Mirza of organisational around 3:00am, in the August 21 grenade attack activities within two hours of issuing the release state- case. ment. World Bank is expected to approve $1.6 billion in Covid-19 vaccine funding for Bangladesh and 11 other countries, its President David Malpass has said. currentdigest.xyz 7 March 2021

At a glance of the month of February

24.02.21 (Wednesday) 27.02.21 (Saturday) UP member Samar Bijay Chakma, was also a member United Nations gives final nod to country’s gradua- of Jana Sanghati Samity (MN Larma), was shot dead tion from a Least Developed Country (LDC) after 45 inside the Baghaichhari upazila office in Rangamati. years, transition period extended to 2026. Dhaka University authorities have decided to hold Bangladesh has once again asked its counterpart all ongoing and previously announced exams of its India for using “non-lethal” weapons in the seven affiliated colleges. Indo-Bangla border to bring down the border killing 26.73 lakh people vaccinated in 15 days. to zero during Home Secretary-level talks between India and Bangladesh. 25.02.21 (Thursday) After a year of closure due to the pandemic, the Students across the country took to the streets demand- government announced that all schools and colleges ing the continuation of ongoing and previously will be reopening on March 30. announced exams. Writer Mushtaq Ahmed, who had been locked up 28.02.21 (Sunday) under the controversial Digital Security Act for over Cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore was subjected to nine months, denied bail six times and finally passed inhumane physical and mental torture in custody, away. Kishore’s lawyer told a Dhaka court. 26.02.21 (Friday) At least 40 people were injured in a series of clashes between the activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Thirteen heads of foreign missions in Bangladesh, have police in front of the National Press Club after police expressed grave concern over the death in custody of foiled a protest rally. writer Mushtaq Ahmed, ask govt for transparent probe. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has highly applauded Bangladesh’s tremendous efforts in mitigat- ing the health and socio-economic consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Writer Mushtaq Ahmed dies in jail Top of the Writer Mushtaq Ahmed, who had been locked up under the controversial Week Digital Security Act for over nine months, was in the Kashimpur High Security Jail-3 in Gazipur. He was denied bail six times and finally passed away last night before he could ever walk free. “He lost consciousness suddenly around 7:10pm. Immediately, we took him to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital. There, doctor declared him dead around 8:20pm,” Gias Uddin, acting superintendent of Kashimpur High Security Jail. He was critical, on social media, of the government’s handling of the pandemic. On May 6 last year, Rapid Action Battalion arrested him at his Dhaka home for “spreading rumours and carrying out anti-government activities”. The charges were filed under the DSA and he had been in that prison since August 20.

currentdigest.xyz 8 The Overview March 2021 Myanmar’s fragile democracy

The people of Myanmar are no strangers to military rule. Here is a timeline of it’s troubled history.

1947: Aung San, who fought against the Japanese and led the country to independence from Britain, is assassinated. Aung San Suu Kyi, is his only daughter and youngest child.

1948: Myanmar achieves formal independence under President U Nu.

1962: The military under General Ne Win takes power in a coup. All opposition parties are banned.

1988: Pro-democracy protests in August are met with a brutal military crackdown and as many as 5,000 people are killed. In September, Suu Kyi founds the National League for Democracy (NLD).

1990: Under international pressure the military calls an election, which the NLD wins by a landslide. The military refuses to recognise the results or hand over power and Suu Kyi is arrested and placed in house arrest.

1995: In July, Aung San Suu Kyi released from house arrest.

2002: Suu Kyi released again and allowed to travel around the country.

2007: Thousands take to the streets of Yangon in protests led by Buddhist monks, after the military government removes fuel subsidies. Dozens are killed in the subsequent military crackdown.

2008: The process of democratisation begins with a controversial constitutional referendum that took place only two days after Cyclone Nargis swept across the Irrawaddy Delta leaving tens of thousands dead.

2010: The USDP wins elections that are boycotted by the NLD. Aung San Suu Kyi is freed from house arrest in November.

2015: The NLD wins a general election by a landslide and Suu Kyi becomes leader in a specially created role of state counsellor.

2016-18: Unrest flares again in Rakhine after Rohingya fighters attack three police border posts, killing nine police officers. A brutal military crackdown in Rakhine drives more than 730,000 Rohingya into Bangladesh. The United Nations says the campaign of mass killing, rape, and arson was carried out with “genocidal intent”, which Myanmar denies. Suu Kyi later defends Myanmar against genocide charges brought at the Hague.

