August 14, 2016 by DhakaTribune

SECOND EDITION

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

Shraban 30, 1423, Zilqad 10, 1437

Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 109

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

PM opens Payra seaport Payra seaport to boost regional business Mamun, from n Shohel Patuakhali

try will see rapid economic growth once the port becomes fully operational,” the premier said. “The seaport has already been connected to Dhaka by road, and in future, a rail link will established through the Padma Bridge. Moreover, an airport, a 200MW power plant and an exclusive economic zone will also to be established in the port area by 2023,” she added. Later it would be turned into a deep seaport, Hasina said. The port, now being developed on 2,428 hectares (6,000 acres) of land, will also help establish new industries, particularly export processing and shipbuilding sectors, and generate employment.

Operations of the country’s third seaport at Katakhali of Pirojpur began yesterday in limited scale. But once the Payra seaport is extended to its full capacity and other facilities installed by 2013, it will open a new era for regional trade and commerce. Officials related to the 2,428-hectare project which the government hopes to turn into a deep seaport in future will gradually support transit trade handling as well as propel economic and social development of the region. Payra Port Authority’s acting chairman Captain Saidur Rahman hopes that it would become a regional hub for trade and commerce. “A port can change the fate of a nation. The Payra seaport can be that promising port for us,” he told the Dhaka Tribune after the inauguration of the port. Currently, the country’s shipments are handled by the two existing ports in Chittagong and Mongla. As per the plan, Payra seaport would be developed in three phases by 2023. The first phase has already been completed and operations began with unloading goods from a foreign ship. Secretary of the Payra Seaport Authority Rezaul Kabir says that

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Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina speaks at the inauguration ceremony of Payra seaport in Patuakhali yesterday. The seaport began operating officially with the unloading of cargo at its outer anchorage after the prime minister inaugurated it via videoconference from Ganabhaban BSS

Mamun, from n Shohel Patuakhali Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday inaugurated operations of Bangladesh’s third seaport at Kalapara of Patuakhali, for now in limited scale. Payra’s inauguration began with the unloading of goods from a commercial ship, “MV Fortune Bird,” at Ramnabad channel. The ship reached the outer anchorage from China with 53,000 tonnes of stones meant for the Padma Bridge. The premier launched the new seaport along with four other development projects, including the country’s first eight-lane highway, through a video conference from

her official residence Ganabhaban. Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, acting head of Payra seaport Captain Md Saidur Rahman, Chief Whip ASM Firoz, Mahbubur Rah-

stone of the seaport on November 19, 2013. The seaport will provide limited services until 2018 and it is expected to become fully functional in

By 2018, the port would get at least one multi-purpose and one bulk terminal where deep draught vessels can berth safely man Talukder MP and Navy chief Admiral Nizam Uddin were present among others at the launching ceremony on the seaport premises. Hasina laid the foundation

INSIDE

2013. For now, the services will be limited to unloading cargo at the outer anchorage through lighterage vessels. “The southern part of the coun-

Hasnat named in Gulshan case, gets more remand

Counter terrorism: Be united

Beware of toxic trinkets?

A new research has found toxic substances in most imitation jewellery sold in Bangladesh’s markets. These cheap, glossy and colourful accessories were found to contain toxic elements that vaporise in room temperature and permeate through the skin.  PAGE 32

Sanaul Islam Tipu and n Md Arifur Rahman Rabbi Gulshan terrorist attack survivor Hasnat Reza Karim has become the first person to be shown arrested in the attack case. Hasnat, a Bangladeshi civil engineer with British nationality, was placed on eight day fresh remand by Metropolitan Magistrate Emdadul Haque yesterday when Police’s Counter Terrorism and

Transnational Crime Unit’s Inspector Humayun Kabir placed him in court yesterday. The former North South University teacher was arrested along with Toronto University student Tahmid Hasib Khan by police on August 3 night under section 54. Tahmid is also a survivor of the attack. The two were interrogated eight days starting August 4. Yesterday, Tahmid was also placed on six day additional re-

mand, but he has not been shown arrested in the case. During Hasnat’s remand hearing, prosecution’s counsel Assistant Public Prosecutor Hemayet Uddin Khan Hiron told the court that some photographs published in the media had shown Hasnat having a chat with one of the attackers. In the photos, taken from a nearby building, Hasnat and Tahmid are seen talking with one of the  PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

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SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

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Police produce Hasnat Reza Karim and Tahmid Hasib Khan before Dhaka’s CMM court yesterday to appeal for fresh remand

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Tight security for Aug 15 Hasnat named in Gulshan case n UNB Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia yesterday said they have taken allout security measures in the city ahead of the National Mourning Day. “Adequate security measures have been arranged to fend off any untoward incident,” the DMP boss said while talking to reporters at Dhanmondi 32, in front of Bangabandhu Museum yesterday Although there is no particular intelligence report over possible subversive activities police have

PM opens Payra seaport In his speech, Minister Shajahan said that the country needed a new seaport after Chittagong and Mongla for facilitating the growing export-import. “We have taken short-, mid- and long-term plans to develop a stateof-the-art seaport. As part of the short-term plan, we are set to operate the port activities by offloading cargoes from mother ships at the outer anchorage and transport the goods to hinterlands through river routes,” he added. By 2018, the port would get at least one multi-purpose and one bulk terminal where deep draught vessels can berth safely, and under the long-term plan, the port would be fully operational by 2023 with a 16-metre channel and a 10km container terminal.” By this tine, the minister said: “We will be able to establish EPZ, airport, port city, dockyard and ecotourism site centring the Payra seaport. These initiatives will entirely change the scenario of this coastal area.” l

beefed up the security arrangements in the wake of recent terror attacks in different parts of the country, Mia added. A good number of police check posts will be set up in and around the prime venue of the Mourning Day programme at Bangabandhu Bhaban on Dhanmondi Road 32 in order to ensure full proof security there. He also requested people not to carry any bag, sharp weapon, firebox or any inflammable product while visiting Bangabandhu Bhaban to pay tributes to Bangabandhu. l

militants, Rohan Imtiaz, on the terrace of the two-storied restaurant building. The photos show Tahmid and Rohan carrying firearms and talking to Hasnat. Even though the investigators sought remand referring to the photos, CT unit chief Monirul Islam on Friday told reporters they were unsure about the accuracy of those photos. On Thursday the CT unit obtained a court order to collect the original photos from the news media that published them, in order to carry out forensic tests and verify their authenticity. During the hearing, Hasnat’s

counsels Golam Mostafa Lasker and Mahbubul Alam Dulal said their client was innocent and appealed for bail. They alleged that the prosecution had not allowed them to get the necessary documents. Mahbubul Alam said his client was forced to obey the terrorists’ instructions at gun point. “Further interrogation in the case will be just mockery,” Mahbubul Alam said, adding, his client was one of the victims of the attack and went there with his family members. The magistrate said Hasnat would be remanded for eight days and stopped Hasnat’s counsels.

Hasnat was put in the court without any handcuff but he appeared nervous. Metropolitan Magistrate Golam Nabi approved the six-day remand for Tahmid under Section 54 on suspicion of having links with the attack. Hasnat was in the O Kitchen Restaurant with his wife and two children during the 11 hours of the attack. His wife Sharmina Parveen told the Dhaka Tribune that the further remand was difficult for the family but they would continue to cooperate with the authorities to secure his release. l

Payra seaport to boost regional business international seaborne trade is growing by on an average 9.2% per annum. “In 2020, the country’s total annual seaborne trade will be in the range of 70 to 80 million tonnes. The existing two ports will

not be able to bear the future trade volumes,” he said. Feasibility study of the project began in 2010 and was completed in 2013. Parliament passed Payra Seaport Act 2013 on November 10,

PAYRA SEAPORT HIGHLIGHTS Timeline 2010: Feasibility study begins 2013: Feasibility study completed November 10, 2013: Payra Seaport Act 2013 passed in parliament November 19, 2013: Foundation stone laid August 13, 2016: PM launches operations 2018: Second phase to be completed 2023: Port fully ready Completed Programmes ● Survey of river routes ● Channel marking ● Radio control station ● VHF communication ● 1000kva substation ● Bank facility ● Customs service ● Office building ● Water treatment plant

Ongoing activities to be done by 2018 Land acquisition ● Five-storey admin building ● Warehouse ● Rajapara-Payra connecting road ●

Works to be completed by 2023 Airport ● Rail link to Dhaka ● Exclusive economic zone ● 200MW power plant ● Two container terminals ● Multi-purpose terminals ● LNG terminal ● Internal ferry terminals ● Ship-yard and ship repair facilities ●

Payra Port Port

2013 while the prime minister laid foundation stone of the port on November 19 the same year. So far, the port authorities have completed survey of river routes and channel marking, installed a radio control station, VHF communication, a 1000kva substation and a water treatment plant. They have also introduced bank facilities and customs service at the port. Under the mid-term plan, the port would have at least one multi-purpose and one bulk terminal, and would be connected to Rajapara by 2018. When the port is expected to be fully operational in 2023 it would have a 16-metre channel, a 10km container terminal having dry and liquid bulk terminals, and an LNG terminal. The government is set to build an airport in Patuakhali and a rail link to connect the Padma Bridge. The Katakhali area would be industrially developed through the establishment of an exclusive economic zone, a 200MW power station, and ship-yard and ship repairing units.

The port authorities would also promote ecotourism in the area. The scenario in Patuakhali, Barisal and Pirojpur coastal districts has already been changing rapidly as of now, Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan says. “Once the planned initiatives are materialised, the total scenario of the region as well as the country’s economy will be developed,” he told the Dhaka Tribune. “Not only that, in the global scenario, economy of the South and South-East Asian countries can be integrated with Payra seaport emerging as an effective partner of Chittagong and Mongla ports,” he added. While inaugurating the port’s operational activities through a video conference from Ganabhaban yesterday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced that it would be turned into a deep seaport in future. The first commercial ship “MV Fortune Bird” arrived at the outer anchorage from China with 53,000 tonnes of stones for the Padma Bridge project. l

News

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

Counter terrorism: Be united n Nure Alam Durjoy

The terrorists using social media are much organised and active while the forums for counter response are still detached from each other. It is time the government and people moved together to eradicate terrorism from the country, speakers told a discussion. Eminent personalities from the administration, security analyst, teacher, journalist, and online activist were speaking at a special discussion titled “Terrorism in the Age of Social Media” organised by one of the fastest growing online news portal Bangla Tribune on Saturday. It is not possible to uproot terrorism only by controlling social media. We need a combined effort like that during the Liberation War in 1971, the discussants maintained, adding that the mainstream media has to be more credible because confusion and scepticism generate dependency on social media. Conducted by Mithila Farzana, the discussion was attended by Syed Ishtiaque Reza, director of news Ekattor Television, Prof Jia Rahman of Dhaka University Criminology department, Director General of Border Guard Bangladesh Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed, Telecoms analyst Abu Saeed Khan, IT analyst Sumon Ahmed Sabir, blogger Arif Jebtik and Bangla Tribune acting editor Zulfiqer Russell. Maj Gen Aziz said identifying the reason behind terrorism is imperative. It has become a global problem. It cannot be ignored that social media has expanded the sphere of terrorism and it is a major challenge. One has to keep in mind that the terrorists want publicity and so journalists should be more careful in this regard, he said. Asked if the social media can be controlled, telecoms analyst Aby Saeed Khan replied in the negative.

Bangla news portal The Bangla Tribune yesterday holds a round-table discussion on militancy He said, “They [social media] will listen to no one, nor even to the Bangladesh government. Recently, Apple refused to listen to the American government. We must understand, Google and Facebook can only be brought under governance if they physically exist in Bangladesh.” However, they [Google and Facebook] have their own monitoring system through which they delete sensitive contents, he added. Syed Ishtiaque Reza said information gets distorted if the flow of information is controlled. If Facebook is closed, people will have other ways to get in there. The problem is we did not pay attention when terrorism started flourishing. There is influence of local politics behind the emergence of terrorism and the attacks. In any country, local politics have paved the way to terrorism, he said, add-

ing that some mainstream media also instigated terrorism at different times. “All the mainstream media are now using social media and they do have some responsibilities as far as the spread of terrorism is concerned. They came late in the arena and have not been able to unite since,” said Syed Ishtiaque. According to Dr Jia Rahman, monitoring Internet is essential. He said, “In the west, people live by certain values but here we lack commitment. Those involved in the rise of militancy are much more committed and we haven’t created any platform to counter them.” Referring to terrorists’ all-out counter against anti-terror contents in cyber space, Zulfiquer Russell said, “Whenever they [extremists] find anything on the Internet which they don’t like, the

extremists start attacking all at a time, outnumbering everyone else on the other side. But we are trying to prevent them with our own strategy.” IT analyst Sumon Ahmed Sabir said we need to understand the relation among social media, young generation and militancy. We need to make the youth aware about what is good and what not in a global context. Let’s stress on education and morality through which one would be able to decide what to accept and what not to.” Online activists Arif Jebtik said terrorism was there when there was no social media. It played no role when eminent university teacher Humayun Azad was killed or poet Shamsur Rahman was attacked. “So we cannot put all the blame on social media.” “We identified the rise of ter-

NASHIRUL ISLAM

rorism ten years ago. Those of us involved in this from the very beginning, wanted to protest the idea that madrasas are the only place to check,” he said. Referring to the emergence of Hijb-ut Tahrir, Jebtik said they had voiced against the outfit but it took the government eight years to ban the organisation. But by the time, the outfit gathered its strength and involved many talented youths with them. Expressing dissatisfaction about the security measures before July, he said the killings had been going on since 2013 but the government has been blaming the writers, accusing them of writing bad things. When security is the question, there is no opportunity to blame others. It’s the government’s duty to provide security to all, added the online activists. l

Govt planning to set up new oil refinery in Payra n Aminur Rahman Rasel

After stalling to expand the existing crude oil refinery in the country for years, the government is now planning to establish a second oil refinery near Payra seaport in Patuakhali. Md Mahmud Reza Khan, chairman of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), made the announcement yesterday at a seminar organised by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division at Petrobangla in Dhaka on the occasion of Energy Security Day 2016. Addressing the seminar, Mahmud said the government wants to ensure future energy se-

curity with the new refinery. “We have designated 1,000 acres of land near Payra seaport for this project. A strategic oil reserve will also be built there to store oil for emergency use,” he said. The government also plans to build a single point mooring system and a refinery unit in Chittagong, as well as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) plants, Mahmud added. Nazimuddin Chowdhury, secretary of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division who also spoke at the seminar, said the new refinery would have the capacity to process five million tonnes of crude oil annually.

