21 June, 2016 by DhakaTribune

SECOND EDITION

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

Ashar 7, 1423, Ramadan 15, 1437

Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 59

Migrating to marry n Adil Sakhawat

The picture shows a recently divorced 17-year-old Rohingya girl sitting with her son. The photo has recently been taken in April this year ADIL SAKHAWAT

The persecution of the Rohingyas in Myanmar has driven Rohingya men from their homes in Rakhine state and compelled Rohingya women of marriageable age to follow suit. Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune, Rohingya women from Sittwe, Buthidaung and Maungdaw in Myanmar’s Rakhine state admitted to taking the perilous boat journey across the Bay of Bengal to Bangladesh for a chance to get married. The situation is so dire that rights activists told the Dhaka Tribune that many women volunteer to be sold off by traffickers in hope of a better life. For most, Bangladesh is a transit point, from which they sail to Malaysia to find Rohingya partners. Between January and April this year alone, as many as 100 Rohingya women have fled Myanmar to go to Malaysia, according to local estimates. “Rohingya women choose this

journey for a better life,” said Ashik Rahman, executive director of Migrant88, an NGO working with migrants and refugees in Bangladesh, Malaysia and Australia. “The living condition of Rohingyas in the Rakhine state is inhumane. So even with all the issues of discrimination and refugee problems, living in Malaysia is a dream come true for these women.” In fact, the allure of a better life seems is strong that some Rohingya women pay to get trafficked to Malaysia and sold off, Ashik told the Dhaka Tribune. The main destination for Rohingya men is Malaysia, the Middle East and Australia. “The male Rohingya population in Malaysia have been growing since the early 90s, and many Rohingyas are doing well there. It is only natural that they would want to settle down and have families of their own in their adopted homeland,” Ashik said.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

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KILLING OF AVIJIT MURDER SUSPECT

Father: My son picked up in February

Rahman Rabbi, Dhaka, n Arifur Asaduzzaman, Satkhira and

Hedayet also produced the dead man’s national ID which matched the police photo of the deceased. Our correspondent met Mukul’s father Abul Kalam Azad at his home in Baluigaccha village Satkhira. He told the Dhaka Tribune that Mukul had been missing since last February.  PAGE 4 COLUMN 1

Tauhid-Uz-Zaman, Jessore A suspected militant killed in a “gunfight” with police in Dhaka on Sunday was picked up from Jessore in February, his family has claimed. The man’s brother-in-law Hedayet Ullah who came to receive the body from Dhaka Medical College morgue yesterday revealed his real name to be 23-year-old Mukul Rana of Satkhira. So far he had been known to police as Shariful.

SEHRI & IFTAR

Ramadan 15 16 17

June 21 22 23

Sehri – 3:40 3:40

Iftar 6:52 6:52 6:53

Source: Islamic Foundation

News

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

Plight of the Rohingyas #WithRefugees

Crisis in the camps n Adil Sakhawat Most Rohingyas living in Bangladesh say they want to return to their homeland but fear for their lives if they return. Myanmar stripped them of citizenship 1982 and, calling them Bangalis. The ethnic identity of the community is a thorny bilateral issue. Yesterday Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi reiterated to the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Yanghee Lee her country’s position that the term Rohingya would not be used, Reuters reports. Rohingyas told the Dhaka Tribune they were dissapointed. “It is no different from the military regime,” Rohingya leader and former political prisoner U Kya Hla Aung told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday. “We are Rohingyas.” In a report published yesterday, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said it had found “a pattern of gross violations against the Rohingya ... [which] suggest ... the possible commission of crimes against humanity ...” The UNHCR says 32,894 Rohingyas live in two camps – Nayapara and Kutupalong – in Cox’s Bazar. Dhaka says about 500,000 undocumented Rohingyas are scattered throughout Bangladesh.

Life in the camps

In the makeshift areas beside Teknaf’s Inani beach, undocumented Rohingyas live in thatched huts. Many more have made the hilly forest areas of Teknaf, Ukhiya and Bandarban their home. Teknaf and Ukhiya forest officials estimate that between 5,300 and 16,000 acres of forest land had

This Rohingya woman, mother of a seven-month-old son, lives with her father at a makeshift camp in Lengurbil, Teknaf. Her husband, also a Rohingya, left her recently and went back to Myanmar. The photo was taken in April this year ADIL SAKHAWAT been destroyed until 2015. They claim the Rohingyas are occupying more and more space. Around 2,272 families live in Teknaf’s Leda makeshift camps. Most of them complain about acute water shortage, saying they suffer from water-borne diseases and rued scant medical facilities. When contacted, NGO Forum’s Chittagong Regional Manager Rafiqul Islam said: “Leda camp faces serious water shortage in summer. We supply about 15 litres of water daily to every house but it is tough for us to meet the demand as more people are coming everyday.” A Rohingya man said there was no water crisis when international NGOs – Doctors without Borders, Action Against Hunger and Muslim

Aid – were working here. In August 2012, Bangladesh banned their operations fearing the Rohingya pull factor. Mohammad Hashem, a refugee said, Muslim Aid used to build houses for refugees. Now undocumented Rohingyas have to take loans to build houses. The interest rate is quite high – Tk300 against every Tk1,000 per month. Many politicians and locals exploit these undocumented population as cheap labour. “A Rohingya labourer earns Tk300-350 while a local labourer gets Tk500,” said a 35-year-old Rohingya man, who works at a construction site. Investigations revealed that some Rohingya women were

forced into prostitution and crimes by local goons. One 18-year-old girl said she was a made a prostitute and forced to sell drugs next to the BGB camp in Teknaf. In Maungdaw, along the Teknaf border, this correspondent witnessed Rohingyas being subjected to forced displacement and arbitrary detention. “There are shortage of food, shelter, health care and other basic services at the IDPs camp. Inmates are confined to the camps and denied freedom of movement, infringing on their right to livelihood and other human rights,” Fortify Rights Executive Director Matthew Smith told the Dhaka Tribune by e-mail. U Kyaw Hla Aung told the Dhaka Tribune that the new govern-

ment had done nothing to improve the situation. “Nothing changed here after the democratic government took power. We are living like prisoners. Rohingya people cannot move, the children here do not get educational facilities.” Former university student Barkat said he, along with other Rohingya students, were forced out of the Sittwe University after the 2012 riot. Chris Lewa, Director of Thailand-based Arakan Project said via Skype: “The situation is very complicated as NLD is a minority in the Rakhine State Assembly and Rakhine hardliners are already putting pressure on them to evict the Rohingya. “International pressure is actually quite strong and the Rohingya is a hot topic in Myanmar. But the international community and UN agencies can only put pressure on the NLD. The problem is complex and there is no easy solution.” The situation became painfully clear after a boat capsize in Sittwe killed at least 21 people, including nine children, on April 19. Rohingya leader Kyaw Hla Aung said they can not use direct transport to the market in Sittwe and the boat passengers had secured special permission to travel. Another Rohingya complained that some of the victims died as they were not provided immediate medical care after they were rescued and hospitals are not nearby. A Rohingya witness, who declined to be named, told the Dhaka Tribune over phone: “The Rohingyas were going to Sittwe to purchase supplies for the rainy season by boat as we do not have permission to go by land to that market.” l

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Migrating to marry Rohingya men who are looking for a wife either ask their families in Myanmar to find brides for them or purchase Rohingya women from traffickers to marry. But this process makes Rohingya women vulnerable to abduction and forced prostitution, Ashik said. For the Rohingyas, marriage is a difficult proposition because the Myanmar government has put strict laws in place to regulate matrimony. A Rohingya wishing to marry has to apply for the government permission, which takes five months to process. In addition, upon getting the approval, he or she has to pay the government around 400,000500,000 Myanmar kyat in “fees.”

Finding grooms in Bangladesh

While most Rohingya women risk married life in Malaysia, some of them stay behind in Bangladesh to get married. This correspondent recently attended a wedding ceremony of a Rohingya woman who came to Bangladesh early this year. She married a Rohingya man who holds a Bangladeshi passport – illegally – and currently lives in Saudi Arabia. The wedding took place in Cox’s Bazar Sadar upazila, the groom’s current residence in Bangladesh. One aspect of this wedding was interesting: the bride’s family offered the groom 60 bhoris of gold

and Tk1 lakh – as a gift. “This is not dowry. It is a tradition in the Rohingya community where families give gifts of gold and cash – mostly gold – to grooms of their daughters for marrying them,” said Rahim [not his real name], the bride’s cousin who moved to Bangladesh with his family in 1994. How are the Rohingyas keeping up with this tradition when most of them are living in sub-human condition? “Gold is cheap in Rakhine. So getting raw gold is not a big deal. We later give it to the Rakhine jewellers here in Cox’s Bazar to make jewellery,” Rahim told the Dhaka Tribune. “Plus, most Rohingyas here have families in Malaysia or Saudi Arabia, who always contribute to the wedding cost when a Rohingya woman gets married.”

It is not just Rohingya men that Rohingya women have chosen to share their lives with – up until recently, Rohingyas have married Bangalis too. But in 2014, Bangladesh government banned marriage between Bangladeshi citizen and Rohingyas so that they could not apply for Bangladeshi citizenship via marriage. Criticising this move, Farheen Khan of the External Relations Unit at UNHCR Bangladesh said: “Marrying the person of your choice is a universal human right and therefore the registered Rohingya can marry a registered Rohingya, an unregistered Rohingya or even a Bangladeshi. However in the latter two cases, the marriages cannot be legally registered in Bangladesh which is a violation of a fundamental right.”

Many Rohingya women are getting married to Bangladeshi men following Islamic procedure, and are not concerned about not having their marriages registered. But this practice has led to many instances of deception, where Bangladeshi men have married Rohingya women, taken the gift of gold and money, and divorced their wives after a while. Rahim said: “Many Rohingya women have crossed over here to get married here – to Bangladeshi men. But some of these men take the gifts and divorce the Rohingya women after a year of marriage, which puts these women in the very situation they left Rakhine to avoid. “These men know that our women do not have legal protection here, and they take advantage of it.” l

News

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

Madaripur Hindus passing days in fear n Mohammad Jamil Khan Sattyajit Karmakar, owner of a pharmacy in Madaripur, commutes to work on his motorcycle from his home in Shariatpur every day. His smile rings false when asked about his well-being. “Everyday, I leave home at 7:30am to come to the shop. In the last couple of days, when I get out and start my bike, my mother follows me to the main gate with tears in her eyes. She just says, try to move carefully,” Sattyajit says. “Until I go back home in the evening, my wife calls me every hour,” says Sattyajit. “I am not afraid but when I see my family like this, I feel restless all the time,” he adds. The same tension and fear is palpable among the Hindu community in the district. According to Madaripur district administration, nearly

143,907 residents of the district identify with the Hindu religion. There are around 17 temples in Madaripur. In a visit to the city’s oldest temple, known around here as Puranbazar Boro Mondir, this correspondent spoke to one of it’s members, Krishno Kanto Dash, who has been living in the area for around 80 years. “I have not seen or heard of such scary attacks my whole life. I am now old and have no fear of death, but I am worried about the safety of our temple priest,” he said. “If something happens to our priest then who will offer prayers to our Goddess? We would be without a guardian,” said Krishno. He said the community could not put its trust on the police as they had not put a guard on the temple. Devotees were staying in the temple by rotation for security, he said.

Chief priest of the temple Bishnupodo Chakrabarti said while he was horrified by the attacks on the community around the nation, he did not fear for his own life. The temple authority held an emergency meeting after the attack on Madaripur Nazimuddin College teacher and priest Ripon Chakrabarti on June 15 and sought protection from the police. Babul Dash, president of the temple committee, said police had increased security but temple members were nevertheless staying on alert at the temple premises all day. Ziaul Morshed, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station, told the Dhaka Tribune, “You have to understand the reality that we do not have the manpower to deploy anyone 24 hours for protection purposes.” “However, we have increased vigilance and instructed patrol teams to pay attention to the areas

where there are temples and gatherings of minority groups,” he added. Madaripur’s Hindu community leadership also held a meeting after the attack on Ripon and expressed their concern over the attackers still being on the lose. Pranotosh Mondol, convener of Madaripur Puja Udjapon Committee, told the Dhaka Tribune that Ripon used to live in a house very close to a police station. “And yet he came under attack, which is really worrisome and we are all concerned about our lives,” he said. “We can’t even sleep at night properly and some of us have moved from their homes,” he added. Besides the police had only arrested one attacker while the others were on the run, and the arrested man had been killed in a gunfight, which made the community more concerned, he added.

Shyamol Dey, general secretary of Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Oikya Parishad Madaripur unit, said each and every person of in the community were living in fear. “We don’t know why the administration is still silent even after continuous attacks on us,” he added. Sarowar Hossain, superintendent of police of Madaripur, told the Dhaka Tribune that drive to trace the militant network was under way. “We have asked our officials to remain alert about the minority groups but it is not possible to ensure security for everyone,” he said. “The concerned people and communities need to be alert of any suspicious movement around them,” he said. “If anyone informed us about any suspicious movement, we will definitely take action,” he added. l

MITU MURDER

Is the wrong man behind bars? Mizanur Rahaman, n FM Chittagong

The DMP puts the huge cache of ammunition recovered from Uttara’s Dia Bari area on display for the media at the DMP Media Centre yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Govt seeks stay on Ahsanullah Master case acquittals n Ashif Islam Shaon

The government yesterday sought stay on the acquittal of 11 accused in the Ahsanullah Master assassination case. A petition was moved with the Supreme Court so that the persons acquitted by the High Court could not be released from jail until after the full text of the verdict is released. The government will later move a leave-to-appeal plea against the High Court verdict. Deputy Attorney General Masud Hassan Chowdhury Parag told re-

porters that the chamber judge of the Appellate Division may hear the stay petition on Tuesday. On June 15 BNP leader Nurul Islam Sarkar and five others were sentenced to death by the High Court for the killing of popular Awami League MP Ahsanullah Master. Ahsanullah Master was gunned down at a public function in Gazipur over a decade ago. The court also commuted seven convicts’ death sentences to life terms and upheld the life term for another convict who was sentenced in 2005 by the Speedy Trial

Court. The life term of one convict who did not appeal against his sentence remains unchanged in the High Court verdict. The High Court also acquitted 11 people who were awarded death sentences or life terms by the lower court. Two died during trial and were exempted from the charges. The Speedy Trial Tribunal on April 16, 2005 handed down the death penalty to 22 people, including the main accused BNP leader Nurul Islam Sarkar and life in prison to six others for the high-profile murder. l

Police are still not sure about the role of Shah Zaman Robin in the murder of Mahmuda Khanam Mitu, wife of Superintendent of Police Babul Akter, even though he is one of the prime suspects in the case. Robin’s remand period ended yesterday, but investigators have yet to ascertain whether he is the same person seen in the CCTV footages near the murder scene. “We are not sure if Robin is the person who is seen in the footages collected from the CCTV cameras near the murder scene,” said Debdas Bhattacharia, additional commissioner (crime and operation) at Chittagong Metropolitan Police. He further said police had learnt Robin is a “different kind of terrorist” and is mostly involved with crimes like mugging. “His ideological views have not been confirmed either.” However, police still maintain that Robin was one of the three men who shot and stabbed Mitu to death before fleeing the scene on a motorcycle, as seen in the footages. Police have not been able to make headway in the murder investigation since the two suspects were arrested and placed on remand last week. “We have not yet found the main reason behind the murder, but the investigation is in progress. We are still scrutinising the CCTV footages we have collected. All possible angles are being considered in this

investigation,” the CMP official told the Dhaka Tribune. Meanwhile, Mitu’s mobile phone, which went missing right after the murder, has not been found yet. Police suspect that the killers took the phone away when they fled the scene and are working to find it because it may contain vital information regarding the murder. Police are also working to find out why Mitu went to the GEC intersection in Chittagong, where the murder took place so early in the morning, and how the killers knew she would be there, the CMP additional commissioner said. He did not give any further details regarding the case for the sake of the ongoing investigation. Abu Nosor Gunnu, the other suspect in the case who was also placed on remand for seven days, was brought into custody for interrogation yesterday. Gunnu’s remand period started a week later than Robin’s because he had filed a petition to review his remand order, which was turned down by the court. Mitu, 32, was killed by still unidentified assailants in front of her son on June 5. Her husband Babul filed a murder case with Panchlaish police station against three unnamed persons and their cohorts the following day. The DB police is currently in charge of the murder investigation, but the RAB, Police Bureau of Investigation, CID, and Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit are also working on the case. l

News

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

DMP: Recovered arms brought for subversive activities n Arifur Rahman Rabbi

DMP Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia said a “certain group” was planning to carry out subversive activities in Bangladesh in a largescale with the arms and ammunition that were recovered from a canal in Uttara. “We do not think that any small

criminal group had connections with the arms haul. These reserves are involved with local and international quarters,” he told a media briefing held in Dhaka yesterday. A total of 107 firearms, 1,057 rounds of ammunition, 487 pistol and SMG magazines, 10 bayonets and 188 pistol cleaning rods were recovered in the drives conducted

between Saturday and Sunday, the commissioner added. Without naming anyone, he said: “Those involved in the chaos in 2013 and the violence in 2014 and 2015 are behind it [the illegal firearms and ammunition haul].” “This group has joined hands with some international communities and are trying to disrupt the

peace of the county.” Commissioner also said the police have field a general dairy (GD) with Turag police station in this regard. “Police will also search for the black Pajero SUV that was seen dumping the bags full of weapons,” he added. Police are collecting CCTV footage from buildings and business or-

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Biman grounds four planes

Father: My son picked up in February He was taken away from in front his newly married wife by some plainclothesmen who claimed to be detective police. After the shootout police identified Mukul as Shariful alias Shakib alias Sharif alias Saleh alias Arif alias Hadi 1 and claimed he was an Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) leader with thorough knowledge of the banned outfit’s operations. “He is Md Mukul Rana, a final year English department student at Satkhira Government College,” Hedayat said, showing Mukul’s national ID to reporters at DMCH. Police have said the man had direct or indirect involvement in attacks on bloggers, publishers and LGBT activists and was a prime accused in the Avijit Roy murder case. As a key ABT member, his task was to rent houses in a different areas, train the executioners and coordinate the attacks on the spot, police said. Dhaka Metropolitan Police had put a Tk5 lakh reward on his head last month. Police have also identified him as the man seen in CCTV footage following Avijit Roy around at Dhaka University on the night of February 26, 2015. Mukul’s father said his son had been staying in Dhaka for about two years.

How Mukul went missing

Mukul’s father Abul Kalam Azad told the Dhaka Tribune that Mukul was born on November 25, 1993 in Baluigachha village in Satkhira. In February this year, Mukul married one Mohua, from Jessore’s Jhumjhumpur area, Azad said. Four days after the marriage, as Mukul and Mohua were coming to Satkhira from Jessore, they were apprehended by four or five men in Jessore town’s Boshundia Bazar area who introduced them detective police officers. They detained Mukul on the spot and since then the family has had no trace of him, Azad said. Mohua’s father filed a general diary at Jessore Sadar Police Station. The station’s Officer-in-Charge Ilias Hossain confirmed to the Dhaka Tribune that a missing report for a Mukul Rana had been filed by one Amir Hossain, his father-in-law, on February 20. The family contacted DMP detective branch office to try to trace Mukul but could not glean any information. Since then he had had no news of his son, Azad said.

ganisations surrounding the spot. Regarding Saturday’s recovery of the weapons, a Turag police station source told the Dhaka Tribune that 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 called his station. l

n Ishtiaq Husain

Mukul’s father Abul Kalam Azad

Mukul was good student, well behaved

Mukul’s father Abul Kalam Azad and his family members said that Mukul was a good student. He had passed SSC and HSC exams with grade GPA 5. After that he got admitted to the English department at the Satkhira Government College and was still a final year student. The family said Mukul was known as a well-behaved boy in the village, but was a shy person. He prayed regularly. One of Mukul’s teachers, lecturer AK Azad of Satkhira Government College, told the Dhaka Tribune that Mukul Rana was a good student. “He was regular in class at first year. After that he became irregular,” he said. Some staff at the college said Mukul was religious and shy, but could not confirm whether he was involved with Shibir’s politics.

