29 Feb, 2016

SECOND EDITION

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

|

Falgun 17, 1422, Jamadiul Awal 19, 1437

|

Regd No DA 6238, Vol 3, No 314

|

www.dhakatribune.com | 32 pages | Price: Tk10

Tigers win to keep final hopes alive

Bangladesh batsman Sabbir Rahman whacks one towards the mid-wicket region during their Asia Cup T20 clash against Sri Lanka at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday

n Mazhar Uddin The Tigers gunned down holders Sri Lanka by 23 runs in a crucial Asia Cup Twenty20 clash at Mirpur's Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday. In the process, Bangladesh registered their maid-

en shortest format win over the reigning World T20 champions in five attempts.

Following a brilliant 80-run knock by player of the match Sabbir Rahman which guided his side to a challenging 147/7, the Tigers bowlers displayed a disciplined approach, led by Al Amin Hossain (3/34), to restrict the Lankans to 124/8.

Shakib al Hasan chipped in with two economical wickets of his own while pace sensation Mustafizur Rahman also bowled superbly, giving away only 19 runs in his quota of four overs.

Earlier, Sabbir played some delightful strokes en route to scoring a fine 54-ball 80, featuring 10 fours and three sixes, and alongside Shakib (32) and Mahmudullah (23*), the swashbuckling right-hander guided the Tigers to a respectable tally.

The hosts however, were in all sorts of trouble after batting first, losing both the opening batsmen, Mohammad Mithun and Soumya Sarkar, for ducks while Mushfiqur Rahim (four) was also dismissed cheaply as the Tigers were struggling on 26/3 inside the fifth over.

Sabbir though was unperturbed at the other end, launching a counter-attack, blasting 18 runs off Nuwan Kulasekara in the fourth over which was studded with three boundaries and a six.

The stylish right-hander played an array of majestic strokes all around the ground but counted himself lucky on 46 when he was dropped at deep mid-wicket. The miss proved to be costly as the Rajshahi cricketer soon reached his fifty off 38 balls.

Shakib from the other hand provided Sabbir valuable

MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

assistance as the fourth wicket pair added 82 runs to take Bangladesh past the 100-run mark in the 16th over. Sabbir played the role of the aggressor as he collected 58 runs during his partnership with Shakib.

By the time Sabbir departed in the 16th over, the foundation had already been laid with the Tigers putting on 39 runs from their last four overs.

Paceman Dushmantha Chameera was the pick of the Lankan bowlers with figures of 3/30 while skipper Angelo Mathews and Kulasekara scalped one each. l

DT

2

News

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

Ansarullah’s new den busted in capital n Arifur Rahman Rabbi Law enforcers have found a new den of Ansarullah Bangla Team in the capital’s Dakkhinkhan area and recovered hand bombs and a sizeable cache of bomb-making materials from there.

Mashruqure Rahman Khaled, deputy commissioner of DB Police (South), confirmed the news to the Dhaka Tribune.

“As part of our ongoing crackdown on militants, a joint team of detectives and members of Counter-terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit raided a house in Dakkhinkhan and recovered two hand bombs and a large cache of bomb-making materials,” he said.

Detectives suspect that the house was being used as a bomb-making training centre of the banned outfit.

The raid was carried out around 11pm Saturday and the two bombs were defused yesterday morning by the Bomb Disposal Unit, Khaled said, adding that militants living in the house might have fled after sensing the presence of law enforcers.

In a similar raid on February 19, police arrested two members of the banned militant outfit in Badda and busted an Ansarullah explosives den in Mohammadpur.

Saturday’s raid was carried out based on information extracted during the remand of those two suspects, Deputy Commissioner Khaled said.

He said the two-bedroom flat was rented three months ago by two persons identifying themselves as students. One of the rooms was being used to make bombs, while many others used to visit the flat as well.

The security guard of the building has been detained for questioning. l

The street beside Mayor Hanif Flyover in North Jatrabari area, Dhaka is flooded with sewerage water. The photo was taken yesterday

MEHEDI HASAN

Plan on to bring Cabinet Division under e-procurement scheme Showkat Kallol and n Asif Ishtiaq Husain

The government has decided to bring all its agencies, including the Cabinet Division, under e-procurement system by December to check corruption and political nepotism in tendering.

The decision was made in a recent Planning Ministry meeting, presided over by minister AHM Mustafa Kamal. The meeting also decided to form a working group to introduce e-procurement system and include the cabinet committees on economic affairs and public purchase.

Members of the working group include officials from the Cabinet

Division, power, public administration, ICT, local government, roads and highways divisions, and the water resources ministry.

According to the minutes of that meeting, World Bank-funded Central Procurement Technical Unit (CPTU) of the Planning Ministry is currently working on digitisation of the administration.

However, ministry officials said without strong information technology (IT) support, the e-government procurement (e-GP) system would not come to much use.

“One of the main problems with our existing tender process is the influence exerted by politically powerful quarters. The government is planning to introduce the system as

most purchase decisions are made by the cabinet committee on public purchase,” said an official.

Clashes – sometimes lethal – between rival political groups centring government tenders are common in Bangladesh.

On February 15, 2011, the e-GP guideline was published as a gazette notification. Under this guideline, the government made it compulsory to follow e-GP guideline for public procurement.

A national web portal has been set up four agencies: directorates of local government engineering, and the roads and highways, the Bangladesh rural electrification Board and the Bangladesh Water Development Board – have been incorporat-

ed with a pilot e-GP project.

The relevant authorities have asked the ministries and divisions to use the compulsory e-GP system for government tenders worth over Tk50 crore and carry out procurement for intellect-based projects worth over Tk10 crore.

According the minutes of that meeting, a total of 100 government agencies under 25 ministries have now been brought under the e-GP system.

Prime Minister’s Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the e-GP web portal In June 2011. This complete e-GP solution introduced under the Public Procurement Reform (PPR) Programme is being supported by the World Bank. l

ed offences has been increasing with the rising number of internet users.

According to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, the number of internet users until December last year was around 54.1 million.

Tanvir Hassan Zoha, focal person of the Cyber Safety Programme, told the Dhaka Tribune that criminals were changing their style with the advancement of technology.

“We must bring these criminals to book. All government bodies need to work together through a better coordination.

“Moreover, all persons including the investigators and those linked to the trial procedure need to have vast knowledge on technology to ensure punishment of the culprits

and stop such acts.”

He said that such activities could be stopped by monitoring the internet gateway by specially trained teams.

Different law enforcement agencies have also been working to tackle cyber crimes, but their efforts seem to be inadequate.

Monirul Islam, chief of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit, said that such crimes could not be stopped quickly since there was no special unit to deal with the issue.

SM Altaf Hossain, an IT expert, said: “Besides making the internet safer, we need to create social awareness among people to prevent cyber crimes. Although the government has taken some steps in this regard, I think those are not enough.” l

Hackers robbing Facebook users n Mohammad Jamil Khan Anika Mim, an HSC student of Barisal Government Women College, on last Thursday found her Facebook account inaccessible. She was told that her password did not match.

After about an hour, Mim’s friends informed her that the account had been used by someone else. When she contacted with the person from a friend’s profile, the hacker demanded that Tk5,000 be sent to a bKash number to get back the account.

After a bargain, the hacker agreed on Tk2,000 and Mim sent the money to the bKash number.

Then the hacker sent her the password in an email.

Last month, private service hold-

er Tania Tabassum heard from her friends that her Facebook account had been hacked. The hacker was sending messages to her friends asking for money to a bKash account for some emergency issues.

As one of her friends called her on mobile phone to know about her problem, Tania realised that it was an act of a fraud gang. But within the time, a friend had sent Tk5,000 to the bKash number without verifying the message.

Tania later got back her account through another email ID she had used in her Facebook account settings as secondary recovery email.

Officials concerned say that the number of cyber crime related complaints increased in the past two months significantly. The Cy-

ber Safety Programme wing of the ICT Ministry received over 2,000 complaints in January and February, of which incidents of Facebook ID hacking were more than 1,200 in mid February.

The total number of complaints was around 8,000 last year and 3,000 in 2014.

Other crimes include hacking email IDs, government websites and online bank accounts. Officials suspect that an organised gang is conducting the crimes to harass or extort the users.

On the other hand, a good number of people use fake IDs on Facebook and Twitter to conduct criminal activities and collect members for militant outfits. Observers say that the number of cyber crime relat-

3

DT

News

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

Tenant database being updated to stop militants n Mohammad Jamil Khan In an attempt to stop criminals and militants from setting up hideouts in Dhaka city, all landlords of the capital have been directed to submit information about their tenants and themselves to the DMP within March 15.

Failure to comply would result in legal action against the landlords.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police have been visiting houses and handing out tenant information forms to both landlords and their lodgers and would continue to do so until midnight tonight.

Anyone yet to get the form would be able to collect it from the police station in their respective area.

The DMP Headquarters took the initiative after members of Counter-terrorism and Transnational

Crime Unit raided two houses in Badda and Mohammadpur to recover explosives and arrested Ansarullah Bangla Team members.

DMP Commissioner Asaduzzaman Miah said many landlords unknowingly rent their house to militants or criminals who use the house as a base of operation before committing the crime and fleeing the city.

“For this reason, we have decided to collect updated information of all tenants through the filling up of a complete form with a copy of national identity card,” the DMP boss said.

He added the issue was not new, but the police were now making it one of their top priorities.

Sources said both police officials and landlords would be held accountable if the tenant database is not updated. Local

police officials would have to provide statement on why they failed to update information, while landlords would face action under criminal procedure.

Section 42 of the code of criminal procedure states that every citizen must help the police for government or investigation work. Under this section, police can seek information from anyone and citizens must cooperate. If necessary, the police can also take action under this section.

What is in the form?

The tenant information form, which was collected by the Dhaka Tribune, shows that all tenants and landlords must provide current and permanent address, profession, national ID number, passport number, mobile phone number, a passport-size photograph, family

member details, emergency contact person, and details about any domestic help and driver.

Along with details about their current landlords, tenants would also need to give the names of their previous landlords, phone numbers and reasons for leaving the earlier lodgings.

However, some police officials said they have been getting poor response from tenants and landlords.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Nure Alam Miah, officer-in-charge of Dhanmondi police station, said many of the tenants refuse to provide information and fail to understand that the information was being collected for their own safety.

On the other hand, Shahbagh OC Abu Bakkar Siddique said they have already collected 12,000 of the 20,000 distributed forms so far

in the area.

Concerns about sharing info

Abdul Aziz, a tenant of Lakshmibazar area, said he received a form from the police on Friday but was not told any detail on why the information was being collected. He expressed his concerns that submitting the form might create troubles for him in the future.

Seeking anonymity, a landlord of Sutrapur area, told the Dhaka Tribune he also feared future harassment if all information had to be given to the police.

Another tenant in Wari, also preferring to stay anonymous, said: “I am fearing it would create trouble for me instead of offering security, as the police would interrogate me without any reason if something happened in my area.” l

MPs want committee to try 1/11 masterminds n Tribune Report Lawmakers from the Awami League and its coalition partners yesterday demanded that an investigation commission be formed to try the people behind the 1/11 political changeover of 2007.

While taking part in the parliamentary discussion on the president’s speech, they underscored the need for constituting a commission to unmask the masterminds who tortured politicians during the emergency regime of two years from January 2007.

Addressing the discussion, Health Minister Mohammed Nasim said no development of the country could be thought of without politicians, but it was politicians who were stigmatised at that time.

Regarding recent remarks by The Daily Star editor Mahfuz Anam, the minister said admission of fault was not enough as such mistakes caused politicians to land in jail.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon, who led the parliamentary sub-committee to probe incidents of army repression against Dhaka University teachers and students during the last caretaker government, expressed his dissatisfaction over the unimplemented recommendations by the sub-committee.

He suggested constitution of a commission with a retired justice of higher judiciary to investigate all the incidents, particularly of the depoliticising moves by the caretaker regime.

Awami League lawmaker AFM Bahauddin Nasim said those who were behind the military-backed interim government would be brought to justice so that no one

dares to commit such an incident in the country in future.

The Awami League organising secretary said Mahfuz Anam’s admission that army intelligence officials had prodded the paper to publish articles containing allegations of corruption against top politicians in 2007 and 2008 portrayed how politicians were stigmatised.

“If politicians commit mistake they land in jail; others just say sorry and get rid of the mistake.”

Information Minister Hasanul Huq Inu said criticising editors does not mean that freedom of expression is hampered.

He also said there is no democratic deficit but there is democratic danger. “What is the parameter of democracy — rule of law, rule of elected representatives, freedom of expression and so on and all these parameters are active.”

Menon criticises EC

On another note, Menon accused the Election Commission of not taking appropriate steps in ensuring free and fair local government polls.

“Lots of allegations are pouring in at the Election Commission. But the Election Commission took no initiative to investigate the complaints,” the minister told the parliament.

Citing an example, Menon, also the president of Workers Party, said that his party-nominated candidate was physically assaulted for submitting nomination paper in the upcoming Union Parishad polls.

He also said people will lose confidence on the electoral system if the trend of stuffing ballot boxes and capturing polling stations at local government election continues. l

Dhaka North City Corporation conducts an eviction drive to remove illegal establishments in the capital’s Karwan Bazar area yesterday MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

‘CNG drivers, owners should come under strict monitoring’ n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Road, Transport and Bridges Ministry has urged the ministry to strengthen its monitoring so that CNG drivers cannot charge extra fare.

Ekabbar Hossain, chairman of the committee, said this in the parliament yesterday.

“After fixing the new fare of CNG auto-rickshaw, the drivers

followed the meter a few days but now they are not doing so causing passengers’ sufferings. That’s why, the committee recommended that the ministry should take stern action in this regard,” said Ekabbar.

He also said owners of CNG auto-rickshaws also charge drivers additional deposit money. So, the owners should also come under strict surveillance.

The committee also recommended that the committee repre-

sentatives should visit the projects of the ministry.

The ministry will let the committee members inform about the update information of Padma Bridge construction through SMS regularly, the committee also recommended.

Obaidul Quader, AKM Awal, Rezwan Ahmed Toufiq, Nuruzzaman Ahmed, Foizur Rahman, Nazmul Huq Prodhan, Monirul Islam and Lutfunnnesa participated in the meeting. l

DT

News

4

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

‘Govt wants to buy more arms from Russia’ n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman The Bangladesh government would like to buy more sophisticated arms from Russia, said Russian Ambassador to Dhaka Alexander A Nikolaev.

“I heard the opinion of certain high-ranking military representatives of the Bangladesh Armed Forces that they would like to purchase Russian-made military hardware,” said the Russian ambassador.

He was speaking at a discussion organised by Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh at the National Press Club yesterday.

He said under the government-to-government arrangements, the supply of highly sophisticated military hardware like ant-aircraft or anti-tank missiles or highly sophisticated Yak 130 combat fighter jets were accomplished.

During the visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Russia in

2013, Bangladesh signed $1 billion loan deal to purchase arms from the country with an interest rate of 4.5% and the repayment period would begin from 2018.

Rooppur nuclear plant The ambassador said the construction of nuclear power plant was supported not only by the government but also by the representatives of the BNP. He said couple of years back BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia personally told him that the idea of

Indictment order on MP’s son Rony March 6 n Md Sanaul Islam TIpu A Dhaka court yesterday set March 6 for passing an order on whether to frame charges against Awami League lawmaker Pinu Khan’s son Bakhtiar Alam Rony in a case filed over killing two people on a Dhaka street.

Judge Shamsunnahar Begum of the Second Additional Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court set the date. Rony was present in the courtroom.

Earlier in the day, defence counsel Kaji Najibullah Hiru filed a discharge petition.

According to the case documents, on April 13 last year,

Rony, who was drunk, fired indiscriminately from his car near Dilu Road, fatally injuring rickshaw-puller Abdul Hakim and autorickshaw driver Yakub Ali. Hakim died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital two days later while Yakub succumbed to injuries on April 23.

Hakim’s mother Monowara Begum filed the murder case with Ramna police station on April 15.

Rony, arrested on May 30 based on information provided by his driver Imran Fakir, was interrogated in police custody for 10 days in three phases.

On July 21, the investigating officer, sub-inspector Di-

500 acres of PWD land grabbed

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla More than 500 acres of land of Housing and Public Works Department (PWD) have been illegally occupied by some vested quarters.

Replying to a query, Housing and Public Works Minister Mosharraf Hossain yesterday told the parliament that 503.29 acres of land under Housing and Public Works Department were illegally occupied.

He said the ministry could not recover the grabbed land as cases are pending with courts but the legal process is going on to recover the land.

The minister also said the illegally grabbed land will be recovered gradually and will be brought under government’s control. The minister said currently there are 6,406 abandoned houses in the Dhaka.

He also said as per circular of the ministry, the abandoned houses are allocated for families of martyrs and wounded freedom fighters and there is no provision to allocate those houses to anyone else. l

pak Kumar Das of the Detective Branch, pressed charges against Rony. A Dhaka court accepted the charge sheet on August 13.

Rony’s friends – Kamal Mahmud, Md Jahangir and Tiger Kamal – and driver Imran had given judicial statements in court.

The three friends of Rony, who were in the car during the incident, told the court that Rony had been under the influence of alcohol when they were going to Dhanmondi from Moghbazar around 1:45am.

They said Rony was annoyed with traffic jam on the road and fired five shots from the car indiscriminately. l

SAGAR-RUNI MURDER

RAB given 40th extension to submit probe report n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court yesterday asked elite police force Rapid Action Battalion to submit by April 7 the probe report in a case filed over the sensational murder of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi.

Metropolitan Magistrate Md Yunus Khan passed the order after the investigation officer of the case failed to submit the report yesterday as per the previous order.

With this, the court has fixed 40 dates asking RAB to submit the probe report.

Maasranga TV’s news editor Sagar and ATN Bangla’s senior reporter Runi were killed by un-

known assailants at their rented flat in West Rajabazar area on February 11, 2012.

Following the murder, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police started an investigation into the case. Later the case was shifted to the DB police. The task was finally shifted to RAB on April 18, 2012 through a High Court order.

At least eight people have been arrested in the case. They are Rafiqul Islam, Bakul Miah, Masum Mintu, Kamrul Hasan alias Arun, Abu Sayeed, security guards Palash Rudra Paul and Enamul Haque, and the couple’s family friend Tanveer Rahman.

All but Tanveer are now in jail. l

nuclear power plant was initiated long ago while BNP was in power.

The chairperson clearly supported the construction of nuclear power plant, he said.

The ambassador said the major construction work of the nuclear project would begin in April or middle of this year.

The nuclear power plant is the biggest ever development project in the country with an estimated cost of $12.65 billion.

Saudi-led anti-ISIS coalition

The Russian ambassador said his government was initially astonished when Bangladesh joined the Saudi-led anti-ISIS coalition along with over 30 countries.

He said they knew that Bangladesh would not send any peacekeeper to any country without the approval of the UN Security Council.

He, however, said at present they are not interested to know about the development in the coalition. l

5

DT

News

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

PM: Govt to go all the way for development n Tribune Report Terming the present government a pro-business and pro-investment one, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said it wants to leave no stone unturned for the sake of the county’s rapid economic progress.

“For the sake of the country’s rapid economic development, we want to utilise all the scopes. We will go all the way – public, private, public-private partnership or government-to-government one – whichever is best for us,” she said during the inaugural ceremony of the development activities of 10 economic zones held at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC), aiming to boost both foreign and domestic investments in the country.

