My pen got stuck again and again while writing about the man of hard struggle, indomitable perseverance and unique character. It is not an easy task for me to present this accomplished man in a few words, yet I started with courage. I met Mr. Mamun while he was working at AB Bank in the 1990s. After joining as a junior officer, Mr. Mamun proved his qualities within a short time. He never violated the rules and regulations of the office during his service period. His punctuality and excellent manners always impressed us most. But he did not continue his work for long.

Khandkar Fazle Rashid, Former Managing Director of Dhaka Bank-Premier Bank recently reminisced about his performance in the same way. Mr. Khandkar who is a renowned banker of the country and one of the current Directors of Agrani Bank also said “Mr. Mamun left the job of the bank for doing business”. These days people become many things overnight but nothing was so easy then.

Riazuddin Al Mamun in his office

Hard labour, honesty modesty and confidence make a man successful. Mr. Mamun is the best example of it. Some days ago I went to the office of Anwar Ul Alam Chowdhury (Parvez) Bhai, one of the directors of FBCCI, former president of BGMEA and owner of Evince Group. He is a distinctive feature in the business community of the country. He is equally popular with people as a man of straight forward and transparency. I know him very well. However, while we were talking to each other, by the by the topic of Mr. Mamun came up and instantly Parvej Bhai said, “ I respect Mr. Mamun because he is very nice and humble person. If you meet him, convey my greetings to him”. Mr Mamun a successful Former Chairman of the media wing of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, is also a very popular person in the countrys sports area. During his time every cricket news of the country brodcast in the media. Former DG of Bangladesh Sports Education Institution (BKSP) and Former GM of BCB Lt. Col. (Retd.) M A Latif Khan said “ Mr Mamun’s greatest ornament is his modesty. I worked with Mr. Mamun in the cricket board. He is a man of strong ethics and morality”. I feel proud to hear everyone talking about Mr. Mamun. Sometimes I regret, “If I could be a man like Mr. Riazuddin Al Mamun”. I know may people who know Mr. Mamun as a very good guy. All people praise him very much. Such rare a personality is rare in todays urbulent society, plagued by hatred. It is the greatest achievement of life for any human being.

Anyway, Mr. Mamun is an exceptional guardian of near about 22000 employees of the Epyllion Group. He never discriminate between the the employees on the basis of age, rank, sex an face. He treats them equally even as a Chairman, he seen his colleagues with the eyes of a guardian. That’s why, no one is afraid of him. Everyone loves and respects him very much. Beyond the official rules and regulations, he stands beside them in their needs like a soul mate. The immense scene of responsibility and values he cherished towards every worker can be compassed to the culture of Euro- America. This philanthropist is always trying to keep everyone around him in better position. In this context I remember the cis famous English Writer Sir Francis Bacon’s quotation, “A person’s greatness can be seen by how he treats his subordinates”.

Epyllion Group has built hospitals, modern day care centers and accommodation facilities along with the factory to ensure the health service and overall for the welfare of the employees. For shopping at affordable prices, there is a convenient store named “Renu” for the employees as well. Workers can buy their necessery commodities here at 30 percent less than the market price. The Epyllion Gorup is a stark contrast to many workers in the garment sector who often harbor grievances against other. Nothing like this has happened for a single day since the group’s inception which is an unprecedented event in this sector. Thats why people dream to work in the Epyllion Group. Employees consider Epyllion Gorup’s real asset to be its leader Mr. Riazuddin Al Mamun. Here maximum attention is paid to the satisfaction of every employee. Mr. Mamun believes that in order to gain self respects, one must respect others.

Thinking about the nutrition of the employees, he has established international quality bakery and beverage call ‘ Epytost’. Here employees can buy all products plan at 10 percent discount. There is also plan to market its product across the country in future. He has developed the retail fashion shop ‘Sailor’ to satisfy the taste of world class garments of the lower middle class. The garments were recognized as the best brand in the country last year.

