SECOND EDITION
SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2016
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Ashar 5, 1423, Ramadan 13, 1437
Remanded Tahrir man shot dead in ‘gunfight’ Jamil Khan n Mohammad and Zahirul Islam Khan, from Madaripur College student Ghulam Faizullah Fahim, the only member of outlawed group Hizb ut-Tahrir found involved in an armed attack, was killed in an alleged gunfight with the law enforcers in Madaripur yesterday, the first day of his 10-day remand. Fahim was very desperate and determined not to give
ing presence of the police, his associates opened fire on the police van and at one point tried to snatch Fahim from the vehicle. Police retaliated with gunshots. “Fahim and a constable were shot at that time. The accused later died at Sadar Hospital,” the SP said, adding that Fahim’s associates had managed to flee the scene. The law enforcers later recovered a pistol, three rounds of bullets and six bullet shells
Police said Fahim and a constable were both shot, but these correspondents found the policeman to have no injuries any information about his associates, planners and their dens, police said. “But he disclosed some names at some point of the interrogation. He said his associates were staying in Meherchor area and may meet after the Fazr prayers,” Sarowar Hossain, superintendent of police in Madaripur, told the Dhaka Tribune. “Our officials conducted a raid in the area around 7:30am with him, and sens-
from the spot. Hospital sources said that Fahim was shot by a revolver bullet which pierced his chest, possibly because it was shot from a point-blank range. The law enforcers brought him to the hospital dead. On the other hand, the constable, Ali Hossain, is now undergoing treatment at the Police Lines Hospital. Kamrul Hasan, inspector of the district detective branch PAGE 2 COLUMN 1
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Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 57
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www.dhakatribune.com | 32 pages | Price: Tk10
Did Hizb ut-Tahrir enjoy impunity? n Tribune Desk International Islamist group Hizb utTahrir is in the spotlight this week because of a number of firsts in its history of operations in Bangladesh. The first recorded involvement in violence by the group in Bangladesh was
the attempt on the life of a Hindu college teacher in Madaripur on June 15. Hizb previously limited its operations to instigating others to take up arms to create a Caliphate while criticising democratic governments. Secondly, the man arrested for the attempted murder, Golam Faizullah
Fahim, was killed while on remand in a “gunfight with police,” the first time a Hizb operative in Bangladesh has died in custody. Despite a decade of extremist politics in Bangladesh, including routine incitements to violence and regime PAGE 2 COLUMN 1
Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Ministry of Finance
Revenue for the People’s Welfare Internal Resources Division National Board of Revenue Rajashwa Bhaban, Segunbagicha, Dhaka.
Important Information Concerning Payment of Tax by Foreign Nationals Working in Bangladesh The National Board of Revenue has been making persistent efforts towards establishing an environment which is conducive to business, industry and investment in order to help implement Vision 2021 and Vision 2041 of the Honourable Prime Minister. With the help of all concerned, the National Board of Revenue is making all-out efforts to mobilize necessary resources to build a self-reliant and digital Bangladesh. As part of promoting foreign direct investment, Bangladesh provides ample opportunities for foreign nationals to work in a development and investment-friendly ambience. Like other developed countries, the existing tax laws of Bangladesh have provisions for deduction of tax at source (TDS) on the incomes of foreign nationals working in Bangladesh. This is the reason for which attention of the management of all companies, enterprises, institutions, NGOs etc, where foreign nationals are employed, is drawn to ensure the compliance of the rules and regulations relating to deduction of tax at source (TDS) while making payment to the foreign nationals at their disposal. In this context, the speech of the Honourable Finance Minister during the presentation of previous budget for the financial year 2015-2016 is quoted below: “Despite the existence of large unemployment amongst our eligible workforce, huge numbers of foreign nationals are being employed in our country, most of whom are not in tax net. We have already started registering foreign nationals working in our country and they will be brought under tax net soon. I propose to impose 50 percent additional tax or Tk. 5 lakh (whichever is higher) for the persons employing unauthorized foreign nationals. I also propose cancellation of tax holiday and other tax exemptions facilities along with prosecution and punishment for these unscrupulous entities engaged in such unlawful acts.” Salaries and allowances, received by foreign nationals, employed in any profession (except for persons entitled to special exemptions for their employment in different embassies, UN and international organizations) in Bangladesh, are considered to be taxable income where such income exceeds the taxable limit and in the case of a ‘foreign non-resident’, salaries and allowances are to be taxed according to the existing income tax law. Such foreign nationals are required to submit income tax return as well as pay taxes while their employers are required to deduct taxes at source (TDS) on their income. Besides, the tax law requires the employer to send to the concerned Taxes Circle a statement of salaries and allowances paid to foreign nationals. Failure to deposit taxes collected at source to the treasury may entail penal measures and abrogation of tax exemption/holiday benefits.
SEHRI & IFTAR
Ramadan 13 14 15
June 19 20 21
Sehri – 3:39 3:39
Iftar 6:52 6:52 6:52
Source: Islamic Foundation
Security raised at Ramakrishna Mission Security has been tightened at Ramakrishna Mission after its chief received a death threat on Wednesday.
Considering the importance of the issues noted above, all concerned authorities are humbly requested to comply with the rules and regulations governing the employment of foreign nationals in Bangladesh. Co-operation of everyone is earnestly solicited to collect revenue for the overall development of the country. National Board of Revenue
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SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2016
IG of prisons receives death threat n Arifur Rahman Rabbi The Inspector General of Prisons, Iftekhar Uddin receives death threats by SMS yesterday afternoon. Brig Gen Syed Iftekhar Uddin, Inspector General of Prisons confirmed to the Dhaka Tribune. He received the threat by SMS from the mobile phone No. 01756817269 around 4:00pm yesterday. He also said that on Friday he had transfered three top terrorists from one jail to another. Convicted murder, Abbas was transfered to Jessore jail, Pichchi Helal was transfered to Rajshahi jail and Rashu was transfered to commilla jail for alleged extortion.
After the transfer, an unknown person sent a SMS regarding the transfer of a prisoner to Jessore Jail. He suspected that this had something to do with the transfer of the convicted murder, he added. The SMS, is transcribed as saying: “Mr. IG, Have you gone mad? Ramadan Eid is upcoming, at this moment you sent my brother to Jessore Jail!! without any reason. This time I will not spare you. From human rights commission to office of conspiracy, I will make you naked and exposed everywhere.” Inspector General of Prisons said that his official has filed a general diary at Chakbazer police station. l
Members of Bangladesh Jamiatul Ulama hold copies of a booklet containing signatures of around 100,000 Islamic scholars from around Bangladesh giving fatwa that terms terrorism in the name of Islam ‘haram’, or banned, at a press conference in Dhaka Reporters Unity yesterday SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN
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Remanded Tahrir man shot dead in ‘gunfight’ who lead the 20-member police team in the drive, claimed that the constable had received bullet injury. But while visiting the hospital these correspondents did not find any bullet injury on his left leg. He even refused to talk about the raid when asked. Three cases have been filed in connection with the gunfight against 20-25 unnamed persons. Police earlier said that Fahim and his associates were assisted by some local extremists to implement the attack. With this, at least five suspected leaders and members of different militant groups, mainly JMB, have been killed in alleged gunfights with the law enforcers since June 7. Fahim, 18, was caught by locals while fleeing after hacking Nazimud-
din College teacher Ripon Chakrabarty, 45, at his house. His two other associates managed to escape. Later police filed a case against six persons including Fahim for the attack. The five other accused were named based on the information given by Fahim. Police, however, failed to arrest any of his associates or planners until yesterday. Fahim left his Dakkhinkhan house on June 11 in the middle of his HSC examinations after an altercation with his parents over his ideology and started staying at the group’s den. Police claim that Fahim had connection with JMB and Islami Chhatra Shibir, and that he was inspired in extremism by the activities of Islamic State. During interrogation, Fahim told the police that he had gone to Ma-
daripur along with his two associates on the day of the attack and met a local lawyer to review the murder plan. After the gunfight, police yesterday said that he might have visited the town previously to finalise the murder plan. “We suspect that some locals are also involved with the militant group who used to keep an eye on the college teacher targeted,” the SP said, adding that they were conducting drives to nab the extremists. Asked whether the investigation would be hampered due to death of the only attacker detained, Sarowar said that they had already got some sensational information about the incident and Fahim’s associates. Emranur Rahman, medical officer at sadar hospital, told the Dha-
ka Tribune that the police brought bullet-hit Fahim around 7:45am but he had died before reaching the hospital. Visiting the hospital, the Dhaka Tribune correspondents found him handcuffed and the bullet hit on the left side of his chest. Morgue sources suspect that Fahim had been shot from point-blank range. The spot where the gunfight took place is 18km away from the town. Enayet Hossain, assistant sub-inspector of Shreenandi investigation centre, was found guarding the place along with four police officials. No sign of blood was found on and around the spot. Taking to the Dhaka Tribune, HSC student Shah Alam of Nazimuddin College, said that he had been working in the nearby filed at
that time and heard sounds of five small crude bomb blasts, but no firing. When he tried to go to spot, he found the place surrounded by the law enforcers. Rozina Akther, another resident of the area, came up with a similar statement. The housewife said that that she had not seen anyone running away. Talking to reporters, Fahim’s father Golam Faruk said: “I was not sure about his ideology but he loved to read Islamic books. I came to Madaripur on Friday night just to see my son. “However, the police did not allow me to meet him and said that it will be dangerous for me to stay there.” But he had been given the scope to talk to Fahim over the phone. l
of the group. They have not been arrested. In 2009, detectives said Hizb had links to Jama’atul Mujiheedin Bangladesh, Harkat ul-Jihad and Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed. In September 2008, Rajshahi police arrested 10 Hizb ut-Tahrir leaders including its coordinator Dr Syed Golam Maula, a Dhaka University teacher. They were released within two weeks after the group threatened to oust the army-backed caretaker government in power at the time. In March 2006, Hizb chief and DU teacher Mohiuddin Ahmed said the group had held meetings with small local Islamic parties including Khelafat Majlish, Islami Constitutional Movement (ICM), Jamiatul Ulama and Khelafat Andolan and agreed to work together to build a
Caliphate. In a report in 2005, a Bangladesh intelligence agency expressed fear that Hizb ut-Tahrir might turn into an extremist organisation and suggested closely monitoring its activities. In 1993, Dr Syed Golam Maula went to London for his PhD and was introduced to Nasimul Gani and Kawsar Shahnewaz, who were holding an open discussion on Hizb ut-Tahrir at Regent’s Park. After returning to Bangladesh in 2000, Nasimul and Shahnewaz set up an office to house the organisation’s Bangladesh chapter under Golam Maula’s leadership at a coaching centre in Road 6A, Dhanmondi. Islamic thinker Taqi al-Din al-Nabhani formed Hizb ut-Tahrir in 1953 in Jerusalem, five years after the creation of Israel. l
Did Hizb ut-Tahrir enjoy impunity? change, Hizb ut-Tahrir operatives have rarely faced severe treatment from law enforcers.
Repeated warmongering
On Friday, operatives of the group distributed leaflets in at least three districts, including Dhaka, calling upon Muslims to wage all-out war against the government. Detectives last year described Hizb ut-Tahrir as the leader platform of banned militant groups that hope to establish Islamic rule in Bangladesh. They were singled out for mention because of their technological expertise and reported links to high-ups in the administration, law enforcement and intelligence agencies, courts, mosques and madrasas. The group has traditionally claimed to be non-violent and distanced itself from violent Islamist
outfits, but has espoused a programme of regime change that is impossible to imagine without violence on a large scale. In Bangladesh, Hizb ut-Tahrir has repeatedly called on the country’s military personnel to oust the government and hand over power for the establishment of a Caliphate. On December 20, 2011, Hizb utTahrir attempted to spearhead a military coup but failed. The operation was led by Maj (sacked) Syed Md Ziaul Haque, who now lives in Pakistan. Zia now leads outlawed militant outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team. At least 15 officers took part in the attempted coup, according to the army. Lt Col Ehsan Yusuf and Maj Zakir were arrested for their roles in the attempt. Last year, several members of the group were arrested for training
militants and attempting to go to Syria and Iraq to join the so-called Islamic State.
Bellicose but bailed
Even though some 650 of Hizb’s top leaders and members were arrested since a ban was slapped on the group in 2009, more than 450 have since been let out on bail and have disappeared after getting out of jail. Moreover, many senior leaders of the group who were identified by law enforcement agencies have not been arrested yet. The group was banned on October 22, 2009 but remains active, silently picketing in front of mosques and maintaining a well-managed online presence. Last September, the Detective Branch of police said they had identified three of the six top leaders who spoke at an online conference
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Hizb ut-Tahrir planned more attacks in south Jamil Khan, from n Mohammad Madaripur The machete attack on a Hindu college teacher in Madaripur, who used to perform religious rituals, was the first operation by banned extremist outfit Hizb ut-Tahrir, police have said. It was also the first targeted attack perpetrated by militants in the southern part of the country. Having close ties to JMB, Ansarullah Bangla Team and Islami Chhatra Shibir, the members of Hizb ut-Tahrir had planned more attacks on “soft targets” in the region after Nazimuddin College teacher Ripon Chakrabarty. They later wanted to kill the wife of a senior police officer in the district, and had plans to move towards Barisal for the next target, Superintendent of Police Sarowar Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday, based on information gleaned from Ghulam Faizullah Fahim, a Hizb ut-Tahrir member killed in an alleged gunfight with
the police. Fahim was one of the three attackers who hacked Ripon at his house on Wednesday and later caught by locals. “These militants are now targeting the people who cannot resist an armed attack on them and cannot even think that they can be killed by someone. Moreover, the extremists choose places considering frequency of police vigilance,” the SP said. There is not activity of JMB in the southern part of the country as they are strong in the northern districts, especially Rajshahi and adjoining districts, and Chittagong region. On the other hand, Ansarullah has a strong presence in Dhaka and nearby areas. “So they sent the Hizb ut-Tahrir men to the southern part to establish their supremacy here,” Sanwar added. Asked about Fahim’s militant connection, the official said that he admitted that he was a Hizb utTahrir member and had good relation with a number of leaders of
Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). “We have also found his previous involvement with Islami Chhatra Shibir,” the SP said. Chhatra Shibir, the radical student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, has been accused of a number of murders at different educational institutions including some teachers of Rajshahi University. Many leaders and activists of Chhatra Shibir have joined JMB, Hizb ut-Tahrir and Ansarullah Bangla Team to wage armed jihad, police said. Two intelligence reports recently said that over 100 members of the outlawed group had taken training to wage an armed revolution together with some members of Islami Chhatra Shibir. Moreover, some 450 leaders and activists of the organisation have remained absconding after getting bail. The reports suggest that its members were also involved in the recent targeted killings of secularists, LGBT rights activists and religious minorities. Hizb ut-Tahrir members were not
found involved in any armed attack before the one in Madaripur. But they have frequently been urging the armed forces to oust the government while asking the Muslims to join the war to establish Caliphate. In December 2011, some senior army officers linked to Hizb ut-Tahrir attempted a coup in the army. On Friday, the group demonstrated at different parts of the country and urged the Muslims to wage an all-out movement to oust the government and establish Caliphate. At least 21 members of the outlawed group were arrested during the recent crackdown from June 10-17. Detectives say Hizb ut-Tahrir is now funding the families of their members who are directly taking part in the targeted attacks. They recruit new members saying that they have good connection with other countries since it is an international organisation, and officials in the administration, law enforcement agencies and courts. SP Sarowar said that the target-
Security tightened at Ramakrishna Mission n Arifur Rahman Rabbi Law enforcers have tightened security at the Ramakrishna Mission and Ramakrishna Math in Dhaka after its chief got a death threat in a letter received on Wednesday. Meanwhile, a senior official of the Indian High Commission visited the RK Mission on Friday morning to review security. On the other hand, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it had contacted Bangladesh over the matter. MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup told the Indian press that the Dhaka High Commission had contacted both Bangladesh police and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and was assured of full support and protection. Police told the Dhaka Tribune they had deployed additional personnel in Ramakrishna Mission for security. Swami Guru Sebanando Mridul Maharaj, assistant secretary of the mission, who filed a general diary on behalf of the authorities, said that the mission was not afraid of such threats. “After we informed them about the threat, police have taken necessary action,” he told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday. He also said Indian High Commission's First Secretary (Consular) Ramakant Dupta visited the mission on Friday morning to review security. Several political leaders and senior police officials also visited the organisation. “Our activities are running as usual, but those entering the
mission and the Math are being searched,” Swami Sebanando said. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a follower of RK Mission and visited the centre in Dhaka last year — one of the few non-governmental engagements he had during his two-day visit to Bangladesh.
Family meets war criminal Quasem at jail Raihanul Islam Akanda, n Md Gazipur
Indian Ministry of External Affairs said it had contacted Bangladesh over the matter Dhaka metropolitan police (DMP) Wari division Deputy Commissioner Syed Nurul Islam said: “We have received the threat letter. Our officers are going to Gazipur and Kishoreganj to investigate.” They take necessary action about the security aspect. They were looking into the incident, he added. The letter, sent by one AB Siddique of “Islamic State of Bangladesh (secret agent),” mentioned the recipient as the top religious leader of Ramakrishna Mission, but it did not have his name. The writing pad had Eidgah Market at Chandana intersection of Gazipur as its address. “This is an Islamic country and you will not be allowed to preach Hinduism here,” it said. It said the chief would be hacked to death inside his residence between June 20 and 30. l
ed killings were not limited to any particular militant group. “All the militant groups have joined hand with each other and started a combined operation only to prove their existence in Bangladesh. Their aim is the same – establishing Islamic rule in the country.” He said that they had got some clue interrogating Fahim, but those information need to be scrutinised extensively as “he lied to use on many issues.” Monirul Islam, chief of counter-terrorism and transnational crimes unit (CTTC), told the Dhaka Tribune that in the recent times, they had found the involvement of Ansarullah and JMB behind all the target killings. “But after bringing Fahim to the capital for raids, we have also found his link to JMB. He was previously a member of Chhatra Shibir,” Monirul said yesterday, adding that the law enforcers had already started gathering information about Hizb ut-Tahrir leaders and dens after the attack in Madaripur. l
A notice asking people not to enter Ramakrishna Mission in Dhaka’s Tikatuli was seen hanging yesterday on the gates of the mission, a move taken after the mission’s chief received a death threat SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN
The family members of death row convict Mir Quasem Ali met him at Kashimpur jail in Gazipur yesterday, nearly two weeks after the issuance of his death warrant. The Jamaat-e-Islami leader was allowed to talk to the nine family members including wife, sons and daughters for around 40 minutes from 12:45pm, Jail Superintendent Prashanta Kumar Banik said. An al-Badr commander during the 1971 Liberation War, Quasem has got time until June 21 to file a review against the Appellate Division verdict that upheld his death sentence. On June 11, he asked his son and lawyers to file the petition. If he files a review plea and the petition is resolved with the death sentence still upheld, he will have the opportunity to seek presidential mercy. If the Jamaat leader declines to seek a review or if he is denied pardon, the government will then order the jail authorities to hang him. The Appellate Division said that the war criminal had tried to frustrate the trials by spending large amounts of money to engage a lobbyist firm. Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said they had produced and submitted a paper showing that Quasem had hired a lobbyist firm for $25 million to influence the US government towards postponing the trial process.