The economic zones are: Mirsarai Economic Zone, Sabrang Tourism Park, Srihatta Economic Zone, Mongla Economic Zone, AK Khan Economic Zone, Abdul Monem Economic Zone, Meghna Economic Zone, Meghna Industrial Economic Zone, Bay Economic Zone and Amra Economic Zone.

The prime minister said the government wants to create an excellent investment environment in the country as it is a pro-business and pro-investment one. “We don’t

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina officially inaugurates 10 new economic zones in the country at a ceremony in Bangabandhu International Conference Centre yesterday BSS the Board of Investment and Privatisation Commission. We will enact a law in this regard.”

Observing that Bangladesh has limited cultivable land, the prime minister said the industrialisation should be done in a planned way.

“We have to ensure the food secu-

“We want to see a greater competition among investors,” she said.

Hasina also noted that the government has already introduced one-stop service to ensure a hassle-free environment for the investors. “For the convenience of businessmen, we are going to merge

want to do business as we actually want to create scopes for businessmen to do business,” she was quoted by UNB. She mentioned that the government enacted a number of investment-friendly laws to attract more investors from home and abroad.

rity of the country’s 16 crore people and we have to save our environment, too.”

The prime minister laid emphasis on setting up industries based on a zoning system. “In our country, we produce different items in different places, so our industrialisation should be based on that.”

Attaching more importance to saving the environment, she said: “You should keep in mind that there should not be any adverse effect on the environment due to the industrialisation. That means, waste should not travel to rivers and land and there should be a waste management system.”

Noting that Bangladesh has a huge domestic market of 16 crore people, she said if the country’s per capita income increases, it would help businessmen to get a significant number of consumers in the domestic market. “If you want to flourish the industrialisation, you have to improve the per capita income.”

Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu and Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal addressed the function as special guests while Housing and Public Works Minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain spoke from Mirersarai Economic Zone through videoconferencing. l

Show-cause notice Genetically modified potato likely to 1,209 schools over to be released this year n SSC extra fee bulbocastanum found in a wild potato variety in Latin American has been used to develop the genetically modified potato varieties in Bangladesh.

BARI has cultivated the varieties at its six research centres in Rangpur, Gazipur, Jessore, Bogra, Comilla and Hathazari.

Rafiqul said: “We will send the necessary documents seeking the approval within the next two to three months to the National Bio-safety Committee under the Ministry of Environment and Forests. The variety will be released to the farmers.”

The government has been trying to develop GM potato varieties since 2006 from American potato variety transgenic Katahdin SP 951 developed by Colonel University.

Initially, more than 300 clones of Cardinal and Diamond varieties were developed in an Indonesian laboratory, and confined trials have been being run for the last three

Abu Bakar Siddique

n Shohel Mamun The Education Ministry yesterday served notices to a total of 1,209 schools to show cause why legal action would not be taken against them for collecting unusually extra fees from the SSC examinees.

Besides, explanation was also sought from the respondents as to why the managing committees there would not be dissolved in line with the legal action for the offense.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid disclosed it at a press conference held in the secretariat yesterday, saying he sent the notices on February 25 asking the schools to coem up with reply within 30 days.

Finally legal action would be taken as per the High Court order in this regard if anyone is found guilty of violating its order, Nahid also said.

The government plans to release genetically modified (GM) potato, reportedly capable of resisting late blight disease, during the upcoming season.

“We are planning to apply for the approval for releasing one variety of GM potato at the end of this year,” said Rafiqul Islam Mondol, director general of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI).

BARI has developed GM potatoes by inserting pest and weather-resistant gene in two local potato varieties – Cardinal and Diamond.

“Of the two, we are planning to release only the Diamond variety at the field level this year as we are satisfied with the results,” said Rafiqul.

Late blight is one of the major diseases that damages potato plants and also its production. A resistance gene named Solanum

Earlier, the ministry received allegations of taking excess SSC enrollment fees from the examinees against a total of 3,038 schools across the country and it ordered them to refund the money within seven days.

Of those, 830 schools have already returned the excess money and informed the development to the ministry as well.

Some 999 schools denied the allegation and the ministry is running investigation into their claim.

But, the 1,209 schools did not give any reply despite the expiry of the deadline.

On January 6, the High Court ordered the government to compel the schools across the country that charged additional fees from SSC candidates to refund those extra money to their students by January 20. l

TEMPERATURE FOREC AST FOR TODAY

DRY WEATHER MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29

Dhaka

32

19

Chittagong

31

21

Rajshahi

DHAKA TODAY SUN SETS 6:00PM

31

18

Rangpur

32

17

Khulna

31

18

Barisal

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

TOMORROW SUN RISES 6:22AM

32.7ºC Sylhet & Sitakunda

14.3ºC Rajarhat

Source: Accuweather/UNB

32

20

PRAYER TIMES

seasons.

Of them, only six clones were selected for the final trial.

The GM crop varieties such as golden rice, bt brinjal and potatoes are transgenic crops, and special approval from the bio-safety authorities are needed for conducting field trials.

“The bio-safety committee will consider giving approval for releasing the agro-varieties after getting applications along with required documents from the developers,” said Muhamamd Solaiman Haider, member secretary of the committee.

The objective for developing GM crop varieties was to improve crop protection mechanism through introducing resistance against plant diseases caused by insects or viruses or through increased tolerance towards herbicides.

Following the release of four GM brinjal varieties in October 2013, the potato varieties will become the latest GM crops in the country. l

Sylhet

32

15

Cox’s Bazar

30

22

Fajr: 5:06am | Zohr: 12:11am Asr: 4:22pm | Magrib: 6:01pm Esha: 7:17pm Source: IslamicFinder.org

DT

6

News

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

EC to take action on specific charges List of AL candidates for 2nd n Tribune Report The Election Commission will only consider specific allegations of violating electoral code of conduct in the upcoming UP polls, said EC Secretary Md Sirajul Islam yesterday.

Talking to reporters at his office, he said the many allegations that the BNP are making are nothing specific.

Earlier, a team of BNP leaders led by the party Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi filed a written complaint to the EC secretary around 12:30pm.

In the complaint, Rizvi claimed that EC became an institute that is obedient to the government.

“The EC is acting how the ruling party wants it to act,” he claimed.

Rizvi also claimed that right after the preparations for UP polls began,

activists of the ruling party started threatening aspiring candidates from the BNP to withdraw their candidature. He claimed the ruling party men even attacked BNP candidates and their supporters regularly.

Sirajul about BNP allegation said the complaint does not specify who attacked their supporters and where.

“We conducted the previous elections neutrally; we will conduct the UP elections the same way.”

The election officials have already been directed to conduct the UP polls in a fair and free manner and if they are found violating the code, appropriate action will be taken against them, Sirajul added.

Tangail 4 by-poll on March 20

After the High Court dismissed Kader Siddique’s writ to retain his

candidacy on February 4, The Election Commission has scheduled the by-poll of Tangail 4 constituency on March 20.

The parliamentary seat became vacant after former Awami League minister Latif Siddique resigned from the constituency following his expulsion from the Awami League over his anti-hajj statement.

EC Assistant Secretary Rajib Ahsan said: “The candidates can now start their campaign.”

After the candidature of Kader Siddique was dismissed by the High Court, the candidates who will now run in the by-poll are: Hasan Imam Khan Sohel Hazari from the Awami League, Ataur Rahman Khan from Bangladesh Nationalist Front, and Imrul Kayes from National People’s Party. l

phase UP polls published n Abu Hayat Mahmud The ruling Awami League has announced the names of its 672 chairman candidates to vie for the second phase of union parishad polls slated to be held on March 31.

Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif made the declaration at a press conference at its Dhanmondi office yesterday.

The names were finalised at a meeting held earlier in the day.

Members of the party’s Presidium and the election nomination board attended the meeting chaired by Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.

In response to a query, Hanif said that 25 chairmen being elected

uncontested was nothing wrong.

“This unopposed victory proves BNP’s political destruction and the people’s support towards the Awami League government’s development led by Prime minister Sheikh Hasina,” he added. The Election Commission on February 19 declared schedule for the polls to 684 UPs, but later postponed 12 of them.

The 12 UPs are Ghaghra of Kotalipara in Gopalganj; Bachore, Hossaingaon and Nanduar of Ranisankail in Thakurgaon; Begumpur, Shankarchandra and Titudah of Chuadanga Sadar; Khokshabari and Tupamari of Nilphamari sdar; Aminabad and Nurabad of Char Fashion in Bhola; and Kuchiamora of Magura Sadar. l

7

DT

News

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

UP polls at defunct exclaves still uncertain Hossain, n Moazzem Lalmonirhat An uncertain situation has created over holding elections at eight union parishads under Patgram and Hatibandha upazilas where 57 former exclaves are located as names of residents of the union parishads are yet to be enlisted in the voter list.

According to election schedule, elections of Patgram and Hatibandha upazilas will be held on March 31 in the second phase. It is mentionable that voting of union parishads across the country will be held on March 22, March 31, April 23, May 7, May 28 and June 4.

District election office sources said election would be delayed at the two upazilas where 57 defunct exclaves were located as residents of the union parishads yet to make

voters of Bangladesh.

Inhabitants of eight union parishads have recently submitted a memorandum to election office seeking measures to make them voters as soon as possible.

“Election of eight union parishads where former exclaves are located may be delayed,” said the source preferring anonymity.

According to Lalmonirhat election office, there are 55 past exclaves at Burimari, Patgram, Jogotber, Kuchlibari, Baura and Jongra union parishads under Patgram upazila.

Moreover, there are two former exclaves at Gotamari union parishad under Hatibandha upazila and two at Kulaghat union parishad under Sadar upazila.

Of those former enclaves, there are 1,262 Bangladeshi citizens at Kulaghat, 562 at Gotamari union parishad and 8,552 citizens at 36 defunct

exclaves under Patgram upazila.

Deputy Commissioner of Lalmonirhat Habibur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune that there were 59 former exclaves at Sadar, Patgram and Hatibandha upzilas of the district. At 19 defunct exclaves located at Patgram, there were no residents.

“A total of 10,366 Bangladeshi people were residing at 40 former exclaves. Of them, 195 people have left the country and built their habitation in India since exchange of enclaves between Bangladesh and India.”

Bangladesh and India exchanged 162 exclaves on August 1, 2015. After the exchange, 111 Indian enclaves have become Bangladesh territory and 51 Bangladesh enclaves have become part of Indian territory.

He said he had already talked with district election officer to resolve the issue.

Former general secretary of de-

funct Bangladesh-India enclaves coordination committee Azizul Islam said: “We who have become Bangladeshi citizens last year applied authorities concerned to make us voters of Bangladesh.”

He also said they were keeping contact with election officials of the district to settle the issue.

Hridoy Bormon, Nazrul Islam and Dulal Hossain, residents of Banshkata exclaves ecohed the same words.

Nazrul Islam said: “I wanted to contest in the upcoming union parishad election as a member. But March 1 is the last date for submitting nomination papers. I am still not a voter.

So how can I contest in the election?”

He also urged the authorities concerned to delay election. “We are hoping that the government will understand our problem,” he added.

Election officer of Patgram upazila

Aftab Hossain told the Dhaka Tribuen that they had already informed the matter to higher authorities. They would take decision whether the election would be delayed or not.

Election officer of Hatibandha upazila Monwar Hossain said they had informed Election Commission about the issue.

Lalmonirhat District Election Officer Fazlul Haque yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune that district election would take a decision about delaying polls and making former exclaves residents voter today.

Election of 20 union parishads at Patgram and Hatibandha upazila would held on March 31 and March 2 is the last date for submitting nomination papers.

“It is not possible to make residents of exclaves before March 2, so there is a change to delay the election,” he said. l

2 eateries fined in Chittagong n Tribune Report

A mobile court in a drive fined two restaurants Tk60,000 in Chittagong city’s Jamal Khan and Enayet Bazar areas for preserving food items in unhygienic ways and violating consumer rights act.

Chittagong District Administration’s Executive Magistrate Ruhul Amin also the Assistant Commissioner led the mobile court at Dawat Restaurant located in Jamal Khan area and Hotel Café Zubli located in Enayet Bazar area in the afternoon.

AC Ruhul Amin said owner of restaurant Dawat preserved the food items in dirt and unhygienic refrigerator and the mobile court fined it with Tk10,000 under Consumer Rights Protection Act 2009.

Apart from that, the court also fined Hotel Café Zubli with Tk50,000 on charge of preserving rotten foods along with bloodstained flesh and kitchen goods inside the refrigerator, he added.

Later, the court dumped the foods into the drains. l

Rajshahi district unit of Juba League has covered buildings, street island, electric poles with banners and festoons on their upcoming conference on March 5. The picture was taken yesterday from Laxmipur intersection of the city AZAHAR UDDIN

Stepbrother sued for killing two minor in Comilla n Tribune Report A case was been filed against a stepbrother of the two minor boys, whose bodies were found at Dhulipara village in Sadar Dakshin upazila on Saturday afternoon, for his alleged involvement in the killing.

Rekha Begum, mother of Joy, 7, and Moni, 5, filed the case with Sadar Dakshin police station against her stepson Shafiul Alam Chhotan,

22, a private university student, on Saturday night.

But police could not arrest Chhotan as he went into hiding soon after the recovery of the bodies, said Officer-in-Charge of Sadar Dakshin police station and also investigation officer of the case, Mohammad Aiyub.

On Saturday, police recovered the bodies of Joy, 7, and his younger brother Moni, 5, sons of Abul Kalam from their residence.

Abul Kalam along with his wife Rekha Akhter had found their house door closed from outside when they returned around 3:30pm.

They entered the house by breaking open the door only to see Joy and Moni, their two sons, lying dead on the ground. On receiving information, police recovered the bodies.

Locals said Kalam had another son, Chhotan, and daughter Tanjila

from his first wife Rokeya Begum.

Kalam said Chhotan might have killed the two children as he could not tolerate them from the very beginning of his second marriage with Rekha Akter, mother of Joy and Moni.

Additional Police Super (South) Abdullah Al Mamun said the children might have been strangulated to death as there were black marks on the necks of the victims, reports UNB. l

Bus overturns, 3 die in Comilla

n Our Correspondent, Comilla Three people were killed as a bus overturned on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway in Chauddagram upazila, Comilla early yesterday.

A bus losing its control over the steering hit a road divider and overturned on the highway around 4:30am, leaving three of its passengers - Omar Faruk, 29, Monuza Begum, 60, dead on the spot. l

DT

8

News

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

Students taking classes under open sky n S Basu Das, Bandarban Children of a 17 No Kombonia Government Primary School in Naikhangchhari of the district are forced to study under the shade of trees after the structure of the school collapsed.

Local sources said the school had been built in 1966 on 1.5 acreland donated by landlord Peer Mohammad.

Now the school is running with 230 students and there are six teachers for teaching them. Everyday 200 students attend the classes.

Two buildings were built for the students. One was made with brick while another was made by tin.

Recently the tin-shed building had been collapsed and the stu-

The students of Kombonia Government Primary School in Naikhangchhari of Bandarban study under the shade of trees after the structure of their school collapsed. The picture was taken recently DHAKA TRIBUNE

5 children injured in wall collapse n Tribune Report Five children sustained injuries as a wall collapsed on them in Nandankanon area, Kotwali police station in the port city yesterday.

The injured were identified as Sajib, 6, and his brother Arif, 4, Riyad, 9, Mehedi, 7, and Yasin, 15.

Of them, Yasin was given primary treatment at a

local clinic while others were whisked off to Chittagong Medical College Hospital.

Yahiya Akhter, deputy director of Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters in Chittagong, told the Dhaka Tribune that a portion of a wall had collapsed on the boys when they were playing near an under-construction building about 1pm.

“The boys were remained trapped under the wall for a few minutes till the rescue team reached there.”

Later, firefighters went to the spot and rescued the boys.

“Primarily it seemed to us that the wall became weak due to the piling works being carried out on the other side of an under-construction building,” he said. l

BCL again assaults newsman n CU Correspondent

A group of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), students’ wing of ruling Awami League, Chittagong University (CU) unit assaulted two students of CU including a journalist of a local daily yesterday.

The victims were Mizanur Rahman, student of Public Administration department also the CU Correspondent of local daily Pur-

bodesh and Saddam Hossain of Marketing department.

Witnesses said the students of the different department deposited their money standing in a queue inside CU Agrani Bank Branch around 12pm.

At one stage, an altercation took place between Saddam and BCL activist Robin as Robin tried to deposit his money to the bank without maintaining any line.

“Rescuing Saddam from

the BCL men, we were going to the Shahid Minar area. Robin who belongs to CU BCL president Alamgir Tipu group and his other associates beat us up asking to show them university ID cards”, said victim Mizanur.

A written complaint was filed with CU proctor office, said he.

CU Proctor Ali Azgar Chowdhury said the proctorial body would take steps after investigation the incident. l

JMB man gets 5 years in jail n Tribune report

A court here on Sunday sentenced a member of banned Islamist militant outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) to five years’ imprisonment in a case filed under the Explosive Substance Act. The court also fined the convict – Mufti Mohammad Kutubullah, 35, son of Abu Bakar Siddique of Rasulpur

village in Baliakandi upazila of the district – Tk5, 000, in default to suffer six months more of rigorous imprisonment.

According to the prosecution, members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab)-8 in a drive arrested five people, including Kutubullah, along with some explosives from Anandabazar area of Baliakandi upazila on June 1 in 2008.

The Rab team handed over the arrestees to Bailakandi police station and filed the case against them on the same day.

After examining witnesses and documents, Judge of Additional District and Session Judge’s court Mohammad Osman Haider passed the order acquitting four other accused as the allegations brought against them could not be proved. l

dents of the school have to attend the classes held under the shadow of the trees nearby the institution.

Khadiza Begum, student of Class III at the school, said:“Everyday we have to attend the classes risking the life.”

“When there is rain, our books get wet. During the summer season, we became tired due to extreme heat,” she said.

“Its very sorrow for us, while we are bound to attend the classes under the tree, the other section of the students enjoy the classes in luxurious classrooms,” she added.

Ali Hossain, Kombonia UP member and also the member of the school managing committee, said: “The school had been built in Pakistan period in two buildings.

But during the period of Bangladesh, the number of students has increased, the development of the structure has not been implemented.”

Some guardians said they had to face difficulty with their children which cannot be described in word.

During the rainy season, the books got wet and in the summer the skin tanned in the sun, they alleged.

The guardians claimed that the school should be repaired immediately. Otherwise they will send their kids anywhere.

Sabina Yasmin, assistant teacher of the school, said: Four rooms of the school have collapsed and we are facing a tough situation.” l

9

DT

Education

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

Top 10 affordable engineering universities in the US n Mahmud Hussain Engineering is probably the most sought after major across the globe. This field has shaped today’s world in more ways than we can perceive, and it’s hard to imagine what this planet would have looked like without any advancement in the subject.

Most of the top universities for studying this interdisciplinary science program are located in the US. In fact, a huge portion of international students from across the globe are going to the US to major in various disciplines of engineering.

This is why we have decided to make a list of the top 10 universities in the US which may be considered the best engineering schools for international students.

