23 July, 2016 by DhakaTribune

SECOND EDITION

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

Shraban 8, 1423, Shawwal 17, 1437

Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 87

Books and brainwash in Singapore Hossain, back from n Tanveer Singapore and Malaysia In a place like Singapore, where there is no prominent Muslim organisation for Bangladeshis or any influential cleric who they can follow, many of the overworked expatriates struggle to find spiritual comfort in their everyday life. As the pent-up stress and frustration of living in a foreign culture continues to grow, Islamist radical groups swoop in to brainwash these vulnerable expatriate workers into believing that hatred and violence are paths to salvation. In the city-state of Singapore, most militant propaganda are spread through books that speak of radicalised interpretations of Islam, the Dhaka Tribune found during a recent visit there. “It is easier to brainwash those of us who live in a foreign land. It is because we do not have any organisation here. We do not have

any Pir [religious preacher] or religion-based group. So, different kinds of books are often distributed among us,” a young Bangladeshi expat told the Dhaka Tribune at Mustafa Centre, a hotspot for local Bangladeshis. “Even last Sunday [July 3], several thousands books were distributed in the Mustafa Centre area. A group of young men come and quickly distribute these books among everybody. One of the books is titled ‘Uphold Islam even in a foreign land.’” Several other young men who also spoke with the Dhaka Tribune at the Mustafa Centre said many Bangladeshis take these books back to their rooms. The books are written in a way that anyone getting a glimpse would be wanting to read more, they said. Fearing for their safety, the men requested that their voices not be recorded and that their names be excluded from the news report. Asked to describe what is writ-

ten in these books, they said the authors mentally blackmail the Bangladeshis, writing provocative things against Jews and people of other religions. Sometimes references from the Qur’an are mentioned and words in Arabic are included. Even though no one understood what the Arabic words meant, many Bangladeshis believed whatever translation or interpretation was included in the books. “The books push Muslims to boycott Jewish products and offer namaz, and speak about jihad,” one of them said. Some of the youths, however, had a different explanation about the source of the books. They said these books might be distributed by Bangladeshi shop owners around Mustafa Centre to encourage Bangladeshis to boycott Singaporean products and buy stuff from their own stores instead.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

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Malaysia, Middle Eastbound passengers under scanner n Tanveer Hossain, Narayanganj The reported involvement of a Malaysian student in the recent terror attack in Dhaka has prompted the local immigration authorities to give extra security attention to outbound Bangladeshi passengers, particularly those departing for Malaysia and Middle East countries. The immigration offices across the country have worked to implement stricter security measures, including special arrangements at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport where the authorities are cross-checking information on missing youths by questioning suspected outbound passengers. Movements of visitors have been restricted at the airport while airport officials are recording the details of missing Bangladeshis, including their photos and other information, so that they can be barred from leaving the country. Outbound passengers, particularly young people, are questioned about their reasons for leaving the country and what they will do in their destination countries. Some-

times officials are also communicating with the guardians over phone to make sure that the youths have parental consent for leaving the country. During a recent visit to Dhaka airport, it was seen that there are several checkpoints set up by law enforcement agencies through which vehicles are only allowed once checking is done. Outbound passengers are also asked different questions while receiving their boarding passes. Such strict security measures were taken after 20 people, including 17 foreigners, were killed in a terrorist attack made on Holey Artisan restaurant in Gulshan on July 1. One of the attackers, Nibras Islam, was a student of Monash University’s Malaysia campus. A number of outbound youths travelling by Tigerair, Flydubai, Malindo Air, AirAsia, Qatar Airways, Biman Bangladesh Airlines and Malaysia Airlines were recently subjected to questioning at Dhaka airport. The questions included duration of stay in destination countries and reason of departure.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Another child dies in a sewage canal A week after a child died from falling into a sewage canal another four-year-old boy has died from drowning the same way in Roopnagar. The deceased Junayed Hossain Sabbir was a child of a rickshawpuller Amir Hossain. He went missing Thursday afternoon and was recovered from a sewage canal at 10:30am yesterday. Fire Service Headquarters Duty Officer Atiqul Alam Chowdhury told the Dhaka Tribune that the boy was reported missing around 10pm on Thursday night. Three units from the fire service arrived in Roopnagar and recovered Sabbir’s body from a sewage canal some 19 hours after he was reported missing, he added. The body was found under heaps of decomposing garbage after the divers cleaned the area, he also said.

The sewage canal from where the body of four-year-old Junayed Hossain Sabbir, above, was recovered A week earlier, a team of fire service men recovered the body of a six-year-old girl Sanjida, 19 hours after she had fallen into a putrid sewage canal near Mohakhali bus terminal in Dhaka.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

PHOTOS: DHAKA TRIBUNE

n Kamrul Hasan

News

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Another child dies in a sewage canal

Jica chief to visit Dhaka August 6-7 n UNB Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) President Shinichi Kitaoka will visit Bangladesh on August 6-7 to thoroughly assess the situation on the ground after the Dhaka terror attack and discuss future cooperation with the Bangladesh leadership. This is going to be the first visit of Jica chief to Dhaka in recent years and the visit is part of Jica’s commitment to contributing to Bangladesh’s development, an ERD official said. During the visit, Kitaoka will meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, while security will be a top agenda, said the official. l

People pay their last respect to freedom fighter Shirin Banu Mitil at Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka yesterday morning. Shirin breathed her last on Thursday after suffering a cardiac arrest MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Malaysia, Middle East-bound passengers under scanner “The immigration officer asked me a number of questions as I was collecting my boarding pass. At one point, he called my father to check my identity and also whether what I said about my departure was true,” Rubayet Hossain, a passenger of Singapore, told the Dhaka Tribune. Another passenger Qaiyum Khan, who travelled to Malaysia by AirAsia, said the immigration authorities barred him and three of his friends, and asked them many questions as they were travelling in a group which created suspicion. As part of additional security arrangement, the passengers were again asked different questions by the immigration police at a checkpoint prior to finally boarding the

plane. The police at the checkpoint have the list of people who have gone missing recently. Tigerair passenger Abdul Wadud told the Dhaka Tribune: “The immigration police questioned me repeatedly about my details as they found similarities between me and a suspect.” Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon on July 12 said passengers might have to face some problems as the authorities have tightened security measures at all airports across the country after the Gulshan terror attack in order to avoid any untoward incident. There were similar security arrangements for Bangladeshi passengers at airports in Singapore

and Malaysia where many of them faced questioning. Singaporean immigration officials recently questioned this correspondent about the purpose of arrival and the time of return. Security measures were stricter in Malaysia as immigration officials had questioned Bangladeshi passengers regularly and also made them face questioning by top officials, if found suspicious. Nirjhor Ahmed, officer-incharge of the immigration police at Dhaka airport, told the Dhaka Tribune they had to take many cautionary measures considering the present situation. He declined to comment on whether special security attention is given to passengers leaving for

Malaysia or Middle countries. But another immigration official, wishing not to be named, told the Dhaka Tribune they were instructed to be more aware after the Gulshan attack. “Some terrorists involved in the Gulshan attack went abroad earlier. We are questioning youths, if they appear suspicious, and cross-checking their information in view of the Gulshan attack. “We are particularly more aware about those who are travelling to Malaysia and Middle East countries. But of course we are not harassing anyone,” he said. The official also said all immigrations had received a list of missing people that was being used to quiz suspects at airport checkpoints. l

Books and brainwash in Singapore Several of the men also voiced their opposition against such books. “In Bangladesh, such books would have been known for spreading militancy. But since there is no such scope in Singapore, these books are now spreading fast,” one of them said. So far, at least 35 Bangladeshi nationals have been arrested in Singapore in connection with plotting terrorist activities. Earlier this month, a Singapore court convicted four Bangladeshi workers for financing terrorism and sentenced them to jail terms between two and five years.

‘Malaysian students being targeted’

A different scenario was found in Malaysia, where university students told the Dhaka Tribune that they were the main brainwashing targets for extremists. Speaking on condition of anonymity, several of

them said they receive many anti-Semitic messages regularly. The Bangladeshi students who regularly offered prayers and fasted were the ones usually targeted by militant recruiters, they said. But since it was revealed that Nibras Islam – one of the killers from the Dhaka terror attack – used to be a student in Malaysia, everyone has been on high alert, they added. The founder and incumbent president of Bangladesh Students Union Council, Mohammad Mohiuddin Mahi, told the Dhaka Tribune that monitoring of Bangladeshi students in Malaysia has been increased since the July 1 attack. “We have news that around 8,000 Bangladeshi students in 60 private, two public and six semi-public universities in Malaysia are being monitored. Malaysian police are secretly collecting information on where these students were living and who

they had contact with, as well as tracking their mobile phones. “We have Bangladeshi student organisations at 29 Malaysian uni-

versities. Through these organisations, we have asked all expatriate Bangladeshis to stay alert,” Mahi added. l

BOOKS WITH COVERS RIPPED OFF Tanveer Hossain describes his encounter with suspicious men on a train Soon after landing at Singapore’s Changi Airport on July 10, I was on an MRT train when I spotted a group of seven Bangladeshi youths huddled together inside the public transport. Two of them were carrying a couple of books that mysteriously had their covers ripped off. After I introduced myself as a Bangladeshi, they immediately hid the books. But after some convincing they let me see the books – but just for a few minutes. The books had around 50 pages of unicode symbols and Arabic words in them; but the subject matter was incomprehensible to me.

Four of the men gave me their names – Sakib, Rahman, Mamun and Mustaque. They said they worked in a local construction firm and were out on a weekend break. On Saturday night, they stayed at a friend’s house and had plans to roam around the city on Sunday. But also on each Sunday, they get together to study Islamic books. Asked why the books had no title or a cover, one of them complained: “Even if we read good books, you would say these were books on jihad and militancy. “So as a measure of safety, we tore off the book cover,” he said, adding that the books had been downloaded from the internet. l

Sabbir’s family lives in a slum next to Rupali Housing behind Mirpur Commerce College. He was out playing in the afternoon when his grandfather noticed he was missing and gathered a local search party to look for him. The all concerned police stations was informed and as Roopnagar canal runs from Mirpur 1 to Turag river through Rupali housing beside Roopnagar Housing, and they started searching for the child. Officer-in-Charge of Shah Ali police Station Anowar Hossain said that even though they did not know how the child went missing or where he went, after speaking to the relatives they began focusing their search in the canal because the chances of him falling in there were very high. Sabbir’s father told the Dhaka Tribune that several branches of Roopnagar sewage canal runs through their slum and this has been a safety hazard for the local children. Locals say this was not the first incident of people falling into the canal atleast five people fell into it in the past year and a half but the incidents did not result in any casualties. When work began on the sewage canal in 2012 the concerned officials said it would have a concrete walkway over it but that has not been constructed as of yet. According to sources at Wasa, the original plan was to construct 65 canals but that has been reduced to 43. 20 canals are already dead because of decomposing garbage and debris piling up on it and also because of land encroachment. The government in September 2008 approved the Dhaka Water Supply and Sanitation Project in association with the World Bank in a bid to ensure drainage of storm and waste water. As part of the project, Dhaka Wasa tried to reclaim the 26 canals from illegal occupation by building walkways, channels, lining and planting trees along the embankments. AFM Abdul Aziz, project director of the Dhaka Water Supply and Sanitation Project, had earlier ensured the Dhaka Tribune that the project would include the construction of open reinforced concrete rectangular channel, closed RCC box-culverts, walkways, demarcation pillars and tree plantation. However, it has been observed that there has been very little implementation of these proposed projects. l

News

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

Bangladesh students in Malaysia under scanner Jamil Khan and n Mohammad Kamrul Hasan After finding out that several militant suspects had previously been students of Monash University’s Malaysia campus, investigators are now busy looking through information on Bangladeshi students who had studied there in recent years. A key focus is on identifying and locating those close to Nibras Islam, as it was recently found out that a friend of the Gulshan attacker had also gone missing on the same day as he did. According to investigators, Dhanmondi-resident Tawsif Hossain, who also studied at Monash University campus in Malaysia’s Sunway township, went missing with Nibras on February 3. Sources said two others – Abdul Aziz and Foysal Rashid Khan – who reportedly had close links to Nibras

tion also told the Dhaka Tribune that several Bangladeshi militant leaders, including Ansarullah Bangla Team leader Redowanul Azad Rana and JMB’s Tamim Adnan, are believed to be hiding in Malaysia at the moment. Both of them also visit Bangladesh under using false identities to organise local militants, the sources added. Asked whether outgoing or incoming students from Malaysia were being monitored at the airport, Nirjhar Ahmed, officer-incharge of Immigration police at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, said he cannot comment on this issue at the moment. Although the main focus – for the time being – remains on Malaysian universities, investigators were also looking at Bangladeshi students in other countries as well. Recently it was revealed that Saifullah Ojaki, a Bangladeshi stu-

have also gone missing. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said the status of students who had gone to different foreign universities including Malaysia’s Monash is currently being checked. If any student is found to have militant connections, actions would be taken immediately, he said. Didar Ahmed, additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said they have already found militant links between some students of Dhaka’s North South University and Monash’s Malaysia campus. These students had been motivated to join militancy after a major brainwash, he added. Well placed sources told the Dhaka Tribune that at least a dozen Bangladeshi students in Malaysia are currently suspected to have militant links; their detailed biographies were being scrutinised. Sources close to the investiga-

dent who went to Japan on a scholarship in 2001, had later joined the so-called Islamic State. Following the Dhaka terror attack, the Malaysian government and Monash University held a meeting. Dr Susheela Nair, spokesperson for Monash University Malaysia, told local media: “The university is of course deeply saddened by news of the terror attack in Bangladesh and is assisting authorities with their investigations. Monash Malaysia will provide updates when further information is available.”

Verifying alibis for absent students

Investigators are currently also verifying the whereabouts of local public and private university students who had not attended classes for a while. Sources said a list of absent students has been made and the police were making phone calls to check

the reasons behind their absence. Seeking anonymity, a former journalism student from Stamford University told the Dhaka Tribune that after completing his bachelor’s degree he got admitted in a master’s course, but was unable to attend any classes as he got a job. But recently, an official from the Special Branch of police called him to ask why he had been absent for such a long time, he said. Once the ex-student explained that he had been busy with a job elsewhere, the official disconnected the call. A senior SB official confirmed that the police were verifying such information in the wake of the Dhaka terror attack. Sources said they currently have a database of around 300 students who got admitted in different private universities but had not been to their classes. l

Gulshan attackers’ DNA samples given to FBI n Tribune Desk The DMP yesterday morning handed over the DNA samples, collected from the corpses of five Gulshan restaurant attackers and a chef, to US’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The samples were given to a representative of the FBI in Bangladesh at the DMP Headquarters, Additional Deputy Commissioner Yusuf Ali confirmed to the Dhaka Tribune. Members of the Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crimes unit were also present at the time. ADC Yusuf said he was unaware when the reports would come in. “We have not been informed about the time frame,” he said. Bodies of the five terrorists, who stormed into a Holey Artisan Bakery in the heart of Dhaka’s diplomatic zone Gulshan and murdered 20 guests on July 1, have been kept at the Combined Military Hospital mortuary. Two police officers were also killed by the terrorists in that night. The body of pizza chef Saiful Islam Chowkidar, who was killed during the commando operation carried out the next morning, is also kept at the morgue. He was first identified as one of the attackers, but police later said he might have been killed mistakenly.

