Buet
Abrar murder case verdict deferred to Dec 8
A Dhaka tribunal on Sunday deferred until December 8 the pronouncement of the verdict in Buet student Abrar Fahad murder case.
Judge Abu Zafar Md Kamaruzzaman of Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal- 1 passed the order saying that the verdict in the case has not been prepared yet.
Earlier, police produced 22 accused in the case before the court in the morning.
READ: Buet student Abrar murder: Verdict on Sunday
On November 14, the tribunal fixed the date (Nov 28) for delivering the judgment after completion of arguments of both the state and defendants.
In 2019, Abrar, 21, a second-year student of Electrical and Electronic Engineering of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet), was beaten to death by Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders at Sher-e-Bangla Hall of the university.
He was found dead on the staircase of the hall in the early hours of October 7 after he was taken to room No-2011 around 8pm on October 6 and beaten mercilessly.
On October 7, Abrar’s father Barkat Ullah filed a murder case with the Chawkbazar police station accusing 19 people.
On November 13, 2019, Detective Branch (DB) Inspector and investigation officer of the case Wahiduzzaman submitted the charge sheet against the 25 accused.
On September 15, 2020, the court framed charges against the accused.
The court recorded statements of 47 witnesses among the 60 in the case.
READ: Abrar Fahad murder: Court sets Nov 28 for judgment
On March 14, this year, 22 accused, arrested in the case, claimed their innocence while testifying in self-defense.
Three of the accused – Jishan, Rafid and Tanim – remained absconding.
Abrar Fahad murder: Court sets Nov 28 for judgment
A special tribunal in Dhaka has set November 28 for pronouncing judgment in the case of killing Abrar Fahad, a student of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet).
Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 Judge Abu Zafar Md Kamaruzzaman set the date after the prosecution and defence had concluded their trial arguments.
Earlier on October 24, the prosecution sought capital punishment for all the 25 accused in the murder case.
READ: Abrar murder case: Prosecution seeks capital punishment for all accused
In 2019, Abrar, 21, a second-year student of electrical and electronic engineering, was beaten to death by then Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders at Sher-e-Bangla Hall of the university.
He was found dead on the staircase of the hall in the early hours of October 7 after he was taken to room No-2011 around 8pm on October 6 and beaten mercilessly.
On October 7, Abrar’s father Barkat Ullah filed a murder case with the Chawkbazar police station accusing 19 people.
On November 13, 2019, Detective Branch (DB) Inspector and investigation officer of the case Wahiduzzaman submitted the charge sheet against the 25 accused.
On September 15, 2020, the court framed charges against the accused.
The court recorded statement of 47 witnesses among the 60 witnesses in the case.
READ: Naimul Abrar death: Tk 100 crore compensation rule against Prothom Alo
On March 14, this year, the arrested 22 accused in the case claimed their innocence while testifying in self-defense.
Three of the accused – Jishan, Rafid and Tanim – remained absconding.
Soaring gas prices: Demand and supply management ‘getting tough’
The escalating price of liquefied natural gas (LNG) has put the Energy and Mineral Resources Division into a “trouble” over its demand and supply management following the diesel and kerosene price hike.
According to official sources, top policymakers are now weighing different options, including further upward adjustment in gas price, enhancing LNG import from long-term contracts and increasing local gas production.
Also Read: Bangladesh faces biggest challenge in managing affordable fuel: Experts
"But There’s no easier option for the government to find a suitable solution to manage the situation, particularly in 2022,” said a top official at the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, wishing not to be named.
Eminent energy expert Dr M Tamim, a professor at Petroleum and Mineral Resources Engineering Department of Bangladesh University Engineering and Technology (Buet), said there is little option for the government to pursue without an upward readjustment in the gas price as there is an indication that the higher energy price will continue in the coming days until the end of 2022.
“There should have been a thorough analysis of energy prices. Also, steps like increasing the LNG import from long-term contracts should have been taken much earlier. But the policymakers missed those opportunities when the LNG price was much lower on the international market,” he told UNB.