These superb institutions have generous financial aid packages in the form of merit scholarships, need-based aid, grants, loans and on-campus jobs. Most of the scholarship opportunities cover at least 70 to 80 percent of the estimated annual cost of attendance.

Lastly, all of them require lower tuition rates compared to the others while maintaining highquality education and research opportunities, proving that you can truly have the best of both worlds.

Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, NY)

Founded in 1829, Rochester Institute of Technology is a hub of innovation and creativity, occupying 1,300 acres in suburban Rochester, which is the thirdlargest city in the New York state.

It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in several fields of engineering. RIT is a favourite destination for prospective engineering students from all over the world, and they currently have 2,250 international students enrolled. The estimated cost of attendance is $49,411 per year and average scholarship package for international students is around $9,750. A very special feature of RIT is that it’s an internationally recognised leader in preparing deaf and hard-of-hearing students for successful careers in professional and technical fields. The university provides unparalleled access and support services for more than 1,200 deaf

other universities in the US. There are also scholarship packages available for international students in the form of grants, loans and oncampus jobs.

Texas A&M University (College station, TX)

Opened in 1876 as Texas’ first public institution of higher learning, Texas A&M University is a research-intensive flagship university with 48,000 plus students studying in more than 250 degree programs in 10 colleges. It is home to more than 50,000 students, and ranks as the sixth-largest university in the US with more than 370,000 former students worldwide. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in various engineering disciplines. The estimated total cost of attendance is $22,407 while an average international student enjoys a staggering financial aid package of $19,648. Students can join any of the 800 student

The University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX)

Founded in 1883, The University of Texas at Austin is one of the largest public universities in the United States, containing a 350 acre main campus with 17 colleges and schools, about 24,000 faculty and staff, and more than 50,000 students. Considered as one of the best public universities for engineering, it has topnotch facilities for research and computing and includes several world-renowned research centres and labs. The average yearly cost of attendance is $26,324 and international students are eligible for gaining various types of scholarships. With competitively ranked programs, world-class faculty and outstanding facilities, The University of Texas at Austin will give you almost infinite opportunities to make your academic experience as rich as you want it to be.

Florida Institute of Technology (Melbourne, FL)

Florida Institute of Technology is a private technological university that provides quality education and furthers knowledge through basic and applied research; offering bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. It has its main campus on the east coast of Central Florida in Brevard County, the site of Kennedy Space Center and NASA shuttle launches.

Florida Tech attracts students from over a 100 countries outside the US, which accounts for nearly 31 percent of its undergraduate student body. It has on-campus housing, dining facilities and health centres available for all students. The estimated total cost of attendance per year (including tuition, accommodation, personal expenses, transportation etc) is $55,300, while average financial aid packages (including scholarship grants, loans and on-campus jobs) for international students hover around $15,228.

Florida Tech has 34 research institutes, centres and major labs for enhancing research components of nearly all aspects of undergraduate and graduate education.

The University of New Mexico (Albuquerque, NM)

Founded in 1889 as New Mexico’s flagship institution, The University of New Mexico occupies nearly 800 acres in the heart of Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is the state’s flagship research institution, the largest post-secondary institution in the state and one of the state’s largest employers. UNM offers bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, and professional degree programs in various engineering subjects as well as a wide variety of other fields. It boasts an outstanding faculty that includes a Nobel Laureate, two MacArthur Fellows, 35 Fulbright scholars and several members of national academies.

The average cost of attendance is around $21,169 per year.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Champaign, IL)

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is one of the nation’s top 10 public universities. Founded in 1876, its college of engineering is ranked 6th in both undergraduate and graduate programs nationally by the US News & World report.

Its long tradition of academic excellence drives its dedication to prepare students for their future employment and leadership positions. The estimated cost of attendance is $29,568 per year and international students are eligible for hundreds of merit scholarships and grants they have readily available. The university offers more than 150 majors and has 1,000 student organisations for its 30,695 undergraduate students.

Miami University (Oxford, OH)

PHOTO: COURTESY

and hard-of-hearing students who live, study, and work with other students on the RIT campus sideby-side.

organisations and countless activities, ranging from athletics and recreation to professional and community service events.

University of Houston (Houston, TX)

University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA)

The University of Houston is the second most ethnically diverse major public research university in the United States. Students come to the UH from more than 137 nations all over the world. Here, they are regularly tested on their skills through internships with national and international companies, and the faculty routinely partner with businesses and government agencies through research projects.

The estimated cost of attendance being $24,946 per year, and many international students find UH to be comparatively affordable than

The University of Pittsburgh is a public research university, founded as the Pittsburgh Academy in 1787. Boasting a 24,980 undergrad student body in total, Pitt is one of the leading engineering schools in the United States. Pitt graduates and faculty have defeated polio, unlocked the secrets of DNA, lead the world in organ transplantation and pioneered TV and heavier-than-air flights, all among numerous other accomplishments. The yearly cost of attendance is approximately around $32,964.

University of Washington (Seattle, WA)

University of Washington is a public research university in the United States. Founded in 1861, it is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast and has been labelled as one of the “Public Ivies,” a publicly funded university providing a quality of education comparable to those of the Ivy League.

Ranked number 10 in the world in the Shanghai Jiao Tong University rankings and educating more than 54,000 students annually, UW’s students and faculty work together to turn ideas into impact.

Moreover, in the process, they aim to transform lives and confront grand challenges of our time through undaunted research and scholarships. The estimated cost of attendance is $27,112 per year.

Nationally recognised as one of the most outstanding undergraduate institutions, Miami University is a public research university with a student body of 16,000. It effectively combines a wide range of strong academic programs while providing a level personal attention ordinarily found in much smaller institutions. Along with an impressive number of opportunities to gain practical experience, Miami is distinguished by a faculty body who loves to teach and mentor students. In fact, in a new ranking in America’s Best Colleges, Miami has been recognised by US News & World Report for its unusually strong commitment to undergraduate teaching. The estimated total cost of attendance here is $29,423 per year, and the average financial aid package for international students hovers around $6,934. l Reprinted from www.grad-insights.com

DT

10

Health

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

Breaking the codes of Generalised Anixiety Disorder The what, why and how of anxiety

n

Pragya Rahman

Feeling worried or anxious at times when you’re under a lot of pressure is considered normal.

Imagine times like sitting for an exam or preparing for a job interview; going through bouts of anxiety and feeling worried are somethings that sort of an important rite of passage at times like these. However, constant worrying and anxiety can lead to an unpleasant and unhappy life for many. It is often difficult for people to gain control over their emotions and deal with the issues at hand when going through anxiety.

Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a long-term condition that causes one to feel anxious about a wide range of issues and situations almost all the time rather than one specific event.

People with GAD feel anxious most days and often have to cope with and struggle to remember the last time they felt relaxed and unstrained. The way they function dwells upon a loophole of negative events; as soon as one of their anxious thoughts is resolved, another seems to pop up and they focus on that until the next one appears, ready to hover on a different issue.

Photos: BIGSTOCK

GAD can cause both psychological and physical symptoms and can vary from person to person. Some of the most common symptoms are as follows: Symptoms: • Feeling jittery and worried to the point where you think your problems have no solution or end to them.

• Having trouble sleeping and concentrating.

• Dizziness or heart palpitations.

• Tremors.

• Loss of appetite.

• Loss of interest in things.

• Surrounded by feelings of despair.

• Panicking every now and then.

Causes: Research has suggested that several factors play a role in the causes of GAD but the exact cause of GAD is not precisely known as of yet.

They are as follows: • Having a history of alcohol or drug abuse.

• Having an imbalance of noradrenaline or serotonin in the brain.

• Genetic - it could be inherited from your family.

• Having a history of traumatic experiences.

• Having a painful, long-term health condition.

• Having a history of being bullied and/or a victim of domestic violence.

• Over activity in the brain involved in behaviour and emotions. l

DT

Editorial 11

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

INSIDE

So, you are a waiter From security guards to waiting at eateries to working as brand promoters, the potential for making an extra buck or two has expanded phenomenally.

Unfortunately, the common social bias towards certain jobs hasn’t changed PAGE 12

Indian Railways finds its rhythm The day of a railway budget, once an important event in the Indian parliament’s calendar, drifted into selfmockery. While the railways slipped into terminal illness, they set up an aspirin stall as medicine, hoping that if they could disguise the pain, no one would notice the malady

BIGSTOCK

PAGE 13

Digitisation for the poorest Empathy for the poor is not enough.

Social transformation should be seen as a citizen’s right, not an act of charity.

Technology could help solve some of these problems because it would provide poor people with a way to interact with the state without depending on local officials who are now the main gatekeepers of government services PAGE 14

Be heard Write to Dhaka Tribune FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka-1207 Send us your Op-Ed articles: opinion.dt@dhakatribune.com www.dhakatribune.com Join our Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/ DhakaTribune.

The views expressed in Opinion articles are those of the authors alone. They do not purport to be the official view of Dhaka Tribune or its publisher.

Invest in economic zones to unlock Bangladesh’s potential

P

rime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally inaugurated ten new economic zones on Sunday.

They are part of a plan to establish 100 economic zones in phases over the next 15 years to create new opportunities for investment, industrialisation, and employment.

BEZA officials predict these have the potential to increase export earnings by $40 billion and generate up to 10 million additional jobs.

It is vital to ensure reliable energy supplies and transport links are developed as an integral part of all new development zones. Lack of reliable and sufficient electricity and gas supplies have been major bottlenecks, slowing down investment in past such projects.

Guaranteed power supplies and the availability of tax incentives for investors are key to increasing the investment which economic zones need to drive growth.

It is a positive indicator then that investors laying foundation stones this week for development at the 229-acre Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park in Gazipur have plans to double their current commitment of over $230m. This zone is already expected to create 70,000 new jobs which can indirectly support employment for a further 100,000 people.

With around 2 million young people entering the workforce each year, facilitating more investment in SEZs is vital to create new high value jobs and make the most of the country’s economic potential.

The demographic dividend and Bangladesh’s location at the crossroads between the growing markets of South and South-East Asia means there is still a lot of untapped potential for growth.

The government needs to press ahead with ambitious targets to help future industrial development proceed in a planned way around special economic zones and support a virtuous cycle of new investment creating new jobs and opportunities.

Ensure power and transport links to grow investment in new SEZs and jobs

12

DT

Opinion

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

So, you are a waiter A job is a job no matter how big or small Curiously, most would not admit to working as waiters, security guards, or OC and DC when they come to Bangladesh, or when their relatives relay the story of their loved ones earning a living abroad.

The common social line for an expatriate is: He/she lives in the US/ UK/Canada and, from that, others are supposed to assume that the person living abroad is well-off.

This is because, deep within us, perceptions are governed by preconceived ideas.

We have been bombarded since childhood about what constitutes proper work and what is deemed contemptible.

Sociologists analysing the rising trend of divorces among expatriate Bangladeshi couples say that concealment of a groom’s actual livelihood is often the main cause for strife. When we hide the truth to portray us as something we are not, we are actually cheating ourselves, not others, and subconsciously trivialising the work we are doing.

Are some of us too ‘good’ to be a waiter?

n Towheed Feroze

R

ecently, a TV advert for a brand of juice caught my eye, and the premise goes like this: A young guy walks into a fast food shop, wearing a yellow shirt, and, by coincidence, the waiters at the eatery are donning the same colour as their uniform.

A girl, visibly agitated as to why her order is being delayed, approaches the guy who just walked in and rebukes him for taking so much time. In between, the waiter comes and delivers the girl’s order and the guy who is perplexed by the girl’s approach realises that she had mistaken him for a waiter, which sends him into a fit of rage.

He gets visibly offended at being mistaken for the waiter, but is pacified quickly with the drink the advert is all about. For the audience, the message is clear: With this drink, even a sudden rise in temper can be controlled.

And for those who just don’t think about the fun part but also the inner implications: A clear disdain for the profession of a restaurant waiter is to be expected.

The underlying message here is that the job of a waiter is so contemptible that even if someone is mistaken for one, his sense of worth will be rattled. I am sure millions of viewers will see this advert and, since the TV is now available in all student dorms and bachelors’ quarters, many young men who work as waiters will also

watch it. Don’t know if they will brush it off lightly, but I am certain a lot of them will pause and think about the work they do.

Looking at the current work culture in upmarket fast food places and restaurants, we see that most of those working are actually just like the young man who was offended in the advert. The work force is made almost entirely of young students living in the city and earning their pocket money.

Perhaps I am not wrong in stating that this ad demeans these men and women who have revolutionised the concept of earning a livelihood in Bangladesh.

In the last decade, a complete shift in the urban employment scene took place right in front of us -- we now see educated men and women doing the sort of work which possibly would have been considered too menial in the past.

From security guards to waiting at eateries to working as brand promoters, the potential for making an extra buck or two has expanded phenomenally.

Unfortunately, the common social bias towards certain jobs hasn’t changed. But, for argument’s sake, let’s assume that the young work force is not comprised of educated young people but of semi-literate ones, just the way it was 20 years ago.

Even then, belittling the job is tantamount to creating a silent social barrier that seems to say that that specific method of earning livelihood is below a

From security guards to waiting at eateries to working as brand promoters, the potential for making an extra buck or two has expanded phenomenally. Unfortunately, the common social bias towards certain jobs hasn’t changed

certain level. One is compelled to juxtapose real life social credo with the faux ideology of equality that is often triumphant in our cinema and drama.

If we go back to the 70s and 80s, the common celluloid theme was romance between an educated, but unemployed, man, who is deciding to either become a taxi driver or a railway station helper, and a middle-class (often affluent) educated girl.

For cinema theatrics, obstacles are created by class-conscious guardians, the lovers win over perceived social prejudice and come out smiling in the end. It seems these films, despite being a little too dramatic and over the top, taught us little. Let’s also allude to a moral lesson-based story we once had in our school curriculum.

In that supposedly true story, the great 13th century Iranian poet and philosopher Saadi goes to a dinner party wearing simple clothes and is aptly ignored.

Later, when he comes back in

proper attire, he is given all the respect in the world and promptly provided a seat at the table.

Instead of eating, Saadi pours food over his clothes and, to a puzzled host, explains that since all respect has come due to the clothes then it is befitting that the food should be served to it.

The lesson was clear: Do not demean or mistreat anyone based on what they are wearing. The same lesson can be applied to a real life scenario where no work should be deemed “low.”

Now come to the many young people from South Asia who travel to first-world countries in search of opportunity. The standard joke for the longest time had been that most either worked as an OC (office cleaner) or a DC (dish cleaner), though the fact remains, by working as OC and DC, many young men have secured a decent life abroad. Some have even sent their children to top schools and colleges, thus doing their duty as parents.

Of course, someone working as a waiter will have dreams to rise professionally and do something better, and the young, educated people that we see working around the many shopping malls in the city will one day become entrepreneurs, corporate bosses, or maybe heads of that department store where they are now working.

The important fact here is, their CV, once they are in the job market, will show that, while as a student, they got a chance to experience the contours of a proper working environment crucial in current day scenario of ferocious competition.

The job of a waiter is perhaps the best for instilling some patience in the modern-day youth -- so, in the advert, the juice should perhaps have gone to the waiter as well, for not losing his composure.

What say you? l Towheed Feroze is a journalist currently working in the development sector.

13

DT

Opinion

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

Indian Railways finds its rhythm Despite decades of neglect and misuse, Indian Railways keeps chugging along

Timely policies might have just saved Indian Railways from falling on the third rail of politics

n MJ AKbar

G

overnments tend to have an institutional approach to bad news.

The first hope is that the problem will resolve itself if we ignore it long enough. The second is what might be called the long ball solution: Kick the problem forward and keep doing so until it becomes some other minister’s problem.

That surely is the only explanation for the manner in which successive governments have driven one great inheritance from the British Raj into decay: Indian Railways. It is perfectly true that the British created the railways for their strategic and trade interests.

But, in the process, they laid out a nation-wide infrastructure and set up a management system that became the life-flow of independent India, a magnificent transport network serving the people, nourishing the economy, and creating the linkages that gave real meaning to the concept of unity.

A democracy is driven by popular will. Indian Railways in a free country went where citizens wanted to travel. For the five decades, until the air was released from bondage to one airline, railways offered journeys of discovery as it introduced people from every corner, with different languages and cultures, to one

another. It was also the pulse of the economy: A steel mill no longer had to be near iron ore.

It transported food at a time when patches of our nation were still mired in outbreaks of seasonal starvation. It is sometimes said, not entirely in jest, that Bollywood has done more for Indian unity than any government. While no one should underestimate the force of mass media, our railways

petty favours to constituents and constituencies. Hiring became a grace-and-favour benediction.

Instead of serving the people, railways began to serve the politicians.

The day of a railway budget, once an important event in the Indian parliament’s calendar, drifted into self-mockery.

Ministers made optimum use of a sham formula.

REUTERS

be unfair to call every minister a Barmecide, but many were.

Two names on the positive side of the ledger also come to mind: Madhavrao Scindia, who brought fair and understanding to the single railway budget he presented; and Dinesh Trivedi, who tried but could do very little since his hands were tied quite sharply.

The challenge before Suresh

The day of a railway budget, once an important event in the Indian parliament’s calendar, drifted into self-mockery. Ministers made optimum use of a sham formula. While the railways slipped into terminal illness, they set up an aspirin stall as medicine, hoping that if they could disguise the pain, no one would notice the malady

have done more with trains that puffed and steamed through the 1950s and 1960s and then powered through the succeeding decades.

The decline began when “popular” began to surrender to “populism” in government. I shall name no names since we tend to offer more disrespect to some of the dead than they probably deserve, but our railways began to collapse when politicians turned this marvelous, almost romantic institution into a conduit for

While the railways slipped into terminal illness, they set up an aspirin stall as medicine, hoping that if they could disguise the pain, no one would notice the malady. This was accompanied by a display of Diwali fire-crackers in the shape of promises, mostly illusory.

It was all a bit of a Barmecide’s feast, with citizens invited to a pretend banquet where nothing was served but everyone smacked their lips and burped. It would

Prabhu was very obvious: He was required not only to stop the decay but to reverse the rot. He took the helm when deterioration was sliding towards disintegration. He had to improve his product, and do it at a pace that was unprecedented -- across coach, bogey, train, tracks, service quality, systems, and stations. There was a problem wherever you looked.

There is little point now recalling the horror stories of the UPA regime -- people elect

governments to solve problems, not to moan about the past. If the previous government was not awful, why would they have changed it? Even Prabhu’s worst critics will admit that quality of service and environment is on the upswing. A critical measure of his success will be the transformation of 400 railway stations into small economic hubs across hundreds of towns.

The more difficult challenge is transformation through fresh investment and induction of world-class trains on high-density routes.

Those who think that a highspeed train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad is unfair or elitist should remember that when electrification began, it did not begin everywhere all at once.

The railways are a huge enterprise, and investments will have to be massive. They will need to be sourced largely from abroad -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done the spade-work with nations like Japan but there is much heavy lifting to be done till a train starts moving.

The point of course is that, at long last, Indian Railways is moving in the right direction: Fast forward, rather than very fast backward. l MJ Akbar is an Indian journalist. He is the founder of The Sunday Guardian.

This article was previously published in The Sunday Guardian.

14

DT

Opinion

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

Digitisation for the poorest The case for digitisation, to help the poor, is a strong one

n Shazia Omar

P

roviding digital financial services to the un-banked poor may have significant socio-economic benefits.