Interestingly, the BPC undertook projects to construct single point mooring system and double gas pipeline in Chittagong a few years ago, aiming to save foreign currency spent in fuel oil import. The projects have yet to be implemented. Furthermore, the government planned to build a second unit of Eastern Refinery Ltd, the sole oil refinery in the country at present, to stave off dependency on imported oil, but the expansion never took place. Eastern Refinery currently processes 1.3 million tonnes of crude oil per year, with the capacity to

process 1.5 million tonnes. The second unit would have increased the capacity by three million tonnes, according to sources. Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune, an official of the Ministry of Energy, Power and Mineral Resources expressed concern about the practicality of establishing a new refinery unit. Requesting anonymity, the official said most of the projects that the BPC has undertaken in the last five years have either been scrapped or are stuck in red tape. “Taking up a brand new project will only add to the already complex situation.”

The government also took initiative to build LPG plants in Mongla and Chittagong, but those initiatives were never implemented. As a result, Bangladesh could not reap the benefit of the drop in LPG price in the international market, which was nearly halved two years ago, sources said. Recently, Bangladesh signed a government-to-government memorandum of understanding with India in April to establish an LPG plant in the country. At the seminar, Nazimuddin said the government would ensure that no company could monopolise the LPG import in the country. l

News

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

Patal’s body flown home n UNB

The body of former state minister for youth and sports Fazlur Rahman Patal arrived here on Saturday afternoon from India. A Regent Airways flight, carrying Patal’s body, reached Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 6pm, said BNP chairpersons’ media wing member Sayrul Kabir Khan. BNP Assistant Office Secretary Taiful Islam Tipu and Patal’s family members received his coffin at the airport. Later, the body was taken straight to his Banasree residence from the airport. Earlier in the day, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir visited Patal’s residence and consoled his bereaved family members. Patal, also an adviser to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, died at Rabindranath Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences in Kolkata around 9pm on Thursday at the age of 65. According to a BNP press release, a namaj-e-janaza for Patal will be l be held in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office around 10am today. From BNP office, his body will be taken to the South Plaza of parliament and another janaza will be held there at 11am today. Later, his body will brought to his village home at Gouripur village in Lalpur upazila of Natore and will be buried at his family graveyard after the final janaza there. The BNP leader had been undergoing treatment at the hospital since April 16 for kidney and some other critical diseases. He is survived by wife, two sons, two daughters and a host of relatives, followers and well-wishers to mourn his death. A vice president of Rajshahi University Central Student Union (RUCSU), Patal had joined BNP during its founder Ziaur Rahman’s rule, and had been elected MP from his home constituency for several times. l

Mother arrested over children’s murder Rahman Rabbi and Md n Arifur Sanaul Islam Tipu Police have arrested a woman in Dhaka a day after her two children were found dead at their Basabo residence. Tanjina Aktar, who was described as being “mentally ill” by her husband, had been missing since Friday night. A Dhaka Court yesterday placed Tanzina Akhter on a five-day remand in a case filed over the killing of her two children. Metropolitan magistrate Md Golam Nabi passed the order after officer-in-charge (investigation) Md Mostafizur Rahman, also investigation officer of the case, produced her before the court seeking on a 7 day remand for interrogation. Tanjina Aktar was arrested from a house in north Basabo yesterday morning, DMP’s Khilgaon zone Additional Deputy Commissioner Monalisa Begum told the Dhaka Tribune. Nine-year-old madrasa student Mashrafi Ibne Mahbub and his six-

year-old sister kindergarden student Humayra Binte Mahbub were found with their throats slit at their house. “Tanjina has admitted to killing her children during the primary interrogation,” ADC Monalisa said. The motive remains unclear although the mother has told police that she got directions to kill her children in a dream, the police officer added. “We will conduct a thorough investigation,” Monalisa said. According to the case statements, the father of deceased children, Mahbub said On Friday evening he was out with his brother-in-law. “At 9:15pm my brother Mustafiz called my mobile,”he said. “He told me that the land owner called him and said that he saw blood infront of the house,” he added. He returned home to find this two children with their throats slit. Mahbub also said that he had called his wif but she is not there. He then called the police and they recovered the children’s bodies. l

Police take Tanjina Aktar, suspected to have killed her children in Dhaka’s North Basabo area, to Dhaka Chief Magistrate’s Court yesterday MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Regional consensus sought for better use of Brahmaputra water n UNB Water experts at a workshop in Guwahati have stressed the need for reaching a consensus among South Asian countries, including Bangladesh, India and China, on how to effectively use the available water resources of the transboundary Brahmaputra River for mutual benefit of the people of these countries. They also called up the governments of the countries to sit together with all stakeholders for preparing a roadmap through a consensus. South Asian Consortium on Interdisciplinary Water Studies

(SaciWATERs), Hyderabad, in collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, organised the one-day workshop on its flagship project, “Brahmaputra Dialogue” at Guwahati in Assam on Friday, according to a message received yesterday. The focus of the workshop is on promoting a transnational policy dialogue for improved water governance of the Brahmaputra River. Dr Amarjit Singh of Indian Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Ministry underscored the need for the mitigation of the impact of the devastating annual floods in Assam,

which also contributes to flooding in Bangladesh each year.

‘Media should be a key stakeholder in the process for efficient water governance’ Dr Anamikaa Barua, an associate professor of IIT Guwahati, gave a strategic overview of the Brahmaputra Dialogue project, and focused on the need for bringing vari-

Stray elephant to stay in Jamalpur ‘few more days’ n UNB The rescuers will take a few more days to shift the wild elephant, which was swept away by flood water and strayed for about 1,000 km from Assam of India to the northern region of Bangladesh over the last one and a half month, from Kayra village of Sharishabari upazila. Recovering from its tranquilisation, the mammoth - now being called Bangabahadur by the rescuers -- tore off its shackles on Saturday morning, but the rescuers with the help of the villagers managed to keep it captive again in their bid to be able to transport it out of human habitation. Meanwhile, the district administra-

tion imposed a restriction on public movement in the area adjacent to where the elephant is now tied up. Wildlife Inspector of the Forest Department Ashim Mallik said the elephant is now under their control and its behaviour is calm. It tore off a rope which tied it with a tree, but the rescuers got hold of the rope again and tied it with a tree, he said. Where the elephant will be sent for the rehabilitation will be decided later in consultation with the Chief Conservator of Forests while three trained elephants will be involved to get on with the elephant to make its transportation easier, he added. Earlier, Deputy Commissioner Md

Shahbuddin Khan also visited the area on Friday afternoon and a decision was taken to form a volunteer team in this connection. On August 11, the stray wild elephant was tied in ropes with trees after its rescue following tranquilisation from a local pond at Kayra village in Sharishabari upazila. On August 3, a three-member Indian team came to Bangladesh to give support to a 17-member Bangladeshi team for the rescue of the elephant. On June 28, the elephant was swept away with the floodwater of the trans-boundary Brahmaputra River from Assam of India into in Kurigram district at Roumari border. l

ous stakeholders across all riparian countries of the Brahmaputra. She emphasised involving civil society organisations, and building institutional capacity in the region to tackle water issues. Dr Rabindra Kumar of the Arunachal Pradesh’s Department of Environment and Forests spoke about the need for raising awareness among people, and said the media should be a key stakeholder in the process for efficient water governance. Prof Chandan Mahanta of IIT Guwahati, Dr Aditya Bastola of SaciWATERs and Dr Sanchita Baruah of Dibrugarh University also spoke at the workshop. l

News

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

SP Babul Akter breaks silence n Anwar Hussain, Chittagong

Superintendent of Police Babul Akter yesterday publicly spoke about his wife’s murder for the first time on Facebook. The status talks about the very public speculations that have been made regarding Mahmuda Khanam Mitu’s murder and how that has been affecting his whole family. SP Babul writes: “I have two children who have lost their mother, crying out for her while people are busy making up stories. I do not have an armour to shield myself from the hurt and I cannot ignore it either.” He also goes on to make a touching tribute to his late wife with whom he has a son and daughter. “I never thought I deserved all the affection she gave me, she would stay up every night until I came home from work,” he wrote. The status continues: “The smallest things would make her happy, I have seen her cry with the very thought that I could be harmed doing my job.” Mahmuda Khanom Mitu, 32, was brutally stabbed and fatally shot by assailants in GEC intersection area in Chittagong while she was walking her son to his school bus on June 5. SP Babul filed a case against three unidentified assailants with Panchlaish police station the next day. On June 25 SP Babul was picked up from his father-in-law’s house by police and kept at the DB office for almost 15 hours. Amid the media frenzy that ensued, some news outlets published reports saying Babul himself was involved in the murder. Some of these reports were retracted later. At first, police suspected militant links due to SP Babul’s track record in anti-terrorism drives, but later said professional killers had murdered Mitu. Ansar Al Islam, the Bangladeshi affiliate of al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), issued a statement condemning the killing. On June 26, Washim and Anwar named their associates in confessional statements before a court in Chittagong as Musa, Nabi, Rashed, Kalu and Shahjahan. On June 28, police arrested Bhola and his aide Monir with two firearms from city’s Rajakhali area. On July 5, police said Nur Nabi, 28, and Nurul Islam Rashed, 29, two men directly involved in the killing, were killed in a gunfight during an arrest in Rangunia. l

Dhaka University Film Society decorates the Tareque Masud and Mishuk Munier memorial at Dhaka University with pradips yesterday marking the death anniversary of the noted personalities DHAKA TRIBUNE

Muhith: Using gas to cook is an absolute waste n Aminur Rahman Rasel

Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith yesterday remarked that the use gas for household chores is an absolute waste of the valuable resource. The minister made the statement while delivering his speech as the chief guest during a seminar organised on the occasion of “National Energy Security Day 2016” by the Energy and Mineral Resources Division at Petro Center in Dhaka. Muhit said that there will be a critical shortage of gas in the coming decades. “There is no point of spending our present gas for cooking. Our government has strongly decided against giving any new household connections and we will stick to that decision.” The finance minister suggested that Bangladesh has to take five steps for energy security in the

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near future. They are – complete stoppage of usage of gas for domestic purpose, emphasis on liquefied natural gas (LNG) import, prioritise offshore and onshore exploration, increased usage of renewable energy and prioritise research and development for manpower.