2019: Fighting begins in Rakhine between government troops and the Arakan Army (AA), an ethnic Rakhine group seeking greater regional autonomy. Suu Kyi urges the army to “crush” the rebels.

2020: The NLD claims a resounding victory in parliamentary elections taking more votes than it did in 2015. The USDP demands a rerun of the election and calls for military help to ensure fairness, alleging irregularities.

2021: The military imposes a state of emergency and says power has been transferred to military chief Min Aung Hlaing, after Suu Kyi and other senior government officials were arrested in a series of early morning raids.

currentdigest.xyz March 2021

At a glance of the month of February

01.02.2021 (Monday) 05.02.21 (Friday) Myanmar’s military seized power in a bloodless coup Coup in Myanmar: Protests grow amid arrests, yesterday, detaining democratically elected leader Aung Several hundred teachers and students protested at a San Suu Kyi and imposing a one-year state of emergen- Myanmar university. cy. Former president Donald Trump refused to testify in FARMERS’ PROTEST: Several senior Indian journal- his looming impeachment trial after being called by ists are facing charges of sedition over their reporting House prosecutors to give evidence, branding the and online posts about a protest by farmers. process “unconstitutional.” 02.02.2021 (Tuesday) 06.02.21 (Saturday) The military takeover in Myanmar and detention of Aung San Suu Kyi was “a major cabinet reshuffle” accowrding Coup in Myanmar: Myanmar saw its largest anti-coup to Chinese state media. protests yet with young demonstrators spilling on to the streets to denounce the country’s new military FARMER'S PROTEST IN INDIA: Twitter on Monday regime. temporarily blocked scores of accounts and tweets in India at the government’s request, and farmers staging War crimes’ in Palestinian territories: ICC paving the mass protests in the capital. way for a possible criminal investigation, despite Israeli objections. Myanmar’s military seized power Top of the Myanmar’s military seized power in a bloodless coup, detaining democrati- Week cally elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and imposing a one-year state of emergency -- moves that sparked global outrage and calls for the generals to immediately backtrack. The army intervention ended a decade of transition from outright military rule in Myanmar, with the generals justifying the power grab by alleging fraud in the November elections that Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) party won in a landslide. US President Joe Biden led the chorus of world condemnation, calling for a quick restoration of democracy and warning that Washington could reimpose sanctions. 03.02.21 (Wednesday) 07.02.21 (Sunday) Myanmar police have filed charges against ousted leader Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei tells Aung San Suu Kyi for illegally importing communications US as he delivers ‘final’ decision on nuke deal, equipment. Biden’s actions not enough to solve Yemen crisis. President Hassan Rouhani ruled out changes to Iran’s Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi warns Mamata nuclear accord with world powers and dismissed calls to of ‘Ram Card’ ahead of polls. broaden the terms of the deal and include regional coun- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for an tries. end to the war in Yemen in his first phone call with 04.02.2021 (Thursday) Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan. The United Nations Security Council yesterday called for 08.02.20 (Monday) the release of Myanmar’s leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Farmer protest in India: Prime Minister Nawwrendra others detained by the military and voiced concern over Modi made a fervent appeal to protesting farmers to the state of emergency. end their agitation against the three new farm laws, The outcry grew in Russia over the crackdown on renewing an offer of talks to resolve their concerns. peaceful protesters today as EU foreign policy chief US President Joe Biden has made clear he will not Josep Borrell was set to visit the country. unilaterally lift sanctions against Iran. currentdigest.xyz 9 March 2021

At a glance of the month of February

Coup in Myanmar Top of the Opponents of Myanmar’s military coup sustained mass protests for last Week few weeks as continuing arrests of junta critics added to anger over the detention of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Thousands marched in the business hub, Yangon, while protesters took to the streets of the capital Naypyitaw, the second city Mandalay and other towns a day after the biggest protests so far in the Southeast Asian country. “Stop kidnapping at night,” was among the signs held up by protesters in Yangon in response to arrest raids in recent days. The United Nations human rights office said on Friday more than 350 people, including officials, activists and monks, have been arrested in Myanmar since the Feb. 1 coup, including some who face criminal charges on “dubious grounds”. Anger in Myanmar has been fuelled by videos showing more arrests of government critics - including a doctor who was part of the civil disobedience movement.