One working strategy to bring the extreme poor into the folds of a mainstream financial service network is through safety net and social transfer programs, as seen in South Africa, Kenya, and now India.

This year, our government launched the National Social Security Strategy (NSSS) which calls for the digitisation and streamlining of the social transfer delivery policy, positioning us for this very change.

Annually, our government commits over $3 billion to a range of social protection programs through several ministries that distribute cash to the extreme poor.

These programs do not go only or even mainly, to the extreme poor (the single largest element

The study also estimated the cost of leakages (a significant hidden cost) across 14 programs calculated based on assumptions around the number of ghost beneficiaries, unofficial fees at the enrolment phase, and unofficial fees at the payment collection phase.

This came to an estimated annual Tk772cr.

Electronic verification of social transfer services and digital transfer of allowances would bring transparency to the system, making it harder for corrupt bureaucrats to steal citizens’ benefits.

If the reduction in leakages as a result was 50%, that would represent a saving of Tk385cr at the systemic level.

In total, by digitising social cash transfer programs, we would experience a saving of Tk622cr ($80m) per year.

If the case for digitisation is so strong, why aren’t we jumping to it? Let us explore some of the

Digital innovation may be required to ensure access and education

Empathy for the poor is not enough. Social transformation should be seen as a citizen’s right, not an act of charity. Technology could help solve some of these problems because it would provide poor people with a way to interact with the state without depending on local officials who are now the main gate-keepers of government services

of this budget goes to civil service pensions), and of those programs that do target the poorest, there are several inefficiencies: Mistargeting, leakages, and lack of impact monitoring.

Most of these programs deliver safety net allowances as cash in hand at pick up points such as public banks or schools (in the case of education stipends).

Recently, A2i conducted a study on the cost-saving implications of digitally rather than manually transferring safety net allowances of six programs -- old-age allowance, maternity allowance, lactating mothers allowance, primary education school stipend, EGPP, and pension for primary school teachers.

Digitally transferring monthly stipends would save the government annually an estimated Tk122 crores. The time saved for citizens who travel to pick up points for cash-in-hand came to Tk115cr.

barriers to the wide-scale creation of digital financial services for the poorest.

Gender

While mobile phone penetration is high among the poor, almost every family either owns a phone or has a neighbour whose phone they can use, but still, studies suggest that women may face challenges in using the phones which are often possessed and controlled by male heads of families. This can corrode some of the gender-empowering aspects of social transfers that target women.

Power structures

When strategising the change management process for technology uptake, the government needs to consider existing power structures that may resist digitisation.

These power structures are often deeply entrenched in the fabric of local government and community forces.

Bundling impact results with end-of-year bonuses may help incentivise those in the chain.

For example, perhaps the UNO, whose region experiences the best results, gets a bonus at the end of the year. Perhaps the union members who are most active in linking the poorest to public services receive a bonus.

Empathy for the poor is not enough. Social transformation should be seen as a citizen’s right, not an act of charity. Technology could help solve some of these problems because it would provide poor people with a way to interact with the state without depending on local officials who are now the main gate-keepers of government services.

Lack of suitable bank products

While Bangladesh Bank has shown interest in making the nation more financially inclusive, banks and MFIs have not yet developed suitable financial products to meet

the needs of the poor -- products for savings, crop insurance, working capital micro loans, etc.

What we definitely don’t need is another channel for exploiting the extreme poor. If banks driven by purely profit-making motives are left to design these products, the poor may well have something to worry about.

We need public-private partnerships with social-minded entrepreneurs and researchers, strongly regulated by Bangladesh Bank, working closely with civil society and poverty experts, to develop products.

Lack of data

Data can be a powerful input to product development and service delivery strategies. The government and banks lack sophisticated data collection and analysis tools when it comes to the income and expenditure patterns of the poorest.

Line ministries with safety net programs are exploring digital channels to make their delivery processes more effective, but first, investments need to be made to develop robust information management systems that generate the dynamic data necessary to manage such an endeavour at scale.

Also, these channels of delivery need to be tested so the government can make informed, evidence-based decisions about which ones work best for the poorest: Mobile wallets, bank

BIGSTOCK

agents, smart cards, etc.

The way forward

Under the acronym JAM -- Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, Mobile -- India is transforming its social welfare system. This program will give poor people access to financial services, including bank accounts, credit, and insurance, through mobile money platforms.

This will enable the state to transfer cash directly to those in need -- without going through intermediaries that might take a cut. Bangladesh is also poised to make the shift to digital.

Of course, transferring cash, digitally or otherwise, is not enough. Digital financial inclusion has a great contribution to make.

However, we know from government safety net program, Shiree, that a sustainable pathway out of extreme poverty needs a combination of measures at the household level -- including access to regular social protection transfers and savings (where digital financial services can play a role) -- and also access to public services and income generating activities. Digital innovation can play a role here as well -- to help ensure access, education, and impact monitoring. l Shazia Omar is the Head of mTracker at mPower Social Enterprises Ltd. Previously she was Head of Advocacy, Gender and Social Protection at the Economic Empowerment of the Poorest program.

DT

Business 15

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

INSIDE Hi-Tech Park to be ready by 2017 Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park will be ready for investors by January 2017 which would strengthen the ability to harness manufacturing innovation through collaboration between industries and research both locally and globally. PAGE 16

More yawns than yuan in China’s late-night forex trade

In the fast-paced, high-risk world of foreign exchange trading, where trillions of dollars change hands every day, there’s a quiet corner of the yuan market where traders can get some shut-eye, despite China’s efforts to elevate its currency to the top table. PAGE 17

Capital market snapshot: Sunday DSE Broad Index

4,536.8

-0.7% ▼

Index

1,108.3

-0.6% ▼

30 Index

1,736.9

-0.9% ▼

Turnover in Mn Tk

4,243.4

-7.7% ▼

Turnover in Mn Vol

124.2

-6.5% ▼

All Share Index 13,997.3

-0.7% ▼

30 Index

12,655.6

-0.8% ▼

8,503.8

-0.7% ▼

CSE

Selected Index Turnover in Mn Tk

288.3 -16.8% ▼

Turnover in Mn Vol

10.0 -18.6% ▼

ECR approval process for shops simplified n Syed Samiul Basher Anik In order to simplify the installation of electronic cash register or point of sales machines, the National Board of Revenue authorities have empowered field offices to approve the process.

The move comes in response to the requests made by the field-level customs, excise and VAT commissionerates, and the traders, according to officials.

The step is expected to speed up the ECR installation process which was, earlier, time-consuming and discouraging for traders.

As per the current procedure, after setting up of the system, a shopkeeper needs to inform respective NBR field office by seven days.

Then, an NBR committee visits the shop to make sure that the machine installed has the features of not erasable and not alterable memory settings.

The shop can only use the machine after the committee’s approval.

But as the approval process is said to be a lenghty and cumbersome process, this would discourage many traders to embrace the system and have revenue collection to reach the fiscal year’s target hampered.

The NBR, on February 15, issued an order amending the earlier process, giving the power of approval to field offices.

A team of official equivalent

to post of additional or joint commissioner, concerned divisional official, and concerned revenue officer can make visits and approve the ECR installation, in addition to the existing central approval procedure, the order said.

The step is expected to speed up the ECR installation process which was timeconsuming NBR officials said the machines will have to include mechanism for keeping entry of sales records and that have to be not erasable.

They said there would have to be a permanent power back-up system or an immediate battery back-up in case of power outage.

In July 2009, the NBR made it mandatory for 11 types of business to install and use ECR machine and POS software to boost the VAT collection.

The businesses include hotels, restaurants, sweetmeat shops, furniture outlets, beauty parlours, community centres, all shops located at mega malls in the metropolis, departmental stores, general stores, big and medium-size wholesalers and retailers at the metropolis and jewelers.

The technology was introduced

to prevent evasion of VAT collected from the consumers by the shopkeepers as the manual system of accounting used at the outlets leaves room for tax evasion.

It is, however, widely reported that a large number of businesses skip the installation while many of those, who have installed, also do not use it in transactions blaming the machine as flawed.

The revenue board, earlier, targeted to bring all the shops of those cited categories under the system by January 15 as per a decision made by the finance ministry’s fiscal coordination council.

However, many business establishments and traders remained without the system even after the deadline.

According to an NBR estimate, there are now 11,005 shops under the categories. Of them, a number of 8,559 were selected for ECR installation. But only 2,970 of the shops selected have embraced the mechanism so far.

NBR Chairman Nojibur Rahman recently told the Dhaka Tribune that the board had decided to extend the deadline.

He said the board was in discussion with traders, business chambers and associations seeking their cooperation to make the efforts a success.

The NBR targets to collect Tk1,76,370 crore revenue, including Tk64,262 crore as VAT, this fiscal year. l

Tripartite meetings on FY2017 budget underway n Tribune Report

Finance and planning ministries have started meetings with different ministries and divisions to discuss development project allocations in the next fiscal year’s budget.

The two ministries held the first meeting with women and children affairs ministry yesterday. There will be a total of 60 such meetings in next 23 days. The last meeting will be on March 19 with science and technology ministry.

The tripartite meetings will determine ceilings in development projects allocation for the fiscal year 2016-17.

Meanwhile, in a letter yesterday, the National Board of Revenue has requested economists, experts and trade associations to submit their budget proposals by March 10 before the start of start of pre-budget meets with different stakeholders.

NBR hoped that the proposals would help the budget be “pro-people and participatory.”

Finance Division officials said the division already discussed about the total figure of the FY2016-17 budget which could be nearly Tk3,39,000 crore.

They further said a new capital account budget would be introduced in the year.

“Under the capital account budget, finance division will collect fund for big infrastructure projects,” said an official. l

DT

16

Business

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

Hi-Tech Park to be ready by 2017 n Tribune Report Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park will be ready for investors by January 2017 which would strengthen the ability to harness manufacturing innovation through collaboration between industries and research both locally and globally.

Abu Reza Khan, managing director of Summit Technopolis Limited, came up with the disclosure yesterday while speaking at the inaugural ceremony of Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park Block II and IV. Reza said Block II is expected to create over 70,000 jobs and there will be a State of the Art facilities to provide training to over 10,000 individuals.

The project will maintain the highest standard of environmental sustainability, efficiency and eco-friendliness, he added.

Earlier, State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak laid the foundation stone of the project which is being implemented under Public Private Partnership (PPP) with Summit Technopolis.

Muhammed Aziz Khan, chairman of Summit Group, Ravindra Chamaria, chairman of Infinity Infotech Parks Limited, Shyam Sunder Sikder, secretary to ICT Division, Hosne Ara Begum, managing director of Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority, and Fadiah Khan, director of Summit Group, spoke on the occasion.

State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed lays foundation stone of block 2 and 4 project at Kaliakoir Hi-Teckh Park DHAKA TRIBUNE Following the inauguration of HiTech Park, Zunaid Ahmed Palak said smartphones, tabloids and a series of such devices would be manufactured in Bangladesh which will obviously create hundreds of jobs.

“Every year, we import thousands of smartphones, tabloids, laptops. The Hi-Tech Park will be able to fulfil our dreams, facilitating production of all kinds of smart

Stocks end up in red for 3rd consecutive session n Tribune Report Stocks traded at the bourses ended in red for the third consecutive session yesterday amid lower turnover as investors went on profit booking.

The benchmark index DSEX lost by 31 points or 0.67% to 4,537 points. The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, declined by 16 points or 0.93% to finish at 1,737 points.

The DSE Shariah Index lost 7 points or 0.62% ending at 1,108.

“Despite good earnings from corporates, the market fell as investors were booking profit. The recent consolidation phase of DSEX seems to be over,” LankaBangla Securities said.

IDLC Investment said: “Stretching out the downbeat from the last week, the market passed another depressive session, leaving DSEX at two and a half months low,” Lack of strong positive momentum in the market for quite a time raised the psychological worries of investors, instigating them to liquidate their holdings,

the merchant bank said.

The daily turnover stood at Tk4.24 billion which was 7.7% lower than the previsious session’s value of Tk 4.59 billion. Out of 322 issues traded, 198 closed in the red, 83 higher and 41 remained unchanged.

During the trading hours, the large cap sectors showed mixed performances yesterday. Engineering up by 1.76 experienced the highest gain followed by telecommunication sector 0.12%. Food and Allied remained almost flat in green.

Banks went down by 1.17%. Power declined by 1.14% followed by NBFIs 0.29% and Pharmaceuticals 0.18%.

Bangladesh Steel Re-rolling Mills dominated the turnover chart with shares worth Tk265 million changing hands. It was the day’s highest gainer, posting a rise of 9.47% while Nitol Insurance was the worst loser, plunging by 6.88%.

Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE), the port city bourse ended lower with its Selective Categories Index, CSCX, shedding 63 points or 0.73% finishing the session at 8,504 points. l

Summit will also provide financial guarantee for uninterrupted power supply at similar tariff with the Bangladesh government.

The Block II which will be known as Signature Building is based on the theme “A symbiosis of nature, technology and culture.”

The Signature Building includes rentable plug and play office spaces for IT companies, customisable manufacturing units, conference centre/training centre, food court as well as indoor and outdoor recreational spaces.

The building will implement green features in its design such as low energy consumption, energy saving lighting, natural ventilation and ecological materials to be sourced locally.

Hosne Ara Begum, managing director of Kaliakoir Hi-Tech Park Authority, said the investors from home and abroad will enjoy 10 years tax holiday, exemption of income tax for expatriate professionals, 10 years accelerated depreciation, exemption from import duties, 100% exemption of taxes for all exports and 100% equity for FDI companies.

On August 11, 2015, the government signed another agreement with Bangladesh TechnoSity Limited to develop Block III of the HiTech Park. TechnoSity began construction of development works on October 15, 2015 for expediting its construction. l

devices very soon.”

On June 28 last year, Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority and Summit Technopolis signed a concessional loan agreement to construct the park on a design, build, finance, operate, own and transfer basis.

According to the agreement, Summit will invest US$207.59 million to develop Block II and IV with modern-tenanted buildings, in-

dustrial plots, Research and development facilities and recreational facilities including a Signature Building in Block II. Aziz Khan said Summit is developing the Hi-Tech Park in Bangladesh with an aim to becoming a major regional manufacturing destination for ITs, Biotech companies and non-polluting manufacturing/ assembly lines.

Crown Beverage seeks 20% incentive for Hunter n Tribune Report

Four-day workshop on advance ruling system begins

Crown Beverage Limited, a sister concern of Jamuna group, has sought 20% cash incentive for its exportable items including ‘Hunter’, according to official sources.

Chairman of Crown Beverage Limited Md Nurul Islam has recently sent a letter to Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed with a request to provide 20% cash incentives to his entire possible irregular exportable item like ‘Hunter’.

Senior Commerce Secretary Hedayetullah Al-Mamun also forwarded his letter to the Ministry of Finance for taking necessary measure in this regard.

In his letter, Nurul Islam said: “The amount of the paid up VAT of the imported items of ‘Hunter’ is not adjustable as the production cost of bear item “Hunter” is becoming increasingly costly. As a result, the Crown Beverages Limited fails to compete with the export products of neighbouring countries.” l

n Tribune Report With an aim to reduce the cost of doing business, a four-day national workshop has begun in the capital for enhancing capacity of the customs officials to effectively manage rules of origin related issues.

The WCO Revenue Package National Workshop titled “Development of Advance Ruling System for Classification” began at the VAT Online Project (VOP) office in the city yesterday.

“World Customs Organisation (WCO) and Customs Cooperation Fund (CCF) China are supporting the workshop being organised by the National Board of Revenue (NBR),” said a NBR statement released yesterday.

Advance Ruling is a written decision on the classification, origin, value or other information pertaining to the commodity issued by the customs to the applicants prior to the importation.

It (AR) is a written statement issued by the customs authorities that interprets and applies customs

laws and regulations to a specific set of facts about a prospective transaction.

As it (AR) reduces time and facilitates trade, it assists to assess future duty to help in smooth planning process and make customs foreseeable, thus reducing the risk of revenue and cost of doing business.

Inaugurating the workshop, NBR Chairman Nojibur Rahman said: “Advance Ruling System (ARS) is one of the sophisticated customs procedures suggested in the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC) as well as in the WTO-Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), where Bangladesh is a signatory.”

“NBR has been finalising the draft New Customs Act, 2016 which includes the provision of ARS in details. Bangladesh wants to be benefited from the world experience on ARS and the workshop will lead Bangladesh a step forward,” he added.

A total of 14 senior officials from Bangladesh Customs are attending the workshop. l

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

More yawns than yuan in China’s late-night forex trade n Reuters, Shanghai

In the fast-paced, high-risk world of foreign exchange trading, where trillions of dollars change hands every day, there’s a quiet corner of the yuan market where traders can get some shut-eye, despite China’s efforts to elevate its currency to the top table.

The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) extended the yuan’s trading hours to 11:30 pm in January to overlap with European hours after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) decided it would admit the yuan into its Special Drawing Rights (SDR) basket by next October, a key step on the way to becoming an international reserve currency.

But there is a yawning disconnect between the currency’s new status and the level of interest in the after-hours market.

“It can be really boring and lonely sometimes,” said one night trader at a bank.

He said he kept an eye out for rare incoming orders but spent most of his time watching online videos to alleviate the boredom of being stuck on his own until bedtime.

Other night traders who spoke to Reuters said they processed around five orders in the last three hours, which has led some banks not to bother staffing the shift.

“One key problem is there is no corporate demand,” said a trader at a major European bank in Shanghai. “Few companies feel the urgency to follow global market movements closely.”

Because of China’s capital controls and central bank efforts to curb exchange rate volatility, there is little speculation in the domestic

DT

17

Business

US urges China to keep moving to a marketoriented exchange rate n Reuters, Beijing

A Chinese national flag is seen in front of a poster explaining the design of the new 100 yuan banknote at a branch of a commercial bank in a business district in Beijing REUTERS market, traders say.

Some state-owned banks are trading in the evening sessions on behalf of the central bank to keep the yuan steady, according to a trader at a Chinese commercial bank in Shanghai.

“Every time when the evening rate appeared to go out of hand, you could sense the signs that state-owned banks are intervening in the market on behalf of the PBOC,” he said.

Yuan/dollar quotes in the late session rarely stray more than 50 pips from the rate at 4:30 pm, regardless of what happens to the yuan traded in offshore markets, traders said.

And trading between the yuan and other currencies such as the

yen and euro, is nearly non-existent in the night session, they added.

Wider access, slim pickings

The relatively steady exchange rate means many corporates don’t bother to hedge their foreign exchange positions during the late session because the rate tends to stay put.

“The market still behaves like it closes at 4:30 pm,” said a dealer at another European bank, adding that his bank recently decided its night trader would end his shift at 9:30 pm.

There is also a dearth of overseas investors in the Chinese market, despite Beijing’s efforts to widen access for foreigners, partly to satisfy the IMF that the yuan was

eligible for its SDR basket.

In November, China allowed the first batch of foreign central banks, sovereign wealth funds and international financial institutions to register to enter the market.

“Right now it’s only a trial to meet the IMF standards,” said a trader at another Chinese commercial bank in Shanghai.

“We have to wait for more policies from the government to encourage market participation, such as introducing brokers and individuals to encourage competition.”