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SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2016
PM slams British govt for BNP: Fahim killed to hide truth giving ‘shelter’ to Tarique n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla
n UNB Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday came down hard on the British government for giving shelter to BNP senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman, saying he has link to killings in Bangladesh and giving threat to British MP Tulip Siddiq. “One scoundrel is living there… why has the British government given him shelter with caring? After his arrival in the UK, one British MP was killed and Tulip received death threat,” she said while addressing an iftar party organised by Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) on the Jatiya Press Club premises. The prime minister hoped that the British government would take appropriate measurers in this connection. Citing the killings of several MPs in Bangladesh, including Shah AMS Kibria and AL leader Ahsanullah Master, Hasina said it came to light that that the BNP-Jamaat men had been involved in those killings. “It’
s the character of the BNP-Jamaat clique since their inception to kill MPs and people, burn them in broad daylight and get involved in secret killings,” he said. She also held the BNP-Jamaat nexus responsible for the life threat given to Tulip Siddiq, the British MP and niece of the Prime Minister. Referring to the recent attack on a Madaripur college teacher, the prime minister said it is now clear that the BNP-Jamaat men are behind these types of attacks and killings. Noting that they do not want militancy and terrorism in the country but peace, she urged people to come forward to prevent secret killings, terrorism and militancy. Hasina also called upon journalists to create awareness against these social menaces. “There’s no place of terrorism and militancy in the country,” she said. Welcoming constructive criticism from the journalist community, the Prime Minister said, “Please, make sure that
criticism must not be inconsistent.” Mentioning that the government always believes in the freedom of press, she said: “Enjoy freedom alongside discharging responsibility towards society and the state. We want this responsibility from all.” Talking about a policy for the media, Hasina said this policy is not meant for controlling media or journalists. “Everything should be run under guidelines and this is happening in other countries, too,” she said. Responding to the demand of the journalist community for constituting the ninth Wage Board for them, the prime minister requested the media outlet owners to sit and take a decision in this regard. Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu, PM’s Information Adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, BFUJ Secretary General Omar Faruk, Press Club President Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury and DUJ President Shaban Mahmud also spoke at the programme. l
BNP has claimed that arrested suspected militant and murderer Golam Faizullah Fahim was killed in a gunfight because the government was trying to hide the real incident. “The government has killed him (Fahim) in crossfire. It means something has been covered up. If they took him into interrogation, it would be possible to identify the militant network and other people who were involved with this,” BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi told the press yesterday. Fahim, who was arrested on charge of attempted murder of a Hindu college teacher in Madaripur, has been killed in a ‘gunfight,’ police say. Fahim was caught by locals while fleeing with his associates after hacking Mathematics lecturer Ripan Chakrabarty at Government Nazimuddin College in Madaripur town on June 15. On Friday, he was put on a 10-day remand in the attempted murder case.
Addressing a press briefing at party’s Nayapaltan headquarters, BNP leader Rizvi said: “After the remand, examining his statements, it would be known whether he was a militant and who else were involved with him.” Fahim’s death was proof that the government was involved with militancy, Rizvi said. “The government has been putting a veil over the militancy issue,” he said. The ruling Awami League alleges that BNP and its key ally Jamaat-e-Islami are involved with the targeted killings claimed by militants, while BNP has been blaming the government. Rizvi alleged that the government lacks the goodwill to curb militancy. He also claimed that although police had announced that it ended the anti-militancy drive, arrest of BNP leaders and activists was going on. “I think the only goal of the antimilitancy drive was to repress BNP not militancy. More than 2,700 BNP leaders and activists were arrested in the drive,” he said. l
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Master plan to meet power demand n Aminur Rahman Rasel The government is formulating a master plan to meet the growing power demand by 2041, which is estimated to go beyond 57,000MW. The Power System Master Plan (PSMP)-2016 plans to generate 70% of the power from gas and coal and the remaining from regional connectivity, renewable and nuclear energy. “If it is possible to ensure efficient management of power, we could able to save up to 10,000MW,” said prime minister’s Energy Affairs Adviser Towfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury told a consultation meeting on the PSMP-2016 yesterday. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is assisting Bangladesh in formulating an extensive energy and power development plan up to the year 2041, covering energy balance, power balance and tariff strategies follow-
ing the country’s aspiration to become a high-income country. At the meeting, JICA presented the PSMP-2016 before the stakeholders of the sector. Towfiq said necessary technology would be required for the efficient management of power and “we would move to accumulate such technology based on the research.” He said the PSMP-2016 would be finalised after consultation with private sector and academics. JICA formulated the PSMP-2016 on the basis of future necessity of power, fuel, transmission of generated power and efficient use, mode of renewable energy production and financing by 2041 for the sector. Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office Abul Kalam Azad emphasised conducting thorough research to prepare the master plan. l
Members of Sammilito Sangskritik Jote form a human chain yesterday in Dhaka’s Shahbagh area demanding a national unity in preventing secret killings MEHEDI HASAN
Bangladesh to focus on payment issues in Rooppur project review meeting n Aminur Rahman Rasel Bangladesh is going to raise the issue of non-payment by a Russian sub-contractor which worked on the Rooppur nuclear power plant project in a review meeting of the project’s top-level management this week. “The Russian team will arrive in Bangladesh on Monday and will visit the project site on Tuesday before attending the meeting at a city hotel on Wednesday,” Rooppur power plant project Director Mohammad Shawkat Akbar told the Dhaka Tribune on Saturday. A Bangladeshi sub-contractor, seeking anonymity, told the Dhaka Tribune: “Work at the power plant site is still suspended because of non-payment of dues by Russian company Goldenberg, which was the appointed by JSC Atomstroyexport, the project’s main contractor.” After discrepancies were found on Goldberg’s work, the company was terminated from their duties, but they left Bangladesh without paying the dues to the Bangladeshi sub-contractors that worked under the company, he said. “This issue frustrated the workers and they have stopped working at the project site.” “Such irregularity from a Russian
TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY
THUNDERSHOWER WITH RAIN SUNDAY, JUNE 19
“Atomstroyexport also informed Bangladeshi sub-contractors that they would not get the full amount of money agreed up when the deals were signed. The company, however, failed to give any logical explanation as to why,” the sub-contractor said, requesting anonymity. “Frustrated by this, the Bangladeshi sub-contractors decided to place a memorandum before Science and Technology Minister Yeafesh Osman.” Atomstroyexport gave the work of land filling to Goldenberg, which engaged some local companies in doing the land filling work on their behalf but never paid the due bills. As a result, the local companies halted operations and refrained from further work. If an incompetent company works on such a sophisticated project, it would be a matter of risk for the whole country, a Bangladeshi official involved with the project told the Dhaka Tribune. The meeting will also discuss the role of Atomstroyexport in the project, as the Russian contractor is not cooperating with Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) – and not paying any heed to suggestions and recommendations made by the
sub-contractor under leading contractors like Atomstroyexport is the first of its kind in Bangladesh. The implementation of this project is at stake because of this,” he added. The meeting – the second meeting of the joint coordination committee for the project – will take place at a hotel in Dhaka on Wednesday and will be attended by the high-ups from the Ministry of Science and Technology and Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) as well as officials from the Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation of Russia. Science and Technology Minister Yeafesh Osman will lead the Bangladesh side, while Rosatom’s Deputy Director General for International Relations Nikolai Spasskiy will lead the Russian side in the meeting, a ministry official said yesterday. Earlier, in separate meetings with the Bangladeshi sub-contractors, Atomstroyexport informed them that Goldenberg was terminated from their duties due to their negligence in supervision activities, said a sub-contractor who attended the meeting. Atomstroyexport also appointed another Russian company named Inter RAO as a sub-contractor in Goldberg’s place. Dhaka
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BAEC – which indicates substantial concern about future of the whole project. On December 25 last year, Bangladesh and Russia signed a general contract for the construction and commissioning of Rooppur power plant in Pabna at a cost of $12.65 billion. The BAEC, under the Ministry of Science and Technology, is in charge of implementing the project. The project’s joint coordination committee was formed in 2014 under the framework of the inter-governmental agreement between Bangladesh and Russia concerning the cooperation in nuclear power
Khulna
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plant construction in Bangladesh. The agreement was signed on November 2, 2011. First meeting of the joint coordination committee was held on July 22-23, 2014 in Moscow. In the upcoming meeting, the parties will also discuss the entire set of issues of the cooperation in construction of the nuclear power plant. The objective of the meeting is to review plans for implementation of general contract for the plant construction. Bangladesh expects to add 2,400MW of electricity to the national grid by 2023 from the nuclear power plant. l
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Fajr: 3:50am | Zohr: 1:15pm Asr: 5:15pm | Magrib: 7:01pm Esha: 8:45pm Source: Islamic Foundation
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SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2016
Robber leader killed in gunfight in Magura College principal n Khan Mazharul Haque, Magura
A leader of robber gang was killed in a ‘gunfight’ with the law enforcers in Moghirdhal area on the Magura-Jessore Highway in Sadar upazila early yesterday. The deceased was Kamal Sardar, 42, son of Afsar Hossain of Shyaula-
danga village of the upazila. Ajmol Huda, officer-in-charge of Sadar police station said, on a tip-off that a gang of robbers were taking preparation to commit robbery on the highway, a team of police conducted a drive there around 3 am. Sensing the presence of the law enforcers, the gang members opened fire
on them, prompting the police personnel to retaliate that triggered a gunfight, leaving Kamal dead on the spot. However, other associates of Kamal managed to flee the scene. Later, police recovered the body and sent it to Magura Sadar Hospital morgue. Police also recovered a short gun, some sharp weapons from the spot. l
suspended for corruption Alamgir Chowdhury, n Md Joypurhat A college principal in the district was suspended yesterday following allegations of corruption against him. According to local sources, Nabi Hossen, former chairman of the institution filed a writ petition before the High Court against Saiful Islam, the principal of Khetlal Pilot Girls’ High School and College was suspended for his involvement with misappropriating of the institution fund, using fake academic certificate for job and sexual harassment. According to court sources, the court took the case into cognizance and ordered
Solaiman Ali, deputy commissioner and chairman of the college committee to investigate the issue and submit a report. Later, the DC submitted a report and it said the principal embezzled massive amounts of money of the institution. On June 12, after a hearing, the HC ordered Solaiman to suspend the principal seize his certificates. The DC in a meeting in the morning suspended Saiful and appointed Prof Mofazzel Hossen as acting principal. When contacted, Saiful said he was the victim of conspiracy. “Earlier, at a court, the allegations brought against me proved false,” he added. l
Better jute production likely in Rangpur region n Tribune Desk The farmers in Rangpur agriculture region are expecting better jute production as the plants are growing excellent now everywhere despite a shortfall in the farming target this season. According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources, harvest of the fibre crop will begin from the next month. The farmers have finally cultivated jute on 63,500 lakh hectares of land this season in the region, 1,760 hectares or 2.70 percent less than the fixed target of bringing 65,260 lakh hectares of land under cultivation of crop. The fixed farming target could not be achieved this season due to high price and crisis of quality seed, prolonged drought-like situation that caused lack of soil moisture hampering sowing of jute seed, crop diversification and some other reasons. The DAE has fixed a target of producing over 7.10 lakh bales of jute from 65,260 hectares of land for the current season in Rangpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari districts under Rangpur region. Under the programme, the farmers were to produce over 6.57 lakh bales of ‘Tosha’ variety jute fibre from 59,509 hectares of land and 53,255 bales of ‘Deshi’ variety fibre from
5,751 hectares of land in the region this year. However, the farmers have finally cultivated ‘Tosha’ variety jute on 58,774 hectares of land and ‘Deshi’ variety on 4,725 hectares of land in the region this season. Horticulture Specialist of the DAE Khondker Md Mesbahul Islam today said the prolonged drought-like situation, high price and inadequacy of quality jute seed mainly hampered timely sowing of jute seed in the beginning of the farming season, reports BSS. “Necessary assistance, training and inputs have been provided to the farmers for easily separating and rotting of jute fibre adopting latest technologies to ensure better quality so that they could get higher price and become interested in jute cultivation,” he said. Adviser- Agriculture of BRAC International (South Asia and Africa) Dr MA Mazid said jute farming could get brighter dimension through increasing its production and export, ensuring adequate supply of quality seed, disbursement of more incentives and adopting other effective measures. “The farmers have started adopting the latest line sowing jute technology using seeder machines saving huge seed and reducing farming costs and ribbon-retting method to get quality fibre and more profit,” he added. l
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College girl burnt herself to death n Mohiuddin Molla, Comilla A college girl took her life in Comilla on Thursday after getting a threat from her boyfriend of posting their intimate photos on Facebook. The deceased Israt Jahan, daughter of Iqbal Hossain of Purba Para area in Muradnagar upazila, was a second-year student of Bashkait College of the area. Selina Begum, mother of Israt, said her daughter developed a love affair with a boy who sat for Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations from the same college this year. She set herself on fire in her bedroom on Wednesday as the boy threatened her of posting their intimate photos on Facebook, she added. Israt was rushed to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital and breathed her last there on Thursday. No case has been filed yet in this connection. Mizanur Rahman, officer-incharge of Muradnagar police station said they would take legal action if the victim’s family files any case. l
An array of endless vehicles barely moving for countless hours has become a daily setting of Dhaka roads. In the picture taken yesterday afternoon, long tailbacks can be seen on both sides of Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU
‘Anti-liberation forces try to destabilise country’ n Tribune Desk
Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor has said the defeated anti-liberation forces have been conducting secrete killings of innocent people in the name of Islam. “Their goal is not to save religion, but to destabilise the country,” Noor said while launching construction of road carpeting work in a ceremony at Kazirhat village under Songoloshi union in Sadar upazila of Nilphamari yesterday afternoon as the chief guest. The minister formally inaugurated carpeting work of the 1.50-kilo-
One held with fake notes n Manoj Saha, Gopalganj
Police detained a man with fake notes worth about Tk14000 from Tungipara of Gopalganj early yesterday. The detainee is Md Ramjan Shekh, son of Majjum Shekh of Char Kushali village in Tungipara. On secret information that fake currency would be exchanged in Khaleker Bazar area, the police took position there at mid night, said OC of Tungipara police station Mahmudul Haque. Ramjan was caught while two other managed to flee the scene. l
metre long road from Kazirhat to Dalaler Bazar points by unveiling plaque at Taka 93.82 lakh. Earlier, Noor inaugurated carpeting work of another 2.50-kilometre long road from Sonaroy union parishad to Chakla Kazirhat points at a cost of Taka 1.45 crore, reports BSS. The Local Government & Engineering Department (LGED) has been implementing the work of the roads under a three-year package programme at Taka 300 crore in Nilphamari Sadar upazila under Rangpur Divisional Rural Infrastructure Improvement Project (RDRIIP).
Noor said the anti-liberation forces have been conducting secret killings of the physicians, writers, ‘Muajjins’, Purohits, ‘Sebayets’, bloggers and free minded innocent people in the name of Islam. “They have even killed wife of a Police Super in Chittagong. What was the fault of her?” he posed a question. Citing example of Madaripur, the minister said that the common people have started becoming vocal, caught one of the killers while attempting to kill a college teacher there. Noor called upon the common people from all walks of life to be-
come more vocal for resisting the anti-liberation evil forces for peace, harmony and tranquility in the society. With president of Songoloshi union unit of Awami League (AL) and newly elected union Chairman Mostafizur Rahman in the chair, Sadar upazila AL president Alimuddin Basunia, organising secretary of Nilphamari district AL Hafizur Rashid, Sadar upazila chairman Abuzar Rahman, president of Pourashava unit of AL Musfikul Islam, general secretary of district Jubo League Shahid Mahmud and Sadar Upazila Engineer Saiful Islam addressed the ceremony, among others. l
Hefazat demands investigation into the recent killings n Anwar Hussain, Chittagong
Hefazat-e-Islam yesterday demanded the recent country wide murders be properly investigated, at a press conference in Chittagong. “A proper investigation should be launched into the recent killings, militancy and forced disappearances and the real culprits should be given an exemplary punishment. Otherwise, there will be no peace in the country,” said Hefazat Secretary General Junayed Babunagari.
Citing a Hadith from Sahih AlBukhari, Babunagari said that people who kill would not be able to enter Heaven. “An organised gang is committing these targeted killings only to destabilise the country” Bubunagari said. He also said: “We vehemently condemn these murders since Islam does not allow one to take another’s life.” Referring to the recent mass arrests during the anti militant drive Hefazat Organising Secretary Azi-
zul Haque Islamabadi said: “It is unprecedented that thousands of people were arrested and harassed in the name of special anti-militancy drive.” “Arrest the real criminals. The terrorists have no religion or race. The innocent citizens should not be harassed in the name of a special crackdown,” demanded Islamabadi. The press conference was attended by Hefazat leaders Mainuddin Ruhi, Sarwar Kamal Azizi, Munir Ahmed and MA Taher, among others. l
‘4,391.39 acres railway land under illegal occupation’ n BSS
Railways Minister M Mazibul Haque yesterday said various persons/organisations have grabbed some 4,391.39 acres of land owned by Bangladesh Railway (BR) across the country. “The BR has 61,820.97 acres of land, of which, 4,391.39 acres are grabbed by various persons/organisations,” the minister said while replying to a question from treasury bench member Begum Pinu Khan in the House. The minister said some 12,960.41 acres of land owned by the railway remain unused, adding, “We are evicting illegal structures, infrastructures and grabbers from the BR lands in phases.” He said Bangladesh Railway has recovered 83.25 acres of land in both zones since July 2015 to May 2016 and constructed 5.564 kilometres fence in the eastern zone and 0.702 kilometres in the western zone. Besides, the BR authorities planted 9,000 trees of different varieties and 23,177 flower plants for decoration in the eastern zone while 3,000 trees were planted in the western zone, Mazibul Haque informed the House. l
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SOUTH ASIA
Disputed Afghan-Pakistan border reopens The main crossing along Afghanistan’s disputed border with Pakistan reopened on Saturday after nearly a week of deadly clashes between the two countries’ security forces, officials said. The fighting, which has killed at least 4 people, erupted at Torkham gate after the two sides disagreed over a Pakistani plan to build a new barrier at crossing. -REUTERS
INDIA
Indian central bank chief to step down India’s central bank governor Raghuram Rajan, who has faced criticism from members of the ruling BJP for keeping interest rates too high, stunned officials on Saturday by announcing he would step down when his term ends on September 4. Rajan, a former chief economist at the IMF, has been popular with foreign investors for his efforts to tackle inflation. -REUTERS
CHINA
Hong Kong protesters voice against China on bookseller detentions Over 4,000 people marched in Hong Kong on Saturday to protest against China’s detention of five booksellers whose shop published gossipy books about Chinese leaders, including President Xi Jinping. The demonstration followed a march by 100 activists to China’s liaison office on Friday to protest against what they called the cross-border abductions. -REUTERS
Q&A
Saudi Arabia’s 9/11 connection n Tribune International Desk The US government is considering declassifying a controversial 28-page section of a congressional report on 9/11. Here’s everything you need to know:
Why is it controversial? Those pages concern whether or not Saudi Arabian officials were involved in funding or supporting the hijackers. In 2002, the bipartisan Joint Congressional Inquiry conducted an extensive investigation into the intelligence failures in the lead-up to 9/11. President George W Bush sealed the section covering Saudi Arabia’s possible involvement, presumably to avoid damaging relations with one of America’s closest Middle Eastern allies. Since then, the 28 pages have been locked in a basement room at the US Capitol; lawmakers can read them, but are forbidden from revealing their exact contents. Spearheading the campaign to have them declassified is former Senator Bob Graham, who co-chaired the inquiry. “The 28 pages primarily relate to who financed 9/11,” he said last year, “and they point a very strong finger at Saudi Arabia.”
Why are the pages still sealed?
