Community News

Bangladeshi Restaurateurs’ in Brick Lane are to shut down

 Restaurant owners in London’s world-famous Brick Lane today said a midnight curfew would destroy the city’s curry capital.Council officers have visited the 60 curry houses along the culinary hotbed in recent days warning that they must stop serving at midnight or face a £20,000 fine.
A letter from Tower Hamlets Council warned that even eateries with licences to serve food and drink beyond midnight must now abide by local planning rules which insist upon midnight closing to cut down on “anti-social behaviour”.But business owners claim they rely on late-night trade for up to a third of their total income - and the after-hours ban would force many to close their kitchens for good.Azmal Hussain, who owns four Brick Lane restaurants licensed to sell alcohol and food to either 1am or 2am, said he has been told to stop taking orders at 11pm and have everyone out by midnight.Mr Hussain, 62, who is vice chairman of the Brick Lane Restaurateurs Association, said: “This has come completely out of the blue. We get a lot of customers during 12pm and 2am. We have no lunch trade so if we have no late night trade how can we survive?“I predict 30 per cent of the restaurants will be gone within three months. They can’t pay their rent. If there are no restaurants Brick Lane will be nothing.”Mohammad Ahmed, 27, who owns Curry Bazaar, said: “It’s a crisis. Our late-night curry houses are established. We have been here for 18 years and our late-night customers are good people. I don’t think my business can survive without those hours.“About one third of our profit comes through during those hours. I run the business with my two younger brothers and I have just had twins. This is really troubling us.”In its letter, the coucil said: “It may be your licensing hours are not the same as the opening hours specified by the planning condition. In cases such as this it is the earlier closing time that you must adhere to.”If the owners do not comply they face fines of up to £20,000 at a magistrates’ court or an unlimited fine at a Crown Court.A council spokesman said: “This enforcement action relates to the normal opening hours of businesses down Brick Lane. Planning enforcement officers visited all licenced premises in January, as part of partnership work with the police to reduce anti-social behaviour.“Bar owners and restaurants were reminded of their responsibility to operate within their official opening hours, which are restricted by official planning conditions. Formal planning enforcement notices would be served to any premises that continue to open beyond their approved opening hours.”But Labour councillor Helal Abbas criticised the council’s crackdown.He said: “These restaurants have been operating these hours for 15 to 20 years. We should be working with small businesses rather than taking a sledgehammer to them. The council has decided to come down heavy-handed in an area that is suffering. This is going to hit hard on a very small group of people

By Sabuj Mia, An Accounting Professional Student, London 

World

Bangladesh Profile in Brief

Bangladesh is known as one of the most densely populous countries in the world with nearly 160 million people. Bangladesh is officially recognized as The People’s Republic of Bangladesh, which is situated in South Asia and located on the fertile Bengle delta.

Poverty has a widespread effect on half of the population. More than half of population lives under one dollar per day. In recent times, a rapid population growth has been declined and educations as well as health cares system have been improved to a large extent.

The major occupation of Bangladeshi people is agriculture, but due to a large number of populations the agriculture cannot meet the demands for jobs. Due to less employment opportunities many Bangladeshis from all walks of life fly to foreign countries in search of job. Sometimes people seek illegal ways to go Malaysia, UK, USA, and Africa etc.

Key facts:

Ø Full name People’s Republic of Bangladesh

Ø Population: Approximately 160 million

Ø Capital & largest city: Dhaka

Ø Area: 147570 sq. km.

Ø Major language: Bengali

Ø Major religion: Islam, Hinduism

Ø Monetary unit: 1 taka = 100 paisa

Ø Main exports: garments, fish, jute goods, and leather products.

Ø GNI per capita: $780 (world bank, 2011)

Ø Corruption rank: 144/176 (Transparency International)

The country is trying to diversify its economy by industrial revolution. The government and country itself is investing

The country is trying to diversify its economy, with industrial development a priority. Overseas investors have pumped money into manufacturing and the energy sector. The collapse of a garment factory in 2013 with the loss of more than 1,000 lives brought workers out onto the streets to demand better conditions.



Much of Bangladesh is low-lying and vulnerable to flooding

Onshore and offshore gas reserves hold out some chance of future prosperity. There has been a debate about whether the reserves should be kept for domestic use or exported. International companies are involved in the gas sector.