International terrorist group Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. But the investigators have found the involvement of Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh, Ansarullah Bangla Team and Hizb ut-Tahrir. The samples were collected on Wednesday by Dhaka Medical College Hospital’s Associate Professor Sohel Mahmud, who had conducted the autopsy. He collected some 30 hairs and 10mm blood from each of the bodies. This is the second time the doctor collected samples from the corpses. After the incident, they had collected 5mm blood, tissues and teeth of the six. “But the CTTC unit wanted more samples,” Sohel Mahmud said yesterday. The investigators would also conduct chemical test of some samples to determine whether the militants had used any drug before carrying out the attack. IS militants usually take Captagon drugs before conducting operations. An investigating officer told the Dhaka Tribune that they suspected drug abuse by the militants considering the cruel murder style. Moreover, one of the youths detained after the July 7 Sholakia attack had been found reluctant despite being hit by a bullet. “The terrorist possibly use drugs to remain fearless during attacks,” the official added. l

TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY

THUNDERSHOWER WITH RAIN SATURDAY, JULY 23

Dhaka

Chittagong

Members of Jama’at-e Ulama-e Islam Bangladesh stage a rally after the Jumma prayers at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka yesterday in protest of terrorism and militancy MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

DU teacher accused of sexual harassment n Arif Ahmed Dhaka University has sent a teacher of sociology, Shahadat Hossain, on forced leave following allegations that he had sexually harassed two female students of the department. The university syndicate headed by Vice-Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique had issued the leave on the teacher Thursday night, DU Proctor Amzad Ali confirmed. Syndicate member Maksud Ka27

Rajshahi

DHAKA TODAY SUN SETS 6:46PM

Rangpur

mal said the Female Harassment Prevention Cell had been asked to investigate the allegations. VC Arefin Siddique said the students who were allegedly harassed had submitted the complaints to him and the chairman of sociology department on June 27. According to the complaint, Shahadat harassed the students on different occasions, whenever the students sought academic help. Shahadat denied the allegaKhulna

Barisal

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:24AM

33.1ºC Chuadanga

24.8ºC Bhola

Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES

tions, saying the story was a conspiracy by his colleagues. The DU syndicate also formed a five-member committee Thursday night to investigate the incident of mentioning Ziaur Rahman as the fist president of Bangladesh in the university’s annual publication brought out on July 1. The committee, led by DU Treasurer Kamal Uddin Ahmed, had also been asked to submit report on the attack on VC’s car the same day. l Sylhet

Cox’s Bazar

Fajr: 4:50am | Zohr: 1:15pm Asr: 5:15pm | Magrib: 6:58pm Esha: 8:45pm Source: Islamic Foundation

News

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

How the New York Fed fumbled over When hackers tried to steal nearly $1 billion from Bangladesh’s central bank, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York failed to spot warning signs and nearly let all the money go. Here’s the inside story of what happened

n Reuters Jupiter. That single word, by a stroke of luck, helped stop the Federal Reserve Bank of New York from paying nearly $1 billion to the cyber criminals behind the notorious Bangladesh Bank heist, according to sources familiar with the incident. When hackers broke into the computers of Bangladesh’s central bank in February and sent fake payment orders, the Fed was tricked into paying out $101 million. But the losses could have been much higher had the name Jupiter not formed part of the address of a Philippines bank where the hackers sought to send hundreds of millions of dollars more. By chance, Jupiter was also the name of an oil tanker and a shipping company under United States’ sanctions against Iran. That sanctions listing triggered concerns at the New York Fed and spurred it to scrutinise the fake payment orders more closely, a Reuters examination of the incident has found. It was a “total fluke” that the New York Fed did not pay out the $951 million requested by the hackers, said a person familiar with the Fed’s handling of the matter. There is no suggestion the oil tanker or shipping company was involved in the heist. The Reuters examination has also found that the payment orders sent by the hackers were exceptional in several ways. They were incorrectly formatted at first; they were mainly to individuals; and they were very different from the usual run of payment requests from Bangladesh Bank. Yet it was the word Jupiter that set the loudest alarm bells ringing at the New York Fed. Even then it appeared to react slowly. By the time the fraud was discovered, the New York branch of the US central bank had approved five of the payments. It took $101 million from Bangladesh Bank and paid it to accounts in Sri Lanka and the Philippines – including $81 million to four accounts in the names of individuals. Most of that $81 million remains lost. The audacious cyber heist shines a light on weaknesses in the global financial system and on a little known corner of the US Federal Reserve: its Central Bank and International Account Services unit (CBIAS), which one former employee described as a “bank within a bank.” The heist revealed that the New York Fed lacked a system for spotting potential fraud in real time – even though such systems are used elsewhere – instead relying at times on checking payments after they were made. Months of bitter finger-pointing

over who is to blame for the fiasco have damaged the sensitive diplomacy of correspondent banking, where big western institutions are entrusted with safeguarding the treasures of smaller economies. Bangladesh Bank is now preparing a legal case to seek compensation for what it says were failures by the Fed, according to a source close to the Asian bank. It also claims that errors by SWIFT, a messaging system used to make international bank transfers, made the bank vulnerable to hackers. Bangladesh Bank spokesman Subhankar Saha said the institutions were working together to try to recover the missing money. He declined to comment further. The New York Fed has denied making missteps and repeatedly said its systems were not compromised. In response to a series of questions from Reuters about its actions during the heist and in the days that followed, it declined to comment, citing a criminal inves-

congresswoman from New York, told Reuters. Maloney, who was the first US lawmaker to publicly raise questions about the incident, added: “... I see it as a threat to the confidence people could have in the central banking system.” A source familiar with the Fed’s handling of the Bangladesh affair told Reuters that the Fed has now set up a 24-hour hotline for emergency calls from some 250 account holders, mostly central banks, around the world.

The hack

Unlike the Fed, the world’s most influential central bank whose New York headquarters sits atop 508,000 gold bars stored below street level, Bangladesh Bank is not a large and powerful operation with a global footprint. It had not protected its computer system with a firewall, and it had used second-hand $10 electronic switches to network computers linked to the SWIFT global

I couldn’t believe that that much money could be lost in the SWIFT system, and in the whole federal system for central banks

tigation by the US Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. SWIFT - the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, a cooperative used by over 11,000 financial institutions around the world - has denied responsibility for any weaknesses in the way Bank Bangladesh operated and installed the SWIFT system. A spokesman said: “We continue to support the bank and cooperate with the investigations. We look forward to receiving a full account of the security incident.” But the Reuters examination has uncovered new details about how the New York Fed was slow to react to warning signs and how communication broke down between it and Bangladesh Bank. The Fed relied almost entirely on the SWIFT messaging system with, in this case, little backup for emergencies. Miscommunication and clunky payment processes meant that most of the stolen money disappeared without trace. “I couldn’t believe that that much money could be lost in the SWIFT system, and in the whole federal system for central banks,” Carolyn Maloney, a Democratic

payment system, according to Mohammad Shah Alam, head of the Forensic Training Institute of the Bangladesh police’s Criminal Investigation Department. Hackers may have exploited such weaknesses after Bangladesh Bank connected a new electronic payment system, known as real time gross settlement (RTGS), in November last year. It remains unknown exactly who broke into its systems or how they did it. Investigative reports by cyber security company FireEye seen by Reuters, say someone obtained the computer credentials of a SWIFT operator at Bangladesh Bank, installed six types of malware on the bank’s systems and began probing them in January. The hackers did a series of test runs, logging into the system briefly several times between January 24 and February 2. One day they left monitoring software running on the bank’s SWIFT system; on another they deleted files from a database. On Thursday, February 4, the hackers began sending fraudulent payment orders via SWIFT. It was late evening in Bangladesh and most of the staff had gone home. The hackers appear to have timed

the heist to coincide with the weekend that in Bangladesh began the following day. The first SWIFT message arrived at the New York Fed just after 9:55am and ordered the transfer of $20 million from the central bank of Bangladesh to an account in Sri Lanka. Over the next four hours, 34 more orders arrived asking the US central bank to move a total of nearly $1 billion from the account it holds for Bangladesh Bank. The Bangladesh orders were odd, surprisingly odd. First, all 35 of the messages lacked the names of “correspondent banks” – the necessary next step in the payment chain – according to a senior Bangladesh Bank official and a person familiar with the New York Fed’s handling of the payments. That fault meant the orders could not immediately be fulfilled. Second, most of the payments were to individuals rather than institutions, according to police investigators in Dhaka and a source close to Bangladesh Bank. And third, the slew of payments that morning was out of whack with the usual pattern of orders from Bangladesh Bank. Over the eight months to January 2016, Bangladesh Bank had issued 285 payment instructions to the Fed, averaging fewer than two per working day, according to a source close to Bangladesh Bank. None of those payments had been to an individual, the source said. The US central bank allows payments to individuals, but it’s not common and is generally discouraged, according to one of the former New York Fed employees. The New York Fed declined to comment on whether staff had found the numerous messages on February 4 surprising or suspicious.

Missed warning signs

At the New York Fed, such payment orders are handled by a small group of CBIAS staff, according to five former employees and senior officials who worked on the team or closely with it. A subset of about 10 staff actually process payment requests, according to the sources. These staff, some fairly junior, can find up to 100 requests waiting for them when they arrive in the morning and may manually review hundreds of payments during the day. Most of the transactions are automatically executed. When the first 35 messages from Bangladesh Bank were rejected for incorrect formatting, the hackers simply fixed the formatting and sent another 35 requests for payment to the same beneficiaries as before. This time the New York Fed cleared five of them, despite the

News

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

the Bangladesh Bank cyber heist oddities. They were properly formatted, SWIFT authenticated and went through automatically. The Fed system had a weakness: While credit card companies can spot unusual patterns in real time, the New York Fed typically looks back through payments, usually the day after they are requested, according to two former employees. After the five payments had been made, staff did flag “several” other requests for review to check whether they complied or not with US sanctions, according to a letter that Thomas Baxter, the New York Fed’s general counsel, later sent to Rep Maloney. That manual review found that the payments were “potentially suspicious,” Baxter wrote. The Reuters examination found that on that Thursday Fed staff had sufficient concerns about 12 of the payment requests to send a message to Bangladesh Bank at the end of the day, New York time. “The payments contained individuals as beneficiaries and have varying details,” the message said. But it was nearly 4am on the weekend in Bangladesh and no one was available to respond. Besides, the hackers had sabotaged Bangladesh Bank’s systems to stop messages getting through. It was only the following day, Friday February 5, that the Fed began a full manual review of the orders from Bangladesh Bank, according to Baxter’s letter and sources in Bangladesh. Baxter, the New York Fed’s top lawyer, said in his letter such reviews can occur after payments have been made. Sources in the United States and Bangladesh said that it was at this stage that the presence of the name Jupiter in the payment orders rang alarm bells. One of the Fed’s responsibilities is to avoid violating US laws and prevent payments to sanctioned companies or individuals. It was just a stroke of luck that the name Jupiter featured on a sanctions list, thus raising a red flag.

Dhaka delay

Jubair Bin Huda, a joint director of Bangladesh Bank, was on duty that weekend and arrived at the bank’s offices in Dhaka around 10:30am on Friday, February 5, according to a police report. He and a colleague went to collect the latest SWIFT acknowledgement messages, which would normally have printed off automatically. They found none. They tried to print the messages manually but failed. The hackers had infected the system with malware that disabled the printer, and Bangladesh bank officials did not see the Fed’s query and knew nothing of the fraudulent transactions. Instead, according to a police report, Huda

BANGLADESH BANK HEIST

In one of the largest cyber heists in history, hackers ordered the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to transfer $81 million from Bangladesh Bank to accounts in the Philippines

THE MONEY TRAIL FEB.4-5, 2016

Transaction date Via New York Fed

$951

million 35 orders Via SWIFT global bank messaging system

Via Phillrem

Via RCBC

$101 million 5 orders Via New York Fed

FEB.5-13

Four US dollar accounts

$850

$81

million RECIPIENT Four Filipinos

$20

million 30 orders Blocked

Via Pan Asia Banking Corp.

million RECIPIENT Shalika Foundation Blocked Hackers misspelled name of the NGO

million RECIPIENT Weikang Xu

$29

million RECIPIENT Solaire

$21

million RECIPIENT Eastern Hawaii Leisure Co. * A casino resort owned and operated by Bloomberry Resorts

Sources: Philippines Court of Appeals documents, Reuters

W. Foo, 31/03/2016 assumed there was simply a printer problem – which had happened in the past – and asked other officials to fix it. He left work at around 11:15am. Since it was a Friday, the Islamic holy day, all other officials left the office at around 12:30pm, leaving the printer fix until later, the police report says. Later that day, Fed officials sent two other SWIFT messages to Dhaka. The first asked the same question for four of the five transactions that had already been cleared – and those four transactions included the name Jupiter. The second message asked about the 30 other payment instructions, including those queried the day before, according to sources close to Bangladesh Bank and an internal bank document seen by Reuters. The messages did not get through. And the New York Fed did not reach out to Dhaka in any other way. It would often take up to three days for clients like Bangladesh to respond to SWIFT messages, said one former New York Fed employee. But the person added that by that point the New York Fed should have realised someone was trying to wire a billion dollars out of the account “and that’s something way outside the norm.” Huda returned to work on Saturday, February 6, around 9am, and tried again to use the printer, only to discover the SWIFT software was not starting. Whenever he tried to boot it up, a message appeared on the monitor, saying “a file is missing or changed.” Only around 12:30pm did bank staff finally manage to print the SWIFT messages. That is when they

$31

REUTERS

clined to comment, citing ongoing investigations into the affair.

Tardy fed

New York Fed should have realised someone was trying to wire a billion dollars out of the account ‘and that’s something way outside the norm’

first saw the fraudulent transactions and the Fed’s queries, and realised something had gone horribly wrong. They scrambled to find out more, but did not tell Atiur Rahman, then the bank’s governor, what had happened until the next day. Rahman told Reuters he did not initially appreciate the gravity of the situation. He said deputy governor Abdul Quasem had told him the money was “still in the system” and would be recovered soon. It later became clear much of the money would not be recovered, and Rahman resigned from Bangladesh Bank in March. Quasem, who also left the bank in March, de-

As the scale of the theft sank in that weekend, the Fed’s reliance on SWIFT messaging, its lack of alternative communication and its inertia became apparent. Since Bangladesh Bank’s SWIFT system was still not fully working, officials there hunted for other ways to contact the Fed in New York. Lacking any obvious point of contact, they searched the Fed’s website and found an email address – but it was only monitored during weekday business hours. On Saturday they fired off three emails to that address over several hours. The first included the line: “Our system has been hacked. Please stop all payment (debit) instructions immediately.” It was the weekend and Fed staff did not respond. That email address was unlikely to be synced to their mobile phones, according to a former New York Fed employee. Huda followed up with several calls and a fax to numbers obtained from the Fed website, according to a source close to Bangladesh Bank. Those numbers were also marked as weekday-only contacts and the Fed still did not respond. On Monday, staff at Bangladesh Bank finally managed to get their SWIFT system operating and sent a message headed “Top urgent” to the New York Fed saying 35 payment orders were fake. “Please recall back funds if transferred from your accounts,” it said. That message, sent around 1am in New York, would have been seen

when CBIAS employees arrived around 7:30am. It was only on Monday evening in New York and Tuesday morning in Dhaka – four days after the heist began – that the New York Fed told Bangladesh Bank that it had alerted the correspondent banks to the fraud. A payment of $20 million to an account in Sri Lanka had already been reversed because of a spelling error in the request. But for four other payments made out to individuals it was too late: $81 million had gone to a Philippines bank and from there disappeared into country’s casino industry. The blame game began soon afterwards. On February 11 and 14, Eddie Haddad, SWIFT’s managing director for Asia Pacific, sent emails – seen by Reuters – to Rahman, then still governor of Bangladesh Bank. The emails implied that someone within the bank may have been involved in the heist. On February 19, Alain Raes, SWIFT’s head in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, again raised that possibility, writing in an email to Rahman: “While any conclusion would be premature ... this could point to sophisticated outsider acting with help from a malicious insider from the Bangladesh Bank.” Bangladesh Bank declined to comment. A panel appointed by the Bangladesh government to investigate the heist said in a report in late May that it suspects some insider involvement. It gave no details. Senior police investigator Mirza Abdullahel Baqui said officials were being questioned but only for negligence. Relations between Bangaladesh Bank and the New York Fed also soured. In early May, Fazle Kabir, who had taken over as governor of Bangladesh Bank, wrote to William Dudley, president of the New York Fed, questioning the NY Fed’s actions. Dudley telephoned Kabir to arrange a meeting in Basel, Switzerland, on May 10. That meeting was chaired by Gottfried Leibbrandt, chief executive of SWIFT, who was accompanied by his general counsel. The New York Fed was represented by Dudley, Baxter, and other officials. Bangladesh Bank was represented by Kabir, other officials and Ajmalul Hossain, a prominent Dhaka lawyer. According to people familiar with the discussion, the two banks left the meeting unsatisfied. The New York Fed is frustrated by Bangladesh Bank’s refusal to share with it a review of its cyber security. Bangladesh Bank feels the Fed should have spotted the unusual nature of the transactions, according to a source close to the Asian bank. Further talks are planned. l

News

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

Ponds, wetlands filled defying law Khoda Sobuj, n Kudrote Kushtia More than 100 ponds and wetlands in Kushtia town have been filled up in recent years defyning the government law. Local sources said filling up the ponds and wetlands and unplanned construction on the land had increased in the district, putting the region’s ecological balance at risk. During a visit to different parts of the town, it was found that many historical ponds had been filled by its owners in Angurpara Bazar area, Phultala, Talipara, Chourhash, Jugia , General Hospital area, Pearatala, Alfamor area. Officials of the Fisheries Department of the district said the ponds in the town had been filled illegally causing hamper to fish production. In case of fire accidents, fire fighters also have to face difficulty in collecting sufficient water to extinguish the blaze. Nur Ahmed, assistant director of Kushtia Fire Service Station said the firefighters had to face water crisis as the maximum ponds in the town had been already filled. Now, whenever it rains, streets are waterlogged and often remain so for weeks together.

Rapid increase in population and steep increase in land prices are the other factors responsible. Paribesh Club, a local organisation, estimated that at least 100 ponds of the town had been filled up in the last ten years, in a clear breach of the country’s environmental laws.

To fill up a pond, an approval from the environment directorate is needed Almost always, it said, the purpose was to construct buildings on the filled up spaces. As the number of ponds and wetlands decreased, so did the fish habitats and fisheries, adversely affecting the district’s aquatic ecosystem. Goutam Kumar Roy, director of the organistion, said they had subitted a memrandum to the deputy comissiner prtesting the filling of the ponds. “To fill up a pond, an approval from the environment directorate is needed,” he said. According some fisheries officials, filling ponds and wetlands is really worrying.