The ancestral home of Mr. Riazuddin Al Mamun , is at Nabigonj in Narayongonj. He was born in an elite Muslim family at Azim Villa at Khanpur in Narayangonj. He saw the light of the world in the sixties by lighting up the house of Noor Jahan Begum and Noor Uddin Ahmed. Noor Jahan Begum was the eldest daughter of late businessman Azim Uddin Bhuiyan of Narayangonj City. Since Mr Mamuns birth, he has illuminated the surroundings with his light. His fragrance spread everywhere. He completed his studies at Narayangonj Preparatory School, IT School and Dhaka Residential Model College. Despite getting an opportunity for admission at Dhaka University, he got himself admitted into Adamjee Cantonment College due to session jam after completing his graduation, he started working is a Bank.

But he left that job after two and half years later and started a garments business. However due to ethical reasons, he left the partnership garments business within few days. Then being involved in a new struggle of life, he become the king and sole commander in his endeavors. He would like to enjoy more in winning any object through fighting than getting the same easily. He never wants to gain anything by giving up his principles. He always gives priority to principles rather than anything else. Mr. Mamun success in every field of struggle is due to his cherishing the ideals and principles of his late father Noor Uddin Ahmed a good businessman. He always does the right thing with integrity without pursuing the golden deer of success and thats why people adoration for him along with success.

Epyllion Group Head Office Neena Kabbo.

Epyllion Group’s headquarters “Neena Kabya” the heart of the capital stands tall on Gulshan Tejgaon link road as a unique testimony of Mr Mamun’s personal taste. A lot of famous poems are engraved in a special style all over the body of this wonderful architectural feat which easily attract the attention of the city dwellers. Neena Kabya’s interior design reflects the history and heritage of the country. As soon as somebody steps into the 15 storey building built at the cost of about 200 crores, he can hear the sound of beautiful music. The mind becomes truly poetic in the melodious tone of country songs in the open and lovely atmosphere. A sweet memory is hidden behind Neena Kabya. Mr Mamun used to call Nani “Neena” Grandmother Sougatun Nahar loved Mr Mamun, grandson of Kolija very much. This Neena Kabya is a memorial of the loving relationship between grandmother and grand son.

Riazuddin Al Mamun’s father late Noor Uddin Ahmed.

However he was not a direct witness of his parent’s hardwork, honesty, fortitude, sincerity, responsibility towards relatives mutual respect and love to all but he followed them with joy. It is ethical that while you are climbing to the top, but did not  forget the roots even for a moment. In an interview Mr. Mamun said “ I have been able to come so far because of my adopting the principles followed by my father”. He also said that Abba has started the Jute-Business after completing his master’s degree in Economics at Rajshahi University. Baba always told that success in life is necessary but not by sacrificing everything for it.

He spent much time outside the business among neighbors, relatives and family members. He was very kind to his poor relatives. He was very pious and did not go to any club even for a day.

Riazuddin Al Mamun’s mother Noor Jahan Begum (when she was a student)

“My mother used to sing”, said Mamun recalling the reminiscence of his mother. She could sew beautifully. She could also dance well. But she gave up everything for the need of our family. She used to cook with her own hands and also wash our cloths. Apart from supporting own family she also did another work. My mother was a very strong and courageous woman. I loved my mother very much. In the interview he also mentioned the kind support from his friends and relations with a thankful of heart Mr Mamun  also said “ Shahid Bhai Managing Director of Deco Group gave me 45 sewing Machines at the beginning of my business and told me to pay the price of them to him conveniently. Another friend and relatives Saieem Bhai gave me TK 2 laks as loan when I was unable to pay the stuff. Their contribution will never be forgotten by me”.

He also mentioned the contribution of his friends and classmates Bappi, Mehedi and Moin Hasan. Mr. Mamun likes to listen to music and read books in his leisure time. Nazrul Sangeet, Rabindra Sangeet and Lalon Sangeet are his favorite songs. He also likes to read novels and autobiographies of the great men. This great cultured man would celebrate all the national and the international days as well as arrange seminars, symposiums and various cultural functions with his workers.

Mr Mamun one fo the top most businessman of the country with an intellectual reputation in the readymade cloths section does not run after bank balance and money making. He is very reserved and keeps great aversion to propaganda. He has been quietly making outstanding contribution education, culture environment civilization and human resource. His every word seems to carry a special message for development. He is always active in pursuance of moral excellence.