Formerly East Pakistan, Bangladesh came into being only in 1971, when the two parts of Pakistan split after a bitter war, which drew, in neighbouring India.

Bangladesh spent 15 years under military rule and, although democracy was restored in 1990, the political scene remains volatile.



The hostility between the two major parties – the Awami League and Bangladesh National Party – reflects the bitterness politics in the country itself as well as dangerous in the world. Whoever comes in position they use their power to create violence, anarchy and oppression on opposition party and people as well as general public. More people have been killed in the Awami-League and BNP political clashes.



Most intelligent and analysts believe that religious extremism can be on going concern for the country. At the same time, the government of Bangladesh hasalready outlawed two Islamic organisations. Bangladesh has been criticised in the world for its human right, mainly women is tortured for dowry and police in the custody tortures prisoners.

To conclude the article, the country is vulnerable due to unexpected floods and cyclones. The country can be affected by predicted rises in the sea level and religious extremism.

This article has been written based on BBC News, CNN, Wikipedia, World Bank and Transparency International.

By Osman Monshi, An MSc Student at BPP University, UK

Entertainment

'Highway' music magical, captivating!!

"HIGHWAY" THE NAME OF AN UPCOMING POSSIBLY THE HIGHLY DEMANDING PICTURE !!! Alia Bhatt-RandeepHooda-starrer "Highway", a romantic drama directed by Imtiaz Ali, boasts of nine tracks. The songs show Rahman's efforts at once again creating something enthralling. It starts on a very soothing note with "PatakhaGuddi". Sung by the Nooran sisters - Sultan and Jyoti - the Sufi number is soulful. The song will make you feel free-spirited. Sung by music maestro Rahman, "Maahive" comes next. A love ballad, it has simple yet expressive lyrics mixed with Rahman's voice. This one will surely give you the chills. "Kahaanhoon main", sung by Jonita Gandhi, is a situational track. The touching number might make the listener question about what one is doing and what one really wants to do. The fourth one is "Wanna mash up?" by Kash, Krissy and Suvi Suresh. This one is very urban and will connect with youth. It is not one of those fast tracks but has the ability to grow on the listener. Next up is Alia and ZebBangash's "Soohasaaha". A very melodious lullaby, it will remind you of your mother. Alia's efforts are commendable. What follows is Rahman's version of "PatakhaGuddi". The first track and this one are completely different. While the first one is earthy, this one has a Western feel. Though Rahman's voice creates magic, the effect is not the same. "Implosive silence" is next. Crooned by Jonita Gandhi, the song hits the right chord. Sunidhi's "Tukuja" is placed eighth and will remind you of "O paalanhare" from "Lagaan". Though a devotional number, Chauhan's voice mixed with the music creates a very Western effect. "Heera" wraps up the album. The song is comforting and melodious thanks to ShwetaPandit's voice and wonderful music. All in all, the songs of "Highway" will take music lovers to a different level - it's very powerful and magical.

By Kazi Shahidul Ahmed, a University Student, UK

Politics

No one should vote for an independent Scotland on the basis of using pound as currency

Scotland would not be able to use the pound as its currency if it voted to break from the United Kingdom later this year, the British minister for Scotland said on Thursday, issuing the government's strongest warning on the subject yet.

As Scots prepare to vote on whether to stay in the UK on September 18, Scottish nationalists are basing their post-independence economic plans on a currency union with Britain.

But the British government, which wants the Scottish public to vote against independence, has already said such a plan would be nearly unworkable.

"Independence means leaving the United Kingdom's monetary union," Secretary of State for Scotland Alistair Carmichael told Britain's parliament.

"The only way for Scotland to be sure of keeping the UK pound as it is now is to stay in the United Kingdom ... No one should vote for an independent Scotland on the basis that they will get to keep the UK pound sterling," he added.

Opinion polls show that around 42 percent of Scots plan to vote against independence and 29 percent in favor.

The British government says Scotland and the rest of Britain are better off together, while Scottish nationalists wants to end what they say are decades of economic mismanagement by London.

Much of the political debate over the referendum has so far focused on finance and currency-sharing arrangements.


Scottish nationalists say they could keep using the pound by ceding control of monetary policy to the B
of England and agreeing broad fiscal guidelines. They believe both sides would benefit from a currency union.



"Scotland is the UK's second largest trading market. It would be absurd for Westminster (the British parliament) to stand in the way of protecting the benefits this brings to businesses and consumers in the rest of the UK," said Stewart Hosie, the Scottish National Party's treasury spokesman.