Dhaka

Chittagong

‘There is no doubt that for energy sector, we have to go through the traditional ways. But there is no harm in finding innovative methods’ Speaking on the occasion as special guest, Tawfiq-E-Elahi Chowdhury, energy advisor to the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said to have energy security, one 28

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needs to have full control over the resources. “We now have control over our national resources because our Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman ensured that in August 9, 1975, a day which we observe as the National Energy Security Day.” He said, on that day in 1975, less than a week before Bangabandhu along with most of his family members were brutally killed, Bangabandhu inspired Bangladesh to acquire five largest gas fields – Titas, Habiganj, Bakhrabad, Rashidpoor and Koillastilla – from Anglo-Dutch energy giant Shell BV for a mere 4.5 million pound sterling. He asked for purchasing oil and gas fields in other countries to ensure further energy security. “But we also have to understand that energy security is not an easy thing. The whole world is in turmoil centring energy security.” Khulna

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he added. The energy advisor also asked for innovative measures in the energy sector. “There is no doubt that for energy sector, we have to go through the traditional ways. But there is no harm in finding innovative methods.” Nasrul Hamid, state minister for power, energy and mineral resources, said: “To ensure energy security, we are increasing our storage capacity.” “We now have a storage capacity of 45 days but soon we will try to increase that to 60 days.” He said that our future challenge in the energy sector lies in creating able human resource and in finding innovative financing. BPC Chairman Mahmud Reza Khan, Petrobangla Chairman Istiaque Ahmad and Director General of Geological Survey of Bangladesh Nehal Uddin also spoke on the occasion. l Sylhet

Cox’s Bazar

Fajr: 5:00am | Zohr: 1:15pm Asr: 5:00pm | Magrib: 6:44pm Esha: 8:30pm Source: Islamic Foundation

News

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

108 primary schools at Khulna run without headmaster n Hedait Hossain Molla, Khulna

Administrative and academic activities of 108 government primary schools in the district are facing setback as those institutions have no headmaster. Assistant District Primary Education Officer of Khulna Tabibur Rahman said in 625 government primary schools in the district, 249 posts of teachers, including 108 of headmasters, haa been lying vacant for a long time. Senior assistant teachers are working as acting headmasters in

these institutions. Meanwhile, 141 vacant posts of assistant teachers in the district are putting additional pressure on the remaining staff continuing the academic activities, he also said. Rina Parveen, Sadar upazila primary education officer said in the city, 4O schools had been running without headmasters for long. Shortage of teachers is seriously affecting the administrative works as well as the academic activities. Shortage of teachers in the schools is making the students suffer a lot as over-burdened teachers

are facing difficulties in delivering standard lessons in the classrooms. Sabbir Ahmed Piyal, a government primary school’s class V student, said: “We have to rely on coaching centres as our over-burdened teachers cannot give us expected lessons.” Headmistress (acting) of Labonchara Primary School in the city Shyila Khan said : “Due to teacher shortage, we are forced to share the duties of vacant teachers which compels us to deliver bellow standard lesions in the class.” She also claimed that the teach-

ers have to take Five to Six classes a day which makes them totally exhausted at the end of the day. Teachers and guardians complained that number of teachers is fewer against the increasing number of students in maximum schools. They demanded immediate appointment of teachers to the vacant posts. Convener of Khulna Nagorik Samaj Advocate AFM Mohsin alleged that not only teacher shortage but also negligence in duties by a section of teachers in some government primary schools in both rural and

urban areas is hampering education. Many teachers are found gossiping in the tea stalls during their duty period. Many of them do not attend their duties for days together. He also said : “Many schools, on the other hand, close their academic activities before time, which the higher authorities overlook.” District Primary Education Officer Parveen Jahan said: “ We are facing serious problem due to lack of headmasters in 108 schools. Students of these schools are being the worst sufferers due to lack of sufficient teachers.” l

News

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

1 dies, 6 injured in Ctg fire Mizanur Rahaman, n FM Chittagong

AZAHAR UDDIN

Farmers harvesting Parijat rice, a special variety of paddy has grown abundantly in northern region this year. The picture was taken a filed in Bharsa village in Naogaon

CCC Mayor: Some trying to twist my allegation remarks n Anwar Hussain, Chittagong Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin said a section of influential people were trying to distort his recent statement over graft allegations. The city mayor came up with the statement over his graft remarks yesterday following a programme at World Trade Centre in the city. “I am the part of the government and I have come to this stage of political career from grassroots level braving many odds,” said the city mayor. “There is no provision to generalise my statement. Being a mayor,

I have the responsibility and I must defend myself as to why I passed the comment,” explained Nasir who is also secretary of Chittagong city AL. “The whole administration cannot be blamed for an individual. I have not pinned the blamed on the full ministry,” said Nasir. Nasir also reiterated that he would officially reply to ministry letter within the stipulated time. The government wants Chittagong City Corporation mayor AJM Nasir Uddin to explain what he meant by saying that the corporation did not get adequate funds as he did not ‘bribe’ the officials.

1,200 fish enclosures ruined by flooding n Tribune Desk Around 50 villages were submerged by floodwater washing away some 1,200 large and small fish enclosures in Sharsha upazila of Jessore district in the last couple of days. According to the district agriculture office, around 50 villages, including Shakharipota, Bahadurpur, Boalia, Mankia, Roghunathpur, Dhankhola, Mandartola, Dubpara and Notadhigha, were inundated due to onrush of water from upstream and incessant rainfall, leaving thousands of residents marooned. Besides, transplanted aman pad-

dy on 1,300 hectares of land vanished in floodwater, said Sharsha upazila agriculture officer Hirak Kumar. The flooding also prompted closure of 38 educational institutions in the upazila, said sources at the district education office. The flood-affected people are leaving their houses and taking shelters at safer places. Besides, electric poles were uprooted by squally showers, snapping power connections in the area. Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Sharsha Abdus Salam said they have already taken necessary measures to minimise sufferings of the victims. l

On Thursday, Secretary of Local Government Department Abdul Malek replied in a query from reporters that the mayor has to explain his remarks. On Wednesday, Nasir alleged in a meeting at Chittagong that the CCT got Tk80 crore budget and would have gotten Tk300 or 350 crore if he had ‘bribed’ the officials as ‘per demand’. “I was said, the corporation would get all the money it wants, but, five percent of it would have to be given as bribe,” the mayor said in the meeting. Referring to a recent incident, the mayor said in the meeting that

an assistant secretary had asked for a new Pajero jeep in order to pass a new project in the ministry. The local government secretary said mayor Nasir also has to ‘prove’ that incident. “He claimed those incidents, we will ask him about it and we will want proof. He will prove which official of the ministry asked for the jeep. Whoever he names, he must tell,” the secretary said. Secretary Malek said that Nasir is a political leader and a mayor, and he should clear his statements and claims. He added that the ministry has asked for an explanation from the mayor on Thursday. l

A four-year old girl was killed and six others sustained critical burn injuries in a fire that broke out at a furniture factory in Chittagong city’s Chandgaon area on Friday night. The fire originated from the spirit chemical used for furniture burnishing at one Borishal Market of Kashem colony under Chandgaon police station, said Chittagong Fire Service and Civil Defense Headquarters sources. The deceased was Taha, 4, daughter of Bojlu Mia, said CMCH Police Outpost Nayek Abul Hamid. The injured are Bojlu Mia,45, his wife Rufaida Beghum, 32, the couple’s two children Raihan, 6 and Taha, 4, Mehedi Hasan, 28, his wife Sarmin Alam, 22, and Majed Mia, 25 were admitted at Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH)’s Burn and Plastic Surgery Department, said the police personnel. “Taha was critically injured and she succumbed to her injuries around 4:30pm yesterday while undergoing treatment at Burn Unit”, added Nayek Hamid. Fire service sources said the fire broke out at the ground floor of the six storied building while the workers was polishing the furniture through using spirit lamp and soon the fire engulfed the whole area injuring seven persons of two families who used to live at the building. Fire service sources said locals doused the fire before the arrival of firefighters while the injured rushed to the CMCH. CMCH’s Burn and Plastic Surgery Department Head Professor Dr Mrinal Kanti Das told Dhaka Tribune that all of them sustained more than 60 percent burn with inhalation injuries and their condition were critical. l

SP declares war against militancy Mizanur Rahaman, n FM Chittagong Superintendent of Police (SP) Nure Alam Mina of Chittagong yesterday declared war against militancy and terrorism. Mina announced the war in a view exchange meeting with the reporters on overall law and order situation of Chittagong district held in a city convention hall around 3pm. “No police personnel will come back to their barrack until to root out militancy from the holy ground of Bar Awlia, Chittagong, while police will hunt down all the criminals and terrorists wherever they hide themselves,” he said.

A four-member of Special Task Group (STG), anti-militant cell, has already been formed to restrain militant activities while the specialized cell has been working to monitor the activities banned militant outfits. “Police are working to make a database of the members of the militant organizations while legislative measures have been taken against them on basis of the intelligence reports”, said the SP adding that intelligence officials are directed to keep an eye on the religion based organizations. Apart from that police were trying to dig out what is the sources of militant’s income and who are patronises and sheltering them, said

the SP. Earlier six ABT men were arrested from Sitakunda upazila on charge of plotting to attack the key installment of the upazila on July 11. Police said it thwarted the planning attack of ABT men and trying to find out the kingpin of the plan. “Police have beefed up the security in all KPIs located in different upazilas while the authorities of the installments are also directed to tightened their respective security”, said he. Additional SP (Special Branch) Rezaul Masud, AddSP (North) Mosiuddowla Reza, AddSP (South) Emran Bhuiyan and AddSP (Sadar) Habibur Rahman were present on the ocassion. l

8 World

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

SOUTH ASIA

Pakistan passes controversial cyber-crime law Pakistan has adopted a much-criticised cyber security law that grants sweeping powers to regulators to block private information they deem illegal. Government officials say internet restrictions under the new law are needed to ensure security against terrorism. But the law has alarmed human rights and pro-democracy activists worried that its vague language could lead to curtailment of free speech. -REUTERS

INDIA

Anti-India protests persist despite curfew in Kashmir Authorities in Indian-controlled Kashmir on Saturday extended a strict curfew to most parts of the restive region as separatist leaders called for weekend protests against Indian rule. Despite the stringent curfew, protests erupted at about 8 places in the city on Saturday. -AP

CHINA

One injured as landslide buries bus in East China A Taiwanese woman died and several other tourists were injured when a bus with 23 people on board was buried in a landslide Saturday in East China’s Fujian province. The bus was hit by falling rocks and mud on a highway in Yongding District of Longyan City at, according to Longyan fire prevention bureau. -XINHUA

ASIA PACIFIC

Philippines, Muslim rebels relaunch peace talks The Philippines on Saturday restarted peace talks with the country’s largest Muslim insurgents group, the first under President Rodrigo Duterte aimed at ending decades of violence. The 12,000-strong Moro Islamic Liberation Front has waged a bloody insurgency in the mainly Muslim southern Philippines since the 1970s but an accord signed in 2014 had raised hopes of a lasting peace. -AFP

MIDDLE EAST

Yemen’s parliament challenges Saudi-backed government Yemen’s parliament convened on Saturday for the first time since a civil war began almost two years ago, in a move that bolsters the dominant Houthi movement and challenges the Saudi-backed exiled government. The armed Houthis and their allies in the General People’s Congress party headed by powerful ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh control the capital Sanaa and have withstood thousands of air strikes by a Saudi-led coalition. -REUTERS

Who may have been responsible for Thailand blasts? n Tribune International Desk In the aftermath of a coordinated wave of bombings that shook tourist towns in Thailand this week, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha’s military government is scrambling to hunt down those responsible. The 11 explosions killed four people and injured dozens, including 11 foreign tourists, reports The Associated Press. The big questions now are, who did it, and why? There has been no claim of responsibility, but there are plenty of groups unhappy with the political situation in the Southeast Asian nation. Prayuth came to power in a 2014 coup, and his junta faces opposition from political opponents and activist groups, as well as a long-running insurgency in the nation’s largely Muslim south that has left well over 5,000 people dead since 2004. A look at groups the government is likely investigating in the latest violence, or has ruled out:

THAILAND BOMBINGS A series of blasts detonated across Thailand has killed at least three people in tourism hotspots on Thursday and Friday, a few days before the one-year anniversary of a bombing at Hindu shrine in Bangkok that killed 20 people. RECENT BOMBINGS Friday

THAILAND

1 Surat Thani

Bangkok CAMBODIA

MYANMAR

Thursday

4 Hua Hin

Foreign militants

Thai officials say they don’t believe international Islamic militant groups are responsible, calling the bombings “local acts of sabotage.” The timing of the attacks gives credence to the theory that domestic dissidents were behind it: The explosions occurred several days after Thais approved a new constitution in a referendum that critics say will ensure the military’s hand in politics for the foreseeable future. Analysts say it was also no coincidence the attacks came on the eve and 84th birthday of Queen Sirikit. The army sees itself as the primary defender of the monarchy and has made clear that protecting it is a top priority. The king and queen have a large palace in the seaside resort of Hua Hin, where some of the bombings took place, and targeting that city has “symbolic implications,” said Pongphisoot Busbarat, research affiliate at the University of Sydney’s Southeast Asia Centre.

Political opponents

Thailand’s military government will undoubtedly probe its primary political rivals, namely the opposition Pheu Thai party it ousted in a 2014 coup and their “Red Shirt” supporters in the north and northeast. A decade ago, in 2006, the army had also toppled their leader, Thaksin Shinawatra, triggering a decade of sporadic upheaval. The Pheu Thai party and its allies have

One woman killed and one injured in Muang district. 2 Phuket Two bomb blasts wounded at least one person. 3 Phang Nga Two bomb blasts and nobody was injured.

100 miles 100km

MALAYSIA

denied allegations of involvement in low-level violence over the past decade, including grenade attacks and this week’s bombings. Anthony Davis, a writer for Jane’s Defence Weekly, told The Associated Press that it’s “difficult to give much credibility to the suggestion that this could be the work of disgruntled Red Shirt elements loyal to ... Thaksin Shinawatra. The Red Shirt movement as a whole has been under extremely tight military monitoring both before and since the military coup of 2014. The theory that they could have organized such a complex operation under the noses of the military government makes no sense.”