Locals said indiscriminate earth-filling had also given rise to another problem: waterlogging. Earlier, when there were more ponds and wetlands, rainwater would find its way into the water bodies, and the streets remained free of water logging. There were 16,543 ponds in the district. In the last few decades, more than 14,000 ponds had been filled because of indiscriminate earth-dumping and unplanned urbanisation According to the Deparment of Environment sources, an order has been given to the people to stop the filling of all kinds of wetland in and around the town. But a vested-interested group and the land owners are using a new tactic to fill ponds. Numerous ponds are being filled by dumping waste so that the water there would be contaminated. When contacted, Mizanur Rahman, senior officer of the department, said he was not informed about the filling of the pond. Mayor Matiur Rahman said there was nothing to do as the owners had filled their ponds. Deputy Comissiner Sayed Belal Hossain said the Deparment of Environment had been asked for taking measures. l

BSF ‘shoots dead’ Bangladeshi in Rajshahi Correspondent, n Our Rajshahi A Bangladeshi cattle trader has been reportedly shot dead by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) along Rajshahi’s Godagari border. Although the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) insists the man was hacked to death, police and doctors say he was killed by bullet. Locals and the victim’s relatives say Abul Kalam, 40, went to the border to bring cattle with several other traders on Thursday night. He was critically injured when the BSF opened fire. His companions brought

Kalam home. He was rushed to the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital on Friday morning where he died. An estimated 2.5 million cattle are smuggled into Bangladesh from India every year. The sheer economics of this trade makes it very difficult to stop cattle smuggling along the border. BGB 1 battalion commander Lt Col Shahjahan Siraj said Kalam had stab wound in his head. “Someone hacked him and dumped his body in the border to divert the incident.” Godagari model police station’s OC SM Abu Forhad said Kalam’s house is located around 500 yards from the

border and he used to bring cattle from India. “He was shot by BSF when he went to the border to bring cattle in the early hours of Friday. His relatives rescued him and took him to hospital.” RMCH police outpost’s Assistant Sub-Inspector Enamul Haq said a bullet had hit Kalam in the head. Doctors said Kalam had died from bullet would. BSF has often been described as trigger-happy and accused of violating human rights. Although Delhi had promised to curb border killings, deaths along the border continue to occur. l

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

Thousands displaced in the north as most rivers keep swelling n Ariful Islam, Kurigram Flood situation in the northern parts of the country has worsened further as major rivers, including Teesta, Korotoa, Dharola, continue to flow above danger levels. Water levels in 55 river stations monitored by Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre have marked rises and 31 stations recorded falls. Yesterday, the Dharia in Kurigram, Brahmaputra in Chilmari, the Jamuna at Bahadurabad and Sariakandi, the Dhaleswari at Elasin, the Padma at Sureswar, the Surma at Kanaighat and Sunamganj and the Kangsha at Jariajanjail were flowing above danger levels by 33cm, 48cm, 10am, 5cm, 38cm, 15cm, 14cm, 66cm and 68cm respectively. In Kurigram, people in char areas are passing sub-human life as

they were not getting sufficient foods and drinking water. Many people have already taken shelter on the district flood control embankment, educational institutions and roads. Apart from flood, erosion has also brought miseries in the life of the people of the district. District Primary Education office sources said academic activities at 87 primary schools have been remained suspended for the flood situation while ten primary school buildings are bracing for the calamity. Char Guzimari Government Primary School at Ulipur upzila has already been eroded by the Brahmaputra River. Md Tayeb Ali, headmaster of the school, told the Dhaka Tribune that academic life of 165 students of the school had become uncertain.

Mukbul Hossain, a resident of Dagarkuthi village of Ulipur upzila, said: “Our house has been submerged over 15 days. Since then, we have been living in hardship, but nobody has come to help us.” Wife of Mokbul said: “We have been almost starving for the last couple of days.” Fulbhan, a resident of Gujimari village, said: “My children have been suffering from different types of aliments since water entered into my house. We have no food, no medicine, how will we survive?” Abdul Mottalib, an official at the district relief and rehabilitation office, said 92 tonnes of rice and Tk8.75 lakh has been allocated for distribution among the flood-affected people. Meanwhile, flash flood inundated low-laying areas of Islampur

upazila, Jamalpur again yesterday. According to the Water Development Board, water level of Jamuna rose by 14cm and it was flowing over 12cm above the danger level at Bahadurabad ghat point yesterday afternoon. Islampur upazila administration source said low laying areas in Patharshi, Kulkandi, Belgachha, Chinaduli and Noarpara union under Islampur upazila were inundated again. Chairman Noarpara Union Parishad, Moshiur Rahman Badal said flood water entered Ulia, Rayerpara, Kathma, Rajnagar, Natunpara, Koroitar, Kajla, Maijbari villages. He also apprehended that if flood water continues to rise most of the roads in the union will go under water. The flash flood hit the upazila first time on July 8 last. l

In a bid to thwart any kind of subversive activity, police personnel search people in Saheb Bazar area, Rajshahi city yesterday

Waterlogging hits Begunbari residents Raihanul Islam Akand, n Md Gazipur About 2,000 residents of Begunbari area in Gazipur’s Sreepur municipality are leading a miserable life as they remain marooned for nearly two months. Some have had their homes destroyed while children are unable to go to school. Shelters for domestic animals have also been affected because of waterlogging. Around 600 families live in Begunbari. The Sreepur municipality authorities have ordered to build roads and drains but waterlogging has got in the way. Locals fear that the situation will worsen if the problem of waterlogging is not addressed soon. Ananya Rani, a garment worker living in Begunbari, said it had become frightening to return home at night after work because of water-

logging. “I slipped over several times,” she said. Abdul Motaleb said mud houses in the area had crumbled because of waterlogging. “We cannot bring our cattle out while bugs and snakes are finding their way to enter the house. We are living in apprehension.” Khadija Begum, wife of late Jalal Uddin, said cooking food had become a difficult task. “We buy food from outside and it is taking a toll on our health.” Jannatun Nayeem Shikha, a fifth-grader at a local school, said going to school to attend classes had become an ordeal. “For people of Begunbari, suffering has become a permanent feature of life,” said Yasmin Akhter, who teaches at a local college. Safia, a homemaker, said the tube well had gone under water

and water is damaging the furniture in the house. “We got no local official coming to us to observe the situation in the last two months,” she said. Asaduzzaman, a local trader, said there is no good drainage system in Begunbari which has aggravated the waterlogging problem. “We raised Tk25,000 from locals and filled the main road with sand last year. But the road sank in this year’s monsoon.” Ward 8 Councillor Ijjat Ali Fakir said he is helpless as there is no way to remove the water. “I can only watch the situation at this moment, but cannot do anything to address the problem,” he said. Engineer of Sreepur municipality Sanwar Hossain said a contractor had been appointed to build a road and a drainage system in Begunbari. l

News

Nine die in road accidents n Tribune Desk

At least nine people were killed in separate road accidents in Chittagong, Mymensingh, Kushtia and Nilphamari yesterday. At least four people were killed and 23 others injured when two buses collided on the Chittagong-Cox’sbazar Highway in Chunti area, Lohagara upazila, Chittagong in the afternoon. The victims were identified as Mohammad Ishak, 36, and Nur Alam, 41, of Moheshkhali upazila in Cox’s Bazaar. The identities of two others could not be known immediately. Bimal Bhowmik, officer-incharge of Dohazari Highway police camp, said at least four persons were killed and 23 others injured when a Chittagong-bound bus and a Cox’s bazar-bound bus collided head-on in Chunti area. In Kushtia, two people were killed and 25 others injured when a speedy bus hit a roadside tree in Pragpur-Koipal area, Daulatpur upazila in the morning. OC of Daulatpur police station Shahidul Islam Shaheen said a bus dashed a roadside tree when its driver tried to give side to a motorcycle, leaving two persons dead on the spot. In Mymensigh, two persons were killed and five others injured in a road accident at Kakni on the Mymensingh- Haluaghat road under Tarakanda upazila. The victims are Rafiqul Islam, 32, son of late Mannaf Ali of Katali and Nazimuddin Ahmed, 45, son of Wahed Ali of Kakni area under Phulpur upazila of the district. A fish trader was killed in a road accident at Swaskandor point on the Rangpur-Dinajpur Highway under Syedpur upazila in Nilphamari. l

8 World

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

SOUTH ASIA

Pakistani PM’s party wins polls in divided Kashmir Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s ruling party swept local elections in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, according to unofficial results on Friday. Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League party won 31 seats in the region’s 41-seat assembly in Thursday’s vote, said Tariq Mahmood Butt, spokesman for Pakistani Kashmir’s EC. REUTERS

INDIA

Facebook accused of censoring posts on Indian Kashmir

Academics and activists on Friday accused Facebook of censoring posts about Indian-administered Kashmir as a curfew in the region extended into its 14th day. Facebook users posting on the violence in Kashmir in Britain, the US, India and Pakistan told AFP their posts had been removed or their profiles permanently deleted by Facebook citing “violation of community standards”. AFP

CHINA

‘Rebel’ Chinese village chief charged over bribes The chief of a village that became a symbol of resistance against corruption has been charged for allegedly accepting bribes, Chinese authorities said. The government of Shanwei city in Guangdong, where the village is located, said Lin Zulian had been formally arrested and charged by local prosecuting authorities on suspicion of taking bribes. AFP

ASIA PACIFIC

Singapore bans newspaper linked to IS Singapore on Friday banned the distribution and possession of Al Fatihin, a newspaper linked to Islamic State, after government officials repeatedly warned against terror threats. “The Singapore government has zero tolerance for terrorist propaganda and has therefore decided to prohibit Al Fatihin,” the Communications Ministry said in a statement. REUTERS

MIDDLE EAST

Qatar to pay Gaza salaries Qatar has pledged to pay onemonth salaries for public sector employees in Gaza, to help “alleviate the suffering” caused by the Israeli blockade, state media said. The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, has ordered paying a total of 113 million rials ($31 million), which is the total wage bill for one month in the strip ruled by Islamist movement Hamas. AFP

When does Brexit mean Brexit: Could the UK change its mind? n Reuters, London Since entering Downing Street as Britain’s new prime minister last week, Theresa May has quickly dispelled hopes that the UK might change its mind about leaving the European Union. “Brexit means Brexit,” she said in her inaugural speech. She added later that Britain will take the time it needs to invoke the now notorious Article 50 of Europe’s de facto constitution governing a member’s divorce from the EU. Both May and her new minister for Brexit have said Article 50 would not be triggered before the end of the year. Yet once May gets the United Kingdom onto the Brexit runway, can she turn back the plane? That is the question many UK and continental European legal minds are now pondering. One London firm of human rights lawyers has formally asked the government’s legal department to clarify whether a country can invoke Article 50 and begin the process of EU divorce - but then revoke it down the line. May’s government is also looking into the issue, as ministers study their position regarding the timing and aftermath of invoking Article 50, according to a person close to the government.

People hold banners during a ‘March for Europe’ demonstration against Britain’s decision to leave the European Union, in central London, Britain July 2, 2016. Britain voted to leave the European Union in the EU Brexit referendum REUTERS arguments around the invocation and possible revocation of Article 50, says a country can unilaterally pull back at any point prior to the expiry of the two-year period during which, according to the Lisbon Treaty, the European Union and the exiting state need to work out the terms of their divorce. Bindmans, a top London firm

Brendan O’Neill says any attempt to block Brexit would thrust Britain into an even deeper political crisis Article 50 of the European Union’s 2009 Lisbon Treaty, which was drafted by a former British ambassador to the EU, has never been used, providing no legal precedent for how it works. Yet how May navigates the 256-word provision is ultimately a political decision, government officials say, that will define her premiership and the future of Britain’s ties with the rest of Europe. If Article 50 can be revoked after it is invoked, then May’s calculations of when and how to start Britain’s EU divorce could be radically different from the widely assumed “irrevocable trigger” of Article 50, according to lawyers and government sources. Charles Streeten, a British barrister who has examined the legal

of human rights lawyers, has written to the government’s legal department seeking clarification on the revocability issue as well. “It would appear to be in the UK’s interests for that issue to be resolved before the Article 50 process is commenced,” Bindmans wrote in its letter. The department declined comment. In Brussels, another view prevails. EU lawyers say Britain could only revoke an Article 50 notification if all the other 27 members of the EU agreed. Otherwise, Britain could theoretically pull out of its divorce a day before the two-year negotiating period is up and start again, tangling the world’s biggest trading block in years of divorce talks.

Un-divorce?

The June 23rd referendum in which 17.4 million voters cast their ballots in favour of leaving the European Union versus 16.1 million who wanted to remain has opened up the biggest period of British financial, political and constitutional uncertainty in modern times. The vote has been cast by some lawyers as a “Peasants’ Revolt” that is now facing a “counter revolution” because the vote went against the wishes of most of Britain’s political, financial and business elites. Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage, Britain’s foremost Brexit politician, has said there is a concerted attempt to slow - or even prevent - a British exit, just like the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 was ultimately crushed. Since the referendum, several legal challenges have been mounted aimed at giving lawmakers a say over both Brexit and Article 50. At least seven lawsuits have been started arguing that only parliament has the authority to decide whether Britain should trigger Article 50. The first of such lawsuits will be heard in October. “I believe that people have been fooled,” Gina Miller, a co-founder of London fund manager SCM Private, 51, who is the main claimant in the challenge. “They have not realised that the referendum was not legally binding and secondly there is no Brexit plan.”

Dominic Chambers is a senior lawyer who has filed another lawsuit aimed at forcing the government to allow parliament to decide whether Brexit goes ahead. That case form part of Miller’s case. Yet two of Britain’s top law professors, Michael Dougan and Derrick Wyatt, said they believe Britain could revoke a divorce notification before the two-year negotiation period is up. Keith Ewing, a law professor at King’s College London, believes there is no provision for revoking Article 50. Yet he too believes there might be the possibility of a political “fudge” with the rest of the European Union. “But this is all moot: it is not foreseeable that the British government will change its mind,” he said.

Brexit light?

Any attempt at a fudge would enrage supporters of Brexit, including many lawmakers in May’s government, which has a majority of 16 in the 650-seat House of Commons. Brendan O’Neill helped organise a protest outside Downing Street on May’s first day in office. O’Neill, who described himself as a Marxist libertarian, says any attempt to block Brexit would thrust Britain into an even deeper political crisis as the elites would be seen to be frustrating the clearly expressed wishes of voters. He said he hopes Brexit will happen but that he has his worries. “What I think might happen is that we get Brexit light.” l

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

Trump launches Clinton election showdown n AFP, Cleveland

“We are better than this,” tweeted Clinton. Her former presidential rival Bernie Sanders, who galvanized young people with his call for free college education and universal healthcare, also took umbrage. “Is this guy running for president or dictator?’” he tweeted.

Donald Trump rallied Republicans by vowing he alone could fix a nation adrift in a dangerous world, storming into an election showdown with Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee determined to become America’s first woman president. The billionaire and former reality TV star electrified the Republican National Convention by delivering the speech of his life, promising to restore security, clamp down on immigration and put America first. Nationwide polls suggest the New York mogul, who has never held elected office, is almost neck and neck Clinton, the former secretary of state mired in an email scandal yet propelled by ardent fundraisers. A CNN straw poll suggested that 75 percent of respondents found Trump’s speech positive and 56 percent were more likely to vote for him -- balanced out by 42 percent either less likely or unmoved. But eyes will now pivot to Clinton. She is expected to unveil her pick for vice president by Saturday, then accept the Democratic nomination at her party’s convention in Philadelphia next week. Between chants of “U-S-A” and “Trump, Trump, Trump,” the Re-

Vice president

US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump gives a thumbs up at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio on July 21 REUTERS publican’s candidate cast himself as the “law and order candidate” who would champion “people who work hard but no longer have a voice.” “I am your voice,” he declared pointing into the cameras, promising better times with “millions of new jobs and trillions in new wealth.” Exploiting angst over racially-tinged shootings and seemingly indiscriminate attacks, Trump offered a tough-on-crime message that was reminiscent of Richard Nixon’s election-winning strategy in 1968. Dayna Dent, 69, a retiree and alternate delegate from Wash-

Nice attack suspected accomplices

Authorities charged five suspects Thursday who were in contact with truck attacker Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel Promenade des Anglais

July 14 Fireworks display attracts 30,000 to the sea front

1km

Massena Museum Hyatt Regency

Truck brought to a standstill after driver was shot and killed

84 people killed, including 10 children and teenagers. 303 injured, including 18 critically

Paris

FRANCE Nice

Attacker

Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel Tunisian 31 Described by family and friends as violent, possibly suffering from mental illness Shot dead by police in the rampage

Suspects

Ramzi A.

Artan H.

Enkeldja Z

Chokri C.

French/Tunisian 22

Albanian 38

French/ Albanian

Tunisian 37

A text message from Bouhlel thanked him for a pistol

Named by Ramzi A. as person who provided the pistol mentioned in Boulhlel message

Wife of Artan H. also taken into custody

Sent a Facebook message to Bouhlel in April urging “load the truck with ...iron”

Kalashnikov and ammunition found in cellar of an associate

Seen in surveillance video with Bouhlel in the truck before attack

President or dictator?

Foreigners from terror-linked countries would be banned, a wall built on the Mexican border and trade deals ripped up and renegotiated. “I alone can fix it,” he claimed, not impressing Democrats.