The United States Marine Corps in Okinawa may hand back a 10,000 acre tract of land to Japan early next year as Washington confronts a surge in opposition to US military bases there following the murder of a Japanese woman. The return of the land, part of a jungle training camp, known as Camp Gonsalves in Northern Okinawa. -REUTERS
The official rationale is that they identify people whose alleged complicity was never proved. The 9/11 Commission followed up on the original inquiry, and concluded in 2004 that there was “no evidence” the Saudi government or senior Saudi officials aided al Qaeda in the run-up to the attacks, even though 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis. Last year, an internal CIA investigation came to the same conclusion. Yet neither report ruled out the possibility that lower-level government officials were involved. John Lehman, a former Navy secretary under President Reagan who served on the 9/11 Commission, said the report found evidence that at least five Saudi officials helped the hijackers. “There was an awful lot of participation by Saudi individuals in supporting the hijackers, and some of those people worked in the Saudi government,” he said. “Our report should never have been read as an exoneration of Saudi Arabia.”
MIDDLE EAST
So what do we know?
ASIA PACIFIC
US dangles large land return to Japan’s Okinawa
Iraqi PM declares victory over IS in Falluja Iraqi forces on Friday entered the center of Falluja, the Iraqi city longest held by Islamic State, nearly four weeks after the start of a US-backed offensive that cleared out the tens of thousands of residents still there. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory shortly after nightfall, as government forces continued pushing into parts of the city held by the militants. -REUTERS
It is well established that Saudi Arabia’s royal family, the House of Saud, had very close ties to President Bush and his father, President George H W Bush. Saudi investment firms poured money into Bush Sr’s oil business, and the country provided the US with invaluable support in the first Gulf War. Two days after 9/11, Saudi Arabia’s influential ambassador to Washington, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, met with President Bush at the White House, and the two men smoked cigars on the Truman Balcony. Over the next few days, the Saudis were allowed to
The World Trade Centre bursts into flames after being hit by a hijacked airplane in New York, September 11, 2001 collect more than 160 Saudi officials — including relatives of Osama bin Laden — from around the US and fly them on chartered jets to Saudi Arabia. Some even received an FBI escort to the airport.
What about before the attacks? Much of the focus has been on Omar al-Bayoumi, who the FBI suspected was a Saudi intelligence officer. When two of the hijackers arrived in Los Angeles in January 2000, al-Bayoumi met them in a restaurant, took them to San Diego, and set them up in an apartment, co-signing the lease and advancing them $1,500 for rent. He later helped the pair — who spoke almost no English — find a flight school. Al-Bayoumi insisted the restaurant meeting was a chance encounter, and that he was just helping out fellow Muslims. But he was also in regular contact with Fahad al-Thumairy, a Saudi consulate official who was deported in 2003 for suspected terrorist links, and with Anwar al-Awlaki, the radical, American-born Islamic preacher who helped inspire several terrorist attacks. Al-Bayoumi was questioned by the FBI, but released without charge.
Is there any other evidence of complicity? During 2000 and 2001, al-Bayoumi received about $3,000 a month — through several intermediaries — from Prince Bandar’s wife. Many suspect some of this cash was passed on to the hijackers. Bandar has also been accused by Zacarias Moussaoui, the so-called 20th hijacker, of being one of al Qaeda’s donors in the run-up to the attacks. The Saudi government says Moussaoui is
REUTERS
mentally ill and unreliable, vehemently denies that it had any involvement in 9/11, and has even called on the US government to release the notorious 28 pages. “Saudi Arabia has nothing to hide,” Bandar said in 2003. “We can deal with questions in public, but we cannot respond to blank pages.”
Why is this coming up now? Congress is considering a bill that would allow US citizens to sue Saudi Arabia for its alleged support of the hijackers. Foreign governments currently receive immunity from prosecution in the US, but the new legislation — which was passed unanimously by the Senate — would grant exceptions when countries are found culpable of involvement in terrorist attacks. Saudi Arabia has threatened to sell $750bn of US-based assets if the bill is enacted. Many members of Congress argue that releasing the 2002 Joint Congressional Inquiry’s findings in full would shed light on whether the Saudis have some specific allegations to answer. “[There] are a lot of coincidences,” says former Rep. Tim Roemer. “Is that enough to make you squirm and [feel] uncomfortable, and dig harder, and declassify these 28 pages? Absolutely.”
How Bandar Bush helped the home team At the heart of the close relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia on 9/11 was one man: Prince Bandar. A grandson of the Gulf state’s founding king, Bandar was the Saudi ambassador to the US from 1983 to 2005, and went on to run his country’s intelligence agency. He was so close to the Bushes he was often called
“Bandar Bush,” and he was instrumental in persuading his government to assist the US in the first Gulf War. In 2003, he was briefed by Bush Junior on the plan to invade Iraq — two days before Vice President Dick Cheney or Secretary of State Colin Powell. In Washington, Bandar was a master of diplomacy. His opulent parties were legendary — his other nickname was “the Arab Gatsby” — and he cultivated relationships with the administration’s most powerful figures. Shortly after Powell resigned in 2005, for example, Bandar presented him with a 1995 Jaguar — a car Powell’s wife had once mentioned in passing that she liked. But there was never any doubt over whose side Bandar was on. “Don’t expect the man not to play the game for his home team,” says William Simpson, Bandar’s biographer. “The home team is Saudi Arabia.” l
[This is an excerpt from a The Week Article, which can be found at http://bit. ly/269hYRG]
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Is Jo Cox murder linked to Brexit? 4 DAYS TO GO
n Reuters, London The man charged with murdering British lawmaker Jo Cox gave his name as “death to traitors, freedom for Britain” when he appeared in court on Saturday accused of a killing that has left next week’s vote on European Union membership in limbo. The murder of Cox, a 41-yearold mother of two young children, has shocked Britain, elicited condolences from leaders around the world and raised questions about the tone of campaigning ahead of the EU referendum. Cox, an ardent supporter of EU membership, was shot and stabbed in the street in her electoral district in northern England on Thursday. Wearing a gray sweat shirt and trousers and flanked by two security guards, 52-year-old Thomas Mair was asked his name by a clerk at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London. “Death to traitors, freedom for Britain,” Mair said. When asked
A court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook shows Thomas Mair, centre, appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on Saturday REUTERS again what his name was, Mair calmly repeated: “My name is death to traitors, freedom for Britain.” The killing has shocked the nation and both sides in the referendum have temporarily suspended campaigning ahead of Thursday’s vote, which has far reaching implications for both the EU and Britain. A British exit from the EU would rock the bloc - already shaken by differences over migration and the future of the euro zone by ripping away its second-largest economy, one of its top two military powers and by far its richest
financial center. Pro-Europeans, including former prime ministers Tony Blair and John Major, have warned that an exit could also trigger the break-up of the United Kingdom by prompting another Scottish independence vote if England pulled Scotland out of the EU.
“Vile act”
Prime Minister David Cameron joined Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on Friday to lay flowers in Birstall. “It is a vile act that has killed her,” Corbyn said.
The murder has sparked debate in Britain, which has strict gun controls, about the safety of lawmakers, the heightened tempo of political confrontation and any impact on the EU vote. Both sides in the referendum contest have put on hold their national campaigns until at least Sunday. Polls have suggested the vote hangs in the balance, but in the last week a series of surveys have indicated that the campaign to leave had been taking the lead. A telephone survey by BMG for Scotland’s The Herald newspaper on Saturday showed the “In” camp on 53% and “Out” on 47%, although a separate online poll by BMG showed Out leading by 10 points, with 55% support compared to In’s 45%. Both polls were carried out before the killing of Cox. Those wanting to stay in the EU can count on the support of many of Britain’s biggest businesses, most economists and foreign leaders such as US President Barack Obama, who spoke to Cox’s husband on Friday to offer condolences. l
EXPLAINER
US election: In 50-state race, not all states are equal n Tribune International Desk The likely Donald Trump-Hillary Clinton race won’t be a contest over who can win the most votes nationwide. US presidential contests are essentially simultaneous, winner-take-all state elections to choose electors. Whoever wins a majority of electoral votes - that’s 270 votes - wins the presidency, reports The Associated Press. A state’s share of electoral votes is roughly related to its population. So it would seem logical for candidates to focus their attention on the most populous states, which offer the most electoral votes. But that’s not the case. Many of the biggest states are reliably Democratic or Republican, so campaigns don’t waste much time on them. Instead, they focus on states less predictably Democratic or Republican, the so-called battleground states.
The red, the blue and the purple
American political junkies look at the map of the United States and see a patchwork of mostly red and blue. Red states are the ones that usually vote Republican, such as Texas and Wyoming. Blue states are reliably Democratic, such as New York and Vermont.
But there are also spots of purple. About a dozen of the 50 states are not consistently red or blue. Those are the battleground states. The biggest are Florida and Ohio. Those are the states that often effectively decide elections. The map gives a clear advantage to Clinton, the presumed Democratic nominee. If she captures all of the states that have voted solidly Democratic in the last six presidential elections, she would start out with 242 electoral votes. Trump, the presumptive nominee, would start with just 102. That number is higher, though, if states that voted Republican in the last four elections are included. Even with Clinton’s advantage, she can’t reach the 270 votes without winning some battleground states. Or at least one. If she keeps the 242 electoral votes and wins Florida too, she wins the presidency.
All votes are not equal
California has 55 electoral votes. New Hampshire has four. Yet presidential campaigns may try harder to woo voters in New Hampshire than in California. That’s because New Hampshire is a battleground state. California isn’t. There’s little incentive for either Clinton or Trump to spend precious time and money on states where the outcome appears
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World USA
US House Speaker Ryan: Republicans should follow conscience on Trump Republican lawmakers should follow their conscience on whether to support Donald Trump in November’s presidential election, US House Speaker Paul Ryan has said in an interview, reflecting the party’s unease over its White House candidate. “The last thing I would do is tell anybody to do something that’s contrary to their conscience. Of course I wouldn’t do that,” Ryan said. -REUTERS
THE AMERICAS
Brazil plans emergency funds for Rio ahead of Olympics The Brazilian government plans to transfer $849m in emergency funds to the state of Rio de Janeiro to pay for infrastructure and security during the Olympic Games. A day earlier the governor of Rio declared a state of financial emergency as a drop in revenues caused by a crippling recession and a slump in oil prices has left state coffers depleted. -REUTERS
UK
Putin: Why did Britain call Brexit referendum? Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday questioned why British Prime Minister David Cameron had called a referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union. Putin said that he had a view on whether Britain should leave the EU but that it was not appropriate for him to voice it because it was Britain’s internal affair. -REUTERS
EUROPE
Belgian police detain 12 suspected of planning new attacks
Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are seen painted on decorative pumpkins REUTERS to be a foregone conclusion. New Hampshire is another matter. That doesn’t mean states like California are ignored altogether: Candidates do swing by for fund-raising.
Blue is the new purple
The political map is in a perpetual state of flux, especially because of population shifts. California, which had Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger as Republican governors, was once a battleground state. An influx of Democratic-leaning Hispanic voters now makes it very hard for Republicans to compete in presidential elections. North Carolina and Virginia had been solidly Republican. Now
they are swing states. West Virginia used to be solidly Democratic. Now it leans Republican. Candidates often talk about remaking the political map. This year is no different. Trump says he can win over blue-collar voters in northern industrial states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, which have been reliably Democratic. Clinton supporters suggest she could win in Republican strongholds like Georgia with the help of an increasingly engaged African-American population, or even conservative Utah, where the large Mormon population has shown disdain for Trump. Sometimes it’s worthwhile for campaigns to target a rival’s state even if a win is unlikely. l
Belgian police arrested 12 suspects in a major anti-terror operation overnight amid security alerts in Belgium and France around the Euro 2016 soccer tournament. Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel chaired a meeting of the government’s security council on Saturday after the raids and said soccer-related events would go on as planned with extra security measures. -REUTERS
AFRICA
Bodies of 19 Ethiopians found in DRCongo Congolese border guards found the bodies of 19 Ethiopian migrants who had died of asphyxia in a lorry carrying nearly 100 stowaways, after being alerted by a “nauseous” smell, officials said Saturday. Seventy-six other Ethiopians were found still alive when the Zambian-registered truck was stopped Thursday in the southeast of Congo, close to the border with Zambia. -AFP
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INSIGHT
Chah Bahar tripartite agreement signals new geopolitical power-play n Tribune International Desk The Chah Bahar Tripartite Agreement signed in Tehran on May 23 2016 between India, Iran and Afghanistan during PM Modi’s Iran visit signals the dawn of a new power- play though essentially economic initially, but with geopolitical implications. The Chah Bahar Tripartite Agreement signals the commencement of a new geopolitical power-play in which seemingly India, Iran and Afghanistan are willing participants cooperating for regional economic gains and connectivity, notwithstanding that such an initiative would rattle China and Pakistan. This Agreement signals possibly a new trend for this Century where geoeconomics will tend to predominate regional cooperative mechanisms initially, and where the strategic underpinnings will ultimately surface on full maturity of the initiating steps.
CHABAHAR
PAKISTAN
550n
m
Chabahar port to be developed by India for Rs 3368.5cr
Reasonable input costs and distance to help Indian companies
Chah Bahar Agreement v China Pakistan Economic Corridor
The Chah Bahar Agreement between India, Iran and Afghanistan with India in the lead provides a stark contrast to the China-led China Pakistan Economic Corridor whose main determinant is not geoeconomics but outright strategic foreplay to keep-out or limit India’s and the United States’ influence from Greater South West Asia. The Chah Bahar Tripartite Agreement signed by the leaders of India, Iran and Afghanistan focusses on the development of Iran’s Chah Bahar Port as an economic hub from which will take off the ‘Transit and Transport Corridor’ enabling both India and Iran to access Afghanistan which in turn gains access to the Indian Ocean bypassing troublesome Pakistan. The Transit and Trade Corridor will also provide India with access to Central Asian energy and trade markets and further access to Russia and Europe. Iran too will similarly gain. The Chah Bahar Tripartite Agreement has significant geoeconomics, geopolitical and geostrategic contours which are briefly analysed in that order since it is the economics of the Agreement to begin with which currently outweighs the potential or underlying political and strategic significances. The last two named can be expected to be a natural corollary once the economics germinates and gets get firmly embedded in the Tripartite Relationship.
AFGHANISTAN
IRAN
Trade with Central Asia will grow
Distance between Kandla port and Chabahar is just 550 nautical miles
Chemical, Fertiliser Petrochemicals, imports will Steel sectors to get cheaper get an impetus
INDIA KANDLA
Easier availability of minerals from Afghanistan
FOOD GRAIN EXPORTS TO AFGHANISTAN TO GET CHEAPER Source: Times of India
Geo-economical importance
Geoeconomically, the Chah Bahar Tripartite Agreement meshes together India’s booming economic growth and solid economy with hunger for energy and mineral resources with Iran’s vast energy resources and the millions of tons of mineral deposits of Afghanistan. Therefore, strong economic interdependencies exist between India, Iran and Afghanistan which can fully materialise with the “speedy construction and development” of Chah Bahar Port and related infrastructure for which India has committed $500m. India has earmarked $200m for completion of two terminals and five berths at Chah Bahar port. India has earmarked $300m for port development and related infrastructure. The Trade and Transit Corridor will run from Chah Bahar to Zaranj on the Iran-Afghan border which is already connected by a 135 miles Indian-built road to the Afghan radial network enabling ac-
cess to Russia and Europe.
Geopolitical importance
Geo-politically, strong political ties have always existed between India, Iran and Afghanistan which got subsumed by United States military intervention in Afghanistan and its resultant American pandering of Pakistan Army’s agenda and also United States sanctions on Iran. With USA finally disillusioned with Pakistan’s duplicity and with normalisation of US-Iran relations, one can expect greater political momentum in India-Iran-Afghanistan political dynamics. Already, understandings have been reached between the three nations on exchange of political and terrorism intelligence. It needs to be highlighted that Pakistan state-sponsored terrorism equally plagues India, Iran and Afghanistan. Geo-politically, the Chah Bahar Tripartite Agreement knits together the two civilsational
regional powers, India and Iran, with geo-strategically important Afghanistan, which again historically has deep linkages with both India and Iran. These linkages predate by centuries the emergence of Pakistan, which shares 95% of its borders with India, Iran and Afghanistan and with all three of them Pakistan can be said to be not on the best terms of good neighbourliness.
the Chah Bahar Port.’ Some other Iranian media reports highlight that the Tripartite Agreement and India’s commitment and investments in Chah Bahar Port will ring alarm bells in Islamabad, China and Riyadh. In Iran therefore there is consciousness that the Tripartite Agreement has great potential strategic significance and that should be a welcome sign for India.
Geo-strategical importance
Iran’s view
Geo-strategically, not explicit but potentially implicit, in this significant Tripartite Agreement is that robust strategic convergences exist between India, Iran and Afghanistan manifested in the India-Iran Strategic Partnership and the India-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership agreements already existing. This dimension can logically only increase as China has yet to prove its credentials as a responsible stakeholder in the region. The China-Pakistan Axis and the China Pakistan Economic Corridor linking Xingjiang with the Pakistani port of Gwadur only 72km away from Cha Bahar Port raises strong strategic concerns for India, Iran and Afghanistan notwithstanding China’s overtures to Iran and Afghanistan. The above should also be a strategic concern for the US with Pakistan soon hosting Chinese Navy presence at Gwadur Naval Base detrimental to American security interests in Greater South West Asia. Afghanistan being provided an alternative access to the Indian Ocean other than unreliable blackmailing Pakistan would greatly reduce American challenges being currently faced in Afghanistan because of the ‘Pakistan Factor’. This should prompt the US to put its full political and economic weight behind India’s speedy execution of the Chah Bahar Port Project and related infrastructure. Japan has already expressed interest to India for participation in this direction. While leaders of India, Iran and Afghanistan have been highlighting and stressing on the economics and trade advantages of Chah Bahar Port as a regional economic hub and example of regional cooperation and integration, a point repeatedly stressed by the Iranian President, a survey of the Iranian media on the subject indicates highlighting of ‘India wants to challenge China’s power in Central and South Asia through
Iranian President Rouhani on signing of the Tripartite Agreement declared that “Today is an important and historical day of development of relations between the three countries” and further stressed that “From Tehran, New Delhi and Kabul, this is a crucial message….. that the path to progress for regional countries goes through joint cooperation and utilising regional opportunities.” Is Pakistan listening to the Iranian President’s advice earlier repeated in Pakistan during his visit there?
Afghan’s view
Afghan President Ghani lauded the Chah Bahar Port project and the connected Transit and Transport Corridor which opens immense opportunities for economic development of Afghanistan .Expressing his sentiments, the Afghan President asserted that “Our will starts from Chah Bahar today but its end will be an all-out comprehensive development and economic-cultural cooperation,”
Indian view
Indian PM Modi declared at the same occasion that “Today the nature of global engagement requires an attitude more suitable to this century and not the mindset of the century gone-by.” These references were obviously aimed at China and Pakistan hell-bent on creating regional turbulence as opposed to regional economic cooperation. The contemporaneous strategic picture unfolding is propitious for India to take the lead in signalling the new power-play as a pivotal player in ensuring the stability and security of Greater South West Asia. India must not shy away from shouldering geopolitical and associated burdens thrust on it as a ‘Pivotal Emerging Power’ and not be distracted out of concerns for China’s sensitivities. l
[This is an excerpt from a South Asia Analysis Group article, which can be found at http://bit.ly/1TTACY0]
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INSIGHT
Asians, many out of shame, not seeking US deportation protection n Reuters South Korean-born Hyun Kim feels American to his bones, but the undocumented immigrant has failed to seek protection from deportation under a program launched by President Barack Obama to shield young people brought to the United States as children. The 20-year-old Kim, who dreams of attending a US college and works as a barista in the Virginia town where he grew up, is like many of the more than 100,000 Asian immigrants who are eligible for Obama’s program but have not applied. Many cite shame over their unauthorised status as well as trouble locating documents as reasons they are not applying. The program, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which was started four years ago, grants temporary legal status and the right to work to immigrants who entered the country before turning 16 and before mid-2007. For many individuals, it makes it easier to attend college. It does not, however, provide a path to citizenship. A broader effort by the Obama administration to shield from deportation 4 million unauthorised immigrants who are the parents of US citizens and lawful residents was blocked by a federal judge last year. The US Supreme Court is expected to issue a decision on the administration’s appeal by the end of June. The DACA program has resonated in the Hispanic communities that make up the majority of the nearly 730,000 undocumented immigrants in the United States who have obtained protection from deportation under the program. The same cannot be said of Asian communities. While an estimated 80% of
eligible Mexicans and Central Americans have applied for DACA, according to the nonprofit Asian Americans Advancing Justice less than 20% of Asians have sought protection.