A trader from a third European bank said: “I believe when the new SDR basket takes effect late this year, the evening trading may pick up, along with more reforms on the way.” l

US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said yesterday that it was critical for China to continue moving toward a more market-oriented exchange rate and clearly communicate its actions to the market.

Lew made the remarks during a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang in Beijing, following the G20 finance ministers’ summit in Shanghai.

“As the global economy faces many challenges, our open and frank communications are more important than ever, and we must continue to work together for the benefit of both of our nations,” Lew said.

“We welcome China’s efforts to transition to a more consumption-driven economy, including through fiscal policies that support household demand and actions that reduce excess industrial capacity. We also look forward to seeing continued reforms in the financial sector that also strengthen financial stability,” he added.

“It is also critical that China continue to move toward a more market-determined exchange rate and transparent exchange rate policy in an orderly manner and clearly communicate its actions to the market.”

The world’s top economies declared on Saturday after the meeting that they need to look beyond ultra-low interest rates and printing money to shake the global economy out of its torpor, while renewing their focus on structural reform to spark activity. l

Britain’s Osborne wins US backing in pushing Brexit onto G20’s top risks n Reuters, Shanghai British finance minister George Osborne pushed financial leaders from the top 20 economies to include the risk of Britain leaving the European Union in their list of dangers to the world economy, gaining explicit support from the United States.

Britons will vote in a referendum in June 23 on whether to remain part of the 28-nation EU. British Prime Minister David Cameron negotiated a special status for Britain in the bloc last week to help convince eurosceptics that continued membership was more beneficial than leaving.

The risk of Britain exiting the EU, dubbed “Brexit”, was not in the original draft of the communique

of finance ministers and central bankers of the top 20 economies, but was added on the insistence of Britain, G20 officials said.

In a significant boost for Cameron and Osborne, US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew expressed clear support for Britain’s continued membership of the EU. “Our view is that it’s in the national security and economic security of the United Kingdom, of Europe and of the United States for the United Kingdom to stay in the European Union,” Lew told a news conference.

Lew’s references to economic and national security marked a strengthening in his rhetoric, having previously described Britain’s EU membership as being in the

global interest.

“This is an issue that will be decided by the voters of the United Kingdom in June and we certainly hope that (they) reach that conclusion,” Lew said.

The final G20 communique, seen by Reuters, lists “a shock of a potential UK exit from the European Union” as one of the risks to the global economy, alongside volatile markets, cheap commodities and the migration crisis.

“It was the British who called for it, but it didn’t meet with opposition,” one G20 official said. “Everyone around the table would rather avoid a shock of that sort at such a fragile time for the global economy.”

Osborne said finance ministers and central bank governors were

unanimous in their belief that a British departure from the European Union could cause a global economic shock.

Christine Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, confirmed that delegates discussed a British departure from the EU as a downside risk for the global economy in their meeting.

“That’s the reason why it found its way (into the communique) as soon as the meetings effectively started,” she said.

Some G20 officials saw the inclusion of the line on Britain in the communique as a way to draw attention to the negative consequences of exiting the EU to support Cameron’s campaign to stay in.

Italian Finance Minister Pier

Carlo Padoan said a decision by Britain to leave the EU, which it joined in 1973, would have negative global consequences.

“We would classify a UK exit from the EU as a powerful geopolitical shock, a negative shock,” he told reporters in Shanghai.

The City of London is a major global financial center, accounting for roughly 10% of Britain’s gross domestic product (GDP) and some bankers think leaving the EU could disrupt business and force many financial institutions to move out.

Opinion polls in Britain differ over the likely outcome of the June 23 referendum. Uncertainty about Britain’s future in Europe sent its currency to a seven-year low against the US dollar earlier this week. l

DT

18

Business

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

Volkswagen retools itself for faster ride n Reuters, Berlin The biggest engineering feat on display when Volkswagen unveils its new concept car on Tuesday will be the team developing it: a post-Dieselgate management system crafted to operate faster, cheaper and with a lighter grip on the wheel.

Last year’s scandal over falsified diesel emissions tests caused a cull of top managers at Europe’s biggest automaker and brought a promise to overhaul the corporate culture.

But the most meaningful management change taking place was already under way when the scandal broke: aimed less at preventing misdeeds than at improving profit margins, which had fallen behind competitors under an inefficient hierarchy.

Its concept for the Geneva car show will be the first vehicle the Volkswagen brand develops under a new, decentralized system designed to emulate rival BMW, which has a track record of quickly and efficiently getting new cars to market.

VW will present the concept version of an entry-level sport-utility vehicle (SUV) in Geneva on Tuesday, three sources at the company said, and will develop the road version more rapidly under the new streamlined process.

Analysts following the company say it could lift margins at the core brand as the parent grapples with the costs of its scandal.

The move is pioneered by brand chief Herbert Diess who previously oversaw R&D while an executive at BMW, where an agile structure has long allowed expert teams to run vehicle development without interference from top management.

Volkswagen has previously been known for a system that spread responsibility for model devel-

sible for carrying out all phases of a program.”

“Ideally the various stages to develop a car run simultaneously, not consecutively, if it is to hit targets,” the manager said. “Our concept was different and, by comparison, strikingly inefficient.”

Since January, hundreds of managers at VW’s main Wolfsburg plant have changed offices and moved into four so-called project houses where strategy is mapped out for the new car groups, said another of the three sources who confirmed the new concept car.

Diess told VW managers at a closed-door conference in December that the new structure “implies a real paradigm change for VW and will take strength”.

Laggard Volkswagen Passenger Cars CEO Dr. Herbert Diess speaks at CES 2016 at The Chelsea opment across layers of committees and funneled final approval through top executives.

Although the need for changes at the VW brand was amplified by the emissions crisis that emerged in September, the former BMW executive had already been pushing decentralization since taking office last July.

Time and discipline

Profitability at VW’s core brand, at 2.8%, is less than half its 6% goal, and is dwarfed by French rivals PSA Peugeot Citroen’s 5% and Renault’s 5.1%.

“Time and cost discipline can be improved very considerably through this structure,” Boston Consulting Group (BCG) senior partner Nikolaus Lang told Reuters. “Whether the time and cost advantage ultimately is 20% or

30% depends on the production series and the matureness of the organization.”

Future models such as the new SUV, which the sources said will go on sale in 2018, will be developed by teams with full control over technology, quality, costs and launch dates.

Four new teams of about 100 experts each will focus on the main production series at VW’s namesake brand, covering small, compact, mid-size and battery-powered cars.

That is a change from the system under former chief executive Martin Winterkorn, a stickler for detail, who required decisions on development to gain approval of top managers. He resigned in the wake of the emissions crisis.

VW aims to significantly shorten the process from concept to production which previously took

AFP

48 months, one source said. BMW, by contrast, says its minimum development time for a new model is just 36 months.

One source said decisions under Winterkorn could be held up by other items on the executive board’s agenda, or delegated to committees that met only every four weeks, resulting in delays.

When VW finalised a sportier look for its Beetle in 2010 without a rear spoiler for the drop-top version, top managers at the last minute ordered suppliers in Mexico to provide the parts and rework the design, the source said.

“We had issues all the time,” a senior VW brand manager told Reuters on condition he not be identified while discussing internal management issues. “It’s key to correct the problems soon. This is possible if you have people respon-

Analysts say VW has been a laggard in an industry where most automakers have development teams dedicated to one vehicle program, aiming to shorten work processes as they strive to incorporate new technologies.

BMW launched its system of teams overseeing the whole process of development for a vehicle in the 1990s to contain a growing model count. It has lately refined it by integrating more specialists, a spokesman said.

Diess has lured many experts from his former employer and is drawing on Swiss business consultancy Malik for advice, the first source said. VW and Malik declined comment. The sources said the changes would also be implemented at luxury brand Audi.

The new course has risks, analysts say. VW’s push to devolve power may raise demands by operations in China and other markets to develop more country-specific solutions, they said. l

CORPORATE NEWS

Ready Chef, a poultry product brand of Jahurul Islam Company has recently been inaugurated at Agora Super Shop in Gulshan, said a press release. COO of Ready Chef IG Food Ltd, TD Packir was present at the opening ceremony along with chairperson of Jahurul Islam Company Ltd, Manzurul Islam and Ambassador of France to Bangladesh, Sophie Aubert

Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited has recently held a board meeting to evaluate the bank’s performance, said a press release. The bank’s chairperson, Engr Mustafa Anwar presided over the meeting

19

DT

Biz Info

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

| tech |

| book |

| summit |

Huawei’s Mate 8 promises enhanced security

Book launch by ‘Nawab Abdul Latif Award’ recepient

IIMUN conference at the headquarters of the UN

The Mate 8 is Huawei’s latest challenger in the game of the big guns. The 6-inch giant is stacked with some impressive features. But are they enough to make the Mate 8 a worthy shot in the highly competitive smartphone market? Let us find out.

The Mate 8 has a wellmade metal uni-body. The gently curved back is smooth and matte. If you are a fan of big phones, this slickly designed phone would rank high on your bucket list. The 6-inch FHD display has a 1920x1080 pixel resolution, which might not be the highest resolution smartphone in the market, but that does not affect clarity of viewing, and aids in power saving.

Speaking of power saving, the Mate 8’s battery life is a definitive champion. The 4000 mAh monster will serve you faithfully for as long as two days straight after being fully charged. Once the charge is out eventually, you can charge it beyond the 30% mark in less than half an hour. Full charge takes a little over an hour. If you are out all the time and enjoy browsing and watching videos without having to worry about battery charge, the Mate 8 is the ideal choice for you.

Although the Mate 8 comes with Google’s latest Android Marshmallow 6.0 OS, it does add its own touch to the software, which it terms Emotion UI (EMUI 4.0). Some visible changes include exclusion of the app drawer, which you may need some getting used to if you loved it before. But the new edition offers the convenient option of getting things started simply by invoking “OK Google” from any screen. The latest Android OS allows you to enjoy some interesting additional features like Doze and Now on Tap as well.

The monster phone packs

Huawei’s very own octa-core Kirin 950 processor and 3 GB RAM. The Mali-T880 MP4 GPU, the ultra-powerful Cortex-A72 cores, and the 64-bit chip which has four 2.3GHz and four 1.8GHz cores make it a dream phone to play even the most graphic-intensive games available for android, including the likes of Real Racing 3, Asphalt 8, and Lara Croft: Go among others with no sign of stuttering.

The 8 MP front camera allows you to take great selfies in any light. The 16 megapixel back camera also does not disappoint at all with features such as optical image stabilisation, a dual-tone flash and an HDR mode. You can focus and click within less than a second. You can record video at 1080p and 720p at 120fps for slow motion shots.

The redesigned fingerprint scanner on the back is impressive. It can take you to the home screen in less than a second, and can be useful when taking pictures.

If you are a fan of big smartphones and looking to buy a premium one, Huawei’s Mate 8 is definitely a good choice. Priced at Tk59,990, the Mate 8 is currently available at Huawei Experience Centers at Bashundhara City and Jamuna Future Park as well as brand and retail outlets across the nation. l

“Poribesh Bandhob Shobuj Banking” and “71er Prottokkhodorshi Muktijoddhader Jibonjuddho” - two books written by Harun-urRashid, were launched earlier this year.

Rashid had been involved with writing for the last three decades.

He received the Nawab Abdul Latif Award in 2014 for his contribution in research in Sociology.

He is the founding chairman of WALL, (Water, Air, Light and Land) Foundation for Safe Living. With a masters degree in Accounting, Harun has worked in a multinational pharmaceutical company for 25 years. l

February 25 marks the day an Indian brand for Model United Nations, the Indian International Model United Nations (IIMUN) came to Dhaka, Bangladesh to organise a Model United Nations (MUN) conference.

The opening ceremony will be taking place in the Army Golf Club, inaugurated by Fazal Rabbi Miah- the deputy speaker for the Bangladeshi Parliament; the additional private secretary to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Rishabh Shah, who is the founder and president of IIMUN, along with the dean of North South University, Prof Dr Mohammad Mahboob Rahman.

The winning contingent of this conference will be eligible to participate in the IIMUN USA conference where students from all across the world will be coming together to debate in the headquarters of the United Nations in New York itself.

This conference in Dhaka has been presented by the Delhi Public School STS and IIMUN has partnered with the Dhaka Tribune as a media partner who will be covering the entire event. l

| exhibition |

First ever Bangladesh painting exhibition in Bishkek – Bangladesh Embassy to Kyrgyz Republic brings Nazia Andaleeb Preema’s artwork to Central Asia. The exhibition was inaugurated by Ambassador Mosud Mannan and Deputy Minister for Culture, KY on February 26 at Kyrgyz National Art Museum l

DT

20

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Exhibits (5) 5 Skin eruption (4) 8 Checked (6) 9 Flowed back (5) 10 Golfer’s warning (4) 11 Postpone (5) 12 Liable (3) 15 Repose (4) 18 Employ in action (5) 21 Female pig (3) 22 Midday (4) 24 In addition (4) 25 Gather for oneself (5) 28 Harvester (6) 29 Facial features (4) 30 Water pitchers (5)

DOWN 1 Teeter (6) 2 Sphere (3) 3 Unwanted plant (4) 4 Flank (4) 5 Allude (5) 6 Worships (6) 7 Garden tool (3) 13 Greek letter (2) 14 Time of holding (6) 16 As stated (2) 17 Intertwines (6) 19 Fails to keep (5) 20 Accomplish (2) 23 Back of the neck (4) 24 Filled pastry (3) 26 Gull (3) 27 Land measure (3)

Downtime CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODECRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 17 represents T so fill T every time the figure 17 appears.

You have two letters in the control grid to start you off. Enter them in the appropriate squares in the main grid, then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters go in the missing squares.

Some letters of the alphabet may not be used.

As you get the letters, fill in the other squares with the same number in the main grid, and the control grid. Check off the list of alphabetical letters as you identify them.

A B C DE FG H I J K L MN O P Q RST UVWXYZ

CALVIN AND HOBBES

SUDOKU How to solve: Fill in the blank spaces with the numbers 1 – 9. Every row, column and 3 x 3 box must contain all nine digits with no number repeating.

PEANUTS

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

DILBERT

SUDOKU

DT

World 21

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

INSIDE

Biggest military exercise in Gulf region kicks off in Saudi Arabia n Agencies

Syria’s fledgling truce enters second day Syria’s fragile ceasefire entered a second day on Sunday with battlezones still largely quiet for the first time in five years, despite sporadic incidents including several air strikes.

PAGE 22

Iran president-led reformists lead polls after Tehran rout Reformist allies of moderate President Hassan Rouhani won all 30 parliamentary seats in the Iranian capital, a major boost Sunday that pushed them into a nationwide lead in crucial elections.

PAGE 23

Clinton trounces Sanders in S Carolina before Super Tuesday US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton crushed rival Bernie Sanders by almost 50 percentage points in the South Carolina primary on Saturday as African-American voters helped propel her into next week’s crucial “Super Tuesday” voting.

PAGE 24

Armed forces from 20 countries have begun manoeuvres in northeastern Saudi Arabia that the official Saudi Press Agency described as the world’s biggest military exercises, in terms of the number of participating countries and military equipment.

The maneuver, titled “Thunder of the North”, will be held at the King Khaled Military City (KKMC) in Hafr Al-Batin, which is close to Iraqi and Iranian border.

The participating countries are-- Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Bahrain, Senegal, Sudan, Kuwait, Maldives, Morocco, Pakistan, Chad, Tunisia, Comoro Islands, Djibouti, Oman, Qatar, Malaysia, Egypt, Mauritania, and Mauritius.

Troops from the aforementioned countries started exercise and war games on Saturday and these involve ground, air and naval forces, SPA reported.

The exercise will also witness participation of a wide range of artillery, tanks, infantry, air defense systems, and naval forces in a sim-

ulation to reflect the highest level of preparedness of the 20 participating countries.

Saudi military insiders claim the exercise sends a clear message that the Kingdom and the participating countries joining the maneuver are standing together in the face of all challenges to preserve peace and stability in the region and the world at large.

Meanwhile, analysts said the exercise stresses that the leaderships of the participating countries fully agree with the kingdom’s vision on the importance of the protection of peace It said a major goal of the exercise was to improve training in responding to the threat posed by “terrorist groups.”

Saudi Arabia has carried out air strikes against the Dae’sh group in Syria as part of a US-led coalition fighting the jihadists.

Last December, it also formed a new 35-member alliance to fight “terrorism” in Islamic countries.

Since last March, it has been leading a military campaign against Iran-backed rebels in its southern neighbour Yemen. l

Tidbits of Thunder of the North Ü The participating countries--Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Jordan, Senegal, Sudan, Maldives, Morocco, Pakistan, Chad, Tunisia, Comoro Islands, Djibouti, Malaysia, Egypt, Mauritania, and Mauritius. Ü 350,000 soldiers, 20,000 tanks, 2,450 warplanes and 460 military helicopters joined the military exercise. Ü The equipment that reflects the quantitative and qualitative weapons the forces will be using will include fighter jets of differ-

ent models, a wide range of artillery, tanks, infantry, air defence systems, and naval forces. Ü This exercise will reportedly last for 18 days, and during that time the airspace over northern Saudi Arabia will be closed to air traffic. Ü This was the largest military exercise in the history of the region, and it comes amid rumours that Saudi Arabia and Turkey are preparing for a massive ground invasion of Syria.

Sources: GULFNEWS, INFOWARS

Troops arrive to participate in joint military exercises in Hafr Al-Batin, near Saudi Arabia's border with Iraq on February 16 REUTERS

ANALYSIS

Thunder of the North manifests power, unity against Iran n Tribune Desk The “Thunder of the North” military exercise is a clear message from Saudi Arabia to Iran and Syria’s Bashar-regime, that any hostile intentions and actions that Riyadh sees as unfriendly will be strictly dealt, an expert has said.

The “world’s biggest” military drill began in the northern region of Saudi Arabia on Saturday and 21 countries, all included in the last month’s surprise Saudi-led anti-militancy coalition are participating.

According to unofficial sources, around 150,000 soldiers, 2,540 warplanes, 20,000 tanks, and 460 helicopters are participating in the largest military exercise in the history of the region.

A spokesman for the Arab coalition forces, Ahmad Assiri, said the aim of the exercise is to achieve the highest level of preparedness, exchange expertise and promote coordination among the participants.

Political observers and experts said the military exercise aims at delivering certain indirect messages at the regional and international levels, along with reaching a high level of readiness among

the participating armed forces.

The venue chosen for the exercise, Hafr Al-Batin in northern Saudi Arabia, adjacent to Iraq, near Iran and Syrian is also a strategic move, they said.

Saudi military experts have been issuing warning that the next probable threat to the Gulf states is likely to come from the northern areas, after Iran demographically occupies Iraq and uses that country as its military arm to meddle in the affairs of neighboring countries and drain Gulf states’ resources.

While talking to Arab News One Saudi military and strategic analyst, retired colonel Ibrahim Al-Marie, said the three main goals of the exercise are to protect the joint security of the Gulf, Arab and Islamic states, increase combat readiness and coordinate joint operations between participating forces.

“This maneuver is considered the most important in the past five decades conducted by Gulf, Arab and Islamic countries. It will rely on the latest technology in light of the growing regional terrorism and turbulent environment, and after the success of Decisive Storm (Saudi-led military campaign against

Armoured vehicles are pictured as troops arrive to participate in joint military exercises in Hafr Al-Batin on February 16 REUTERS Houti rebels in Yemen).”