Student and civil activists

Student and civil society activists have been among the most vocal against the junta, which has clamped down hard on critics, regularly ferrying those who speak out to military camps for “attitude adjustment” sessions. The activists have staged small protests sporadically since the 2014 coup, but the demonstrations have been overwhelmingly peaceful, and few believe they have the capability or

Two blasts killed at least one person and wounded more than 20 5 Trang An explosion at a street market killed a male vendor and wounded at least five others.

desire to instigate violence.

Southern insurgents

Ethnic Malay militants fighting for greater autonomy in Thailand’s far south have launched attacks there nearly every day for a more than a decade. Analysts say they are the only factions that have successfully staged sophisticated, coordinated assaults with improvised, remote-controlled explosive devices. Although their targets have overwhelmingly been confined to Thailand’s three southernmost provinces, the militants have apparently carried out isolated attacks elsewhere - detonating, for example, a car bomb in the underground parking lot of a mall on the tourist island of Koh Samui in April 2015 that wounded at least seven people. Thai police have not singled the militants out yet, but police spokesman Colonel Krisana Patanacharoen said Friday that the latest bombings followed “a similar pattern used in the southern parts of the country.” Davis, the Jane’s Defence Weekly writer, said the militants were the only “non-state actor in Thailand with the capability for a well-planned, well-coordinated

operation like this.” Don Pathan, a security analyst based in southern Thailand, said that the latest attacks didn’t seem to fit the militants’ traditional pattern of operations, but that if they were responsible, “it would definitely be a game changer” that could herald a new chapter in the conflict.

The military itself

Conspiracy theories are part and parcel of whodunits in Thailand, and a few have speculated the army or a faction within it might have planted the bombs as part of an internal dispute or a bid to justify military rule by showing threats remain. Asked by a reporter whether the attacks could have been an internal job, a junta spokesman dismissed the idea outright. Writing in the Nikkei Asian Review, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, director of the Institute of Security and International Studies at Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University, said that “Thailand’s governing generals have gained a limited mandate from the referendum, and would be unlikely to undermine their legitimacy by resorting to terrorism of this kind, whatever the sceptics may say.” l

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

US drone kills Islamic State leader for Afghanistan, Pakistan Peshawar/ n Reuters, Washington, Dc The leader of Islamic State’s branch in Afghanistan and Pakistan was killed in a US drone strike on July 26, a Pentagon spokesman said on Friday after the Afghan ambassador to Pakistan announced the news to Reuters. It is the second US killing of a prominent militant in the region in months. In May, a US drone killed Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a strike in Pakistan. Despite that, Afghanistan’s 15-year-old war grinds on with no clear victory in sight. Taliban fighters have been threatening at least two provincial capitals this summer, in Helmand and Kunduz, and a US government report said Afghan forces have lost 5% of territory this year. In terms of its own territory, Islamic State has been largely confined to a handful of districts in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, which borders Pakistan, where IS militants - mostly defectors from the Taliban - are blamed for raiding villages and government outposts. Still, worries that Islamic State might be expanding its opera-

Hafiz Saeed appeared in a propaganda video last year tional reach heightened this week when the group took credit for an attack on a Pakistani hospital that killed at least 74 people in the southwestern city of Quetta. A Pakistani Taliban faction also claimed responsibility. A few weeks earlier, Islamic State claimed an attack on a rally in Kabul that killed more than 80 people.

Bitter rivals

Khan has been reported dead before. But a claim by Afghan intelligence agents last year that he had been killed was never confirmed. On Friday, however, Afghan

Ambassador Omar Zakhilwal told Reuters he had seen confirmation from Afghan security forces. “I can confirm that IS Khurasan (Afghanistan and Pakistan) leader Hafiz Saeed Khan along with his senior commanders and fighters died in a US drone strike on July 26 in Kot district of Afghanistan’s Nangharhar province,” he said. Pentagon spokesman Gordon Trowbridge confirmed Khan’s death, and said in a statement that the air strike took place during joint operations by US and Afghan special operations forces against IS in the southern part of Nangarhar province. Trowbridge said the

airstrike was in Achin district, as opposed to Kot district. Khan - a longtime commander with the Pakistani Taliban - pledged allegiance in October 2014 to Islamic State’s leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The Taliban’s various factions in Afghanistan and Pakistan as well as their al-Qaeda allies are bitter rivals of Islamic State’s al-Baghdadi. The Taliban reject al-Baghdadi as leader of an envisioned worldwide caliphate. In Afghanistan, Taliban and Islamic State fighters have battled over territory in Nangarhar, though both have recently been more busy defending against US and Afghan assaults. Between January and early August, American warplanes conducted nearly 140 air strikes against Islamic State targets in Afghanistan, according to the US military. Afghan forces, backed by the American military, killed an estimated 300 Islamic State fighters in an operation mounted two weeks ago, the top US and Nato commander in Afghanistan said on Wednesday, calling it a severe blow to the group. l

Clinton happily yields national spotlight to Trump n Reuters, Washington, DC Since becoming the Democratic nominee last month, Clinton has been touring toy manufacturers, visiting tie makers and dropping in on public health clinics, where if she mentions Trump at all, it is usually to contrast their policies. Her swift condemnation at a Wednesday campaign rally of Trump’s remark that gun rights activists could stop her from nominating liberal US Supreme Court justices was a rare instance where she has directly engaged her Republican rival in the 2016 race for the White House. Aides say Clinton’s strategy is simple: let Trump be Trump. Trump has suffered a series of missteps over the past two weeks that go beyond his remarks on gun rights activists, which he later accused the media of deliberately misinterpreting. He has tangled with party leaders, clashed with the parents of a fallen Muslim American Army captain and this week accused Clinton, a former secretary of state, and President Barack Oba-

ma of “founding” the Islamic State militant group. On Friday, he said he was just being sarcastic when he made that remark. Clinton’s advisers say they see little benefit in her going toeto-toe with Trump over every personal accusation, generating sound bites that would dominate cable news broadcasts. Rather, they are happy for him to be embroiled in controversy while Clinton focuses on policy. Trump’s campaign declined to comment for this story, but the New York real estate developer has accused the national media of bias toward Clinton. Trump has slipped in opinion polls, and worried Republican Party leaders have urged him to stop making off-thecuff inflammatory statements that generate blanket, often negative, media coverage and distract from efforts to highlight what they see as Clinton’s many shortcomings.

Sucking out the oxygen

“He’s sucking all the oxygen out of the room to his own detriment,” said Republican strategist and Trump supporter Ford O’Connell. It’s not enough to dominate media coverage, he needs to “win” it, O’Connell said.

Trump has boasted that the news coverage he generates means he does not have to spend as much on campaign ads, but political veterans say he is squandering the attention and missing opportunities to win over undecided voters. For example, Trump gave an economic speech on Monday that was meant to help his campaign regain momentum, but it was quickly eclipsed by the fallout over his remarks on gun rights activists. Clinton, meanwhile, has been busy courting local media in must-win states. Her national press pool, which seldom gets to question the candidate, often waits as she conducts interviews with local news outlets. She has granted few recent interviews to national outlets and rarely holds press conferences, a strategy her critics say is calculated to avoid questions about her use of a private email server during her time as secretary of state, and the relationship between her family’s global charity, the Clinton Foundation, and the State Department. Clinton, who has said she is one of the most transparent presidential candidates in history, has acknowledged her use of the private email server was a mistake

World USA

Trump backs off IS comments Republican Donald Trump on Friday backed away from comments calling President Barack Obama and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton the founders of the militant group IS, while the Republican Party sought to project unity behind their candidate. A new poll showed Trump losing ground in three crucial states ahead of the November 8 general election against Clinton. -REUTERS

THE AMERICAS

Historic leader Fidel Castro turns 90 Fidel Castro thanked Cubans for their well-wishes on his 90th birthday on Saturday and criticised President Barack Obama in a lengthy letter published in state media. In Saturday’s letter, he criticises Obama for not apologising to the Japanese people during a May trip to Hiroshima, describing Obama’s speech there as lacking stature. -AP

Labour leadership vote ruling overturned More than 100,000 people who joined the Labour party in recent months will be barred from voting in its leadership election after the Court of Appeal upheld party managers’ decision to exclude them. The ruling is expected to significantly reduce the level of support for Jeremy Corbyn rather than rival Owen Smith. However, Corbyn is still favourite to win the contest and remain Labour leader. -FT

EUROPE

Turkey submitting request to US for Gulen’s arrest

Hillary Clinton

REUTERS

but said she properly handled all classified information. She has denied any improper links between the foundation and the State Department. In interviews with local outlets, Clinton is more likely to face questions about job creation, public health and raising wages - all parts of her platform that she is keen to discuss. In Florida, a crucial battleground state, Republican lobbyist Gus Corbella says the contrast between the local coverage of Clinton’s campaign stops there and Trump’s events has been stark. l

Turkish authorities have prepared an official request for the temporary arrest of US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen over his alleged involvement in the coup attempt on July 15. The request by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s office claims it has determined the coup was staged upon orders by Gulen and requests that he be arrested prior to the submission of a formal extradition request. -AP

AFRICA

UN approves 4,000 more troops in South Sudan The United Nations Security Council on Friday authorized the deployment of a 4,000-strong protection force in South Sudan’s capital, Juba, as part of the UN peacekeeping mission and threatened an arms embargo if the government does not cooperate. The US-drafted resolution was adopted with 11 votes in favour. Russia, China, Egypt and Venezuela abstained. -REUTERS

World

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

INSIGHT

Victories against Islamic State leave Iraq’s Sunni region shattered n Tribune International Desk As Iraqi political and military attention shifts north in the fight against the Islamic State group, the military victories that have put Iraqi forces on Mosul’s doorstep have left behind shattered cities, towns and communities in Iraq’s Sunni heartland. Anbar has witnessed the most successful military phase of the ground fight against IS to date. But rather than restore government order, services and security, liberation at the hands of Iraqi forces closely backed by the US-led coalition has merely moved many Anbaris from one waiting room into another. For Ali Athab, his most painful memory of IS rule in Fallujah was watching his daughter’s health deteriorate. Born with a rare neurological disorder, his daughter Zeina had been receiving treatment at a Fallujah hospital that helped control her seizures, but once IS solidified its grip on the city less than an hour’s drive from Baghdad, almost all the doctors fled. “She was starting to get better, but now she’s stopped speaking,” he said, explaining that the few doctors who stayed behind were only allowed to treat IS fighters. First the cost of medicine sky-rocketed, then specialised medicine wasn’t available in Fallujah at all. Athab, 34 said he prayed for liberation, hoping once his city was retaken by Iraqi government forces his daughter would again be able to see a doctor. But more than a month after IS was pushed out of Fallujah, the city remains a ghost town and Athab and his family are stuck in a camp on the edge of Anbar province. This year, Athab’s family joined the more than 1 million other Anbaris who have been forced from their homes since 2014. Zeina, age 8, sits politely in a corner of the family’s tent, occasionally fidgeting and making sounds that don’t form words. In the small, hurriedly constructed camp on the outskirts of Amiriyah al-Fallujah, a single mobile clinic only had antibiotics and mild painkillers on hand. In Baghdad - just over 40km away, Zeina could have access to the care she needs, but her family - as Anbar residents - lack the legal paperwork required to cross over into Baghdad Province. “There’s an assumption that after IS is defeated you can put the nation back together and in essence create a new nation, but that’s not what

we’re seeing in Anbar,” said a western diplomat based in Baghdad.

Tribal politics

Instead, industry and agriculture have ground to a halt, schools are closed, electrical grids are down and many roads remain unusable. In that vacuum, tribal politics are becoming more powerful and families are adopting more conservative habits, said the diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity due to a lack of authorisation to release information to the media. While Iraqi government security forces administer databases of information to identify possible IS fighters among civilians, much of the screening process is handed over to local Anbari officials and communities. At one of the larger displacement camps in Amiriyah al-Fallujah, a crowd of women gathered around a humanitarian convoy calling for help, they all had sons who were detained while fleeing Fallujah. Two weeks after they were taken, the women didn’t know where they were or who was holding them. Detainees say that tribes and powerful families are accusing rivals of being IS sympathisers to settle blood feuds, unpaid debts and grievances that go back generations. “Anyone who has a problem with someone can just accuse him of being with IS,” said Hussein, a middle-aged man just released from a detention centre, speaking on condition that only his first name is used for fear of his own security. Anbar’s residents describe feeling increasingly alienated from the central government, adrift in camps for the displaced or sharing close quarters with extended family. The vast majority of assistance that they are growing increasingly dependent on comes not from the central government, but from local political, tribal and religious leaders. For Ahmed Fahel, 30, the fight against IS in Hit plunged his family into poverty. Living in a desolate camp further west in Anbar in the desert that lies between Hit and Ramadi, Fahel is now his extended family’s only breadwinner. His brother was executed by IS fighters just days before the town was retaken by Iraqi forces and his body was dumped in the street. Fahel only had time to quickly bury his brother in the garden before they fled. “I have nothing and I also need to provide for my sister-in-law and her children,” he said, explaining he has since heard his house back in Hit was completely destroyed.