Deportation fear
Backers of Obama’s initiative say the failure to reach eligible Asians highlights the limits of the program, which they say is seen by some immigrants as a partial victory because it provides protection for only a twoyear term that they must renew. In all, hundreds of thousands of young immigrants are thought to be eligible for the program but have not applied, according to the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute. Kim said he lost his original South Korean passport and is waiting for his mother, back in her home country, to mail him documents so he can complete his DACA application within weeks. Missing paperwork is a common refrain for young immigrants eligible for the program who have not applied, cited by 22%, according to a 2014 study co-authored by a Harvard University sociologist, Roberto Gonzales. But the main barrier is cost, with 43% of those surveyed citing the $465 application fee. Fear and shame also play a role, researchers said. 15% of eligible immigrants are afraid to reveal their status to the government lest they risk being deported, according to Gonzales’ study. Aman Thind, immigration director for Asian Americans Advancing Justice in Los Angeles, said when her group goes to predominantly Asian churches to talk about the DACA program, they often are told no one there is undocumented. “There’s not just fear, but also embarrassment about being undocumented,” Thind said. l
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TOP STORIES ICT sector wants tax exemption till 2024 Information Communication and Technology sector called on the government to offer it tax exemption till 2024 and ensure a favourable business environment to help its expansion in Bangladesh. PAGE 13
IMF: Brexit impact negative and substantial for UK The International Monetary Fund warned Friday that if Britain votes to exit the European Union next week it could deal the economy a “negative and substantial” blow. PAGE 14
BB heist talks likely at APG meeting n Asif Showkat Kallol Bangladesh is going to have a chance to pressure the Philippines government on recovery of stolen Bangladesh Bank money as the 19th annual general meeting of Asia Pacific Group on money laundering will be held next month in Dhaka. Representatives from the Philippines and the United States will attend the week-long meeting expected to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on July 18. According to Bangladesh Bank sources, the stolen money was transferred to Hong Kong from Philippines and most of the suspects are now believed to be staying in Hong Kong. When asked about the meeting, Bank and Financial Institutions Division officials said they have prepared a progress report on implementing anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing standards in Bangladesh to be placed in the meeting. The last Mutual Evaluation Report relating to the implementation of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing
standards in Bangladesh was undertaken by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in 2009. According to that Evaluation, Bangladesh was deemed Compliant for 1 and Largely Compliant for 5 of the FATF 40 + 9 Recommendations. It was Partially Compliant or Non-Compliant for 5 of the 6 Core Recommendations. Bangladesh was kept out of the gray list in 2014 after being placed there alongside countries with a bad record in regulatory affairs on money laundering in 2008 by the
Paris-based FATF. The APG is an affiliate body of the task force. “We will have to take the opportunity of annual APG meeting to discuss about the Bangladesh Bank’s $81m heist though this is not the agenda of the meeting,” Debaprosad Debnath, general manager of Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), told the Dhaka Tribune. He said Bangladesh’s fault in implementation of the conditions of mutual evaluation report will also be discussed at the meeting in
effort to determine the weakness leading to one of the biggest bank heists in history. Members from Philippines, the United States, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, China, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Russia, and observers from eight countries will also participate in the meeting. A total of 400 foreign and local representatives will also attend. The United Nations, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the World Bank, the World Customs Organization, the International Monetary Fund and the prevention of money laundering and terrorism financing observers active in various regional and international organisations will also participated. Meanwhile, a meeting was held on security issues at the home ministry recently to review the situation prior to the APG meeting as more than 300 foreigners will be visiting Dhaka on the occasion of APG meeting. Additional Home Secretary (political) Abu Hena Md Rahamatullah Munim presided over the meeting. l
Garment manufacturers renew demand for 0.30% tax at source 3D printed, selfdriving minibus to hit the road in US A new maker of self-driving vehicles burst onto the scene in partnership with IBM’s supercomputer platform Watson, and it’s ready to roll right now. PAGE 15
Capital market snapshot: Past Week DSE Broad Index
4,395.3
-0.5% ▼
Index
1,080.8
-0.2% ▼
30 Index
1,729.3
-0.5% ▼
Turnover in Mn Tk
19,718.5
14.3% ▲
Turnover in Mn Vol
468.4
5.5% ▲
All Share Index 13,529.5
-0.5% ▼
30 Index
12,457.3
-0.7% ▼
Selected Index
8,234.6
-0.5% ▼
Turnover in Mn Tk
1,207.0
-4.5% ▼
Turnover in Mn Vol
36.6
-3.8% ▼
CSE
n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi The country’s textile and garment makers have renewed their demands for 0.30% tax at source for the next fiscal year to attract more investment. If it is not possible, they have urged the government to continue the exiting 0.6% for the next fiscal year 2016-17 for the sake of creating more jobs. Several leaders of the RMG and textile sectors came up with the call at a joint press conference at BGMEA headquarters in the city yesterday. Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), Bangladesh Terry Towel and Linen Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BTTLMEA) and Bangladesh Garments Accessories and Packaging Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGAPMEA) jointly organised the press conference. In the proposed budget for the
fiscal year 2016-17, the government has proposed to increase tax at source to 1.5% from 0.60%. “It has become a tradition for the government to increase tax at source in every budget, but I think that there should be a certain rate for a certain period,” BGMEA President Siddiqur Rahman told the press conference. “Textile and RMG sector would be the worst victim of the proposed tax at source. In the proposed budget for the next fiscal, tax at source increased to 1.5% from 0.60%, a 150% rise, for all export oriented-sectors, which will hinder the growth of the sectors,” he stated. On the other hand, Rahman said: “The government has set 7.2% GDP growth for the next fiscal, which is conflicting with government’s labor intensive industrial policy as 25% contribution comes from the manufacturing sector.” As the production cost has been increased by 8% to 10% due to the compliance issues, the risk factor of the RMG sector has already increased by 30% to 35%. Considering all the aspects, most of the RMG factories would not be
able to survive, he added. “The government has increased its revenue earning target indiscriminately without considering the consequence on the overall investment,” said FBCCI First Vice President Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin who also stressed on enhancing revenues collection through industrialisation. He said: “The budget proposal should not be a burden for the investors, which will discourage the investment, a tool for creating new jobs.” The proposed budget has increased tax on chemicals from 3%
to 5%, which will ultimately discourage the investments, said AH Aslam Sunny, first vice president of BKMEA. In September last year, the government had hiked prices of gas by 100% and it has increased tax at source to 1.5%. Now the question is whether the government really wants industrialisation or not, said Md Fazlul Hoque, vice president of BTMA. “If the government continues to impose tax burden one after another on the industry people, how can the country’s industry would grow further,” he questioned. l
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ICT sector wants tax exemption till 2024 n Ishtiaq Husain Information Communication and Technology sector called on the government to offer it tax exemption till 2024 and ensure a favourable business environment to help its expansion in Bangladesh. The call came at a roundtable on the proposed budget and the reality of the country’s IT sector yesterday. Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) organised the event at its auditorium in Dhaka. “We want no VAT and tax till 2024. This time we also have to draw at least Tk100 crore investment in the IT sector,” said Razib Ahmed, president of E-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (e-CAB). He stressed the need to reduce the “reign of foreign companies in local ICT industry and increase the capacity of local companies.” Former BASIS President Fahim Mashroor feared that the increase of personal income tax in the budget will greatly affect the ICT industry entrepreneurs. He urged the government to
Speakers at a roundtable on the proposed budget and ICT industry in Dhaka yesterday continue the incentives that are already in place. “We want to give the nation. We demand less than we give. But the IT industry needs a favourable business environment.” BASIS President Shameem Ahsan called for allocating at least
10% of the total Annual Development Programme budget for the ICT industry. He said value added tax on house rent of IT companies and e-commerce business should also be exempted. “Favourable environment needs
DHAKA TRIBUNE
to be ensured to bring more investment to the sector, and do not impose tax three times on the venture capital companies,” Shameem stressed. Wahid Sharif, vice-president of Bangladesh Association of Call
Citizens’ platform launched to help achieve SDGs n Tribune Business Desk A citizen’s platform comprising Bangladesh eminent personalities and academicians has been launched to help achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) effectively and efficiently. Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), a think tank, will work as the secretariat of the platform. “It has been set up by a group of self-initiated individuals which aims to contribute to the delivery of SDGs in the country,” said Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, distinguished fellow of CPD. He announced the platform’s mission and vision at a press briefing in Dhaka yesterday. The major objective of the platform is to monitor, examine and as-
sist the government initiatives and the activities in attaining the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. The core members of the platform include Debapriya Bhattacharya (convenor of the platform), Advocate Sultana Kamal, Rasheda K Choudhury, Mushtaque Raza Chowdhury, Shaheen Anam, Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Professor Mustafizur Rahman, Syed Nasim Manzur and Asif Ibrahim. The platform has also been joined by 28 leading civil society organisations as partners, who are engaged or preparing to engage themselves with the activities related to the SDGs. These include Action Aid, Dhaka Ahsania Mission, Ain O Salish Kendra, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association, Bangladesh
Legal Aid and Services Trust, Bangladesh Mohila Parishad, Caritas Bangladesh, Coast Trust, Hunger Project and Save the Children. The number of civil society groups is expected to increase. Advisers to the platform are Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, Prof Anisuzzaman, Professor Jamilur Reza Chowdhury, Hameeda Hossain, Rokeya Afzal Rahman, Artist Mustafa Monowar, Raja Debashish Roy, Srimati Saha, Syed Mansur Elahi, Professor Wahiduddin Mahmud, Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed, Shykh Seraj and Professor Rehman Sobhan. The year 2016 marks the beginning of the SDGs and developing countries are grappling with how to implement them. Bangladesh with the world has moved to SDGs from MDGs in the year.
Unlike the MDGs, which were drawn solely by the United Nations, the new universal goals were arrived at in September last year after more than two years of thorough consultation with global leaders, civil society groups and other stakeholders around the world. While the MDGs which had come into effect in 2000 focused on the social and economic aspects of development by 2015, the SDGs go much further by addressing the causes of poverty, improving all areas of all people’s life by 2030, and with a slogan of “Leave no one behind.” Over the next 15 years, the global development agenda will be preoccupied with the ambitious challenge of achieving 17 SDGs with 169 targets for the developed and developing countries. l
US strikes back at judge’s MetLife decision n Reuters The US government laid out its arguments against a federal judge’s decision to strike down the designation of life insurer MetLife Inc as “too big to fail” in a brief filed late on Thursday, showing how it intends to defend a key provision of the DoddFrank Wall Street reform law. MetLife sued the US government last year, saying the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC), made up of the chiefs of US financial regulatory agencies, used a
flawed process in determining it could hurt the US financial system if it faced financial distress. On March 30, US District Judge Rosemary Collyer rescinded the designation and the federal government appealed in the US District Court of Washington, DC. “The district court’s ruling in this case overturned the collective judgment of the heads of every US financial regulatory agency and left one of the largest financial companies in the world subject to even less oversight than before the financial
crisis,” a Treasury spokesman said in a statement on Thursday, adding the government plans to “vigorously defend” the FSOC’s work. MetLife, the largest US life insurer, has until August to respond and oral arguments are expected in the autumn. Both sides say the case could reach the US Supreme Court. Collyer’s decision centered on the analysis FSOC conducted to make its 2014 determination that MetLife is a “systemically important financial institution.” Saying that it had failed to review the likelihood
that MetLife would fail, and in view of potential losses to counterparties, and costs imposed on MetLife by the label, she called the determination “arbitrary and capricious.” Passed after the financial crisis of 2008-2009 - which was aggravated by the way in which many large financial institutions were inter-connected - Dodd-Frank created the FSOC and gave it the power to label firms as systemically important, which triggers requirements to hold more capital and abide by other regulations. l
Centers and Outsourcing (BACCO), compared the facilities given to ICT sector with those to garment industry. “Though becoming a vital industry, ICT is not being given budget facilities as given to RMG industry. Rather, additional tax and VAT are imposed. The government should look into it,” he said. Ashikul Alam Khan, coordinator of BASIS e-Commerce Alliance, criticised the lack of initiative to protect local ICT firms from market grabbing by foreign firms. “Foreign telecommunication companies are coming here and grabbing our market. To save us from this trend, the government should provide incentives to local entrepreneurs. But instead taxes are being imposed.” Tapan Kanti Sarker, president of Chief Technology Officer Forum, said there is little engagement of banks and other financial institutions with the ICT industry. “But local companies have huge potentials in software system integration and support. So there should be supports from the government.” l
Airlines cannot force students to buy return air tickets
n Ishtiaq Husain
The government has asked all the airlines operating in Bangladesh not to force the Bangladeshi students willing to pursue higher study abroad to purchase return air tickets. According to an official circular, from now on, no airline here won’t be able to compel the outbound students to buy their return air tickets at the time of their departures. Magistrate of Dhaka Shahjalal Airport posted the circular on its Facebook page yesterday. The circular reads: “As per existing law, it’s totally illegal to force any outgoing students to buy an extra return ticket as the foreign students don’t buy their return air tickets anywhere in the world.” Biman Bangladesh Airlines already has announced a circular for its passengers. Rest of the airlines will also get a brief in this regard soon. If the airliners issue any return air ticket against any student passenger, the magistrate will take stern action against them for breaking the law and the government can also cancel their licenses. “We never force the students to buy their return air ticket, we had to do it in the past because of the pressure from the airlines,” said Aslam Khan, secretary general, Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB). l
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The importance of multi-disciplinary education n Sajid Amit “It’s in Apple’s DNA that technology alone is not enough. It’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields the results that make our hearts sing.” – Steve Jobs, Apple One of the strengths of an undergraduate education in the US is their emphasis on a multi-disciplinary or a liberal arts approach. When I went to college way back when, I had hardly considered the merits of a multi-disciplinary education. I had more or less decided on colleges on the basis of their overall ranking and
the size of scholarship package at hand. It didn’t matter to me at the time that all the top private universities, including the Ivy League, had liberal arts undergraduate curricula. However, it was only towards the end of my four years in a liberal arts college and the years following those years, as I joined the workforce, learned new skills, learned about myself, and so on, that the value of a liberal arts education became clearer. To cite examples of how liberal a liberal arts education in the US can get, the menu of undergraduate courses at any top private
college can include courses in history, political science, economics, philosophy, languages, music, and physics, your choice of major notwithstanding. For many liberal arts undergraduates, their menu of courses is as colorful as an artist’s palette. Why is a liberal arts education so important you ask? First and foremost, studies on cognition show that for a person to grow intellectually, it is essential that he or she subject himself/herself to distinct epistemological processes, or simply put, different ways of thinking and knowing. A fitness trainer will tell you that
our muscles grow when subjected to different ranges of movement; so does the brain. Second, in an increasingly connected world, say if you are studying business, it is equally important to study the history, culture, and politics of a country, region, and the world, all of which influence and shape the world of business. Thirdly, there is no such thing really, as an anthropological problem or an economic problem. You cannot explain, let’s say, the global financial crisis of 2007-2008, or for that matter, the Dhaka Stock Exchange
IMF: Brexit impact negative and substantial for UK n AFP, London The International Monetary Fund warned Friday that if Britain votes to exit the European Union next week it could deal the economy a “negative and substantial” blow. In the worst-case scenario, the economy would sink into recession next year and overall economic output would be 5.6% lower than otherwise forecast by 2019, with unemployment rising back above six percent, according to an IMF analysis. The Washington-based global crisis lender revealed the findings of its annual British economic checkup less than a week ahead of the June 23 vote on EU membership, adding that “contagion effects” from a “Leave” vote could hit markets worldwide. “While there is much uncertainty about the precise economic effects of an exit from the EU, they are likely negative and substantial,” the IMF concluded. “An exit would precipitate a protracted period of heightened uncertainty that could weigh on confidence and investment and increase financial market volatility, as negotiations on new arrangements could remain unresolved for years.” In addition, it said, “Contagion
Anti-government demonstrators hold placards reading ‘No Brexit’ during a protest outside the parliament in Athens, Greece REUTERS effects could result in spillovers to regional and global markets, although the primary impact would be felt domestically.” While in a “limited impact” scenario the IMF said the economy would only lose 1.4% from the current outlook by 2019, the report gave one of the starkest pictures yet of the impact of Brexit.
No real upside
Campaigners in the “Leave” camp have criticised the IMF’s negative
view, accusing it of talking down the UK economy and being wrong on its previous forecasts. But the IMF report pointed to a number of areas where Britain’s economy would lose ground. Trade would slow as the country is forced to renegotiate new trade deals and World Trade Organization membership, with likely higher tariffs on imports and exports in the meantime. Possible gains on lower regulation outside the EU would be offset by costs from
reduced access to the single market. Lower immigration would lead to a tighter labor supply, lower output and possibly lower productivity. “The UK economy would likely be worse off economically in the long run,” the IMF concludes. Asked if there were any upside for the British economy from breaking with the EU, an IMF official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said one potentially positive scenario discussed was that the British economy gives up farming and manufacturing and specializes entirely in services such as finance. “We don’t see that as a likely scenario,” the official said. The IMF report was published one day after the Bank of England warned the referendum outcome represented the “largest immediate risk” for UK financial markets and possibly also for global markets. The IMF warned that growth has already slowed this year “as heightened uncertainty ahead of the referendum on EU membership appears to be weighing on investment and hiring decisions.” l
crash of 2010 with purely financial knowledge, without an understanding of herd behavior of investors, the role of rumors and their fast dissemination, demographic features, quality of financial journalism, or for that matter, management culture in an industry in a country. In sum, everything is interrelated, in a tangled web of sometimes indecipherable proportions. Natural to expect then, isn’t it, that university learning attempt to reflect such interrelations? Sajid Amit is Director, Center for Enterprise and Society, ULAB
Merkel warns Brexit would deprive UK of EU gains
n AFP, Berlin
German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Britain to stay in the EU, warning it would miss out on the bloc’s past and future gains if it left. “A few days ago I already pointed out what an exit would mean,” said Merkel, “that everything related to the common market, and to the mutual benefit to Britain and all other European member states, would no longer be available to Britain.” Negotiations currently held between the bloc’s 28 member states would in future be conducted between an EU of 27 and an outside state, Merkel said, adding: “I cannot imagine that this is advantageous.” Careful not to be seen as meddling, Merkel reiterated that “nevertheless it is the decision of the citizens of Great Britain” whether to stay in the bloc or leave when they vote in next Thursday’s referendum. She was speaking at a joint press conference in Berlin with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who pointed to latest polls showing the Brexit side in the lead and voiced pessimism. l
Putin makes pitch for better Europe ties as economy suffers n AFP, Saint Petersburg Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said he was willing to reach out to Europe to mend relations shattered by the Ukraine crisis but insisted the West was responsible for the bad blood. Putin was making a pitch at Russia’s major annual economic forum in Saint Petersburg to improve business ties with Europe, as Mos-
cow desperately tries to breathe life into its recession-hit economy battered by Western sanctions. “European business wants and is ready to work with our country. European politicians need to reach out to business, to show wisdom, far-sightedness and flexibility,” said Putin. “We remember how all this started. Russia did not initiate today’s collapse,” he added.
“We hold no grudge and are willing to reach out to our European partners but obviously this can’t be a one-sided game.” Russia’s energy-driven economy is locked in its longest slump since Putin came to power over 16 years ago, caused by both Western sanctions and plunging oil prices.