When the former first lady formally accepts the Democratic nomination next week, it will be the highlight of her more than three-decade career in public service. Trump painted her as corrupt, incompetent and hopelessly out of touch. “Death, destruction, terrorism and weakness,” he said of her legacy. While Trump went with experience, steadiness, and rock-solid conservative credentials in picking Mike Pence to join his ticket, the deeply experienced Clinton needs other skills in a vice president. Tim Kaine, senator from Virginia, comes from a battleground state, speaks Spanish and is a southern white man who might put independent male voters at ease. Tom Vilsack, from Pittsburgh and known to the Clintons for years, could help in the crucial swing state of Pennsylvania. As a former two-term governor of Iowa, can woo rural American voters. l

IMF’s Lagarde to stand trial in Tapie case n Reuters, Paris

10:45 pm A 19-tonne white truck roars up the Promenade for 2 kms at full speed

ington state told AFP she was “thrilled” by the speech. “I think Donald is very real, and I like that about him,” she said. But speaking for over an hour, he also stuck to many of the hard right themes from a bruising primary campaign, showing why he is one of the most controversial US politicians in living memory.

Mohamed Oualid G. Tunisian 40

1,278 calls with Bouhlel between July 2015 and July 2016 Pictures of Oualid apparently in attack truck found on Bouhlel’s phone

France’s highest appeals court ruled on Friday that International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde must stand trial for her role in a 400 million euros ($440 million) state payout in 2008 to businessman Bernard Tapie. She was French finance minister at the time when she signed off on the decision to seek a extremely rare out-of-court settlement in a dispute between the state and Tapie, costing tax-payers dearly. The court rejected her appeal against a judge’s order in December for her to stand trial at the Cour de Justice de la Republique, a special court that tries ministers for crimes in office. The trial will be only be the fifth in the history of the tribunal, which is made up of three judges and six lawmakers from both the lower and upper houses of parliament.

World USA

US charges three people in $1bn Medicare fraud scheme The US Department of Justice unveiled its largest-ever criminal healthcare fraud case against individuals on Friday, charging the owner of Miami-based assisted living facilities and two others in a massive $1 billion Medicare fraud scheme. Prosecutors alleged that Philip Esformes, 47, “masterminded and executed a sophisticated health care fraud and money laundering” conspiracy. REUTERS

THE AMERICAS

Venezuela agrees to Vatican mediation help The Venezuelan government has agreed to let the Vatican help mediate its long-running dispute with opposition leaders, the UNASUR regional group said on Thursday. Ernesto Samper, secretary general of the Union of South American Nations, said it “had received agreement from both sides” for a Vatican role in resolving the persistent political standoff. AFP

UK police say almost 6,200 hate crimes in month after Brexit vote British police said on Friday there had been almost 6,200 hate crimes reported in the last month following the vote to leave the EU in a referendum where immigration had been a key issue. In the four weeks from June 16, police forces across the country said 6,193 offences had been reported, with the most common crimes being harassment, assault and other violence such as verbal abuse or spitting. REUTERS

EUROPE

Police ask Nice to destroy CCTV images of attack French police have asked authorities in the city of Nice to destroy CCTV footage that captured last week’s truck attack that killed 84 people. In the request seen by AFP on Friday, the anti-terror police in Paris ask Nice to “proceed with the complete destruction of footage from all cameras used on the Promenade des Anglais,” where the carnage took place on July 14. AFP

IMF MD Christine Lagarde Her case may go to trial before the before the end of the year if a date can be found that suits all of the judges and lawmakers, a judicial source said. Her lawyer Patrick Maisonneuve expressed regret over the decision and said he was convinced that the trial would show she was innocent. l

AFRICA

Kenyan court convicts man of ivory trafficking A court in Kenya’s coastal city of Mombasa has convicted a man accused of leading an ivory smuggling ring. Kenyan Feisal Mohamed Ali was found guilty Friday of possessing ivory. A judge freed Ali’s co-accused for lack of evidence. AP

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

World

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

Indian military plane with 29 on board missing in Bay of Bengal India missing plane New Delhi

INDIA

Chennai

Indian Air Force AN-32 military transport plane carrying 29 people lost contact 15 mins after take-off Andaman and Nicobar islands

Departed 8:30 am local time

n Reuters An Indian air force plane carrying 29 people went missing on Friday on a flight to a remote island chain in the Bay of Bengal, the defence ministry said. The Russian-made AN-32 was on its way to Port Blair, the capital of India’s Andaman and Nicobar chain of islands, from the southeast city of Chennai when it disappeared from radar. There were 21 military personnel on board including six crew. The other people on board were civilians, some of them family members of soldiers deployed on the islands. “It was a routine courier mission to Port Blair, the plane was airborne at 8:30 a.m. and due to land at 11:30,” air force spokesman Wing Commander Anupam Banerjee said. India has been beefing up its military presence in the An-

Port Blair Scheduled destination

damans in recent years. The islands are near the Malacca Straits, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes which link the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea and East Asia. The defence ministry said four surveillance planes, 12 ships and a submarine were searching for the aircraft in one of India’s largest search and rescue operations in recent years. The plane went missing about 300 km (186 mile) east of Chennai, the ministry said in a statement. The Andamans are about 750 nautical miles from mainland India. The defence ministry said the submarine had been deployed to locate transmissions from an emergency locator beacon on the AN-32 aircraft. The plane is a workhorse of the air force, chosen for its ability to operate from short runways. l

Migrants ‘crushed, drowned’ in dinghy horror n AFP, Trapani Horror stories emerged Friday of the death of 22 migrants, 21 of them women, who drowned after they were crushed underfoot in a dinghy in the Mediterranean when panic broke out on board. The crew of the MS Aquarius, chartered by the medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and French NGO SOS Mediterranee, discovered the dead at the bottom of a dinghy when they picked up over 200 migrants on Wednesday. Survivors told MSF the vic-

tims had drowned in 12 inches of water and fuel. “People were trying not to slip into (the) pool of fuel/ water in (the) middle of (the) dinghy, but when they moved to the sides more water came in,” a survivor was quoted as saying on MSF’s Twitter feed. MSF said many of the 209 survivors were crying as they disembarked, and the charity was offering psychological support. Among those saved were two pregnant women and 50 children, 45 of whom were travelling without their parents. l

Kids

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

fiction

Secret talk and Story of Ammi n

Ashique Mustafa

The hostel is far from home. After being promoted to class seven, Kuhu starts residing in this hostel. Here, she nests in a tiny room, right beside the stairs. Like a prisoner's way of dwelling, the room has only one small window. Sitting over the concrete edge of the window, Kuhu pictures her kitten, Kidy. She wonders about her vivacious days back in the village. She starts to recollect more. With the images from her memories, Kuhu becomes powerless while holding her emotions. Her heart starts pounding. The anxiety and ache for her beloved escapes through her eyes. Her eyes flood with tears. Immediately, Kuhu runs off to hostel super to give them a call.

From the opposite side, her Ammi feels the same. They speak with each other in short, emotional sentences. While calming her down, Ammi says, “I was also thinking about you.” After the phone call, Kuhu goes off to sleep, but wakes up again in the middle of the night. The small window in her room is open. She decides to call her Ammi again. Ammi responds. Forgetting about the rest of the world, they chat with each other. The sun slowly comes up, while they remain oblivious. Other kids tease her and say, “Do you talk with the ghosts in the stairs when you are not sleeping at night?” Kuhu doesn’t reply. They don’t know that she talks with her Ammi through telepathy. News comes from village that Ammi talks to herself as well. Kuhu grins. The secret is only their own. l

Illustration: Priyo

photo of the week

A three-storied tin shed structure beside a concrete road at Lalbagh, Old Dhaka is home to many low-income families. The children who live there often crowd up at the mouth of a narrow alley, only to enjoy the busy life of the capital city. Photo: Mahmud Hossain Opu

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

book review

famous artists

Ponchogyan

onchogyan is a bangla pop-up book with basic information about five topics for children. It is written and illustrated by Rumana Sharmin, who is also the paper engineer of the book. Ponchogyan is published by the Da pop-up factory. The book begins with a little background on how planes were discovered and by whom. It moves onto a description of modern planes and helicopters and how they work. A pop-up of a plane accompanies the story. The

next page has an introduction to frogs, their varieties and a little about their habitat. The pop-up frog adds a nice visual aspect for kids. The third story is about sharks and begins with a few facts about their physical appearance, which are described with a pop-up. It then goes onto explain how they survive by hunting other fish in the sea. The Royal Bengal tiger is introduced to the kids with information about the areas they can be found in and how they rule over it. The diet and

mythical creatures

The king of birds From the dawn of time itself, there lived a bird. It was clad with beautiful red and golden feathers. It was called the Phoenix, the bird of fire. During a time when the Earth was still young, the sun’s attention was once caught by the phoenix. It was amazed by its dazzling red and golden feathers strewn over its majestic body. The sun said, “My dear phoenix, king of all birds, you shall become eternal.” From then on, the phoenix became

Who is the artist of these pictures?

hunting tactics of these creatures are explained with a majestic pop-up of it too. The book ends with a pop-up of a tree and its importance to the earth and us. Ponchogyan is an interesting and informative book. It covers a large range of topics and is very helpful.

Priced at Tk350, it can be found in bookstores like Pathak Shamabesh and Batighor. You can also order it and other such pop-up books from the Da pop-up factory’s website: http://dapopupfactory.com/ l

He was a Dutch painter whose work, notable for its rough beauty, emotional honesty, and bold colours, had a far-reaching influence on 20th-century art. He is famous for his rustic self-portraits and drew 37 selfportraits between 1886 and 1889. Some of his most well known paintings are The Starry Night, Starry Night over the Rhone, Cafe Terrace at Night and Portrait of Pere Tanguy. l Answer: VINCENT VAN GOGH

n Tasnuva Siddique

Kids

immortal, and with the gift of eternal life that it was given by the sun, the phoenix soars over the lands and seas with its majestic flight, flaunting its dazzling feathers to the world. According to the myth, phoenixes are creatures that live for about 1,400 years. They are associated with the sun itself and have bright red and yellow feathers. It is a unique creature that obtains new life by arising from the very ashes of its predecessor. l

Kids

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

trivia

art tutorial

Eggs So why are eggs healthy again? In order to build muscle and brainpower, you need to eat a fair share amount of eggs. Eggs have protein, and they’re one of the few foods that naturally contain vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium. Eating protein at breakfast gives you a satisfied tummy for a longer period of time (no more mid-morning hunger pangs). It even keeps your eyes healthy, which will help you to stay away from those fat, ugly glasses! So instead of going for chocolates, why not have an egg? l

diy

fun science

Bendable bones

All new Tic-Tac-Toe Is it raining and you can’t play outside? Here’s a game you would enjoy playing inside!

What you need: • Four lollipop sticks • 12 small rocks

• Acrylic colour in any two colours • Glue What to do: Glue the sticks into a tic-tac-toe board. Let the sticks dry. Meanwhile, colour the rocks in two different colours. Six rocks of one colour and six rocks of another. Allow them to dry. Once the game board and the game pieces are complete, go ahead and play! Each person takes a turn placing their rocks in the tic-tac-toe board, trying to be the first player to get three of their rocks in a row vertically, horizontally or diagonally. If neither player can make the pattern, then it is a draw and you play again. Even if it isn’t raining outside, you would still have great fun playing this indoors.l

What you’ll need: • A jar • A chicken bone • Vinegar What to do: Take a chicken bone and wash it properly with water. Make sure the bone does not have any meat on it. Fill the jar with vinegar and dip the bone into it. Take out the bone

after three days. The bone will not be as hard as it was earlier, but more like a piece of rubber now. Calcium makes bones strong. When the bone is dipped in vinegar, the calcium completely dissolves, making the bone softer. Now you know why your mother forces you to drink milk (which is rich in calcium) everyday? l

Kids

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

Safety first n Nadia Abdullah In a busy city like Dhaka, accidents are very likely to happen and hence, it is very important for you to know the basic steps of protecting yourself in such situations.

House fire

During a fire, it is very important to have an escape plan, that can help every member of the family to get out of the house safely and quickly. Smoke from a fire can make it hard to see and difficult to breathe. So it’s important to have a good idea of the outlines of your house. If you’re in a room with the door closed when a fire breaks out: • You need to make sure that the room on the other side of the main door is not burning in fire before you run towards the exit. • Check if there’s heat or smoke coming out from the cracks around the door. If there is, don’t open the door. • If you don’t see smoke, touch the door or the doorknob; if its hot, open the door slowly and carefully, and check whether if there is a fire. If you are stuck inside a room: • Find wet towels and sheets to close the door cracks; this stops the smoke from entering the room. • Rip off the curtains and anything that could burn. Make them wet, so they don’t catch fire. • Don’t break the windows! If the fire is coming from outside, close the window to protect yourself from the heat and smoke. If the fire is inside, open the window to let air in. Once you are outside the building: • Once you are out, don’t go back in. If anyone is still stuck inside, ask for an adult’s help. • If your clothes are on fire, get on the floor and roll. • Quickly cool any burns with water and ask for medical attention.

How to use a fire extinguisher: Remember the simple word form, PASS, to help you use the fire extinguisher effectively. PASS stands for: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep. • PULL the safety pin from the handle. You will find the pin at the top of the fire extinguisher. Once removed, it releases the lock, allowing you to use the extinguisher. • AIM the extinguisher nozzle or hose at the base of the fire. • SQUEEZE the handle or lever slowly to use. Letting go of the handle will stop the flow, so keep it held down. • SWEEP from side to side, nearly 15cm over the fire until it is used up. The sweeping motion helps to extinguish the fire.

Photos: Bigstock

cover your head with a T-shirt or a bandana, until all the debris and dust has settled. Inhaling dirty air is not good for your lungs. • Do not move until you are sure that the shaking has stopped and that it is safe to

do so, then leave the building carefully and slowly. • Do not turn electrical devices on or off. Simply switching on a light switch could create a spark and start a fire. • If possible, turn off gas lines to prevent fires from starting. If you are in a moving car: • Stop as quickly as you can and wait inside. Avoid stopping near tall buildings, trees, overpasses and wires. • Stay seated in your car and wait until the earthquake is over. Stay calm, the metal will protect you from most falling objects. But when you are in a garage, get out of the car immediately, and crouch down next to the car. • Move carefully once the

Earthquake

Earthquakes are happening more often in our country, and it is important to keep yourself safe when you sense one. If you are indoors: • Stay away from windows, walls and movable furniture or appliances. Avoid going to the kitchen. • Don’t try to rush downstairs or outdoors while the building is shaking. There is greater danger of falling objects, glass, or staircases collapsing under your feet. • Drop, cover and hold. Get under a sturdy furniture, like your dining table. • Cover your head and neck. Use your hands and arms to protect these areas from falling objects. Your upper body should also be covered because that is what is supporting your neck. If you have any respiratory diseases,

earthquake has stopped. Avoid roads, bridges, or ramps that might have been damaged by the earthquake. Road safety: • Always stay alert while crossing the road. • Stop before crossing the road. Look on both sides to check for speeding cars and then cross the road. • Always try to make eye contact with the drivers before. This way you are assured that the driver has noted your presence. • Always try to cross at pedestrian crossings and intersections. • Make sure you know what all the traffic signs mean! l

Travel

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

Types of transportation in Bangladesh Tuk-Tuk

The ever-popular Tuk-Tuk from Thailand is also used in some regions of Bangladesh, mainly Cox’s bazaar. The tuk-tuk is basically like a three-wheeled gocart. Very much like in Thailand, this vehicle is extremely popular among tourists who enjoy the novelty.

Taxis

More common in the metropolitan areas of the country. Taxi is your go-to mode of transportation if you want to travel in luxury. The quality of taxis have improved drastically over the years with companies like Toma Taxi bringing you state of the art vehicles in the form the more recent Toyota models. Up until this point, we have been mostly talking about the smaller forms of transportation. Let us look at some of the comparatively larger means.

Boats, launches and ferries

PHOTO: BIGSTOCK

n Irfan Aziz Bangladesh is known for a lot of things: its greenery, the Royal Bengal Tiger, the longest natural beach in the world and oh, its traffic. Being the most densely populated country in the world, it as no surprise. The big cities, especially, are notorious for traffic jams. Lucky for us, there are plenty of ways to get around in Bangladesh. Do keep in mind that some of these transports are exclusive to certain regions of Bangladesh. Without further ado, let’s take a look at them.

Mercedes and Volvo, although they can only be used to travel long distances. In short, buses are a really convenient way to travel in Bangladesh.

With each rickshaw having its own unique artwork done on their backsides, it just adds so many pretty colours to the cities

Rickshaw

The number one choice here in Bangladesh, and the most popular form of transport. Although it was invented in Japan, Bangladesh made it popular. Paris is the city of Light; Dhaka is the city of rickshaws. With approximately 600,000 rickshaws running each day, the city of Dhaka is known as the Capital of Rickshaws. It is very convenient to travel short distances and even fairly long distances at times. Although one of the major contributors of traffic jams, rickshaws are also responsible for a fair chunk of employment. In addition, they

do not require any fuel, do not emit any harmful gasses, are very reasonable and energy efficient. Of course, we must not forget about rickshaw art. With each rickshaw having its own unique artwork done on their backsides, it just adds so many pretty colours to the cities. Still wondering why the rickshaw is the peoples’ champion of transports?