Mukul’s political involvement still a mystery

Mukul’s father said that he was involved with the local Awami League and he knew that his son was not involved in politics. But he did not know whether Mukul was involved with any political party in Dhaka. Some villagers however, said that when Mukul was studying at Satkhira Government College he became involved with Islami Chhatra Shibir, Jamaat-e-Islami’s student wing. After 2013 when a crackdown took

DHAKA TRIBUNE

place on Jamaat and Shibir in the district, he was never seen in the village, some villagers said. But Azad said his son had left the village around two years ago. He and other family members said Mukul always told them over phone that he lived in Uttara area in Dhaka and worked at the local RAJUK office, but they did not have an actual address for him.

Inquest finds 10 bullet wounds

Police say Mukul was killed in a ‘gunfight’ while riding a motorcycle with two other associates in Meradia area in Khilgaon, Dhaka on a motorcycle in the early hours of Sunday. The inquest report on Sunday afternoon, prepared by Sub-inspector Al Mamun of Khilgaon police, said that there were 10 bullet wounds on the man’s body: one below the left ear, two on the left elbow, one on the back, two on the left side of the torso, one on the middle of the chest, two on the right and one below the chin. Asked about the name, Mashrukur Rahman Khaled, deputy commissioner (south), detective branch of DMP told Dhaka Tribune, “They [militants] use different name in different time. Maybe he has national or voter ID use name of Mukul.” He reiterated that the man was involved with the assassinations and was a highly skilled militant. l

Four aircraft out of 14 aircrafts from Biman Bangladesh’s fleet are grounded because of techincal glitches. Sources at Biman confirmed that the newly purchased Boeing 777 300 ER, the leased Boeing 777 200 ER, a Airbus 310 and a Dash Q8 400 have all been grounded. An official of Biman told the Dhaka Tribune that the situation has become unmanageable as four aircraft have been grounded. Scheduled flights to a total of 15 destinations has been cancelled while 3 to 4 flights are delayed daily by around 10/12 hours “If the management can not repair all four aircraft quickly, passengers will suffer throughout the month,” the official added. Domestic flight schedule also collapsed as only one aircraft is operating now among the two available aircrafts.

Passengers to and from Riyadh, Dammam, Kuwait, Muscat and Dubai are most affected by this. Sources said, last week a Dhaka-Kuwait flight was delayed by 12 hours while a Riyadh bound flight was delayed for 7 hours. A Muscat bound flight left Dhaka 9 hours later while a Dammam bound flight was delayed for 8 hours. This is a regular phenomenon for the airline as its aircrafts suffer from regular technical glitches. Biman has 10 aircrafts in its fleet to operate on international routes. The airline also leases two Boeing 777 200 aircrafts from Egypt which are also not operational at this time. At any given time, one out of two engines on Biman planes are out of order and two Airbus 310 aircraft from its fleet are going to end it’s service life in September this year. l

News

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

MPs to get both plots and flats n Tribune Desk

A bus of transport company Tisha Exclusive is seen blocking the Gulistan-Jatrabari lane of Mayor Mohammad Hanif Flyover yesterday around noon creating long tailbacks in the area. The incident took place following a clash of transport workers over taking control of a labour union office on the east side of Bangabhaban in Dhaka’s Gulistan area MEHEDI HASAN

Members of the parliament will each receive a flat and a plot, Housing and Public Works Minister Mosharraf Hossain said yesterday. Speaking at a discussion on the proposed national budget of the 2016-17 fiscal year, the minister said around 100,000 flats would be built by Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), the development authority of the capital city, and they will be available to the lawmakers on easy terms. However, he urged the lawmakers to choose flats instead of plots, but his request was turned down by the MPs who were present at the discussion with a resounding no. Later, after the protesting lawmakers calmed down, he said the project would be built on a 2,200acre plot, where the lawmakers would be given both flats and plots. This decision comes after the lawmakers' protest of the government's decision to stop allotting any more plots to the MPs, which was made last year. l

Foreign Secy: Final Rohingya ‘790 RMG factories close’ n census report by November Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque has briefed foreign diplomats about the census on the Rohingyas. “We want to collect information about the undocumented Myanmar nationals residing in Bangladesh and that is why we conducted the census,” the foreign secretary told the Dhaka Tribune. The census process started last year and the preliminary data collection completed last week. The secretary said the diplomats were appreciative about the government initiative to collect information about undocumented Myanmar nationals. “We expect to get the final result of the census by November or December,” he said. The government with its own fund has taken the initiative to conduct the census to get a clear picture of how many undocumented Myanmar nationals are living in the country.

TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY

THUNDERSHOWER TUESDAY, JUNE 21

the diplomats wanted to know about the future of the Rohingyas here and what the purpose of conducting the census was. The diplomats also expressed concern about left-out Rohingyas, the official said. “We told them BBS would wait another two months,” he said. About future plans, he said the government does not currently have any plans. After getting the final census report, it will prepare a future plan for the Rohingyas living in Bangladesh, he said. About half a million undocumented Myanmar nationals are residing in Bangladesh causing serious threat to the country’s economy, environment and security. Bangladesh is actively engaged with Myanmar to send them back to their country. In the briefing, the foreign secretary also discussed the Global Forum on Migration and Development to be held in December in Dhaka. l

About the left out Rohingyas, he said: “The census process is completely voluntary. If anybody is not interested in being included in the process, there is very little we can do.” He, however, said if any left out undocumented Myanmar national wanted to be included in the census, he or she could do so in the next two months. The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics conducted the census in six districts – Cox’s Bazar, Chittagong, Patuakhali, Khagrachari, Bandarban and Rangamati. The BBS also made a presentation about the census before the diplomats to elaborate on the international standards it maintained while conducting the census. The secretary said the objective of the census was to know how many undocumented Myanmar nationals are living in Bangladesh. “But we do not have any intention of forcing them to go back to Myanmar,” he added. Another official of the foreign ministry seeking anonymity said Dhaka

Chittagong

Rajshahi

DHAKA TODAY SUN SETS 6:49PM

Rangpur

Nearly 800 ready-made garment (RMG) factories have been closed down for various reasons, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said at parliament yesterday. “Of them, production at 39 factories were completely stopped while production at 42 other factories were partially suspended due to their failure to ensure safety for the workers,” he told the parliament. Tofail said there are 5,190 RMG factories in the country. “Of them, 4,834 are export oriented.” The 2013 Rana Plaza disaster

Khulna

Barisal

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:12AM

36.0ºC Tangail

25.0ºC Rangamati

Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES

that killed over 1,100 RMG workers brought the world’s attention to the worker safety issues. The commerce minister said North American retailers’ group Alliance and the European group Accord had conducted safety inspection at 3,746 export oriented factories. Bangladesh is the second largest manufacturer of RMG goods after China. Low production cost and cheap labour have been behind Bangladesh’s success. In reply to a question, Tofail said Bangladesh earned $23,762.95m from exporting RMG products until May of the outgoing fiscal year. l

Sylhet

Cox’s Bazar

Fajr: 3:50am | Zohr: 1:15pm Asr: 5:15pm | Magrib: 7:02pm Esha: 8:45pm Source: Islamic Foundation

News

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

No teachers for 28 govt primary schools n Monir Hossain, Shariatpur Twenty eight government primary schools in the district have no teachers since their establishment in 2012-2013. Besides, around 5,500 underprivileged students of the schools have been deprived of stipends. People and the college students of the locality are voluntarily operating the schools’ activities now. In the fiscal year of 2012-2013, the schools were set up in the re-

mote and char areas of the district to provide the underprivileged students of the areas with education, according to the office of the district education officer. Though the schools were decorated with necessary furniture and stuff that time, teachers are yet to be appointed. At the beginning, the schools were run by a deputation from other government primary schools of the district. Later, most of the teachers stopped working there, as these schools are located in remote

char areas. Afroza Kanta, teacher of Bagadi Government Primary School in Chikandi Union, is a member of the deputation working in Upurgaon Hachen Deowan Government Primary School. There are only two teachers, including Afroza, for more than 100 students in Hachen Deowan School. So, at the same time, she has to do the clerical job of the school. How long it is possible to operate the school’s activities in this way, she asked. Sagor Ahmed, a second-year

honours student of Government Haraganga College, has been teaching voluntarily in Mobarak Deowan Memorial Government Primary School of Kachikata Union in Bhedorganj upazila. He said, “I work here for the well- being of the underprivileged children.” Abul Hashem Deowan, chairman of the union, said he has requested education officer and the upazila executive officer several times to appoint teachers in the school, but has not got any response. Abul has

managed to continue the school’s education programme with the help of five college students. He has been paying the voluntary teachers Tk 2000 per month as conveyance allowance. The District Primary Education Officer Abul Kalam Azad said though Education Ministry has created four teacher posts in each of the schools, no teachers have been appointed yet. No decision has been taken on giving the students stipends yet, he informed. l

4 human traffickers sentenced n Anwar Hussain, Chittagong

A train derails near Sayedabad rail station in Sirajganj, halting rail communication between Dhaka and northern parts of Bangladesh for five hours yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Four human traffickers were detained and sentenced on Sunday by a mobile court at Chittagong’s Shah Amanat International Airport. Tahmilur Rahman, executive magistrate of Chittagong district administration also fined the human traffickers Tk1 lakh each. The detained are Ashrafur Rahman, 25, Monir Faraji, 35, Harun Shikder, 38, and Abdul Halim, 41. The executive magistrate said the human traffickers had brought two siblings to Shah Amanat International Airport from Dhaka promising to send them to Turkey. “However, the work permit and visa were not genuine,” said the magistrate. The traffickers were sentenced to different terms of imprisonment. Ashrafur Rahman for one year, Monir Faraji for six months, Harun Shikder and Abdul Halim were sentenced to three months. The two brothers said they had paid Tk330,000 each to human traffickers for travelling to Turkey. “In spite of paying off a huge amount of money, they demanded $1000 more from us,” they said. l

Illegal utility connections to be cut to avert landslides n Anwar Hussain, Chittagong

Divisional Hill Management Committee yesterday in Chittagong decided to cut illegal utility connections in the hills as a precaution during the monsoons. The decision was taken during the 15th Divisional Hill Management Committee Meeting held at the Chittagong Divisional Commissioner Conference Hall. Addressing at the meeting, Chittagong Divisional Commissioner Ruhul Amin said that they would take strong actions against the peo-

ple residing illegally on the foothills in the area. “We will conduct eviction drives soon. The illegal utility connections at risky settlements will be severed,” said the Divisional Commissioner, adding that mobile courts will penalise hill cutters. Chittagong deputy Commissioner Mesbah Uddin in his speech claimed that the number of landslide-related casualties during monsoon had reduced in the last couple of years because of the consorted efforts of the authorities concerned. Although the people who are

evicted during the monsoon return to the vulnerable hill slopes the deputy commissioner announced that they were going to conduct eviction drives after Ramadan. “A section of land grabbers with political influence rent out the slums to poor people after encroaching upon the hills. We are making efforts to rehabilitate people within the city,” added the DC. The speakers at the meeting suggested undertaking massive re-forestation programme after freeing the hills from encroachment.

In the past decade landslide triggered by heavy downpour in and around Chittagong has so far claimed 194 lives. The death includes 127 who lost their lives in a single catastrophic landslide in June 11, 2007. The tragic landslide of 2007 prompted the formation of two committees which identified 28 reasons behind landslides during thr monsoon in Chittagong and put forward a 36-point recommendation to avert future casualties from landslides. However, thousands of slum dwellers still continue to live on

the landslide prone slopes of the hills under the very nose of the authorities concerned. The meeting was chaired by Chittagong Divisional Commissioner Md Ruhul Amin along with all UNOs and Assistant Commissioners (Land) of Chittagong, representatives from Department of Environment, Power Development Board, Chittagong Metropolitan Police, Chittagong City Corporation, Bangladesh Railway, Chittagong Development Authority, Fire Service and Civil Defense and Forest Department. l

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

Shamim-Ivy faceoff over evicting hawkers from footpaths Hossain, n Tanveer Narayanganj A tense situation has taken place between Awami League MP AKM Shamim Osman and Narayanganj City Mayor Selina Hayat Ivy over evicting hawker from footpaths. According to local sources, the city corporation and the district administration jointly evicted hawkers from the footpath to keep the city jam-free in the month of Ramadan. The evicted hawkers held several programmes, including human-chain, procession, in the city demanding continuation of their

business. They also submitted memorandums to the deputy commissioner, superintendent of police and the mayor seeking their approval so that they can run their bussines on the city streets. As they did not get permission from them, they met Shamim Osman, MP from Narayanganj 4 constituency and sought his support in this regard. On Thursday, the hawkers started sitting on footpaths after getting permission from Shamim Osman. When contacted, the MP said he had been always with the hawkers.

“I do not support the business grabbing the footpath. But I have to think the question of the poor traders from the outlook of humanity,” he said. “These poor traders have family members and the business is only their source of income. Where will they go ahead of Eid?” he asked. “They should be given opportunity to run their business in the month of Ramadan and I had given a two-day time line to the city corporation for this,” he also said. As the time line given by him was over, the hawkers started to sit on footpaths after permission

from him and Jubo League-Chhatra League activists were seen controlling traffics. Mayor Ivy said a hawker market had been built up in Chashara in 2007 and the hawkers in the city were being rehabilitated there. The mayor said every hawker got the opportunity of doing business in the market. So there should be no question of sitting on the footpath. Narayanganj Police Superintendent Dr Khandakar Mohiuddin said to keep the roads jam-free, the police were continuously conducting drive in the city. l

Cloth stores fined in Ctg n Tribune Desk

A mobile court of Chittagong district administration yesterday fined two cloth stores with Tk2 lakh for deceiving customers and not showing purchase documents. Tahmilur Rahman, executive magistrate of Chittagong district administration, conducted the drive at the city’s Chittagong shopping complex. Sensing the presence of the mobile court, Jinimini, a cloth store of Chittagong Shopping Complex tore apart the fixed price tag. The mobile court revealed that the selling price of a ‘Lehenga’ at the cloth store was Tk9,850. However, the seller purchased the dress at Tk4,750. The same case was seen in another dress of the shop where the purchase price was Tk5,100 and the selling price was Tk12,500. On other hand, Nadia Emporium, a cloth store of Chittagong Shopping Complex also, tore apart the price tag of all dresses, sensing the presence of the mobile court. l

News

Local fish traders storing Ilish for selling in upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr market to get more benefits. The picture was taken yesterday from Sadarghat area of Chittagong RABIN CHOWDHURY

BNP leader Aslam sent to jail in loan default case Mizanur Rahman, n FM Chittagong

A Chittagong court sent Aslam Chowdhury, joint secretary general of BNP, after police produced him before the court showing arrested in eight loan default cases. Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) (Prosecution) of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) Nirmalendu Bikash Chakrabarty told Dhaka Tribune, “The court of Metropolitan Magistrate Abdul

Aslam came to the spotlight after his alleged meeting with an agent of Mossad Kader sent the BNP leader to jail after police produced him before the court showing arrested in eight cases filed with Kotwali Police Station over Tk36 crore 5 lakh loan default.” Citing a case statement, the police official said Aslam took Tk 36.50 crore from Pubali Bank’s CDA Branch in Chittagong as loan on different terms between the years of 2013 and 2015. Later, eight separate cases were lodged with the police station after the cheques, which Aslam issued to repay the loan, had been dishonoured. Aslam became the talk of the country after news of his alleged meeting with an Israeli intelligence agency Mossad agent was published in a newspaper. Later, he was arrested by detectives from the capital’s Khilkhet area on May 15. He was sued in a sedition case on May 26 on charge of hatching conspiracy against the government. Aslam was also shown arrested in two arson cases after his arrest. l

Tension mounts at Chittagong College over BCL clash Mizanur Rahaman, n FM Chittagong

Tension ran high at Chittagong Government College yesterday as two rival groups of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) took position outside the campus, a day after the clash between them. Following the tense situation, the college authority suspended all classes and additional police have been deployed on the campus. As per as college authorities’ directives police did not allow anyone inside the college except admission seekers and examinees. Assistant Commissioner of Chit-

tagong Metropolitan Police’s Kotwali Circle Kazi Abdur Rahim told the Dhaka Tribune that police did not allow anyone except the admission seekers, guardians and examinees on the college campus. The police official said the admission procedure remained continued without any hindrance. According to a report published in the Dhaka Tribune on Sunday, admission seekers of first year of Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) suffered immensely as two groups of BCL clashed on the college campus over establishing supremacy during on Sunday’s intake test. At least six Chhatra League activ-

ists were injured during the clash. The clash had ensued among two factions of city unit Awami League one was led by its city unit President Mohiuddin Chowdhury while another was loyal to Secretary AJM Nasir Uddin. Witnesses said the clash had erupted when the followers of Chittagong City Corporation Mayor AJM Nasir entered into Chittagong College campus with a procession around 1pm. The BCL men of Mohiuddin group, who took position on the campus, later chased the AJM Nasir’s men and drove them out of the campus hurling brick chips triggering the clash, they said.

The clash also spread to nearby Hazi Mohammed Mohsin College. During the clash, panic gripped admission seekers and their guardians. Later, guardians were also compelled to take shelter inside classrooms at Chittagong College, said college sources. Apart from that, vehicular movement were suspended from Chawakbazar to Jamal Khan route for half an hour that led to a severe traffic congestion in the port city. Being informed, police went to the spot after half an hour and dispersed the clashing groups charging batons on them. Chawakbazar Police Station’s

Officer-in-Charge Aziz Ahmed said police dispersed the clashing groups after clash Mir Ratul Hasan, a guardian, said: “We have got frightened seeing that clash of BCL men.” He said he and his younger brother took cover inside the college building to evade causality. Professor Jesmin Akter, principal of Chittagong College, said the admission procedure was completed congenially and no awkward situation occurred. Two cases were filed accusing 23 BCL men and 60 others with Chawakbazar police station following the clash. l

8 World

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

SOUTH ASIA

Nepalese guards among 24 killed in Afghan attacks A Taliban suicide bomber killed 14 Nepalese security guards in an attack Monday on their minibus in Kabul, the Interior Ministry and an Afghan security official said. Elsewhere in Afghanistan, a bomb rigged to a motorbike killed 10 Afghan civilians in a busy market in a province in the northeast. -AP

UNHCR: 65.3m globally displaced n Reuters, Geneva

Indonesia on Monday defended opening fire on Chinese sailors as an action aimed at stopping illegal fishing, as China said it had overlapping maritime claims with Jakarta. Beijing protested strongly over Friday’s clash near Indonesia’s Natuna Islands in the South China Sea, saying one Chinese fisherman was injured. The Indonesian navy insisted no one was hurt when it detained seven sailors on a Chinese-flagged vessel. -AFP

A record 65.3m people were uprooted worldwide last year, many of them fleeing wars only to face walls, tougher laws and xenophobia as they reach borders, the United Nations refugee agency said on Monday. The figure, which jumped from 59.5m in 2014 and by 50% in five years, means that 1 in every 113 people on the planet is now a refugee, asylum-seeker or internally displaced in a home country. Fighting in Syria, Afghanistan, Burundi and South Sudan has driven the latest exodus, bringing the total number of refugees to 21.3m, half of them children, the UNHCR said in its “Global Trends” report marking World Refugee Day. “The refugees and migrants crossing the Mediterranean and arriving on the shores of Europe, the message that they have carried is that if you don’t solve problems, problems will come to you,” UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi told a news briefing. “It’s painful that it has taken so long for people in the rich countries to understand that,” he said. “We need action, political action to stop conflicts, that would be the most important prevention of refugee flows.” A record 2m new asylum claims were lodged in industrialised countries in 2015, the report said. Nearly 100,000 were children unaccompanied or separated from their families, a three-fold rise on 2014 and a historic high. Germany, where one in three applicants was Syrian, led with 441,900 claims, followed by the United States with 172,700, many of them fleeing gang and drug-related violence in Mexico and Central America. Developing regions still host 86% of the world’s refugees, led by Turkey with 2.5m Syrians, followed by Pakistan and Lebanon, the report said.