Crimea sanctions renewed
As Putin was talking news emerged
that the European Union had rolled over for another year sanctions adopted in response to Moscow’s March 2014 annexation of Crimea, which prohibit the EU from doing business on the peninsula. Sources in Brussels say that broader economic sanctions over a pro-Russian uprising in east Ukraine that have hit Russia’s financial sector could be extended by the EU as early as next week ahead of
their expiration at the end of July. Russia in August 2014 introduced an embargo on a raft of food from the West in retaliation for the sanctions. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who sat next to Putin on the stage, came to the economic forum with a large delegation of businessmen. He pointed out that the spiral of tit-for-tat measures have hit European producers. l
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3D printed, self-driving minibus to hit the road in US n AFP A new maker of self-driving vehicles burst onto the scene in partnership with IBM's supercomputer platform Watson, and it's ready to roll right now. The vehicle - a 3D-printed minibus called "Olli" capable of carrying 12 people - was unveiled by Arizona-based startup Local Motors outside the US capital city Washington. Olli was designed as an on-demand transportation solution that passengers can summon with a mobile app, like Uber rides. And it can be "printed" to specification in "micro factories" in a matter of hours. Olli will be demonstrated in National Harbor, Maryland, over the next few months with additional trials expected in Las Vegas and Miami. Local Motors is also in talks to test the vehicles in dozens of cities around the world including Berlin, Copenhagen and Canberra. Even though Google and several automakers see several years of testing before deploying autonomous cars, Local Motors co-founder and chief executive John Rogers said this vehicle is ready to go into service as soon as regulations allow it. "The technology has been ready - fielding it is what has been hard," he said in an interview with AFP. By "fielding," Rogers said Local Motors can design and make the vehicles to specification and offer a service to local governments or other buyers. "Local Motors is about selling (the vehicles) into the markets that are ready now," he said. Rogers said the company has an advantage over other systems because it is building the vehicles from the ground up, and producing most components with 3D printers. "We hope to be able to print this
The vehicle can be 3D printed and assembled on demand from ‘microfactories’ vehicle in about 10 hours and assemble it in another hour," he said. He envisions hundreds of "micro-factories" producing the vehicles around the world. The privately held company with about 45 investors can easily revamp its design based on what a customer wants, and lacks the large infrastructure costs of traditional
Emerging market debt trading rises 13% in Q1 to $1.3tn n Reuters, New York
Trading volumes of emerging markets debt rose by 13% in the first quarter of 2016 from the fourth quarter of last year, a survey showed last week. Trading grew to $1.299tn in the first three months of this year, according to EMTA, the trade association for the emerging markets debt trading and investment industry. The group found that debt trading also was 6% higher than during the same period in 2015. The figures are based on reports by 48 international banks, asset management firms and hedge funds.
That bump came during a period that marked both significant inflows and outflows of capital from emerging markets. “Up to the middle of February, the market was very weak on fears of capital outflows from China, a Fed intent on multiple rate hikes, and low oil prices; and these factors weighed significantly on trading volumes," said Gordian Kemen, global head of emerging market fixed income strategy at Morgan Stanley. "However, as the Fed turned decidedly more dovish, China fears abated, and oil prices rose, asset prices recovered in the second half of the quarter.” l
automakers, according to Rogers.
The Watson experience
The driving is controlled by a system developed by Local Motors with several software and tech partners. IBM is not doing the driving but is providing the user interface so passengers can have "conversations" with Olli.
AFP
"Watson is bringing an understanding to the vehicle," said IBM's Bret Greenstein. "If you have someplace you need to be you can say that in your own words." It marks IBM's first venture in fully autonomous driving, although it has worked with other automotive partners on technology solutions.
Greenstein said IBM sees Olli as "the first complete solution" for autonomous driving, and makes use of Watson's cognitive computing power. Using "natural language" recognition can help create "a relationship between the passenger" and the vehicles, Greenstein said. "A vehicle that understands human language, where you can walk in and say, 'I'd like to get to work,' that lets you as a passenger relax and enjoy your journey," he said. The vehicle relies on more than 30 sensors and streams of data from IBM's cloud. With Watson, passengers can ask about how the vehicle works, where they are going, and why Olli is making specific driving decisions. And it can answer the dreaded driver question "Are we there yet?" It also can offer recommendations for popular restaurants or historical sites based on the personal preferences of the passenger. "Cognitive computing provides incredible opportunities to create unparalleled, customized experiences for customers, taking advantage of the massive amounts of streaming data from all devices connected to the Internet of Things, including an automobile's myriad sensors and systems," said IBM's Harriet Green in a statement. The company said Las Vegas has purchased two of the vehicles and Miami-Dade County is exploring a pilot program in which several autonomous vehicles would be used to transport people around the Florida region. Rogers said the company has had discussions in at least 50 countries where there is interest in new transportation solutions. "There is a long list of cities that are interested," he said. l
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Career
| step into my office |
The Bangladeshi marine An insight into the dynamic life of a marine engineer
n SK Farhan Rahman
B
eing a marine engineer, although immensely adventurous, can be shockingly dangerous at times. Most people dream of a stable life, a stable job, and most importantly, the opportunity to ensure a static source of income. Such is not the case for chief engineer Mohammed Habibur Rahman. The chief is a veteran mariner from Bangladesh with over two decades of experience in sailing. Initially from a humble upbringing, he worked his way to Chittagong Marine academy all the way from Jhenidah Cadet College. A sit down with him revealed the extent of his knowledge of sailing, and the overwhelming respect he has for the seven seas. With years of experience under his belt, Habibur Rahman sheds light on marine life, the ample opportunities it provides, and the equally disturbing disadvantages it brings to the table. Requirements Getting selected to become a maritime navigator is no small task; the selection process alone requires rigorous physical fitness, 20/20 eyesight, and of course, good grades in physics and mathematics. You’d be wrong to think that the two years diploma or graduation in marine engineering is enough to carry you to the seas. Once you’re done with the academy, you are required to join a vessel as a fresh cadet. Eventually, after a certain period of experiencing the dos and the don’ts, you have to study for further promotions and then pass the exams. This process continues as long as you don’t reach the rank of chief engineer (engine side personnel only), or captain of the ship (deck side personnel only).
You’d be wrong to think that the two years diploma or graduation in marine engineering is enough to carry you to the seas
Unrelenting learning curve Even after you’ve reached the top, the learning process doesn’t end. All seafarers are required to renew their certificate every five years. The procedure is simple – attend courses that, thanks to modern technology, changed the face of the shipping industry forever. Technological novelties are making ships safer, easier to navigate, and heavily automated – a feat reveled by all since it greatly reduces accidents due to human error. As you can probably see, there is no end to learning if
you decide to pursue a career in marine engineering as you are mandated by the governing body, International Maritime Organization (IMO), to keep up with the latest technology. The burden actually falls onto your employer as he is the one required to keep all mariners on par with any new changes. Responsibility and liability Pollution and global warming has brought forth a huge change in the shipping industry. Habibur Rahman says, “Back in the late 80’s, if your vessel accidentally spilled oil in, let’s say, the London port, the worst that could have happened was the harbor master writing to you to never repeat the mistake again. Things are completely different now. If you pull off the same stunt today, you would be fined and jailed according to the laws and regulations of the host country, no doubt about that.” These new laws have doubled the reasons for excessive stress as all mariners have to be twice as careful now, and recheck everything they or their subordinates are assigned to do. You are still liable for any errors on your subordinate’s part, and the senior officers are usually the ones punished in those circumstances. For most, this is too much stress to handle, and they usually end up coming to the conclusion that the costs greatly outweigh the benefits. This sole reason has created a supply shortage in the industry, at least for people in top positions, like the captain and the chief engineer. Risks In the end, ships are mechanised vessels run by humans, humans who are not flawless in any definition of the word. When mistreated and misused, ships have a way of paying back in kind, instant karma if you would like to call it that. While relatively rare in this day and age due to the implementation of new safety measures thanks to modern tech, ships are still prone to massive fires, and shipwrecks. Of course, nothing in life is risk free, and therein lies the challenge. For people like Habibur Rahman who thrive in this sort of environment, the risk is manageable and is worth it considering the benefits. Flexible working hours and big holidays with your families are literally a free luxury and enjoyed by seafarers all over. Added to
that, most mariners in the top positions are compensated quite handsomely for the risks incurred, usually ranging from ten to twelve thousand US dollars. Flaws in the Bangladeshi industry Compared to the rest of the world, Bangladesh got dealt a pretty poor hand. Most of the new rules and regulations imposed by the IMO have proven to be disastrous for companies that are operating ships in the country, which in itself proved to be a career slayer for fresh cadets. Noncompliance on their part forced the IMO to take necessary steps, who made it obligatory for these companies to stop all operations, making it impossible for cadets to join aboard ships in order to complete their training as most foreign companies decline liability for fresh graduates. To add salt to the wound, mariners were given guarantees back when Habibur Rahman was still a student, like everyone from his class who were guaranteed apprenticeship aboard Bangladeshi vessels. Many private marine academies have sprung up all over the country, most of whom promise the same thing of yesteryears, but fail to deliver. As a result, thousands of new graduates are left without apprenticeships, their careers and futures shadowed in doubt. Personal opinion All that being said, Habibur Rahman believes that marine engineering is still a viable career option amongst the likes of newer faculties like computer science and engineering, aeronautical engineering, etc. All that he wishes is that necessary steps are taken to monitor the marine academies currently operating in the county, and make sure that they keep their guarantees of providing internships to all graduates. “Sure it may be a monotonous and a risky career simultaneously, but it is nonetheless a very lucrative one. Even though you may be away from your family for most parts of the year, it will still be worth it. You’ll be able to provide for them seamlessly, and give them the life they deserve,” he concluded. l Reprinted under special arrangement with www.developers-haat.com
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DT
Internship
SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2016
The flawless CV n Muzakkir Hossain Applying for a job or an internship? Stuck with an unprofessional CV? Don’t know how to make one? Don’t worry, we have your back. No matter who you are or where you are in life, you should have a curriculum vitae (CV) ready. A high school student set to graduate next year? Yep. In a stable job? Definitely. But why? Because regardless of how qualified or experienced you are, your CV is what stands between you and the job you deserve. If your CV is badly written, you will even have trouble landing the interview. Now it may sound intimidating, but don’t worry because we are here to help you through this process.
What is a CV?
A CV is a bit like an advertisement. It is to market you to your employers and demonstrate how you meet your employer’s requirements by having the right qualifications and experience. But don’t get me wrong, your CV isn’t to log your job history or to summarise your skill set. It should be mentioned that a CV doesn’t guarantee you a job. A good CV increases your chances of landing that interview. So write your CV to impress your prospective employers. Remember, there is no point padding it with unnecessary information. After all, when was the last time you looked at a text-heavy ad for more than 10 seconds?
How to format a CV
There are a few formats when it comes to writing CVs. As we don’t want spoil you for choice, we will just talk about the the more common ones.
Chronologically
This is the more conventional format for writing CVs and you will probably find a version of this if you Google “CV.” This format lists your education and experience chronologically and shows how you have progressed in your career. Stick to this format if you are new to the job market. However, if you have had major gaps in your career, or have been changing jobs regularly, it is best to steer clear of this format. Functionally Instead of focusing on career progression, this format highlights your skill set first and foremost. If you have gaps in your job history,
or you feel that you have a lot of experience in a specific field, then this format is for you.
What information to include in a CV
Before deciding on what information to add, remember that much of it depends on which format you have chosen. As a general guide, however, you can follow this format: 1. Contact information The name for this section speaks for itself. List your name, mailing address, telephone number, email address, and a link to your LinkedIn profile (if you have one). It goes without saying, but make sure that all the information you use is appropriate (don’t use your high school email address if it is cringeworthy), and updated. 2. Introduction The first part of your CV is the introduction, and this is what could make or break your future job. Surveys suggest that 80% of CVs are discarded within the first 10 seconds of reading. Your introduction should outline your major achievements (which are relevant to the job you are applying for), and what you can bring to this job. 3. Qualifications and experience This is the meaty part of your CV; the part where you detail why you should be hired. Here, you list your qualifications, like a university degree, state your degree, your educational institution’s name and city. When you detail your experience, remember to only include relevant experience. Your employers at the bank probably don’t care what club you were president of in school (although that does not make it any less of an achievement). Make sure you also state the company’s name and city. 4. Additional sections Before you save and send off your CV, add a few extra sections detailing your certifications, publications, awards, technical skills or additional skills which might be relevant. If you have already been shortlisted for the job, this is what might give you that extra edge you need to land that job.
Styling
So now that you have a draft, it’s time to make it pretty. Not with glitter and rainbow colours, but with some good quality word processing.
Illustration: BIGSTOCK
When you detail your experience, remember to only include relevant experience. Your employers at the bank probably don’t care what club you were president of in school
1. Font and sizing This should be obvious, but a lot of times, it isn’t. It is pretty simple if you think about it. Choose a font and size that is easy to read, and be consistent throughout. If you are still not sure what I mean, just use Times New Roman. Boring? Sure, but at least you look professional. As a general rule, size your fonts to be appropriate to the section. Write your name in 24pt, your body headers in 12pt, and everything else in 10pt.
2. Number of pages Do a double check to make sure the CV is not too long. A rule of thumb is a page of CV for every 10 years of experience. However, if you feel that you cannot add enough relevant information, then feel free to add an extra page. 3. Margins Ah yes, the margins. The part of the word processor you never notice. Your prospective employer, however will not fail to notice
your margins. A safe bet is to keep your margins at a single inch. If you have too much information, you can cheat a bit and reduce margins. Too much and its overkill making your page look crowded. So that is it. A simple guide to making a CV. Once you have done it, give yourself two pats on the back. One for writing a perfect CV and the other for the job you will soon land. l
DT
18
Writing
SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2016
| tip |
| contest |
WD40 for your words
Flex zone
Stuck in a rut? Here are 3 ways to get the mental gears turning
n Sabrina Fatma Ahmad You’ll often hear that the key to writing is to just write. This is mostly good advice, and works for those nervously dipping their feet into the waters. But for people who write regularly, if not every day, like columnists or students for example, sometimes this may not be enough. Doing the same thing over and over might hone a particular set of skills to perfection, but over time, you see your writing get “tired” and “stale.” Here are three ways to shake off the writing doldrums.
Out of your everyday
One reason why field reporters won’t normally face the kind of problem outlined above is because they’re always out, in the midst of things, seeing, hearing, experiencing events as they happen. This brings authenticity to their work; they are able to produce, if asked to, concrete details that make the story come alive (in the hands of a capable sub-editor, of course). There’s a lesson to be learned here. Even if you’re doing a lot of research on your work, there’s no beating actual experience. So get up and do something different to experience it, and then write about it. We’re not endorsing risk-taking here - do something you normally won’t do. Pay your rickshawalla a hundred bucks to let you pull his vehicle for an hour. After feeling it in your muscles, the heat on your back, the next time you write about the working class, you’ll have tactile experience to draw from. The bottom line here is to go through it yourself. At best, it will elevate your authenticity, give you fresh perspective, and promote lateral thinking. At worst, you will have a great story to tell.
of your writing, it’s advised to find yourself a mentor who will not only let you bounce ideas off him/her, but guide you through the process of getting published, getting publicity for your work, and managing to keep it altogether. But before you go banging on the door of the writer nearest to you, remember the advice given by Ernest Hemingway in Midnight in Paris: “If it’s bad, I’ll hate it because I hate bad writing, and if
it’s good, I’ll be envious and hate all the more. You don’t want the opinion of another writer.” Choose carefully.
Edit your favourite novel
What follows in the wake of every great piece of popular fiction is a host of fanfic writers who fall in love with the basic world of the story, but also have their own ideas of how they want the story to play out. This is an excellent writing exercise, one which
At best, it will elevate your authenticity, give you fresh perspective, and promote lateral thinking. At worst, you will have a great story to tell
provides you the set characters and world, and isolates your “story writing” muscles and lets you work those out. Dana Sitar, author of A Writer’s Bucket List, writes: “Do you already do this sometimes while you read? Maybe you just note typos and errors in your head, or maybe you actually carry a pencil to mark them in already-published books? Those errors can’t escape your writer’s eye. Go ahead! Correcting work you love can be a good exercise to strengthen your own writing. Noting errors that elude the editor’s eye and the sentences you would reconstruct in your favorite novel can both train you to deconstruct the story in a new way and remind you that even your favorite writers aren’t infallible.” l
A quintain is a class of poetic forms that have a five-line pattern. A popular variation is the “didactic cinquain.” The first line is a one-word title, the subject of the poem; the second line is a pair of adjectives describing that title; the third line is a three-word phrase that gives more information about the subject; the fourth line consists of four words describing feelings related to that subject; and the fifth line is a single word synonym or other reference for the subject from line one. Wikipedia provides a handy example:
We all need somebody to lean on
You can hit up the stores or trawl through the Internet for all your writing tools, but nothing beats good solid one-on-one coaching from an experienced role model, someone who has already done what you have, and wants to help. This is why new moms seek out other mothers for advice. This is why writers groups exist, people! If you’re making a career out
Snow Silent, white Dancing, falling, drifting Covering everything it touches Blanket Want to give it a shot? Mail yours to featuresdt@gmail. com. We’ll print the best ones! l PHOTOS: BIGSTOCK
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Biz Info
SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2016
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Seminar on leadership held at IUB
Exciting iftar platters at Cilantro
Anis A. Khan, managing director and chief executive officer of Mutual Trust Bank Limited, is speaking at a seminar at IUB
The School of Business of Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), in partnership with Center for Business Policy Research (CBPR) and Independent University Finance and Accounting Club (IUFAC), organised a seminar titled “Building Leaders of Tomorrow” on Thursday, June 16 at the IUB campus in Bashundhara, Dhaka. Anis A Khan, managing director and chief executive officer of Mutual Trust Bank Limited was the Key Speaker of the seminar. Khan addressed
several current issues on career planning, future prospects of the job markets and shared his thoughts and opinion with future graduates with regard to developing personal skills and capacities to become the leaders of tomorrow. He also emphasised on various aspects of disciplines, dedications and determinations that one needs to have to become a true leader. “A true leader can show the ways to adapt constant changes that required to succeed in life,” Khan added.
| offer |
TDR’s sweet addition The Dining Room is pleased to offer its special jilapis, the nation’s favourite sweet for Iftar. They promise it to be crunchy and sweet in every bite. For reservations at The Dining Room, please contact: Email: reservations@ thediningroombd. com Telephone: +88029895729 Mobile: +880 1984-332299 / +8801984-221
Rashed Chowdhury, chairman, Board of Trustees, IUB and Prof M Omar Rahman, vice chancellor, IUB, also spoke on the occasion. Dr Sarwar Uddin Ahmed, dean, School of Business, introduced the key speaker to the audience while Dr Samiul Parvez Ahmed, assistant professor, showed his appreciation to the matter. There was a lively questionanswer session participated by the members of the faculty and IUB students from different disciplines.l
Looking for a cool place to hang out or just have iftar at after a hot and dry day of fasting? Well, look no more because Cilantro brings you their mixed iftar platter at just Tk1,795. This exquisite platter features fruits, jilapi, beguni, chola and halim as starters and spoils you with stuffed chicken on mashed potato, steak on veggies, two chicken skewers, one batter
fried fish with chips, Spanish rice, garlic rice, and house and cocktail sauces as the main course. The treat doesn’t end there. There’s custard and bread pudding for dessert and a pitcher of either iced tea or lemonade - it’s your choice. So do your tummy some justice after a long and trying day of fasting and grab Cilanto’s exciting offer. l
| offer |
Buy 1 get 1 at Tastebud Looking for a place to relax with your friends after iftar? Tastebud just got the an offer for you. The “Buy 1 Get 1 free coffee” offer is back! Order any coffee or frappe and get another one for free. Enjoy this offer after a long day of fasting from 8pm onwards. l
DT
20 Editorial
SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2016
TODAY
A dad for all seasons There are no gender roles when it comes to parenting. It is well past time for society to understand that child-rearing is not just a mother’s job PAGE 21
A closer look at the new budget The government proposed October 30 to be Tax Day, ie the due date for filing of returns by all individual assessees. Income threshold for the exemption of SMEs engaged in production increased to Tk36 lakh from Tk30 lakh PAGE 22
BIGSTOCK
Dead men don't talk
The fear factor Trump is the populist voice that Rorty predicted, and one which echoes the numerous other populist voices of the early 21st century who base their appeal on the fear of ‘the other’ PAGE 23
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.