Bus

This is the cheapest way to travel within the city and covers long

distances. However, there are several classes. You have the local buses, which are the cheapest, and often feels like travelling in an oven every now and then. Also, fair warning, it may break your heart when you find out that the term “sitting service” is quite often proven to be a myth. If you are willing to spend a bit more though, there are services such as Falgun and Anabil, which actually live up to expectations. Then there are companies that provide you with buses from brands such as

Baby taxis

The happy little yellow automobile. Someone decided to give the rickshaw an engine and this is what we got. Banned in Dhaka, although some variations exist in the form of tempos, these are more popular in cities like Sylhet. Slightly more spacious than a rickshaw, the baby taxi is a great mode of travelling short distances in the city as they can make their way through any road regardless of how crowded or narrow they might be. In rural areas, however, baby taxis are the principal mode of covering long distances.

CNG

The baby taxi’s green cousin that runs on natural gas. CNGs have replaced baby taxis in Dhaka. They pretty much serve the same purpose as their yellow counterparts. Fun fact: The green colour symbolises the fact that each vehicle is eco-friendly.

Because of Bangladesh’s numerous water bodies, ferries and launches are useful ways to travel long distances. In rural areas, the use of boats is a very common sight to see. In popular tourist spots such as Cox’s bazaar, Jaflong in Sylhet and even the Sundarbans, boat rides are perceived as a novelty.

Railway

Established during the British period, the railway connects many districts of Bangladesh. It is not only used to travel from one city to another but also within a specific city. Much like buses, there are several classes of trains with local services offering cheaper rates.

Airlines

Last but not least, we have the various airlines of Bangladesh who offer domestic flights. Certainly not the cheapest mean to travel, not by a long shot, but it is most definitely the quickest. There is a wide variety of transportation systems in Bangladesh - they are a dime a dozen. Although some of these means are yet to live up to their full potentials, we have seen a drastic improvement over the last couple of decades. Hopefully in the coming years, we will see more state of the art technology being implemented. Not on the rickshaws though, they are evergreen!l Content was republished under a special arrangement with Tiger Tours Limited

Travel

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

Hidden treasures of Bangladesh n Rainul Islam We often hear people proclaiming the richness of the natural beauty of our country, but have you ever wondered why? Sure, you’ve visited the long shores of Cox’s Bazar, trekked to the heights of Keokradong and peaked through the lovely clean waters of Saint-Martin.

But to limit ourselves to the mainstream is to grossly under-sell the natural beauty of our country. Today, we invite your attention to some of the lesser known and /or lesser traveled destinations of Bangladesh which deserve just as much love, admiration and acclaim, as its more popular counterparts.

Forest fest Ratargul

Ratargul Swamp Forest, located in Sylhet, is the only swamp forest in Bangladesh. The forest can dive as deep as 30 feet under water during monsoon and usually sits at about 10 feet deep during other seasons. It is the creation of a surreal marriage between a freshwater swamp and an almost poetic forest of Koroch trees “growing” out of the

Waterfall galore Nafakum and Amiakhum Waterfall, Bandarban

Often hailed as the Niagra Falls of Bangladesh, the Nafakum Waterfall is one of the largest and most gorgeous waterfalls in the country. Despite its jaw-dropping beauty, however, Nafakum is also amongst one of the lesser ventured destinations due to the relatively extreme journey that it demands from travelers. For instance, for someone traveling from Dhaka, the journey would be something like this: an 8-hour bus journey to Bandarban followed by another 3-4 hours bus journey to Thanchi where travelers would need to take permission from the BGB and enter their contact details for safety reasons. Thereafter, you would need to hire engineboat(s) for the exploratory journey to Remarki through giant rocks dispersed in the Sangu River. At this point, travellers are well-advised to spend the night here at the hospitable, local tribal houses before continuing their journey to Nafakum early next morning, which will include hours of walking and trekking too.

Clearly, the journey is a major obstacle for many interested in travelling but this is also what puts Nafakum, along with Amiakhum, at the top of our list of hidden treasures of Bangladesh. The water is still clean and the nature, still innocent of manly interventions, and quite frankly, the journey itself is worth it for hardcore travel-enthusiasts. As a bonus for those who dare to take the aforementioned journey, you will be rewarded with the equally enticing scenery of Amiakhum, which is also situated in Bandarban, near the Myanmar border.

Notable Mentions:

Jadipai: Also situated in Bandarban; the water is transparent and on a lucky day, you may be blessed with the breathtaking view of a rainbow forming at the bottom of the fall. Richang Waterfall (often pronounced as “Risang”): Located in Khagrachori, Chittagong, it is relatively easy to get to and covered in more greenery than the other waterfalls on the list.

cool, clean water. Admittedly, the forest has become more famous in recent years but with its unparalleled capacity to provoke one’s senses, we felt it was too big a risk to leave it out in case, the reader hasn’t visited this luscious forest yet.

Teknaf wildlife sanctuary

Located in Teknaf of Cox’s Bazar District, and on the banks of the Naf River, it is the only game reserve in Bangladesh and a truly bio-diverse one at

that. The sanctuary comprises an area of an astounding 11,615 hectares and boasts a number of attractions, none more so than the opportunity to see wild elephants in all their magnificence and the Kudum Cave, which harbours two different species of bats and is often known as the “Bat Cave”. Additionally, the destination has a plentiful plant-life, a wide species of birds and activities including hiking trails, varying in terms of length and difficulty.

Magical waterbodies culminate into possibly the most picturesque destination on the list. Those into water travels will also appreciate the chance to row-boat along the Someshwari River. Unfortunately, all things worth having (or visiting, in this case) do not come easy; this particular place is as remotely located as being near the Indian border itself.

Chittagong Naval Beach

Boga Lake, Bandarban

Much like Nafakum Waterfall, Boga Lake really is one of the must-visit places yet, quite a challenge to get to as well. In fact, it is inaccessible by any means of transport. For those who take the trouble to take the uncomfortable steps to this destination, however, awaits glad tidings indeed. It is unquestionably one of the most beautiful destinations on the list with its heavenly view that is soothing both to the eyes and the

heart. The lake is bounded by lush greenery, hills, cliffs and rocks. It is a perfect place for nature or peace lovers to stay overnight, watch stars, read books or share ghost stories, especially in light of a famous legend about the very birth of the lake.

Shusong Duragpur of Birishiri, Netrokona Also known as the China Clay Hills, its main attractions are the ceramic hills beside the water that

When you hear Chittagong and beach – what do you think about? Cox’s, of course. While Cox’s, St. Martin and Teknaf rightfully attract more tourists, we feel the naval beach (dockside) in Chittagong is also worth a quick visit. The main attractions here include three distinct parts of the beach, each giving quite a different feel than the others. The abundance of hair-floating breeze that makes for great selfies and the thumb-sized local piyajus are alone enough to regularly attract a swarm of young adults every Friday. l

Feature

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

5 types of people you see on the road All day, everyday

n Nashshaba Nawaz Staring out of the car window and praying that you reach your destination on time is a common activity for Dhakaites. The motionless mass of cars is a familiar sight in this city. While we pretend to stare out into the perplexing traffic, we surprisingly encounter or voluntarily observe the many kinds of drivers and pedestrians whose actions never cease to baffle and amuse us. Here are examples of a few. The honkers These are the type of people who think that honking their horns repeatedly will somehow magically clear up the intense traffic. Last time we checked, horns were not certified by the Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry for possessing the ability to clear a path for you amidst a sea of stationary vehicles. If anything, it is damaging the delicate ear drums of people nearby. Accompanying the continual honking are dramatic hand gestures attempting to express the agony one feels when stuck in the jam-ridden streets of Dhaka. They will definitely not hesitate to verbally exhibit their annoyance and randomly blurt out accusations targeted towards traffic policemen, holding their incompetence responsible for the ordeal they find themselves in. The chewing gum These are the beggars and hawkers who go around from car to car, sticking to a car’s window screen, persistently asking "Apa nen/ apa den." Props to them for being

determined but at a certain point, it can get a bit bothersome. If I had something on me I would have probably have given it to them when they were asking me for the sixth time, "Apu pilij amake kisu den," fogging up the window with their pleas. If you ever get annoyed by a seemingly able-bodied beggar, constantly pleading you for money, then do yourself a favour and politely offer them a household job at your home for a satisfying salary. Their faces will automatically become grim and they will willingly walk away from your car. The impetuous drivers/ road ragers This title is not only appropriate for bus drivers but also rickshaw pullers who suddenly cut into a corner without any prior warning, putting the passenger’s and their own lives at risk. All hail the mighty bus; there is a hierarchy with buses and trucks at the top while rickshaws sit at the very bottom. They say size does not matter but that is not the case in the streets of Dhaka where buses see their size as the bestowed authority to overtake unannounced whenever they feel like it. This is the epitome of what causes road accidents. Cars, rickshaw do not make the mistake of thinking that you can take them on, because you probably cannot. It is better to be safe than sorry. Parents say younger siblings take after elder ones, well, we see the same pattern on roads. Learning from the bigger vehicles, smaller cars and rickshaws also tend to break laws by sprinting at a red light rather than stopping. Life stops for no one eh?

PHOTOS: BIGSTOCK

Last time we checked, horns were not certified by the Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry for possessing the ability to clear a path for you amidst a sea of stationary vehicles

The whiners We all know them, chances are if you do not, then you’re one. These are the people who never fail to disappoint you when it comes to

complaining about how miserable life is when stuck in traffic. “I hate this city. Remind me to never step out of the house again. I wish there was a flying car so I did not have to put up with this,” are a few

examples of things they say. News flash, your incessant whining will not get you anywhere but only annoy the people stuck in the car with you. If it becomes unbearable then just get out of the car and start walking. The roadrunner The pedestrian who starts running, while crossing the road without a care about the surroundings. Doing so will only increase the chances of being hit by a vehicle. I know you have recited the Ayatul Kursi while stepping out of your house but that does not mean you’re suddenly immortal. Please cross the road cautiously. l

Heritage

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

Datis, ‘a chief of Gangaridai’ History hides weaves of connections of the land we call home

n Tim Steel

here are thick layers of murk that veil the early history of these lands that are now Bangladesh. The most obvious layer is that of time. There is little doubt that one of the earliest forms of written language, Sanskrit, had developed in the lands around the Ganges, as is so often claimed, by Hindu devotees for the propagation of religious teaching. Word of mouth was by far the most common and early form of such teaching in the age of widespread illiteracy. The written form was more likely used to record commercial transactions in the flourishing centre of trade. However, the deficiency of enduring surfaces for such writing means that, apart from early, splendid architectural and sculptural forms, little, if anything else, material has survived. The second layer of murk is, literally, the depth of the layer. The layer that is of the alluvial outwash from the annual inundations of Himalayan melt waters, and monsoon rains. Far beneath that layer, who knows what treasures of early heritage might have survived to bear testament to what was unquestionably one of the world’s

century, obsessing with the ills inflicted by the British, largely to the exclusion of the historic ills of the Pakistan period, especially the last few years, and even that of the Mughal and Sultanate regimes, neither of which appear to have left any substantial bequest for the good of the embryonic Bangladesh society. Even the great faith of Islam certainly arrived in these lands at latest by the Pala era; like the earlier Gupta period, tolerant of all faiths. Through these layers of murk, lacking locally produced documentary commentary, and with a somewhat warped attitude toward tangible, environmental and circumstantial evidence, as well a substantial lack of interest in such archaeological evidence as is uncovered, it is not always easy for the commentator today to pin point persons, places, and developments of local genesis. However, whilst histories were written in the pre Common Era, one suspects that close scrutiny of sources in Arabia, Persia, and even North Africa might turn up some interesting Bangladeshi history, sparse in individual and human contributions to the history, there are names that occasionally emerge. Why would such material be

As a modern society, all of us are the product of our genetic histories. A DNA of which the people of Bangladesh may have one of the widest diversity of origins in the world earliest centres and crossroads of trade, even of civilisation itself. The third, and today the most challenging of the murk through which to peer for evidence of the early history, is the deficiency of resources in Bangladesh, for archaeology, specially by comparison with those in India, and the politicisation of the history of the subcontinent by, especially, India. What India cannot ignore, it attempts to hijack. India claims the ancient capital of Gangaridai lying close to Calcutta, ignoring the huge site on the banks of the Old Brahmaputra at Wari Bateshwar, in much the same way it has attempted to take possession of Jamdani. Bangladesh itself seems preoccupied from the middle of the 18th century to mid 20th

relevant to today’s Bangladesh? There are, of course, those who would contend that Bangladesh had no history prior to 1971. That is like Britain denying any history prior to the Act of Union, in 1707, that created the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; or ignoring, in the face of such overwhelming evidence, any history before 1066, and the Norman invasion, with all its awful consequences for Saxons and Britons alike. As a modern society, all of us are the product of our social, economic, environmental, and, perhaps above all, our genetic histories. And from them, there is no real escape. It is, quite literally, in our DNA! A DNA of which the people of Bangladesh may have one of the widest diversity of origins in the world.

So, we may turn over the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic stone tools and weaponry recovered from places within today’s Bangladesh, and speculate upon the contribution of nameless and faceless ancestors to the evolution of today’s nation. We may, if we read the records of neighbouring peoples, such as those of prehistoric times in Myanmar, China, Nepal and India, gain a better appreciation of just what form of human, or humanoid, created such utilities of ancient lives. And, slowly, we may learn to appreciate, not merely the contribution of the named, recent forebears who have created our people -- Bangladeshis -- but the foundations for our people, laid millennia ago. To understand where we have come from, may well provide clues to where and how capable we are of developing. The earliest glimpse of an early Bangladeshi appears, it seems, in a fine and famous, literary work of over two thousand years ago, the first half of the 3rd century BCE. Apollonius of Rhodes. Born in Egypt, at the time a regular source

of trade with the Ganges delta, and a kingdom we can now identify from the writings of Greek, Roman and Chinese as lying at the heart of what is now Bangladesh, Gangaridai. He rewrote the 8th century BCE, Homeric saga of Jason and the Argonauts, the legends of the Golden Fleece. In his rewrite he included a character, Datis, “a chief of Gangaridai,” who was in the army of King Perses 3rd, fighting in a civil war in Colchis, now identified as a part of modern Georgia, on the north coast of the Black Sea. There is ample evidence that Colchis really existed. Of both King Perses, and even Datis, himself, we can be less sure. In ancient romantic writing, facts were usually wreathed in legend. But, although it is now generally accepted that the Kingdom of Gangaridai, lying at the heart of the delta of the Ganges did exist, we may never know what he looked like, or anything of his personal history. However, his inclusion in Apollonius’ romance suggests the international awareness, not only of the Kingdom itself, but also of its formidable strengths.

We have no names from the very famous Roman poet, Virgil, of the 1st century BCE, but his Georgic that would celebrate in “gold and ivory the battle of the Gangaridai and the arms of our victorious Quirinius,” suggests that Apollonius, two centuries earlier, was not alone in admiring the military strength of the people of Gangaridai. Quirinius certainly existed, a successful general of Roman armies fighting in Asia Minor at that time. Might we reflect upon the beginnings of our understanding and appreciation of the very human qualities of these earliest of men from the lands of today’s Bangladesh. Qualities to take pride in. Qualities which have earned the interest and admiration of writers and visitors from across the known world, creating a cultural, social and historic heritage that if presented to the world could, even today, enhance the fame and the fortune of the peoples of Bangladesh. l Tim Steel is a communications, marketing and tourism consultant.

20 Editorial

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

INSIDE

A public menace in private universities? The same extortion rackets, dormitory mafia, and thuggery that are par for the course in most public institutions will make their grand entrance into the private ones, shattering the silent contract whereby parents fork over a small fortune in return for some semblance of a rigorous education PAGE 21

Knowing Abinta Kabir Abinta brought joy into the lives of everyone she touched. Her innocence and appreciation of the smaller things made everyone around her realise she was special PAGE 22

Bangladesh is in a good position, not only for green growth, but for protecting and utilising our oceans as well PAGE 23

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.

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Be heard

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evelations by investigators that foreign forces might have been at play in the July 1 Gulshan Attack are a definite move in the right direction. Until now, the insistence by relevant authorities -- and the government as a whole -- that this was the work of domestic actors alone, with no connections to transnational terror networks, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, has not been helpful in the fight against terrorism. When lives are stake, politics should take a backseat. With the names of those who orchestrated the attack coming forth, it is hoped that we will get a better understanding of what led to the attacks, and how we can stop them from happening in the future. If, as the authorities insist, this was a co-ordinated attack involving JMB, the Hizb utTahrir, Ansarullah, and the Islamic State, among others, then it is especially important to realise that investigation is the key and that it is conducted with the utmost diligence and neutrality. We must go where the evidence leads us and have no pre-conceptions or preferences in terms of finding the perpetrators. And if it is found that transnational terrorist groups are involved, and that domestic political parties are not, as evidence would suggest, we trust that the authorities will follow that route of investigation, and not let any other agenda get in the way of bringing security back to our nation. Blaming the usual suspects instead of working diligently to track down new leads, in the midst of what can only be deemed a national crisis, would be a fatal move, not just in terms of the potential loss of lives, but for the confidence building and public trust that is so crucial at this moment. As important as tracking down terrorists and preventing future attacks is, the government and law enforcement must also work hard to restore the confidence and sense of security of a shaken nation.Â Nothing would do both the government and the nation more good than this.Â

The government and law enforcement must also work hard to restore the confidence and sense of security of a shaken nation

Opinion

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

A public menace in private universities? Don’t let the absurdity of organised thuggery come into our private universities

Is this the future of private universities?