Al-Marie said the exercise provides a chance to improve and activate the anti-Dae’sh military alliance announced by Saudi prince Mohammed bin Salman last month.

However, he denied any link between the military exercise and the recent announcement by the kingdom regarding “boots on the ground” intervention in Syria, noting that these exercises were announced previously and are part of a defensive, not offensive, approach.

The military strategist alleged that Iran seeks control in Iraq for extremist Shias who are loyal to

Tehran, and not Baghdad.

“We know that Iran has been trying to widen its footprint in Iraq through a so-called demographic occupation and emptying Iraq of Sunnis, either by displacing them or wiping them out, as well as by emptying the country of moderate Shias loyal to Iraq,” he said.

“This demographic occupation is currently happening in Iraq and Syria through the use of the Fatamid brigades, who are Shias from Afghanistan and who have been promised Syrian, Iranian or Iraqi nationality if they achieve victory for Iran in Syria,” he added. l

DT

22

World

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

Syria’s fledgling truce enters second day n AFP, Damascus Syria’s fragile ceasefire entered a second day on Sunday with battlezones still largely quiet for the first time in five years, despite sporadic incidents including several air strikes.

The truce, brokered by Washington and Moscow, is seen as a crucial step towards ending a conflict that has claimed 270,000 lives and displaced more than half the population.

The convoluted patchwork of territorial control in Syria, wrapped up in a brutal civil war since 2011, has complicated efforts to implement the deal.

Warplanes, believed to be either Syrian or Russian, bombed seven villages Sunday in the northern province of Aleppo and Hama in the centre, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

It was unclear if the raids hit areas covered by the ceasefire, which excludes territory held by Dae’sh jihadist group and al-Qaeda affiliate al-Nusra Front.

wWwR - 213/16 (7 x3)

Elsewhere the situation remained mostly calm.

In Aleppo, Syria’s second city, residents took to the streets to do their shopping after a night without any sound of fighting or air strikes, a correspondent said.

Damascus shelling

A task force set up to monitor the deal described it on Saturday as largely successful on the first day.

“The United Nations, the United States and Russia have made a positive assessment of the first hours of the cessation of hostilities,” a Western diplomat said after a meeting of the International Syria Support Group in Geneva.

The UN reported “some incidents” in apparent violation of the truce, but “they have been defused”, he said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s office said he and US Secretary of State John Kerry had “hailed” the ceasefire in a phone call, and discussed ways of improving coopera-

tion between their militaries.

UN envoy Staffan de Mistura has said peace talks will resume on March 7 if the ceasefire prevails and more aid is delivered -- a key sticking point in negotiations.

A spokesman for the UN’s humanitarian affairs office said the next aid convoys were expected to leave on Sunday if conditions on the ground are right and the necessary approvals are received.

“If it (the truce) holds, it will create the conditions for full, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access throughout Syria,” said EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini.

Russia, which has waged nearly five months of intense air strikes in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, said Saturday that it had halted bombing in all areas covered by the truce.

Moscow has vowed to keep striking Dae’sh, Al-Nusra and other “terrorist groups.”

The ceasefire breaches on Sat-

urday included shells hitting Damascus, according to Syrian state media, and others hitting a majority-Kurdish neighbourhood in Aleppo city, the Observatory said.

The city is now almost completely encircled by pro-regime troops after a massive Russian-backed offensive that has caused tens of thousands to flee.

Since the truce began, however, locals have taken to the streets to enjoy the calm as children play in parks.

Suicide bombings

Kurdish forces and their Arab allies pushed back a Dae’sh attack on the border town of Tal Abyad in Raqa province on Saturday, the Observatory said.

The clashes and strikes by a USled coalition killed 70 jihadists. Another 20 Kurdish militiamen and two civilians were also killed.

Twin suicide bombings meanwhile killed six people outside a town in Hama province, where IS is present, state news agency SANA said.

The complexities of a conflict which escalated from anti-government protests into a full-blown war drawing in rival world powers make brokering a lasting ceasefire a major challenge.

Assad has been bolstered by support from Russia and Iran while the West, Turkey and Gulf states back rebel groups.

Syria’s top opposition grouping, the High Negotiations Committee, said Friday that 97 opposition factions had agreed to respect the truce, for two weeks initially.

Neighbouring Israel, an arch-foe of Tehran, welcomed the ceasefire but warned it would not accept Iranian “aggression” or the supply of advanced weapons to Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shiite militia supporting Assad.

“It’s important it remains clear any agreement in Syria must include an end to Iranian aggression aimed at Israel from Syria’s territory,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. l

23

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

Iran president-led reformists lead elections after Tehran rout Iran’s political system

n AFP, Tehran Reformist allies of moderate President Hassan Rouhani won all 30 parliamentary seats in the Iranian capital, a major boost Sunday that pushed them into a nationwide lead in crucial elections.

Combined with results coming in from more than half the 290 seats up for grabs nationwide from Friday’s polls, the pro-Rouhani List of Hope was outpacing its conservative rivals overall.

A clean sweep in Tehran was followed by steady gains elsewhere, according to preliminary results, in a major fillip for the president, signalling overwhelming public backing for his landmark nuclear deal with world powers last year that ended a 13year standoff.

The election outcome is vital to Rouhani’s chances of introducing domestic reform in the form of legislation capable of delivering even limited social, political and economic changes.

The coalition of moderates and reformists representing the president’s hopes was on course to wipe out conservatives in Tehran with 90% of ballots counted.

The elections are Iran’s first since sanctions were lifted last month under the nuclear agreement.

A rout in the capital was completed when state television said the head of the conservative list, Gholam-Ali Hadad Adel, a former parliament speaker, was in 31st place and set to lose his seat.

Elsewhere, where 135 seats out

Appointed

Elected Hassan Rohani

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Elected for 4 years appoints the government

Commander-in-chief of the armed forces, head of security and the judiciary

Expediency Council

34 members

Advises the Supreme Leader

Guardian Council

12 members

validates candidacies for elections validates elections Veto rights over government legislation

of 260 have been declared so far, 38 went to the main conservative list and 30 to the List of Hope.

No clear winner yet

A further 36 seats went to independents -- of whom 16 are known to lean towards conservatives and 13 are close to reformists, with the others of no clear affiliation.

None of the remaining 31 seats had a clear winner, meaning a second round of voting will be needed, which is not expected until April or May. Preliminary results from Friday’s second election, for the powerful Assembly of Experts which monitors the work of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, were also heading Rouhani’s way, and could see top conservative

(since 2013)

President

Supreme Leader (since 1989)

Assembly of Experts

88 clerics elected every 8 yrs

No more than 2 consecutive mandates permitted

Government

Appoints the Supreme Leader

Parliament

290 members elected for 4 yrs

clerics eliminated.

The early results seal a stunning comeback for reformists, long sidelined after the disputed re-election in 2009 of hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad which was followed by bloody street protests in which dozens were killed.

Top clerics may lose seats

Turnout in the election was solid at 60%, but slightly less than the 64% of 2012.

Conservatives were also experiencing setbacks in the election to the Assembly of Experts, an 88-member group of clerics that would pick Khamenei’s successor if he dies in the next eight years.

Two of three ayatollahs that the pro-Rouhani list had urged voters to reject -- Ahmad Jannati,

Mohammad Yazdi and Mohammad Taghi Mesbah-Yazdi -- were set to lose their seats.

Only Jannati, who chairs the conservative-dominated Guardian Council which must confirm the results of both elections, was safe, though he was well down the field in 15th place.

Some 16 places are reserved for Tehran, with Yazdi, the current chair of the assembly, in 17th position and Mesbah-Yazdi, a figure famously hostile to reformists, 19th.

Rouhani and his close ally Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a former two-term president, held third and first places.

Even after all votes are counted by interior ministry officials, the Guardian Council’s verification is not expected for several days. l

Indian man kills 14 family members, then commits suicide n Agencies A 35-year-old man killed 14 members of his family including six children with a butcher’s knife before committing suicide in India, with police baffled Sunday about a motive for the attack.

The grisly murders occurred after Hasnin Anwar Warekar and his extended family gathered late on Saturday at a home north of Mumbai for a family function, police said.

“The attacker, Hasnin Anwar Warekar, hung himself after slitting the throats of all other family members including his parents,” Gajanan Laxman Kabdule, a police spokesman in Thane, some 32km from Mumbai, said.

The sole survivor of the attack

-- Warekar’s sister -- was taken to hospital after neighbours heard her screaming for help after midnight and alerted police.

Neighbours were forced to open a window to rescue the woman after the assailant allegedly locked all escape routes from the house before carrying out the attacks, according to local media reports.

“We still haven’t been able to speak with the attacker’s 21-yearold sister, the lone survivor of the attack, who is in deep trauma at a city hospital,” Kabdule said.

Warekar, who reportedly worked for a private firm in Mumbai as a chartered accountant, was able to carry out the attacks after lacing the food at the gathering with a sedative, according to sev-

eral local media reports.

But the Indian Express newspaper said he stabbed his victims after they went to bed, having all decided to spend the night at the house in Thane.

“Prima facie evidence suggests that the accused bolted all the doors of the house and murdered his family while they were asleep with a knife that we found near his body,” Ashutosh Dumbre, joint commissioner of Thane police, was quoted saying.

Kabdule said he could not confirm whether the victims had been sedated, saying investigators were awaiting medical test results.

Footage showed men carrying bodies wrapped in sheets from the house to a waiting ambulance,

DT

World

as crowds and police gathered outside the white-walled home.

Kabdule said details of the attack “are still sketchy” along with the motive.

According to the Press Trust of India news agency, a property dispute was behind the killings, but Dumbre said initial investigations have so far found no trigger for such an “extreme step”.

“In our inquiry so far, no one has yet been able to give the reason for this,” Dumbre told the ABP news channel.

“He worked with a private company in Mumbai. There were no known financial troubles or disputes and now we are hoping that the lone survivor can tell us something about the trigger,” he said. l

SOUTH ASIA

Myanmar nationalists rally against constitution change Hundreds of nationalist Buddhist monks in Myanmar and their supporters have rallied in support of retaining a constitutional clause barring Aung San Suu Kyi from becoming head of state. Suu Kyi is barred from becoming president because the military-dictated constitution bars anyone whose immediate family members are foreign nationals from holding the office. Her two sons are British, as was her late husband.

-AP

INDIA

Kejriwal: JNU ‘antinational’ protesters aren’t arrested for political gain Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday alleged that those who chanted anti-national slogans on the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus aren’t being arrested because the ruling BJP wants to form a government with the Peoples Democratic Part (PDP) in Jammu and Kashmir. If those people, who raised anti-national slogans are arrested, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti might get upset, he added.

ANINEWS

CHINA

China to launch second space lab in orbit China will put a second space laboratory in orbit in the third quarter of this year, state news agency Xinhua said on Sunday, part of the country’s plan to have a permanent manned space station in service around 2022. Advancing China’s space programme is a priority for Beijing, with President Xi Jinping calling for the country to establish itself as a space power.

-REUTERS

ASIA PACIFIC

Asean seriously concerned about S China Sea tensions Southeast Asian nations expressed serious concern on Saturday about growing international tension over disputed waters in the South China Sea. Ministers remained seriously concerned over recent and ongoing developments, the 10-members Association of Southeast Asian Countries said in a statement after a regular meeting of the group’s foreign ministers in Laos. -REUTERS

MIDDLE EAST

Militants attacks on Baghdad kill at least 24 The death toll from two suicide blasts in Baghdad’s mainly Shia district of Sadr City rose to 24 with more than 60 others wounded, police and medical sources said on Sunday. Two police sources said the assailants were suicide bombers riding motorcycles through a crowded mobile phone market. Dae’sh claimed responsibility for the blasts. -REUTERS

DT

24

World

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

USA

Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander endorses Rubio Marco Rubio has earned the endorsement of yet another member of the US Senate, Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander. Alexander, himself a former Republican presidential contender, told that Rubio is the conservative candidate who can inspire us, win the election and lead our country.

POLITICO

THE AMERICAS

Argentina PM: Debt dispute may end within weeks Argentina’s president is confident that long-running litigation over billions of dollars in defaulted bonds can be resolved within weeks, he said in an interview published on Sunday. Cash-strapped Argentina has been battling creditors for more than a decade after it defaulted on about $100b in sovereign debt. A deal could allow it to go back to global capital markets for financing.

-REUTERS

UK

Top lobbyist in historic green energy U-turn The UK’s biggest energy lobbying group has shifted its position on green energy and will start campaigning for low-carbon alternatives for the first time, in what environmental campaigners are describing as a watershed moment. Lawrence Slade, the chief executive of Energy UK, which represents the big six providers and has been regarded as a defender of fossil fuels, said the shift was urgent in order not to be left behind.

-THE GUARDIAN

EUROPE

Swiss set to reject proposal to expel foreign criminals Swiss voters were on course to reject a proposal to automatically deport foreign criminals for even minor offences, according to early projected results of a referendum on Sunday. The poll comes at a time when many European countries are hardening their attitudes to migrants after more than a million arrived on the continent last year.

-AFP

AFRICA

ICC’s first cultural destruction trial to open The International Criminal Court’s first war crimes trial for destruction of cultural monuments opens this week against a jihadi leader accused of demolishing ancient mausoleums in Timbuktu. Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi is accused of levelling medieval shrines, tombs of Sufi saints and a mosque dating back to the 15th century that formed part of the Unesco world heritage site in the northern Malian city of Mali.

-THE GUARDIAN

Clinton trounces Sanders in South Carolina before Super Tuesday n Reuters, Columbia

US Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton crushed rival Bernie Sanders by almost 50 percentage points in the South Carolina primary on Saturday as African-American voters helped propel her into next week’s crucial “Super Tuesday” voting.

The rout of Sanders solidified Clinton’s status as the strong front-runner to capture the party’s nomination for the November 8 election in her quest to become America’s first woman president.

With more than 95% of the votes counted in South Carolina, Clinton led Sanders by a 48-point margin, dramatically reversing her 28-point loss in the state to President Barack Obama during their bitter 2008 primary battle.

The former secretary of state decisively established her strength among black voters, a crucial Democratic constituency, giving her the upper hand on Super Tuesday in six Southern states with big black populations.

The result was Clinton’s third victory in the first four Democratic contests, and raised more questions about whether Sand-

Super Tuesday DEMOCRATS

112

1,017

March

1

Delegates elected on March 1

66

Bernie

Clinton Sanders Delegate count on February 28

Oklahoma 42 P 43

American Samoa 10 C

Source: realclearpolitics, The Green Papers

ers, the democratic socialist US senator from Vermont, will be able to expand his support beyond his base of predominantly white liberals.

Sanders, who has energised the party’s liberal wing and brought young people to the polls by attacking income inequality and Wall Street excess, needs a breakthrough win in a key state in the next few weeks to keep his hopes alive.

The Democratic race now becomes a broader national contest.

Eleven states, including six in the

C Caucus Delegates to be elected

Minnesota 93 C 38

Vermont 26 P 16

Tennessee 76 P 58

Alaska C 28

P Primaries C Convention

4,763 Total delegates 2,382 Required to win nomination Wyoming C 29

Hillary

Voting* Already voted

Massachusetts 116 P 42 Virginia 109 P 49

Georgia 117 P 76

Colorado 79 C 37 Texas 252 P 155

Arkansas 37 P 40

South with large minority populations where polls show Clinton with big leads, will vote in the Democratic nomination fight on Super Tuesday and four more over the next weekend.

In South Carolina, exit polls showed Clinton winning big with almost every constituency. She won 9 of every 10 black voters, as well as women, men, urban, suburban, rural, very liberal and conservative voters. Sanders won among voters between ages 18 and 29, and among white men.

Alabama 60 P 50

Clinton’s camp hoped the big win in South Carolina, after more narrow victories in Iowa and Nevada and Sanders’ clear win in New Hampshire, will set her up for a big night on Tuesday, when about 875 delegates will be up for grabs, more than one-third of those needed to win the nomination.

Recognising his steep odds in South Carolina, Sanders had spent most of the past week in states that will vote in March 1. As the results rolled in on Saturday, he held a rally in Minnesota. l

INSIGHT

Republican lawmakers fear having Trump as nominee n Tribune Desk Fear and loathing is striking congressional Re p u b l i c a n s faced with the distinct possibility of having Donald Trump as their presidential nominee.

“My party has gone batshit crazy,” says South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, who called Trump a “nut job” and maintains that the billionaire businessman would inflict as much damage to Republicans as the iceberg did to the Titanic.

Republicans share a palpable fear that Trump would alienate Hispanics, minorities, independents and women, driving them to vote Democratic in November and costing Republicans the presidency, its Senate majority and suddenly competitive House seats.

With the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, the ideological balance of the Supreme Court for decades also is at stake.

Republican incumbents clearly

understand that the only option is to run a flawless campaign.

“My campaign is going to be about who I am and what I’ve done,” said Representative Ryan Costello of Pennsylvania, a freshman facing a potentially tight re-election race in the Philadelphia suburbs. “And regardless of who the candidate is, I’m going to seek to build my own record and carry my own message in a very personalised way.”

Trump tightened his grip on front-runner status with a win in Nevada this week and secured the endorsement on Friday of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, a boost to his campaign ahead of Super Tuesday voting on March 1 in 11 states. Top rivals, Sens. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, are scrambling for wins that could upend the race.

In accepting Christie’s backing, Trump insulted Rubio and 2012 presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

Trump “is offensive to an overwhelming majority of people in my district the way he’s offensive to me,” said freshman Republican

Rep. Carlos Curbelo of Florida.

“Donald Trump does and says things that we teach our children not to do.”

On immigration, the New York businessman has vowed to end birthright citizenship, build a wall on the Mexican border financed

by Mexico and potentially deport millions of immigrants living here illegally. Not surprisingly, 8 in 10 Hispanic voters have a negative view of Trump in a recent Washington Post/Univision poll.

That could cause significant problems for Curbelo, whose South Florida district is majority Hispanic and promises one of this fall’s most competitive congressional races.

“Most people understand that Donald Trump is neither a true Republican nor a true conservative. So I think people view his candidacy in isolation, and they’re going to support other candidates they happen to agree with or believe in, regardless of party labels,” said Curbelo, who’s backing Rubio after initially en-

dorsing Jeb Bush.

Republicans are expected to easily hold their commanding House majority of 246-188 with one vacancy. The Senate is far tougher as Republicans, with a 54-46 advantage, have to defend 24 seats to the Democrats’ 10. Seven of the Republican seats are in states Obama won twice — Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Illinois, New Hampshire, Iowa and Florida.

Graham, an unsuccessful presidential candidate, says the Republican Party has its best chance in years to win the White House as Democrats are likely to nominate Hillary Clinton, who has been damaged by questions about her trustworthiness. But his party is about to blow it, he said.