MIDDLE EAST

‘Rise of xenophobia’

INDIA

Modi’s degree row: Gujarat University challenges CIC order The Gujarat University on Monday filed a petition with the Gujarat high court challenging the central information commissioner’s (CIC) order directing the University to provide details of PM Narendra Modi’s post-graduate degree to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The petition seeks to quash the CIC order. -THE HINDU

CHINA

South China floods kill 22 Severe floods in southern China have killed at least 22 people and left 20 missing since Saturday, the government said, with the rains expected to continue for the next three days. About 200,000 people from 8 southern provinces and regions had been forced to evacuate, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said on its website. -REUTERS

ASIA PACIFIC

Jakarta defends opening fire on Chinese boat

Iran shuts newspaper over IRGC complaint Iranian authorities on Monday shut down the Ghanoon newspaper, which has criticized the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the newspaper said in a statement on its website. The move came days after President Hassan Rouhani called for greater freedom of expression in the media. Ghanoon said it been shut by the judiciary after complaints made by the IRGC’s Department of Intelligence. -REUTERS

Asylum-seekers fleeing conflicts or persecution are increasingly confronted with walls or anti-foreigner sentiment, Grandi said. “The rise of xenophobia is unfortunately becoming a very defining feature of the environment in which we work. “Barriers are rising everywhere - and I’m not just talking of walls. But I’m talking about legislative barriers that are coming up, including in countries in the industrialised world that have been for a long time bastions of principle in defending the fundamental rights

65.3M REFUGEES, INTERNALLY DISPLACED WORLDWIDE IN 2015 Numbers

Millions of people

Country of origin 65.3

Turkey 2.5

60 40

4.9 Syria

37.5

20 0

Host countries

Pakistan 1.6 Lebanon 1.1

2005

40.8 internally displaced

Source: UNHCR

2015

Iran 1 2.7 Afghanistan

21.3 refugees UNHCR

1.1

Palestinians 3.2

0.6 Sudan

Somalia

0.8 South Sudan

Jordan Ethiopia Kenya Chad Yemen South Sudan Uganda Sudan Others 1.1

asylum seekers

Syrian refugees children collect water at a refugee camp in Jordan linked to asylum.” After Balkan countries closed borders, Turkey and the European Union (EU) struck a deal in March to stem an influx that brought a million refugees and migrants to Europe in 2015. “The fact that that flow has stopped does not mean the problem of displacement has ended. It may have ended for some countries that don’t have to deal with it anymore, for now,” Grandi said. Progress has lagged on a scheme to redistribute 160,000 asylum seekers from Greece and Italy to other EU states to alleviate pressure on the two frontline countries. Only 2,406 people have been relocated, EU figures show. Grandi, asked about stalled relocation, said: “There is no Plan B for Europe. Europe will continue to receive people seeking asylum.” “Everybody has to share responsibility now,” he said. l

REUTERS

SYRIA’S REFUGEE CRISIS IN NUMBERS Ü More than 4.5m refugees from Syria are in just five countries-- Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt Ü Turkey hosts 2.5m refugees from Syria, more than any other country worldwide Ü Lebanon hosts approximately 1.1m refugees from Syria which amounts to around one in five people in the country Ü Jordan hosts approximately 635,324 refugees from Syria, which amounts to about 10% of the population Ü Iraq where 3.9m people are already internally displaced hosts 245,022 refugees from Syria Ü Egypt hosts 117,658 refugees from Syria Ü The UN’s 2015 humanitarian appeal for Syrian refugees was just 61% funded by the end of the year. Ü According to the UN around 250,000 people have been killed and 13.5m people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance inside Syria Ü More than 50% of Syria’s population is currently displaced Ü In total, 162,151 resettlement places have been offered globally since the start of the Syria crisis, which equates to a mere 3.6% of the total population of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt and Turkey. Ü At least 450,000 people in the five main host countries - or 10% - are in need of resettlement according to the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR Ü Gulf countries including Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain have offered zero resettlement places to Syrian refugees

Sources: UNHCR, OCHA, IOM

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

ANALYSIS

USA

EU referendum gamble to define David Cameron’s legacy 2 DAYS TO GO

n Tribune International Desk It’s often said that David Cameron is a lucky politician who has seemed to coast through politics on instinct and charm during a career that has culminated in six years as British prime minister. But now his luck may be running out. In calling a referendum on Britain’s membership in the European Union, Cameron has made a gamble that could end his career — and take his country out of an international alliance it joined more than 40 years ago. It would be a rare but fateful miscalculation for a politician who has a reputation for thriving under pressure and astutely judging political risks. The referendum campaign has been unexpectedly bitter and divisive, and was brought to a shocked halt when Labour lawmaker Jo Cox was shot and stabbed to death in the street last week. The suspected killer gave his name in court as “death to traitors, freedom for Britain.” Before Cox died, opinion polls had shown surging sentiment in favour of a British exit from the 28-nation EU — known as Brexit.

3 Asian nations to designate shipping corridor in piracy battle n Reuters, Manila Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines on Monday agreed to designate a transit corridor for commercial vessels crossing a maritime zone hit by a spate of hijackings by jihadist militants in the Philippines. Nearly 20 Indonesian and Malaysian tugboat crew have been kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf militants this year, with Jakarta airing fears that the problem could reach levels seen off the coast of Somalia. Analysts say $40bn worth of cargo passes through the Sulu and Celebes seas each year, including supertankers from the Indian Ocean that cannot use the crowded Malacca Strait. The three countries also agreed to step up air and sea patrols and escorts for commercial ships in the common maritime areas to fend off potential hijacks, kidnaps and robbery. l

World

David Cameron A majority of supporters of Cameron’s Conservative Party said they would vote to quit the bloc in Thursday’s referendum. That’s bitter news for Cameron, who called the referendum to puncture growing support for the anti-EU UK Independence Party and placate the strongly Eurosceptic right wing of the Conservatives. When he promised the referendum, in 2013, Cameron said it would “settle this European question in British politics” once and for all. He told voters he would forge a new deal between Britain and the EU that would make remaining an attractive prospect. At a Brussels

REUTERS

summit in February, he won changes to welfare benefits that he said would reduce immigration and an exemption for Britain from the EU’s commitment to “ever-closer union” — a phrase that stirs images of a European super-state in some patriotic British hearts. But many voters have proved resistant to Cameron’s message that Britain is stronger, safer and more economically secure within the EU than it would be outside it. The concessions he gained have been dismissed as paltry by “leave” campaigners, who say they will do little to limit immigration from other EU nations because the bloc guarantees free

movement among member states. It’s a subject that resonates with many voters, who have seen hundreds of thousands of people come to Britain over the past decade from new EU members in eastern Europe. (Hundreds of thousands of Britons also live in other EU countries, a less remarked-upon fact). Far from healing Conservative divisions over Europe, the referendum has exacerbated them. Cameron has led the “remain” campaign, but let Eurosceptic members of his Cabinet call for a “leave” vote. As a result, senior Conservatives, including former London Mayor Boris Johnson and Justice Secretary Michael Gove, have spent months attacking him. Tory leader for a decade and prime minister since 2010, Cameron has vowed to stay in office if there is a “leave” vote. Even if Britain votes to remain, Cameron’s days as leader are numbered. He has already announced he will step down before the next election in 2020. A deeply divided party will likely want him to leave long before that, so that a new leader can help heal the referendum’s wounds, and dissident Conservative lawmakers could trigger a no-confidence vote to oust Cameron. l

Trump open to consider racial profiling n Reuters Republican Donald Trump said on Sunday the United States should consider more racial profiling in law enforcement, after urging harsher policies following last week’s mass shooting in Orlando. “I think profiling is something that we’re going to have to start thinking about as a country,” Trump said when asked on CBS whether he supported more profiling of Muslims in America. “You look at Israel and you look at others, and they do it and they do it successfully. And you know, I hate the concept of profiling, but we have to start using common sense,” he added. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, has drawn criticism from many in his party for his comments on American Muslims after the Orlando attack, in which a US born

Donald Trump

REUTERS

Muslim man killed 49 people at a gay nightclub. Trump also reiterated his support for more scrutiny of mosques, saying that could resemble a controversial New York City surveillance program that has been shut down. “If you go to France right now, they’re doing it in France. In fact, in some instances they’re closing down mosques.” Police in France closed some mosques shortly after gunmen aligned with Islamic State militants killed 130 people in Paris in a series of attacks on November 13. The Orlando gunman, Omar Mateen, expressed support for

Islamic State, but officials believe he was “self-radicalised”. Trump has drawn criticism from many in his Republican Party for calling for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States. He also has called for a suspension of immigration from countries with “a proven history of terrorism”. Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee, has said the comments show Trump is unfit to be president. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan endorsed Trump but has said a Muslim ban is not in US interests. In excerpts of an NBC interview released on Friday, Ryan said Republicans weighing whether to vote for Trump should follow their “conscience.” Trump brushed off the criticism on Sunday and said he would put up his own money for his campaign if needed. “It would be nice if the Republicans stuck together,” Trump said in an ABC interview. “I can win, one way or another.” l

Donald Trump drops campaign manager Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump on Monday shook up his White House bid as he letting go his controversial campaign manager. Corey Lewandowski courted controversy earlier this year over a March run-in with a reporter at a Trump rally. She accused him of roughly grabbing her, leaving bruises, but he denied that account. -AFP

THE AMERICAS

Clashes between police, teachers leave 6 dead in Mexico Violent clashes between police and members of teachers’ union who had blockaded roads in southern Mexico on Sunday left 6 people dead and more than 100 injured, officials said. The teachers from the National Coordinator of Education Workers are opposed to the mandatory testing of teachers as part of Mexico’s sweeping education reform and are also protesting the arrest of union leaders on money laundering and other charges. -AP

Nobel economists warn UK over Brexit Ten winners of the Nobel Prize in economics on Monday warned that leaving the EU would create major uncertainty over Britain as a trading nation and inflicting lasting economic damage. The laureates - 6 American, 3 British and one French -- said the economic consequences would persist for many years, adding the economic arguments are clearly in favour of remaining in the EU. -REUTERS

EUROPE

More than 10,000 protest against racism in Germany Thousands of Germans formed human chains against racism in several large cities on Sunday after a surge in hate crimes against foreigners following a record influx of more than a million migrants last year. Organisers said over 20,000 people joined protests in Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Leipzig and Bochum while police counted more than 10,000 demonstrators. -REUTERS

AFRICA

Congo declares yellow fever epidemic Democratic Republic of Congo declared a yellow fever epidemic in three provinces including the capital Kinshasa on Monday after confirming 67 cases of the disease, with another 1,000 suspected cases being monitored. Health Minister Felix Kabange said seven of the proven cases were autochthonous, while 58 were imported from Angola, where the outbreak began. -REUTERS

World

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

INSIGHT

How gas to warm ties between Israel, Turkey

Vast reserves

Israel and Cyprus, which have increasingly close ties, sit on an estimated 3,450bn m3 of gas buried in the Levant Basin, according to a US Geological Survey carried out late last decade. Those reserves are worth around $700bn and equate to enough gas to supply the entire world for a year. And that’s only proven reserves. A recent seismological survey conducted by a French consultancy suggested Israel alone may be sitting on nearly three times as much gas as first thought, according to Steinitz. The problem is not just the huge costs of drilling for the gas, but finding a route to deliver it to customers. While a portion of the gas would go for domestic consumption, the vast majority is earmarked for export. Unless Israel and Cyprus can lock in long-term export contracts, the costs of developing the deepwater fields will not be covered and the vast assets may never be fully exploited. Jordan, which has a peace treaty with Israel, may be a long-run buyer of Israeli gas, but is a modest market. Neighbouring Lebanon and Syria - both sworn enemies of Israel - are out of the question. Instead, Turkey and Egypt, with 80m and 93m people respectively, would be a far better fit as potential long-

Mersin TURKEY

2,000,000

Self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

1,952,790

1,464,593

1,000,000

REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS

Imports ($USD)

1,500,000

Potential oil and gas field

Kyrenia

488,198

Exports ($USD)

Imports ($USD)

SYRIA

NICOSIA Limassol Larnaca BEIRUT

976,395

500,000

Iskerendun

2,440,988

2,500,000

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

On the sidelines of a nuclear security summit in Washington in March, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a private meeting with Israel’s energy minister, Yuval Steinitz. It was the highest level contact between Israel and Turkey since diplomatic relations broke down six years ago after Israeli forces raided a Turkish ship bound for Gaza, killing 10 Turkish activists. The meeting, which lasted 20 to 30 minutes and whose details have not been previously disclosed, discussed the war in Syria, Iran’s presence there, terrorism - and natural gas. That last item is a key driver of efforts to forge a rapprochement between Israel and Turkey: At stake are reserves of natural gas worth hundreds of billions of dollars under the waters of Israel and Cyprus. To exploit them Israel will likely require the cooperation of Turkey. Since the Washington meeting, high-level envoys from Turkey and Israel have talked privately in Geneva and London to hammer out a deal on restoring relations between the former allies. Discussions have at times become bogged down: Israel wants Turkey to cut ties with Hamas representatives based in Turkey; Ankara wants reassurances on providing aid to Palestinians in Gaza, among other things.

GAS DISCOVERIES AROUND CYPRUS

TURKEY’S IMPORTS AND EXPORTS WITH ISRAEL

Exports ($USD)

n Reuters, Jerusalem

Leviathan (Noble +Delek)

MEDITERRANEAN SEA

Tamar

Gas exploration blocks Licenced to Noble Energy group

0 Year-to-date

Maritime boundaries Contested maritime border

Data via http://www.turkstat.gov.tr/

Golan Heights

ISRAEL

West Bank

Port Said

EGYPT

Mohammad Razon/ Dhaka Tribune

Haifa

Jerusalem Gaza Strip

Jordan

term consumers. An initial plan was to send some of the gas to Egypt, which already has small contracts to buy gas from Israel. But in the past year Egypt has discovered natural gas off its coastline and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has said he will push ahead rapidly with developing its own energy resources. Steinitz says a deal with Egypt remains an option. But Israel is also turning towards exploring a pipeline to Turkey, both for consumers there and as a connection to Europe. A third option is a Cyprus-Greece-Europe route. As a result, restoring relations with Ankara is now a linchpin in Israel’s strategy to unlock its natural gas wealth.

Russia connection

Turkey imports the bulk of its gas from Russia. But Ankara’s ties with Moscow are strained, particularly over the Syrian conflict after a Turkish fighter plane shot down a Russian jet last November. In 2015, Turkey trimmed its imports of Russian gas by 300m m3 to around 27bn m3 a year, to the annoyance of Moscow. Yet Turkey’s rapidly growing economy still consumes 50bn m3 of gas a year and demand is set to double over the next seven or eight years, analysts say. Diversifying supply will be important. For Israel, building a pipeline to Turkey or Egypt is about the same distance, around 540km, and about the same cost, around $3bn. Turkey

An Israeli gas platform in the Mediterranean sea is more attractive because of its position as a gateway to Europe.

The Cyprus problem

Though Steinitz is hopeful of mending fences with Turkey, regional analysts remain sceptical of a gas bonanza in the East Mediterranean any time soon. Perhaps the trickiest issue is Cyprus. Since 1974 the island has been split between the Republic of Cyprus in the south and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,

after the Turks invaded following a military coup on the island backed by Greece. There are no diplomatic ties between the south, which is a member of the European Union, and Turkey. Large amounts of gas are located in the territorial waters of the Republic of Cyprus. If it and Israel are intent on coordinating their export strategy - and if Turkey is to be one of the routes - the divisions in Cyprus must be addressed first, analysts say. That’s because at least

REUTERS

part of the pipeline would have to pass through Cypriot territorial waters into Turkish territorial waters. British and Cypriot diplomats have talked hopefully about a breakthrough on reunifying Cyprus, but it remains far from certain. Even if a deal can be reached, it still may not mean all hurdles are cleared. Steinitz remains optimistic, convinced that Israel’s economic stability and energy security depend on developing the country’s gas resources in whatever way possible. l

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

US Senate to vote on weapon curbs

US SC rejects challenge to state assault weapon bans

n Reuters, Washington, DC

The US Senate will make its strongest push in years to tighten gun controls on Monday, voting on four proposals a week after the Orlando shooting massacre prompted new calls to keep firearms away from people on terrorism watch lists. But while the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history has spurred quick action in Congress, none of the bills is expected to achieve the 60 votes needed for passage in the 100-seat chamber, as Republicans and Democrats have not been able to reach consensus on the extent of any new restrictions. The proposals aimed at strengthening background checks for gun purchases will come as amendments to a Justice Department spending bill. In the Republican-controlled Senate, Connecticut Democrat Murphy led fellow Democrats in 15

straight hours of filibuster last week to demand action on gun control, a move he said “helped galvanise an entire country around this issue.” A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted last week found that 71% of Americans favour at least moderate regulations and restrictions on gun sales, including eight of 10 Democrats and six of 10 Republicans. That compared with 60% in late 2013 and late 2014. Congress has not passed new gun restrictions since a 2007 expansion of the government’s automatic background check database to include individuals with a history of mental illness and felons. Two other proposals will get votes on Monday, including Murphy’s plan to expand background checks to online sales and those at gun shows and Republican Senator Charles Grassley’s plan to boost funding for the National Instant Criminal Background Check System and add mental health considerations to the checks. l

The US Supreme Court on Monday left in place gun control laws in New York and Connecticut that ban assault weapons like the one used in last week’s massacre at an Orlando nightclub, rejecting a challenge brought by gun rights advocates. The justices declined to hear an appeal of an October ruling by the New York-based 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals that upheld laws prohibiting semi-automatic weapons in the two states. The laws in New York and Connecticut, among the strictest in the nation, were enacted after a gunman with a semi-automatic rifle killed 20 young children and six educators in 2012 at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. The challengers had asserted that the laws

World

violated the US Constitution’s protection of the right to bear arms. The court denied the appeal with no comment or recorded vote. In total, seven states and the District of Columbia ban semi-automatic rifles. A national law barring assault weapons expired in 2004, and congressional Republicans and some Democrats, backed by the influential National Rifle Association gun rights lobby, beat back efforts to restore it. The US Constitution’s Second Amendment guarantees the right to bear arms, The court lost one of its strongest pro-gun rights members in February when conservative Justice Antonin Scalia died. The expired federal assault gun ban had barred the manufacture and sale of semi-automatic guns with military-style features as well as magazines holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition. l