Official sources said the government is planning to send a team, headed by senior secretary of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division, to Qarar and Oman to manage the increasing import of LNG from long-term contracts.
The government has long-term contracts with the two nations to annually import 2.5 million metric tons of LNG from Qatar and 1.5 million MT from Oman. It also imports another 1.5 million MT from the international spot market to meet the growing demand for natural gas.
Also Read: Private operators’ LPG: Price goes up again
Currently, the sources said, the import of LNG from long-term contracts is preferable for the government as its cost is about $10 per million MMBtu, which is almost static, while the import from spot market cost $36.60 MMBtu which is dynamic or fluctuating.
They said the government wants to increase the LNG import by 2.2 million MT annually from a long-term contract to raise the total import to 7.2 million MT from the current 5 million MT.
“It’ll result in a daily increase of imported LNG to 1,000 MMCFD in place of the current 640.7 MMCFD,” said a source as the country’s re-gasification capacity is 1,000 MMCFD.
Bangladesh’s current demand for natural gas is 4,000 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) while it could supply a maximum 3041.1 MMCFD. Of this, local production is 2400.4 MMCFD and imported gas (LNG) is 640.7 MMCFD.
On the other hand, the sources said, the government is trying to increase the local production by 100 MMCFD from three gas fields—Koilashtila, Bianibazar and Haripur -- by conducting exploration and work-over wells, said Petrobangla director (planning) Ali Iqbal Md Nurullah.
“We’re making our best efforts to enhance local gas production by at least 100 MMCFD,” he told UNB.
Dr. M Tamim is, however, not that much hopeful of Petrobangla's immediate success in boosting local gas production. “This is a very time-consuming step which is unlikely to make any headway.”
Meanwhile, the Energy and Mineral Resources Division has asked its officials to calculate the financial loss and its possible impact from the LNG import at a much higher price.
Also Read: Hamid says fuel prices to fall in line with global market
The government had to import LNG at $36 per million MMBtu last month which was below $10 per MMBtu early this year.
Official sources said the Energy and Mineral Resources Division has also asked Perobangla and its subordinate gas distribution companies to prepare a proposal on readjustment of gas price.
They said the proposal will be discussed with top policymakers and then, if any green signal is found from top level, it will be sent to the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) for public hearing.
About this move, Dr Tamim said, now the government has actually no more option but to readjust the gas price as it already raised the prices of diesel and kerosene.
It was not a pragmatic decision to hike diesel and kerosene prices as it will have multiple effects on many sectors, including transport, power and agriculture, as they are dependent on such primary fuel. “It’s not a good step at this point of time when the economy has just started making a recovery,” he said.
The price of natural gas was last increased on June 30, 2019 when the monthly price of gas for household users was raised Tk 975 from Tk 800 for double burner users and Tk 925 from 750 for single burner users.
The price of gas for pre-paid household consumers was increased to Tk 12-60 per cubic meter while the price of CNG was fixed at Tk 43 per cubic metre.
The gas price for power plants and fertilizer factories was fixed at Tk 4.45 per unit while the rate was fixed at Tk 23 per cubic meter in the commercial consumers, Tk 13.85 per cubic meter for captive power plants, Tk 10.70 per cubic meter in industries and tea gardens and Tk 17.04 per cubic metre in small and cottage industries.
Toppers of Huawei's Seeds For The Future 2021 Bangladesh named
Chinese telecom giant Huawei Monday announced the toppers of its Seeds For The Future 2021 Bangladesh programme from eight universities.
Seeds For The Future is Huawei's flagship corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme dedicated to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) students worldwide and was launched in Bangladesh in 2014.
This year, the University of Dhaka (DU), Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET), Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), Islamic University of Technology (IUT), Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology (AUST) and East West University (EWU) joined the event.
Read Huawei BUET ICT Academy to develop talent ecosystem
More than 600 students from these eight universities rolled in the selection phase. And from there, 16 toppers, one male and one female student from each university, were selected based on their academic record, spot-exam, presentation skill and innovative thinking.