But Carmichael was one of several lawmakers who spoke in a debate on the future of Scotland to say that any currency-sharing arrangement would be unworkable.
(Source:Reuters)
By Mr M A Amin, A University Student, UK

Bangladesh

AWAMI LEAGUE would have won anyway - says a survey

Sheikh Hasina(left), chair of AL and Khaleda Zia(right), chair of BNP

The Awami League would have won the 10th parliamentary elections anyway, even if all the political parties contested, so says a survey by a US- based organisation. Funded jointly by the US and the UK, the Democracy International conducted the survey across Bangladesh after the polls.

Around 42.7 percent voters would have cast their vote for the Awami League, it found. Boycotted by the opposition BNP and its partners, the polls resulted in a predictable landslide for the ruling party and its allies. The Jan '14 survey titled 'Post Election Environment' used the 'Multi-staged random sampling' method to choose participants.

(a newspaper) on Sunday received a copy of the outcomes of the survey funded by the USAID and UKAID. The participants were asked: "Let's assume that the last January 5 election was fully participatory, which political party do you think you would vote for?"

Of the participants, 35 percent said they would have voted for the BNP, 10.3 percent wanted to keep their decision secret, 3.6 percent chose the Jatiya Party, while 1.6 percent preferred Jamaat-e-Islami had it contested. Jamaat's registration with the Election Commission had been declared illegal and void by the High Court last year, just months before the polls. 40.7 percent vote cast Around 23 percent of the participants said they had gone to the polling stations. Only 40.7 percent voters from areas where ballot papers were used in voting had gone to cast their ballots.

Asked why they did not go to vote, 15 percent respondents said they supported the polls boycott by the BNP and its allies, another 15 percent said they did not have the candidate of their choice and 12 percent cited security concerns.

As many as 21 people had died in polls-related violence on Jan 5. Only 2.7 percent said they did not exercise their franchise as they felt it was a 'farce poll'. When asked about the main reason for casting votes, 38 percent cited their wishes to exercise their voting rights, 35 percent said they voted out of their responsibilities as citizen while 19 percent said they wanted to vote for their favourite party or candidate.

'Main problem' Responding to the question as to what was Bangladesh's three biggest problems, 72 percent respondents said it was political instabilities. Corruption was chosen by 43 percent and 32 percent went for under- developed infrastructure. Nine percent of those surveyed believed the

By Mr Helal Khan, a Teacher, Bangladesh

Health and Education

FEVER: FAQS and ANSWERS

What Is Fever?

Fever, pyrexia or controlled hyperthermia is
when a human's body temperature goes
above the normal range of 36-37C (98-100F)
- it is a common medical sign. As the
individual's body temperature goes up, there
may be a sensation of cold until the
temperature plateaus (stops rising).
People's normal body temperatures may vary
and are affected by factors such as eating,
exercise, sleeping and what time of the day it
is. Our body temperature is usually at its
highest at around 6pm and at its lowest at
about 3am.
An elevated body temperature (fever) is one
of the ways our immune system attempts to
combat an infection. Usually the rise in body
temperature helps the individual resolve an
infection. However, sometimes it may rise too
high, in which case the fever can be serious
and lead to complications.
Physicians say that as long as the fever is
mild, we do not generally need to try and
bring it down - if the fever is not severe it is
probably having an effect in neutralizing the
bacterium or virus that is causing the
infection. Medications to bring down a fever
are called antipyretics . If the fever is causing
undue discomfort, an antipyretic may be
recommended. US and UK doctors say that
when the fever reaches or exceeds 38ºC
(100.4ºF) it is no longer mild and should be
checked a couple of hours later.
The temperatures mentioned above are when
they are taken in the mouth. For normal
armpit temperatures, you need to reduce
those numbers by about 0.2ºC to 0.3ºC.
According to Medilexicon's medical dictionary:

What are the signs and symptoms of fever?

A symptom is something the patient reports
and feels, while a sign is something other
people, including a doctor may detect. For
example, a headache may be a symptom
while a rash may be a sign.
When somebody has a fever, signs and
symptoms are linked to what is known as
sickness behavior, and may include:
Feeling cold when nobody else does
Shivering
Anorexia - lack of appetite
Dehydration - preventable if the patient
drinks plenty of fluids
Depression
Hyperalgesia - the individual is much
more sensitive to pain
Lethargy
Problems concentrating
Sleepiness
Sweating
If the fever is high there may also be extreme
irritability, confusion, delirium and
convulsions.