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

n Esam Sohail

ne of the few bright events on the country’s education horizons in the last century was the long-overdue green light to nongovernment entities to sponsor private universities. With the few public sector institutions overtly crowded and entirely engrossed in the abomination known as “student politics,” those seeking a basic non-technical higher education in Bangladesh had essentially two options: Go abroad in the nearby region or go abroad far away. The wealthier folks sent their offspring to the English-speaking countries while the slightly less wealthy ones sent their children to India, Malaysia, Thailand, etc. Ironically, these folks -especially the politicians amongst them -- were also the ones that rarely stopped waxing eloquent about the “glory” of student politics; after all, it was good for political consumption by their mass cadres and quite beneficial for their own children who, were they to return with their degrees from British and American universities, would have even less competition for jobs from their

The same extortion rackets, dormitory mafia, and thuggery that are par for the course in most public institutions will make their grand entrance into the private ones, shattering the silent contract whereby parents fork over a small fortune to the bursars in return for some semblance of a peaceful, rigorous education for their children

domestically credentialed peers. With the introduction of private universities, the field was evened just a little, giving graduates of some of these institutions a chance at competing with their more affluent and better connected compatriots who had come back with the BBAs and MBAs from the West. And one of the most compelling reasons behind this balancing has been the fact that the curse of “student politics” has been kept at bay at these institutions, thus avoiding issues of public safety, extortion, and questionable academic evaluation. Alas … Bangladesh has a penchant for not letting a good thing alone, be it the Sundarbans or private universities.

Firm in its belief that no tragedy should be ignored if it helps push an aggrandising agenda, the “student” front of the ruling party -- with the blessings of its spokesmen in the cabinet -- has made clear its desire to move its tentacles into the heretofore sanctified precincts of non-government colleges and universities. Whether the enabling legislation for private universities allows this or not is largely irrelevant: Since when has the minutiae of the law ever prevented the desires of the members of the ruling party? How this will pan out, if allowed to go forward, is not exactly a matter of conjecture. The same extortion rackets,

dormitory mafia, and thuggery that are par for the course in most public institutions will make their grand entrance into the private ones, shattering the silent contract whereby parents fork over a small fortune to the bursars in return for some semblance of a peaceful, rigorous education for their children. Students not ready to buy into the ruling party’s ideology will be bullied, threatened, and pushed to the margins in fear, thus compromising the very basic precepts of a holistic education; teachers not willing to turn a blind eye to blatant academic misconduct by the extortionists will either be afraid for their safety or, if they are bright, take their scholarship with them to distant

shores where “student” leaders don’t control the distribution of grades. And please, don’t say “but the police will protect …” You and I both know how much the police protect those victimised by ruling party cadres. It is not that I have one of those typical middle-class aversions to politics, or even campus politics for that matter. On the contrary, one of my majors as an undergraduate was political science and, as an undergrad, I was very involved with the college branch of the Republican Party which, in turn, led me to work on the presidential campaigns of Bob Dole in 1996 and George W Bush in 2000. Even today, as an adjunct member of the faculty, I regularly teach a course or two in the general area of politics. Unfortunately, the kind of student politics prevalent in the United Kingdom or the United States -- premised on debating policies, learning the democratic process, mastering the art of free elections -- is simply non-existent in Bangladesh, and is likely to be for the foreseeable future. The idea that belonging to a preferred student political organisation is a ticket to impunity from the law of the land or a guarantee of good grades, is a concept utterly alien to the culture of academia on both sides of the Atlantic. Bangladesh has a version of “student” politics all of its own, and it isn’t anymore a Bengali “Oxford Union” than the University of Dhaka is an “Oxford of the East.” Those myths aside, the harsh reality is that, in the present day and age, campus politics in Bangladesh is a curse that is affordable by those whose children study safely on foreign shores or by those who can pay private university tuition at home. It appears that the former simply wants to remove any potential competition for its children from the offspring of the latter. There is no other rational explanation for the absurdity of the proposal to bring organised thuggery into private universities. l Esam Sohail is an educational research analyst and college lecturer of social sciences. He writes from Kansas, USA.

Opinion

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

Knowing Abinta Kabir Abinta was a gentle, caring old soul who was taken away from this world too soon

n Zeenat Ikramullah

“M

a is my role model. She taught me to love, respect, and honour family and friends, be grateful to Allah for all his blessings, and never take anything for granted. Work hard and do your best. To be a successful woman is a privilege which must be earned. Generosity is a gift not a weakness. My birthright as a Bengali should be worn as a badge of pride.” All of us who were blessed to have Abinta in our lives can hear her echo these words. Perhaps the sentiments seem like that of an old soul, and maybe in many ways she was wise beyond her years. But to us, that is who she has been since she was a child. A sensitive baby who could feel when her Ma was sad, and would always miss her Tutu (Nanu) and Nana back home in Dhaka. Who knew that Ma and Papa’s love for her went beyond the sky. Reaching the stars in heaven and coming down to earth to lift her into their arms. We are either taught to hate or to embrace the unknown. Abinta was taught to love, by her Ma. To help those who are less fortunate. Ma would tell her to

Family was everything to Abinta

Abinta brought joy into the lives of everyone she touched. Her innocence and appreciation of the smaller things made everyone around her realise she was special be generous, to not waste food because there are so many starving children. Affection and caring were part of Abinta’s very being, because it was what Ma taught her, breathed into her ears as she slept in her Ma’s loving embrace. There were no secrets between these two kindred spirits. Abinta would say: “Hurting Ma is not an option. She is the only one who understands, and would be there through the good and bad, the pain, and love me no matter what may come.” Ma too knew in her heart that Abinta would always reach out to her Ma. Family was everything to Abinta. “Nana is my best friend. Tutu is the best cook. Pumpum is the most beautiful. Bilu has the most affectionate eyes and a big

heart.” Sharing family meals was Abinta’s favourite as a child. Even when her feet could not reach the floor, she requested a seat at the dining table. With beautiful eyes and curly hair she would wait in anticipation to see what Tutu has cooked. Her doting Tutu would bring out the most amazing meals. Abinta brought joy into the lives of everyone she touched. Her innocence and appreciation of the smaller things made everyone around her realise she was special. “Americano” was the word we used to make fun of our Abinta. “No, I am a Bengali,” she would protest profusely with her quintessential American accent. When asked “why should we

COURTESY

consider you as a Bangladeshi?” She would reply: “Because Ma and Papa and everyone I love is from there. And because I am Bangladeshi.” Simple words with great sentiments. What really made Abinta Bengali? Is it because she loved gorur maangsho, daal, and bhaat? Is it because she loved to wear sarees? Is it because she cried when volunteering with acid victims? Is it because she swore that when she grows up she will return to work for the people of Bangladesh who are less fortunate? Is it because she believed every child deserved education, food, shelter, and love the way her Ma gave her? Is it because she could not even leave a puppy stranded in the streets of Dhaka? Or is it all of the above, and her endeavour to be a better person? She embraced Bangladesh as a progressive nation willing to accept change. Willing to take part in globalisation. Willing to take the good from all over the world, and import those values as a part of our cosmopolitan society.

Education, dedication, hard work, sincerity, tolerance, and acceptance were the paths Abinta took to make her mark. Her report cards in school and Emory College are a reflection of her diligence. And standing behind the shadows with great pride was her Ma. Spiritual growth, faith in Allah, the power of good was a personal matter Abinta only shared with her Ma and close family. After sustaining grave harm from a terrible car accident, followed by numerous injuries at various sporting events, Abinta’s faith was tested. So much physical pain would deter anyone’s belief in Allah but not this strong, young lady. She never complained. Holding Ma’s hand, believing that her prayers would ease the pain, and that was how she overcame such agony. Believing in Allah had a higher purpose. As a nation, we lost our innocence on July 1, 2016. We must keep vigilance that no more Abintas leave our beloved nation so soon as this one did. We say to Abinta and her Ma, in the words of EE Cummings:

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart)i am never without it(anywhere i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done by only me is your doing,my darling) i fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet)i want no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true) and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you here is the deepest secret nobody knows (here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide) and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart) Love always, Khalamoni l Zeenat Ikramullah is Abinta Kabir’s aunt.

Climate Change

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

Green economy: Why not blue?

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n Jennifer Khadim “No water, no life. No blue, no green.”

-- Sylvia Earle, Oceanographer hen we talk about the environment, we often focus on trees, we don’t focus on

water. And so it makes sense when we talk about building a new economy that respects the boundaries of the natural world -- we are often talking about what’s on land while forgetting what’s in the ocean. Oceans cover roughly 70% of the Earth’s surface and contain 97% of the planet’s water supply. Many people around the world depend on oceans for their incomes and livelihoods, and what’s more, these massive water bodies also curtail the impacts of climate change by absorbing approximately 30% of carbon dioxide gases into the atmosphere. Any plans for a more sustainable world are going to have to take oceans into greater consideration. The “green economy” by now has become a popular concept around the world. As extractive industries continue to take a toll on the planet’s remaining resources, “going green” imagines a process of development that protects the environment while at the same time allowing a country like Bangladesh to expand its economy. A green economy involves everything from switching to

renewable energy, expanding green spaces, and sustainably using forest resources to rooftop gardening. But what about the blue economy? Nobody is talking about that -- most people do not even

Even one of the seventeen new Sustainable Development Goals is dedicated solely to oceans. Policymakers and practitioners need to turn their attention to oceans -this is true for countries all around the world including Bangladesh.

Although Hilsha is a culturally and historically significant fish to Bengalis, overfishing led to a decline in population, making Hilsha too expensive for most Bangladeshis to eat on a regular, or even occasional, basis.

More research is needed on how to lessen the negative environmental impacts of seaborne trade. Yet, overall, Bangladesh is in a good position, not only for green growth, but for protecting and utilising our oceans as well know what that is. In laymen’s terms, if the green economy is attempting to maximize profit while at the same time allow us to live sustainably on the planet, then a blue a economy is the same thing except that it deals with oceans and seas. A blue economy involves everything from managing marine ecosystems and harnessing hydropower from the sea, to governing fisheries so that they are both sustainable and economically productive, to promoting oceanbased tourism. These activities are often forgotten in development because we don’t often stop to think and wonder what oceans might offer us. From above, oceans seem like a vast desert of blue. Yet, oceans are not only essential to human survival, they also provide us with many economic opportunities from aquaculture to submarine-mining to subsistence-fishing.

Bangladesh and the Blue Economy

How important is building a blue economy in Bangladesh? Very important, especially when you consider the country is located on the delta of the Ganges and Brahmhaputra rivers that flow directly into the Indian Ocean. Fortunately, our government is already ahead of the game when it comes to incorporating the ocean and seas into our country’s planning processes. The prime minister of Bangladesh gave a speech on blue economy in 2014, describing the many economic opportunities our coastal region has to offer. And if you go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website, you will quickly find a webpage that describes in great detail how a blue economy could be incorporated into Bangladesh. One example of sustainable ocean management in Bangladesh is the regulation of Hilsha fish (known as Ilish in Bengali).

The government declared a number of Hilsha sanctuaries for the uninterrupted natural growth of the fish. Since this regulation could hurt fishers who depend on Hilsha for their daily income, the government also provided rice and alternate livelihood options to these affected households. While Hilsha are found all across the rivers of Bangladesh and not just the sea, they are still an example of what a blue economy would look like. Bangladesh still has a lot to learn if it is going to incorporate the blue economy into its national planning. Good marine governance will be necessary, that much is certain, particularly with our neighboring countries whose coasts also border the Indian Ocean. Bangladesh would also benefit greatly from technical assistance from richer nations, particularly in regards to harnessing hydropower. We need to understand how to

use the resources of our oceans and seas without destroying fragile marine ecosystems. More research is needed on how to lessen the negative environmental impacts of seaborne trade. Yet, overall, Bangladesh is in a good position, not only for green growth, but for protecting and utilising our oceans as well. Every morning, before the sun is out, all along the coast of Bangladesh, thousands of fisherman row out to the Bay of Bengal in small fishing boats. By the first few hours of dawn, you can smell the fresh fish they have caught in the many fish markets Bangladeshis visit daily. Water is, in many ways, the lifeblood of this country and the source of livelihood for many of its people. As we attempt to re-define what future development looks like in Bangladesh, it is important we do not forget the ocean and the seas. l Jennifer Khadim is a Research Associate at the International Centre for Climate Change and Development. This page has been developed in collaboration with the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) and its partners, Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) and International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED). This page represents the views and experiences of the authors and does not necessarily reflect the views of Dhaka Tribune or ICCCAD or its partners.

24 Sport

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

SCORECARD

TOP STORIES

SUSSEX INNINGS Nash c Browne b Quinn Wright c Westley b Lawrence Salt c Zaidi b Bopara Taylor run out (Taylor) Machan c Westley b Bopara Jordan not out Cachopa lbw b Napier Archer not out Extras (lb 1, w 3, nb 2)

Russia waits on 2016 Rio Olympics call

Total (6 wickets; 20 overs)

B 16 24 19 16 8 21 10 7

200

Fall of Wickets 1-43, 2-65, 3-106, 4-119, 5-122, 6-174

Russia yesterday said it expects to avoid a blanket ban at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games over statesponsored doping as a fresh batch of drug test failures from Beijing 2008 and London 2012 rocked the Olympics. PAGE 25

Bowling Walter 4-0-46-0, Quinn 4-0-35-1, Napier 4-0-38-1, Zaidi 3-0-38-0, Lawrence-1-0-10-1, Bopara 4-0-32-2

Bara beat rivals Real to Portugal’s Gomes Barcelona have swooped for Portugal international Andre Gomes of Valencia, the Catalan club announced on Thursday. The 22-year old attacking midfielder had been linked with Real Madrid and Manchester United. PAGE 26

R 25 32 33 24 5 45 18 12 6

ESSEX INNINGS Lawrence lbw b Beer Browne c Mustafizur b Mills Westley lbw b Archer Bopara c Wright b Mustafizur Zaidi run out (Salt) Ten Doeschate c Mills b Mustafizur Foster b Mustafizur Taylor b Mustafizur Napier not out Walter not out Extras (b 6, lb 2, w 10, nb 8)

R 36 1 23 32 18 26 5 0 8 1 26

Total (8 wickets; 20 overs)

176

B 26 3 19 26 11 23 5 3 5 1

Fall of Wickets 1-11, 2-58, 3-79, 4-121, 5-134, 6-149, 7-153, 8-166

BALL BY BALL BREAKDOWN 0 1 0 2 0 1 1 W 0 0 0 1 6 1 W 4B 0 W 0 W 1NB 1 6 0 0

Bowling Archer 4-0-39-1, Mills 4-0-36-1, Jordan 4-0-30-0, Mustafizur 4-0-23-4, Beer 4-0-40-1 Sussex won by 24 runs M-O-M: Mustafizur Rahman (SS)

Fizz sparkles on Sussex debut Evolution not revolution: Julen New coach Julen Lopetegui wants Spain to go through an “evolution” not a “revolution” as he tries to bring the good times back to the former world champions. The 49-year-old was put in charge on Thursday. PAGE 27

Becks backs Jose to recapture glory days Former Manchester United great David Beckham says he is certain the club can go back to challenging for top honours under new manager Jose Mourinho. Since the retirement in 2013 of Alex Ferguson, United have landed just one piece of silverware. PAGE 28

n Agencies Chris Jordan’s late blitz and Mustafizur Rahman’s four-wicket haul on his NatWest Twenty20 Blast debut helped Sussex win the South Group encounter against Essex by 24 runs at the County Ground in Chelmsford on Thursday. The victory helped Sussex move up to fourth position on the points table. Captain Luke Wright (32) and No 3 batsman Philip Salt (33) were chief contributors at the top of the order before Ravi Bopara’s twin strikes, in his successive overs, reduced Sussex to 119 for 4. Ross Taylor was run out soon after but Jordan’s 21-ball unbeaten cameo worth 45 at the fag end helped the visitors post a daunting 201-run challenge for the home side. Essex’s chase never took off. Barring a 42-run partnership between Ashar Zaidi and skipper Bopara (32), the hosts kept losing wickets are regular intervals. Mustafizur, coming back for his final spell, first got rid of Bopara in the 16th over to peg Essex back. In his next over, he got rid

of James Foster and Callum Taylor and then sent back Ryan ten Doeschate to deny the opposition any chance of a late recovery. The Bangladesh paceman was adjudged player of the match for his brilliant bowling figures of 4/23 from four overs. Following the end of the game, Sussex skipper Wright was full of praise for Fizz, as he is fondly referred to in the cricketing world. “It has taken some hard work to get him here, and a lot of people have worked hard to make it happen. Now we can see why he was worth so much time and effort.