09.02.21 (Tuesday) 13.02.21 (Saturday) President Joe Biden signaled he would seek to deepen Coup in Myanmar: Opponents of Myanmar’s military the close US relationship with India in his first talks coup sustained mass protests for an eighth straight with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. day. North Korea and Iran resumed cooperation on the China refused to give raw data on early Covid-19 development of long-range missiles in 2020, according cases to a WHO-led team probing the origins of the to a UN report. pandemic, one of the team’s investigators said. 10.02.21 (Wednesday) Former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi North Korea has stolen more than $300 million worth was formally sworn in as Italy’s new prime minister. of cryptocurrencies through cyberattacks in recent 14.02.21 (Sunday) months to support its banned nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, a confidential UN report said. 43 of the 50 Republican senators vote to acquit Trump on the charge of inciting last month’s deadly riot at the Coup in Myanmar: Protesters returned to the streets US Capitol. despite the shooting of a young woman the previous Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said his party, if voted day. back to power in the state, will never implement the 11.02.21 (Thursday) Citizenship (Amendment) Act. US President Joe Biden challenged Chinese leader Xi 15.02.21 (Monday) Jinping on human rights, trade and regional mus- A court in Saudi Arabia has handed down death penal- cle-flexing, in their first call since the new US presi- ty to a Saudi woman in the case over the murder of dent took office. Bangladeshi migrant worker Abiron Begum. Russia urged Iran to show restraint after it started Google and Facebook are “very close” to deals with producing uranium metal in a new breach of limits laid major Australian media to pay for news, a top govern- out in Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers. ment official said. 12.02.21 (Friday) President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the United Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said States of siding with “terrorists” after blaming Moscow is ready to sever ties with the European Union outlawed Kurdish militants of executing 13 Turks in if the bloc hits it with painful economic sanctions. northern Iraq. Turkey will not turn back from its acquisition of Russian S-400 defense systems despite US sanctions, it said. currentdigest.xyz 10 March 2021

At a glance of the month of February

Death penalty to a Saudi woman Top of the A court in Saudi Arabia has handed down death penalty to a Saudi woman Week and gave different sentences to her husband and son in the case over the murder of Bangladeshi migrant worker Abiron Begum. Abiron’s employer Ayesha al-Jizani, the main accused in the case, was sentenced to death on Sunday for killing the female worker “with a motive”, according to a report of Bangladesh Embassy in Riyadh. The Saudi Criminal Court-6 in Riyadh sentenced Ayesha’s husband Basem Salem, also employer of Abiron, to imprisonment for three years and two months and fined him 50,000 Saudi Riyal, mentioned the report prepared by the embassy’s labour welfare wing. The court ordered sending the employers’ son Walid Basem Salem to a juvenile correction centre for seven months on the charges of non-cooperation to the migrant worker and not arranging her treatment, said the report. 16.02.21 (Tuesday) 19.02.21 (Friday) US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said lawmakers will Wealthy G7 powers ramped up health funding for establish an independent commission to review the poorer nations after accusations they are hoarding “facts and causes” related to the deadly Jan. 6 attack coronavirus vaccines. on the US Capitol by supporters of then-President Anti-coup Protests in Myanmar: A young woman Donald Trump. protester died after being shot in the head last week as Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison apologised police dispersed a crowd. to a woman who alleged that she was raped in parlia- 20.02.21 (Saturday) ment two years ago for the way her complaint was handled at that time, ordering a probe into the govern- Anti-coup Protests in Myanmar: Two people were ment’s workplace culture. killed in Myanmar’s second city Mandalay when police fired to disperse protesting opponents of a Feb. 17.02.21 (Wednesday) 1 military coup. The number of new cases of Covid-19 reported worldwide Facebook Inc is back at the negotiating table, Austra- fell by 16 percent last week to 2.7 million, the World lian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said after the tech Health Organization said. giant this week blocked news on its site in the coun- Gunmen have abducted 42 people, including 27 students, try. from a school in central Nigeria, a local government 21.02.21 (Sunday) official said. 18.02.21 (Thursday) Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javaf Zarif said Biden’s Iran policy hasn’t changed as he reiterates Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the demand for lifting of sanctions for any future talks. alliance had made “no final decision” on the future of India said that its troops, along with their Chinese its Afghanistan mission, as new US President Joe counterparts, had completed a pullback from a disput- Biden weighs pulling out troops. ed part of their 3,500-kilometre-long Himalayan WHO urged Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers to make border after months of heightened tensions. good on their commitments as the planet’s poorest coun- tries await their first doses.