A
re we really supposed to believe that the police are so foolish as to take someone caught red-handed fleeing the scene of the latest murderous attack on a raid where he is subsequently shot dead? Such a scenario does not merely strain credulity, it insults the intelligence. The public is being asked to believe that our law enforcers are so colossally reckless and blundering that they would put a key suspect who was in a position to reveal valuable information in harm’s way instead of keeping him safe in police custody. The implications for our safety, were this actually to have been the case, are beyond belief. But of course, this was not the case. Let us call a spade a spade. The police explanation lacks all credibility. The death of Golam Faizullah Fahim is inexcusable and there must be consequences for all who were responsible. At best, it was a massive blunder and criminal dereliction of duty. At worst, it is something far more troubling. It beggars belief that the opportunity to question such a key suspect could have been squandered so carelessly. Given the slow progress in bringing to justice those behind the ongoing attacks on minorities and others, the potential intelligence this suspect could have provided would have been invaluable to the investigations. Instead, his death only makes things worse, and heightens public concerns about the lack of progress in getting to the bottom of the killings and bringing those behind them to justice. It also dramatically diminishes public trust and confidence in the ability or willingness of the authorities to deal with such attacks. This killing has dealt a body blow to the credibility of law enforcement, and, by extension, the government. Reckless police action is no substitute for gathering the evidence and intelligence needed to find out who are behind the targeted killings and bringing them to justice.
Reckless police action is no substitute for gathering the evidence and intelligence needed to find out who are behind the targeted killings
DT
21
Opinion
SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2016
A dad for all seasons Being a father means being there for your child
A father’s love can make all the difference
BIGSTOCK
Syeda Farzana n Rumpa Zaman
R
oyena and Mamun had a small family of two. One day, there arrived a little angel who they named Tia. The parents were nervous. How would they take care of a baby? They didn’t have anyone to teach them parenting, and they didn’t have an extra pair of hands to help them out with housework. After thinking for a while, Royena and Mamun decided to do all the work by themselves. They started to sort out their tasks one by one. Mamun took a month’s leave from his work for his beloved Tia, and to make some scope for Royena to have few days of proper sleep, and a bit of leisure. He always intended to wrap Tia with the warm love of a father. Royena also constantly made herself busy with all the necessary and unnecessary things related to Tia. Cooking and other household chores were usually divided equally among themselves. One day, a visiting relative saw Mamun doing housework, and was dumbstruck. Another time, a guest witnessed Mamun changing Tia’s
dependent on moms for certain things. However, most things can be provided by the father. Fathers can bathe the children, feed them, make them sleep, and look after them when mommy is tired. Dads often don’t face the challenges of child-rearing because of social norms. But dads need to ask themselves: When the mom suffers from overwork and lack of sleep and fails to take proper care of the children, who will be the ultimate sufferer? The children, and the father himself. Dads -- whatever your mothers, aunts, or in-laws may say, for your own good, you have to stand beside the new moms. It’s your responsibility to do so. Nowadays, many offices grant paternity leave. In that time, you can spend some precious time with your newborn, and your partner. If your wife is staying with your parents, visit them often. Don’t just be a visitor. Be a dad. Many partners have a tendency to take the paternal leave and spend it on themselves. This brings dissatisfaction to their partners. The elders of the family have an important role to play. Dads shouldn’t be away, but close to their babies.
There are no gender roles when it comes to parenting. It is well past time for society to understand that child-rearing is not just a mother’s job
diaper, and nearly fainted. Why would a man do such things! Mamun and Royena cracked up when they heard the complaints. They couldn’t care less. Mamun might sound like a fictional character, but every family would do well to have a dad like him. It’s been tradition to bring pregnant mothers to their paternal houses right before childbirth. The reasoning being that it is important to take an experienced person’s advice when it comes to parenting. However, in our society, parents often forget another equally important issue: Creating a bond between father and child. Staying away from the dad for an extended period of time makes children dependent only on their moms, and in the future, they may face difficulties to get rid of that dependency.
Think a bit. When these new moms go back to their own nuclear families and think of joining work, they have to face huge problems, because their child has simply not spent enough time with his or her father. This may cause moms to devote themselves to 24/7 child-rearing on top of their office work. This is a mental breakdown waiting to happen. Also, since child-rearing is a difficult job, a lot of moms leave their careers for that. That often makes them depressed. The dad’s role is very significant, because only a mature and mentally capable partner can relieve the mother from her anxiety. There are no gender roles when it comes to parenting. It is well past time for society to understand that child-rearing is not just a mother’s job. By nature, children are
In nuclear families, when moms get busy with other household chores, if dads are there to take care of the children for a while, moms would get a chance to catch their breath. Remember: Children will not be scared of dads anymore, but run towards them with a smile. Giving children money or only providing food is not the only role dads need to live up to. A dad has to be a friend his children and walk them through the ups and downs of life. Dads -- if you don’t involve yourselves in the lives of your children, one day your child might ask their mother who the strange man in the house is. She will have to answer: “Your father.” l Rumpa Syeda Farzana Zaman is Assistant Editor, Showtime at Dhaka Tribune.
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DT
Long Form
SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2016
A closer look at the new budget The proposed budget focuses on the mobilisation of larger domestic resources. This is the first part of a two-part long form
n Mamun Rashid
T
he proposed national budget for 2016-17 envisions an expenditure outlay of Tk3,40,605 crore, 29% higher than the outgoing fiscal’s revised outlay. However, the revenue earnings estimate for the next fiscal is Tk2,42,752cr, about 37% higher than the revised figure of Tk1,77,400cr for the outgoing fiscal. Around 71% of the expenditure outlay is expected to be covered by revenue earnings. The size of the formal GDP, at current market price, is estimated to be Tk19,61,000cr, which was estimated at Tk17,16,000cr in the outgoing fiscal. Out of the total revenue collection target in the coming fiscal, NBR-sourced income is estimated at Tk2,03,152cr, which is 35% higher than the revised figure for 2015-16, and such high levels of estimation without the proper instruments -- ie an effective automation system, capable NBR architecture, reduction in harassment by tax people,etc -- is likely to push the NBR into collecting revenue in any way it can. However, it’s good to know that the NBR has achieved its revised revenue target of Tk1,30,000cr, with a surplus of Tk3,000cr during the July 2015 to May 2016 period. It is also good to note that the NBR thinks its revised revenue target of Tk1,50,000cr for the outgoing fiscal is likely to be exceeded by Tk10,000cr, though it will fall short from the Tk1,76,000cr as was originally planned. The strategy of the proposed budget focuses on the mobilisation of larger domestic resources through the expansion of the tax base, establishing social equity through reduction of income inequality, protection and development of our domestic industries, incentives for savings and investment, development of small and medium enterprises, and discouraging the import of luxury goods. These goals are pretty similar to the earlier budgets and usual are for an emerging economy such as Bangladesh. The NBR’s laundry list also seems to be fairly in line with what was being discussed in various forums in recent days: Reduction of personal interface between taxpayers and the tax administration,
reduction of the discretionary power of tax officials, reduction of tax disputes through alternate dispute resolution (ADR), developing tax-payer-friendly procedures, reduction of harassment and encouraging tax payment, and, most importantly, increasing the use of IT within the tax administration.
Income tax
The revised target for income tax in the outgoing fiscal is Tk51,796cr. In light of a better opportunity space and increased focus, the figure has been proposed to be increased by almost 39%, to Tk71,940cr, in the coming fiscal.
The government proposed October 30 to be Tax Day, ie the due date for filing of returns by all individual assessees. Income threshold for the exemption of SMEs engaged in production increased to Tk36 lakh from Tk30 lakh
Changes are sought to be brought in 46 sections and three schedules of the Income Tax Ordinance by the Finance Bill 2016. Though the threshold of taxfree income limit of individuals remain unchanged at Tk2,50,000, by reducing the investment limit from 30% to 20% of total income, and investment rebate from a flat 15% to around 10%, individual tax-payers earning Tk40,000 to Tk1,00,000 will be penalised with a heavy tax burden. Additionally, through the modification of Section 82C, the procedure of claiming refunds on various deductions at sources, ie from savings certificate, motor vehicles, etc, has been discontinued. This will increase the tax burden through the nonadjustment of refunds in the
The cost of doing business is likely to increase following years, when the assessee needs an additional tax payment. From now on, a year-end tax liability of tax-payers can’t be less than the total tax deduction at source. Again, imposing tax on the income of provident fund, gratuity, and workers’ profit participation funds will increase the tax liability of an assessee. The corporate tax rate remained unchanged, except for RMG companies, which has been reduced from 35% to 20%, but tax deduction at source (TDS) on export proceeds has been increased from 0.6% to 1.5%. This is likely to give a good break to the RMG owners. Under the new budget, the cost of doing business is likely to increase due to some amendments in the ordinance. There are various increments in the rate of tax deduction which companies can’t claim and adjust with the tax liability of following years, as the tax liability of a particular year can’t be less than the total tax deduction at source in that year. The NBR now prescribes a minimum tax with enhanced rates ranging from 0.6% to 1.0%. As per amendment, income tax at source has to be deducted on
the invoice price, inclusive of the VAT amount, which ultimately has to be borne by the company pushing their business costs. Furthermore, tax-payers are afraid of the introduction of an audit of a half-yearly with-holding tax return. The government proposed October 30 to be Tax Day, ie the due date for filing of returns by all individual assessees. Income threshold for the exemption of SMEs engaged in production increased to Tk36 lakh from Tk30 lakh. The limit of perquisite disallowance raised from Tk4,50,000 to Tk4,75,000 (increased to Tk25,00,000 for disabled employees). Any amount up to Tk10 lakh, with respect to the waiver of the margin loan (for the purpose of investment in shares, debentures, mutual funds, and securities in a stock exchange) or interest thereof, would not be taxable at the hands of the individual assessee holding a trading right entitlement certificate. l The concluding part of this long form will be published tomorrow. Mamun Rashid is an economic analyst.
BIGSTOCK
DT
23
Opinion
SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2016
The fear factor Why America’s blue collar work force looks at Donald Trump as their saviour
n William Milam
T
here is at least one person who, if he were still alive, would not be at all surprised by the rise of Donald Trump in the past six months. In 1997, almost 20 years ago, philosopher Richard Rorty (by then at Stanford, although he taught for most of his career at Princeton) came to one of the most prescient conclusions of the late 20th century. Writing of the industrialised democracies of the West, he predicted a Weimar-like period in which, because of the structural changes being brought about by growing globalisation of the world economy, the blue collar work force of the West would become “desperately afraid” about its future, and completely lose trust in what he termed the white collar work force. It is the fear of the American blue collar work force that has fueled Trump’s rise. “Something will crack,” Rorty wrote, and that would lead blue collar work force to look for a “strong man … to assure them that … the smug bureaucrats, tricky lawyers, overpaid bond salesmen, and post-modernnist professors (of which he was one) will no longer
in the West. The Weimar Republic had pulled itself together by 1923, stabilising the chaotic political situation that obtained following the loss of the First World War and suppressing the hyperinflation that characterised its first three years, and a flowering occurred that made Berlin a cultural and social magnet. But the Republic was dependent on US bank loans to meet its reparation payments imposed by the French and British after their victory in the war, and the Wall Street crash of 1929 slowed those loans to a trickle. The economy crashed and unemployment surged. The depression that hit Germany first, affected not just blue collar workers but much of the labour force, and it spread throughout Europe slowly but surely, creating political and social problems everywhere. Workers and the population generally lost faith in their democratic leaders, who failed to redress their hardship, and in many cases blamed those considered outsiders, the “other.” Populist and nativist political leaders prospered.
The Donald rises
Nothing better describes the rise of Donald Trump to the unexpected
other populist voices of the early 21st century who base their appeal on the fear of “the other,” but the fascist voices of the first half of the previous century who played also on the fears of many citizens that arose from structural dislocations of the world economy and fears of “the other.” Much has been written about Trump’s appeal to the white, under-educated segment of the American population, and about the energy as well as the boisterous, often violent, character of his rallies. His followers at those rallies say they support him so enthusiastically because he is honest, strong, and powerful. Honesty, they say, means he is not afraid to say what he thinks; not afraid to be politically incorrect, and powerful enough to get the things done he says he wants to do -- like end illegal immigration (with a wall), and do away with President Obama’s signature achievement of medical care for all (it was designed to help them). They perceive his strength and his combativeness from his years on reality TV, where he proclaimed his whole life was a fight (it seems sort of interesting that a man who claims to be a billionaire 10 times over, and who inherited $300
Trump is the populist voice that Rorty predicted, and one which echoes the numerous other populist voices of the early 21st century who base their appeal on the fear of ‘the other’ Does this look like Weimar Germany? be calling the shots.” “Weimar,” of course, refers to the period after the First World War, the 1920s, when the West, at least, seemed on the surface, peaceful and stable, but when structural pressures were building up that culminated in the rise of fascism, the most destructive and costly war in history, and genocide on a grand scale. I do not believe that Rorty was necessarily prophesying, the same terrible outcomes, but he was saying similar pressures were building up for “strong men” of the right or the left to be welcomed again by significant segments of Western populations. The parallels between the 1920s and the first decade of this century are rather stark, at least
heights of presumptive nominee of the Republican Party than a look at the 1930s. His celebrity, nurtured by over 10 years of popular reality TV (which is as far from the real world as Alice in Wonderland but far less entertaining), and especially the way he has used that celebrity, have led his faithful adherents, primarily white, less educated, blue collar workers, to consider him the strong man who will protect them from the dangers they perceive in the modern world -- illegal immigrants, legal immigrants who are minorities, Muslims, trade agreements, and especially Islamist terrorism. Trump is the populist voice that Rorty predicted, and one which echoes, not only the numerous
million to start his adult life with has had to fight so hard all his life). His supporters cite his lack of fear of appearing politically incorrect as one of the reasons for their admiration. In fact, he has made a number of racist, misogynistic statements during the campaign, and these are probably what they are talking about. Professor Rorty saw this coming, and predicted that, “the gains made in the past 40 years by black and brown Americans, and by homosexuals, will be wiped out … all the resentment which badly educated Americans feel about having their manners dictated to them by college graduates will find an outlet.” Can Trump win in November
against Hillary Clinton? It seems unlikely, but I admit to thinking it unlikely that he could win the Republican nomination. Little did I understand his appeal when I dismissed his chances so lightly. The campaign against Hillary Clinton is almost certainly going to be down and dirty. Despite all the economic issues that rightly concern his core supporters, it may turn on security -- who can protect the country better. Trump’s stock rose considerably after the Paris and San Bernardino attacks. His response to terrorism fits in neatly with his approach to immigration -- the less the better. No immigration would make us safer, seems to be his view. This
REUTERS
ignores that most terrorist attacks in the US, and most in Europe, have been committed by homegrown terrorists, some of whose ties to the trans-national terrorist organisations have seemed pretty weak. To beat Hillary Clinton, Trump will have to win almost all of the white vote in the nation. He has antagonised all other groups -- women, Hispanics, Muslims, other Asians, and other minorities. This will be steep hill to climb. l William B Milam is a Senior Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Centre in Washington, DC, and former US Ambassador to Pakistan and Bangladesh, and Chief of mission in Liberia. This article previously appeared on The Friday Times.
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TOP STORIES
Pogba furore dogs France at Euros Pogba finds himself at the eye of a storm as Euro 2016 hosts France prepare to face Switzerland in their final Group A game in Lille today. Pogba came on at half-time against Albania and helped set up the second goal. PAGE 26
Panenka prank keeps keepers busy Zidane, Ibrahimovic and Pirlo have all done it: they fool the diving keeper by chipping the ball into the middle of the net. Forty years have passed since Czechoslovakia’s Antonin Panenka first displayed the trick. PAGE 27
Victoria Sporting Club all-rounder Suhrawadi Shuvo is floored by a bouncer from Abahani Limited fast bowler Taskin Ahmed during their Super League tie of the Dhaka Premier League at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK
Cricketers lax with safety n Minhaz Uddin Khan
Abahani in hot pursuit of Rupganj Legends of Rupganj maintained their top spot in the DPL through a comfortable five-wicket win over Prime Bank Cricket Club at the BKSP-3 ground. With this loss, the defending champions Prime Bank are out of the title race. PAGE 28
Mustafizur in Warne’s best world T20 team Australia spin legend Shane Warne has named Bangladesh pace sensation Mustafizur Rahman in his best world Twenty20 XI. The former leg-spinner posted his dream T20 team on his Facebook account. Mustafizur enjoyed a stellar campaign in the IPL. PAGE 29
Suhrawardi Shuvo’s neck injury yesterday raised concerns about Bangladeshi cricketers’ regards for their own safety though they were told last year to use the helmet with stem-guard as part of ICC’s new safety standards. Very few among the current players use this helmet, though the BCB had provided the new helmet to many of those playing for representative sides like the national team and Bangladesh A. Bangladesh’s opener Soumya Sarkar is probably one of the few cricketers in the country who is using the stem-guard but he informed that he hasn’t used it in the last two league matches. “Whether to use the helmet with the stem-guard depends from person to person. I felt comfortable so I started using the type. It is very rare to find a batsman compromise the comfort of his helmet and then again it has only been some time that this guard has been in the market. I do think the cricketers are much aware now when it comes to safety,” Soumya told Dhaka Tribune. “The types of wicket we play in our domestic can be one good reason behind the cricketers not using the stem guard. The wickets are low and slow and another
thing which not all the team has good pacers in their side. But as because we had an accident today (yesterday of Shuvo), I hope the cricketers will take note of it and start ensure safety,” he explained. Liton Das said that the unavailability of the guard in the local market is one reason for dis-
Helmet with stem-guard couraging the players to use it. But Liton’s reason can be argued. Bangladesh cricketers often buy top quality cricket gears from abroad so why not the same in terms of the helmet with better safety? Only Cricket Australia made it mandatory for players in official matches to wear helmets that adhere with the safety standard. A significant proportion of domestic and international players around the world wear helmets that do not meet the new
standards. The BCB followed the guideline but only as far as their representative teams. The board expected the rest of the cricketers to follow the guideline that they have relayed last year. During the Bangladesh Premier League 2015, many of the six teams in the tournament had provided this guard to its players but only to see it not being used. Players gave one common reason: the stem-guard didn’t make the helmet comfortable. Majority of the players using helmets meet the safety standard but when it comes to protecting the back of the head and the neck, safety is surprisingly unattended. Most of the recent cases where a batsman got hit in the head was in the neck area which can now be protected using the stem guard. This guard comes separate from a helmet and is made of a material called “impact-modified TPU” (thermoplastic polyurethane, a rubbery plastic). It is a clip-on attachment to the side of the grille. This guard was introduced in the market in April last year but is yet to get the cricketers fully interested on it. It is now hoped after Shuvo’s injury, most cricketers will now consider getting comfortable with the new helmet.l
Shuvo ‘out of danger’ n Minhaz Uddin Khan
Victoria Sporting Club all-rounder Suhrawadi Shuvo is “out of danger” after he was struck on the lower side of his neck off a Taskin Ahmed bouncer during the Dhaka Premier League’s Super League tie against Abahani Limited in Mirpur yesterday. Bangladesh Cricket Board’s chief physician Dr Debashish Chowdhury informed that the cricketer will still be kept under observation for 24 hours in the Neuro-ICU at the capitals’ Apollo Hospital. He was batting on 21 in the 25th over when he was floored by the bouncer. “He is out of danger. The CT scan and MRI showed that there has been no damage to his brain. He will be kept under observation for the next 24 hours at the hospital as a precautionary measure. He is stable now but as with any head injuries, they will observe him for at least 24 hours. It would have helped if he was wearing the helmet with new safety regulations but he wasn’t,” said Dr Debashish yesterday. Following the incident, the Abahani players rushed towards Shuvo. The cricketer underwent four instant tests, where he passed three of them, and was later rushed to the hospital. Shuvo was not wearing a helmet which complies with the recently improved safety standards.l
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TALKING POINTS The Spanish armada still have it
Since their disastrous outing at the last World Cup, the aura of invincibility which has cloaked Spain for the last eight years seems to have disappeared. While still considered one of the stronger teams at the tournament, there’s still a sense for many they are in something of a decline following their abject performance in Brazil. They claimed a 14th consecutive game unbeaten at the Euros against Turkey and with this in mind it would be foolish to write off Spain’s chances of a third consecutive title.