An Iraqi soldier helps a wounded soldier from clashes in south of Mosul on August 12 Nearly 1.3 million Anbaris are estimated to have been forced from their homes since early 2014 when IS first began to grow in power in the province, ferrying fighters and munitions through the lawless desserts along the border with neighboring Syria. A decade ago, when the predecessor to IS had torn Anbar apart, a US-led effort to stabilise the province built support against al-Qaeda by pouring enormous amounts of resources into existing local tribal leadership networks. Today, Iraq’s central government - due in part to budget shortfalls sparked by the plunge in the price of oil - doesn’t have the resources and the US-led coalition doesn’t have the appetite for such an ambitious undertaking. Without similarly large amounts of money, putting Anbar back together again will be impossible, said Ahmed al-Dara, a religious sheikh from Fallujah. And beyond the issue of resources, he said, the fight against IS in his home province is fundamentally different from the fight against al-Qaeda after the overthrow of Saddam in 2003. “This idea of reconciliation is not possible with Iraqis who joined IS,” said al-Dara, explaining that recovering from this insurgency would not only drive a greater wedge between Iraq’s Sunni and Shias, but has also begun to fracture Iraq’s Sunni community. “I know the people of Fallujah and Ramadi, they will never let a single IS supporter return to their cities,” he said. “This conflict has taken Iraq’s Sunnis back 50 years.” Athab, the Fallujah resident stuck in the tented camp on Anbar’s edge, describes the past 13 years of cyclical violence as exhausting.

REUTERS

DEADLIEST IS ATTACKS IN IRAQ IN 2016 TURKEY

100km

SYRIA

Waleed Trebil JORDAN SAUDI ARABIA

IRAN

Arbil Tal Afar Sharqat

Qaim

60 miles

Mosul

Sinjar

Kirkuk

Sulaymaniyah Tuz Khurmato

Hawija Baiji Tikrit

Khanaqin

Samarra

Haditha Hit

Muqdadiyah Baqubah Baghdad

Ramadi Fallujah: Iraqi forces declare defeat of IS militants on Jun 26

1,5-8

Kut Najaf

lskandariya 3 Karbala

Areas/towns under control of so-called Hilla Islamic State (IS) as of July 4

Hilla 2 4

Basra

Areas/towns under Kurdish Control

KUWAIT

Areas/towns under control of Iraqi security forces

Amarah

Samawa Nasriyah

5 6 7

3 8 4

“This is the third time this has happened to Fallujah,” he said referencing the two US-led offensives against al-Qaeda insurgents in his home town in the mid-2000s. The battle against IS this year was the

first to force him to flee his home and Athab vows it will be the last. “I don’t want to live in Anbar anymore,” he said sucking at his front teeth. “Fallujah is finished, you can take it.” l

World

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

Chinese President Xi Jinping

REUTERS

ANALYSIS

A look at China’s foreign policy challenges n Tribune International Desk China’s simmering feud with South Korea over the deployment of an American missile defence system is the latest in a string of foreign policy challenges piling up on President Xi Jinping’s desk as he prepares to host the annual summit of the G20 nations next month. Below is a look at some of the more significant issues, most of them related in one way or another to China’s rivalry with the United States, reports The Associated Press.

South Korea

Chinese anger at South Korea over its decision to deploy and US anti-missile defence system appears to be threatening everything from appearances by the stars of K-Pop to future cooperation on North Korea at the United Nations. South Korea’s entertainment sector has been on edge since Seoul’s decision last month to proceed with the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence, or THAAD, system, and reports are trickling in of event cancellations and possible bans on the showing of South Korean TV series. A chill has already descended over the political relationship, with daily attacks in Chinese state media on South Korea and the US over THAAD, even hinting that Beijing might withhold future cooperation with the US against North Korea at the United Nations Security Council.

North Korea

China’s efforts to moderate the behaviour of the regime of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have produced few results. North Korea’s secretive ruler appears not to have been swayed in the slightest by China-backed United Nations sanctions seeking to deter him from his drive for nuclear weapons and the missiles to launch them on. Beijing has also failed to convince him to reform his economy while retaining authoritarian rule along lines pursued by China in recent decades. While China is not actively defending its communist neighbour and once-close ally, it is equally determined to prevent its collapse, an event that could see a massive flow of refugees and even US troops taking up positions along the border with China.

South China Sea

An international arbitration panel’s ruling

last month that invalidated China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea prompted a furious response from Beijing, which had vowed not to participate in it or accept the ruling. Although unenforceable, the ruling seriously questions the legitimacy of China’s nine-dash line maritime border enclosing almost the entire sea and its islands and reefs, and puts Beijing on the defensive when dealing with Southeast Asian nations that also exercise a claim. Its refusal to accept the judgment clouds Beijing’s desire to be viewed as a responsible great nation that follows the rules of international society. China’s response has been to go on the offense, digging in its heels over its claims.

Taiwan

January’s landslide election of the independence-leaning Tsai Ing-wen as president of self-governing Taiwan left Beijing with few good options. China needed to respond to show it was resolute in its opposition to formal independence for the island it claims as its own territory. But going overboard would threaten progress made in building relations and risk driving resentment among islanders. Nor could China fall back on the divide-and-conquer tactics of the past, with Tsai’s Democratic Progressive Party in firm control of the legislature and public opinion on the island solidly in favour of maintaining the status-quo of de-facto independence. Thus far, Beijing has taken a low-key approach, namely freezing channels of communication, and rolling back the number of Chinese tourists travelling to the island as a form of economic retaliation.

The United States

China’s daddy of all foreign policy challenges is the United States, a crucial economic partner as well as Beijing’s chief global rival, and the testy relationship lingers behind almost all of China’s other challenges. November’s US presidential election could be a testing moment for Beijing, especially if the winner is Hillary Clinton who is seen in Beijing as a key architect of Washington’s “pivot” to Asia that has boosted American attention to the region and challenged China’s actions in the South China Sea. A Clinton presidency would raise the possibility of a still greater US presence in the region and renewed criticism of China’s human rights record and foreign policies. l

12 Business

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

Stocks stay flat in past week n Tribune Business Desk Stocks closed marginally down in the past week that ended Thursday as investors booked profits on previous week’s modest rally. However, trading activities improved slightly as some investors preferred to rebalancing portfolio on earnings expectation. The benchmark index of Dhaka Stock Exchange DSEX edged over 3 points down to settle the week at 4,574. The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, was down 14 points or 0.8% to 1,781. The DSE Shariah Index saw a fractional gain of 0.5 point to 1,123. The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index CSCX lost 3 points to 8,562, after 66 points rally in previous week. The week’s daily average turnover stood at Tk464 crore, registering an increase of 4.6% over the previous week’s average of Tk443 crore on the DSE. The block trade contributed 3.7% to the week’s total turnover value. Engineering, fuel and power and pharmaceuticals sectors were the most traded companies, making up nearly 50% of the total trade. The large cap sectors showed mixed performances during the past week. Engineering posted a significant gain of 4.25%, followed by non-banking financial institutions 1%. Telecommunication experienced the highest loss of more than 1%, followed by power 0.8% and food & allied 0.7%, banks 0.6% and pharmaceuticals 0.08%. Lanka Bangla Securities said, “Benchmark index witnessed volatility and closed the week almost flat. Investors seem to be consolidating at this level.” It said earning declaration remained the major trigger in the market, thus market saw significant shift in stock positioning almost throughout the week. l

Capital market snapshot: Past Week DSE Broad Index

4,574.4

Index

1,123.5

0.0% ▲

30 Index

1,781.0

-0.8% ▼

Turnover in Mn Tk

23,184.1

4.6% ▲

Turnover in Mn Vol

545.3

-0.5% ▼

All Share Index 14,066.8

-0.0% ▼

30 Index

12,875.3

-0.9% ▼

Selected Index

8,562.1

-0.0% ▼

Turnover in Mn Tk

1,287.4

3.4% ▲

Turnover in Mn Vol

36.9

-9.0% ▼

-0.1% ▼

CSE

Bangladesh’s five-year PPI investment stands at $2.7bn under IDA funds n Kayes Sohel Bangladesh had the third highest level of Private Participation in Infrastructure (PPI) investments at $2.7 billion from 2011 to 2015, says a new World Bank report. During the period, the number of PPI projects in Bangladesh was 24, accounting for 17% of total IDA projects, according to a report titled “PPI in IDA countries, 20112015” released by the World Bank recently. It said the Munshiganj Mawa Orion-Long King coal-fired plant, a greenfield (Build-Own-Operate) project is the largest deal at $579 million. This project reached financial closure in 2012 and it aims to generate 522MW of energy to help address the country’s power shortage problem. The report analyses trends in investment commitments in infrastructure projects with private sector participation in 56 countries eligible for support from the International Development Association, a lending arm of the World Bank for the poorest countries during the period. The analysis includes only projects in energy, transport, water and sanitation sectors. As currently defined by the World Bank, IDA countries are those that have Gross Net Income (GNI) per capita below the threshold of $1,215. During 2011–2015, PPI investments in IDA countries amounted to $27 billion across 143 projects concentrated in 24 out of the 56 IDA countries.

PPI INVESTMENTS BY TOP SEVEN IDA COUNTRIES

8000

2011

7000

2012

6000

2013

2014

2015

Total

Figure in US$ million

5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0

Lao PDR

Honduras

The nation with the most activity among IDA countries is the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDA). It has 16 hydropower projects, and these amount to almost onethird of total PPI investments among IDA countries during the period. In 2015, PPI investments (and the number of projects) reached its lowest level in IDA countries since 2011. This was because Lao PDR and Ghana, which together captured 46% of total PPI investments in the year 2014, had no investments in 2015. The energy sector has been the main driver of PPI investments in IDA countries every single year, with the transport sector claiming a lesser role in the market. Among IDA economies, Bangladesh, Honduras and Kenya have

Bangladesh

Zambia

Ghana

undertaken reforms of their regulatory and legal environment and have a significant role in IDA PPI investments over the five-year period. A robust institutional and regulatory framework is critical in attracting private investment for infrastructure projects. Empirical evidence suggests that a favourable regulatory and institutional framework corresponds with a successful PPP investment environment, despite limited data on the subject. Bangladesh has witnessed notable progress in its legal and institutional framework, with the introduction of its recent PPP Act, 2015. The new law builds on the PPP Policy 2010 to further streamline the formulation and execution of PPP projects. The country also created the

Nepal

Kenya

PPP Office (PPPO) under the Prime Minister’s office and the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), which are tasked with advice, oversight, final project approval and appraisal of contingent liabilities. The Public Procurement Act of 2006 and the Public Procurement Rules of 2008 call for fair competition and a transparent bidding process. The market for PPIs has not been expanding. Only 24 out of the 56 IDA countries had at least one project during the period 2011 to 2015. Moreover, no more than 16 countries brought projects to the market in a single year. In 2015, only seven countries brought projects to the market. Bangladesh was the sole country to have a continued presence in the market during this five-year period. l

Banks, businesses back govt to plug militant financing n BSS As the government plans to go tough against militant financing, country’s apex trade body and top bankers have given assurances of backing the move to unearth bank accounts and businesses involved in militant transactions for legal actions. “We will provide the government with full support in identifying the bank accounts, if they are used in financing militant activities in the country,” Anis A Khan, Chairman of Association of Bankers, Bangladesh (ABB), said yesterday. Talking to BSS, the top banker said standing beside the government and backing its move

to root out militant financing are essential for the safety and security of all including the banking sector. When his attention was drawn to Bangladesh Bank’s (BB) move to collect account information of 18 persons, Khan, managing director of Mutual Trust Bank, said the banks concerned are bound to abide by the BB’s instruction because it is the regulatory authority of all banks. “Bank accounts having suspicious transactions should be frozen to resist any illegal money flow, including militant financing,” said President of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI)

Abdul Matlub Ahmed. About media reports on involvement of some people, including businesspersons, in militant financing by using bank

accounts, Ahmed said suspected accounts of anyone including businessman, politician or student, should be frozen for taking stern legal actions. l

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

Government to cancel allocation of unused BSCIC industrial plots n UNB The government has redoubled its efforts to reclaim the unused industrial plots to redistribute those to new but promising entrepreneurs for expediting activities of small and cottage industries at the grassroots level. There are 74 industrial estates under the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) in the country and there are ‘instances’ of misusing allocated plots. “There’re some allotted industrial plots where no industry has been set up,” a senior Industries Ministry official told UNB yesterday without giving the number of such plots.