From the childhood he began to dream of his better future. He spent every moment of his life to fulfill his dream. Mr Mamun’s life is closely related to the famous quotation of the former President of India APJ Abdul Kalam, “ Dream is not the thing you see  in sleep but it that thing that does not let you sleep”. As the eldest child of a family of 8 members, Mr Mamun worked relentlessly to fulfill the demands of his customers.

Starting with a small factory Epyllion, he has turned his dream Epyllion Groups into a great success within almost 3 decades. Epyllion Group turnover at thousands of crore taka a year now. At every step of this long campaign, he proved himself as a transparent entrepreneur. Because of this no one could ever point a finger at him. He did not default even for a single day. He never imagined tax evasion. A past from an undeniable role in the socio-economic development of the country, he has also brightened up the image of Bangladesh in the international arena. By establishing a world class waste management system to protect the environment ensuring all kinds of effective measures to protect the interest of the workers and producing international standard working environment, he has won the praise of the world’s top class buyers. The super brand EPYLLION has already got international recognitions several times including the Gold Certificate of the Green Building Council of America. The topmost companies of Europe, America and Australia are the main buyer of EPYLLION.

Riazuddin Al Mamun’s grand father Haji Azim Uddin Bhuiyan

It is true that family education and business heritage played a vital role in Mr Mamun’s success his grandfather Ajim Uddin Bhuiyan traded  with the British for long with great reputation. His father Noor Uddin Ahmed was also a renowned businessman.

Even after climbing the golden peak of success, he treated all those relatives with utmost compassion. At one time those who looked at him with crooked eyes. Stand beside them in any problem. A great hearted person like Riazuddin Al Mamun is much needed today for the development of our overall social system and civilization.

A terrible dichotomy can be observed among the rich and powerful in our society. In the natural light of the day, they become one, but in the bright artificial light of the night, they come diriment. Although the island of success in career lights up all round, the personal life of many people is covered by dark clouds. But in this case, Riazuddin Al Mamun is a role model for us. As a father, as a husband, as a brother, as a relative, as a neighbor, as a businessman, as a friend and as a sports organizer, he is equally popular one. Apart from his own family, his three younger bro Raji, Junaid, Haseeb and two sisters Huma and Shaon and close relatives always looked after utmost compassion.

Riaz Al Mamun and his wife Shawn

The presence of some heinous activity like selfishness, weakness to women and power can be seen among many honest and famous people of various levels. But Mr Riazuddin Al Mamun is an exception in this case. He is a man of extraordinary stature despite his vast wealth and CIP rank. Mr Mamun achieved the blessing of the creator alongwith the unfailing support of his wife from the beginning of his exemplary life style. They are like the same soul in two bodies. Mrs. Mamun is also serving as the Director of Epyllion Groups with remarkable reputation. I have visited Riazuddin Al Mamun Bhai’s residence at Banani several times. I cannot but remember Mrs. Mamun’s great hospitality. Including, I raised this issue because Mrs Mamun always inspires Mr Riazuddin Al Mamun from behind for his idealistic life. Their family consisted of two daughters and one son seems to be a heavenly garden. It’s a fact that the behavior of the parents has influenced their children greatly. They have no pride at all. Mamun- Shaon couple’s son Majin and daughters Farisha and Munisha are growing up as very polite and instinctive personality. According to Islam honest wife and children are greater blessings than thousands of crore taka. Almighty Allah has given him too many blessing.

Riazuddin Al Mamun’s wife Shawon, son Majin and daughters Parisa and Munisa

Reader, I would like to mention here another exceptional feature of Mr Mamun. We all know that renowned businessman have been occupying the National Parliament of the country for a long time. Most of the businessman is eager to have power. So they spend a vast quantity of money to become an MP/ Minister. But in this case Mr Mamun is an opposite character. One of the topmost political parties of this country has repeatedly requested Mr Mamun to take the MP nomination paper but he has rejected it every time. He thinks that politics is not the only way to do good to the country people. He has been providing regular services all over the country by Epyllion Foundation. He always gives support to the development of mosques, madrashas, orphanages, various religious and educational institutions and many welfare works.

