Hajj packages under government-private management announced
This year's hajj packages under government and private management were announced today.
State Minister for Religious Affairs Faridul Haque Khan announced the packages at a press briefing at the secretariat in the capital.
In the packages, the hajj pilgrims will have to pay Taka 4, 62,150 for hajj package under government management while Tk 4,56,530 under private management, a press release said.
Meanwhile, Shahdat Hossain Taslim, leader of Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB), said that detailed information regarding the private package will be announced on Thursday.
Source: BSS
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Only 43% of Users Qualified for Hamster Kombat's Season 1 Airdrop
The team behind the popular Telegram clicker game Hamster Kombat has revealed the details of its season one airdrop, saying that 60 billion tokens will be airdropped to qualified users.
In an announcement posted on X, the Hamster Kombat team said that 75 billion of its 100 billion Hamster Kombat (HMSTR) tokens for the project are allocated to its community members.
The team revealed that 60% of the total token supply will be airdropped after season one, and the remaining 15% will be distributed during the upcoming season two of the clicker game.
Of the initial 60 billion tokens to be distributed, eligible users can get 88.75% of their allocation immediately, while the remaining 11.25% will be vested and made available 10 months after the token is listed on exchanges. This means that about 53.25 billion tokens will be airdropped to users instantly, while 6.75 billion tokens will be released 10 months after listing.
Over 131 million users qualified for airdrop
Hamster Kombat is one of the fastest-growing games in the Web3 space. In its first 81 days, the Telegram clicker game went viral, recording 239 million users. With many users new to crypto, Telegram founder Pavel Durov said the game’s success could contribute to Web3 adoption by onboarding millions to crypto.
While the game boasts that it has surpassed 300 million users, the Hamster Kombat team also said that only 131 million users are eligible to receive its airdrop on September 26, which means that only 43% of its total user count will receive the tokens. The team added that it had banned 2.3 million users for cheating.
Largest airdrop in crypto history?
On July 30, the Hamster Foundation described its upcoming airdrop as the “largest airdrop in the history of crypto.” The team said most of the volume would go to the players, while the rest would be for liquidity, ecosystem partnerships, grants, rewarding squads, and other items.
On August 12, the team said it had turned down offers from venture capital firms. This means there would be no early investments in the token, and only the market will determine its value. In an announcement, the team said that “there is no extra sell pressure,” adding that the value of HMSTR tokens will be determined by the demand, supply, and community interest.
By: Ezra Reguerra
World Heart Day Today: / Take Action Against the #1 Killer – Heart Disease!
Every year on September 29, World Heart Day is observed to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease (CVD), the world’s number one killer. This year's theme is "Use Heart for Action."
Collectively, conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels—such as heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure—cause over 20.5 million deaths annually. Most of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.
80% of premature deaths from CVD are preventable. By making small changes to our lifestyle—like what we eat and drink, how much we exercise, and how we manage stress—we can better take care of our heart health and defeat CVD.
The World Health Organization's Southeast Asia Region, home to a quarter of the global population, faces a heavy burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), with cardiovascular disease (CVD) responsible for 3.9 million deaths annually, accounting for 30% of all deaths. Alarmingly, almost half (48%) of these CVD-related deaths are premature, affecting people aged 30 to 70, placing significant socio-economic burdens on families, communities, and countries.
Key contributors to CVD include modifiable lifestyle factors such as tobacco use, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diets (particularly high salt intake), and lack of physical activity. Elevated blood pressure and glucose levels are major drivers, which can be detected, diagnosed, and effectively managed in primary care. In the region, one in four adults has high blood pressure, one in ten has diabetes, and less than 15% receive effective treatment. Additionally, high blood lipid levels and suboptimal management of acute cardiovascular events worsen CVD death rates.
Tobacco use is decreasing in the region, thanks to the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Countries like Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand have taken steps to eliminate trans-fatty acids from their national food supplies, benefiting 1.7 billion people.
In Bangladesh, an estimated 277,000 people die from heart disease each year, with 24% of these deaths attributed to tobacco use.
Several countries in the region, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Timor-Leste, have set national targets to improve the management of hypertension and diabetes in primary healthcare by 2025, aligning with the SEAHEARTS initiative to reach 100 million people with hypertension and provide protocol-based diabetes management by 2025. India aims to cover 75 million people with hypertension and diabetes under standard care, making it the largest NCD coverage in primary healthcare globally.
How to Maintain a Healthy Heart:
Exercise: Adults need at least 30 minutes of exercise, five days a week, to keep the heart healthy.
Diet: Eliminate saturated fats from animal sources from your diet.
Rest: Take adequate breaks and rest. Complete relaxation is beneficial for the heart.
Weight Control: If your weight exceeds the recommended BMI, work on reducing it.
Quit Smoking: As smoking causes numerous diseases, quitting is essential for a healthy heart.
Positive Attitude and Stress Reduction: Mental peace is crucial for heart health. Reducing stress and fostering positive relationships with those around you is also essential.