Even, there is an instance that such industrial plot is being used for housing purposes violating the directives, the official said observing that many promising entrepreneurs are unable to establish industrial units for lack of industrial plots. He said the government is working to cancel such industrial plots and will reallocate those among new but promising entrepreneurs. Another official who was present at the recently held deputy commissioners’ conference said Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu raised the issue and drew attention of the DCs to implement the government plan. The government established BSCIC as the prime mover organi-

sation in Bangladesh to support industrialisation process through creation of an entrepreneurial society. The Industries Minister directed the DCs to think of establishing planned industrial estates by utilising their respective district’s potential, another official said. The government will also act to free plots which are occupied by individuals illegally as soon as possible. According to a government document, some 6 acres of land under plot numbers 1-4 in Tongi industrial area of Gazipur district are occupied by some individuals illegally. The land is owned by Bangladesh Steel and Engineering Corporation (BSEC) and necessary directives are

given to launch eviction drive to free the land, BSEC sources said. Meanwhile, some 16 acres of land in Agrabad commercial area in Chittgaong is also occupied illegally and case filed by Pragoti Industries Limited is under trial, Industries Ministry officials said. An official at BSCIC said the government has also taken up an expansionary plan for industrial estates taking Pabna, Dhamrai, Rajshahi, Narsingdhi, Comilla, Gopalganj, B’Baria, Manikganj, Narayanganj, Tangail, Rangpur, Khulna, Faridpur and Bagerhat. The Industries Ministry wants to see around 35 percent contribution of industrial sector to the national economy by 2021. l

Negative rates seen reducing Japan big banks’ profits n Reuters Japan’s financial watchdog estimates that negative interest rates under the Bank of Japan’s monetary easing policy will reduce profits for the country’s three big banks by at least 300bn yen ($2.96bn) for the year through March 2017, the Nikkei business daily reported yesterday. The Financial Services Agency (FSA) expressed concern to the BOJ regarding the situation as it sees reduced profits weakening the banks’ ability to extend loans, the Nikkei said. According to FSA estimates, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc’s profit will fall by 155bn yen. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc’s profit will be reduced by as much as 76 billion yen and that of Mizuho Financial Group Inc will be cut by 61bn yen. l

Business

British American Tobacco Bangladesh (BATB) has been awarded the ‘Asia’s Best Employer Brand Awards -2016’ by CMO Asia, an independent and non-profit council in gorgeous programme in Singapore recently (4th August 2016). BAT Bangladesh won this award for ensuring workplace culture and diversity as well as the quality of recruitment and differentiated talent management practices in Bangladesh. On behalf of BAT Bangladesh, Mr. S M Khaled (left), Head of Programme Management, BAT Singapore, received the award

Global monetary taps still open wide, Fed minutes in focus n Reuters, London The glue binding a still-aggressive global monetary policy response to a struggling world economy and almost daily record highs for world stock markets along with record low bond yields is set to remain intact in the coming week. The one thing that could unstick it, apart from divine intervention, would be a change in tune from the US Federal Reserve, which is still toying with when to deliver a follow-up interest rate hike to last December’s baby step-up from zero. Minutes to the Fed’s July policy meeting due on Wednesday may come under more scrutiny than normal given the central bank really only has one opportunity left, at its meeting next month, to raise rates before the November presidential election. Fed officials have given differing and often conflicting signals throughout much of this year on when the next move will come, leaving few with any clear sense of how much of a risk there is of a September rate rise. Interest rate futures contracts in financial markets, as well as the median probability given by economists in a recent Reuters poll, suggest the chances are low and that if they go this year at all, December is more likely. “Our guess is that the market-implied odds of a 2016 rate hike will trend up over the remainder of the month, with both the FOMC minutes on August 17 and Chair (Janet) Yellen’s Jackson Hole speech on August 26 likely to suggest that September is very much a live meeting,” wrote Lou Crandall, Fed watcher at Wrightson ICAP, in a recent client note. In the meantime, Fed officials have been dropping hints. San Francisco Fed President John Williams said in a newspaper interview that the Fed’s planned gradual pace of interest rate hikes means, in his view at least, a hike will come this year. l

Emerging Asian bonds rally as investors hunt for yield n Reuters

Global investors facing low returns for bonds from developed markets are aggressively buying higher-yielding emerging Asian debt, encouraged by the prospect of more monetary policy easing as Brexit threatens the global economy. Central banks of major economies are keeping policy loose to protect growth while the US Federal Reserve is not in a hurry to raise rates amid fresh uncertainties following Britain’s shock vote to leave

the European Union. The Bank of Japan has already cut rates to negative and other central banks in the region, such as in Malaysia, New Zealand and Australia, have lowered rates. “The fixed income rally in Asia has been impressive, but we still think there is some more room to go, especially for high yielders as we see more rate cuts in the pipeline in several countries,” said Jens Nystedt, portfolio manager and head of sovereign research for the emerging markets debt team at

Morgan Stanley Investment Management in New York. Foreign investors added 5.7bn ringgit ($1.4bn) worth of Malaysia’s bonds in July, central bank data showed. Investors bought Malaysian bonds even as concerns revived over scandal-plagued state-owned fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). Nystedt said the recent widening in Malaysian bond yields due to lower oil prices and other concerns would fade as the market refocuses

on the outlook for rate cuts and the country’s strong fundamentals. “We would expect Malaysian bonds to recover recent ground lost... moreover, we would welcome signs of higher expenditure constraint on the back of shortfall in revenue collection. Continued fiscal discipline would be a welcome anchor for Malaysian rates,” Nystedt said. Indonesia enjoyed bond inflows of a combined 8.2tn rupiah ($625.2m) in the first 10 days of August after investors increased the

country’s bond holdings by 15tn rupiah in July, finance ministry data showed. The country’s new tax amnesty programme and appointment of the World Bank’s managing director Sri Mulyani Indrawati as finance minister, boosted confidence in Indonesia’s attempts to plug deficits and accelerate economic reforms. India saw more than $1bn in bond inflows last month as the country, along with Indonesia, offers one of the highest yields in the region. l

Business

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

IMF warns on China’s mid-term economic stability

n AFP, Beijing

China must take “urgent” action to reform its economy or risk “permanently lower growth”, the International Monetary Fund said in a report Friday, citing mounting corporate debt as a major concern. While near-term growth prospects remain good, Beijing’s failure to move on long-promised reforms is raising the chances of a medium-term hard landing in the world’s second-largest economy, it said. China is seeking to restructure its economy to make the spending power of its nearly 1.4 billion people a key driver for growth, instead of massive government investment and cheap exports. But the transition has caused growth to sputter. The Asian giant’s economy expanded at 6.7% in the April-June period, the same as the first three months of the year and slowing from 6.9% in 2015 - its weakest annual rate in a quarter of a century. “China’s economic transition will continue to be complex, challenging and potentially bumpy, against the backdrop of heightened downside risks and eroding buffers,” the IMF report said. “Vulnerabilities are still rising on a dangerous trajectory and fiscal and foreign exchange buffers, while still adequate, are eroding,” it said. Resource misallocation, corporate debt, excess capacity and financial opacity were major problems that needed to be addressed, it specified. “While the challenges are still manageable, urgent action is needed to ensure they remain so,” it added. While Beijing has made verbal pledges to tackle such issues, it has not followed through in practice, the report noted, saying that “government policy and pronouncements seem to alternate between prioritising reform and growth”. The report cited growing corporate debt as a particular concern. Excluding the financial sector, it stood at around 120% of GDP in 2015, estimates in the IMF document said, projecting it could grow by more than 20 points by 2021. A June report by the China Academy of Social Sciences put the figure even higher, saying it could have already reached 156% back in 2014. The IMF said that in the midterm, failure to move would “add to vulnerabilities, worsen resource misallocation, and lead to permanently lower growth”. Beijing has no time to lose, the Washington-based institution said, recommending that “progress should be kick-started in the next few months.” The report painted a rosier picture for China’s short-term prospects, saying that stimulus measures had created a “benign” outlook. l

Germany stokes growth hopes n AFP, Frankfurt

Germany recorded surprisingly strong growth in the second quarter on the back of exports and domestic demand, data showed Friday, prompting observers to raise their forecasts for Europe’s biggest economy. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expanded by 0.4% in calendar- and seasonally-adjusted terms between April and June, twice as much as forecasted by analysts surveyed by Factset. The pace of growth was slightly slower than the previous quarter’s 0.7%, a statement from federal statistics office Destatis said, but on a year-on-year basis, the expansion reached 3.1% - “stronger than at any time in the past five years”. Demand for exports rose compared to the first three months of the year, while “private consumption spending and state consumption spending also bolstered growth,” the statistics office said. Rising income over the last year has boosted household consumption, while federal spending has also surged as Germany plays host to 1.1 million asylum seekers who arrived in the country last year. Holger Schmieding, an analyst at Berenberg bank, said: “Germany’s economic position continues to look strong.” He pointed to “solid domestic fundamentals, a buoyant labour market, rising real incomes, a modest fiscal stimulus and excellent financing conditions,” which he believes would help Germany weather the fallout from Brexit. Andreas Rees of Unicredit suggested that Germany could see growth of 1.8 or 1.9% over the

around 100bn euros every month. Friday’s data suggests that cars, chemicals and machine tools continued to sell well abroad in the second quarter. “Preliminary estimates showed exports increased compared with the first quarter of 2016,” Destatis said, although detailed results will not be released until August 24. “Household spending and state consumption spending also bolstered growth,” the statement went on.

Brexit questions

Bad weather in the second quarter hit Germany’s construction industry as powerful storms swept the country AFP whole year rather than the 1.6% he had previously predicted, while Commerzbank’s Joerg Kraemer also lifted his forecast from 1.5% growth to 1.8% for 2016. Official estimates from the Bundesbank (central bank) and the federal government foresee growth of 1.7% for the year after 1.5% growth last year.

First-quarter growth had largely been powered by the domestic economy as good weather favoured construction in particular. But there had been fears that a slowing global economy, geopolitical risks and weakness in China could take the wind out of German sails by decreasing foreign demand for its goods - which bring in

But there were some weaker spots in the overall picture. “Growth was slowed by weak net investment, especially in facilities and construction, where less was invested after a strong first quarter,” the statisticians said. The construction sector had shown strong growth during winter as Germany enjoyed unseasonably mild temperatures. Bad weather in the second quarter put the brakes on building as powerful storms swept the country. Some economists warned that the rest of the year will likely be weaker than the strong first half. ING Diba bank’s Carsten Brzeski said “the current recovery is clearly running on its very last leg,” pointing to weak investments which he argues are unlikely to return to healthy levels given the shock of the UK’s vote to quite the European Union, as well as fears of a wider global slowdown. Economics think-tank DIW forecast on Wednesday that Brexit-related uncertainty would slash 0.4 percent from German growth by the end of the year as it weighs on performance across Europe. l

CORPORATE NEWS

Md Arfan Ali has recently been appointed as president and managing director of Bank Asia, said a press release. Arfan Ali has 25 years of multifarious experience in banking profession. He started his career as a probationary officer at Arab Bangladesh Bank Limited in 1991

Standard Bank Ltd has recently donated Tk 75 lakh to prime minister’s relief fund for helping flood affected people, said a press. The bank’s chairperson, Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed handed over a cheque to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in this regard

Oil rebounds as Saudi hints at OPEC deal for September n AFP, London Oil rebounded this week from recent lows after OPEC sprang a surprise September meeting, at which Saudi Arabia hinted producers could agree to limit output. At 1600 GMT on Friday, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude for September delivery added 84 cents at $44.33 a barrel compared with Thursday’s closing level. European benchmark Brent North Sea crude for October rose 65 cents to $46.69 per barrel. Both contracts traded far above the three-month lows forged early last week, when prices had tanked into a bear market - losing 20% from June peaks. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), whose 14 nations pump one third of global oil, on Monday called an informal meeting that will take place on the sidelines of the International Energy Forum in Algeria in late September. News of the unscheduled gathering, ahead of OPEC’s next regular production meet in Vienna on November 30, sparked speculation of fresh measures to stabilize the market - and sent prices soaring on Monday. They powered

even higher on Thursday after Saudi Arabia’s powerful oil minister hinted that producers could agree to limit output. Saudi oil chief Khalid al-Falih was reported as saying that the informal OPEC meeting would be an occasion for producers to discuss “any possible action”. Prices jumped more than four percent in reaction to the comments, which were seen as a positive development in a market grappling with a supply glut.