12 Business

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

TOP STORIES E-TIN mandatory from Tk16,000 salaries People with monthly salary of Tk16,000 and above must register with electronic taxpayers identification number (eTIN) from next fiscal year. PAGE 13

Bears tighten grip on stock markets Bears tighten grip on stock markets, as stocks extended their losses for the third straight session. PAGE 13

IMF: Japan needs bold reforms to spark economic revival The International Monetary Fund yesterday said the Japanese government’s quest to revitalise its economy faces a long slog in the absence of ‘bold’ structural reforms, and urged Tokyo to move income policies and labour market reform to the forefront. PAGE 14

India announces sweeping reforms to FDI rules India announced yesterday sweeping reforms to rules on foreign direct investment, opening up its defence and civil aviation sectors to complete outside ownership and clearing the way for Apple to open stores in the country. PAGE 15

Capital market snapshot: Monday DSE Broad Index

4,369.0

-0.4% ▼

Index

1,075.8

-0.5% ▼

30 Index

1,713.0

-0.7% ▼

Turnover in Mn Tk

3,283.5

2.1% ▲

Turnover in Mn Vol

81.0 -11.9% ▼

CSE All Share Index 13,436.9

-0.6% ▼

30 Index

12,384.8

-0.4% ▼

Selected Index

8,177.8

-0.6% ▼

Turnover in Mn Tk

191.3

-8.5% ▼

Turnover in Mn Vol

6.8

-6.6% ▼

Study: High interest rate a key barrier to remediation in RMG factories n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi High bank interest rates against loans and lack of financial literacy have got in the way of accomplishing remediation work in Bangladesh’s garment sector, according to a study report. The report “Remediation financing in Bangladesh’s readymade garment sector: an overview” launched yesterday cited interest rates ranging from 9% to 18% as a barrier to executing remediation. International Finance Corporation (IFC) and International Labour Organization (ILO) jointly conducted the report. The study was aimed at analysing the cost of safety remediation for structural, electrical, and fire safety work in RMG factories, as well as the ability of factories to finance this work. According to the study, the cost of remediation if the factory does not need extensive structur-

REMEDIATION COST IN GARMENT FACTORIES

Total estimated around $929m Remaining cost around $635m Structural remediation $262m Electrical remediation $201m Fire-related remediation $171m IFC provided low-cost fund to banks of $40m al retrofitting work can range from $20,000 to $900,000. The total remediation cost for 80% of factories ranges between $100,000 and $250,000. It is estimated that 75% of factories in Bangladesh will not need large structural retrofitting work, and therefore will fall within this range. Wendy Werner, country manager of IFC Bangladesh, said: “It’s imperative for the RMG sector in Bangladesh to realise the significance of remediation finance and, respective factories ought to look at expendi-

ture for safety as an investment.” “Once compliance levels are respected, buyers will have more confidence, leading to overall industry expansion.” The report said small factories are unable to present proper, required collateral and reliable audit and thus not able to have enough resources to invest as banks may not view them as a worthwhile investment. While larger factories, it continued, with strong business relationships to international brands are most likely to be awarded loans, as they can provide longterm purchase orders to prove future cash flow. Gagan Rajabhandari, deputy director of ILO Bangladesh, said: “Only when remediation is completed, the safety of workers in export-oriented RMG factories will be ensured. Efforts are needed to ensure that financing is available and accessible for all RMG busi-

nesses. However, those which are already able to self-finance this work or access loans should do so without delay.” Talking on the remediation financing, BGMEA Senior Vice-President Faruque Hassan said they had held over 100 meetings with stakeholders but no one was yet to get any loans for remediation. “The authorities concerned and donor agencies should take measures so that small and medium enterprises can get loans at a lower interest rate and use it for remediation,” said Hassan. He urged the government to provide loans at the interest rates offered by donor agencies to the government. In July 2015, IFC announced the launch of a credit facility of $40m to support in financing electrical, fire and limited structural remediation work in Bangladesh RMG factories.  PAGE 14 COLUMN 1

Sonali, Agrani asked BTRC to sue Apple Global Communications to form search bodies Tel n to pick MDs Ishtiaq Husain

n Jebun Nesa Alo

State-owned Sonali and Agrani bank have been asked to form separate search committees to pick their new Managing Directors. Finance Ministry has recently instructed the board of the two banks through issuing letters in this regard. On the other hand, another state-owned Rupali Bank’s Managing Director M Farid Uddin may get another extension, according to a source in the Finance Ministry. Pradip Kumar Dutta, immediate past managing director of Sonali Bank concluded his job tenure on June 16 as the board of the bank did not send any proposal to the ministry for his job extension. Though Pradip Kumar still has the required age limit to hold the post, the high authorities reportedly are not in favour of extending his job contract any further because of the Hallmark loan scam occurred during his tenure. On the other hand, Syed Abdul Hamid, managing director of Agrani Bank will also not get his job extension anymore due to his

alleged involvement in loan scam. His job contract will expire on July 10 this year. Besides, Hamid is now facing a removal process from his post as Bangladesh Bank has already started grilling him on charge of his alleged involvement in a number of loan scandals. However, the government is learnt to be positive about the extension of the job contract of Farid Uddin as there has been no such loan scandal against him as well as his bank during his tenure, said a senior executive of the Finance Ministry. As the board of the Rupali Bank is pleased with his performance, it sent a proposal to the ministry seeking his job extension. Still, the final decision will be taken soon after the finance minister join his office after his arrival from abroad, he said. Farid Uddin, whose job contract will expire on July 7, has also proved his efficiency in managing different pressure groups of a state-owned bank like different unions including CBA (collective bargaining agent), business community etc, said the executive. l

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has decided to file a case against Apple Global Tel Communications Ltd, an International Gateway (IGW) operator, for failing to pay its pending dues on time. BTRC has made the decision at a recent meeting as the operator failed to pay its outstanding dues of around Tk108 crore. Simultaneously, the regulator has also sought permission from the Posts and Telecommunications Division for scraping the licence of the company. The regulator has been planning to take hard line against all the major defaulters among the International Gateway (IGW) op-

erators. As part of its plan, the commission will take the stern action against Apple Global Tel Communications Ltd to collects the pending dues from it, said a BTRC official on condition of anonymity. It is noted here that BTRC had earlier given an opportunity to Apple Global Tel Communications for paying all the dues in instalments. BTRC had asked Apple to pay Tk10 crore by January 10, as down payments and rest of the dues in 24 instalments but the company failed to pay the dues as per the deadline. Apple got license from BTRC as an IGW operator and started to provide service from September 19, 2012.  PAGE 13 COLUMN 1

E-TIN mandatory from Tk16,000 salaries n

Syed Samiul Basher Anik

People with monthly salary of Tk16,000 and above must register with electronic taxpayers identification number (eTIN) from next fiscal year. With the Finance Bill 2016, the government has made registration with eTIN mandatory for all salaried individuals. This will be applicable for both public and private sector employees. According to the bill, the eTIN will be mandatory for employees working in government offices an authority, corporation, body or units of the government or formed by any law, order or instrument

being in force - if the employee, at any time in the income year, draws salary at a scale of grade 10 or basic salary of Tk16,000 or above. However, such marginal taxpayers with e-TIN do not have to submit their income tax returns. Submission of income tax returns will only be applicable for people with annual income of above Tk2.50 lakh. National Board of Revenue officials said the eTIN move aims to boost the government’s revenue income through expansion of tax base like including marginal taxpayers. The government thinks the present number of income taxpayers in the country is not satisfactory.

NBR data said although at least 7m people earn enough to pay taxes, only 1.8m have tax identification numbers (TINs). Of them, only 1.2m taxpayers, which is less than 1% of the population, submit their income tax returns regularly. But the government expects higher number given the size of population to submit income tax returns. The latest move to introduce eTIN for individuals with salaries of Tk16,000 and above is expected to help the government reach its target of raising the number of taxpayers to 1.5m from 1.2m now by the end of the next fiscal year. l

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

Muhith: Appointment of Jubok administrator soon n Asif Showkat Kallol Prime Minister’s Office has given finance ministry the onus of appointing administrator for Jubo Karmasangsthan Society (Jubok) so the move can be taken to pay off the cheated hundreds of thousands of its clients. Finance Minister AMA Muhith said he will soon sit with Jubok stakeholders about appointing administrator. Senior Commerce Secretary Hedayetullah Al Mamoon said the law ministry has already given approval on appointment of administrator, which will be placed at the stakeholders meeting with finance minister. According to the law ministry’s opinion, the government can ap-

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

BTRC to sue Earlier on October 28, 2013, the regulatory body had suspended Bestec’s all types of operational activities. The regulatory commission had earlier filed separate cases against Telex Limited, Vision Tel Limited, Bestec Telecom Limited, Ratul Telecom and Kay Telecommunication, according to Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Law 2001. Earlier, BTRC suspended operational activities of Ratul Telecom Limited, Kay Telecommunications Limited, Telex Limited and Vision Tel Limited. l

point an autonomous body as administration for Jubok or it can also appoint a receiver as per official receivers act. A finance ministry report said finance minister wants to appoint Department of Social Services under Social Welfare Ministry as Jubok administrator. It added that the Office of the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms, which is under commerce ministry, is not willing to take the responsibility to handle the matter due to manpower shortage. According to sources, the government wants to pay back the money, deposited by the members of Jubok, by selling its assets worth Tk2,500 crore. Jubok, in the name of high profit, lured over 300,000 people to collect the huge sum. l

Walton offers 10 years guaranty for fridge compressors n Tribune Business Desk

BD Thai gets BSEC nod for rights issue n Tribune Business Desk Bangladesh (BD) Thai Aluminum yesterday received market regulator BSEC’s approval to raise more than Tk52 crore through a rights issue. The commission approved the company draft offer documents on rights offer, according to a statement issued by Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC). BD Thai Aluminum will issue around 5 crore ordinary shares to raise over Tk52 crore. It will issue one rights share against one existing share at the price of Tk10 each share. With the raised fund, the company will increase its production capacity and pay bank loan. According to rights share document as of June last year, net asset value is Tk47.94. Its earnings per share are Tk1.03 a share as of January last year. l

Business

Nestlé Nutrition Institute (NNI) and Holy Family Red Crescent Medical College and Hospital jointly launch ‘NNI Knowledge Home’ yesterday

Bears tighten grip on stock markets n Tribune Business Desk Bears tighten grip on stock markets, as stocks extended their losses for the third straight session. Over the last two weeks, trading activities were limited with the key index moving within a narrow band. Analysts said the current law and order situation in the country has weighed on investors who were already spooked by the national budget announcement. The benchmark index of Dhaka Stock Exchange DSEX lost 19 points or 0.5% to close at 4,369. The blue-chip comprising index DS30 fell 11 points or 0.7% down to 1,712. The DSE Shariah Index DSES was down 5 points or 0.5% to close at 1,075. The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index CSCX de-

clined about 46 points or 0.5% to close at 8,177. Investors were worried over the recent spate of killings allegedly by religious extremists has dampened investors’ sentiment, brokers said.

The current law and order situation in the country has weighed on investors who were already spooked by the national budget A broker added that absence of any significant news in the proposed budget also kept local institutions on the sidelines. Trading activities increased marginally on the DSE where turnover stood at Tk328 crore, up only

2% over previous session. Block market turnover, particularly from Renata Limited, accounted for 10.5% of the total market turnover. Almost all the major sectors stayed in the negative territory, led by cement that shed 1.3%. On the other hand, food and allied sector gained 0.7%. Bank, cement, pharmaceuticals and telecommunications sectors decreased by 0.5%, 1.5%, 0.5% and 0.2% respectively while, food and allied sector increased by 0.6%. The market breadth remained widely negative as out of 320 issues traded, 73 gained, 179 lost and 68 remained unchanged. LankaBangla Securities said DSE opened lower yesterday morning, and remained weak throughout the day. It said there was considerable selling as losers outpaced winners by a wide margin. l

Walton, a local manufacturer of electronic products, has declared a 10- year replacement guaranty for its compressors with intelligent inverter technology used in its nonfrost refrigerators. Earlier, Walton had offered 8 years replacement guaranty for fridge’s compressors with induction technology. But now, the guaranty period has been increased to 10 years for the distinctive features of the inverter technology’s compressor, said a Walton press release issued recently. Walton uses those compressors with inverter technology, which are passed in the quality test of NUSDAT-UTS, a local world-class testing lab accredited by Bangladesh Accreditation Board. “Customers will get a long time service from compressors without any problem if they carry or transport their fridges carefully,” said Anisur Rahman Mallik, a senior deputy director of Walton Service Management System. During transportation or placement, the fridges should not be careened more than 30-degree angles. In Addition, customers should start fridge minimum two (2) hours later after the transportation, he added. “The inverter technology’s nofrost refrigerators usually consume 30% to 40% less electricity than the induction or general technology’s fridges, said Md Abdur Rouf, a director of Walton Powercell. He said: “The compressors used in Walton refrigerators will provide services more than the guaranteed period.” l

Business

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

IMF: Japan needs bold reforms to spark economic revival n Reuters, Tokyo The International Monetary Fund yesterday said the Japanese government’s quest to revitalise its economy faces a long slog in the absence of ‘bold’ structural reforms, and urged Tokyo to move income policies and labour market reform to the forefront. The global lender called for a more flexible monetary policy framework with the Bank of Japan abandoning a specific calendar date for achieving its 2% inflation target. “Under current policies, the high nominal growth goal, the inflation target, and the primary budget surplus objective all remain out of reach within the timeframe set by the authorities,” the IMF said in a statement after “Article 4” annual consultations on economic policy with Japan. The IMF’s sober assessment comes as the effectiveness of Prime

n AFP, London

David Lipton, the first deputy managing director of the IMF, told a press conference in Tokyo. “This year’s consultation, however, highlighted continuing challenges that Abenomics faces in the effort to achieve its goals, the objectives of higher growth, higher inflation and fiscal sustainability.” It added that Japan would need to raise the sales tax - currently at 8% - to at least 15% to strike the right balance between growth and fiscal sustainability. The appreciation of the real effective exchange rate since the start of this year has moved it towards a level broadly in line with medium-term fundamentals, it added. “Without bolder structural reforms and credible fiscal consolidation, domestic demand could remain sluggish, and any further monetary easing could lead to overreliance on depreciation of the yen,” the IMF said. l

Ten winners of the Nobel Prize in economics yesterday warned that leaving the European Union would “create major uncertainty” over Britain as a trading nation and inflicting lasting economic damage. “We believe that the UK would be better off economically inside the EU,” the economists said in a letter to The Guardian newspaper. “British firms and workers need full access to the single market. Brexit would create major uncertainty about Britain’s alternative future trading arrangements, both with the rest of Europe and with important markets like the USA, Canada and China,” they added. The economists, who have all been made professor laureates for research going back to the 1970s, are George Akerlof, Kenneth Arrow, Angus Deaton, Peter Diamond, James Heckman, Eric Maskin, James Mirrlees, Christopher Pissarides, Robert Solow and Jean Tirole. l

A man uses his mobile phone as he walks past an advertisement in central London

REUTERS

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe gestures during a news conference after he was re-elected as the party leader at the party headquarters in Tokyo REUTERS Minister Shinzo Abe’s reflationary policies dubbed Abenomics face renewed doubts as inflation has ground to a virtual halt and growth has remained anaemic. While unprecedented monetary

Nobel economists warn UK of lasting damage from Brexit

expansion and fiscal stimulus met with some initial success, Abe’s ‘third arrow’ of structural reforms have been slow to make headway. “Abenomics has made progress in revitalising Japanese economy,”

World stocks up as Britain leans towards EU remain vote n AFP, Hong Kong Asia led a rally in global markets yesterday, building on gains at the end of last week as polls suggest Britain’s upcoming referendum will result in the country staying in the European Union. The average of the last six British European Union referendum polls put the Remain and Leave camps neck-and-neck at 50-50, excluding undecided voters, according to the What UK Thinks website. Markets across Asia and Europe slid early last week as polls showed the Leave side a few percentage

points for the June 23 vote, but showed some improvement Friday as the Remain camp gained ground. The upswing comes after the International Monetary Fund warned that a Brexit vote could deal a “negative and substantial” blow to the British economy, adding that the “contagion effects” of a vote to leave the bloc could hit markets worldwide. Tokyo closed up 2.34%, adding to gains of one percent at the end of last week to finish at 15,965.3. Hong Kong was up 1.69% by close, its steepest gain in two weeks. l

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

Study: High interest rate IFC provides credit facility to Bangladesh’s four banks in US dollars at competitive international interest rates but the banks charge higher rates from their clients. Challenges to remediation are largely related to costs and willingness of factory managers. Other challenges include capacity of multiple sector stakeholders including Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha

(Rajuk),Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE), as well as lack of quality product certification mechanisms for safety equipment, the report said. Structural safety (19%) has shown the least remediation progress, due to the significant costs of extensive remedial work necessary for the factories, the report said. l

Mobile Internet ad spend to exceed desktop in 2017 n Reuters Businesses are set to spend more on mobile Internet advertising than for ads seen via desktop computers for the first time in 2017, forecaster ZenithOptimedia said yesterday, a year earlier than it had previously predicted. Zenith said it expected companies around the world to spend $99.3bn on mobile Internet advertising in

2017, or 2% more than the amount it expects to be spent on ads seen on web pages on desktop computers. “We now expect desktop advertising to decline for the rest of our forecast period: by 0.9% in 2016, 0.4% in 2017 and 6% in 2018,” ZenithOptimedia said. ZenithOptimedia, owned by France’s Publicis, cut back its expectation for growth in global advertising this year for the second

time to 4.1% from a previous forecast of 4.6% in March. In its report on Monday, Zenith cited the devaluation of the Argentine peso for the forecast revision. It also said the top six global advertising markets would remain stable between 2015 and 2018, during which time it expected China to be the biggest contributor to new advertising spending, ahead of the United States. l

Business

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

India announces sweeping reforms to FDI rules n Reuters India announced yesterday sweeping reforms to rules on foreign direct investment, opening up its defence and civil aviation sectors to complete outside ownership and clearing the way for Apple to open stores in the country.

The reforms also loosen restrictions on inbound investments in pharmaceuticals and retail. Apple is expected to be a beneficiary of a three-year relaxation India is introducing on local sourcing norms with an extension of up to five years possible if it can be proven that products are "state of the art".

