NEWS ON DATE - 19-04-2024
Iran fires at apparent Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
An apparent Israeli drone attack on a major air base early near the central city of Isfahan activated Iranian air defenses early Friday. The strike came just days after Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on Israel.
No Iranian official directly acknowledged the possibility that Israel had attacked, and the Israeli military did not respond to a request for comment. However, regional tensions have been high since the Saturday assault on Israel amid its war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip and its own strikes targeting Iran in Syria.
Speaking at the G7 meeting in Capri, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said the U.S. received “last-minute” information from Israel about the attack on Isfahan. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken did not dispute that, but said: "We were not involved in any offensive operations.”
The apparent attack came on Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's 85th birthday. Israeli politicians also made comments hinting that the country had launched an attack.
Air defense batteries fired in several provinces over reports of drones being in the air, state television reported. Iranian army commander Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi said crews targeted several flying objects.
“The explosion this morning in the sky of Isfahan was related to the shooting of air defense systems at a suspicious object that did not cause any damage,” Mousavi said. Others suggested the drones may be so-called quadcopters — four-rotor, small drones that are commercially available.
Authorities said air defenses fired at a major air base in Isfahan, which long has been home to Iran's fleet of American-made F-14 Tomcats — purchased before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The Tasnim news agency published a video from one of its reporters, who said he was in the southeastern Zerdenjan area of Isfahan, near its “nuclear energy mountain.” The footage showed two different anti-aircraft gun positions, and details of the video corresponded with known features of the site of Iran's Uranium Conversion Facility at Isfahan.
“At 4:45, we heard gunshots. There was nothing going on,” he said. “It was the air defense, these guys that you’re watching, and over there too.”
The facility at Isfahan operates three small Chinese-supplied research reactors, as well as handling fuel production and other activities for Iran's civilian nuclear program.
Isfahan also is home to sites associated with Iran's nuclear program, including its underground Natanz enrichment site, which has been repeatedly targeted by suspected Israeli sabotage attacks.
State television described all atomic sites in the area as “fully safe." The United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, also said “there is no damage to Iran’s nuclear sites” after the incident.
The IAEA “continues to call for extreme restraint from everybody and reiterates that nuclear facilities should never be a target in military conflicts,” the agency said.
Iran's nuclear program has rapidly advanced to producing enriched uranium at nearly weapons-grade levels since the collapse of its atomic deal with world powers after then-President Donald Trump withdrew America from the accord in 2018.
While Iran insists its program is for peaceful purposes, Western nations and the IAEA say Tehran operated a secret military weapons program until 2003. The IAEA has warned that Iran now holds enough enriched uranium to build several nuclear weapons if it chose to do so — though the U.S. intelligence community maintains Tehran is not actively seeking the bomb.
Dubai-based carriers Emirates and FlyDubai began diverting around western Iran about 4:30 a.m. local time. They offered no explanation, though local warnings to aviators suggested the airspace may have been closed.
Iran then grounded commercial flights in Tehran and across areas of its western and central regions. Iran later restored normal flight service, authorities said.
Around the time of the incident in Iran, Syria's state-run SANA news agency quoted a military statement saying Israel carried out a missile strike targeting an air defense unit in its south and causing material damage. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said the strike hit a military radar for government forces. It was not clear if there were casualties, the Observatory said.
That area of Syria is directly west of Isfahan, some 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) away, and east of Israel.
Meanwhile in Iraq, where a number of Iranian-backed militias are based, residents of Baghdad reported hearing sounds of explosions, but the source of the noise was not immediately clear.
The incident Friday in Iran also sparked concerns about the conflict again escalating across the seas of the Middle East, which have been seeing attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels of Yemen on shipping over the war in Gaza.
The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center warned ships in the region that they could see increased drone activity in the skies.
“There are currently no indications commercial vessels are the intended target,” it wrote.
The Houthis have launched at least 53 attacks on shipping, seized one vessel and sank another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration.
Houthi attacks have dropped in recent weeks as the rebels have been targeted by a U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen and as shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has declined over the threat.
The apparent attack also briefly spooked energy markets, sending benchmark Brent crude above $90 before it fell again in trading Friday.