Concluding remarks: Conscience is that separates man from other living beigns and places him on the seat of superiority; God has bestowed his conscience upon man that has freedom. One can place oneself on the position of excellence with this conscience while another can bring himself down to the lowest position. By making the best use of this conscience, Mr Mamun has adorned the seat of excellence. It is not an exaggeration to say that Mr Maun’s achievement will make him a flag- bearer of principles and ideals from generation to generation from era to era.

Therefore, I think people like Mr Mamun should be brought to the fore-front to establish a corruption free and peaceful society to face the economic challenges.

We should create an environment so that such types of people are encouraged to come to leadership as the model for future generation. The norms of ethics and morality should be spread on a large scale in the society. Respective authorities should take necessary initiative in this regard. The government should take the responsibility of making such successful, creative, clear and well educated people in order to build up a civilized nation and ensure the overall welfare of the country.

Ashraful Islam Ziko (35) has kept his type-2 diabetes and hypertension under control by measuring blood pressure, and maintaining healthy values by lifestyle adjustments and required medication. He has been living with type-2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension for over 3 years.

Ziko is serving as senior specialist coach in Masco Shakib Cricket Academy and assistant coach & trainer of Gazi Group Cricketers & Dhaka Metro.

As much as he was surprised to think of himself as a diabetic patient as an athlete, he wasn’t so surprised about hypertension. Because he has to endure different types of mental stress in the workplace, which makes it normal for him to have high blood pressure.

In his opinion, there is more stress on a coach than a spectator or player on the field. Since his grandfather and father were also suffered from the same type of disease, he takes these diseases as a genetically unavoidable disease. Yes, he indeed became stress when he was diagnosed with diabetes, but he managed this by some interesting management.

As an athlete, there is some difference in his way of life than civilian people e.g. physical exercise, swimming, fixed diet chart, etc. Regular early morning jogging and swimming are mandatory for him and his team, even he can’t take food randomly except calculation by the analysis of their official dietician.

When I wanted to know how you control the pressure in the case of exciting matches; He replied that “Just like we do regular physical exercise, we have to do mental exercise too; There is a trained psychologist who strengthens us mentally so that we (everyone from players to coaches) can accept any result and get better results from the current situation”. So, these are the factors how he controls his hypertension and diabetes. According to his opinion, a strict disciplinary lifestyle not only saves you from diabetes and hypertension but also help in living a healthy and happy life.

“You may not realize that Wasim Akram is a diabetes patient because he lives a disciplined lifestyle, so why not I try? Alhamdulillah at this age not only my diabetes and hypertension is under control but also my physical appearance and physical strength are much better than other. And it is not necessary that you must be an athlete to live a disciplinary life, it will depend entirely on your mental willpower”, said Md. Ashraful Islam (Ziko).

He recommends everyone to control hypertension and diabetes by taking a healthy diet, being physically active, quitting smoking and alcohol, getting enough sleep- overall a disciplined lifestyle.

Writer: Md. Injamul Huq, Program Implement Officer, Eminence Association for Social Development. injamul.huq@eminence-bd.org

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman worked for the welfare of the people of the country till his death. After independence, he started working to rebuild the country and build a war-torn Bangladesh. Naturally, it became very difficult to run the country. So he took the initiative to temporarily build a new platform in politics by passing the normal stream of his cherished dream-democracy.

Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was a media friend since his student days. The location of the journalist and newspaper office was close to his heart. He also had many friends among the journalists. His immortal creation gratefully expresses his deep interest and faith in the media in the first book, the Unfinished Memoirs, and the second in the Prison Diaries. Because the role of media in all the movements and struggles of Bangladesh and in the great liberation war was infinite. This great leader termed the newspapers and electronic media during the liberation war as ‘mass media’ and not just ‘news media’. Through his writings in those books, he has remembered not only the media, but also the media personalities with deep confidence and respect. The contribution of the media in the language movement, the outstanding contribution of the media in presenting the six-point demand as a ‘demand for human survival’ is also highlighted in his two books. Throughout his life, Bangabandhu spoke of freedom of expression.Talking about the importance of media in his Unfinished Memoirs, Bangabandhu said, “my father used to keep a newspaper; Anandabazar, Basumati, Azad, MasikMohammadi and Saugat. He then spoke about the media politics of east Bengal at that time and the history of the steps taken by the leaders of this section for the welfare of the people at that time. In these two books, he also spoke openly about the owners of various newspapers of that time and their role. Even praised a magazine. Never again did he stop criticizing the role of any newspaper in the field. “In the 1940s, Dainik Azad was the only Bengali newspaper to support the Muslim League and the Pakistan movement,” he said. Maulana Akram Khan, the founder and owner of this paper, was the president of the Bengal provincial Muslim League. Many of us started hawking in the streets and selling paper. The paper became very popular with the intellectual community. Many Hindus also read the paper. Its name was ‘Millat’.

Bangabandhu relied on the news published in the media to get the news of his politics. He also wrote in his Unfinished Memoirs how the media helped Bangabandhu in establishing an independent Bangladesh. “My press conference statement was very well published in Nawai Waqt, Pakistan times, Imroz and other papers,” he said. Pro-government papers also criticized my statement. I emphasized the state language Bengali, the release of political prisoners, and the protest against the shootings, autonomy and economic problems. ‘After the assassination of Bangabandhu on 15 august 1975, a group tried to portray Bangabandhu’s weakness towards the media in a negative light. They began to sharply criticize the Newspaper Declaration Enrollment Ordinance, which was passed on June 16, 1975. But the law was made on the advice of journalist leaders. Bangabandhu ensured that journalists get regular salaries and allowances. He confirmed the salaries of journalists and employees who were shut down after June 16, 1975. They would go to the treasury one day and bring the salary.

William Crawley described that as a new recruit to the BBC external services radio services (better known as the BBC world service) in november 1970, I had a small part in the reporting of the events which marked Sheikh Mujib’s crowning achievement, and in analyzing the events that followed up to and beyond his assassination. I did not know him personally, but I saw his public and political personality in action at an election rally is Narayanganj in 1973 and I took part in an interview with him for the BBC Bengali service on one occasion when he was passing through London as Prime Minister. I was able to see the charisma that he brought to his nationalist convictions and aspirations, and the admiration he inspired in his followers. What I can bear witness to is the way Sheikh Mujib emerged from the relative obscurity of a provincial east Bengali politician within the context of Pakistan, into the international limelight. He shattered Mohammed Ali Jinnah’s dream – and 24-year achievement – of a united Pakistan. It is worth recalling the coverage of these momentous events in the British media, and the people who contributed to the BBC’s reporting at the time.The election in December 1970 and the decisive victory in East Pakistan of Mujib’s Awami League underlined a wider importance of the BBC. ‘Sheikh Mujibur Rahman… was introduced to the world by the BBC,’ recalled Musa, who was at that time also correspondent of The Times (London) and The Sunday times, and through them was appointed to the then newly established Asian news service based in Hong kong. Sheikh Mujib’s arrest, and the crackdown on society and political activity by the military regime in East Pakistan in March 1971, made him even more of a household name in the international media. Of the british journalists, Simon Dring of the daily telegraph had managed to evade the expulsion of foreign correspondents, reporting on events for his paper and for the Washington post for several days. Martin Adeney had been in Dhaka for the guardian, while Peter Hazelhurst covered phases of the story for the times. The Pakistani journalist Anthony Mascarenhas, sent by the Pakistan government to report on the situation, defected and wrote a powerful first-hand exposé of the army repression for The Sunday Times. The distinguished American correspondent Murray Sayle some weeks later wrote an influential report in the same paper. The BBC World Service and the Bengali Service interviewed others who had managed to leave East Pakistan and their testimony both undercut local censorship and internationally added to a damning picture of the Pakistani army’s role. His release and flight to London on 8 January 1972, in a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane, arranged by the new leader of west Pakistan Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, restored him immediately to the centre of the political stage. After meetings with the British prime minister Edward Heath and Harold Wilson, then leader of the opposition labour party, and a meeting with the Indian high commissioner Apa Pant, Sheikh Mujib gave a memorable press conference at claridges hotel, in which he was questioned in detail about his present position and that of an independent Bangladesh. At an international press conference on 8 January 1972 at claridge’s hotel, London, a resolute and determined Bangabandhu sought support from Britain and international community to rebuild his war-ravaged country.