currentdigest.xyz 11 March 2021

At a glance of the month of February

MBS approved the operation Top of the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, popularly known as Week MBS, approved of an operation to capture or kill dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi who was murdered in 2018, according to a declassi- fied US intelligence assessment released on Friday in a manner choreographed to limit damage to US-Saudi ties. Khashoggi, a US resident who wrote opinion columns for the Washington Post critical of the crown prince’s policies, was killed and dismembered by a team of operatives linked to the crown prince in the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul. Riyadh has denied any involvement by the crown prince, Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler. “We assess that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi,” the US Office of the Director of Nation- al Intelligence said in the report posted on its website.

22.02.21 (Monday) 26.02.21 (Friday) UN chief Antonio Guterres criticised countries that are US intel report on Khashoggi killing: Saudi Arabia’s using the pandemic to justify cracking down on dissent, Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an reining in the media and suppressing criticism. operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi Global tech firms in Australia unveiled a new code of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. practice to curb the spread of disinformation online, Unidentified gunmen seized 317 schoolgirls in following pressure from the government. northwest Nigeria, police said, the second such 23.02.21 (Tuesday) kidnapping in little over a week in a region increas- Canadian MPs have voted to label Beijing’s treatment ingly targeted by militants. of Uighurs in Xinjiang as genocide, a move angrily 27.02.21 (Saturday) slammed by China as a “malicious provocation”. US intel report on Khashoggi killing: “Saudi Arabia Political Crisis in Nepal: Nepal’s Supreme Court completely rejects the negative, false and unaccept- overturned the prime minister’s decision to dissolve able assessment in the report pertaining to the king- parliament, terming the move unconstitutional. dom’s leadership” the Saudi foreign ministry said in 24.02.21 (Wednesday) a statement. Global deaths from the coronavirus fell by 20 percent The planet is on “red alert” because governments are last week compared with the week before, the WHO failing to meet their climate change goals, the United said. Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said. Political Crisis in Nepal: Nepal’s embattled prime 28.02.21 (Sunday) minister, KP Sharma Oli, will not resign but let parlia- Anti-coup Protest in Myanmar: Police fired on ment decide his fate instead, an aide said. protesters around the country against a military coup 25.02.21 (Thursday) and at least 18 people were killed, the UN human The militaries of India and said in a rare joint rights office said. statement that they had agreed to observe a ceasefire Dozens of Hong Kong dissidents were 47 charged along the disputed border in Kashmir. with subversion in the largest use yet of Beijing’s WHO official urged national authorities to make a sweeping new national security law. priority of understanding the long-term consequences of coronavirus infections as some people show worry- ing symptoms months later. currentdigest.xyz 12 March 2021

New Born in the Month of February

Samsung One UI 3 DigiBanking #1 Samsung Electronics has #2 launched One UI 3, the Bank Limited launched a latest upgrade coming to mobile banking app "SBL selected Galaxy devices, Standard titled DigiBank- bringing an exciting new ing'. From now, all design, enhanced everyday customers of Standard features, and deep customi- Bank Limited will be able zation. The upgrade will be to transfer fund instantly available for Android 11 OS, reinforcing Samsung's from their SBL account to commitment to quickly provide the latest innovation any bKash account from anywhere by using mobile to consumers. One UI 3 has started to roll out on the banking app DigiBanking". "Fund Transfer" service Galaxy S21 series and Galaxy S20 series in most was officially inaugurated at a function held at the markets. The upgrade will be available for more head office of Standard Bank Limited recently. regions and on more devices including Galaxy Note20, Z Fold2, Z Flip, Note10, Fold, and S10 series.

My Page Digital Writing Pad #3 Country's leading hi-tech products manufacturer Walton has introduced eco-friendly and radiation-free digital writing pad for kids. The super brand named the device as 'My Page Digital Writing Pad,' which will add a touch of sophisticated technology to children's learning skills. Walton's new device is equipped with a scratch resistant 10-inch anti-daz- zling LCD film screen. The easily portable digital writing pad weighs only 158 grams with 254 milliliter (mm) height and 164 mm width.