However, Iranian state-run media sought to downplay the incident after the fact, airing footage of an otherwise-peaceful Isfahan morning. That could be intentional, particularly after Iranian officials for days have been threatening to retaliate for any Israeli retaliatory attack on the nation.
“As long as Iran continues to deny the attack and deflect attention from it and no further hits are seen, there is space for both sides to climb down the escalation ladder for now,” said Sanam Vakil, the director of the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House.
AL govt is afraid of BNP, lacks popular support: Rizvi
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Friday said the government is depriving many leaders of the party of fresh air and day light by throwing them into the jails.
Rizvi said it in a sit-in programme in front of the National Press Club organised by Zia Projanmo Dal (ZPD) demanding the release of BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and other imprisoned leaders.
Not only BNP men, AL imprisoned country’s people too, says Rizvi
The jails have turned into permanent residence for many BNP leaders and activists as without any reason they have been imprisoned for months, he said.
“Top BNP leaders like the secretary general, standing committee members, vice- chairman, join secretary general have suffered prison terms for three-four month before their release recently," he alleged.
Sheikh Hasina’s policy to imprison BNP leaders and activists is not finished yet, he charged.
The PM, he said, is afraid of BNP and knows that there is no popular support for her.
State patronisation behind disappearances of Illias and others: Rizvi
A government lacking support of the people turns autocratic, Rizvi said adding, it suppresses the people when they raise their voice for rights.
“They resort to all means of suppression such as imprisonment , making ‘Ayana Ghar for torture, use law enforcement agencies to kill opponents and use party cadres to thrash the oppositions," said the BNP leader.
The Awami League government imprisoned 25 to 26 thousand BNP leaders and activists before January 7 dummy election, he claimed.
Number of Benazir-like wealthy people increased: Rizvi
A large number of BNP men still remains in prison while a few walked out after serving 3-4 months jail terms, he said.
Rizvi said does the government has any honest answer as to why so many BNP members are being put in jail.
The prime minister is doing this only to retain her illegally gained state power, he alleged.
Ukraine claims it shot down a Russian strategic bomber as Moscow's missiles kill 8 Ukrainians
Ukraine’s air force claimed Friday it shot down a Russian strategic bomber, but Moscow officials said the plane crashed in a sparsely populated area due to a malfunction after a combat mission.
Neither claim could be independently verified. Previous Ukrainian claims of shooting down Russian warplanes during their more than two-year war have met with silence or denials from Moscow.
Meanwhile, Russian missiles struck cities in the central Dnipro region of Ukraine, killing eight people, including a 14-year-old girl and 8-year-old boy, and injuring 28, local officials said.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy repeated Kyiv officials’ almost daily appeals for more Western air defense systems, again drawing a parallel with how Israel blunted a recent Iranian attack.
Missile and drone attacks can be thwarted, he wrote on social platform X: “This has been demonstrated in the skies over the Middle East, and it should also work in Europe."
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba added: “Children must not be killed in airstrikes in modern Europe.”
Russia’s air force is vastly more powerful than Ukraine’s, but sophisticated missile systems provided by Kyiv’s Western partners are a major threat to Russian aviation as the Kremlin’s forces slowly push forward along the around 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line in what has become a grinding war of attrition. Ukrainian officials say they expect a major Russian offensive in the summer.
Ukraine said the air force and military intelligence cooperated to bring down the Tu-22M3 bomber with anti-aircraft missiles. Russia commonly uses the bomber to fire Kh-22 cruise missiles at Ukrainian targets from inside its own airspace. The plane can also carry nuclear warheads.
The Russian defense ministry said the warplane crashed “in a deserted area” in the southern region of Stavropol, hundreds of kilometers (miles) from the Ukrainian border.
Three crew members were rescued after ejecting from the aircraft, and the search for a fourth is taking place, according to the ministry. But Stavropol Gov. Vladimir Vladimirov said one of the rescued pilots died.
On Christmas Eve, Ukraine claimed to have shot down two Russian fighter jets. In January, the Ukrainian air force said it shot down a Russian early warning and control plane and a key command center aircraft that relays information to troops on the ground, in what appeared to be a significant blow for the Kremlin’s forces. The next month, Ukraine said it knocked out another early warning and control plane.