Other single-brand retailers like furniture giant IKEA are also expected to benefit. Defence contractors that have been reluctant to transfer technology to manufacture equipment in India would get the right to own local operations outright, up from 49% previously. In other changes, India allowed

CORPORATE NEWS

BRAC Bank Limited has recently signed an agreement with fashion house Mayasir on providing the bank’s signature and platinum cardholders with 20% discount in all outlets of Mayasir during Ramadan, said a press release. The bank’s managing director, Selim RF Hussain and Maheen Khan, owner of Mayasir have signed the agreement

Marcel has recently opened an exclusive showroom named Linar Electronics at Kazipur in Sirajganj, said a press release. The company’s brand ambassador, film actor Amin Khan inaugurated the showroom

100% FDI in civil aviation, following on from last week's launch of a new policy that lowered barriers to entry for airlines that want to fly international routes. The government also allowed foreign companies to own up to 74% in 'brownfield' pharmaceuticals projects without prior government approval. India

already allows 100% ownership of greenfield pharma businesses. The reforms announcement comes two days after India's central bank governor Raghuram Rajan, feted by foreign investors, announced he would not be available for reappointment when his term expires in September. l

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

Ramadan Special

Ramadan: All life is Namaz Mind Body Soul

n Shireen Pasha

"All life is Namaz" by Stefan Frischau'f

I had my sehri, offered my Fajr namaz, as well as twenty additional minutes of Nafl namaz. I wondered if I should do more. My thoughts turned to my neglected house. It was five in the morning. I decided to start with the bathroom first. Mixing a bucket of hot water with some gentle cleanser and juice from a fat, flaming yellow lemon, the smell uplifted me. Subhan Allah. I decided to do House Namaz. What I mean is that all aspects of life is Namaz when you bring your mind (concentration), body (presence), and soul (breath) in total awareness of Allah (the divine) to any task. As I was cleaning the bathroom floor, I found a hard to reach place beneath the sink. I wondered if I should leave it for another day. House Namaz. I brought the three aspects of myself together with complete faith in Allah (Oneness, Tawheed) and went for that spot. Nasty, dusty, dark but I reached it. It started to shine. Bright and clean. I exhaled. I felt less separated from my environment. Which led me to start thinking more about Tawheed. Much of our discourse on Islam is limited to the mental plane, leading us to further live a life of duality -- of ideal

versus real. Any surprise that some of the most corrupt countries in the world have a majority Muslim population? We leave our dark and dusty places for another day, for someone else or separate ourselves from it and pretend it is not a part of very personal sphere. How do we bring about the union of the ideal, the real: mind, body, soul? How do we bring oneness to our daily lives? See Allah in every thing, in every action and not just have a textbook discussion of Oneness (Tawheed), which then leads to childish games of accusing this one or that one of shirk (separation)? What is shirk? Is it shirk when someone is inspired by Allah with his or her own experience and differs from this or that sect or is it shirk when you step out of your personal palace and see hungry children, dirty gutters, environmental decay and no will to do anything about it? Islam is progressive, pragmatic - it was never meant to live in text book discussions but in daily life. When you care for you child - it is Namaz. When you work to earn a living - it is Namaz. When you clean your house with your own hands and dare to go for the nasty spots - it is Namaz. All life is Namaz if you make it so. l

Tech

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

A new addition The new OnePlus 3 is almost perfect on a budget

n Mahmood Hossain The new OnePlus 3 is the latest to hit the market and it impresses on many fronts. We can cut to the chase and claim this device as the best budget Android smartphone in the market. Naturally, it packs a punch in performance, has quick-charging capabilities and is definitely worth the upgrade. In design The all-aluminum body is much sexier than its predecessors, however, there are plenty of similarities from other flagship phones. For example at the bottom, there’s a striking resemblance to the most recent iPhones. It’s almost as if they applied a mirror effect to the bottom of the phone. The top and bottom of the phone, also at the rear, will remind you of the HTC One models. In addition, the backside of the phone is quite reminiscent of the Galaxy S flagships. Which leads us to a nagging issue many of you might have, as the phone’s rear camera has a very undesirable bump. The thinner, slimmer body not only gives away to that nagging bulge, it also means there’s a

smaller battery. These two design changes are possibly the only real problems with the new OnePlus 3. The look is still polished and feels premium to the look and feel. Also, taking a page from Motorola, they’ve decided to provide costumers with the additional snap-on covers, from wood, bamboo and other natural materials. The 5.5-inch, 1080p display is definitely up to standard. The smooth curves around the bezel offers a sharp and bright display. Reflecting lights are interestingly bounced off the screen. Overall performance Running on its in-house OxygenOS interface, the OnePlus 3 still remains a refreshing navigating experience. Even though it will be updated to Android N later, Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow gives a slightly different visual treat. One of the best things about the OnePlus phones is they never stuff preinstalled apps that you will never use anyway. The OxygenOS offers plenty of customisable options so that you can feel completely comfortable using the phone by truly owning it and its features.

There are plenty of advantages taken from other flagship smartphone blueprints. There are gesture controls, like doubletapping the display to wake your screen up. This, of course, can also be found on the new LG phones. You can also draw with your finger to launch certain apps. For example, drawing a circle on the screen with your finger will launch the camera app. Then, there’s a favourite among many Android users found in its Night mode. Night mode automatically tints the display to reduce eye straight when you view your phone at dimly lit or dark areas. The performances is also boosted by the addition of NFC. Finally, OnePlus, you listened. This feature was missing from the first two smartphones from the brand. Lights, camera, action The photo quality on the OnePlus 3 phone is pretty darn good. It’ll leave quite impressed, knowing that this phone is on a mid-range budget. The 16-megapixel camera (8-megapixel front-facing camera) takes solid, bright and clear images. Even under low-light situations, the photos come out

well balanced, having no issues with being over or under exposed. The camera and its many features are powered by a super fast Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor. Sure, other phones may house the same, but with 6GB of RAM, this smartphone is a beast. Launching of apps and tasks are ridiculously smooth and still leaves plenty of more room to fiddle around. To add, it takes a lot to get this phone to overheat and warm up. The same goes for the charging process. Although the phone as a 3,000mAh battery (come on OnePlus, really), a full charge takes about an hour and 15 minutes. With no major or moderate heat, this charges faster than most phones that have QuickCharge 3.0. The latter takes about 1.5 to two hours to fully charge. Yes, we can definitely consider that a huge plus. In any case, and those little design arguments, the OnePlus 3 is the best budget Android smartphone in the market. Scratch that, it’s the best ona-budget smartphone there is. Expect to buy the new OnePlus 3 around the same price you might have shelled out for its predecessor. l

Sure, other phones may house the same, but with 6GB of RAM, this smartphone is a beast. Launching of apps and tasks are ridiculously smooth and still leaves plenty of more room to fiddle around

Biz Info

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

| fashion |

Cats Eye’s Eid Collection

This festival season, Cats Eye opts for striking simplicity in its Eid collection. Keeping tradition in mind, they’ve stuck to simple silhouettes with contemporary cuts and prints for elegant ensembles perfect for every occasion. There’s also a lovely kids’ collection at each outletl

| innovation |

| offer |

D-Money vows to empower unbanked community leveraging technology

Gala of Flavors at Peyala

D-Money Bangladesh Ltd a Financial Technology (FinTech) startup has just raised $5 million USD and will start operations in Bangladesh. D-Money has been founded by Aref R Bashir, managing director and CEO of Syntec and Sonia Bashir Kabir, managing director of Microsoft Bangladesh and director of Syntec. D-Money has entered into an agreement with Uddipan Energy Ltd (UEL). Under this agreement D-Money will provide services and access to its core digital currency payment network to UDDIPAN beneficiaries in Bangladesh. The D-Money/ Uddipan innovative service delivery agreement’s strategic objective is to empower MFI community in Bangladesh. D-Money plans to expand its team rapidly and engage in market awareness activities nationwide while investing in its home grown software platform. D-Money and UEL will be bridging several core legacy banking systems and providing true monetary value and unparalleled functionality in the financial services arena. The platform will offer the ability to provide UDDIPAN beneficiaries, unbanked and underbanked

loan disbursements/collections, deposit receipts/refunds, agent banking, merchant acquiring/ registration, insurance premium collection/claim settlement and bill payments. The beneficiaries will also be able to use their existing feature phones to access financial services via the D-Money platform. Md Emranul Huq Chowdhury, chairperson UEL said he is happy to be able to provide financial services in a digital form to the underprivileged people of Bangladesh with D-Money. Aref R Bashir, CEO and managing director of D-Money said “I am excited to be a part of this journey with Uddipan and expect this to be the beginning of many such initiatives. We will be working closely with regulators to expand our services to different verticals

and customers. I believe we are very well positioned to leverage technology to innovate and bring financial services to the last mile. We are looking forward to harnessing the local talents to create a world class digital payment platform and network, providing innovative financial services and solutions to the people of Bangladesh. ” Sonia B Kabir said, “I am ecstatic to announce that we have invested in building a 100% local software and plan to go global. It has always been my passion to bring technology specially to women in Bangladesh and I know D-Money will be the catalyst in changing the game when it comes to our under privileged population. I believe it is our duty to take technology to them and empower them to do more.” l

Peyala Cafe started its journey earlier this month, with a view to becoming the “ticket to spice routes”. Tantalising tastebuds with its delicious wraps, salads, and desserts, it offers a wide array of savoury, sweet, and beverage options. The fast-casual dining establishment can comfortably accommodate some 20-25 guests at a time within its cozy interiors, and is an ideal choice for close-knit get-togethers, work meets, and small parties. Standing out amongst other wrap places is Peyala’s DIY wrap station, where you can customise your order and sides, choosing from an eclectic range of options and flavours. Another reason for repeat visits

is the Cafe’s signature “Gulab Jamun Cheesecake”, where the cheesy delights of the West meets the flavours of the Subcontinent’s beloved gulab jamun sweet. Wash it all down with your choice of beverage. Peyala Cafe offers a wide range of teas, shakes, and frappes, both hot and cold. The Masala Cha is a must-try. To observe the holy month, PEYALA cafe is offering a delicious Iftar platter that comes with Chittagonian Beef Bhuna Wrap, Japanese Chicken Teriyaki Wrap, Caesar Salad, fresh fruits and the cafe’s unique dessert creation Gulab Jamun Cheese Cake priced at BDT 399. Peyala Cafe is located at the Gulshan 2 DCC market. l

Auto Connect

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

Diesel power for the win Diesel-powered cars normally struggle to compete with their petrol-powered counterparts when it comes to power, but why do they produce way more torque?

n ASM Foysal

engines in high-end and fancy hyper cars and their kin. It is worth mentioning that diesel engines were created to substitute steam engines; to rival engines designed to move heavy loads. To that end, high speed wasn’t a priority; a moderate speed with a huge torque was all that was expected off of these contraptions. High end functions were left to the gasoline powered engines, to provide high power to weight ratio and essentially producing that “quick throttle” characteristic. The Alpina D3 Bi-Turbo, a relatively unknown vehicle boasts a BHP of 345 and 516 lb ft of torque; 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds!

In terms of specs and raw data, petrol powered engines have their diesel counterparts whopped hard on pretty much everything. However, it is a well-known fact that diesel guzzlers unswervingly yield way more torque than petrol engines. The gap between BHP and torque, measured in lb ft, is a lot slimmer in diesel engines as well. What’s the secret to all that additional grunt? How does an underdog produce so much torque that it can change the earth’s rotation (metaphorically, of course)? Let’s dig in and find out. Greater Compression Ratio The primary reason for all that extra kick is the high compression ratio. Simply put, diesel engines possess pistons that travel a greater distance inside the cylinder for each stroke. The volume of the internal space of the cylinder changes to a greater extent, resulting in a greater ratio of compression. This is also why diesel engines always rev lower than petrol ones. Petrol engines use shorter strokes to attain a high rev count and chunk out short bursts of power resulting in higher speeds. Diesel engines on the other hand expand that combusted power in heavier doses ensuing a more powerful rotation of the wheels. A perfect analogy to explain this would be carrying constructions material, say bricks, to a site. Petrol powered engines focuses on carrying each brick as fast as possible to the site while the diesel powered one carries four brick at a time but at a slower rate. The diesel engine is doing more work per engine rotation. Higher Specific Energy Another factor that affects the torque output of an engine is the amount of force that is exerted on the piston from burning all that fuel. Diesel has a lower energy to mass ratio (45500kJ/kg) than petrol (45800kJ/kg), which shows that more heat energy is contained in petrol than diesel for a given volume. However, diesel happens to be much denser than petrol, so much so that, for a given volume, diesel can store up to 15% more heat energy. These numbers may seem gibberish but they play an important part in producing all that extra torque. Each time a fixed volume of diesel and petrol is burned, the diesel gives out more energy, which in turn is

Petrol engines use shorter strokes to attain a high rev count and chunk out short bursts of power resulting in higher speeds. Diesel engines on the other hand expand that combusted power in heavier doses ensuing a more powerful rotation of the wheels.

transferred to the pistons resulting in increased torque rushing through the crankshaft. Higher boost In order to compensate for the low horsepower and speed, most vehicles possessing diesel engines comes turbo charged. This supplies air to the engine at a greater pressure than normal and gives a surge to the engine’s

power resulting in higher pressure within the cylinder. This simple redirection of air has substantial influence on increasing torque. In contrast to turbochargers in petrol engines, diesel engine turbos are commonly set to provide a much higher-than-stock boost pressure, allowing the engine to become more efficient in transferring the energy through to the rotating shaft. What all these jargons

suggest is that horsepower isn’t everything, but it certainly has its uses though. A racing petrolpowered engine can produce very little torque but the utterly high rev count can give it a high horsepower. On the flip side, a diesel engine with low rev count can exploit on the torque gains but will be hard pressed to attain the same value in horsepower. This is primarily why we don’t see diesel

That’s BMW M2 territory and the Alpina rose to the challenge, in spite of being a massive real estate of a car. What’s most astonishing about it is its engine makeup, it’s diesel-powered. Let’s not forget the Audi R8 V12 TDI, the 2008 production vehicle that could do a top speed of 202 mph, difficult to match even by today’s supercar standards. So, it seems diesel power can be utilised more efficiently and effectively to produce remarkable machineries, thanks in large part to the recent increase in demand for hybrids. However, it’d be daft to expect Ferrari, Lamborghini and other such high-end car manufacturers to flock to the diesel wagon. There is still some hope since in the end, power is power and “no” means too redundant, even if it means switching to a “dirty” diesel. l

20 Editorial

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

TODAY

Fasting, feasting Our society, as much as the newspapers and the TV channels would have us believe, can be pretty tolerant to people of differing religious faiths, or perhaps no faith at all PAGE 21

Ramadanomics Suppose that Ramadan fasting causes workers to become less productive -you know, you are hungry and hankering for some coffee, then doze off at work. If this were to be the dominant channel through which fasting was affecting economic growth, we would expect to see a negative impact on wages PAGE 22

The way forward for health care Many patients can get advice from doctors any time without coming to Dhaka, and can save money, time, and trouble of travelling by using mobile or other electronic devices 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.

BIGSTOCK

Yet another militant shot dead?

ot again. The death of Golam Faizullah Fahim while he was in police custody was inexcusable. And now, not 24 hours later, comes the news of the killing of Sharif, said to be a senior military and IT trainer of the Ansarullah Bangla Team, and prime suspect in the Avijit murder case. Over the last 11 days alone, a total of six militant suspects have been shot to death. Six. It would certainly appear that this is the latest law enforcement strategy to deal with the militant threat. Bangladesh has a long and unfortunate history of resorting to extra-judicial killings as a means to combat terrorism, and we very much hope that this is not what is happening again today. In a democratic country that operates under the rule of law there can be no substitute or short-cut to bringing the accused to trial and having them face justice in a court of law. Equally important, when suspected militants are shot dead in opaque circumstances, it dramatically diminishes the public trust and credibility of law enforcement, and indeed runs the risk of destroying public confidence in the rule of law, which is something that surely no one would like to see. And perhaps most importantly, it is the responsibility of law enforcers to apprehend the accused and glean as much information as possible from them, with a view to tracking down the masterminds behind the attacks and bringing them to justice. With each death, authorities lose information that could be vital to apprehending those behind the killings, preventing future killings, and dismantling the terror networks that have been wreaking such havoc. It would perhaps be understandable if such deaths in shoot-outs were occasional or isolated events. But these deaths in two weeks suggest something far more sinister. At best, it suggests that law enforcement is acting in an utterly reckless and unprofessional manner. At worst, it suggests that this is a new strategy that they are employing in their fight against terror. If it is the former, then it shows that law enforcement is seriously ill-equipped and ill-prepared to address the terror threat that this country is facing. If it is the latter, the implications are even more dire. Either way, the killing of terror suspects in shoot-outs cannot continue.

When suspected militants are shot dead in opaque circumstances, it dramatically diminishes the public trust and credibility of law enforcement

Opinion

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

Fasting, feasting Fasting is about self-control, but is our self-control sometimes undermined by iftar excesses?

When the clock strikes maghrib, the feasting begins

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Our society, as much as the newspapers and the TV channels would have us believe, can be pretty tolerant to people of differing religious faiths, or perhaps no faith at all

n SN Rasul

friend of mine, of soft spirit and quiet heart, works at a financial institution here in the

capital. I have no reason to assume that she does anything but enjoy her work there, her environment, the people she works with and under. It’s steady pay, close to her home, and keeps her comfortable. Except when it comes to the month of Ramadan. Being a person who chooses to not fast during the month (whether it is for religious or health reasons is irrelevant), she walks into a workplace where everyone is fasting. But, because she fears the potential crucifixion from people finding out about her rather

“irreligious” ways, she pretends she’s fasting too. She has breakfast and walks in around nine and, until four, the ending hour during Ramadan for her workplace, she endures hunger and thirst. Sometimes, she’ll hide a bottle of water next to her computer casing below, hidden from the judgmental eyes of colleagues, peers, and other staff. Susceptible, also, to low blood pressure, keeping a steady diet becomes crucial. When asked why she doesn’t simply go to the kitchen or the canteen, she says that no one goes there; it stays barren and, even if she intends to have her food hidden within four walls, the very notion of people witnessing her entrance into the kitchen is enough to stop. My friend is perhaps too sensitive to the wavering eyes of

people who matter little in the grand scheme of things (and a lot, when it comes to the quotidian); she may be at fault for giving too much of a hoot regarding something minute, something most likely imaginary, judgmental stares indicative of an active imagination. In most places, this is not a problem. Our society, as much as the newspapers and the TV channels would have us believe, can be pretty tolerant to people of differing religious faiths, or perhaps no faith at all. On the streets, one can see restaurants and cigarette stalls covered by drooping curtains of torn cloth, so that those who are fasting are not made to come under the temptation of food. And, even if the cloth is torn and barely covers the place, the fact that it is there is the only thing that matters. It is a sign of respect, a sign that says: “Yes, I understand that you’re fasting, and out of respect for your faith, I shall choose to at least attempt to cover my hunger so that you are not reminded of your own.” But, when the clock strikes

maghrib, fasting ends, and feasting begins. If you haven’t a place booked for your iftar plans in advance, you’ll find it difficult to find a seat. Restaurants across the city teem with the youthful multitudes, their pockets filled with new money and old, of their own and their parents; it teems with families who are there to sit in awkward silence, while kids stare down at their phones and the parents bicker over whether the lights were left on or not. And they wait. They wait for the moment when the words of God for God will infiltrate the air so that they can finally, after a long day of so-called abstinence, give their grumbling stomachs and parched throats some form of relief. And, when the food does arrive, with eyes that betray gluttony, their mouths watering to the brim, the Dhakaites go in. What fasting, what self-control, what sympathising with the poor so that we can understand what it feels like to go hungry? What understanding the difference between having a good time and excess? What purpose does fasting serve when your plate is an unlimited cesspool of greed? What is the point of selfcontrol if, by the end of it all, you are queuing at a buffet, and end up consuming more than you would’ve if you hadn’t fasted? What value of sacrifice have you learned if, by the end of this month, the zakat you give is not even close to how much you spend on a single iftar (and now sehri outing), on offers which give you limitless, but take so much of your dignity and self-control away, as you huff and puff through that seventh slice of pizza, that fourth glass of coke? Whether or not one agrees with the ways of Ramadan, there are lessons to be learned from its practices. I’m sure there’s enough discussion regarding the subject, but it cannot be the way that we make someone who is not fasting feel, as if they must bend to our rules, even at the cost of their own health. How truthful and moral are we if we judge people for having their much-needed nutrition out in public, and then lose ourselves in excesses and gluttony at the end of the same day? l SN Rasul is a Sub-Editor at the Dhaka Tribune. Follow him @snrasul.