Turkey’s defensive steel melts under pressure
Having built their qualifying campaign on miserly defence, it is fair to say Turkey will be disappointed with their efforts in France. In their opening game against Croatia, they defended admirably under pressure from the likes of Mario Mandzukic, Ivan Rakitic and Ivan Perisic and only conceded to Luka Modric’s stunner. However, it was a different story against Spain. Topal, so strong in the air against Croatia, twice cost his team with mistimed headed attempts. He allowed Morata to slip away from him and nod home for the opening goal and minutes later his
off-balance defensive allowed Nolito to pounce. He was not the sole reason they lost but Fatih Terim will be disappointed the defensive nous which got them to the finals has been sorely lacking here.
Nolito has arrived.
Prior to this year, Celta Vigo winger Nolito had played just three times for Spain. However, after a superb season in La Liga the 29 year-old worked his way into Vicente del Bosque’s plans and has not looked back since. Repaying the faith shown in the veteran by del Bosque, the energetic Nolito proved to be Spain’s best outlet in the final third. He delivered an inch-perfect cross for Morata to break Turkey’s dogged resistance, before capitalising on Topal’s mistimed header minutes later to double their lead.l
GROUP D 3-0
Spain
Turkey
Morata 34, 48, Nolito 37
Team
P
W
D
L
Spain
2
2
0
0
4
6
Croatia
2
1
1
0
1
4
Czech Rep 2
0
1
1
-1
1
Turkey
0
0
2
-4
0
2
GD Pts
Spain's Alvaro Morata celebrates after scoring their first goal against Turkey in Nice on Friday
REUTERS
Lukaku hits double as Belgium down Ireland n AFP, Bordeaux
Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku celebrates scoring against Republic of Ireland yesterday REUTERS
Romelu Lukaku silenced his critics with a brace as Belgium kick-started their Euro 2016 campaign by comfortably beating the Republic of Ireland 3-0 in Bordeaux yesterday. After being frustrated by the Irish in the first half, Belgium broke through when Lukaku struck three minutes after the restart, atoning for his profligacy in front of goal in Monday’s 2-0 loss to Italy. Midfielder Axel Witsel headed home in the 61st minute and Lukaku got his second and Belgium’s third 20 minutes from the end as Belgium came good at last, albeit against a limited Ireland team who worked hard but created little. The result put Belgium in prime position to qualify for the last 16 from Group E and also confirmed
RESULTS Belgium
3-0
Ireland
Lukaku 48, 70, Witsel 61
Iceland Sigurdsson 40 (P)
1-1
Hungary Saevarsson 88 (og)
Italy as group winners, a day after the Azzurri secured their progress to the next round with a 1-0 victory over Sweden. More than anything the win should reinvigorate Marc Wilmots’ Belgium side before their last match with the Swedes and will certainly boost the confidence of Everton striker Lukaku. Wilmots had promised to make changes in the wake of the Italy defeat and Lukaku was expected to be axed after being guilty of one vital miss in that match. But he kept his place, as did
Kevin De Bruyne, who had also been criticised and had been carrying a knock. Instead, right-back Laurent Ciman and midfield pair Marouane Fellaini and Radja Nainggolan dropped out, with Mousa Dembele, Yannick Carrasco and Thomas Meunier all coming into the side. Belgium utterly dominated possession in the first 45 minutes against an Irish side that set out to frustrate their more illustrious opponents, and captain Eden Hazard was the one pulling the strings. Belgium broke quickly with Lukaku releasing De Bruyne wide on the right. The Manchester City playmaker worked the ball back into the middle for Lukaku, who took a touch before beating goalkeeper Darren Randolph with a neatly-placed shot into the bot-
tom-left corner from 20 yards. Meanwhile, Iceland were within two minutes of a famous victory on their first appearance at a major tournament on Saturday only for Birkir Saevarsson to put through his own net to hand Hungary a 1-1 draw that leaves Euro 2016 Group F wide open. Iceland had taken the lead with a Gylfi Sigurdsson penalty six minutes before halftime after Tamas Kadar brought down Aaron Gunnarsson after a goalmouth scramble, with Hungary keeper Gabor Kiraly at fault for spilling a simple catch at the corner. Hungary dominated possession for long periods but rarely threatened until Nikolic slid a low cross over from the right and full back Saevarsson bundled the ball into his own net in the 88th minute. l
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Ospina heroics take Colombia into semis n AFP, East Rutherford Arsenal goalkeeper David Ospina was the hero as Colombia slayed their penalty shoot-out jinx to defeat Peru and advance to the semi-finals of the Copa America Centenario here Friday. Ospina pulled off a superb save deep into injury time to deny Peru a goal before saving a spot-kick from Peru defender Miguel Trauco in the shoot-out to clinch a nailbiting win for Colombia. A largely disappointing quarter-final in front of 79,194 fans at East Rutherford’s MetLife Stadium was settled in penalties after the two sides finished 90 minutes deadlocked at 0-0. After Colombia drilled their first three penalties, the tide turned in their favor when Trauco saw his effort blocked by Ospina. Sebastian Perez then scored Colombia’s fourth penalty to put his 4-2 up and when Peru’s Christian
Cueva blasted his spot-kick over the bar Colombia were through. Victory was especially sweet for Colombia, who had exited the competition last year at the same stage to Argentina. They will now play either Mexico or Chile in the semi-finals in Chicago next Wednesday.
RESULT Colombia
0-0
Peru
(Colombia won 4-2 on penalties)
“Sometimes you win sometimes you lose, and today luck was on our side in the penalties,” Colombia’s James Rodriguez said. “Our goal was to get into the semi-finals at least and we’ve done that. Now we want to win the title,” the Real Madrid star added. Goalkeeper Ospina said he believed Colombia could reach the June 26 final.l
Colombia’s goalkeeper David Ospina stops a penalty by Peru’s Miguel Trauco during their Copa America Centenario quarterfinal in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Friday AFP
Pogba furore dogs France n AFP, Lille
Paul Pogba attend a training session at Domaine de Montjoye, Clairefontaine on Friday REUTERS
Juventus star Paul Pogba finds himself at the eye of a storm as Euro 2016 hosts France prepare to face Switzerland in their final Group A game in Lille today. Dropped for Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Albania in Marseille, Pogba came on at half-time and helped set up the second goal for Dimtri Payet deep into stoppage time with a trademark crossfield pass. But his reaction - an explicit pump of the arm, apparently directed at the press box - caused a scandal and, despite the 23-yearold apologising, it has placed him squarely in the media crosshairs. The France players who have faced the press since have done their best to dilute the controversy, Pogba’s midfield colleague N’Golo Kante saying: “I didn’t see this gesture that everyone’s talking about. I was celebrating the second goal.” Centre-back Samuel Umtiti, meanwhile, protested: “I’m not someone who looks at the press.” Nevertheless, with France already assured of a last 16 place, coach Didier Deschamps can expect the matter to be at the top of the agenda when he sat down to address the media in yesterday’s pre-match press conference at Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Broadcasters beIN Sports elected not to show footage of the incident out of a desire to avoid controversy, but video images quickly circulated on social media, undermining Pogba’s explanation, in a
statement sent to AFP, that he was just doing his “usual dance”. “In his statement, Paul Pogba found the imagination that he’s been looking for since the beginning of the Euro,” Vincent Duluc observed dryly. The newspaper had splashed Pogba across its front page on the first day of the tournament, urging him to emulate Michel Platini and Zinedine Zidane by leading France to glory on home soil as they did at Euro ‘84 and World Cup ‘98 respectively. Instead his antics in Marseille have brought to mind less savoury
GROUP A
V SWITZERLAND
FRANCE
Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Lille 8pm local time (1am BST) * Bangladesh standard time
HEAD-TO-HEAD SWITZERLAND
15 37 12 16 9 60 67
FRANCE
Fifa ranking
17
Matches
37
Wins
16 12 9 67 60
Losses Draws Goals scored Goals against
incidents from France’s recent football past, such as the sight of Samir Nasri screaming “Shut your mouth!” towards the media tribune after scoring against England at Euro 2012. Pogba can at least look forward to a return to the starting XI against Switzerland, along with Antoine Griezmann, who came off the bench to score the crucial opening goal against Albania. With Kante and Olivier Giroud both at risk of suspension, Yohan Cabaye and Andre-Pierre Gignac could come into the team as well, with Deschamps expected to revert to a 4-3-3 formation. Deschamps will be keen for France to avoid a repeat of the fate that befell them at Euro 2012, when, under Laurent Blanc, a 2-0 loss to Sweden in their last group game condemned “Les Bleus” to a quarter-final encounter with eventual champions Spain. With France two points clear of second-place Switzerland, a draw will guarantee them top spot in the group and with it a last 16 tie against the thirdplace team in Group C, D or E. France won 5-2 when the teams last met in the Brazilian city of Salvador during the 2014 World Cup, a victory that sparked their tournament into life, and Deschamps will hope today’s game proves a similar catalyst. Having had to wait until the 89th minute to take the lead against Romania and the 90th minute to go in front against Albania, France are yet to produce a display worthy of their pre-tournament status as potential champions.l
De Biasi looking for firepower n Reuters, Lyon After a couple of solid defensive performances in defeats by Switzerland and France, Albania need to discover some scoring form against Romania, their Italian coach Gianni De Biasi said ahead of today’s vital Euro 2016 Group A fixture. The Albanians held their own for long spells in the opening 1-0 loss to the Swiss and conceded late goals in a 2-0 reverse against hosts France, but they created precious little up front in either match.l
GROUP A
V ROMANIA
ALBANIA
Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Lyon 8pm local time (1am BST) * Bangladesh standard time
HEAD-TO-HEAD ROMANIA
22 16 11 2 3 41 9
ALBANIA Fifa ranking Matches Wins Losses Draws Goals scored Goals against
42 16 2 11 3 9 41
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QUICK BYTES
Panenka prank keeps keepers busy 40 years on
Usha remain at the league summit
n AFP, Prague
Usha Krira Chakra remained at the top of the Green Delta Premier Division Hockey League points table following the conclusion of the round robin league as they beat tournament favourites Abahani Limited 3-2 at Maulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium yesterday. Meanwhile in the day’s other match, Mariner Young’s Club handed Bangladesh Railway Sporting Club a 22-1 thrashing at the same venue. –TRIBUNE REPORT
FIFA should threaten Russia over World Cup hosting: Collins FIFA should warn Russia they could be stripped as hosts of the 2018 World Cup if they don’t take measures to root out their hooligan element, British lawmaker Damian Collins told AFP on Friday. Collins said it would be unacceptable for Russia to host a World Cup if the government cannot give assurances over the safety of foreign football supporters. Russian hooligans - who had come prepared for trouble - were at the heart of ugly scenes in Marseille last weekend that earned them a suspended disqualification from Euro 2016. –AFP
Murray hails Edmund after winning allBritish clash
Zinedine Zidane, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Andrea Pirlo have all done it: instead of blasting a penalty kick into the net, they fool the diving keeper by chipping the ball into the middle of the net. Forty years have passed since Czechoslovakia’s playmaker Antonin Panenka first displayed the trick at the 1976 European Championship final against Germany. It was a decisive penalty. The moustached Bohemians Prague and Rapid Vienna star is now 67 and happily watching his cheeky kick keep his name alive. “I can say that was my most famous moment,” Panenka told AFP at a pub in Nespeky, a village near Prague where he lives and where everyone calls him “Tonda”, the short form of Antonin. “But I feel a bit sorry when someone says Panenka and everyone starts talking about the penalty,” he added. While Zidane, Pirlo and Zlatan have all made big money from their talent and fame, Panenka had to stay at the Czechoslovak top-flight side Bohemians until he was 32 and the Communist regime let him try his luck abroad. “I went to Rapid and nobody knew me there, except because of this penalty,” Panenka said. All Czechs and Slovaks who saw the Euro 1976 final cherish the memory of German goalkeeper Sepp Maier diving to his left, watching in awe as Panenka chipped the ball in. He then threw
Antonin Panenka’s famous goal against Germany in 1976 his arms up to celebrate Czechoslovakia’s only Euro title. That was June 20, 1976. Czechoslovakia beat Germany 5-3 in the shootout in Belgrade, following a 2-2 draw after extra time. Czechoslovakia went on to split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993, four years after shedding its four decades of totalitarian rule. The trick was created when Panenka practised penalties against Bohemians goalkeeper Zdenek Hruska. He bet small amounts of money, beer or chocolate on his skill to convert five out of five.
Andy Murray hailed his Davis Cup team mate Kyle Edmund as the future of British tennis on Friday after subduing a robust challenge from his potential young successor to reach the semi-finals of the Aegon Championships. The class of world number two Murray told in the third set as he eased away to a 6-4 3-6 6-1 win in the first singles quarter-final of an ATP tour event to feature two British men since Tim Henman beat Greg Rusedski in Adelaide in 2002.
dive into a pool on the goalline. “I converted three weeks before Belgrade against Ivo Viktor,” the Czechoslovakia goalkeeper, said Panenka. The trick has drawn scores of followers, including Francesco Totti, Helger Postiga or Sergio Ramos. “I recently had some TV people from Chile over here, they showed me about 40 such penalty kicks and I had to comment on each of them,” Panenka said. “Some execute them very well, some very badly. I was surprised to see one who did it even better than me, I think it was a guy from the second league in Argentina.”l
Amir backs life bans n AFP, Karachi
–REUTERS
Woakes hopes selectors find room for him All-rounder Chris Woakes is confident that England selectors will be able to squeeze both Ben Stokes and himself into the starting lineup for the four-match Test series against Pakistan starting next month. Woakes was called up to the side last month after fellow all-rounder Stokes injured his knee during the first Test victory over Sri Lanka in Leeds. He scored 105 runs in three innings and picked up eight wickets. –REUTERS
“It wasn’t easy against a great keeper like him so it cost me dear,” Panenka said. In bed at night, Panenka pondered new ways to win back his losses - and then it dawned on him. “He waited until the last moment and then dived. I thought when I chip the ball he won’t turn back in the air,” Panenka said. “So I started to try. The good thing was I started to win the bets, but I also started to put on weight.” Panenka said he executed about 30 chip-in penalties and failed only once, in a small Czech town, against a goalkeeper reluctant to
FILE PHOTO
Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir (R) and teammate Shan Masood leave the cricket academy in Lahore yesterday AFP
Pakistan’s Mohammad Amir said match-fixers should be banned for life as he prepares to return to Test cricket at Lord’s, where an infamous 2010 spot-fixing scandal landed him a jail term and a fiveyear ban. The fast bowler backed comments from England captain Alastair Cook, who said anyone caught match-fixing should be thrown out of the sport for good. “If fixing is still happening then it’s really alarming,” Amir said in an interview before his departure for the four-Test tour of England. “I fully back that fixers should be banned for life.” The 24-year-old left-armer can expect a cool reception from fans at Lord’s, where he was caught bowling no-balls to order in a sting operation carried out by a tabloid newspaper. But Cook said earlier this month that he had no problem playing against Amir, who has served his ban and returned to international
cricket in January. Amir and new-ball partner Mohammad Asif bowled no-balls to order on the instructions of their captain Salman Butt. All three received five-year bans and, together with sports agent Mazhar Majeed, jail terms. Since his ban expired, Amir has played only limited-overs matches,but now he will come full circle with a Test return at Lord’s - a twist of fate that he called a “blessing”. “To be honest I never thought about my comeback and I feel seriously lucky to be back in the role to play Test cricket again,” he said. “I was all excited for Test cricket because that is where my career was held back and I still can’t believe that this is happening. “You call it a coincidence or whatever but for me it’s a blessing that I am restarting (Tests) right at Lord’s from where I stopped in 2010.” Amir’s pace and wicket-taking ability make him an automatic choice for the Test series opener from July 14, when he hopes to be able to put his past behind him.l
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Abahani in hot pursuit of Rupganj SUPER LEAGUE
n Tribune Report Legends of Rupganj maintained their top spot in the Dhaka Premier League through a comfortable five-wicket win over Prime Bank Cricket Club at the BKSP-3 ground. With this loss, the defending champions Prime Bank are out of the title race. In Mirpur, Abahani Limited crushed Victoria Sporting Club by six wickets while Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club sauntered to an easy seven-wicket win over Mohammedan Sporting Club in Fatullah.
VICTORIA 139 (Saqlain 3/13, Shakib 3/28, Taskin 3/30) lost to ABAHANI 140/4 (Karthik 32*, Tamim 33, De Silva 2/31) by six wickets PRIME BANK 222/8 (Nurul 75, Taibur 35, Shuvagata 32) lost to RUPGANJ 225/5 (Nahidul 64*, Asif 51, Mithun 50) by five wickets MOHAMMEDAN 213 (Saykat 51, Ariful 48, Rejaul 2/23) lost to DOLESHWAR 214/3 (Raqibul 86*, Nasir 52*, Rony 28) by seven wickets
Rupganj v Prime Bank
Nahidul Islam’s unbeaten 64 guided Rupganj in their 223-run chase. He came to bat at No 6 with Rupganj on 127 for four. He added 77 runs for the fifth wicket with Asif Ahmed, who made 51 off 89 balls. Nahidul struck six fours and a six in his 60-ball knock. Rupganj lost Junaid Siddique in the first over itself, but Soumya Sarkar and Mohammad Mithun added 65 runs for the second wicket. Mithun, who made 50, also added 53 runs for the third wicket with Asif but fell in the 29th over. Pawan Negi, who struck an unbeaten 124 in their last game, fell in the next over to give Prime Bank some hope but Rupganj ensured their 100 percent record in the Super League stage by picking up the win with 19 balls to spare. Prime Bank had made 222-8 in 50 overs with Nurul Hasan top
Abahani Limited fast bowler Taskin Ahmed bowls against Victoria Sporting Club during their Super League tie of the Dhaka Premier League in Mirpur's Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK scoring with 75 but none of the other batsmen in their top seven crossed 35. Unmukt Chand, Shuvagata Hom and Taibur Rahman all got out in the 30s. The only time they promised to kick on was during the Hasan-Taibur 74-run fifth wicket stand. But they could only make 29 runs in the last overs, losing three further wickets.