Also in January, Moscow accused Kyiv of shooting down a Russian military transport plane that was carrying Ukrainian POWs who were headed for a prisoner swap.
Russian forces overnight conducted a combined aerial attack with the use of 22 missiles of various types and 14 Shahed drones during the night, the Ukrainian air force said. All the drones and 15 of the missiles were intercepted, it said.
The attack hit urban areas as well as train infrastructure in the Dnipro region, Ukraine’s National Railway Operator said. Among those killed in the strikes was employee Oksana Storozhenko, the mother of two teenage sons, it said.
President mourns death of national flag’s first designer Shib Narayan
President Mohammed Shahabuddin has expressed profound shock at the death of the country's war-time national flag designer and valiant freedom fighter Shib Narayan Das.
In a condolence message, the president prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family members.
National flag’s first designer Shib Narayan passes away
Shib Narayan Das, who had designed the first flag of Bangladesh just before the independence, breathed his last at 9:25 am at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University in the capital.
He was born in Cumilla to a martyr's family. His father Satish Chandra Das was captured and killed by the Pakistani army during the liberation war in 1971. He is survived by his wife Gitashree Chowdhury and their son Arnab Das.
Fire at Dhaka Shishu Hospital doused
A fire that broke out in the cardiac ward of Dhaka Shishu Hospital in the capital’s Agargaon area on Friday afternoon, has been doused, fire service said.
Five firefighting units doused the fire at 2:39pm, said Talha Bin Zasim, station officer of Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) headquarters media cell.
He said the fire originated in the cardiac ward on the fourth floor of the hospital around 1:47 pm.
The origin of the fire could not be known immediately, he added.
No casualties were reported.
No political case filed against BNP men: PM Hasina
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday said there are no political cases filed against opposition BNP leaders and activists.
“The cases against them (BNP) are related to different crimes. They committed offenses. So, legal action is being taken against them,” she said.
The premier made these remarks while addressing an event arranged in Ganabhaban to exchange views with the central committee members of Bangladesh Krishak League on the occasion of its 52th founding anniversary.
She said the cases should be disposed of quickly to ensure punishment for these crimes.
The PM said the cases were filed for commitment of crimes like arson violence, killing people, corruption, arms smuggling and grenade attacks.
Noting that BNP unleashed arson violence in 2013 and 2014 in a bid to resist the 2014 general election, she said they burnt 3800 cars, buses, launches and trains.
Talking about the violence before the recently held 12th parliamentary election, Hasina said they committed the 28th October incident and killed a mother and her child by setting fire to trains to thwart the polls.
“Should not show cases be filed against those who committed these things? Would people worship them?” she said.
She said today they are raising the issue everywhere that cases are filed against them. They have to be asked what the cases were filed for, she added.
Turning down the claim that 60 lakh BNP leaders and workers are in jail, the prime minister said that the jails of the country have no capacity to accommodate so many people.
“They’re claiming that their 60 lakh men are arrested, but we (our jails) don't even have such capacity (to accommodate so many people),” she said.
The premier said if so many BNP men are detained in jails, it means all who are now in jails are their men and there are no other criminals anymore there. “It means all criminals there (who are in the jails) belong to BNP,” she said.
Depicting the horrific scenes of violence and torture on Awami League leaders and activists during the BNP regimes, the PM said her government didn’t go to take revenge, but instead devoted its merit and power to developing the country and working for its people.
“It is lucky for them that we are in power. They still can get scope to talk (raise voice) as we are not revengeful like them. They talk all day using the loud speaker and then they say they don't get scope to speak,” she said.
President of Bangladesh Krishak League Samir Chandra presided over the function.
Bangladesh Krishak League, an associate body of Bangladesh Awami League, was established on April 19, 1972.
Bangladeshi workers must be protected from criminalisation in Malaysia: UN experts
UN experts on Friday expressed dismay about the situation of Bangladeshi migrants in Malaysia, who had travelled there in the hope of employment after engaging in the official labour migration process.
“The situation of Bangladeshi migrants who have lived in Malaysia for several months or longer is unsustainable and undignified,” the experts said in a statement issued from Geneva.