Opinion

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

Ramadanomics How does fasting affect the economy?

Do we work less during Ramadan?

n Jyoti Rahman

amadan fasting is like no other Islamic ritual. During the month of Ramadan, those who never perform the pre-dawn Fajr prayers get up even earlier to eat, only to abstain until dusk. And after a month of that, even those who would otherwise never set foot in a mosque line up in unison to kneel towards Mecca. For an entire month, from cooking, to attire, to TV, to intimacy -- the very lifestyle of a billion-plus people change. Except, perhaps, the aversion to pork, observance of, or at least respect to, the Ramadan fasting is arguably the most ubiquitous characteristic of Muslims. Given its prevalence and ubiquity, Ramadan must have observable economic impacts. Exactly what might they be? In a fascinating paper, Filipe Campanile and David YanagizawaDrott of Harvard’s Kennedy School, provide us with some answers. In short: Fasting makes us happier, if poorer. At a macro level (ie the whole economy), the effects of Ramadan should show up in GDP statistics. If a large proportion of a country’s labour force is changing its lifestyle for a month, then we would think its GDP growth might be affected. But then again, there is a “chicken and egg” (endogeneity, to be jargony) issue: Religious observance is affected by economic performance, after all

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

-- for example, richer Western societies are typically less religious than poorer Muslim ones. Campanile and YanagizawaDrott make use of the lunar Islamic calendar and the geographic locations of Muslim countries to get around the endogeneity issue.

statistically significant negative impact of fasting hours on economic growth. Specifically, if the average daily fasting period increased from 12 to 13 hours, economic growth in a Muslim country would slow by 0.7 percentage point.

to become less productive -you know, you are hungry and hankering for some coffee, then doze off at work. With all else equal, across the economy, if this were to be the dominant channel through which fasting was affecting economic

Suppose that Ramadan fasting causes workers to become less productive. If this were to be the dominant channel through which fasting was affecting economic growth, we would expect to see a negative impact on wages

To use their concrete example, Bangladesh and Turkey are both Muslim countries, but Turkey is considerably richer. Bangladesh is more tropical than Turkey. Therefore, when Ramadan is in summer -- as is the case now -- fasting hours will be longer in Turkey, and Bangladesh will have longer hours in winter. That is, the difference in fasting hours between these two countries are due to vagaries of nature, not socio-cultural norms that are endogenous to economic development. Exploiting the link between latitude and the lunar calendar, the authors calculate the average daily daylight hours in 167 countries during every Ramadan between 1950 and 2011. After accounting for various countries and time-specific factors, they find a robust and

Countries where Muslims are not the majority are not affected at all by Ramadan hours.

Why does fasting slow economic growth?

Over time, economies grow because either labour supply rises as there are more workers, or labour productivity improves as workers become better at their jobs by learning new skills and/ or acquiring new machines or techniques. Economic slowdowns can similarly be disaggregated into supply and productivity shocks. Moreover, considering everything else equal, changes in the labour supply will have a different impact on wages when compared to changes in labour productivity. Specifically, suppose that Ramadan fasting causes workers

growth, we would expect to see a negative impact on wages -- why would the capitalists pay workers as much if they weren’t as productive? On the other hand, suppose that Ramadan fasting causes workers to abstain from working -- you know, you consciously take the afternoon off to go home and pray and prepare iftar and so on. If this were the main channel, we would expect to see a positive impact on wages -- capitalists would compete for labour that has become more scarce, and bid up wages. The authors explore the link between fasting hours and employment and wages in the manufacturing sector. They find that increases in fasting hours are associated with faster growth in wages. Data suggests that, during

Ramadan, believers tend to limit their labour supply to formal work, and that’s the reason for economic slowdown. Why do Muslims work less during Ramadan? How is that decision linked to their subjective well-being or happiness? That’s the micro question (ie at the individual level) the authors investigate. Using the World Values Survey data for 87 countries between 1981 and 2008, and focusing on Muslim men, authors explore the link between fasting and happiness and attitude to work. Specifically, they find that Ramadan affects the relative priorities between religion and work among the faithful. Ramadan leads Muslims to believe that they care relatively more about religion than material benefits. For me, personally, this Ramadan is like no other before. At one level, it’s the easiest -- short Antipodean winter days, mostly rainy, and thus not even feeling the thirst. I empathise with our northerly brothers and sisters though -- I have memories of 18-hour fasts to be ended by a Fanta and a burger, to be followed by odd jobs that sustain many a university student. On the other hand, the patience and restraint I must observe this year is unparalleled, and it’s the hope of a renewal that sustains me. Ramadan Kareem. l Jyoti Rahman is a political blogger. This article was previously published in jrahman.wordpress.com.

Opinion

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

The way forward for health care Technological innovations such as mobile health care can save lives and money

n Abdul Malik

ur national health system has so much to be proud of. Over the last two decades, I have been thrilled to watch as our country made giant leaps in increasing life expectancy, reducing infant, child, and maternal mortality, and reducing birth rates. We have been a model of multi-sector and international cooperation on public health, and according to the WHO, have either achieved or are on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. In 20 years, Bangladesh has moved from being one of the most disadvantageous countries in the world to becoming a low middleincome nation, as defined by the World Bank. However, new health challenges threaten our country. Many of these threats are due to environment and lifestyle changes -- unhealthy diets, lack of physical activity, and use of tobacco, leading to a rise of noncommunicable diseases. Both investigation and treatment of NCDs are costly. Therefore, importance should be given to primary and secondary prevention. In the face of rising NCDs, our own organisation, the National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh, which was established in 1978, has grown to become the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pre-eminent cardiac treatment centre. It is a non-government, non-profit organisation. The foundation is a member of World Heart Federation (WHF) and World Hypertension League (WHL). National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh is playing a vital role for prevention, control and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, research activities, training of manpower, and rehabilitation of cardiac patients. Without confining its activities to Dhaka only; the foundation has 35 affiliated bodies in different parts of the country. Our 300-bed hospital facility in Dhaka performs all types of invasive and noninvasive cardiac investigations and treatment, including both closed and open-heart surgery as per international standard. In addition to the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute, there are government cardiac hospitals such as National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), and other non-governmental cardiac

hospitals providing excellent cardiac services mainly in Dhaka. But these are certainly not enough, and we need to extend the service facility to other parts of the country. Jainal Miah is among the scores of people who are released every day from the National Heart Foundation Hospital. The poor schoolteacher from the northern district of Kurigram had a stenting done -- a routine affair. Hundreds of Jainals walk out of the National Heart Foundation Hospital every month, healthier and better. Government initiatives have vastly improved the quality and availability of health services at the grassroots level, through community clinics and rural health centres. The likelihood of the average Bangladeshi receiving formal medical care during his or her

Many patients can get advice from doctors any time without coming to Dhaka, and can save money, time, and trouble of travelling by using mobile or other electronic devices from any part of the country

lifetime has exponentially increased, with the density of physicians having doubled since 2000. However, we still have a shortage of doctors, nurses, midwives and other health workers, particularly in remote, rural, and hard-to-reach areas to achieve universal health coverage goals. There is a vital need to scale up care at the local level, and continue to build a modern, wellmotivated, and professional health workforce across the country. In the meantime, we are faced with a lack of even basic hygiene and health care information among significant segments of the population. Another major obstacle to achieving universal health care is the attendant costs. Jainalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s children and a nephew paid for

The doctor in the app his procedure. Unfortunately, everyone cannot afford the costly treatment. According to the WHO, more than 60% of health care costs are still borne out-of-pocket by patients. With only rudimentary insurance mechanisms in place, many people still simply cannot afford to go to the doctor. There is no way to follow up Jainalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s treatment once he goes home. Even simple advice now and then, or a routine periodic consultation of just a few minutes could very well see him through many more years of healthy life. But he is one of the lucky ones. He knew where to come. He was diagnosed rightly. There are many more whose lives could have been longer, healthier, and happier simply with early detection, advice, and treatment. One important weapon in this fight is information technology, and particularly mobile technology. Not only has mobile fundamentally democratised technology, but it is also transforming the face of health care. Mobile phone records have been used to track outbreaks of deadly viruses like Ebola and dengue, while the mobile network can also be used to reach an enormously broad audience with health information, and can even be used to remotely harvest and monitor data like electrocardiograms and glucose levels. Many patients can get advice from doctors any time without coming to Dhaka, and can save money, time, and trouble of

BIGSTOCK

travelling by using mobile or other electronic devices from any part of the country. Many patients are ignorant, and do not know what to do immediately after chest pain or heart attacks, or in any medical emergency. The use of mobiles or other electronic devices, and advice from doctors/specialists for immediately taking soluble aspirin, which is cheap and available anywhere, can save lives, even in far flung areas of the country. Mobile technology is also an important means by which patients and their health care providers can access health information remotely. Indeed, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit, greater patient access to medical information has the potential to dramatically improve health outcomes, and has been deemed the most important benefit of mobile health care by both public and private sector stake-holders. This was followed by the value of having access to personal health information in allowing patients to contact doctors, specialists, and other health workers to make better decisions about their own health. The power of mobile technology in overcoming health challenges cannot be unleashed by the government alone. The costs are too high, and our expertise is yet lacking. Thus, the other major weapon in our effort to broaden health coverage and combat NCDs is public-private partnerships. Across the globe, major technology

companies, health care providers, and startups are bringing their technology and expertise to bear in enhancing existing health systems through mobile health care (m-health) and telemedicine. Smart health care companies are rising to the task, working with national authorities and harnessing mobile technology to fund and provide health care for millions of people in places previously inaccessible. One such example, locally, is the recently launched digital health service Tonic. The success of such models translates into a myriad of benefits, including reduced costs and increased speed for consumers, wider and more effective platforms to reach the public, and sustainable social business opportunities. Such innovations are not only taking place in developing countries. In Europe and North America, these ventures are supplementing government-led health services with telephone consultations with medical professionals. Here in Bangladesh, giving people similar access, as the new Tonic service does, to medical advice as well as health information about lifestyle choices and health funding options, such as easy-term loans and insurance options through cell phones and the internet could be an important means of helping Bangladeshis live healthier lives. l Abdul Malik is a National Professor, Founder and President, National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh.

24 Sport

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

TOP STORIES

‘I hope Puma doesn’t make condoms’ Switzerland’s Stoke City winger Xherdan Shaqiri said he hoped the country’s shirt manufacturer Puma “doesn’t make condoms” after several Swiss players ended their Euro 2016 match with France with shredded jerseys. PAGE 26

Eyes on fans as Croatia meet Spain When Croatia meet Spain in their final Euro 2016 group match on Tuesday there will be as much scrutiny of developments in the stands as on the pitch. The wilder element of the supporters have caused trouble at both games. PAGE 27

LeBron leads Cavs to NBA title LeBron James powered the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 93-89 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday in an electrifying Game Seven to complete an improbable comeback and capture their first NBA championship. PAGE 28

India level series with 10-wicket win Two days after they suffered a chastening defeat at the hands of Zimbabwe, India exacted revenge with a 10-wicket victory in the second T20 at Harare Sports Club to level the three-match series at 1-1. Barinder Sran and Bumrah shared seven wickets. PAGE 29

Abahani batsman Mosaddek Hossain plays a square drive during their Super Six match against Legend of Rupganj at BKSP yesterday

MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Abahani slay Rupganj in title bid n Mazhar Uddin Abahani are now hot favourites to win the Dhaka Premier League title after they crushed Rupganj by 60 runs at the BKSP-3 ground. They have replaced Rupganj at the top of the points table and have an extra match in hand. Rupganj can still win but they would have to wait on Abahani’s results now. Meanwhile in Fatullah, Prime Doleshwar crushed Victoria by 91 runs while in Mirpur, Mohammedan Sporting Club squeezed past Prime Bank Cricket Club by one wicket.

Abahani-Rupganj

Abahani openers Liton Kumar Das and Tamim Iqbal added 76 runs which laid the foundation for their big total. Tamim was caught at long-on off Taijul Islam after making 33. Liton looked in fine touch and reached his fifty but he too became the second victim of Taijul. Rupganj removed Nazmul Hossain Shanto (12) and Dinesh Karthik (13) in quick succession as Abahani were struggling on 112/4 in 28 overs. But Shakib Al Hasan and Mosaddek Hossain put together 140 runs for the fifth wicket and bounced back brilliantly. Shakib struck six fours and two sixes for his 57-ball 67 before he was caught at deep square-leg by while Mosaddek played some delightful

shots including an elegant cover drive off Alauddin Babu which was probably the shot of the match. He was finally dismissed by the same bowler after making 73 off just 55 balls with eight fours and two sixes as Abahani posted 290/8 in 50 overs. Taijul and Asif took three wickets each while Jahurul Islam took four catches, the first outfielder to do so in the DPL’s List-A era. But Jahurul, after hitting Shakib for a six over long-on, was dismissed in the same over trying another slog. Soumya Sarkar was totally beaten by pace by Taskin Ahmed followed by Junaid Siddique (2) who also departed cheaply as Rupganj were struggling at 3/35. Mohammad Mithun and Nahidul Islam then held the ship but the latter was dismissed on 36 while Mithun also departed after scoring 55 off 61 balls. Asif, who made 70, tried to fight alone after their Indian recruit Pawan Negi (15) and captain Mosharraf Hossain (10) departed. Man of the match Mosaddek picked up 5/43 while Taskin Ahmed and Shakib took two wickets each.

Doleshwar v Victoria

Doleshwar piled on 333-5 in 50 overs but they started off with a wicket in the first over, losing Imtiaz Hossain for eight runs. Rony Talukdar and Raqibul added 70 runs for the second wicket before

Rony fell for 36 in the 13th over. Raqibul then added 124 runs for the third wicket with Sachin Baby, who made a 92-ball 64. Raqibul reached his first hundred of the season off 94 balls before getting out shortly after. He struck ten boundaries in his splendid innings. Then it was Nasir Hossain’s turn to attack the Victoria bowlers, and he plundered an unbeaten 74 off 42 balls with nine fours and two sixes. He helped add 95 runs in the last ten overs. The Victoria openers Abdul Mazid and Jubair Ahmed gave them the perfect start by adding 99 runs in 20.5 overs. Both made fifties and even after being separated, kept the momentum when Jubair added 50 runs for the second wicket with Mominul Haque, who made 61. Victoria were 201 for 3 in the 38th over but they lost their last last seven wickets for just 41 runs.

MSC v Prime Bank

Mohammedan needed eight runs off the last over but there was a hat-trick of run-outs with Faisal Hossain, Enamul Haque jnr and Subashis Roy being the victims. But Ariful, batting on 99, managed to get on strike to face the last ball. He struck a four to reach his century off 99 balls, which included five other fours and two sixes. It was a heroic effort from Ariful who walked in with Mohammed-

an in trouble at 76 for four. He added 61 runs for the fifth wicket with Mushfiqur Rahim who made 50. Ariful added 59 runs for the seventh wicket with the veteran Faisal who contributed with 25. Earlier, Prime Bank were bowled out for 244 runs in 48.4 overs. Sabbir Rahman made 77 while Unmukt Chand chipped in with 40. l

BRIEF SCORES ABAHANI 290/8 ( Mosaddek 73, Shakib 66, Taijul 3/45) beat RUPGANJ 230 all out in 44.4 overs (Asif 70, Mithun 55, Mosaddek 5/43) by 60 runs PRIME BANK 244 all out in 48.8 overs (Sabbir 77, Chand 40, Naeem 2/15) lose to MOHAMMEDAN 247/9 in 50 overs ( Ariful 103, Mushfiqur 50, Taibur 2/29) by 1 wicket PRIME DSC 333/5 in 50 overs (Raqibul 100, Nasir 74*, Marzan 2/51) beat VICTORIA 242 all out in 45.2 overs (Mominul 61, Jubair 56, Sunzamul 3/44) by 91 runs

SUPER LEAGUE Teams

Pts

Abahani

Rupganj

Doleshwar

Victoria

MSC

Prime Bank

Sport

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

Successful Hathurusingha’s new challenge n Minhaz Uddin Khan Chandika Hathurusingha’s threeyear extension is a deserving one. It will be rare to find anyone objecting the BCB’s decision to keep him on till the 2019 World Cup which will now be his next big challenge. Hathurusingha officially joined on July 1, 2014 but he had come to Dhaka early to witness an ODI series defeat against India at home but what followed since then has been historic. His first real assignment though was a challenging tour of the West Indies. Although the tour was not a fruitful one, it was only due to the series of changes that took place in the dressing-room. The out-of-form Bangladesh cricketers were soon replaced and within a short span of two months, he instilled a never-say-die spirit among them.