He is a very special bowler. He has put in a performance straight away that was very special to watch,” said Wright. “It is so hard to pick what he is going to do. In the warm-up we were trying to work him out and we couldn’t. Credit to our wicket-keeper Craig Cachopa who kept really well to him – it is not easy when you’ve had no time to watch him before or to have faced him. “He got a flight [Wednesday] so he’s come straight in and bowled like that. We have a very special talent on our hands,” he added.l

WHAT FIZZ SAID Thank you to Sussex for having me. The weather here is nice, much cooler than in the sub continent conditions in the IPL. I’ve spoken to many senior cricketers that have played in England and now can’t wait to play in this new environment and learn in these useful, pace bowling friendly conditions. Only two other Bangladesh players (Shakib al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal) have played county cricket in the past. For Sussex, I am the first. I am very excited and can’t wait to gain experience. I always play to win whether it’s for Bangladesh or any other team. I’ve been unable to play the earlier matches but I will give my best and I’m hopeful. We can the final matches and reach the quarters. Bangladesh supporters have always been supportive of me and the whole of Bangladesh are excited for me to play for Sussex. I hope everyone will pray for me and wish me good luck for my upcoming matches.

Sport

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

4-tier BPL security in Chittagong n FM Mizanur Rahaman, Chittagong

Four-tier security has been set up for the Bangladesh Primer League, which is scheduled to kick off at MA Aziz Stadium tomorrow, said the authorities. “Plain-clothes police, Rapid Action Battalion, Armed Police Battalion and police would be deployed at MA Aziz Stadium and the teams’ hotels during playtimes. Carrying all kinds of bags, laptops, water bottles and food are prohibited at the stadium,” said Chittagong Metropolitan Police Commissioner Iqbal Bahar to the media during a briefing. The CMP Commissioner informed that the spectators would be allowed with only their mobile phones while archery gate would be installed at the six entry points of the stadiums to check any illegal items. “CMP has chalked out four-tier security plan for the BPL while additional forces have already been brought from outside Chittagong,” he added. While replying a query, the CMP chief said police personnel would be deployed in and outside the eight hotels where the players are supposed to stay during the tournament while the footballers will also be escorted by law enforcement authorities. The Commissioner stated that around 48 foreign players will be provided extra security. “The Outer Stadium will be used as a parking space for traffic while no traffic would be allowed near the stadium during playtimes,” added the commissioner. Around 18 matches are scheduled to be held in the port city. l

Russia waits on 2016 Rio Olympics call n AFP, Moscow Russia yesterday said it expects to avoid a blanket ban at the Rio Games over state-run doping as a fresh batch of drug test failures from Beijing 2008 and London 2012 rocked the Olympics. The IOC’s executive board are to hold a conference call tomorrow to discuss barring Russia from the Rio Games starting on August 5 over bombshell doping revelations.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport on Thursday rejected an appeal by Russia’s track and field team against their suspension from Rio in a decision seen as a key indicator as the IOC debates whether to kick out the whole Russian team. Russia is a sporting powerhouse whose absence from Rio would create the biggest crisis in decades for the Olympic movement and Moscow is banking on the IOC rejecting a total ban.

“All sportsmen who have not been convicted or are not under suspicion of doping should have the right to compete,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. “That is the decision we are counting on.” Against the backdrop of the current doping scandal engulfing Russia the IOC reported separately yesterday 45 new doping failures from the last two Games, bringing the total number of positive

drug tests to 98 since a retesting programme was launched. The IOC has reanalysed more than 1,200 samples, with the emphasis on medal winners, in a bid to clean up the Olympics’ reputation. It said it was not able to identify the athletes concerned or their nationalities for legal reasons but said 30 positives came back from Beijing, including for 23 medal winners, and 15 from London. l

The 2016 Rio Olympics mascot Vinicius attends the inauguration ceremony of the Olympic Rings placed at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday

REUTERS

Chittagong all set for BPL kick off Fluent Cook century n Tribune Report Top-flight sides Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra, Mohammedan Sporting Club and Arambagh KS arrived in Chittagong yesterday, on the eve of the Bangladesh Premier League, which kicks off tomorrow. Sheikh Russel, who will take on Uttar Baridhara Club on the opening day, were the first club to set foot in the port city while the other three teams arrived later yesterday night. The tournament opener pits unfancied Arambagh against premier league champions Sheikh Jamal, who must play without a head coach in their first two matches. In the absence of veteran coach Shafiqul Islam Manik who was re-

cently sacked by the club, assistant coach Sheikh Ashraf Uddin and goalkeeping coach Mosharraf Badol are currently guiding the team.

The tournament opener pits unfancied Arambagh against premier league champions Sheikh Jamal Newly-appointed Nigerian coach Joseph Afusi is likely to join the club next week. Meanwhile, Federation Cup

champions Abahani Limited, Feni Soccer Club, Rahmatganj MFS and Uttar Baridhara are scheduled to arrive in Chittagong today while Brothers Union, Muktijoddha SKC and Team BJMC will land tomorrow. The clubs will stay at seven different hotels and places. Sheikh Jamal, Abahani and Sheikh Russel will stay at Hotel Tower Inn, Muktijoddha, Feni and Rahmatganj at Hotel Al Faysal, Mohammedan at Parjatan, Brothers at Women’s Sports Complex, BJMC at No View rest house, Uttar Baridhara at Hotel Raj International and Arambagh at Sylhet Super. The first two rounds will be held in the port city while the third round will take place in Mymensingh. l

puts England in control n Reuters Captain Alastair Cook compiled a trademark century to lift England to a commanding 210 for two at tea on the first day of the second Test against Pakistan in Manchester yesterday. Cook, who won the toss in good batting conditions, shared a smooth second-wicket partnership of 185 with Joe Root (87 not out) before being bowled by Mohammad Amir for 105 just before the interval. Pakistan, who won the first Test, toiled in the field, their only other success coming in the morning when fast bowler Amir bowled

Alex Hales for 10 with a rapid fullpitched delivery. Cook and Root carried the hosts to 95 for one at lunch and the skipper reached his 29th Test hundred

2ND TEST, DAY 1, TEA ENGLAND 210/2 (Cook 105, Root 87*, Amir 2/48) v PAKISTAN shortly before tea, reward for a typically composed innings. The left-hander mixed watchful defence with crisp drives and cuts which brought him 15 fours before Amir produced a ball that kept low and crashed into his stumps off the bottom of the bat. l

Sport

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

Vitesse Arnhem’s Mohammed Osman (R) shoots to hit the crossbar against West Bromwich Albion during their pre-season friendly at GelreDome Stadium, Arnhem, Netherlands on Thursday. West Bromwich Albion won 2-1 REUTERS

Bara beat rivals Real to sign Portugal’s Gomes n Reuters, Barcelona Barcelona have swooped for Portugal international Andre Gomes of Valencia, the Catalan club announced on Thursday. The 22-year-old attacking midfielder had been linked with Real Madrid and Manchester United after impressing in his two seasons at Valencia having joined them from Benfica. “Agreement with Valencia for Andre Gomes. The player will both sign and be presented as a new Barcelona player next week,” Barca tweeted. Barcelona have not revealed any more details about the transfer but Marca reported that Gomes will sign a five-year deal and join the Spanish champions for 50 million euros ($55.12 million). Gomes started 27 league games for the club in the 2015-16 campaign. l

Argentina eye Pochettino, Simeone to fill coach void n Reuters, Buenos Aires Mauricio Pochettino and Diego Simeone are among men Argentina want to talk to about the national team coach vacancy following last month’s shock resignation of Gerardo Martino. Armando Perez, head of an Argentine FA (AFA)Regularisation Committee, also plans to talk to Lionel Messi with a view to asking the team’s former captain to reverse his decision to quit international soccer. The four-person committee, put in place by world body FIFA to get the AFA’s house in order, was due to begin work yesterday after being sworn in on Thursday. “It will take charge of administrating (the AFA) which includes choosing a national team coach,” FIFA representative Primo Corvaro, who picked the committee members, told reporters. Naming a new coach is a matter of urgency with 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Venezuela scheduled in early September. The cash-strapped AFA has been in crisis since the death of former strongman Julio Grondona in July 2014 and reached a nadir last year when an election for a new president ended in farce with 76 votes cast by 75 delegates and a 38-38 result.

Diego Simeone (L) and Mauricio Pochettino Corvaro said the committee would call an AFA presidential election by July 30, 2017 at the latest. The crisis at competitive international level was exacerbated last month when Argentina lost the Copa America final on penalties to Chile, Messi said he was quitting the team and Martino resigned a week later, ostensibly over problems in naming a side for next month’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. The committee was set to begin interviewing candidates for the head coach’s position yesterday. Perez plans to fly to Europe next month because he wants to hear personally from Atletico Madrid’s Simeone and former Chile boss

Jorge Sampaoli, now at Sevilla, their views on the national team. Both have said their ambition is to coach Argentina and would be popular choices. Perez, president of first division club Belgrano, will not be visiting Tottenham Hotspur manager Pochettino, another former Argentina player widely regarded as a future national coach, in London but plans to talk to him from Spain about his availability, AFA sources daily told La Nacion. His last stop will be Barcelona for talks with Messi and Argentina vice-captain Javier Mascherano. “It would be gratifying for everyone to persuade Messi to desist from his decision (to quit),” Perez told reporters. l

Schuerrle joins Dortmund on five-year deal n Reuters Borussia Dortmund have signed VfL Wolfsburg forward Andre Schuerrle on a five-year contract, last season’s Bundesliga runners-up said in a statement yesterday. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. The 25-year-old Germany international joined Wolfsburg from Chelsea in February 2015 and scored nine goals in the top flight last season as the club finished eighth in the standings. Fellow Germany international Mario Goetze rejoined Dortmund on Wednesday, signing a four-year deal following a disappointing spell at champions Bayern Munich. “Andre Schuerrle is a German national player with outstanding offensive potential... his quality will be very valuable for our team,” Dortmund’s sporting director Michael Zorc told the club’s website. l

Sport

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

Kohli puts India in charge with 12th ton

QUICK BYTES Arsenal sign defender Holding from Bolton Arsenal have completed the signing of defender Rob Holding on a longterm contract from third tier Bolton Wanderers, the Premier League club said yesterday. The 20-year-old made 30 appearances last season as Bolton were relegated from the championship. “It’s something you dream of as a kid - I can’t wait to get started,” Holding told the Arsenal website.

n AFP

–REUTERS

Hull coach Bruce resigns Hull City manager Steve Bruce has resigned three weeks before the new season and days after being interviewed for the vacant England job, the BBC reported yesterday. Bruce, who was in contention to replace Roy Hodgson as England manager before the Football Association recommended Sam Allardyce for the position, guided Hull back to the Premier League from the Championship last season. The BBC reported that Bruce, 55, had wanted assurances about his role with Hull who put takeover talks on hold until September. –REUTERS

DAY’S WATCH FOOTBALL SONY ESPN 6:00 PM International Champions Cup Melbourne Victory v Juventus 10:30 PM Celtic FC v Leicester City 7:00 PM Premier Futsal League Semi Final 1 & Semi Final 2

CRICKET TEN 2 8:00PM India Tour of West Indies 1st Test, Day 3

STAR SPORTS 1 4:00PM Pakistan Tour of England 2nd Test, Day 2

SONY SIX 10:00 PM Caribbean Premier League T20 St. Lucia v Barbados

FORMULA ONE STAR SPORTS 4 5:55 PM FIA F1 World Championship Qualifying: Hungary

TENNIS TEN 1 8:00 AM WTA Tour 2016 Bank of the West: QF2 12:30 AM

SONY ESPN ATP World Tour 500 Citi Open Day 6: Semi Final 1

India captain Virat Kohli bats during day one of their first Test match against West Indies at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in St John’s, Antigua on Thursday AFP

Virat Kohli stroked a commanding 12th Test century to put India in control at 302 for four when stumps were drawn on the opening day of the first Test against the West Indies on Thursday. Having chosen to bat first on winning the toss, the Indian captain led the way with a thoroughly authoritative innings of 143 not out, decorated with 16 fours that has so far occupied just over four hours off 197 deliveries. He put on 105 for the third wicket with Shikhar Dhawan, the opening batsman missing out on a three-figure innings of his own when he fell lbw for 84 sweeping at Devendra Bishoo on the stroke of the tea interval. Bishoo’s mixture of leg-breaks and googlies were the greatest threat to the Indians throughout a long, tiring day for the home side at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium although his three wickets were more the result of poor shot-selection by Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. He ended the day with figures of three for 108 off 27 overs. Surprisingly he was not called upon by his captain, Jason Holder, in the first period of play, when even debutant batsman and parttime off-spinner Roston Chase de-

Evolution not revolution, says new Spain coach Lopetegui n Reuters, Madrid New coach Julen Lopetegui wants Spain to go through an “evolution” not a “revolution” as he tries to bring the good times back to the former world champions. The 49-year-old was put in charge on Thursday, signing a twoyear contract, and will lead the team as they attempt to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. “This appointment fills me with pride and is a huge responsibility I happily take,” Lopetegui told a news conference. “We are not going to throw away the many wonderful things this national team has given us. We are very proud of the past but we are looking at the present and the future. “We are not going to do a revolution but an evolution based on our ideas,” added Lopetegui. “There are players in the squad that are in their prime, many of them...we are going to bring back the enthusiasm

to the people.” Lopetegui praised predecessor Vicente del Bosque who coached Spain for eight years before stepping down after Euro 2016. Spain were knocked out in the first round of the World Cup in Brazil two years ago and lost to Italy in the last 16 of Euro 2016. Del Bosque led the team to their first World Cup title triumph in 2010 as well as the European Championship crown two years later.

Julen Lopetegui smiles during a press conference following his appointment as new manager of Spain AFP

“There is no better mirror to look at than that of Vicente del Bosque,” Lopetegui said. “He has done an exemplary job and has set the bar very high.” He added that he plans to call on most of the players used by Del Bosque but will open the door to emerging talent. Lopetegui guided Spain’s team to title success in the 2012 European Under-19 Championship and the 2013 Under-21 equivalent. Spanish football federation president Angel Maria Villar said: “I’m certain we will have a lot of success under Julen Lopetegui”. The new coach led Porto from May 2014 until January this year when he was dismissed following their Champions League exit. A former goalkeeper, Lopetegui was part of Spain’s 1994 World Cup squad but did not play. “I played just once for Spain but I lived it intensely and that is the fondest memory I have of my football career,” he said.l

livered eight overs. However his dismissal of Pujara via a horribly miscued pull in the first over after lunch ushered in Kohli who proceeded to transform the rest of the day into a testament to his ever-increasing stature as a batsman of the highest class. In stark contrast, the usually destructive Dhawan was content to play the supporting role. Famed for his adventurous attacking instincts in all forms of the game, the left-handed opening batsman displayed admirable restraint in the early exchanges against bowling that lacked any

1ST TEST, DAY ONE INDIA 302/4 (Kohli 143 not out, Dhawan 84, Bishoo 3/108) v WEST INDIES real pace and potency, with the notable exception of Shannon Gabriel, who caused alarms for the Indian opening pair with his raw pace. Having opted to go into the match without uncapped fast-medium bowler Miguel Cummins, the only other pace threat available in the West Indies pre-match squad of 13, it was left to Holder, fellow medium-pacer Carlos Brathwaite and Chase to do the bulk of the early work in support of Gabriel before Bishoo got into his work after lunch. l

Pietersen returning to Dolphins for T20 n AFP, Durban Former England batting star Kevin Pietersen will play for South African cricket franchise Dolphins again this season in the national Twenty20 competition, it was announced Wednesday. The 36-year-old South African has been hired by the Durban-based team for five group games and will remain if they reach the knockout stages Dolphins finished runners-up in the T20 competition last season with Pietersen scoring 401 runs in seven innings. Pietersen has been sidelined since April, recovering from an injury he sustained playing in the Indian Premier League. Pietersen quit South Africa because he believed racial transformation policies in sport would deprive him of national team opportunities. Pietersen was axed two years ago after a 5-0 Ashes drubbing by Australia and has become a T20 batsman-for-hire. l

Sport

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

Beckham backs Mourinho to recapture glory days at United n Reuters Former Manchester United great David Beckham says he is certain the club can go back to challenging for top honours under new manager Jose Mourinho. Since the retirement in 2013 of Alex Ferguson, who won more than 30 trophies during his 26-year spell in charge, United have landed just one piece of silverware - the FA Cup last season - and sacked two managers. “I fully expect it to work. With Jose leaving Chelsea and now coming back into the Premier League with United, for me it is a great move,” Beckham told Sky Sports. “We have had quite a lot of change over the last few years. So now with Jose in there...he knows how to win titles.” The former Chelsea manager has already begun rebuilding at United, having signed defender Eric Bailly, midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan and striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and, according to media reports, is keen on adding Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba. Beckham is hoping Mourinho will help United regain the fear factor the club had under Ferguson. “Man United definitely need ... to get back to being feared again,” the former England captain said. “Because we were always a club - and are still a club - that when teams come to Old Trafford, they know they are going to be up against it and they know they are probably going to lose.” Mourinho will mark his return to the Premier League when he takes United to Bournemouth for their first game of the season on Aug. 14. l

Manchester United’s Memphis Depay (L) in action with Borussia Dortmund’s Sokratis Papastathopoulos during their pre-season friendly in Shanghai

REUTERS

Castro brace sinks Red Devils n Agencies

Manchester United were beaten 4-1 by Borussia Dortmund in the opening match of the International Champions Cup in Shanghai yesterday. The Bundesliga side led 2-0 at the break after a goal from Gonzalo Castro and a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang penalty. Things did not improve after half-time for United as further strikes from Ousmane Dembele and Castro, sandwiched in be-

tween a consolation effort by Henrikh Mkhitaryan against his old club, sealed the win for Dortmund. Jose Mourinho opted to leave both captain Wayne Rooney and goalkeeper David de Gea out of his squad for this opening match of the tournament, due to their involvement in Euro 2016. Dortmund, meanwhile, did not include recent new signings Mario Gotze or Andre Schurrle, the latter who only arrived at the club yesterday after a €32m capture from Wolfsburg.