The experts are Tomoya Obokata, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, including its causes and consequences; Siobhán Mullally, Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children; Gehad Madi, Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants and Robert McCorquodale (Chair-Rapporteur), Fernanda Hopenhaym (Vice-Chair), Pichamon Yeophantong, Damilola Olawuyi, Elzbieta Karska, Working Group on business and human rights.
“Malaysia needs to take urgent measures to address the dire humanitarian situation of migrants and protect them from exploitation, criminalisation and other human rights abuses," said the UN experts.
They noted that many migrants find on arrival in Malaysia that they do not have employment as promised and are often forced into overstaying their visas.
Consequently, these migrants risk arrest, detention, ill-treatment and deportation, the experts said.
They expressed concern that large sums of money were being generated through the fraudulent recruitment of migrant workers by criminal networks operating between Malaysia and Bangladesh.
Migrants were being deceived, recruited by companies that are frequently fake, and obliged to pay exorbitant recruitment fees which pushes them into debt bondage, the experts said.
“We received reports that certain high-level officials in both Governments are involved in this business or condoning it. This is unacceptable and needs to end,” the experts said.
“Perpetrators of these exploitative recruitments must be held accountable,” they said, adding that so far action taken against these private businesses and fraudulent recruitment companies have been wholly insufficient, both in Bangladesh and Malaysia.
“Meanwhile, vulnerable migrants have been criminalised and some have faced severe reprisals for reporting the exploitation suffered,” they said.
They urged Malaysia and Bangladesh to investigate and address the situation.
'Malaysia must govern labour migration more effectively by adopting adequate safeguards,” the experts said, urging the country to fulfil its obligations under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to protect migrant workers against human rights abuses by businesses operating in Malaysia and ensure that these businesses respect human rights.
Malaysia must also step up efforts to identify, protect and assist victims of exploitation, enforce existing legal protections against trafficking in persons and uphold the country’s international human rights obligations, they said.
The experts have previously engaged with the Governments of Malaysia and Bangladesh on these issues.
Temple fire: BGB deployed after mob attack kills two youths in Faridpur
Border guards were deployed on Friday after an angry mob beat two construction workers to death following a fire in a temple in Dumain union under Madhukhali upazila of the district, authorities said.
Five more workers who sustained severe injuries in the mob attack, have been undergoing treatment in a local hospital.
A tense situation has been prevailing in the area since last night's incident with all male members belonging to the Hindu community fled their homes, local administration said.
The deceased were identified as Ashraful, 21, and his younger brother Ashadul, 15, sons of Shahjahan Khan of Ghoperghat village under Naowarpara union of the upazila.
Faridpur Deputy Commissioner Md Qamrul Ahsan Talukdar said a fire broke out at Kali idols of the Barwari temple in Hindu-dominated Panchpalli village on Thursday evening.
Hindu residents became angry over the incident and they locked seven workers on suspicion of their involvement in the desecration of the idols.
The workers were constructing a wash block at Panchapalli Government Primary School, 20 yards off the temple.
On information, Madhukhali police and upazila administration officials rushed to the spot but the mob also confined them, the official said. With the help of Faridpur District Sadar and Rajbari District Police, the besieged people were rescued after a few hours.
Seven workers were rescued with injuries, four of them in a state of unconsciousness. The injured were taken to Madhukhali Upazila Health Complex and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical College Hospital in Faridpur, the DC said, adding that two of the injured succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment.
Meanwhile, three platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members led by a magistrate were deployed along with police to ease the tensions in the Dumain area, he said.
According to the DC a three-member committee has been formed to investigate the incident.
District Superintendent of Police Md Morshed Alam said they fired blank shots to bring the situation under control as hundreds of people took part in the attack. Several policemen were injured by the brickbats hurled by the agitators.
No arrests have been made in this connection and the situation is currently under their control. Police will remain deployed until the situation returns to normal, the SP said.
One of the injured workers Liton Mollah said noticing the fire they also took part in extinguishing it along with the locals. But the agitated people suspected the workers and tied their hands and feet and beat them up.