More importantly, he gave the cricketers absolute freedom to express themselves. Bangladesh soon started reaping the rewards. The Tigers broke new ground in making it to the World Cup 2015 quarterfinals, play the Asia Cup Twenty20 2016 final and win home series against Pakistan, India and South Africa in 2015. Since Hathurusingha’s joining, Bangladesh has played more of the limited overs cricket. In 26 ODIs Hathurusingha guided Bangladesh to 18 wins while in Twenty20s the Tigers won eight out of 22 matches. Bangladesh played only 10 Tests to draw four and win three. A change in mentality and discipline in the dressing room has been significant and as far as the on-field is concerned. What lies ahead for the Sri Lankan is the challenge to take all these things further with the Bangladesh team. With the extension of

the contract, Hathurusingha will become the longest serving head coach and results will be expected, particularly the qualification to the 2019 World Cup. The cricketers now have adjusted themselves to the Hathurusingha rules and his influence on the team in the shorter formats is visible. The board’s decision to include him in the two-layered national selection process is said to be done to eliminate the conflict he was having with the national selection panel. There have been cases when a squad got changed the way Hathurusingha wanted and disappoint the selectors, especially Faruk Ahmed who has now resigned. Under such circumstances, what remains to be seen is whether Hathurusingha can exert his influence and improve the Tigers’ fortune from where it is at the moment with the new role under his belt. l

Mustafiz absence frustrates Sussex coach n Tribune Report Sussex coach Mark Davis has said that it is getting hard to replace Mustafizur Rahman whose stint with the county side remains uncertain. Ahead of their NatWest T20 Blast game against Gloucestershire, Sussex are without Mustafizur’s first replacement David Wiese and now Chris Jordan who is away on England duty. On June 9, the BCB informed that Mustafizur would take at least two weeks to be ready but last week, trainer Mario Villavarayan said that it would take him a month to recover from the injuries. “We have a couple of people but it is very late in the day so it is very hard to get replace-

ments. The top players in the world have been signed or are playing CPL or their countries aren’t allowing them to play. That’s the frustration because we have chosen Mustafizur as probably the No.1 bowler in the world in that format,” Davis told the Brighton-based Argus. “I spoke to the Bangladesh head coach and he said he would be assessed after two weeks, which is now. It hasn’t been easy to nail Bangladesh down. Their coach has been the one I have got most direction from. But we are also dealing with physios and trainers who are putting things on the internet. I am sure we will get it nailed down,” he added. l

Nazmul slams Faruk n Minhaz Uddin Khan

The Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hasan said the board is still not officially informed of national chief selector Faruk Ahmed’s resignation. Faruk, who is currently in America, told the media on Sunday night that he wouldn’t work under the revamped selection structure. Nazmul argued that no change has been made to the selection process and that the board will not negotiate with Faruk. “If he resigns, someone else will come. We won’t negotiate with him. Did we ever have a better pace bowling coach than Heath Streak? we didn’t negotiate with him when he wanted to leave. Whatever we have done so far, we are simply repeating it,” said Nazmul. “What does he mean that he won’t work like this? This is how he has been working. Where is the difference? I have to ask him if there was any time when he sent a team and it wasn’t changed. I have to ask him if there was any instance in the past when a particular game wasn’t con-

firmed,” he added. Faruk had said on Sunday that the two-layered selection process, which includes coach Chandika Hathurusingha, manager Khaled Mahmud and cricket operations chairman Akram Khan, will curb the selectors’ independence and accountability. “I have made my position clear before, that it will be difficult to work in this system. We have to have scope to work without interference. Selection is an area where you have to work with freedom because then you have accountability. Then people will know who is behind the decisions,” said Faruk. Bangladesh cricket touched new heights in two separate stints with Faruk as chief selector but Nazmul said that Faruk was not solely responsible for the success in his second stint. “If Faruk leaves, then we may have to rethink. Bangladesh’s success is not just becaues of the coach or selectors. The most important thing has been discipline and players’ performance,” said Nazmul. l

Supersub Topu sends BJMC to Fed Cup semis n Tribune Report A very late goal by Mehedi Hasan Tapu helped Team BJMC reach the semifinals of the Federation Cup as they edged past Muktijoddha SKC 1-0 in the last quarterfinal at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. Super substitute Abdullah Al Parvez and forward Mehedi Hasan Tapu came out as rescuer for BJMC once again as latter one’s header on Parvez’s corner earned an average BJMC side a place in the last-four. The victory set BJMC clash with

Arambagh, who stunned Sheikh Jamal in the first quarterfinal on Friday last week, as the two sides face each other in the first semifinal on Thursday. Abahani Limited will take on Sheikh Russel on Friday in the second semifinal. The Muktis failed to continue their performance they did against Chittagong Abahani in their first match of the tournament. Their performance didn’t improve from their 3-0 loss to Sheikh Russel in the last match. Mobarak Hossain Bhuiyan and Kolo Musa managed to create some chances for the All Reds but the lack

of finishing touch cost them the game. They although enjoyed better possession in the sunny weather but BJMC’s combination of youth and experience at the late stage of game proved vital at the end. The first real attack as well as first shot on target came in the 10th minute from winger Mobarak whose side-volley from the top of box following a back-pass from Kolo Musa was saved by BJMC keeper Arifuzzaman Himel. Muktijoddha keeper Mamun Khan made a brilliant save at the quarter-hour mark to deny a pow-

erful strike of midfielder Shankar Das from 25 yards out. Towhidul Alam Towhid curved a free-kick from 25 yards but the BJMC keeper was ready to respond quickly and fisted the ball away for safety. Nigerian midfielder Simon Ezeodika squandered a great chance at the hour mark. Nigerian forward Kolo Musa slid the ball onto the path of his compatriot but Simon failed to meet the cross from twoyard off the post. BJMC almost broke the deadlock in the 82nd minute when Nigerian midfielder Samson Iliasu’s shot

from the middle of the box was saved by Mamun Khan after clever cross of Shaikat Mahmud from the right flank. Moments before the final whistle, Mehedi Hasan Tapu appeared as rescuer for BJMC once again giving his side the must-needed breakthrough heading home in a corner of Abdullah Al Parvez. BJMC scored four goals from three matches throughout the tournament and Parvez directly assisted in three goals while Tapu netted twice against Mohammedan in their last group match. l

Sport

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

Shaqiri: I hope Puma doesn’t make condoms n AFP, Paris

Switzerland’s Stoke City winger Xherdan Shaqiri said he hoped the country’s shirt manufacturer Puma “doesn’t make condoms” after several Swiss players ended their Euro 2016 match with France with shredded jerseys. Four Swiss players -- Admir Mehmedi, Breel Embolo, Blerim Dzemaili and Granit Xhaka -- had to change their shirts in the first half. Xhaka had to change his shirt again in the second half. “I hope Puma doesn’t make condoms,” Shaqiri told Switzerland’s SRF broadcaster. Former England striker Gary Lineker took the opportunity to poke fun on Twitter, writing: “Swiss team’s Puma shirts tearing like paper. Adidas ball bursting. You can never rely on German efficiency!” In a statement, German manufacturer Puma said it was looking into the problem. l

Switzerland midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri (R) in action with France forward Andre Pierre Gignac durng their Euro 2016 Group A match in Lille on Sunday

REUTERS

France misfire as lucky Switzerland reach knockout stage n Reuters, Lille

Switzerland rode their luck to earn a 0-0 draw against a misfiring France to reach the knockout stage at a European Championship for the first time on Sunday as they finished second in Group A behind the hosts. Les Bleus hit the woodwork three times, including two efforts by the impressive Paul Pogba and a spectacular strike from substitute Dimitri Payet. Despite their failure to score, they still managed to top their section with seven points, two ahead of Switzerland. In the group’s other game,

GROUP C

n Reuters, Evian GERMANY

Parc des Princes, Paris 5pm local time, 10pm BST * Bangladesh standard time

HEAD-TO-HEAD N IRELAND

GERMANY

25 14 2 8 14 13 32

4 14 8 2 4 32 13

FIFA Ranking Matches Played Wins Losses Draws Goals scored Goals against

GROUP A P W D

L GD Pts

France

Switzerland

Albania

-2

Romania

-2

“Had we been more realistic and a bit more lucky, we would have won this game. Now a second competition is starting, in which we need to step up a gear.” In the next round, France will take on a third-placed team in the last 16, while Switzerland will play Group C runners up -- possibly Poland or Germany.

Germany to pack bigger punch against Northern Ireland

V N IRELAND

which was played simultaneously, tournament debutants Albania finished third on three points after a surprise 1-0 win over Romania, who were eliminated with one point. The French may have gone through the group stage unbeaten, but France coach Didier Deschamps said that his side would have to up their game for the knockout stages. “We hoped for more, but at least we have reached our first goal which was to qualify and to win the group,” he said. “I’m not blind, I can see we need to do better than that. Switzerland did good things technically, but the best chances were for us.

Germany have promised that their attack will pack a bigger punch when they face Northern Ireland on Tuesday after struggling up front in their first two Euro 2016 matches. The Germans will definitely go through to the tournament’s last 16 with a win or a draw in their final Group C game but they will need to be more clinical in front of goal, having scored just twice in their two matches so far. “In attack we have not had the goal success we want,” said attacking midfielder Thomas Mueller, who is fresh from his most prolific scor-

ing season at Bayern Munich with 20 league goals. From forwards that is what is expected and we are measured by our goalscoring abilities.” Neither goal in the 2-0 opening win over Ukraine came from a forward with central defender Shkodran Mustafi and holding midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger on target. They followed that up with a goalless draw against Poland. Coach Joachim Loew must decide whether to stick with misfiring attacking midfielder Mario Goetze up front or use his only out-andout striker Mario Gomez, top scorer in the Turkish league last season, or even deploy winger Andre Schuerrle through the middle. l

Wasteful in front of goal here, the French will have to be more clinical in their finishing if they are to repeat their 1998 heroics, when they won the World Cup on home soil. France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris equalled the record of Deschamps, who captained that 1998 side, by skippering Les Bleus for the 54th time, but it was his Swiss counterpart Yann Sommer who was the busiest in the first half. “We had the chances to win this game but we’re first in the group,” said Pogba. The Juventus star was imperious in the first half on his recall to France’s starting lineup after being

relegated to the bench in the previous game against Albania. Sommer had to push two Pogba shots away for corners in quick succession early on and the midfielder then unleashed a dipping shot that rattled the top of the bar. One of five changes to the France team saw Andre-Pierre Gignac replace striker Olivier Giroud, who risked suspension if he picked up another yellow card. Switzerland made one change from the side that started their first two games, bringing in teenage striker Breel Embolo for Haris Seferovic, and they battled hard without creating too many clear chances in a pulsating first period. l

GROUP C

Poland wary of wounded Ukraine

n Reuters, Marseille Poland, bidding to reach the European Championship knockout stages for the first time, will take nothing for granted when they face neighbours Ukraine in their final Euro 2016 Group C match on Tuesday. Ukraine lost their first two games and cannot progress but Poland, second in the standings after beating Northern Ireland 1-0 in their opening match, will reach the last 16 if they overcome their co-hosts of Euro 2012. Poland have not beaten Ukraine in their last five meetings and they may be without first-choice goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny again due to a thigh injury. l

UKRAINE

POLAND

Stade Vélodrome 5pm local time, 10pm BST * Bangladesh standard time

HEAD-TO-HEAD UKRAINE 19 7 3 2 2 9 8

POLAND FIFA Ranking Matches Played Wins Losses Draws Goals scored Goals against

27 7 2 3 2 8 9

Sport

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

QUICK BYTES Usha thrash Wanderers in Super Six opener Usha Krira Chakra began their Super Six campaign of the Green Delta Premier Division Hockey League in style with a 6-0 victory over Wanderers Club at the Maulana Bhashani National Hockey Stadium yesterday. Pakistan defender Aleem Belal slammed a hattrick netting in the 12th, 23rd and 38th minutes from penalty corners while Hasan Jubaer Niloy, Puskar Khisa Mimo and Krishno Kumar added one apiece in the 57th, 58th and 66th minutes. Wanderers earned five penalty corners but failed to convert any. In the day’s other match, Mariner Young’s Club continued their goal galore as they handed Bangladesh SC a defeat of 11-1 at the same venue. Rimon Kumar Ghosh scored three goals, Fazle Hossain Rabbi and Mainul Islam Kaushik netted twice for Mariners. Meanwhile, archrivals Abahani Limited and Mohammedan SC will lock horns with each other today in their first encounter in the super six round. –TRIBUNE REPORT

Vardy will stay at Leicester: Wenger Striker Jamie Vardy is likely to turn down a move to Arsenal and stay at Premier League Champions Leicester City, the north London club’s manager Arsene Wenger has said. British media reported earlier this month that Arsenal, Premier League runners-up last season, had triggered a buy-out clause in the 29-year-old’s contract with a bid of around 20 million pounds. – REUTERS

Real Madrid, Juventus open Pogba talks Real Madrid and Juventus have opened talks concerning the possible transfer of French international Paul Pogba to Madrid, the player’s agent Mino Raiola revealed. “The will of Zidane (Zinedine) is important, that of the club too. But we are currently only at the stage of contact, not yet at negotiations,” Raiola said in an interview with Spanish sports daily Marca. Raiola insisted it would all come down to what Real coach Zidane decides. – AFP

Miura still hungry after scoring at 49 Kazuyoshi Miura is eager to add more goals to his tally after the 49-year-old broke his own record as the oldest scorer in Japanese professional football when he netted in second division side Yokohama FC’s 2-1 loss to FC Gifu on Sunday. Miura, who scored 55 goals in 89 appearances for Japan prior to his international retirement in 2000, is playing his 31st season as a professional and remains keen to prolong his career. – REUTERS

Spain’s players attend a training session at Complexe Sportif Marcel Gaillard, Saint Martin de Re, France yesterday

REUTERS

Eyes on troublesome fans as Croatia meet Spain n Reuters, Bordeaux

When Croatia meet Spain in their final Euro 2016 group match on Tuesday there will be as much scrutiny of developments in the stands as on the pitch. The wilder element of the Croatian supporters have caused trouble at both of the country’s games so far and European soccer’s ruling body UEFA was expected to make an announcement on its probe into their behaviour later on Monday. UEFA opened disciplinary proceedings after Croatia fans threw flares and ran on to the pitch during their opening Group D game, a 1-0 win against Turkey.

Then Friday’s 2-2 draw with the Czech Republic was halted with four minutes to play when supporters again threw flares and fought among themselves. After the teams returned to the pitch, Croatia’s players felt their concentration had been disturbed, which contributed to the Czechs scoring a late equaliser with a penalty. That means instead of already having qualified for the last 16 along with Spain, Croatia still require a point from Tuesday’s game, adding to the tension of the occasion. The Spaniards, however, have not been blameless in a tournament which has seen several inci-

Turkey hope to seize last chance against Czechs n Reuters, Lille Turkey have left it late to bid for a place in the knockout stage of Euro 2016 but defender Gokhan Gonul believes they still have a chance, if they can beat a buoyant Czech side in their final Group D game on Tuesday. “There is a thing the Turkish national team always does, which is chasing the game until the last minute,” the 31-year-old defender said. “Again we have left it until the last game, maybe we don’t have much of a chance this time, but we will still do our very best and hopefully, with the help of some luck,

we can defeat the Czech Republic and go through.” The Czechs, though, are full of confidence after fighting back from two goals down to draw with Croatia on Friday. Turkey, by contrast, were lacking in bite when they lost 1-0 to Croatia in their opening game before being given a footballing lesson in a 3-0 drubbing by reigning European champions Spain. Aside from scoring their first goal of the tournament in Lens, Turkey would need other results to go their way even if they do win, while victory for the Czechs would put them on four points and in a good position to make the last 16. l

GROUP D

dents of bad behaviour from fans. Three of Spain’s followers were arrested in Nice for carrying neo-Nazi banners, and another three for trying to bring flares into the stadium ahead of the match against Turkey. The Croatian FA’s security officer said on Saturday they had told UEFA and the police there would be a planned demonstration near the end of the Czech game and they have further information about Tuesday’s match, which they will pass to the authorities. “We lost our pace when play was suspended because of our supporters,” midfielder Ivan Rakitic told reporters. l

GROUP D

V CZECH REP

TURKEY

Stade Bollaert-Delelis At 8pm local time (1am BST) * Bangladesh standard time

HEAD-TO-HEAD CZECH REP 30 FIFA Ranking 18 Matches Played 11 Wins 4 Losses 3 Draws 39 Goals scored 14 Goals against

TURKEY 18 18 4 11 3 14 39

V CROATIA

SPAIN

Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux At 8pm local time (1am BST) * Bangladesh standard time

HEAD-TO-HEAD CROATIA 27 5 1 3 1 4 6

FIFA Ranking Matches Played Wins Losses Draws Goals scored Goals against

SPAIN 6 5 3 1 1 6 4

Fever-stricken Buffon doubtful for next game n Reuters, Montpellier Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon skipped Sunday’s training with a fever and is doubtful for his team’s final Euro 2016 group game against Ireland, the Italian federation (FIGC) said on Monday. The national team captain had felt unwell on Saturday, too, failing to complete that training session in Montpellier where the Azzurri are based. Coach Antonio Conte may also be without winger Antonio Candreva, who has been training separately from the rest of the squad after suffering a right adductor injury during Italy’s 1-0 win against Sweden on Friday. l

Sport

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS NBA titles: One (2016)

* *

The franchise joined the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team along with the Buffalo Braves and Portland Trail Blazers. Cavaliers are the team that were on the wrong end of “The Shot,” the name of a wildly famous series-winning basket hit by Michael Jordan in the 1989 Eastern Conference quarter-finals.

team used the first pick in the * The 2003 NBA Draft to select LeBron James, who averaged 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game in his debut campaign and was named the league’s Rookie of the Year.

eventually led the Cavaliers * James to five consecutive playoff berths,

* *

including a trip to the NBA Finals in 2007, but he infamously left Cleveland as a free agent in 2010 to sign with the Miami Heat, where he went on to win two championships. Road to the 2016 NBA title: Won Central Division; Beat Detroit 4-0 in Eastern Conference quarter-finals; Beat Atlanta 4-0 in conference semi-finals; Beat Toronto 4-2 in conference final; Beat Golden State 4-3 in NBA Finals. Cavaliers are the first team to rally from a 3-1 deficit to win NBA Finals. Top playoff scorer: LeBron James (25.3 points per game)

Cavaliers edge Warriors to complete greatest comeback in NBA n AFP, Oakland LeBron James delivered one of his mightiest all-around performances Sunday and the Cleveland Cavaliers completed the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history, dethroning defending champion Golden State 93-89 to capture their first league title. The Cavaliers were the first club to rally from a 3-1 deficit to win the best-of-seven series, giving Cleveland its first major sports champion since the 1964 NFL Browns and ending the longest such title drought for any American city. “Cleveland, this is for you,” a tearful James screamed on the court after the frantic final seconds. James scored 27 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and passed off 11 assists -- only the third “triple double” in a finals seventh game -- to take the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award for the third time in his career, humbling a Warriors team that won a record 73 regular-season games. “King” James made good on the promise he made to his hometown after returning in 2014 from Miami, the city he left for in 2010 to learn how to become a champion, leaving behind fans who felt betrayed and some who burned replica

James’ jerseys. James, 3-3 in six consecutive finals appearances, led the series with 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds and 8.7 assists a game plus more than two steals and two blocked shots a game -- the greatest all-around numbers ever produced with a crown on the line. Golden State suffered the worst choke in NBA Finals history after the winningest campaign in league history. The Warriors had not lost three games in a row since 2013. Only two other clubs down 3-1 in the finals had ever forced a seventh game, none in 50 years until now. Cleveland was only the fourth road winner in 19 NBA Finals seventh games, the first since Washington captured the 1978 title in Seattle. James made three free throws and added a 3-pointer to give the Cavaliers an 89-87 lead, but Klay Thompson’s layup lifted the Warriors level with 4:39 to play. The teams each went six possessions without scoring after that, tension mounting as time and again they thwarted each other until Irving’s 3-pointer. After another Cavaliers’ stop, James was fouled by Green as he tried for a clinching slam dunk. Instead, he made a free throw to produce the final margin and the Warriors could only watch the celebration begin. l

LeBron delivers on promise, leads Cavs to NBA title n Reuters, Oakland

LeBron James powered the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 9389 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday in an electrifying Game Seven to complete an improbable comeback unlike any seen before and capture their first NBA championship. With the win over the top-seeded Warriors, who celebrated a championship on Cleveland’s home court last year, the Cavaliers became the first team to rally from a 3-1 series deficit in the best-of-seven NBA Finals and win the title. “I’ve had the goal for two years since I came back to bring a championship to the city,” said James, who returned to the Cavaliers in 2014 after a four-year stint with Miami that included a pair of NBA championships. “I gave it everything that I had. I poured my heart, my blood, my sweat and my

LeBron James (C) of Cleveland Cavaliers goes up for the layup against Golden State Warriors players during their 2016 NBA Finals Game Seven on Sunday AFP

PAST 10 NBA FINALS MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS 2016 - LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers 2015 - Andre Iguodala, Golden State Warriors

NBA FINALS

GAME 7, CLE WIN SERIES 4-3

CAVALIERS 93-89 WARRIORS 57-25, 24-17 Away

2012 - LeBron James, Miami Heat 2011 - Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks 2010 - Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers 2009 - Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers 2008 - Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics tears into this game.” When the final buzzer sounded to end what was the closest game of the Finals, an emotional James dropped to the floor before he was mobbed by his teammates. James led Cleveland win with a triple-double as he recorded 27 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists en route to being named the Most Valuable Player of the NBA Finals for a third time. The win ends decades of heartbreak for the city of Cleveland, which had not won a professional sports

championship since the 1964 Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. For James, the win not only marks his third NBA title, but it will go down as the single greatest achievement of his storied career as it fulfills his promise to deliver a title to his home state of Ohio. “I came back for a reason. I came back to bring a championship to our city,” said James, who was in tears as he wrapped his arms around the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. l