Thomas Tuchel’s team were playing their fifth pre-season game of the summer, compared to United’s second, something that was evident in the first period as they took control of proceedings. Both sides took time to adjust though to the terrible playing surface at the Shanghai Stadium, with the bobbly nature of the pitch playing a role in Dortmund’s opening strike. After Daley Blind fouled Castro some 35 yards out, Aubameyang’s subsequent free-kick could only be parried straight to Dembele by

Mourinho: Mata must earn place at United n Reuters

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho (L) talks with Juan Mata during their pre-season friendly against Borussia Dortmund in Shanghai yesterday REUTERS

There is space for Juan Mata at Manchester United but the midfielder must fight to break into the first team, manager Jose Mourinho has said. Mourinho was in charge at Chelsea when Mata left Stamford Bridge to join United in January 2014, having won back-to-back Player of the Year awards in his two previous seasons there. “He’s here and he works hard. He knows that I know he is a good player and he has space in the squad. Until August 31 the market is open for every one of my players that is not happy, but to be fair I think he is (happy),” Mourinho told the BBC. “I think he is happy and I am not

expecting him to ask to leave. I am expecting him to do what he is doing now, which is to fight for a place.” “We have 38 matches in the Premier League, we expect to play a lot of them in the Europa League and domestic cups so in a squad of, let’s say, 22 players, there will be a space for everyone. So, yes, there is a space for Juan,” Mourinho added. Mata scored six goals in 38 Premier League appearances last season as United finished fifth in the standings. Since his arrival in May, Mourinho has boosted United’s squad by signing defender Eric Bailly, midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan and striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and, according to media reports, is chasing midfielder Paul Pogba from Juventus. l

United’s reserve goalkeeper Sam Johnstone. However, after a scramble in the box, Castro found himself in the right place to toe-poke the loose ball high into the net, although United’s ability to clear the danger was not helped by the pitch which had already started to cut up by that point. A quarter of an hour later and Dortmund doubled their lead via the penalty spot after United captain Antonio Valencia was adjudged to have handled Aubameyang’s acrobatic overhead kick in the box. l

Allardyce named England manager n AFP, London Sam Allardyce is the new England manager after the Football Association officially appointed him yesterday, 10 years after he failed to convince them he was the right man for the job. The 61-year-old Englishman who lost out to Steve McClaren 10 years ago after Sven-Goran Eriksson left - signed a two-year contract with his task to guide England to the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia. Allardyce - who gained credit for keeping Sunderland in the Premier League last season - replaces Roy Hodgson, who stepped down after England lost to minnows Iceland in the last 16 of Euro 2016 last month.l

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Resting (6) 6 Pungent (3) 9 Angry (5) 10 Discharge (4) 11 Unaccompanied (5) 12 Moved quickly (3) 13 Way of viewing (6) 15 Whirlpool (4) 18 Article (4) 21 Pacified (6) 24 Lyric poem (3) 25 Divine messenger (5) 28 Sell (4) 29 Bailiff (5) 30 Printers’ measures (3) 31 Measures of length (6)

DOWN 1 Vassal (5) 2 Sesame (3) 3 Shun (5) 4 Metal (3) 5 Notion (4) 6 Employ (4) 7 Wise utterance (6) 8 Camping item (4) 14 Hawaiian dish (3) 16 Crown (6) 17 Sweet potato (3) 19 Fierce feline (5) 20 Stubborn animals (5) 21 Sheltered nook (4) 22 Camera part (4) 23 Venture (4) 26 Fish trap (3) 27 First woman (3)

Downtime

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODECRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 2 represents W so fill W every time the figure 2 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. ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

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

Showtime

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

Comic-Con 2016

n Mahmood Hossain Another year, and another event populated with geeks of all kinds in one epic nerdgasm. This time of the year, San Diego, California has become the Mecca of all that is comic books, TV shows and movies. We take a look at the highlights so far coming out of Southern California, after day one of the convention. Netflix dominance The streaming service continues to awe folks of all ages around the world. Day one was a time for the streaming giants to announce that their hit original series Marvel’s Daredevil was renewed for a third season. This was obviously a given; however, we did need a confirmation to make things official. Netflix didn’t stop there, as Marvel presented trailers and teasers for a couple of new introductions to Marvel’s Luke Cage and Iron Fist. Both characters, alongside Jessica Jones and Matt Murdoch (aka Daredevil) will be teaming up in the near future for a mini-series titled The Defenders. Marvel’s The Defenders is basically the Justice League of Hell’s Kitchen, Harlem and other areas of New York City. And let’s not forget the upcoming

The Punisher series debuting on Netflix, hopefully releasing after the premiere of season 3 of Daredevil. Marvel’s Luke Cage premiers this autumn while Iron Fist is planned for 2017. The Defenders goes into production by the end of this year so we’ve got plenty coming out of the gates of Marvel and Netflix. Tangible untouchables It wouldn’t be Comic-Con if there weren’t magnificent displays of action figures, collectables and costumes straight out of the more popular blockbusters yet to come. The new Power Rangers movie’s helmets were on full display, and there is a clear distinction from the past. You can sort of get an idea of what the rest of the costumes will look like. It’s like a hyper version of Iron Man’s armour in a more flamboyant design. Wonder Woman’s first look at costumes were also in display, just gave us a little taste of what we’ll be able to see once the standalone film comes out. We all might have our reservations on Gal Godat playing Diana Prince in Wonder Woman, but the aesthetics look promising so far. We’re in for a lovely little throwback to WWI, where most of the film will take place. And, hopefully, we get more than just a glimpse of the

Amazonian backdrop. WB and DC didn’t stop there, as there were plenty of costumes propped up in glassed displays from the most anticipated comic book film of the summer Suicide Squad. Other film fare teasers Visitors at Comic-Con were also introduced to a new Star Wars character from Rogue One, keeping within the war theme of the film. All the other featured character costumes were also in display next to the new character, like the allwhite uniform of Director Orson Krennic. We were also treated to a sevenminute sneak peek of Valerian, a new film by Luc Besson. Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is the intergalactic film that moviegoers can only dream about. It’s the type of film that everyone will love getting lost in, pressing the pause button on reality. Valerian, for those who aren’t familiar, is a comic book character who happens to be a timetravelling agent sent to investigate a galactic empire, along with his partner Laureline. The film is set to be released in 2017. Keep your eyes and ears open for more updates on Comic-Con 2016, the best is yet to come. l

n Rad Sharar Bin Kamal

Sir Michael Caine changes name n Rad Sharar Bin Kamal The Italian Job star reported that his birth name, Maurice Micklewhite, on his passport was holding him up at airports. Hence, he officially revealed to have changed his name by deed poll after finding himself getting delayed consistently at airport security. “I changed my name when all

Selena on top

the stuff started with ISIS and all that,” he said. “Airport security would say, ‘Hi Michael Caine,’ and suddenly I’d be giving him a passport with a different name on it. I couldn’t always stand there for an hour. So I changed my name.” Sir Michael abandoned his birth name in 1954 when his agent told him he had to find a new one. He currently starred in Now You See Me 2. l

D’Marie Analytics revealed the rankings of social media influencers last week, and Selena Gomez sitting comfortably on top due to a combined follower count of 180,915,477 people across different platforms. That basically means over 180 million people sign on to the Internet on a daily or so basis to see what Selena Gomez is up to. Talking about what that’s worth, AdWeek reports that the Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts from the

pop singer are valued up to $550,000, a piece. “This valuation is based on D’Marie’s algorithm, which measures 56 metrics including followers, post frequency, engagement, quality of post, click-thru and potential to create sales conversions from her social content,” said Spadafora. “Personally, I think it’s because she’s being smart and she’s aware that over-saturating her social feeds with sponsored content could negatively impact the relationship she has with her audience.” l

Strange but good. Very good

Showtime

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

WHAT TO WATCH

Focus HBO 2:12pm In the midst of veteran con man Nicky’s latest scheme, a woman from his past - now an accomplished femme fatale shows up and throws his plans for a loop. Cast: Will Smith, Adrian Martinez, Gerald McRaney, Rodrigo Santoro

n Mahmood Hossain This week’s binge watch comes from the Netflix original, Stranger Things, which happens to be the best nostalgic trip any movie lover can ever have. This eightepisode first season is packed with references and elements from blockbuster hits of the 80s. This is a suspenseful adventure, thriller, horror, drama, dashes of comedy and a coming of age presentation, all wrapped into one. That may sound like a lot to take in, but think about it for a second. It’s like The Goonies clashed with E.T. in pure harmony. The creators and directors, the Duffer brothers (Matt and Ross), made sure the nostalgia-driven show was the absolute opposite of a gimmick. There wasn’t a single cheesy moment throughout the entire first season of the series. And with the 93% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, this series can definitely carry on the ‘rewatchable’ factor. Taking place in 1983, in a small town in Indiana, the Duffer brothers executed what seems to be an 8-hour film that has been plucked straight back from the decade. The entire production quality was nothing shy of cinematic. The performances by the group of lovable pre-teen to teenage boys is what makes

this entire story captivating. In addition, Winona Ryder (as Joyce Byers) possibly puts on the best performance she’s had in a while. In other words, the casting for the entire series was spot on. What made the viewing even more rewarding has to be the writing and directing itself. It’s amazing how a viewer can be hooked to the TV screen from the first second to last; hence, bingeing seems to be the appropriate thing to do. This just goes to show, with

the right amount of resources, how magnificent a project can come to the big or small screen without carrying a huge budget to boast. Netflix is no stranger to producing big hits that are very well received by both critics and fans alike. The generation who were born or raised in the 80s, above all, will enjoy Stranger Things, wishing it to never stop. The production value, as we are all aware of now, for television content is at its highest. You could say it’s the true golden age of television. We now live in a time where movie stars are seriously considering being part of a television super hit on either cable and premium television or on streaming services. Stranger Things happens to be one of the more influential reasons why

more and more movie stars are making or should be making the shift into the smaller screen. This series is about a young boy disappearing, while his mother, a sheriff and his best friends face terrifying forces in order to bring him back. The entire first season, having eight complete episodes, can be streamed now on Netflix or you can, you know, get it the other way. Which other way is totally up to you. Overall, the entire series is unmistakably relatable; there’s a legitimate struggle and triumph we can connect to with each character. And we’re pretty darn sure the likes of John Hughes, Richard Donner and Steven Spielberg were all impressed by Stranger Things. Now, if only we can get a green light on season two.l

The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia WB 3:36pm A young family moves into a historic home in Georgia, only to learn they are not the house’s only inhabitants. Soon they find themselves in the presence of a secret rising from underground and threatening to bring down anyone in its path. Cast: Abigail Spencer, Chad Michael Murray, Katee Sackhoff, Emily Alyn Lind, Cicely Tyson The Incredibles Zee Studio 4:50pm A family of undercover superheroes, while trying to live the quiet suburban life, are forced into action to save the world. Cast: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Jason Lee, Samuel L Jackson, Dominique Louis Hitman Star Movies 7:32pm A gun-for-hire known only as Agent 47, hired by a group known only as ‘The Organisation,’ is ensnared in a political conspiracy, which finds him pursued by both Interpol and the Russian military as he treks across Russia and Eastern Europe. Cast: Timothy Olyphant, Dougray Scott, Robert Knepper, Olga Kurylenko, Henry Ian Cusick

Annabelle WB 9:00pm A couple begins to experience terrifying supernatural occurrences involving a vintage doll shortly after their home is invaded by satanic cultists. Cast: Annabelle Wallis, Ward Horton, Tony Amendola, Alfre Woodard, Kerry O’Malley l

Back Page

SATURDAY, JULY 23, 2016

WHEN DOES BREXIT MEAN BREXIT PAGE 8

FIZZ SPARKLES ON SUSSEX DEBUT PAGE 24

SIR MICHAEL CAINE CHANGES NAME PAGE 30

Back on their own feet n Abu Bakar Siddique

Sweety is an 18-year-old girl who lives with her parents – just like any regular Bangladeshi teenager. But her life is completely different than what a regular Bangladeshi teenager usually experiences. Born in Tiatuli village under Kalapara upazila, Patuakhali, Sweety was born with dysfunctional legs and semi-functional arms. She spent her life depending on her family members to take her out of the house; her disability prevented her from having a normal life. But 10 months ago, it all took a turn for the better when Sweety received a wheelchair and a ramp installed at her door. “Now I can go out, move around in my neighbourhood,” says a smiling Sweety. “I can go to the main road in my village which is 300 metres away from my house!” Sweety has an NGO named Wave Foundation to thank for her new freedom. “The NGO gave me this wheelchair and made the arrangement so I can move around by myself. They gave me a new life,” she told the Dhaka Tribune. Sweety further said the NGO helped her set up her own career. “I can sew and like doing embroidery on clothes. So they [the NGO] gave me some money to start my own embroidery business.”

This recently taken photo shows Sweety taking a stroll outside with her sister, who wheels her around their house, in Tiatuli village, Patuakhali ABU BAKAR SIDDIQUE Sweety is not the only one who the NGO has extended its support to in Patuakhali. Hosne Ara, 25, is a stay-at-home mother of two from Islampur village who lost her left leg in a road accident two years ago. “The accident not only took

away my leg; it took away my ability to work,” she told the Dhaka Tribune. “I could no longer work outside and my family faced a lot of financial trouble.” But Hosne Ara found hope again when Wave Foundation approached her last year with an op-

portunity to stand on her own feet – literally. “They gave me a prosthetic leg,” she said. “And then they gave me training in sewing and tailoring clothes. They even gave me the capital to start my own tailoring business.”

In addition, the NGO built a modern toilet at Hosne Ara’s house as well as a 200-metre brick road connecting her house and the main thoroughfare in the village for her convenience. Sweety and Hosne Ara are among 50 physically challenged individuals in the district who have been provided support by the NGO, under a project named “Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Disaster Risk Management and Livelihood Activities,” funded by German development agency GIZ. “Our primary target is to rehabilitate people with physical disabilities in the mainstream society so they can live a independent and dignified life,” said Anwar Hossain, deputy executive director of the NGO. “In order to achieve that, we try to create opportunities so they can move around on their own, and we help with creating their own source of livelihood.” The project started with aiding 50 people in Patuakhali, but it aims to expand and help people with physical disabilities in the entire country, said Anwar. According to the Ministry of Social Welfare, there are around 1.5 million physically challenged people in Bangladesh. Out of them, around 600,000 people currently get the government’s monthly disability allowance, which is Tk500. l

Graham: The face of Australian road safety

Multiple deaths in Munich shooting n BBC n Reuters Graham, according to his creators, Gunmen went on a shooting rampage in Olympia mall in Munich, Germany yesterday, killing and wounding many people, police said. The Bavarian Interior Ministry said three people were dead, NTV television reported. More than one gunman was believed to be involved and no one had been arrested, a Munich police spokeswoman said. “The first reports came at 6 pm. The shooting apparently began at a McDonald’s in the shopping centre,” she said. It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack that took place a week after an axe-wielding teenager went on a rampage on a German train. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for that attack. l

has the perfect body to survive a car crash. The incredibly lifelike sculpture was commissioned as part of an Australian road safety campaign. He has a head shaped like a boulder, feet snarled like tree roots and a chest like a wrinkled battering ram. Renowned artist Patricia Piccinini created the artwork, in col-

laboration with a leading trauma surgeon and a road crash investigation expert. The Transport Accident Commission (TAC) in Australia said he was designed to highlight human vulnerability on the road. Graham has a thick strong skull, a neck that melts into his torso and an inflatable chest that acts like airbags. He was made using silicone, glass fibre, resin and human hair. “I really listened and internalised the science of it and then I ap-

proached it in a creative way, on an emotional level,” Ms Piccinini told the ABC. “The eyes are where the work is, it’s where the viewer can really connect with him and empathise.” Joe Calafiore, chief executive of TAC, said people “can survive running at full pace into a wall but when you are talking about collision involving vehicles, the speeds are faster, the forces are greater and the chances of survival are much slimmer.”

“Cars have evolved a lot faster than humans and Graham helps us understand why we need to improve every aspect of our roads system to protect ourselves from our own mistakes.” There is no secret behind Graham’s name. It was a working title that stuck, according to the TAC, because he is just a normal Australian bloke. Graham can be viewed at the State Library of Victoria as well as online. l

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