At present Honourable Prime Minisiter Sheikh Hasina at the Silver Jubilee programme of Dhaka Reporters’ Unity, urged that journalists work risking their lives and many inside stories come to light with their reports. As a result, necessary action can be taken to solve various problems. In fine, quoting Father of the Nation Bangabandhu, she said like politics journalism without principle can give nothing to the country and the nation.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the first to protect the freedom of speech of journalists. Bangabandhu has played an important role in strengthening the media. And he was the first person in the history of independent and sovereign Bangladesh to work for the media. And he also arranged salary allowances for journalists, freedom of the press and national recognition of the media.

In a word, Bangladesh and Bangabandhu sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the poet of politics is the ultimate emancipation whose spirit soared immeasurably in heightened expectations.

Writer: Senior Information Officer of Press Information Department, Bangladesh Secretariat, Dhaka.

Now researchers found that honey is better than antibiotics for treatment of coughs and colds.

Researchers said in a new study that though honey is cheap, readily available, but it is better at treating for coughs, blocked noses and sore throats. It has virtually no side-effects as well.

It can also help in wound healing because its high viscosity helps to provide a protective barrier to prevent infection.

However, its effectiveness in treating upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) has not been scientifically assessed until now.

Scientists from the University of Oxford looked at research databases for relevant studies comparing honey, and preparations using honey as an ingredient, with standard medical care- mostly antihistamines, expectorants, cough suppressants, and painkillers.

They found 14 suitable clinical trials, involving 1,761 participants of varying ages.

Data analysis of these studies indicated that honey was more effective than usual care for improving symptoms, especially the frequency and severity of coughing.

Two of the studies showed symptoms lasted one to two days less among those treated with honey. _Agencies

“Employees who work in a role that can effectively be done from home are welcome to do so until June 30, 2021”, an Amazon spokeswoman said in an emailed statement on Tuesday, adding the guidance is applicable globally.

Amazon had earlier allowed that option until January.

The development comes less than three weeks after the world’s largest online retailer said more than 19,000 of its U.S. frontline workers contracted the coronavirus this year.

Some staff, elected officials and unions in recent months have said that Amazon put employees’ health at risk by keeping warehouses open during the pandemic.

“We have invested significant funds and resources to keep those who choose to come to the office safe through physical distancing, deep cleaning, temperature checks, and by providing face coverings and hand sanitizer,” the Amazon spokeswoman said on Tuesday.

In May, Twitter Inc became the first major tech company to allow employees who can work remotely to do so indefinitely.

Other tech giants have extended the work from home option for their employees with Microsoft Corp saying earlier this month it will let most employees work remotely for up to half their weekly working hours.

Facebook Inc had said it would allow its employees to work from home till July next year, while Google had extended the remote working period for employees who do not need to be in the office till June.

The company added 2.2 million paid subscribers globally during the quarter that ended Sept. 30, missing Wall Street’s target of 3.4 million and its own forecast.

Earnings per share also landed below analyst expectations at $1.74. The consensus forecast was $2.14, according to IBES data from Refinitiv.

Shares of Netflix, one of the biggest gainers this year as people stayed home amid the pandemic, dropped nearly 6% to $494 in after-hours trading on Tuesday.

“Domestic subscribers were nearly flat, which highlights Netflix’s saturation in the U.S.,” said Ross Benes, analyst with eMarketer. With domestic additions slowing, revenue growth will likely come from price increases, he said.

The company reported a blockbuster quarter at the start of the worldwide coronavirus pandemic, adding 15.8 million paying customers from January through March.

Netflix had warned investors that a sudden surge in new sign-ups would fade in the latter half of the year as COVID-19 restrictions eased. Netflix forecast in the fourth quarter it would bring in 6 million new subscribers around the globe, short of the 6.51 million that analysts expected.