What are the causes of fever ?

An infection - such as strep throat , flu ,
chickenpox or pneumonia
Rheumatoid arthritis
Some medications
Over-exposure of skin to sunlight
(sunburn)
Heat stroke - may be caused either by
exposure to high temperatures
(nonexertional heat stroke) or prolonged
strenuous exercise.
Silicosis - a type of lung disease caused
by long-term exposure to silica dust.
Amphetamine abuse
Alcohol withdrawal

How is fever diagnosed?

Diagnosing a fever is straightforward - the
patient's temperature is taken, if the reading
is high, he/she has a fever. It is important to
take the person's temperature when they are
at rest, because physical activity can warm
us up.
A person is said to have a fever if:
The temperature in the mouth is over
37.7C (99.9F)
The temperature in the rectum (anus) is
over 37.5-38.3C (100-101F)
The temperature under the arm or ear is
over 37.2C (99F)
As a fever is a sign rather than a disease,
when the doctor has confirmed there is an
elevated body temperature, certain diagnostic
tests may be ordered, depending on what
other signs and symptoms exist, these may
include blood tests, urine tests, x-rays and
other imaging scans.

What is the treatment for fever ?

NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs) such as Tylenol (paracetamol) or
ibuprofen can help bring a fever down.
However, a mild fever may be helping combat
the source of the infection (bacterium/virus)
- it may not be ideal to bring it down.
If the fever has been caused by a bacterial
infection the doctor may prescribe an
antibiotic.
If a fever has been caused by a cold, which is
caused by a viral infection, NSAID's may be
used to relieve uncomfortable symptoms.
Antibiotics have no effect against viruses, but
may sometimes be prescribed to prevent
secondary infections.
Fluid intake - the patient with a fever should
consume plenty of fluids (liquids) to prevent
dehydration.
Heat stroke - NSAIDs will not be effective if
the person's fever was caused by hot weather
or sustained strenuous exercise. The patient
needs to be cooled. If they are confused or
unconscious they should be treated by a
doctor straight away.

How to prevent fever ?

Hygiene - fevers are commonly caused by
bacterial/viral infections. Good hygiene
practices help reduce the risk of developing
an infection. This includes hand washing
before and after meals, and after going to the
toilet.
A person with a fever caused by an infection
should have as little contact as possible with
other people, to prevent the infection from
spreading. Whoever is caring for the patient
should regularly wash their hands with warm
soap and water.

By Dr Aurora Polaris, A Medicine Student at SSMC, Dhaka

Sci-Tech and Business

Bill Gates steps Down, Microsoft names India-born Satya Nadella as CEO.

Ist Interview as CEO

Bill Gates has quit as Microsoft chairman to take up a new role as technology adviser in a management shake-up that will see Satya Nadella become chief executive.


The announcement ends a long search for a new chief after Steve Ballmer announced his intention to retire in August.


Mr Nadella is only the third chief executive in Microsoft's 39-year history, following co-founder Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer.


“During this time of transformation, there is no better person to lead Microsoft than Satya Nadella,” said Bill Gates in a statement. “Satya is a proven leader with hard-core engineering skills, business vision and the ability to bring people together. His vision for how technology will be used and experienced around the world is exactly what Microsoft needs as the company enters its next chapter of expanded product innovation and growth.”


Mr Gates will support Mr Nadella "in shaping technology and product direction", Microsoft said.
Microsoft also said John Thompson, the senior independent director, will succeed Mr Gates as chairman.
Shares of the world's largest software maker rose 1pc in early trading before closing down 0.36pc at $36.35.

Few people outside Microsoft had ever heard of Satya Nadella until last Thursday, when the Indian-born executive was named as the most likely candidate to become chief executive of the technology giant.

He has been promoted from executive vice president of the Cloud and Enterprise group, a role he was promoted to in July Last year by the departing Mr Ballmer.


The 46-year-old technology chief has spent almost half his life at Microsoft, largely involved in so-called “enterprise” products that are geared towards businesses rather than consumers. He currently leads its enterprise and cloud division.