itel A321 TV Symphony ATOM #5 itel, a brand under Transsion Symphony Mobile, the has introduced the itel TV A best-selling brand and most Series to the Bangladesh popular smartphone brand in market. The first product Bangladesh, has launched a launch from A series is itel new smartphone series A321, which is full of vivid called ATOM. Regarding color and will move the ATOM, "The demand for rooms with brightness. itel A321 TV will come with smartphones has increased 5 build-in games, super picture quality, 20W Stereo among people of all walks of life in developing Speaker and multi-input ports. Customers will get Bangladesh. Regardless of the budget, everyone is 100 days replacement and 4 Years Panel Warranty demanding the use of advanced technology Service for all itel televisions supported by Carlcare smart-phones. The Symphony Atom produced in Service Centre. Bangladesh is an example of low budget advanced technology."

currentdigest.xyz 13 March 2021

Highlight of the month of February

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Bangladesh tour of England tour of India Bangladesh has left for New Zealand on February 23 to England tour of India for four Tests, five T20Is and three play three ODIs and the same number of T20Is. The series ODIs in February and March. The 12 internaional match- will begin on March 20 with the ODIs, and will end on the es has been playing across three venues- Chennai, 1st April. Ahmedabad and Pune. It is Bangladesh’s first New Zealand tour after the terror attack on two mosques in Christchurch in 2019. During the The Test series, Anthony de Mello Trophy, was previously attack, the Bangladesh team was near one of those scheduled for five Tests but one Test had to be cut off. mosques, but they escaped unhurt. On Monday (February The first two Tests had played in Chennai on February 5-9 22), Bangladesh squad attended a photo session ahead of and 13-17 respectively. India had hosted their second their tour. The tour-opening ODI will be played at Duned- home day-night Test from February 24 at the Motera in’s University Oval on March 20, after Bangladesh com- Stadium, which holds a capacity of 110,000. The fourth pletes a five-day training camp in Queenstown, followed by and final Test will be from March 4 at the same venue. 50-over matches on March 23 (, Christchurch) The teams will remain in Ahmedabad for a marathon and March 26 (, Wellington). The T20Is will 5-match T20I series before heading to Pune for three be played on March 28 (, Hamilton), March 30 ODIs.The Test series is a part of World Test Champion- (McLean Park, Napier) and April 1 (, Auckland). ship which may play a vital role in confirming the final- ists. ODI World Cup champions England will take on will lead Bangladesh in ODIs while Mahmud- 2023 hosts India in the Super League. ullah Riyad will the side in T20Is. Bangladesh played 35 ODIs and seven T20Is against New Zealand and “The BCCI prioritises health and safety of both teams and came victorious in 10 ODIs, none of those was in New will leave no stone unturned to make sure that the tour is Zealand. Bangladesh are yet to win a T20I against the held adhering to all safety protocols agreed by the BCCI Blackcaps. and ECB medical teams. Both Boards have worked closely to put together an exciting series that promises to Bangladesh squad for New Zealand tour: Tamim Iqbal, provide high octane action between two powerhouses of Musaddek Hossain, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur world . This is India’s first bilateral series at home Rahim, , , since the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic and the home Riyad, Afif Hossain, , Mohammad Naim, season will bring back joy to cricket fans,” said Jay Shah, , Al Amin Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Hasan BCCI secretary. Mahmud, Mohammad Saifuddin, , Miraz, , Mahedy Hasan, Rubel Hossain

currentdigest.xyz 14 March 2021

Fixture of the month of March

Dortmund VS Sevilla 05 Mar Liverpool VS Chelsea 10 Mar Juventus VS Porto 06 Mar Burnley VS Arsenal PSG VS Barcelona Liverpool VS Fulham 11 Mar 07 Mar Liverpool VS Leipzig Man City VS Man Utd Man City Gladbach 09 Mar Chelsea Everton 17 Mar VS VS Real Madrid VS Atalanta Leeds United VS Chelsea Chelsea VS Atletico 13 Mar Man Utd VS West Ham 18 Mar Bayern VS Lazio Fulham VS Man City 14 Mar Arsenal VS Tottenham 16 Mar Wolves VS Liverpool 21 Mar West Ham VS Arsenal

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BANGLADESH TOUR OF NEW ZEALAND 2021 FIXTUREX DATE MATCH VENUE

20 Mar 1st ODI ,

23 Mar 2nd ODI Hagley Oval; Christchurch

26 Mar 3rd ODI Basin Reserve, Wellington

28 Mar 1st T20 Seddon Park, Hamilton

30 Mar 2nd T20 Mclean Park, Napier

April 01 3rd T20 Eden Park, Auckland

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