The streaming video pioneer is trying to win new customers and fend off competition as viewers embrace online entertainment. During the third quarter, Netflix released “Emily in Paris”, “Enola Holmes” and “The Devil All the Time.”

Netflix acknowledged that competition was increasing as studios across Hollywood from Walt Disney Co to AT&T Inc’s WarnerMedia have restructured to compete more directly for video subscribers.

“Competition for consumers’ time and engagement remains vibrant,” Netflix said in a letter to shareholders.

In recent months, major sports resumed play and nascent streaming services, including AT&T’s HBO Max and Comcast Corp’s Peacock, offered audiences new options.

Netflix said its results reflected the fact that it saw such a big surge in customers early in the year.

“We continue to view quarter-to-quarter fluctuations in paid net adds as not that meaningful in the context of the long run adoption of internet entertainment, which we believe is still early and should provide us with many years of strong future growth as we continue to improve our service,” the company said.

Netflix officials noted the company had pulled in more subscribers in the first nine months of 2020 than in all of 2019. It ended the third quarter with 195.2 million global streaming customers.

“Next time we get together, we should be over 200 million members, completing a year of 34 million (additions),” an annual record, Co-Chief Executive Reed Hastings said in an analyst interview.

The company also said it expected to complete shooting over 150 productions by the end of the year and that it would release more original programming in each quarter of 2021 compared with 2020.

Revenue rose 22.7% to $6.44 billion in the third quarter, edging past estimates of $6.38 billion.

Net income rose to $790 million, or $1.74 per share, in the quarter from $665.2 million, or $1.47 per share, a year earlier.

Preliminary referendum results showed 65.2% of voters supported the End of Life Choice Act 2019 coming into force as a new law.

It will allow terminally ill people, with less than six months to live, the opportunity to choose assisted dying if approved by two doctors.

For its opponents the law lacks adequate safeguards.

The results announced on Friday do not include an estimated 480,000 special votes, including overseas ballots, so the final outcome will not be confirmed until 6 November. But with such strong support, the decision is not expected to change.

The referendum is binding and the new law is expected to come into effect in November 2021.

It will see New Zealand join a small group of countries, including the Netherlands and Canada, which allow euthanasia.

The referendum on assisted dying was held alongside the general election earlier this month. In a separate non-binding referendum held at the same time, New Zealanders narrowly rejected a proposal to legalise recreational cannabis.

The preliminary results on the cannabis vote was 53.1% no and 46.1% yes – though this result may be subject to change when the special votes are counted.

What has the reaction been?

The “yes” verdict had been anticipated after polls suggested strong public support for the law, which was also backed by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the opposition leader, Judith Collins.

But it was the result of an emotional, years-long campaign with strong views on both sides of the debate.

For Matt Vickers, who took on his late wife Lecretia Seales’ fight to legalise assisted dying, the result is “a victory for compassion and kindness”.

“I am grateful that terminally ill New Zealanders will have a say about the ends of their lives,” he told the BBC after the announcement.

Ms Seales was a lawyer who launched a legal challenge for the right to end her life with medical assistance after she was diagnosed with a brain tumour. But her case was unsuccessful and she died of her illness five years ago, aged 42.

Mr Vickers pressed on with her campaign and in 2016 his book, “Lecretia’s Choice: A Story of Love, Death and the Law”, was published.

The day before the result Mr Vickers told the BBC that ultimately his late wife’s goal was for terminally ill people “to have a choice”.

“She didn’t want to die. No one does. That’s a popular misconception. The problem was the choice to live had been taken away,” he said. “She wanted a choice on how death happens so if things got bad she could end the suffering at the time she wanted.”

What is the new law?

The End of Life Choice Act was passed by parliament in 2019 after years of heated parliamentary debate and a record number of public submissions.

But there was a proviso that it would first be put to a referendum, only coming into force if more than 50% of voters ticked “yes”.

There are a number of criteria a person must meet to ask for assisted dying. These include:

suffering from a terminal illness that’s likely to end their life within six months
showing a significant decline in physical capability
being able to make an informed decision about assisted dying
The legislation authorises a doctor or nurse to administer or prescribe a lethal dose of medication to be taken under their supervision if all the conditions are met.