‘Stormed back to life’

“Crude oil prices have stormed back to life over the past couple of weeks, albeit in a volatile manner,” City Index analyst Fawad Razaqzada told AFP on Friday. “The latest trigger behind the rally has been attributed in the media to comments from Saudi Arabia’s minister, who on Thursday said his country - which is the largest OPEC oil producer - could participate in co-ordinated action to help balance the crude oil market. “I am not sure if this is the main reason, for prices had already bounced last week. “What’s more, similar promises were made earlier this year and no action tak-

en. Yet oil prices were able to march on regardless.” Thursday’s rebound follows a drop in prices earlier this week after official US data showed a jump in crude inventories, taking by surprise investors who expected a drawdown in supply. A monthly report from OPEC also showed Saudi Arabian oil production was at nearly 10.5 million barrels per day in July - a record high, above peak levels seen the same time last year. OPEC meetings earlier this year failed to agree on any production ceiling, as key producers preferred instead to fight for market share in a Saudi-led strategy. “The comments from Saudi oil minister Khalid al-Falih ... have served to fan the flames of the OPEC announcement in further ramping up expectations for some collaboration amongst oil producing nations to support prices,” said analyst David Cheetham at brokers XTB. “Whether or not an arrangement to support the oil price will be agreed upon is almost neither here nor there at the moment, with just the possibility of reducing output providing enough reason for the market to rally this week.” l

China to use tougher environmental standards to tackle capacity glut n Reuters China will use the stricter enforcement of environmental, safety and energy efficiency standards as well as tougher credit controls to help fight against overcapacity in key industrial sectors, the government said. The world’s second-largest economy has identified overcapacity as one of its key challenges and it has already pledged mass closures in the steel and coal sectors, but it has so far fallen behind on its targets. The Ministry of Industry and Information said on Friday in a draft policy document published on its website (www.miit.gov.cn) it would

“normalize the stricter implementation and enforcement of mandatory standards” to tackle overcapacity in sectors such as steel, coal, cement, glassmaking and aluminum. It would implement a “differential credit” policy that would allow lenders to extend loans to help firms restructure while cutting off funding for poorly performing enterprises targeted for closure. Firms that fail to comply with new energy efficiency targets would be given six months to rectify and would be closed if they fail to make progress. Those that continue to exceed air and water pollution standards would be fined on a daily basis and in serious cases ordered to shut.

It said authorities would cut off power and water supplies, and even demolish the equipment of firms that fail to meet environmental and safety standards. Facilities could also be sealed off to prevent them from going back into operation. The ministry also repeated a previous pledge to implement differential and punitive power pricing policies to force firms to toe the line. Beijing is concerned that some local governments have not been acting with enough urgency when it comes to dealing with overcapacity problems. On Thursday, the state planning agency singled out regions such as Inner Mongolia, Fujian and Guangxi for failing to make progress. l

Business

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

Italian economy grinds to a halt n AFP, Rome

Italy’s economy stalled in the second quarter of the year, official data indicated Friday, exacerbating fears a sluggish recovery from recession is running out of steam. Output in the three month to the end of June was the same as in the first quarter of 2016, leaving annual growth at 0.7%. Finance minister Pier Carlo Padoan had recently predicted 0.1-0.2% quarter-on-quarter growth. Italy’s economy, which has barely expanded since the country became a founder member of the eurozone in 1999, emerged from three years of recession at the start of last year. But the recovery has struggled to gain any

momentum and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) last month cut its forecast for Italy’s 2016 growth from 1.1% to 0.9%, largely to take account of the negative impact of Britain’s vote to leave the European Union. Confidence has also been hit by fears of a crisis in the country’s bad debt-laden banking sector. The government is forecasting growth of 1.2% this year and 1.4% in 2017, having cut its predictions in April from 1.6% for both years. The downward trend in growth forecasts will reduce Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s room for manoeuvre as he seeks to pursue an expansionary budget policy without allowing the country’s huge debt, equivalent to more than 130% of GDP, to increase. l

Career

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

Inside the mind of an entrepreneur

n Tarek Musanna The amount of startups being conceived nowadays is significant, but at the same time, the amount of startups failing is quite a number as well. There are many elements behind the idea of a successful entrepreneur. To gain some proper insight, we spoke to Saif Kamal, founder of Toru - The Idea Tree. Saif Kamal is an entrepreneur who helps other entrepreneurs take off with their ideas. In an interview, Saif talked about how and why he became an entrepreneur, what drove him to success and the unique anatomy of the perfect Bangladeshi entrepreneur.

From inception to projection

Saif Kamal worked in the country and abroad for more than ten years and then had a stint at marketing Dhaka Tribune in the year of its launch. Even with all the projects, he wasn’t really satisfied with what he was doing. There was something missing. “You get to know everything. You can’t do anything.” He describes his growing dissatisfaction at that point. “Did I know what I was doing?

No. My mentor said to me ‘you wouldn’t dare to do what you want to do if you knew what you’re doing.’“ Saif trusted his instincts and founded Toru - The Idea Tree, an innovation hub that facilitates the transformation of innovation to social enterprises. From then on, Saif focused on accelerating and incubating ideas to turn them into full fledged enterprises, from the earliest stages possible. With a not incosiderable amount of experience in the startup scene, Saif talked about the prerequisites and other requirements of being an entrepreneur. “Focus on dissolving pain. Ask yourself, am I solving a problem?” According to Saif, ideas should be related to the surroundings and the problems within. He emphasised on how someone can be successful thinking about the relevant problems, referring to it as “pain-storming.” There is hardly any point thinking about trying to find solutions to overreaching issues that doesn’t exist. There is plenty of innovation in the world, and most of the known issues already have their effective solutions provided by people from Harvard, MIT, etc. The reason why our very

own problems do not have their solutions is because the Harvard and MIT people are not aware of these problems in the first place. But if we think about a bit, we can surely come up with excellent ideas. The idea of solving a problem can give birth to so many more beautiful ideas. And to grow them, resilience is needed. “Only entrepreneurs who get their hands dirty can get successful.” This is what Saif had to say about the massive fallout rate of Bangladeshi startups. Another major point he emphasised on was to not run after money.

Connections and networking

Saif put on a grim face when discussing how important connections are in the Bangladeshi entrepreneurship scene. He stressed greatly on the power of association and how it can help you in every aspect. He also emphasised how it’s not the way it should be. “Before you invest into business, you invest into people.” The whole point is, people believe in the power of credibility and association gives you that. What is needed along with that

is proper advice. That’s where mentors come in. Saif admitted to having a total of four mentors, for both personal and professional reasons, and mentioned Sir Fazle Hasan Abed as his role model. He identified the lack of proper mentors as one of the major causes of startup failure. This is where Toru - The Idea Tree comes in to help ideas. The entrepreneurs can use the connections of Toru as their own in order to grow.

What to do and what not to do

Saif had a lot to say in this part. “Don’t be selfish” was the point of focus here. Collaborative learning is very important. Another important lesson is to not obsess over the ideas. According to Saif, entrepreneurs have the mentality to let their ideas go at times; it’s never a good thing to love your ideas too much. If an entrepreneur can give birth to one good idea, he should be able to come up with several others naturally. What is needed is the love for the journey, not the destination. But for the journey to start, the design should be applied above and beyond. The product should be thought to be more customer suited and oriented.

The need for intricacy

Bangladesh is not exactly entrepreneur-friendly, at least when it comes to the legalities related to it. One of the major factors working behind the failed projects is information gap. The information is there. People just don’t give enough effort to find it or they ignore it altogether. It’s the entrepreneur’s job to know and understand all parts of the slippery slopes. It’s difficult in Bangladesh and that makes it relatively harder to grow. Saif Kamal’s Toru - the Idea Tree right now is working on projects like 10 Minute School and The Tech Academy. To make us understand about customeroriented ideas, he shared the story of Dr Harish Hande, MD of SELCO Solar. Dr Hande spent a month in Zimbabwe in total darkness to understand the sorrow of it. This is the kind of dedication that is needed in case of entrepreneurship, at least if one truly wants to be successful. l

Article was reprinted under a special arrangement with www.startup-bd.com

Career

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

Shoe story Could your footwear help you get ahead at work?

n Sabrina Fatma Ahmad From Cinderella to the Wizard of Oz to The Devil Wears Prada, shoes have been front and centre of enough stories to underscore a point: the right pair can sometimes change your life! Before you roll your eyes, here’s some food for thought: A 2012 study from the University of Kansas found that people are able to accurately judge 90% of a stranger’s personality, including their emotional stability, simply by looking at their most-worn pair of shoes. Now, whether you agree with the study authors or not, this much is true; employers and will notice your shoes, so let’s talk about how to get your kicks to kick you up the ladder and keep you on top.

The job applicant

The goal here, no matter where you’re aiming to work, is to present an image of yourself as practical, efficient and professional. You want to be presentable, but not come off as too high-maintenance because that can actually hurt your salary negotiation process. For the women: A closed shoe with a modest heel is preferred. Even if you’re a flats kinda girl, you want just a little height for this one day. But not too high - unless you’re a leggy model auditioning for a spot on a fashion shoot, leave those sky-high stilettos back in your closet. Also, choose a nice neutral colour and simple design. Neon shades and sparkles aren’t suitable interview shoes. Unlike in the west, where open-toed shoes are frowned on, you can get away with a strappy mid-sized heel, but if you’re going to be showing your feet, do get a pedicure done. Even if you nail the shoe, if you display your bunions and toe fungus, you might put your employer off hiring you (and probably off their lunch as well). Similarly, don’t opt for jingly

foot jewellery and crazy nail art, because that might distract your interviewer from that excellent point you just made about your previous work experience. For the men: A polished and buffed pair of oxfords or lace-ups are your best bet. Stick to subtly patterned socks that match either your pants or your shirt. Save the white socks for the gym, and those crazy colourful socks for the celebration after you get the job. We know Dhaka’s streets are a nightmare and not everyone has the luxury of getting to the interview in a car. Keep some paper napkins handy to at least pat your shoes clean before you walk into the interview room. Scuffy footwear that’s falling apart will signal to your employer that since you can’t even be bothered with your grooming, you can’t possibly want the job badly enough. On the flipside - and this is a classic rookie mistake - leave those pointed toe dress shoes at home. Those are for your formal do’s, and

not the office room.

The intern

This is where you want to show off your efficiency and your ability to gel with the team. In most cases, this position will have you on your feet a lot. (Remember, if they stick you behind a computer and forget you, unless you’re interning at a call centre, you’re doing something wrong. Or not doing something right.) For women: Once you’ve got the internship, you want something that allows you to walk comfortably. Cute ballet flats, chic loafers, strappy sandals, are all acceptable footwear. Just don’t get too comfortable and turn up in your “ghorer chappals”. Again, avoid the jingly baubles; those are super annoying. Also, avoid the high heels. If the job requires a lot of walking, those are not the shoes you want to wear. For men: Strappy sandal shoes, loafers, and oxfords are great options. Just like the women,

resist the temptation to bust out the flip-flops. And white socks still belong only in the gym. While sneakers might seem like a great, comfy option, don’t wear them to work if you’re interning; they subtly signal that you’re not mature enough to sit at the big boys’ table.

The mid-level employee

This is sort of the sweet spot, shoe-wise, because now that you have your foot in the door and a seat at the table, so to speak, you can afford to be more versatile and express yourself. Ladies: Of course it varies with the industry. If you’re working at a place like a bank or a hotel, they may have a stipulation in the kind of shoes you wear, but you can always experiment with the texture. Try a nice patent leather finish, for a change, or experiment with slingbacks and d’orsay heels. Corporate environments are a lot more relaxed now, so there’s a lot more versatility there, and a lot

Photos: Bigstock

of leeway is given to footwear, but here’s an insider tip: leave the fancy Louboutins at home. You don’t want to start speculation about your salary to cause your boss to feel pressured to pass you over for a promotion or raise just to keep the peace. Gentlemen: Again, you can enjoy a lot more leeway at this level, depending on the industry you’re at. If you’re in the service industry, however, even if it’s common practice at your workplace, once you’re done with your prayers, please roll down your pants and change back from your wudu flip-flops to your office shoes. Your inability to do so will signal to your clientele a lack of efficiency on your part.

The boss

Congratulations. You’ve made it to the head of the table. Now you don’t have to impress anyone and can wear whatever you want, right? Wrong. When you’re at the top, everyone’s looking at you, and it’s on you to set the tone at the workplace. Lauren Weisberger made a best-selling book out of her bad boss’ footwear, so people do notice. You want your shoes to be as smart, practical and polished as your dream employee. If you’re scruffy and unkempt, you’ll find it harder to convince your subordinates to stick to a dress code. And if you’re showing off shoes that cost more than what some of your workers make in a month, you can bet your bottom dollar that there will be resentment. So think carefully before you slip your feet into the kicks. Unless you’re the head of a startup that’s mostly online and requires minimal face-to-face interaction. In that case, good luck, have fun, and more power to you. l

Internships

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

Interviewing

33. Always research on what makes a company special before you go meet them. 34. Bring a copy of your resume, best work samples, a notepad and a pen to every interview. 35. Remember the job description to avoid complications. 36. Perfectionism as your greatest weakness is overused. Avoid it. 37. Stand, walk, smile and laugh on a phone interview. It makes a difference. 38. Look interested. 39. Just because you know where your potential boss did last summer, there is no need to mention it. 40. Act comfortable, not intimidated.

Productivity

Photo: Bigstock

60 tips to avoid a lifetime of mistakes Success at work does have a cheat sheet

n Rad Sharar Bin Kamal

General advice

2. 3. 4.

6. 7. 8.