A large number of angry people attacked them with sticks, rods and bricks. They vandalised the doors and windows of the school, he narrated.
Local Dumain union parishad chairman said being informed from Ajit Babu, a member of ward number 1, he rushed to the spot and found thousands of people and tried to calm them. But it seemed that the situation was beyond control.
The chairman said he then informed the administration and the UNO who could bring the situation under control.
Politics of Freedom and Prosperity Index
On April 16, 2024, the Freedom and Prosperity Center of the Atlantic Council, dedicated to advancing ‘US leadership’ and emphasizing the ‘central role of the Atlantic community’, released a country report titled ‘Freedom and Prosperity in Bangladesh’ in Dhaka. The report suggests that while Bangladesh experienced a decline in freedom, it witnessed progress in terms of prosperity.
The findings are also appeared contradictory and beset with a series of loopholes with recommendations ignored a msassive scale of social safety net scheme put in place by the current government. However, certain newspapers painted a gloomy picture, disseminating fake news.
From a methodological standpoint, the rationale behind selecting 1995 as the benchmark year for comparison remains unclear in the Bangladesh Country Report. The report fails to explain this choice, necessitating a reference to the ‘2024 Atlas: Freedom and Prosperity Around the World’ for clarification. This lack of clarity may lead to confusion among readers of the Bangladesh Country Report.
Before delving into the report’s details, a significant contradiction warrants attention. The Executive Summary suggests a correlation between freedom and prosperity, asserting that countries granting more freedoms witnessed increased prosperity from 1995 to 2022.
However, the report presents conflicting data for Bangladesh. In 2000, Bangladesh ranked 107 in prosperity and 116 in freedom, by the present, its prosperity rank improved to 99, while its freedom rank deteriorated to 141.
This inconsistency challenges the notion of a direct correlation between freedom and prosperity in Bangladesh, undermining the report's foundational premise. Moreover, referencing China and Singapore implies a cautionary message from the US against replicating their economic models, despite their non-democratic nature.
Now, let’s dive into the primary theoretical underpinning of the report, which posits that freedom leads to prosperity rather than the other way around. This perspective was reiterated by Peter Haas, the US Ambassador to Bangladesh, in his speech marking the publication of the report, as reported in The Daily Star on April 18, 2024. Ignorant of neo-liberal bias and touted as a god by the opposition outfit BNP and Jamaat, Ambassador Haas emphasized the ongoing debate regarding whether prosperity fosters greater freedoms or vice versa. He endorsed the Atlantic Council's research, describing it as ‘groundbreaking’ for accurately identifying the linkage between freedom and prosperity. According to him, freedom is not merely a consequence of prosperity but serves as the fundamental engine driving it forward. Moreover, Hass has been already lost the venerable cover of neutrality , unlike many other foreign envoy .
In his foreword for the ‘2024 Atlas: Freedom and Prosperity Around the World’, published by the Atlantic Council, Daron Acemoglu, renowned for his work in ‘Why Nations Fail’, emphasizes the centrality of institutions in development, particularly liberal democratic ones. While institutions play a crucial role in achieving material prosperity, their nature and operation vary across regions. The key criterion lies in whether these institutions effectively engage the majority and function efficiently. French President Emmanuel Macron advocates for greater efficiency and agility in European democracy. Ultimately, the government's legitimacy, and even its form, hinges on its performance. Whether through peaceful or violent means, governmental changes may occur due to perceived failures in performance, a principle applicable not only to China but also to any Western democracy.
When examining the relationship between freedom and prosperity, it’s crucial to contextualize it within the historical stage of development. In emerging economies, the process of primitive accumulation can appear harsh. Similar brutality was witnessed in the past when the West exploited colonies and non-Western populations during the early stages of capitalism. Despite this, Bangladesh surpasses many Western countries in terms of economic development at this stage.
The West, particularly the US, initially hoped that fostering economic prosperity in China would naturally lead to political freedom. However, this expectation has not materialized, leading to frustration. The latest report expresses concerns about the sustainability of the Chinese and Singaporean economies. As they grapple with this dilemma, it remains unclear how the West will reconcile diminishing democracy with India's forecasted GDP growth by the IMF. To address this, they have expanded the definition of ‘prosperity’. However, in this report, prosperity is narrowly defined as individual human prosperity, excluding critical factors like infrastructural development. Bangladesh’s significant achievements in infrastructure have been overlooked in this broadened definition.