2007 - Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs

PAST 10 NBA CHAMPIONS 2016 - Cleveland Cavaliers 2015 - Golden State Warriors 2014 - San Antonio Spurs 2013 - Miami Heat 2012 - Miami Heat 2011 - Dallas Mavericks 2010 - Los Angeles Lakers 2009 - Los Angeles Lakers 2008 - Boston Celtics 2007 - San Antonio Spurs

1 23 22

CLE GS

2014 - Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs 2013 - LeBron James, Miami Heat

73-9, 39-2 Home 2 19 27

3 33 27

4 18 13

T 93 89

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

starters K. Love L. James T. Thompson K. Irving J.R. Smith bench R. Jefferson M. Williams I. Shumpert

MIN 30 47 32 43 39

FG 3-9 9-24 3-3 10-23 5-13

26 5 19

1-4 1-3 1-3

3PT FT REB AST PTS 0-3 3-4 14 3 9 1-5 8-10 11 11 27 0-0 3-4 3 0 9 2-5 4-4 6 1 26 2-8 0-0 4 2 12 0-0 0-0 0-1 0-0 1-3 3-3

9 0 1

0 0 0

2 2 6

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS starters D. Green H. Barnes F. EzeliC S. Curry K. Thompson bench A. Varejao A. Iguodala M. Speights S. Livingston L. Barbosa

MIN 47 29 11 39 42

FG 11-15 3-10 0-4 6-19 6-17

3PT FT REB AST PTS 6-8 4-4 15 9 32 2-4 2-2 2 1 10 0-0 0-0 1 1 0 4-14 1-1 5 2 17 2-10 0-0 2 2 14

8 38 5 16 4

0-1 2-6 0-2 3-7 1-2

0-0 1-2 0-3 0-2 0-1 0-0 0-0 2-2 1-1 0-0

0 9 4 1 0

1 4 0 2 0

1 4 0 8 3

Sport

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

Shami in the pink over conditions for day-night Tests

SCORECARD ZIMBABWE C. Chibhabha c Rayudu b Sran 10 H. Masakadza b Sran 10 P. Moor c Patel b Bumrah 31 Sikandar Raza c Rahul b Sran 1 T. Mutombodzi lbw b Sran 0 M. Waller c Patel b Chahal 14 E. Chigumbura b Bumrah 8 G. Cremer c Rayudu b Kulkarni 4 N. Madziva b Bumrah 1 D. Tiripano not out 11 T. Muzarabani not out 0 Extras (4lb, 4w, 1nb) 9

n Reuters India fast bowler Mohammed Shami has offered positive feedback on the pink ball in Indian conditions, after it was used on an experimental basis during a domestic game at Eden Gardens. In April, India’s cricket board decided that one game of an upcoming three-test series against New Zealand would be a day-night affair, pending trials of the pink ball. The 26-year-old, who picked up five wickets playing for Mohun Bagan in the day-night final, said South Asian conditions favoured swing with the pink ball, which was an exciting prospect. “With red or white balls, there was some visibility problem as it took (on) the colour of grass,” he was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India. “Definitely I will prefer this (pink) ball, this is much better. The biggest plus point is (the swing) under lights, what else does a bowler want? It’s challenging for both batsmen and bowlers. “If we can maintain the dryness, I’m sure it will reverse. It did (reverse), I noticed.” Wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha echoed Shami’s sentiments but said pace would prove challenging for batsmen. “Every ball is swinging a bit either way which was never the case with the red (ball). The visibility is perfect,” Saha told PTI. “But batsmen will have problem if a pacer consistently bowls at 140 km per hour.” l

DAY’S WATCH TEN 3 10:30PM Tri-Nation (WI, AUS, SA) 8th ODI: West Indies v Australia

STAR SPORTS 1 7:00PM Sri Lanka Tour of England 1st ODI

FOOTBALL SONY SIX Euro Cup 2016 10:00PM Northern Ireland v Germany 1:00AM Croatia v Spain

SONY ESPN 10:00PM Euro Cup 2016 Ukraine v Poland 1:00AM Czech Republic v Turkey

11 12 32 2 1 20 19 6 2 14 2

Total (9 wkts, 20 overs) 99 Fall of wickets: 1-14 (Chibhabha), 2-26 (Masakadza), 3-28 (Sikandar Raza), 4-28 (Mutombodzi), 5-57 (Waller), 6-75 (Moor), 7-81 (Chigumbura), 8-83 (Madziva), 9-91 (Cremer) Bowling: Sran 4-0-10-4, Kulkarni 4-0-32-1, Patel 4-0-23-0, Chahal 4-1-19-1, Bumrah 4-0-11-3 INDIA KL Rahul not out 47 Mandeep Singh not out 52 Extras (3w, 1nb)

40 40 4

Total (0 wkts, 13.1 overs) 103 Bowling: Tiripano 3-0-11-0, Madziva 2.1-0-19-0, Muzarabani 2-0-17-0, Cremer 3-0-24-0, Chibhabha 2-0-23-0, Sikandar Raza 1-0-9-0 Result: India won by 10 wickets Series: Three-match series is tied 1-1

Zimbabwe batsman Masakadza looses his wicket during their second T20 against India at Harare Sports Club yesterday AFP

India level series with 10-wicket Zimbabwe win n AFP, Harare

Two days after they suffered a chastening defeat at the hands of Zimbabwe, India exacted revenge with a 10-wicket victory in the second Twenty20 international at Harare Sports Club to level the three-match series at 1-1. Seamers Barinder Sran and Jasprit Bumrah shared seven wickets as India

kept Zimbabwe to a lowly 99 for nine in the second Twenty20 international at Harare Sports Club on Monday. Sran was drafted into the India side following their embarrassing two-run defeat in Saturday’s series opener, and marked his debut in the format with figures of 4 for 10 in four overs. The left-armer’s four wickets came in the space of seven deliveries in his first spell as Zimbabwe

were reduced to 28 for four. Bumrah did the damage at the back of the innings, as he dismissed top scorer Peter Moor for 31 and danger man Elton Chigumbura for eight to record figures of 3 for 11. All the Zimbabwe batsmen struggled to score quick runs in their innings with none managing more than a run a ball. Peter Moor (31 from 32 balls) was the only one to muster

any sort of resistance. In reply, India’s openers KL Rahul and Mandeep Singh took advantage of a couple of dropped catches to knock off the target in just 13.1 overs. Singh finished unbeaten on 52, while Rahul was 47 not out. The result sets up a series decider in the third and final game that will also be played at the Harare Sports Club on Wednesday. l

Murray impresses Lendl with fighting spirit n Reuters Andy Murray’s renewed partnership with Ivan Lendl got off to a winning start on Sunday and the Briton said the American coach was impressed with his battling qualities as he rallied to lift the Queen’s Club trophy for a record fifth time. Murray, who this month reunited with the man who coached him to a pair of grand slam victories, came from a set and a break down to beat big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic 6-7(5) 6-4 6-3 in the Aegon Championships final, a key Wimbledon warm-up event. The Scot has not won a major title since parting company with Czechborn Lendl in March 2014 after two successful years together, during which he won the 2012 Olympic gold medal, the 2012 U.S. Open and

the 2013 Wimbledon titles. “Mainly, actually we spoke about today’s (Sunday’s) match but more about next week and planning for Wimbledon, how I’m going to prepare for that, the things that we’re going to be working on,” Murray told British media of the grasscourt season. “He was definitely happy with this week because of the way that I fought, the way that I played in the big moments and the preparation, getting five matches when I had literally zero preparation for this event. It’s turned out to be a great week.” Before Sunday’s victory, Murray, who also won the trophy in 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015, shared the record of four Queen’s titles with seven other men, including Boris Becker, Roy Emerson and Raonic’s new grasscourt coach John McEnroe. l

Great Britain’s Andy Murray celebrates with the trophy after victory in the final of Aegon Championships at Queens Club, London on Sunday REUTERS

Downtime

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Female swan (3) 3 Book of the bible (4) 6 Frank (4) 7 Bustle (3) 9 Woodwind instrument (4) 10 Dry, of champagne (3) 11 Capital of Peru (4) 13 Select group (5) 16 Occurrence (5) 18 Judge (4) 19 Self (3) 20 In a frenzy (4) 21 Plant juice (3) 23 Testament (4) 24 Incline (4) 25 Blushing (3)

DOWN 1 Tranquility (5) 2 Conclude (3) 4 Country (4) 5 Prosecute (3) 6 Fertile spot (5) 8 Oily fruit (5) 9 Prophetic sign (4) 12 Articles (5) 14 Welsh national emblem (4) 15 Bobbin (5) 17 Lukewarm (5) 18 Plaything (4) 20 Liable (3) 22 Respectful fear (3)

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODECRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 18 represents R so fill R every time the figure 18 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

Warfaze to headline RockNation VII n Showtime Desk After a hiatus since last year’s RockNation VI: Resurrection, RockNation, one of Bangladesh’s most popular live music platforms, is making a return with its seventh episode titled RockNation VII: SummerStorm on July 23, 2016. Warfaze have been confirmed as the night’s headliner for this year’s RockNation concert. The line-up includes the country’s leading rock and metal bands, namely Aurthohin, Vikings, Shironamhin, Cryptic Fate, Nemesis, Arbovirus, AvoidRafa, Indalo, Powersurge and Minerva. This concert is the first of its kind to take place in the capital this year, set to be held at the Gulnaksha Hall of International Convention City Bashundhara, starting from 2pm. The organisers announced that

this is the largest ensemble to be featured at a RockNation event to date. Aside from the musical line up, there will also be many other surprises for the audience. Shakib Chowdhury, vocalist and bassist of Cryptic Fate has stated that although Cryptic Fate was unable to perform at the previous RockNation concert due to timing conflicts, he will be there with his band to witness the mosh pit of RockNation audience members, for which he has always had a special place in his heart. Raef Al Hasan Rafa, band leader of AvoidRafa, had wanted to release his long-awaited debut album Bhaar at this RockNation, but although he could not manage to match the timing of the release, he has promised to perform some of the band’s amazing hits at the concert. The double-disc CD release of Bhaar

will also be available for purchase at RockNation. Asif Asgar Ranjan, guitarist of Arbovirus, has announced that the new album and music video of Arbovirus will be released at this RockNation. This is the first RockNation at which an album is going to be released by a band. The concert will feature a dedicated refreshment section for hungry concert-goers, and the environment will be specifically tailored as always to be equally comfortable for males and females alike. According to the organiser, the concert tickets are available for Tk900 each at Myth (Banani), Café Thirty3 (Bailey Road), Café Guhaa (Dhanmondi), Ben Music (Mirpur), Yellow Submarine Café (Banani), Hakka Dhaka (Uttara), Missed Call (Jamuna Future Park, Bashundhara), Guitar Center (Bashundhara City, Panthapath) and Grind House (Khilgaon). Tickets are also available for online purchase and home delivery at www.rocknationfest. com. l

Adieu to Anton Yelchin n Showtime Desk Anton Yelchin, best known for his role “Chekov” in the new Star Trek films, died in an accident at the young age of 27 in Los Angeles, on Sunday. According to Jenny Houser, the spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department, Yelchin was standing behind his car parked in his driveway at his Los Angeles home early on Sunday morning, when the vehicle rolled backwards, pinning him against a security fence. The LAPD officer informed the media that the police are not sensing any foul play, but the accident is still under investigation. Yelchin’s publicist Jennifer Allen told E! News that he had been on his way to meet friends for a rehearsal and when he did not show up, they went to his

house and found his body. The Russian-born Yelchin started small with roles in indie films and various television shows, before breaking out in films like the crime thriller Alpha Dog and the teenage comedy Charlie Bartlett. However, his biggest role to date has been in the 2009 Star Trek remake, where he assumed the role of Pavel Chekov, the young navigator on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. The third of the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek Beyond comes out in July. A number of actors and others who worked with Yelchin took to social media with tributes and expressions of dismay. “Still in shock. Rest in peace, Anton,” Justin Lin, who directed Yelchin in his third Star Trek movie, wrote on Twitter. “Your passion and enthusiasm will live

on with everyone that had the pleasure of knowing you.” “I loved Anton Yelchin so much,” wrote John Cho, who played Yelchin’s fellow Enterprise crew member Sulu in the remake. “He was a true artist – curious, beautiful, courageous. He was a great pal and a great son. I’m in ruins.” Yelchin has appeared in numerous films and was in the TV series Huff, starring Hank Azaria, who wrote on Twitter that he was devastated. “He was a very sweet kid. My heart goes out to his family.” Yelchin made his on-screen acting debut in 2000 in an episode of ER. As a teenager, Yelchin gained wide attention appearing with Anthony Hopkins in Hearts in Atlantis (2001) and with Robin Williams in House of D (2004). He went on to star in shows such as The Practice, and

Showtime

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

Balaji Telefilms lays down ‘no dating’ clause

n Showtime Desk In addition to reincarnation, plastic surgeries and polygamy, a new bizarre trend hits the Tellyland of India. This time it is a “no date clause” introduced by the famous Balaji Telefilms Ltd, that the artists must oblige in order to get a chance to act in a daily soap. The unprecedented clause puts a condition in front of the artists that they cannot date co-artists during production. The trend started as artists of Rishto Ka Soudagar-Bazigar, a brand new Balaji production going on air this week, signed the legal documents as a requirement for taking part in the production.

Curb Your Enthusiasm before being cast as Chekov. He played Jacob Clarke in the Steven Spielberg’s mini-series Taken and also appeared in films like Terminator Salvation, Fright Night, and Only Lovers Left Alive between 2007 and 2013. Yelchin, an only child of two professional figure skaters, was born in St Petersburg and emigrated to the United States as a baby. He briefly flirted with skating lessons, before choosing acting as his profession. “I loved the improvisation

All the actors of the series including the leads: Vatsal Sheth (known for Taarzan: The Wonder Car) and Ishita Dutta who made her debut in Bollywood through Drishyam, signed the clause. Ishita seemed fine with the condition however, Vatsol suffered dilemma while taking the decision. The condition putting a bar on love has triggered a lot of discussions and criticism in India. The small screen actors are debating over it. Regarding the condition, the production house said it was imposed in order to ensure accountability of the artists and success of the production. They also said that the decision came following previous experiences. Break-ups can turn ugly and there have been cases where actors, after splitting up, have found it difficult to work together, they said. Source: Times of India

part of it the most, because it was a lot like just playing around with stuff. There was something about it that I just felt completely comfortable doing and happy doing,” Yelchin told The Associated Press in 2011 while promoting the romantic drama Like Crazy. He starred opposite Felicity Jones. “(My father) still wanted me to apply to college and stuff, and I did,” Yelchin said. “But this is what I wanted.” Sources: Reuters, The Independent, Associated Press l

TUESDAY, JUNE 21, 2016

Back Page

SONALI, AGRANI ASKED TO ABAHANI SLAY RUPGANJ WARFAZE TO HEADLINE ROCKNATION VII PAGE 31 FORM SEARCH BODIES PAGE 12 IN TITLE BID PAGE 24 Advance bus ticket sale begins n Tribune Desk

Eager ticket seekers line up in front of bus counters at Gabtoli bus terminal in Dhaka to buy tickets on the opening day of Eid ticket sale yesterday

DHAKA TRIBUNE

‘Attempts made to kill Tonu’s father’ TONU MURDER CASE

n Mohiuddin Molla, Comilla Anwara Begum, mother of slain Comilla Victoria Government College student Sohagi Jahan Tonu, yesterday alleged that attempts had been made to kill her husband Yaar Ali by car. She also alleged that Tonu’s family members had been barred from talking to the media. Anwara was addressing a human chain organised to identify, arrest and bring to justice the killers of Tonu. “Instead of capturing Tonu’s killers, law enforcement officials are watching us. Our cable TV line has been cut so that we cannot watch reports on Tonu. “A few days ago, Tonu’s father went to where her body was found

and vehicles, including car and motorcycle, tried to run over him there,” the mother claimed. “We are not speaking out against the government. We are just demanding justice for the killing of our daughter. Tonu was killed as she went on a tour to Sreemangal by refusing to sing at a programme

house and asked why we did not return with Tonu’s sandals found beside the road without finding her. But is it possible for any parent to do so? If animals tried to eat her corpse then law enforcers would have said that she was killed by beasts. “Also, she was found dead in a

The army took away her diary and all her albums from the house. Now we have nothing at home that can remind us of our daughter of the armed forces. The army took away her diary and all her albums from the house. Now we have nothing at home that can remind us of our daughter.” Anwara described Tonu’s post-mortem report as wrong and demanded that the doctors performing autopsy be brought to book. “Major Masud came to our

jungle. If she died of a heart attack, her body would have been found on the street, not in a jungle, and it would have borne no injury,” she said. The human chain was organised by Gonojagoron Moncho’s Comilla unit at Kandirpar Pubali Chattar at noon. Tonu’s younger brother Anwar Hossain was present. General Secretary of Commu-

nist Party of Bangladesh’s Comilla unit Paresh Kar, Coordinator of Gonojagoron Moncho’s Comilla unit Khairul Anam Raihan and author Motahar Hossain Mahabub also addressed the human chain. They said more than 90 days had passed since Tonu had been killed but the criminals had not been identified yet. They called for quick identification of the killers, and also demanded that the perpetrators be subjected to legal proceedings. On the night of March 20, Tonu’s body was recovered from a jungle near her house inside Comilla cantonment. Autopsy was performed on her body twice – the second time after exhumation – and the first report, released on April 4, drew widespread criticism as it concluded that no sign of murder or rape was found. The second report was released on June 12 and it also sparked controversy. l

The sale of advance tickets for long-haul bus journeys ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr began yesterday. The first day saw large crowds thronging bus stations to collect tickets for journeys to northern and southern districts, but many complained that they could not get the seats they asked for. They said they had to choose seats at or near the back as other seats had been booked by those collecting tickets online. Tickets were sold at bus counters in the capital’s Gabtoli, Kalyanpur, Shyamoli, Malibagh, Fakirapool and Sayedabad. Tickets will be sold until June 30. The sale of tickets on the internet also began, including on sites such as Shohoz.com, busbd.com. bd and bdtickets.com. Many bus companies, including Shohagh Paribahan, National Travels, Shyamoli Paribahan and Desh Travels, also offered tickets online. Bangladesh Road Transport Authority has not yet begun selling advance tickets. The sale of advance train tickets will begin tomorrow while launch companies are yet to announce the schedule for selling such tickets. l

BSF kills two n Anwar Hossain, Chapainawabganj

Two Bangladeshi citizens were shot and killed by the Indian Border Security Force near the Bangladesh-India border in Chapainawabganj in the early hours of yesterday. The incident took place around 2am near Anuradhapur camp in India, at Charaldanga village near the border in the district’s Gomostapur upazila, said officials at the 43 BGB battalion. The deceased were identified as Shahjahan Ali Bhutto, from Begpur village in Radhanagar, and Jobdul Haque, from Charaldanga village in Radhanagar. Lt Col Zahid Hossain, 43 BGB commander, said the victims along with six others went across the border to get cattle from India. As the group went around 200 yards in, a troop of 82 BSF battalion intercepted them and opened fire at them. While others were able to escape and come back to Bangladesh, Shahjahan and Jobdul were killed on the spot. l

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