The 16 students are Imtiaz Ahmed, and Syeda Fatima Fayruj from BUET; Sumayya Rahman, and Mehedi Hasan from KUET; Nahian Rifaat, and Nazifa Rahman Adhora from RUET; Aninda Nandy, and Fatema Islam Tania from CUET; Syed Doha Uddin, and Nishat Tasnim from the DU; Seeamoon Hasiba Reza, and Mohtasim Tasnim Zaman from EWU; Kazi Arham Kabir, and Sadia Karishma Kabir from AUST; AKM Rakib, and Ramisha Raida Karim from IUT.
Traditionally, the selected students go to China for a study trip. However, due to Covid-19, the training has been shifted to an online programme.
Read 5G Quiz campaign: Huawei announces winners
"As Bangladesh is progressing fast and digital transformation will determine our future growth, we are in dire need of skilled young people. So, Huawei' Seeds For The Future will yield positive outcomes not only for the future leaders but also for the country," Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury said at the event.
"We started this programme in Bangladesh seven years ago, and the response has been phenomenal. Huawei considers the youth as of today's seeds, which must be facilitated with proper care so that they can prove to be assets in the future," said Zhang Zhengjun, CEO of Huawei Technologies Bangladesh.
"Today's youths are the future of tomorrow. Huawei, through the Seeds for the Future Programme, is supporting Bangladesh's emerging ICT talent and future ICT leaders by broadening their knowledge and equipping them with skills that will be useful and relevant to them both in their professional careers as well as lives as responsible global citizens," Beatrice Kaldun, Unesco representative to Bangladesh, said.
Read Huawei Bangladesh for collaborative efforts to widen digital education, online learning scopes
"This programme has been an excellent opportunity for our students to develop skills and learn so many things firsthand from experts and Huawei engineers," BUET Vice-Chancellor Professor Satya Prasad Majumder said.
BUET team becomes Asia West Champion in Moscow programming contest
'BUET HellBent’ a team from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) has been crowned ‘The Asia West Champion’ in the ACM ICPC Moscow World Final 2021.
The team ‘BUET HellBent’ also ranked 28th globally in this prestigious programming competition
‘DU SwampFire’-- a team from Dhaka University, ranked 33rd in the event.
Also read: Climate Science Contest: Bangladeshi student makes it to top 10
On the other hand, Nizhny Novgorod State University, located in Russia, became the champion in ICPC world Finals in Moscow.
The ICPC is one of the most prestigious programming competitions in the world, where the finest programmers and coders around the world compete to be crowned as the champions.
Over 60,000 student programmers from more than 3,000 universities across 115 countries participate in qualifying rounds of this event each year.
Also read: Bangladeshi youth shines in global yoga vlogging contest
Earlier, it was announced that ICPC World Finals 2022 will be held in Dhaka and the University of Asia Pacific (UAP) will be the host.
Dwip murder: Impunity of masterminds hurts former Buet Chhatra League leaders
Impunity of the masterminds of Buet Chhatra League leader Arif Raihan Dwip, eight years into his murder at the hands of religious extremists, has engrieved former leaders of the university's student wing of the ruling Awami League.
They also demanded that everybody involved in his murder be handed exemplary punishment in the quickest possible time.
The former Buet unit leaders of the ruling party were speaking at a virtual meeting headed by Awami League Science and Technology Secretary Md Abdus Sabur. Arif Raihan Dwip's relatives also joined the meeting.
Also read: Buet students threaten class boycott if Abrar murder accused continues classes
Abdus Sabur said the anti-liberation quarter murdered Dwip. "We have to be vocal against Hefajat, Jamaat, BNP, and extremist groups."
He also condemned all the murders that took place in Buet.
Abrar Fahad murder: Expelled Buet student joins online class after obtaining stay order
Lifetime expelled Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) student Ashikul Islam Bitu, who was allegedly involved in the Abrar Fahad murder, reportedly joined an online class of the Chemical engineering department last Saturday with a 'stay order' from the court.
After noticing him in the class, his classmates protested by changing their Zoom profile picture with the text which read "No class sharing with a murderer". They urged the university authorities to cancel his course registration otherwise they threatened to boycott academic activities.