“The most dishonest person in America is a woman who’s about to become president. How could that be? My party has gone batshit crazy,” Graham told an audience of lawmakers, journalists and congressional aides at the Washington Press Club Foundation’s annual dinner Thursday. l

DT

Sport 25

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

INSIDE

Tamim-Aysha blessed with baby boy Tamim Iqbal and his wife Aysha Siddiqa Iqbal have been blessed with a baby boy, Mohammad Arham Iqbal Khan. The dashing southpaw through his Facebook fan page informed the world of the arrival of his first child yesterday morning. PAGE 26

Amir in spotlight as Pakistan face UAE Pakistan will look to put their humiliating start behind them and return to winning ways when they take on minnows United Arab Emirates in the sixth game of the Asia Cup Twenty20 at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium today. PAGE 27

Ronaldo issues climb down Three-time World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo has backtracked on critical comments of his Real Madrid teammates following their 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid. The derby defeat on Saturday realistically ended Real’s title challenge. PAGE 28

Dhoni questions umpires' earpiece India captain MS Dhoni Saturday questioned umpires using earpieces during international matches, suggesting the devices might affect their decision-making on the field. The skipper spoke out after a controversial umpiring decision on Saturday. PAGE 29

Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al Hasan (C) soaks in all the celebration after taking a catch to dismiss Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews during their Asia Cup Twenty20 clash in Mirpur yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

‘Shakib is a human being, not an alien’ n Minhaz Uddin Khan Hosts Bangladesh are well on track towards the final of the Asia Cup Twenty20 following their 23run win over holders Sri Lanka in what turned out to be an exciting encounter yesterday.

The Tigers are now left with one game, against Pakistan, scheduled for this Wednesday. A win in the tie will take Bangladesh to the grand finale which will be their second ever final appearance in the history of the regional competition.

Bangladesh yesterday rode on Sabbir Rahman’s 54-ball 80 to first post 147/7 and later a combined effort by the bowlers saw the side restrict their opponents from reaching the shore.

Another glaring positive from the game was the display of all-rounder Shakib al Hasan, who pushed his bad patch away and contributed for the team. Shakib on the day anchored Bangladesh’s innings, scoring a 34-ball 32 while with the ball he bagged two crucial wickets.

For Bangladesh captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza, Shakib returning to his former brilliant self is a pleasing sign, more so because of the major event ahead – the World T20.

“Shakib is a human being, not an alien. To be honest, I was never concerned about him. It is good

POINTS TABLE Teams

M

W L Pts

India

2

2

0 4

Bangladesh 3

2

1

NRR +1.970

4 +0.483

Sri Lanka

2

1

1

2

-0.225

Pakistan

1

0

1

0

-1.334

UAE

2

0

2

0

-1.625

that he has stepped up. He has always done well and hopefully he will continue. He is one of our biggest players and we always want him to perform. But at the end of the day, anyone can make mistakes and we cannot blame them for that,” Mashrafe told the media yesterday following the end of the game at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

Mushfiqur Rahim is another experienced Bangladesh campaigner who has been struggling in recent times. In the last two matches including the Lanka clash, the wicketkeeper-batsman scored only eight runs and it has been quite some time since he played a notable innings for his team.

Mashrafe believes Mushfiq, one of the best batsman in the Bangladesh squad, will script a comeback one of these days because of the format that is T20.

“Actually I am not worried because I see this as a matter of time. In T20 one can return any time. [Yesterday] it was Sabbir and tomorrow it might be Mushfiq. The kind of character he is, I have no doubt that he will be able to come back,” said the Bangladesh skipper.

Star of yesterday’s show Sabbir on the other hand might have missed out on a well-deserved century but he said, “I am not upset. I never thought about a fifty or hundred. I just tried to play for the team, not for me.” l

WHAT MATHEWS SAID We know what kind of a team Bangladesh is and they have transformed really well in the last couple of years. They have beaten the top teams in the world and it wasn’t a surprise the way they performed [yesterday]. Sabbir [Rahman] batted really well.

They were under pressure as we got a couple of early wickets but Sabbir just kept attacking and it was his day [yesterday]. I think firstly we should all take responsibility (for the way we batted and lost the game).

It is not one person who has to go out there and take responsibility.

We all need to take responsibility, I haven’t batted well either and I need to step it up. We all need to take responsibility. Yes, we are in a transition period but we cannot think [about] that and keep losing the games.

Now we have to beat India and Pakistan to go to the final and it’s going to be a tough road but we are up for it. We have got to try and change our approach before the India game. Lasith [Malinga], you cant really say it’s a fitness issue.

He is struggling with a niggle that’s why he didn’t play. Don’t really know about the future games.

-Minhaz Uddin Khan

DT

26

Sport

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

Highlights of Sabbir’s knock n Mazhar Uddin Fearlessness The right-hander arrived to the crease in the very first over of the innings after opening batsman Mohammad Mithun departed without troubling the scorers. Things turned from bad to worse when opener Soumya Sarkar was soon dismissed; the hosts stuttering on 2/2 inside the second over. Sabbir however, fronted up to the challenge of rescuing his side, launching a counter-attack against the opposition bowlers. He blasted 18 runs off one Nuwan Kulasekara over, including a scintillating six over the long-on region.

Attack The pitch might have had a lot of purchase for the seamers but Sabbir did not pay any heed to that as he persisted with his attacking approach. The elegant batsman kept

SCORECARD BANGLADESH R B Mithun lbw b Mathews 0 2 Soumya c Mathews b Kulasekara 0 3 Sabbir c Jayasuriya b Chameera 80 54 Mushfiq run out 4 9 Shakib c Chandimal b Chameera 32 34 Mahmudullah not out 23 12 Nurul c Mathews b Chameera 2 5 Mashrafe run out 2 2 Extras (b1 w-2 nb1) 4

stroking the odd four and six here and there, ticking along the scoreboard nicely. His quick singles and doubles made life difficult for Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews who had to change his fielders’ positions on a regular basis.

Elegance Although Sabbir took just 54 balls to register his career-best score of 80, he did not appear over-excited and there was no case of a rush of blood. He was coolness personified and his elegant cover drive off Thisara Perera in the sixth over was probably the shot of his knock.

Responsibility The Rajshahi lad never looked like throwing his wicket away. The 24year old understood the demand of the situation and ensured of staying at the wicket as long as possible. He batted through the 16th over of the innings and made sure Bangladesh posted a challenging total. l

Total ( seven wickets; 20 overs)

147

Fall of wickets 1-0 (Mithun), 2-2 (Soumya) 3-26 (Rahim), 4-108 ( Sabbir), 5-123 ( Shakib), 6-140 ( Nurul), 7-147 (Mortaza) Bowling Mathews 3-0-8-1, Kulasekara 4-0-44-1, Perera 1-0-14-0, Jayasuriya 3-0-21-0, Herath 4-0-24-0, Dilshan 1-0-5-0, Chameera 4-0-30-3 (nb1 w2) SRI LANKA Chandimal c Taskin b Mahmudullah Dilshan c Soumya b Shakib Jayasuriya st Nurul b Shakib Mathews c Shakib b Al-Amin Perera lbw b Mustafizur Siriwardana c Sabbir b Mortaza Shanaka c Rahim b Al-Amin Kapugedera not out Kulasekara c Soumya b Al-Amin Chameera not out Extras ( w3)

SABBIR RAHMAN

Total ( eight wickets; 20 overs)

R B 37 37 12 9 26 21 12 20 4 6 3 4 14 14 12 7 0 1 1 1 3

124

Fall of wickets 1-20 (Dilshan), 2-76 (Chandimal), 3-78 (Jayasuriya) 4-85 (Perera),5-92 (Siriwardana),6-102 (Mathews), 7-116 (Shanaka), 8-117 (Kulasekara)

80

Bowling Taskin 3-0-19-0, Al-Amin 4-0-34-3, Shakib 4-0-21-2 (w1), Mustafizur 4-0-19-1(w1), Mortaza 3-0-17-1(w1), Mahmudullah 2-0-14-1 Bangladesh won by 23 runs MoM: Sabbir Rahman (Ban)

54 balls

4x10, 6x3

Sabbir Rahman goes big at SBNS yesterday MI MANIK

Tamim-Aysha blessed with baby boy Bangladesh opening batsman likely to play against Pakistan

n Minhaz Uddin Khan

Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho has his penalty saved by Manchester City's Willy Caballero during the penalty shootout during their Capital One Cup final at Wembley Stadium yesterday. City beat Liverpool 3-1 on penalties to win the League Cup final after it finished 1-1 at extra time. City broke the deadlock four minutes into the second half when Fernandinho’s shot from the right of the area crept under keeper Simon Mignolet. Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho levelled on the rebound after Adam Lallana’s shot had hit the post with seven minutes remaining to force extra time.

Reuters

Bangladesh opening batsman Tamim Iqbal and his wife Aysha Siddiqa Iqbal have been blessed with a baby boy, Mohammad Arham Iqbal Khan. The dashing southpaw through his Facebook fan page informed the world of the arrival of his first child yesterday morning.

“Our little bundle of joy has arrived! By the Grace of Almighty, we’ve been blessed with a baby boy earlier (yesterday) morning. Though both mom and son are doing fine, doctors have kept the little one under observation for 24 hours. Please keep us in your prayers,” said Tamim in a post.

The left-handed opener has been in terrific touch of late.

Alongside all-rounder Shakib al Hasan and wicketkeeperbatsman Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim took part in the recently concluded inaugural Pakistan Super League Twenty20 and starred with the willow, scoring 267 runs in six matches.

Tamim however, was unable to complete his stay with PSL franchise Peshawar Zalmi as he had to rush back to Bangkok to attend to his wife. The Bangladesh opener also had to sit out the ongoing Asia Cup T20 owing to the same reason.

There are rumours doing the rounds that Tamim might be available for the Tigers’ last game against Pakistan this Wednesday and it was learned that the chances of him

featuring are high. Tamim is scheduled to report for national team duty tomorrow. l

27

DT

Sport

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

QUICK BYTES Hoeness ponders Bayern return Disgraced ex-Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness is due to be released from prison today as he contemplates a return to the club he built into a European powerhouse. The 64-year-old has served 21 months of his three-anda-half year sentence after being convicted in March 2014 of having evaded paying at least 28.5 million euros ($31.5 million) in taxes.

–AFP

BSL logo unveiled amid glitzy ceremony n Tribune Report The logo-unveiling ceremony of the forthcoming maiden season of the franchise-based football tournament, Bangladesh Super League, was held amid a colourful ceremony at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader inaugurated the ceremony as the chief guest.

The programme started with the speech of the chief guest before a video presentation of the tournament was displayed in the giant

screen stationed inside the big bowl.

“It’s a good initiative to develop football in Bangladesh. India already started with the ISL (Indian Super League). Bangladesh also should start it soon,” said Quader.

The logo was unveiled with a laser show and was followed up by the tournament theme song “Goal, Goal, Goal, Awaz Tol”, which was performed by Satyajit Pradhan.

The lyrics was provided by Kingkor Hasan and music by Bombay-based musician Dabbu Malik. Eagle Dance Company then exhibited an acrobatic show before the ceremony came

to an end with flashy fireworks.

State Minister for Youth and Sports Biren Sikder said, “Football is the game of life and we should take this game forward. I think it’s a great initiative. I wish all the best to BSL.” CEO of Celebrity Management Group Vaswar Goswami believes the tournament will be the beginning of a new era. “Bangladesh Super League is like a dream come true for us. It’s a new journey. I guarantee it will not be a copy of any other tournament in the world.

Our main target is to attract the

youth to football. It’s a new beginning for Bangladesh football. We are proud to be a part of it,” he said.

Bangladesh Football Federation vice president Badal Roy is hopeful that the franchise-based league will develop the country’s football arena. “We want to produce fresh and quality players and take football to a new height,” he said.

The inaugural BSL is likely to kick off on November or December this year with the participation of eight divisional franchises. Five foreign players will be eligible to play for each franchise. l

'Rooney out of England friendlies' Wayne Rooney will miss England’s friendlies against Germany and the Netherlands next month due to his knee injury, Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal told a British Sunday newspaper.

England captain and record goalscorer Rooney, 30, damaged knee ligaments during United’s 2-1 defeat at Sunderland earlier this month.

–AFP

Scott, Garcia charge to top at Honda Classic Australia’s Adam Scott and Spain’s Sergio Garcia charged into a share of the lead after Saturday’s third round of the US PGA Tour Honda Classic. Scott, the 2013 Masters champion, fired a four-under par 66 while Garcia, seeking his first US PGA victory since 2012, shot 67 to leave both deadlocked on nine-under 201. It was a day when the last two groups told the tale for the leaders, Scott and Garcia in the penultimate duo playing at sevenunder while Americans Rickie Fowler and Jimmy Walker soared to a combined 13-over.

–AFP

Wolfsburg suffer Naldo blow Champions League contenders Wolfsburg have been dealt a blow after it emerged defender Naldo could miss the rest of the season with a dislocated shoulder. The 33-year-old Brazilian stopper suffered the injury in Wolfsburg’s 2-0 defeat at home to Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich on Saturday and requires an operation, his club said on Sunday.

–AFP

CORRIGENDUM In a photo caption in page 26 yesterday, picture of Farooq Sobhan, president of Bangladesh Enterprise Institute, was inadvertently printed as ‘Khandkar Fazle Sobhan’, former Pakistan ambassador to Kenya. We regret the error.

Amir in spotlight as Pakistan face UAE n Minhaz Uddin Khan

Pakistan will look to put their humiliating start behind them and return to winning ways when they take on minnows United Arab Emirates in the sixth game of the Asia Cup Twenty20 at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium today. The match begins at 7:30pm and Star Sports 1, GTV and Maasranga TV will telecast it live.

The Pakistan batsmen gave a poor account of themselves against arch-rival India in their tournament opener last Saturday and will be desperate to right the wrongs against an Emirati side which lost both of their matches so far against Sri Lanka and hosts Bangladesh respectively.

A disastrous batting display saw Pakistan dismissed for a paltry 83 as the Indian pacemen wrecked havoc in bowling-friendly conditions. With the exception of stumper-batsman Sarfraz Ahmed and debutant Khurram Manzoor, none of the other bats-

Today's Match 7:30PM at SBNS

Pakistan v UAE Maasranga TV, Gazi TV, Star Sports 1

men reached double figures. The Pakistan think tank will be desperate to rectify the mistakes before the side’s survival in the tournament comes under threat.

Pakistan however, will take inspiration from the bowling performance of the returning Mohammad Amir in spite of the five-wicket defeat. Defending the below-par total was unrealistic but Amir tried his best with a heroic effort, ripping the Indian top-order with three early wickets.

The UAE in contrast, have perhaps been the most surprising

team of the tournament. They qualified for the main round after sweeping aside a formidable Afghanistan side, Hong Kong and Oman in the qualifiers. Since then however, the UAE have struggled against the big boys.

The side mostly relies on its bowling attack and it will not be any different against Pakistan.

The likes of captain Amjad Javed, pacer Mohammad Naveed and spinner Ahmed Raza will once again be expected to deliver the goods with the leather.

However, scoring runs has been the major problem for the Middle Eastern outfit as the topthree, comprising Rohan Mustafa, Muhammad Kaleem and Mohammad Shahzad, have totalled just 38 runs in the first two matches.

Today’s game will be the first T20I between the two sides. The last time the two teams met each other in any format was in the World Cup last year with Pakistan winning the tie by a comprehensive margin of 129 runs. l

WHAT MALIK SAID

It was tough to bat [Saturday against India] but we had miscalculated somewhat. We had no idea about the conditions. It wasn’t a typical T20 wicket where you look at 170 or 180. It’s especially tough if you are playing against a good batting side. Obviously, you learn from your mistakes and that’s why we are here to practise. We know we have the best (bowling) attack among all the teams (in the tournament). Batsmen have to take responsibility. Whoever gets in has to score 60-70 so [that] your team ends up scoring 140-150, which the bowlers can defend. I am not thinking about run rate. Our goal is to win our first game and then take it from there. l

DT

28

Sport

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

5 FACTS ABOUT UTD STARLET RASHFORD Rashford was born in Manchester on October 31, 1997. The day after United scored six against Sheffield Wednesday at home, with strikers Teddy Sheringham, Andy Cole and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer all grabbing braces.

Rashford is one of several players who have gone on to play professionally for United after turning out for local youth club Fletcher Moss Rangers. Wes Brown, Danny Welbeck and Ravel Morrison all represented the team in their junior years, while current United team-mates Borthwick-Jackson and Blackett are also ex-Fletcher Moss players.

EPL RESULTS Man United

3-2

Rashford 29, 32, Herrera 65

Tottenham

Arsenal Welbeck 40, Ozil 69

2-1

Chadli 70, Rose 77

Swansea Paloschi 19

Manchester United's Marcus Rashford heads to score against Arsenal during their Barclays Premier League match at Old Trafford yesterday

REUTERS

Rashford, Spurs prevail to cut Arsenal adrift n AFP, London Teenage sensation Marcus Rashford took his tally to four goals in two games as Manchester United compromised Arsenal’s Premier League title bid with a rousing 3-2 victory yesterday.

The 18-year-old, who had

scored twice on his debut against FC Midtjylland in the Europa League on Thursday, also set up a goal for Ander Herrera as Louis van Gaal’s side closed to within three points of the Champions League places.

Arsenal, who scored through Danny Welbeck and Mesut Ozil,

El Shaarawy brace sends Roma up to third n AFP, Milan Stephan El Shaarawy hit a brace as Roma continued their push for a place in next season’s Champions League with a 3-1 win over Empoli on Saturday.

Roma’s sixth consecutive win moved them up to provisional third place in Serie A, five points behind leaders Juventus and four behind second-placed Napoli ahead of their respective games against Inter Milan and Fiorentina.

In Saturday’s late match, AC Milan secured a 1-0 home win over Torino thanks to Luca Antonelli’s goal on the stroke of half-time which saw them consolidate sixth place with a fourth win in five games.l

SERIE A RESULTS Empoli

1-3

Zukanovic 22-og

AC Milan

Roma El Shaarawy 5, 74, Pjanic 27

1-0

Torino

Antonelli 45

AS Roma's Stephan El Shaarawy scores during their Serie A match against Empoli at the Carlo Castellani communal stadium in Empoli on Saturday AFP

Rashford topped the scoring charts for United’s Under-18s last year, netting 13 times in 25 starts, but only made his debut for the club’s reserves in a Lancashire Senior Cup tie with Rochdale this season.

Nicky Butt, recently named the head of United’s academy, named him captain for the Under-19s’ first UEFA Youth League tie of the season in September against PSV Eindhoven.

Rashford responded by scoring twice in a 3-0 victory.

were left five points below leaders Leicester City, while Tottenham Hotspur moved three points above them by coming from behind to beat Swansea City 2-1.

Van Gaal had the home fans roaring in their seats as he mimicked a dive to fourth official Mike Dean on the touchline in protest at

what he felt was a piece of simulation by an Arsenal player.

Tottenham fell behind in the 19th minute at home to Swanseabut Nacer Chadli turned in Kyle Walker’s cross to equalise in the 70th minute and Danny Rose completed the comeback seven minutes later. l

Blatter warns Infantino of FIFA backstabbers n AFP, Paris

CR7 issues climb down from teammates rant

Sepp Blatter warned Gianni Infantino yesterday that miracles will be expected from him as the newly-elected FIFA president but there will be plenty of backstabbers if he fails to deliver.

Blatter, currently serving a sixyear suspension from football, saw his 18-year reign as FIFA chief officially end Friday when 45-year-old UEFA secretary-general Infantino was voted in as football’s most powerful man.

But in an open letter to the Swiss-Italian lawyer, Blatter warned his successor to be wary of the pitfalls that come with the job.

He also said he was ready to offer his help if required.