The law also says a person cannot be eligible for assisted dying on the basis of advanced age, mental illness, or disability alone.

Which countries allow euthanasia?

The referendum result in New Zealand will be closely watched by advocates for and against assisted dying throughout the world.

By voting “yes” the country is joining a small group of nations and territories that have passed similar legislation.

Euthanasia is legal in Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, while assisted suicide is permitted in Switzerland.

A number of states in the United States and the Australian state of Victoria have also made assisted dying legal.

Euthanasia is the act of deliberately ending a person’s life to relieve suffering, while assisted suicide is the act of deliberately assisting another person to kill themselves. In contrast to euthanasia and assisted suicide, assisted dying would apply to terminally ill people only.

Source: BBC

Of the total patients, 3,21,281 recovered, with 1,548 made recovery in the last 24 hours.

The daily count came from test of 14,268 samples in the past day. As of today, the number of total sample test stood at 23,10,589.

However, the country today reported 25 more deaths from the deadly virus, taking the tally to 5,886.

Bangladesh first reported its COVID-19 cases on March 8. Since then the country has been struggling to limit spread of the highly contagious virus.

Coronavirus first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year, and then spread to newer countries and territories.

As of Thursday, the epidemic infected 44,843,380 people and killed 1,180,352 across the globe, according to Worldometer, a website which compiles number of new coronavirus cases and deaths from it.

However, total number of people who recovered from the coronavirus pandemic reached 32,772,479 across the world.

Turkish anger at the caricature added fuel to a row between Turkey and France about cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad, which flared after a teacher who had shown pupils the cartoons in a lesson on freedom of speech was beheaded in France this month.

“We strongly condemn the publication concerning our President in the French magazine which has no respect for any belief, sacredness and values,” presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin wrote on Twitter, reports Reuters.

“They are just showing their own vulgarity and immorality. An attack on personal rights is not humour and freedom expression,” he said.

The cartoon on the cover of Charlie Hebdo, showed Erdogan sitting in a white T-shirt and underpants, holding a canned drink along with a woman wearing an Islamic hijab.

Turkish presidential communications director Fahrettin Altun said “Macron’s anti-Muslim agenda is bearing fruit!”.

“We condemn this most disgusting effort by this publication to spread its cultural racism and hatred,” Altun wrote on Twitter.

Erdogan sharply criticised Macron at the weekend, saying the French leader needed a mental health check, prompting France to recall its ambassador from Ankara. On Monday, Erdogan urged a boycott of French products. [nL8N2HH3MN]

The Prophet Mohammad cartoons, considered blasphemous by Muslims, have been displayed in France in solidarity and Macron has said he would redouble efforts to stop conservative Islamic beliefs subverting French values, angering many Muslims.

Within hours of the Nice attack, police killed a man who had threatened passersby with a handgun in Montfavet, near the southern French city of Avignon. He was also shouting “Allahu Akbar” (God is greatest), according to radio station Europe 1.

In Saudi Arabia on Thursday, state television reported that a Saudi man had been arrested in the city of Jeddah after attacking and injuring a guard at the French consulate.

The French Embassy said the consulate was subject to an “attack by knife which targeted a guard”, adding the guard was taken to hospital and his life was not in danger.

Nice’s mayor, Christian Estrosi, who described the attack in his city as terrorism, said on Twitter it had happened in or near Notre Dame church.

Estrosi said the attacker had repeatedly shouted the phrase “Allahu Akbar”, even after he had been detained by police.

One of the people killed inside the church was believed to be the church warden, Estrosi said, adding that a woman had tried to escape from inside the church and had fled into a bar opposite the 19th century neo-Gothic building.

“The suspected knife attacker was shot by police while being detained, he is on his way to hospital, he is alive,” Estrosi told reporters.

“Enough is enough,” Estrosi said. “It’s time now for France to exonerate itself from the laws of peace in order to definitively wipe out Islamo-fascism from our territory.”

Reuters journalists at the scene said police armed with automatic weapons had put up a security cordon around the church, which is on Nice’s Jean Medecin avenue, the city’s main shopping thoroughfare. Ambulances and fire service vehicles were also at the scene.