BUET authorities on 22 November 2019 expelled 26 students including Ashikul Islam Bitu permanently for their alleged involvement in the Abrar Fahad murder case. However, Ashikul Islam was not named on the police charge sheet and recently get a 'stay order' from the court against his expulsion decision.
Read: Abrar murder: 22 accused file no-confidence pleas
BUET students informed that Ashikul registered four courses of level-3, term one after getting 'stay order' from the court
Later, students protested his joining the class and demanded the cancellation of his registration otherwise they will boycott classes from May 30.
Ashikul Islam told UNB, "I was not named in the charge sheet and was not involved with the murder. BUET expelled me for not helping in the investigation process. recently I get 'Stay order' from the court against my expulsion and return to the class maintaining all procedures. But I will not join further classes in this situation."
Abrar, a second-year student of the electrical and electronic engineering department, died after he was brutally beaten allegedly by some Chhatra League men at Sher-e-Bangla Hall of the university in the early hours of 7 October 2019.
Read: Prosecution witness testifies in Abrar murder case
The incident triggered a firestorm of protests on campuses across the country.
Abrar was murdered allegedly for his Facebook posts, which seemed critical of some deals with India.
Study needed before going for energy storage system: Experts
Energy experts on Saturday said Bangladesh should go for a comprehensive study first before taking any move to build an energy storage system.
“We need to conduct a study on where and what capacity of an energy storage system we should build. This involves a huge cost,” said Prof Hasib Chowdhury of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).
Also Read: Power supply reliability more important than access to industrial consumers
He was addressing a webinar titled: “Storage Application in Bangladesh Power System” organised by Power and Energy Magazine.
State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid also spoke on the occasion.
He said Bangladesh needs an energy storage system as both power generation and consumption are growing.
“But an energy storage system has to be cost effective for Bangladesh,” he said adding that such a system will help increase power generation from renewable sources.
He said the use of electric vehicles will be easier if an energy storage system is built in the country.
The seminar was also addressed by energy expert and BUET Prof Nurul Islam, Prof Ziaur Rahman, Sustainable and Renewable Energy Development Authority (Sreda) Chairman Mohammad Alauddin, Power Cell Director General Mohammad Hossain, and GIZ programme coordinator Al Modabbir Bin Anam.
Also Read: Green energy's share of power generation lagging far behind
Dr Ahmed Saber, Vice President of ETAB, a US-based automation and power solution software company, made a presentation on the topic while magazine editor Mollah Amzad conducted the seminar.
Dr Saber said an energy storage system needs to be built through a different way as the battery system is the most suitable and flexible one having up to 90 percent energy efficiency. If a storage system is built in combination with solar, wind and battery ones, then it will work properly, he said.
Through this system, he said, the energy generated from solar and wind could be consumed as per requirement. “But its success depends on its proper modeling.”
Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) executive engineer Adil Chowdhury said a power storage system will be helpful for Bangladesh to address the low-voltage problem in its northern region.
According to him, the captive generation can be replaced with grid power through a storage system.
Mohammad Alauddin said the government is committed to increasing the power generation from renewable energy which is reflected on its 5-year plan.
Al Modabber, an energy expert, said Bangladesh now has over 1 million electric vehicles which could use electricity for recharging through the storage system.
Buet admission test: Application deadline extended to May 3
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) has stretched the application deadline of April 24 for its 2020-21 undergraduate programme to May 3.
Now, the candidates can submit their application for the Buet entrance test by 3pm on May 3.
Read Walton, BUET to work together on research
The decision was made at an emergency meeting of the admission committee on Saturday, Professor Dr Khandaker Shabbir Ahmed, chairman of the committee and also dean of architecture and planning faculty, confirmed UNB.
Earlier Buet said, admission seekers would be required to sit for preliminary selection exams, from which candidates would be selected for the final exam scheduled to be held on June 10.
The eligibility list for the preliminary admission test, slated to be held on May 31 and June 1, will be published on May 5; and the one for the final exam will be released on June 5.
Read Huawei joints with BUET to make ICT talent ecosystem in country