“I congratulate you, but remember however that this position you wanted will not be easy. Miracles will be expected,” Blatter wrote in an open letter published in French newspaper, Journal du dimanche.

“I had these expectations for the last 18 years at FIFA which I served for 41 years.”

Blatter said that the package of reforms which will be implemented at the scandal-hit body will help Infantino as he embarks on his new era.l

Three-time World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo has backtracked on critical comments of his Real Madrid teammates following their 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid.

The derby defeat on Saturday realistically ended Real’s title challenge as they now trail leaders Barcelona by nine points having also played a game more.

Ronaldo lambasted his teammates by suggesting Real would be top if everyone was as good as him.

“If everyone was at my level, we would be top,” he said.

However, Ronaldo issued a subsequent statement to Madrid sports daily Marca claiming he was referring to his fitness levels having not missed a minute of La Liga action this season.

“When I said this I was referring to my level of fitness, not play. I am not better than any of my teammates.”

Ronaldo had in particular questioned the role of Madrid’s squad players in the absence of the injured Gareth Bale, Marcelo and Pepe.

“I don’t want to undervalue any of my teammates, but when the best aren’t there it is difficult to win.”

Van Gaal named Rashford among his substitutes in the 2-1 win at Watford on November 21 and in the draw at Leicester the following weekend.

n AFP, Madrid

“I like to play with Pepe, Karim (Benzema), Bale, Marcelo. I don’t want to say that Jese (Rodriguez), Lucas (Vazquez), (Mateo) Kovavic are not good players, they are very good, but to win a competition you need the best.”

However, Real captain Sergio Ramos launched a staunch defence of the rest of the squad, pressuring Ronaldo into a climbdown.

“We are proud of everyone that is part of the squad and the work of all the players that get fewer minutes (on the field),” said the Spanish international. l

29

DT

Sport

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

Kohli fined for dissent during match against Pakistan n AP, Dhaka

Portugal tennis player Gastao Elias receives a ball from a dog during the Brazil Open tennis tournament in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Thursday. Four trained shelter dogs that once roamed the streets of Sao Paulo found themselves centre stage at the ATP 250 Brazil Open tournament. The unusual initiative was made to promote the adoption of abandoned street animal AP

Wawrinka wins Dubai title after marathon tiebreak n Reuters, Dubai Stan Wawrinka edged out Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis in a nerve-jangling, near-30 minute tiebreak to secure the Dubai Duty Free Championship with a 6-4 7-6(13) triumph on Saturday.

Wawrinka’s path to victory had been eased by the retirements of world number one Novak Djokovic and Australian prospect Nick Kyrgios in the earlier rounds but the Swiss often toiled against surprise finalist Baghdatis. Wawrinka was gifted the first set by a Baghdatis double fault and a tepid second set was notable for not featuring a single break point.

But then followed a 28-point tiebreak in which twice grand slam champion Wawrinka saved five set points before a Baghdatis backhand drifted long to give the Swiss a second title of the year. l

DAY’S WATCH CRICKET STAR SPORTS 1 7:30PM Asia Cup 2016 Pakistan v United Arab Emirates

TEN ACTION 1:45AM Sky Bet Championship Brighton & Hove Albion v Leeds United

India batsman Virat Kohli has been fined 30 per cent of his match fee for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct in the Asia Cup match against Pakistan on Saturday.

Kohli, who hit a match-winning 49 runs in India’s five-wicket win, admitted to showing dissent after he was given out.

The ICC said in a release: “The incident happened in the 15th over of India’s innings when Kohli, after being given out leg before, displayed dissent by first showing his bat and then leaving the crease while looking back at the umpire and uttering some words that were contrary to the spirit of the game.”

Replays of the delivery showed that Kohli had inside edged the Mohammad Sami delivery on to his pad but was given leg-before by the onfield umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge. l

India will be tough to beat in World T20: Smith n Reuters, Sydney Australia skipper Steve Smith is determined to secure the one major international cricket trophy his country has never won but thinks India are going to be tough to beat when they host the World Twenty20 next month.

The Australia squad, world champions in 50-overs cricket and number one in the Test world rankings, flew to South Africa yesterday morning to prepare for the March 8-April 3 tournament.

Their best result in the five previous versions came when they reached the 2010 final, however, a 3-0 drubbing by India in a recent Twenty20 series has given them plenty of food for thought.

“On any given day in T20 cricket any side can be dangerous, an individual can take a game away from you,” Smith told reporters at Sydney airport. “(But) I think India in Indian conditions are going to be very tough to beat. They’re a very good side as we saw out here in the three Twenty20s

we played in Australia so I think they’re going to be right up there.”

No Australian cricket captain goes into a tournament or series believing victory is impossible, though, and Smith is no exception.

“It’s one that’s alluded us, the T20 World Cup, and it would be great to win that trophy, that’s our goal,” Smith added.

“It’s going to be a tough tour in India, in conditions that are foreign to us. But it’s really exciting and I think we’ve got the squad to give that tournament a real shake.”

Deprived of the advantage that their pace bowling brings them on home soil, Australia will look more to the batting line-up to make the difference in India - even if Smith is not yet sure how it will look.

“I’m not really sure of the make up of our top three or four yet, obviously, there’s a lot guys who that fill those position,” Smith said.

“We’ve got three games to have a look at that before the World Cup. We’ve got some very destructive and talented batters up the top of the order that we can choose from.”l

Dhoni questions earpiece use by umpires n AFP, Dhaka India captain MS Dhoni Saturday questioned umpires using earpieces during international matches, suggesting the devices might affect their decision-making on the field.

The skipper spoke out after a controversial umpiring decision that saw Pakistan’s Khurram Manzoor given not out despite apparently nicking a ball by left-arm pacer Ashish Nehra during India’s defeat of their bitter rival during the Asia Cup Twenty20 tournament.

“You know all the umpires now have a walkie-talkie and earpiece in their ear,” Dhoni said.

“So effectively, in a way it means that they are umpiring with only one ear and the other ear is stuck

with an earpiece.”

Dhoni queried whether earpieces were always necessary, suggesting they were affecting umpires’ hearing.

He said: “They can’t hear and when it’s so loud... so definitely they should consider this thing. At least, have both the ears around, there is no point having an earpiece when a bowler is bowling as you don’t need to use it then.”

Television replays suggested that the ball hit Manzoor on his gloves before it was caught by wicketkeeper Dhoni behind the stumps.

Dhoni had a chat with the Bangladeshi umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid on the field after he turned down India’s vociferous appeal. l

The inter division sports competition of Sonali Bank Limited was held last Saturday at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology field. Chairman of Board of Directors, Sonali Bank Ltd, Fazle Kabir inaugurated the sports competition as the chief guest. Managing Director and CEO Prodip Kumar Dutta was also present among others COURTESY

DT

30

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

Showtime

Brihonnala director denies allegation of plagiarism not match with his short story in any way. They are totally different in philosophy and concept. I have read the story and I noticed that a few elements of the story are present in my screenplay, however, that is absolutely coincidental,” he said.

“Some people are trying to

The return of Joy Bangla Concert

embarrass me. I know who they are. That is why I am really upset about the matter,” he added.

Parvez had earlier directed the film Chondrogrohon based on Syed Mustafa Siraj’s story Ranir Ghater Brittanto upon permission from the writer. l

n Showtime Desk Murad Parvaz, the director of the national award winning film Brihonnala, has recently been alleged for plagiarism.

Brihonnola won the National Film Award 2014 in three categories: best film, best story and best dialogue.

The allegation came to spotlight when Times of India published a report quoting Syed Mustafa Siraj’s elder son Abhijit Siraj.

In the report published in September last year, Siraj claimed that Murad Parvez’s Brihonnola was an adaptation of Gaachhta Bolechhilo, a short story written by his father.

Murad did not give any credit to the original writer, Abhijit.

Denying such allegation, Murad said: “There is no valid ground behind the allegations. I would say that two stories may have characteristic similarities. This is not unusual,” reports Bangla Tibune.

“But the story of my film does

The Centre for Research and Information, the secretariat of Young Bangla, is going to bring the youth focused Joy Bangla Concert back this year on March 7.

To be held at Dhaka Army Stadium between 4pm and 11pm, the concert will bring in seven leading bands, including Warfaze, Shironamhin, Arbovirus, Lalaon, Cryptic Fate, Nemesis and Shunno, on stage to enthrall the crowd.

Similar to the previous year, registration is free, for which the distribution began yesterday and will continue till March 6. Inter-

Magician Aliraj performed in ‘Asian Group Annual Cultural Night Singapore’ n Showtime Desk Asian Group Annual Cultural Night Singapore, recently held at Singapore Polytechnic Convention Center, let audiences enjoy and experience a stunning

performance by magician Aliraj.

Among others, Civil Aviation and Tourism minister Rashed Khan Menon MP and Bangladesh High Commissioner Singapore, Mahbub Uz Zaman were present at the event. l

ested participants are requested to visit: ticket.youngbangla.org More than 30,000 people relished the program with vibe and vibrancy in 2015. In addition to songs, a special attraction was the recitation of the famous poem Swadhinota (freedom), written by poet Nirmalendu Gun. The recitation was accompanied by a laser show as well. Moreover, the memorable speech of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, father of the nation, was displayed alongside the laser show.

Dhaka Tribune is the print media partner for the event. l

Ali Asgar’s performance art project at EMK today n Showtime Desk Shameless, a performance art project about the social concern and views regarding the concept of shame, will be performed today at the EMK Center at 2:00pm.

The first performance of this project was subjectified with “Shame and Erotica” while the second one is “Shame and Gender.” The third part is about understanding the connection between shame and sin.

The project does not seek for a deep theoretical understanding or explanation of shame. Rather it is about how our body becomes a repository of shame for being associated with notions like desire, sin, gender roles; and the reason is social norms that many

don’t abide by.

As a performance artist Ali Asgar believes his body is

the main protagonist of his performance pieces. He wants to give his viewers an intimate experience through sound, light and space transformation where they will experience a body as live as an object. Asgar will also project some still images and video documentation of his previous performances from the project Shameless along with a 12-hour long live performance.

Ali Asgar is a Dhaka based artist who focuses primarily on printmaking and live art. Asgar’s work talks about issues such as gender, sexuality and social taboos, often referring back to his personal conflict with the stereotypical Bangladeshi mindset about members of minority communities.

The event is open to all. l

Azam Khan - the one who made a difference

Photo: SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

n

Showtime Desk

Azam Khan, popularly known as the pop-guru of Bnagladesh, dedicated his life in making a difference. Whether it was music or the society, Azam Khan always stepped up to fight the battle against all odds and to prove the

power of youth. The history of Bangladesh music industry will never be completed without mentioning his contributions.

Yesterday, it was his birthday and Showtime remembers him with great honour.

A phenomenon in Bangladeshi music Mahbubul Haque Khan, in

short Azam Khan, was born on February 28, 1950 in Dhaka. He became popular specially among the younger generation during 1970s.

Azam Khan is one of the names that we will cherish forever when it comes to music. He has played an important role after the

Liberation War 1971 to enhance the beauty and the melody of Bengali music. He, along with Fakir Alamgir, Ferdous Wahid, Firoz Shai, Najma Zaman, and Pilu Momtaz, are considered as the pioneers who popularised Bangla pop music. Azam Khan developed the “groovy-ness” of the genre.

Composer of the epic songs such as Ore Saleka, Ore Maleka, Obhimani, Rail Line er oi Bostite, Alal O Dulal and many more, was also a freedom fighter in sector 2 under Brigadier Khaled Mosharraf and fought against the Pakistani army during the Liberation War. He featured as the front man of the band, Uchcharan, which was formed in 1972. Azam Khan used to write lyrics and tune them himself.

It was a soulful lament for his life, love, and for his land for which he sang with such poignant beauty.

In his last days, Azam Khan was suffering from oral cancer. He was on life support for some time and then was taken to Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore for better treatment. He battled cancer for a while but in the end, he chose to take an overwhelming rest.

He breathed his last on June 5, 2011 at Dhaka CMH hospital at the age of 61. He left two daughters and one son - Ima Khan, Aroni Khan and Ridoy khan.

A king never dies, he becomes immortal. Azam Khan shall live forever. l

SidharthKatrina in Thailand n

Showtime Desk

Sidharth Malhotra has been spotted chilling in Thailand with Katrina Kaif, who recently had a break-up with Ranbir Kapoor.

There is no room for gossip because they are not vacationing there. They are in Thailand for their upcoming project.

Sidharth Malhotra slipped into his swimming trunks for a shoot for his upcoming film Baar Baar Dekho. Sid, who is currently in Thailand was spotted on the sets, sporting beachwear under a light cotton robe.

The actor along with his costar Katrina Kaif, director Nitya Mehra and crew members have been enjoying themselves in the sun and sand, on the Krabi islands. According to an online post, Sidharth and Katrina will be shooting a few romantic scenes on this scenic beach. The

movie, which was earlier titled Kal Jisne Dekha, is believed to be a light-hearted, unique love story

and will track 30 years of a couple’s life until they reach the age of 60.

Both Sidharth and Katrina were

seen sporting minimal prosthetics, while shooting a major portion of the film in Glasgow. l

31

DT

Showtime

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

WHAT TO WATCH Stardust HBO Hits 5:17pm A young man named Tristan goes beyond the borders of his village to find the fallen star for his loved one. However, he surprisingly finds the star to be a beautiful girl who she chains and takes with him.

On their journey back they face incredible challenges and fights against witches to finally reach to safety.

Watch the movie to find out how this unexpected journey changes the course of Tristan’s life.

Cast: Charlie Cox, Claire Danes, Ricky Gervais, Rupert Everett, Jason Flemyng The Hangover HBO 7:34pm A group of friends get together and go to Vegas for a long weekend bachelor party. But the trip takes a turn for the worse as they all get intoxicated and wake up the next morning only to find out that they’ve lost a friend, Doug. Watch the movie to find out how they finds their friend before time runs out.

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Heather Graham, Justin Bartha, Jeffrey Tambor National Treasure UTC Action 9:30pm Benjamin Franklin Gates is an eight-generation archaeologist whose family has been on an unusual quest over the years. The family legend states that the original Benjamin Franklin had hidden a huge cache of gold at the end of the Revolutionary War and left clues for finding the same in the original drafts of the American Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha, Sean Bean, Jon Voight, Harvey Keitel I am number four Star Movies Action 12:00pm The time is running out as the first three victims are already dead. Would prodigy John from planet Lorien be able to survive?

Cast: Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant, Teresa Palmer, Dianna Agron, Callan McAuliffe l

DT

32

Back Page

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2016

ECR APPROVAL PROCESS FOR SHOPS SIMPLIFIED PAGE 15

AMIR IN SPOTLIGHT AS PAKISTAN FACE UAE PAGE 27

AMAR EKUSHEY

THE ONE WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE PAGE 31

BOOK FAIR 2016

Great in quantity, but not in quality n Nure Alam Durjoy The number of books being published at Amar Ekushey Boi Mela may have increased over the years, but there is a downward trend in the quality of most of those books.

Eminent writers and readers alike have frequently complained about poor editing, grammatical errors and substandard content presentation and poor use of language in most of these books, although they do have eye-catching cover designs.

Most of the publishing houses who bring out these books do not have good editors, who are crucial in ensuring a good quality book that can be presented to the readers, said.

“These books are only piles of pages; they are not worth anything,” said Shams Swann, an annoyed reader.

Many veteran writers said the quality of novels and poems written by young writers is especially poor, whether it is the content, grammar, spelling or the use of metaphors.

Syed Manzoorul Islam, a professor of English at Dhaka University and a prominent writer, believes there are two major problems with editing.

“Not much attention is paid to the use of languages these days, and the sentence structure is flawed,” he told the Dhaka Tribune. “It is the writers’ duty to look at their work with objectivity and ensure that the write-ups are

Visitors crowd around a book stall looking at the book collection and making purchases on the second last day of Boi Mela 2016 yesterday well-edited.”

He also expressed concern about the quality of children’s literature these days. “It is especially important to maintain the quality of the literature for child readers.”

He suggested that Bangla Academy should introduce a panel which will screen the errors and maintain the standard of the writings for children.

Professor Emeritus Sirajul Is-

lam Chowdhury of Dhaka University echoed similar sentiments as Prof Manzoorul Islam.

“Perhaps the huge number of books coming out at the book fair has been possible because of the widespread use of technology.

Moreover, there are some people who publish books by spending money, which causes harmful consequences for the publishing industry.”

However, he said it is the publishers’ responsibility to ensure the quality of the books they publish and see that they are well-edited.

Selina Hossain, chairperson of Bangladesh Shishu Academy who is a writer herself, said: “There are many writers who write a little but want to publish books quickly; it has become a trend of some sort. If books do not attract readers, they should be thrown into the garbage.”

MEHEDI HASAN

Biplobider Katha publisher Sheikh Rafique, partly agreed with Selina. “There are many writers who publish their books on their own, hence such a huge number of new arrivals at the book fair,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.

Being the second last day for this year, yesterday saw 92 new books published at the fair; the number of new arrivals as of yesterday now stands at 3,304. l

State challenges compensation order for Jihad’s death n Tribune Report

The state has sought stay order on a High Court verdict that said the family of Jihad, who died after falling into an abandoned pipe at Shahjahanpur Railway Colony, is entitled to compensation.

Chamber Judge of the Supreme Court Justice Hasan Foyez Siddiqui yesterday set tomorrow for hearing on the petition, filed on February 25.

“The petitioner’s counsels yesterday sought two days for taking preparation. The chamber judge

has fixed the date accepting their request,” said Additional Attorney General Md Momtaz Uddin Fakir.

On February 18, the High Court bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo gave the decision of compensation disposing of a previous rule issued on the matter.

The court said that it would publish details about the amount of compensation and the person to pay the money in its full verdict which is yet to be released.

The same bench in its rule on February 15 last year sought expla-

nation from the government as to why the latter should not be directed to give the family of Jihad Tk30 lakh in compensation.

The ruling came in response to a petition filed by Children’s Charity Bangladesh Foundation on December 28.

The order on compensation came at a time when a ruling party-backed ward councillor and a key accused of the case, filed by Jihad’s father, have been threatening the family to withdraw the case in exchange for some money.

Four-year-old Jihad died on De-

cember 26, 2014 after falling into an unprotected deep tube-well pipe dug by the railway authorities at Shahjahanpur Railway Colony.

Jihad’s father Nasir Uddin Fakir filed a case with Shahjahanpur police against seven to eight men naming Jahangir Alam, a senior sub-assistant engineer of Bangladesh Railway, and contractor Abdus Salam, owner of JSR House that installed the tube-well.

On April 17 last year, Inspector Abu Zafar of Shahjahanpur police submitted charge sheet against the duo accusing them of negli-

gence in performing their duties properly. In legal terms it is culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

But the court ordered further investigation as Nasir filed a no-confidence petition with the court on April 21 alleging that the IO had deliberately dropped the names of several accused – Abu Zafar, Saiful Islam, Dipak Babu and Nasir Uddin – to divert the course of the lawsuit.

Police recently said that they would file the supplementary charge sheet in the case soon. l

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207. Phone: 9132093-94, Advertising: 9132155, Circulation: 9132282, Fax: News-9132192, e-mail: news@dhakatribune.com, info@dhakatribune.com, Website: www.dhakatribune.com