Aryans Got 'Nakshatra' System from Harappans in 3000 BC
Many cultures around the world, including the Harappans, noticed that the Big Dipper constellation of seven stars (shaped like a giant spoon) rotates in the northern sky. Its orientation marks the different seasons. When its position over spring, summer, autumn, and winter is marked, it creates the hooked cross: a symbol of celestial and seasonal rhythms, marking the times to sow seeds, harvest crops, and migrate with animals or anticipate floods or rains.
This hooked cross is known as 'Swastika' in Vedic traditions, for the phrase ‘su-asti’ means to let good things happen. This symbol is found in Harappan seals. This indicates they were aware of the north, and the movement of the Big Dipper over the seasons. In Vedic texts, the Big Dipper is called ‘SaptaRishi mandala’ and is linked to the seven sages. We do not know if the word ‘Swastika’ or the concept of seven sages existed in Harappan times. But the symbol certainly existed. What it meant then we can only speculate. Directions were certainly important to Harappans as we see their streets were aligned to the cardinal directions.
Seven sages seven sisters
Tree worship and animal sacrifice are part of many desi (folk) and margi (mainstream) rituals in India. Harappan seals depict this as well. In one famous seal, a markhor is being offered in sacrifice by a devotee wearing a horned helmet to a deity standing between trees—also wearing a horned helmet. There is also an image of seven people dancing. They all have plumage on their heads, a pigtail or hanging hood behind the head, bangles around their arms, and are wearing skirts. Are these seven men or women? If women, they could represent the seven stars of the Pleiades constellation (Krittika nakshatra) that marked the eastern sky during the Harappan spring. If men, they could be the seven stars of the Big Dipper constellation (Sapta-rishi mandala) that can be seen rotating around the north to this day.
In Vedic literature, the seven sages had seven wives. The sages accused the wives of infidelity and so the wives moved away from the northern sky towards the eastern horizon, to reside with the constellation Taurus, the bull (Rishabha Rashi). From 4000 to 2000 bc, the sun was in the house of Taurus during the spring equinox, a memory that resurfaces in Shatapatha Brahmana (800 AD). After 2000 bc, it moved towards the house of Aries. Currently, it is in the house of Pisces. The shift happens gradually over 2,150 years. Does this Harappan artwork indicate a spring equinox festival?
Starry sky
The idea of dividing the sky into twenty-seven (3x3x3) divisions (nakshatra) is found in the Vedas but not in the Avesta. This was a Harappan memory. The months of the Hindu calendar are named after star clusters near which the full moon occurred when the calendar was being formulated. As per astronomers, the moon was closest to these nakshatra around 3000 bc. This indicates that the Harappans introduced the immigrant Aryans to the nakshatra system of dividing the sky.
Harappans were also drawn to the sky, which is why their cities were laid as a grid, with streets running along the cardinal directions. Alignment with stars seems to be the only explanation for the streets in cities like Kalibangan not being parallel to walls, or for the strange oblique cuts in the rectangular rock-cut wells of Dholavira. On pottery, we do see stars. This includes images of peacocks flying towards the stars, carrying humans in their bellies, and stars in the bodies of fish. Some scholars argue that the word for star and the word for fish was the same in the Harappan language, as it is in the modern Dravidian language—min. So fish symbols in Harappan script refer to stars and constellations.
This article derived from Devdutt Pattanaik's 'Ahimsa' with the permission of HarperCollins India.
NTV News Editor Shimanto Khokon Passes Away
Shimanto Khokon, The news editor of private television NTV has passed away.
He died at his home in the capital's Shantinagar area on Tuesday (October 1) afternoon.
Aktar Hossain, General Secretary of Dhaka Journalist Union (DJU) confirmed the matter.
He said that Shimanto Khokon had been sick for a long time. He died of a heart attack at his residence in Shantinagar after 2 pm on Tuesday.
Shimanto Khokon was a member of the National Press Club Management Committee. He was also serving as the former General Secretary of Kishoreganj Journalist Forum Dhaka.
CERT-IN Issues / Warning for Google Chrome Users
Chrome, the most used web browser developed by Google, has become the target of hackers.
Recently, India's Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN) found several vulnerabilities in the old version of Google Chrome.
The company has advised users of Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems to update Google Chrome to protect themselves from hacker attacks.
It has been warned that users of the previous version of Chrome 129.0.6668.70/.71, update quickly. The old version of Google Chrome has so many vulnerabilities that it can be attacked by hackers at any time. As a result, the important information of the users may be leaked.
Hackers exploiting the security vulnerability will first send a specially crafted request message, according to the warning about the type of attack. Cybercriminals can launch Denial-of-Service or DOS attacks once run on a computer-laptop system by the users. After the attack, all Chrome Bowsers are likely to crash. As a result, control will be completely in the hacker's hands.
World Teachers' Day 2024: What It Is, Why Is It Celebrated
Teachers are our second parents. They love us, nurture us, guide us, and impart wisdom. They teach us the skills and values that we require to navigate through life in the later stages. Teachers are our gurus and with their teachings, we can cross every hurdle that comes in front of us. Every year, World Teachers' Day is observed to pay our respects to the teachers who taught us the basics of life, and who broke the barriers of a classroom and taught us how to do life.