Abahani v Victoria
Abahani thumped Victoria by six wickets in a game marred by
Suhrawadi Shuvo’s neck injury that put him in hospital, though he was out of danger according to doctors. Shuvo was batting on 21 in the 25th over when Taskin Ahmed’s bouncer struck him, after which he fell at his crease. The Abahani players rushed to him, before the physios and doctors carried him back to the dressing room, following which he was taken to Apollo Hospital. Victoria, meanwhile, stumbled and they were ultimately bowled
out for 139 runs in 36.2 overs. Their in-form top- and middle-order crumbled as they were reduced to 86 for 5 in the 19th over. Several batsmen got starts but none made it past Mominul Haque’s 23, the highest score of the innings. Tamim Iqbal struck five fours and a six during his 33 to set up Abahani’s chase, which was interrupted by two rain breaks. Liton Das (18), Shakib al Hasan (nine) and Nazmul Hossain Shanto (22) fell in quick succession, but Dinesh
Sk Russel into Fed Cup semis n Tribune Report Hathurusingha set to be made selector today n Minhaz Uddin Khan Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha is set to be officially included in the selection committee during the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s meeting today. The BCB working committee last month had proposed the expansion of the selection panel from the three-member to one that would also include the head coach, team manager and cricket operations committee chairman in a two-layered selection process. The meeting will also discuss the ICC’s proposed two-tier Test cricket structure, the formation of the bowling action review committee and Bangladesh’s cricket calendar. l
Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra swept into the semi-finals of the Federation Cup after a hard-fought 1-0 win over 10-man Rahmatganj MFS in the second quarter-final at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. Cameroonian striker Paul Emile netted the all-important goal in extra time. Sheikh Russel will now take on the winners of the third quarter-final between Abahani Limited and Brothers Union this Thursday. Fikru Teferra squandered the tie’s first real chance in the 26th minute when the Ethiopian striker, receiving Jean Jules Ikanga’s misplaced effort, shot straight towards the goalkeeper despite having plenty of other options at his disposal. Just two minutes later, Rahmatganj defender Sawkat Russel came to the rescue of his side as he made a goal-line clearance after Monayem Khan Raju’s shot deflected off defender Rafiqur Rahman Mamun. In the dying moments of the first half injury time, Fikru, collecting a pass from Raju, unleashed a pow-
erful volley from 20 yards but his effort flew inches over the crossbar. Rahmatganj had the golden opportunity of sealing a historic win in the 86th minute but his left-footed angular strike went just wide of the post. Rahmatganj went close again in the 90th minute but Sheikh Russel custodian Russel Mahmud Liton made a lovely save to deny Siyo Zu-
napio’s effort from a Syed Rashed Turzo cross. The game then rolled into the 30-minute extra time period and it was Sheikh Russel who started strong; substitute forward Rummon Hossain shooting straight towards the netminder in a one-onone situation. Rahmatganj though were not to be denied for long as they too regis-
Teams
M W L T NR Pts
Rupganj
14 9 3
1
1
20
Abahani
13 9 4 0 0
18
Victoria
14 8 5
0
17
Doleshwar
13 8 5 0 0
16
Prime Bank
14 7
7 0 0
14
Mohammedan 14 7
7 0 0
14
1
Karthik struck a six and a four to finish the game with more than 20 overs to spare. He remained unbeaten on 32 off 48 balls while Mosaddek Hossain was unbeaten on 18 off 10 balls.
Doleshwar v MSC
Raqibul Hasan guided Doleshwar to an important seven-wicket win over Mohammedan. Doleshwar remained in the race but Mohammedan, who lost the two earlier Super League games too, are out of it.l
RESULT Sheikh Russel
1-0
Rahmatganj
Emile 112
tered a lovely attack but Liton was at hand to deny Didarul Alam in the 111th minute. Sheikh Russel finally broke the deadlock a minute later when Emile, against the run of play, ran through the opposition terrain, entered the box before calmly slotting the ball past Rahmatganj keeper Masum. l
An action of the Federation Cup quarter-final between Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra (blue) and Rahmatganj at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK
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SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2016
Chigumbura blasts Zimbabwe to win over India n Reuters, Harare
SCORECARD ZIMBABWE C Chibhabha b Dhawan H Masakadza c Dhoni b Bumrah R Mutumbami retired hurt Sikandar Raza run out M Waller b Chahal T Mutombodzi c Dhawan b Patel E Chigumbura not out G Cremer c Dhawan b Bumrah N Madziva not out Extras (5lb, 3w, 1nb)
R 20 25 0 20 30 3 54 4 5 9
Total (6 wkts, 20 overs)
170
B 19 15 4 18 21 8 26 5 5
Fall of wickets 1-33 (Masakadza), 1-34 (Mutumbami retired hurt), 2-50 (Chibhabha), 3-97 (Waller), 4-98 (Sikandar Raza), 5-111 (Mutombodzi), 6-130 (Cremer). Bowling Unadkat 4-0-43-0, Dhawan 4-0-42-1, Bumrah 4-1-24-2, Patel 4-0-18-1, Chahal 4-0-38-1. INDIA R KL Rahul b Tiripano 0 Mandeep c Mutombodzi b Chibhabha 31 A Rayudu b Chibhabha 19 M Pandey c Tiripano b Muzarabani 48 K Jadhav b Muzarabani 19 MS Dhoni not out 19 A Patel c sub (Masakadza) b Madziva 18 R Dhawan not out 1 Extras (2lb, 11w) 13 Total (6 wkts, 20 overs)
B 1 27 16 35 13 17 9 2
168
Fall of wickets 1-0 (Rahul), 2-44 (Rayudu), 3-53 (Mandeep Singh), 4-90 (Jadhav), 5-143 (Pandey), 6-164 (Patel). Bowling Tiripano 4-0-35-1, Madziva 4-0-34-1, Muzarabani 4-0-31-2, Chibhabha 2-0-13-2, Sikandar Raza 3-0-18-0, Cremer 3-0-35-0. Zimbabwe won by two runs and lead three-match series 1-0
DAY’S WATCH FOOTBALL SONY ESPN 8:00AM Copa America Centenario Quarter Final 4: Mexico v Chile 1:00AM Euro Cup 2016 Romania v Albania
SONY SIX 1:00AM Euro Cup 2016 Switzerland v France
CRICKET TEN 3 10:30PM Tri-Nation (WI,AUS,SA) 7th ODI: Australia v South Africa
STAR SPORTS 1 7:30PM Natwest T20 Blast 2016 Birmingham Bears v Lancashire
FORMULA 1 STAR SPORTS 4 7:00PM F1 World Championship 2016 Main Race: Baku City Circuit Azerbaijan
Zimbabwe batsman Elton Chigumbura hits the ball during their first T20 match against India in the Prayag Cup at Harare Sports Club in Zimbabwe yesterday AFP
Elton Chigumbura smashed an unbeaten 54 from 26 balls as Zimbabwe stunned India with a two run win in the first Twenty20 International at the Harare Sports Club yesterday. Chigumbura pummelled seven sixes as he took Zimbabwe to 170 for six in their 20 overs having been sent into bat by the tourists. India lost opener Lokesh Rahul on his Twenty20 debut in the first ball of their reply, but they went into the final over from seamer Neville Madziva needing eight to win. That was reduced to four off the last ball with Mahendra Singh Dhoni on strike, but he could only bludgeon the ball to deep point and Zimbabwe celebrated a second consecutive victory over India in the 20-over format. Aside from Chigumbura, Malcolm Waller (30 from 21 balls) and opener Masakadza (25 from 15 balls) gave Zimbabwe their highest score against India in Twenty20 cricket. India were behind the run-rate for much of their innings, but Manish Pandey (48 from 35 balls) kept them in the hunt until the last over. The second Twenty20 match will be played at the same venue tomorrow. l
Mustafizur in Warne’s best world T20 team n Tribune Report Australia spin legend Shane Warne has named Bangladesh pace sensation Mustafizur Rahman in his best world Twenty20 XI. The former leg-spinner posted his dream T20 team on his Facebook account. Mustafizur enjoyed a stellar campaign in the Indian Premier League, taking 17 wickets from 16 matches at a remarkable economy rate of 6.90 – the lowest among bowlers who have bowled at least 20 overs in the tournament. Consequently, the 20-year old was named the Emerging Player of the competition. In recent times, Mustafizur also won the Debutant of the Year title - a category voted on by ESPNcricinfo’s users, in addition to the jury. He was instrumental in Bangladesh’s unprecedented success in 2015, and a lot of that came from one particular type of delivery – the off-cutter. His competitors for debutant of the year included fellow fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada, now a South African regular through his strong performances, Sri Lanka’s Dushmantha Chameera, and England’s
Mark Wood. In his first two ODIs, Mustafizur dismissed Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni and Ajinkya Rahane. He took a total of 11 wickets in those matches - five in the first and six in the second - and every dismissal was celebrated with an air of wonderment and a toothy grin that won over a nation of 160 million. But as impressive as the numbers from his breakthrough year are - 36 international wickets at 13.63 - they hardly tell the whole story. Mustafizur brings a freshness to the game with his homespun technique, bowling a mix of backof-the-hand and front-of-the-hand slower balls, offcutters and traditional left-arm deliveries. Warne’s team also includes, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers and recently retired Brendon McCullum. Warne’s former team-mate Shane Watson also finds a place in the middle-order along with West Indies’ T20 specialists Andre Russell and Dwayne Bravo. Jos Buttler, who had an outstanding World Twenty20 has been picked for the wicketkeeper’s role. Mitchell Starc and Sunil Narine complete the list. l
Australia spin king Shane Warne posted his best ever T20 XI in his official Facebook page with this caption - My best world 20/20 team! Agree?
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Downtime
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SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2016
CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Lure (4) 5 Henhouse (5) 8 Much ornamented (6) 9 Niggardly (4) 10 Turkish commander (3) 12 Staggered (6) 13 Meat pin (6) 15 Cherry coloured (6) 18 Place of worship (6) 20 Monkey (3) 21 Destiny (4) 23 More tidy (6) 24 Deposit (5) 25 Torn (4)
DOWN 1 Explosive devices (5) 2 Land measure (3) 3 Silly (5) 4 Make brown (3) 5 Arbitrator (7) 6 Gem (4) 7 Ugly amphibian (4) 11 Precious stones (4) 12 Lean back (7) 14 Part of a castle (4) 16 Angry (5) 17 Make effort (5) 18 Lofty (4) 19 Honey drink (4) 21 Distant (3) 22 Perfect score (3)
CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODECRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 16 represents S so fill S every time the figure 16 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
Jyotika Jyoti fails to get AL nomination n Showtime Desk Actress Jyotika Jyoti failed to get a nomination by Awami League Parliamentary Board as the party candidate for the upcoming by-polls to Mymensingh-3 (Gouripur) seats. Seeking party nomination, Jotika, a popular actress and model, bought nomination papers from the Awami League’s Dhanmondi office in the capital on Wednesday evening, with the intention to run in the elections only if backed by the party. However, according to the final decision announced from Ganabhaban on Thursday evening, Nazim Uddin Ahmed has been unanimously nominated as the party candidate for the upcoming by polls. “I did not expect in the
Nirob-Momo chemistry to enthral audience n Showtime Desk After a hiatus of 10 years, Sakhawat Hossain Nirob and Zakia Bari Momo, two popular faces of the Bangladeshi film industry, are bringing back their on-screen chemistry through Rafiq Shikdar’s film. Nirob, the model-turned-TV actor and Momo, the winner of Lux-Channel I Superstar, were last seen together in the play Onnorokom Bhalobasha. The shoot of the new venture will start on August 1. Majority of the shoot will be done in different spots in Pabna, said Nirob. “There are many beautiful places in Pabna, which we plan to show in our film like Pabna Medical College, Kashinathpur Jail, High Court and Pakshi bridge. The shoot might go on for 15-20 days,” he added. Nirob will play the
role of Amit, a boy who is always vocal against injustice and gets trapped by an incident. He is in love with his teacher’s daughter Nilima, played by Momo. Abdul Majid Milton, director of MT Media and Films, said: “There were some errors in Game last year. I took my time off to improve and learn. I have analysed various subjects related to the film including the story, actors, location and audience. Hope to produce a nice film with the co-operation from everyone.” Momo has another film on hand named Shopnobari with co-star Anisur Rahman Milon. Tanim Rahman Ongshu will direct the film. Momo acted in Tauqir Ahmed’s Daruchini Dwip based on Humayun Ahmed’s novel for which she won a national award. l
very first place that I will be nominated to vie in the elections. I made the attempt to show respect to the urgings of those well-wishers who were eager to see me running in for elections. The experience I had gathered in the last two days are unmatched. This will surely help me in future,” said Jotika. She expressed her endorsement of Nazim Uddin Ahmed’s nomination, stating that his experience merited the support. The by-polls to Mymensingh-3 constituency were announced as the seat fell vacant following the death of state minister for health Mujibur Rahman Fakir MP on May 2. A total of 22 candidates from Gouripur applied for Awami League’s nomination, Jotika Joyti being one of them. The election is scheduled to be held on July 18 this year l
Loki dating Swift
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Showtime
SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2016
WHAT TO WATCH
Fast Five Star Movies 4:00pm Dominic Toretto and his crew of street racers plan a massive heist to buy their freedom while in the sights of a powerful Brazilian drug lord and a dangerous federal agent. Cast: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, Dwayne Johnson, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris
Richie Rich HBO 5:20pm A rich young boy finds his family targeted in an inside job and must use his cunning to save them. Cast: Macaulay Culkin, John Larroquette, Edward Herrmann, Michael McShane, Claudia Schiffer Ocean’s Thirteen WB 5:30pm Danny Ocean rounds up the boys for a third heist, after casino owner Willy Bank double-crosses one of the original eleven, Reuben Tishkoff. Cast: Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Michael Mantell, Elliott Gould, Ray Xifo
n Farhan Shahriar Yes another one for the pop star. Trending pop singer Taylor Swift is secretly romancing possibly the future James Bond, Tom Hiddleston, who is also known as the baddest man in the Marvel universe. The new love birds were photographed kissing, holding hands, and walking on a beach with one another in the state of Rhode Island in the US, which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. Even with many onlookers all over the beach, the two lovebirds kept doing what they were doing. The two seemed like any young couple madly in love without
a care in the world. Taylor whisked Tom off to an unknown destination by her private jet after romping around Rhode Island together. A source close to Taylor revealed: “Tom has been courting Taylor since they met – he sent her flowers. She’s been won over.” On the other side of love, her former love Calvin Harris is said to be feeling ‘betrayed’ that Taylor Swift has already moved on with a new man. Moreover, Calvin insisted there was ‘no drama’ in the break-up, he now reportedly believes that Taylor cheated on him with Tom while they were still together.l
Jupiter Ascending HBO 9:30pm A young woman discovers her destiny as an heiress of intergalactic nobility and must fight to protect the inhabitants of Earth from an ancient and destructive industry. Cast: Channing Tatum, Mila Kunis, Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne, Douglas Booth, Tuppence Middleton Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End Zee Studio 11:15pm Captain Barbossa, Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann must sail off the edge of the map, navigate treachery and betrayal, find Jack Sparrow, and make their final alliances for one last decisive battle. Cast: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Chow Yun-Fat, Geoffrey Rush l
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SUNDAY, JUNE 19, 2016
BB HEIST TALKS LIKELY AT APG MEETING PAGE 12
CRICKETERS LAX WITH SAFETY PAGE 24
JYOTIKA JYOTI FAILS TO GET AL NOMINATION PAGE 31 Boko Haram murder 24 at Nigeria village funeral n Tribune Desk
Law enforcers display the huge stash of weapons that was recovered from a canal in Uttara’s Dia Bari area in Dhaka yesterday
DHAKA TRIBUNE
97 pistols found in Uttara Rahman Rabbi and n Arifur Kamrul Hasan Police have recovered a large cache of small arms and ammunition from a canal, reportedly dropped there within the day, in the capital’s Uttara neighbourhood. At 10pm yesterday when this report was filed, the law enforcers and Fire Service were still scouring the canal at Rustampur in Uttara Sector 14, near a Buddhist monastery. The search began in the afternoon based on a tip off, DMP Uttara Zone’s Deputy Commissioner Bidhan Tripura told the Dhaka Tribune. Until 10pm, 97 foreign pistols, 263 SMG magazines, over 1,060 rounds of bullets and 10 bayonets had been recovered, the DC said. Sources in the police told the Dhaka Tribune 95 of the pistols were 7.62mm and the other two were 9mm. Of the bullets, 220 were 7.62mm and 840 were 9mm. Police were tipped off by sources that several men had arrived in a black SUV in the afternoon and dumped several bags in the canal,
DC Bidhan said. But a Turag Police Station source told the Dhaka Tribune one of their constables was taking a stroll with his family on the canal’s bank when he saw men coming out of a black SUV and throw bags into the canal. He thought a dead body was being dumped and called his station.
“However, we’re not sure whether they dumped the weapons or were trying to hide them.” Asked how the vehicle carrying weapons had eluded the many police checkpoints in the area, the DC said the DMP did not have enough manpower to monitor the huge population of Dhaka. He also said the checkpoints
Two recent intelligence reports said over 100 members of the group had taken training to stage an armed revolution with some members of Islami Chhatra Shibir to establish Caliphate “So far we have found eight travel bags containing weapons and ammunition,” DC Bidhan said, adding that they would continue the search operation throughout the night. The bags contained 140 boxes, he said. The officer said criminals may have discarded the arms being pressed by the recent police drive.
stopped and searched vehicles if they appeared suspicious, and would not let a car pass because it looked expensive. Bangladesh Fire Service Director (operations) AKM Shakil Newaz said nine units of the service, including two units of divers and boats were working on the canal. Police called the Fire Service in
at 4pm, he said. The recovery comes only a day after the end of a seven-day special countrywide crackdown on militants following a spate of attacks on secularists, minorities and foreigners since last year, claimed mostly by Ansarullah Bangla Team and Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). In the most of the attacks, the assailants used machetes and small firearms. The police have also found the involvement of another outlawed group Hizb ut-Tahrir in the targeted killings. One of its members was caught by locals while fleeing after hacking a Hindu college teacher in Madaripur on Wednesday. Two recent intelligence reports said over 100 members of the group had taken training to stage an armed revolution with some members of Islami Chhatra Shibir to establish Caliphate. Some 450 Hizb ut-Tahrir leaders and activists, out of over 650 arrested since 2009 when the group was banned, have gone into hiding after getting bail, the reports suggest. l
Boko Haram militants have killed 24 people, mostly women, as they mourned at a funeral in a village in northern Nigeria, looting and burning their houses down, report The Guardian. Suspected Boko Haram militants also attacked a village in Niger while a delegation of ministers was visiting, killing seven police officers and wounding 12 in a gun battle. Some women were still missing after Thursday’s attack on the village of Kuda in Nigeria’s Adamawa state, according to a resident, Moses Kwagh. Maina Ularamu, a local community leader, said the attack occurred during the “mourning celebration” for a local leader. “They came on motorcycles and opened fire on the crowd, killing 24,” he said. “Most of the victims were women. They looted food supplies and burnt homes and they left almost an hour later.” A police spokesman, Othman Abubakar, put the death toll at 18, adding that many more were injured. “Our people who fled their homes to escape Boko Haram attacks have been returning because they can’t live in the camps. But now they are facing threats from Boko Haram who launch nocturnal attacks,” he said. Ularamu said that although Boko Haram had been chased out of the nearby town of Gulak, militants still lived in the villages surrounding it. Boko Haram threatened to overrun Adamawa state in 2014, sweeping down from their stronghold in Sambisa forest, which lies just across the border in Borno state. That attack, which destroyed bridges and homes on the only road south to Yola, forced tens of thousands of people to flee from their homes into camps and host communities in the state capital. The militants are well known for kidnapping schoolgirls in northern Nigeria but have been largely driven out of Adamawa state by a military counter-offensive that began in January 2015. Since then, there has been relative calm despite sporadic attacks in the north of the state. The last attack in Adamawa was on 9 January, when seven people were killed and two others injured in a raid on Madagali. l
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