Interestingly, the West often prioritizes economic liberalism above other concerns such as democracy and rights. The architect of neoliberalism, FA Hayek, notably visited Chile to lend support to military dictators who had ousted the democratically elected President Salvador Allende, with backing from the US. Neoliberalism advocates for shock therapy, where complete liberalization, including privatization, is implemented, with the belief that the economy may initially falter but will eventually experience rapid growth. However, the application of this theory has often resulted in havoc for many countries. Freedom alone cannot guarantee prosperity.
In least-developed countries like Bangladesh, governments should prioritize investments in health, education, food security, and other social services. Embracing Amartya Sen’s concept of Development as Freedom (1999), the combination of freedom and equality holds the promise of ushering in a realm of prosperity and security on earth.
Let’s end this short piece with an example to showcase how scoring in different subindexes is ideologically biased. The Freedom and Prosperity in Bangladesh report for April 2024 highlights Bangladesh’s property rights score of 17.2 out of 100. Interestingly, the 2024 assessment by the US Treasury Department acknowledges some progress in Bangladesh's recent efforts to promote intellectual property rights. However, there seems to be a neoliberal bias in the approach to property rights, potentially undermining Bangladesh’s focus on social welfare. If Bangladesh were to remove state and cooperative ownership from Article 13 and certain sections of Article 47 of its Constitution, its score might significantly improve. Yet, such a move would deviate from the principles of building a social welfare state. Ultimately, Bangladesh must uphold the ethos of its liberation war, emphasizing values of equality, human dignity, and social justice.
Professor Dr. Mizanur Rahman is the former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission.
National flag’s first designer Shib Narayan passes away
Freedom fighter Shib Narayan Das, who had designed the first flag of Bangladesh just before the independence, passed away while undergoing treatment at a Dhaka hospital on Friday morning, his family said.
He was 78.
He breathed his last at 9:25 am at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University in the capital, his son Arnab Aditya Das confirmed to UNB over mobile phone.
Shib Narayan was born in Cumilla and his father was Satish Chandra Das who was captured and killed by the Pakistani army during the liberation war in 1971. Shib Narayan is now survived by his wife Gitashree Chowdhury and their son Arnab Das.
Shib Narayan joined politics following the language movement hero Dhirendranath Dutta. He participated in the education movement of 1962 and was imprisoned.
He was an activist and leader of Chhatra League. On June 7, 1970, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was scheduled to take part in a student parade held at Paltan Maidan in Dhaka. For this purpose, a squad of students was formed named as 'February-15 Force'. The student leaders decided to create a flag of this force.
On June 6, 1970, with this aim the then Chhatra League leaders ASM Abdur Rab, Shahjahan Siraj, Kazi Aref Ahmed and Marshal Monirul Islam sat in the room No-108 of Sergeant Zahurul Haque Hall of Dhaka University to discuss the flag plan.
Chhatra League leader Swapan Kumar Chowdhury, Jagannath College BCL leader Nazrul Islam, Cumilla district BCL general secretary and central student leader Shib Narayan Das, BUET BCL general secretary Hasanul Haq Inu and student leader Yusuf Salauddin were present in the meeting
At the end of the discussion based on the initial proposal of Kazi Aref, it was decided to make a flag with a yellow map of Bengal in the middle of the red sun on the green ground. Kamrul Alam Khan then stitched a red circle in the middle of a large piece of green cloth from a Bihari tailor's shop in Dhaka's New Market.
Then the map of East Pakistan was drawn on tracing paper with an atlas from Enamul Haque of room No-312 of Titumir Hall of the University of Engineering.
Shib Narayan Das finally drew the map with a skillful hand in the middle of the red circle. Later, at the instruction of Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Patua Kamrul Hasan gave a new look to the national flag of Bangladesh.
In a condolence message, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JASD President Hasanul Haque Inu and General Secretary Shirin Akhtar expressed deep shock at the demise of the flag designer and conveyed sympathy to the bereaved family.