Date
Every year, World Teachers' Day is observed on October 5. This year, the special day falls on Saturday.
History
World Teachers' Day was established by UNESCO in 1994. In 1996, it commemorated the signing of - Recommendation Concerning the Status of Teachers. The recommendation focused on the rights, responsibilities, training, employment, and working conditions of the teachers. Since 1994, this day has been observed with each year focusing on a unique theme related to the advancements or the challenges faced by teachers all over the world.
Theme
The theme for this year’s World Teachers' Day is - Valuing Teacher Voices: towards a new social contract for education. According to the official website of UNESCO, this year’s World Teacher’s Day will focus on “the urgency of calling for and attending to teachers' voices to address their challenges but, most importantly, to acknowledge and benefit from the expert knowledge and input that they bring to education.”
Why is it celebrated?
Teachers all over the world go through multiple challenges – from low wages to poor working conditions to the absence of quality education. This day focuses on the problems faced by them and raises awareness about the importance of the role that teachers play in our lives. It also serves as a day when students can express their gratitude for the teachers, and how they helped in shaping the lives of the ones they teach.
US-Bangla Airlines Job Circular 2024 for 'Cabin Crew'
US-Bangla Airlines, the country's largest private airline is inviting Female and Male Bangladeshi Candidates to submit applications for the post of 'Cabin Crew' based on the following criteria-
Education
Minimum HSC or Equivalent, with minimum GPA 3.00/5.00 in SSC & HSC or Equivalent. No Third division or the equivalent result will be accepted in any examination.
For a Diploma Degree, a CGPA of 2.80/4.00 is required.
For 'O' Level- Max 05 subjects with average grade 'D' and A Level-Max 02 subjects with average Grade 'D'. GED is not acceptable.
Candidates with a Graduation Degree are preferred.
Height
168 cm/5 feet 6 inches (minimum) for males.
158 cm/5 feet 2.5 inches (minimum) for females.
Arm reach 212 cm while standing on tiptoes.
Weight
Should be proportionate to Height.
For Male (BMI: 18-25).
For Females preferably (Female:18-22), but in the case of exceptional candidates even a BMI up to 25 is acceptable.
Age
Fresher- 18 to 27 years (as of the day of application deadline). She experienced Candidate-Max 35 years. No affidavit will be accepted.
Eyesight
Applicants must have a visual acuity of 6/6 without spectacles. Vision correction up to 6/6 is acceptable, including using clear contact lenses. Candidates with color blindness will not be considered.
Swimming
Candidates having swimming skills will be given preference. Finally, selected candidates must learn to swim in the initial training period.
Language Skill
Fluent in both Bengali & English (both written & spoken); Other language competencies will be an added advantage.
Medical Fitness
Good physical health and medically fit to meet
Cabin Crew requirements
Physical AppearanceStrong, upright; Appealing Personality with no visible tattoos or marks on the body
Attitude & bearing
Should be impressive
Residency Requirement
Must reside adjacent to/around Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) like Nikunja, Uttara Model Town (Sector-01 to Sector-14) after joining.
Job Description
Attending pre-flight briefings.
Welcoming passengers on board and directing them to their seats
Ensuring that all emergency equipment is in working order before take-off and explaining, and demonstrating safety procedures and equipment to passengers
Ensuring that all hand luggage is securely stored away
Checking all passenger seat belts and galleys are secured before take off.
Clearing and collecting the meal trays from passengers
Distributing landing cards and other documentation where necessary
Administering first aid
Dealing with emergencies
Benefits :
Cabin crew members, enjoy a unique compensation package that reflects the demanding nature of their job and the industry's competitive standards. Cabin crew often receive a range of benefits and one of the most appealing perks is the opportunity to travel extensively, both domestically and internationally. This enables cabin crew to explore the world, experiencing diverse cultures and destinations. Moreover, they typically receive allowances for meals and accommodations during layovers. The combination of competitive salaries and these appealing benefits make a career as a cabin crew not only financially rewarding but also personally fulfilling for those who are passionate about aviation and travel. So, join our winning team and enjoy a lucrative salary package (including flying and layover allowance) initially up to Tk. 70,000/- per month with the following additional benefits-
Pick & drop service during duty times in Uttara area.
Festival Bonus
Special Note :
Those who have applied previously are discouraged from applying.
Disclaimer :
Please note that US-Bangla Airlines never charges applicants in any step of recruitment. If you are asked for MONEY as part of any US-Bangla Airlines recruitment, please do not pay & report it to feedback@usbair.com with all accompanying documents.
Any kind of persuasion will be treated as a disqualification of the candidate.
US-Bangla Airlines reserves the right to change, amend, subtract, hold, or revoke any clause of the recruitment/circular.
Deadline: 15th October, 2024.
Circular Link: Click here
Apply Link: Click here