The appointment comes at a crucial juncture for the company. Mr Gates built the computer giant on the principle that if the software was good enough, the rest would surely follow. It was a strategy that worked for decades. Microsoft Windows was so far ahead of the competition, computer manufacturers installed it in their products by default.


However, the world eventually changed around it and gadgets rather than software became the keys to success. Apple set out with the opposite vision, staking its future on the notion that if its hardware – glossy Macs, iPhones and iPads - was good enough, it could persuade customers to swap Windows for their own iOS platform. The company that had once nipped at Microsoft’s heels toppled it from its position as the biggest technology business in the world.


Somewhat reluctantly, Microsoft was forced to change. Over the past two years, it has produced its Surface tablet, bought Nokia’s mobile handset business and launched Windows 8, a radical reinvention of its iconic operating system that is designed to allow people to flip easily between tablets and PCs.


None of these initiatives caught the public imagination, and the launch of Windows 8 ranked as a disaster, both in its timing and execution. Morale suffered, with staff and investors complaining that the computer giant had lost its culture of innovation.


The cycle of decline has also taken its toll on Microsoft’s shares. They have fallen more than a third since Mr Ballmer’s appointment in 2000.


However, analysts and investors who hoped Mr Ballmer’s successor would usher in a more glamourous era of Microsoft could be disappointed. Mr Nadella’s roots are in enterprise computing, and this is likely to remain his focus.


Microsoft’s promises of “end to end business solutions” may not be as sexy or fast-growing as Google’s web search or Apple’s shiny hardware, but they are still a valuable cash cow. The company’s revenues climbed 14pc to $24.51bn in the last three months of 2013, while profits hit $6.6bn, up from $6.4bn in the same period the previous year.


Mr Nadella would do well to make Microsoft more competitive, by sharpening innovation, cutting dead weight and boosting morale. But analysts think he is unlikely to spearhead any major reinvention of the company as a purveyor of consumer gadgets.


Mr Gates shifted his focus away from the computer giant many years ago, preferring to devote his time and public profile to improving world health though the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the charity he established with his wife.


However, his departure as chairman still marks a historic moment for the technology business he founded as a student.


In his 1st interview as CEO, Mr Nadella said the way he thought had been shaped by his life's experience, and that he "loves to learn".

http://youtu.be/T8JwNZBJ_wI

"I get excited about new things, I buy more books than I read or finish, I sign up for more online courses than I can actually finish, but the thing about being able to watch people do great things, learn new concepts is something that truly excites me."


When asked why he wanted to become chief executive of Microsoft, he said the company was central to applying human potential to a world becoming more rapidly software-driven.


He said he felt "honoured, humbled and excited" to be chief executive. "We have tremendous opportunity, and that's inspiring. I want every one of us to find more meaning at work. We spend far too much time at work for it not to have deep meaning.


“The opportunity ahead for Microsoft is vast, but to seize it, we must focus clearly, move faster and continue to transform. A big part of my job is to accelerate our ability to bring innovative products to our customers more quickly."


Mr Nadella grew up in Hyderabad, India and his appointment as CEO makes him the most powerful Indian-born tech executive in the world.


He received a Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics and communication from the Manipal University in 1988. Former teacher and MIT director Vinod V Thomas told the Times of India he "cannot vividly recall" Mr Nadella as he "didn't figure in either ends of the spectrum", but added that records showed he was "a first-class student who achieved distinction."


Following his move to the United States, he went on to study Computer Science at Masters level at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, and received a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.


Mr Nadella began his extensive career in tech at internet software pioneer Sun Microsystems, before joining Microsoft in 1992, where he has remained for 22 years.


His roles have included senior vice president of Research & Development for the Online Services Division, and president of the Server and Tools Business, where he championed the switch from client services to Cloud-based infrastructure.


He headed up the teams in charge of the Cloud OS, which powers all of Microsoft's internet scale cloud services.


He has been married to his wife for 22 years, whom he met in high school, and has three children with.


In an email to all Microsoft employees, Mr Nadella said: "Today is a very humbling day for me. It reminds me of my very first day at Microsoft, 22 years ago.


"Many companies aspire to change the world. But very few have all the elements required: talent, resources, and perseverance. Microsoft has proven that it has all three in abundance. And as the new CEO, I can't ask for a better foundation."


Aaron Levie, founder of Box, offers a humourous insight into the situation.


By Sabuj Mia, An Accounting Professional Student, London.