It takes less than 30 seconds to make a first impression. When dealing with insufferable bosses, it’s okay to question authority. Stress never helps any situation. The world’s most successful leaders feel the need to express their emotions openly, even anger. Work shouldn’t always be about the bigger picture. The smaller things may make all the difference. The first step to getting ahead is to create a loyal following. Overnight successes are never overnight. A great job almost never gives your life meaning, at least fully.

Work relationships

10. 11.

12. 13. 14.

Being a little nicer takes you long way ahead in life, and in business. Listen more and talk less if you wish to be more influential. Personally or professionally, every person you meet may play an important role. Value everyone. People who are in a supporting role create the most useful network. Consider the perspective of others before dealing with them. Apologies are limited.

Finding employment

15. After being laid off from a job, get over it and move on. Better positions await. 16. Loving your current job

41. Learn to manage your energy in a consistent manner, not your time. 42. Make sure you run the day, not the opposite. 43. Have a minute to spare? Delete the app which sucks most of your time out. 44. Deadlines you impose on yourself are rarely useful. Try to avoid it. 45. Sync all your to-do lists on all your devices, home and away. 46. Keep some breathing space on your desk. 47. Use auto-texts from your phone to reply to not-soimportant emails, rather than typing a new one for each. 48. Snoozing in the morning helps you wake up faster. Yes, it does. 49. A clean and organised office space helps you become more productive. 50. Word according to priorities, not emails.

Communication shouldn’t stop you from looking for better ones. 17. Follow businesses to know more about them, especially before approaching them. 18. Always have a CV and cover letter ready at your disposal. 19. Hold off on reading, hearing or believing company reviews until you get an interview. 20. Try not to tell anyone about your employment pursuits before you actually get the job.

Resumes

21. Leave out quirky hobbies from your resume. 22. Your resume should include facts and specific accomplishments. 23. Provide your LinkedIn details with your resume. 24. Your resume will never be enough to show people who

you are. Stop trying. 25. Include accomplishments which clearly state why you are perfect for a specific position. 26. Resumes and CVs have to adapt to every organisation as well, not just cover letters.

Cover letters

27. In your cover letter, employers wish to hear about you as well as themselves. 28. When creating a cover letter, pretend the person you’re writing to respects you. 29. Make sure your cover letter complements your resume. 30. Leave out any cheesy lines or phrases. Period. 31. Never use “To Whom it May Concern.” It’s obsolete. 32. Never apologise on your cover letter.

50. Learn to deliver every word effectively in your presentations. Strategic pauses help. 51. Using names of people when talking to them makes them trust you. But don’t overuse it. 52. When it comes to conference calls, make sure you know who are attending the conversation and what their roles are. 57. Public speaking takes time, practice and effort to get over. Take it easy, but don’t give up. 58. Taking part in office gossip never places you in a respectable position. 59. Sucking up to your boss will never make him/her look at you on an equal ground. 60. You always have time before you respond in business deals, even though it seems like you don’t. l

Biz Info

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

| talk |

| entry |

YCB’ian Conference 2016

NSU admission exams takes place

Youth Club of Bangladesh (YCB) organised a conference based on the theme “I am the new generation” on August 12, or International Youth Day. The day-long event took place at the Daffodil International University (DIU) auditorium with the presence of numerous students from different universities. Last year, YCB made its mark by creating awareness on thalassemia disease. This year, the conference focused on the potential of the Bangladeshi youth. The main objective was to bring together the youth of Bangladesh under an single umbrella. They were provided the

opportunity to explore their innovative power, building strong bonds and netwroks, share their views on a common platform and develop their decision making, leadership and management skills. YCB considers the youth as the most connected, outspoken and open-minded generation. It also believes that in order to achieve sustainable development, they are powerful agents of positive change. Anwarul Karim, director general, Department of Youth Development was the chief guest and Sabur Khan, chairman and founder of Daffodil Group, was the conference chairperson. The other invited guests were

Md Hasan Abdullah Towhid, assistant secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Md Atiqukur Rahman, country manager, DELL Bangladesh; Ejaj Ahmed, founder and president, Bangladesh Youth Leadership Development Center; Naveed Mahbub, CEO, Naveed comedy club; Rezaul Karim Babu, country representative, HOPE87; Osama Bin Noor, co-founder Youth Opportunities; Rakibul Hasan, Queens Young Leader runner up-2016; Ashoke Biswas, junior consultant of Capacity Development, A2i Program; Muhammad Ferdaus, fellow (HPAIR) at Harvard USA and (WDYL) Denmark; and Ahmed Bari, vice president and dean, WSDA, New Zealand. Activities at the conference included generation talks (panel discussion), sessions on youth leadership and entrepreneurship, career development sessions, brain-storming sessions, quiz competitions and much more. YCB was the organiser of this conference along with DELL as title sponsor. Media partners included Ekattor TV, Kaler Kontho, Dhaka Tribune, Bangla Tribune and Radio Next 93.2FM. Event partner of the conference was CMUD events. l

The graduate admission test for the fall semester of 2016 was held at North South University (NSU) on August 12. A good number of students attended in the written test in order to gain a place in the branches of its arts, business and sciences and public health graduate programs.

Professor Atiqul Islam, vice chancellor of NSU, said, “North South University has been the preferred private university for graduate subjects for years, and this is reflected every semester during the admissions.” Over 2000 students took part in the admission test. l

| agreement |

MoU signed between CUB and The Farmer’s Bank Limited

| recognition |

Director of IBA receives Education Leadership Award Professor Majid, director of IBA, received the prestigious Education Leadership Award at the 7th Asia’s Education Excellence Awards ceremony held at Pan Pacific Singapore Hotel, Marina Square, Singapore on August 5. The Asia’s Education Excellence Awards are presented by World Education Congress, CMO Asia with CMO Council as its strategic partner, and Stars of the Industry Group as research partner. These awards of the highest stature are presented to individuals and institutions who have surpassed several

levels of excellence, and have set an example of exemplary leadership. They are individuals behind the institutions who engage themselves in building their foundations through exemplary leadership, innovation and creation of academic and industry linkages. Professor Majid was honored with the Education Leadership Award for his outstanding contribution to education in Bangladesh. He is also a senior Fulbright fellow, Department of State, USA and a Wells-Ghani faculty fellow, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA. He was awarded with a gold medal by the chairman, Governing Body of the Cadet Colleges for his outstanding academic performance in the SSC examination. l

The Canadian University of Bangladesh (CUB) and The Farmer’s Bank Limited have signed an MoU on August 11, 2016. The agreement was signed by AKM Shameem, managing director and CEO of the Farmers Bank Limited and William H Derrenger, vice chancellor of CUB. Witnesses of the program included Chowdhury Nafeez Sarafat, founder and chairman of Canadian University, Chowdhury Jafarullah Sarafat, vice chairman, Chowdhury Raheeb Sarafat, member of Trustee Board, Chowdhury Jahraa Sarafat, member of Trustee Board, Major

General Kazi Ashfaq Ahmed, psc (retd), registrar Md Fayekuzzaman, treasurer of CUB and head of HR Farmers Bank Limited. The purpose of this understanding is to provide CUB students with meaningful work experiences that complement their application-based academic programs. With this MoU, CUB and Farmer’s Bank aim to promote a mutual understanding between them and advance in educational exchange and collaboration. Both parties will join hands in nurturing the next generation of competent banking professionals. l

20 Editorial

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

TODAY

When a youth turns to militancy Do we want to eliminate the militants without knowing their inner mentalities? If that is the case, we may lose the effectiveness of the drive and the country will plunge even further into becoming a breeding ground for militants PAGE 21

Servants of Delhi It is time to ask, why the people of the states, states with dignity, states with ability, need Delhi deputed generalists to administer affairs on our behalf even for issues that is completely our business and not Delhiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s PAGE 22 MEHEDI HASAN/

A step in the right direction

The Olympic hyperbole The Sochi Winter games were perhaps a warning. The Russians seemed to view the Sochi games they hosted and perhaps the summer games in Rio as a way to assert they are again a superpower. It is reported that they poured over $50 billion into making Sochi an impressive success PAGE 23

Be heard Write to Dhaka Tribune FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka-1207 Send us your Op-Ed articles: opinion.dt@dhakatribune.com www.dhakatribune.com Join our Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/ DhakaTribune. The views expressed in Opinion articles are those of the authors alone. They do not purport to be the official view of Dhaka Tribune or its publisher.

he governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plan to increase commercial space by allowing business owners to convert residential areas to commercial ones for a land conversion fee is a good call. The decision to allow this was taken considering Dhakaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s burgeoning population, and in an attempt at discouraging commercialisation of neighbourhoods. The recent eviction drives had failed to fully understand the implications of tearing down establishments, but it is encouraging to see the government now take recommendations from the nations apex business leaders, business owners, and architects into consideration. Setting up a business in Bangladesh is hard enough. But the new conversion fees, which will charge up to Tk50 lakh per katha, is a productive way to improve a very difficult situation. It is up to the government, however, to make sure the fees charged make sense, and the process for land conversion is simple and free from bureaucratic hassle. We must continue to encourage businesspeople, especially young entrepreneurs to invest. It is, then, crucial that the government, in coalition with stake-holders, considers a well-thought-out plan, and that the decision-making process is quick and transparent. There is also a need to apply sensible ratios and limits, so that even with the imposition of fees, core residential areas and roads are not transformed to the extent that the residential character of the area is completely ruined. Bangladesh, which was recently deemed the sixth worst country to do business in by some reports, needs to ensure that establishing business is easy and hassle-free for both its citizens and foreign investors. The government should put policies in place which encourage businesses, and allow them to function without too many obstacles and confusion. This is one such policy.

It is crucial that the government, in coalition with stake-holders, considers a well-thoughtout plan, and that the decision-making process is quick and transparent

Opinion

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

When a youth turns to militancy We need to understand the minds of these youngsters

What makes someone want to pick up a gun and kill innocent people?

BIGSTOCK

What is the target in the anti-militancy crusade of the government? Do we want to eliminate the militants without knowing their inner mentalities? If that is the case, we may lose the effectiveness of the drive and the country will plunge even further into becoming a breeding ground for militants

n Abdullah Zobair

arents are in the dark as to why their young sons are becoming militants. Who is brainwashing them, and which factors motivate the modern-educated youth from affluent families? The guardians of the ill-fated boys are in disgrace, and the peace-loving Bangladeshis are afraid of the next blow by the socalled jihadists, influenced by IS. In the incidents from July 1 to July 26, all the “militants” were killed by law enforcers, despite the fact that there may have been scope to capture the suspected militants alive, which could have helped us to understand the mentality of the militants. If Bangladesh has become a breeding ground for militancy, will the killing of all militants help us? We need to unearth the root of militancy, to find out who

motivates them, who finances them, and which socio-political factors work behind the molding of the once fun-loving youth into “determined terrorists.” Perhaps, we are missing the bigger picture and, for that, failing to read the society in which intolerance is high and wrong interpretations of Islam rule. What really happened in these incidents, which so jolted all of us? In the Gulshan Café Attack, 20 hostages were brutally murdered during the chilling siege before the commandos stormed in. In “Operation Thunderbolt,” all six suspected militants were killed, including two police officials. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack through its Amaq news agency. On Eid day, seven to eight youths killed two policemen by exploding a bomb aimed at the police checkpost at the Sholakia Eidgah.

Later, a gunfight between police and the militants left a woman and a suspected militant killed. Police nabbed two suspected militants. And the latest Operation Storm 26, that saw nine suspected militants killed in a Kallyanpur flat on July 26, appears to have been well-planned and executed. According to police, no civilians or policemen were hurt during the hour-long operation in the city’s densely populated area. But the incident and subsequently released photographs have given rise to several questions about the operation. In the photograph, we can see the suspected militants killed by bullets to their backs. And in the recovered goods after the operation, we saw the police showcasing some local pistols and knives only. Why did the law enforcers not use gas to anaesthetise the youths rather than killing them? Are the law enforcers hiding something? In all of these three incidents, we only know what the police have told us. It is the duty of the media to investigate the police version. But, alas, there is very limited independent news media and, though they claim to be free, they are, in fact, self-censored. What is the target in the anti-militancy crusade of the government? Do we want to eliminate the militants without knowing their inner mentalities?

If that is the case, we may lose the effectiveness of the drive and the country will plunge even further into becoming a breeding ground for militants. After analysing the profile of the killed militants or suspected militants, we see most of them are youths and come from affluent families with university degrees, some even from the US. Some have come from families affiliated with the ruling party. Most of the militants killed had been missing for several months. If the law enforcers had been successful in nabbing the militants, we would’ve had a chance of reading their minds, their agony, and the factors which led them to becoming Frankenstein’s monster. Sociologists and psychologists should also do some research to find out these youths and their frustrations, their agonies, familial and social crises, their dissatisfaction with the environment. But, unless we catch them alive, we will remain in the dark with regards to how we can battle the enemy of whom we know little. The government cannot alone win in the fight against growing militancy. Religious clergies, social leaders, media, and, most vitally, the family should come forward to save these brainwashed youths. l Abdullah Zobair is Executive Director, Bangladesh Initiative for Political Development.

Opinion

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

Servants of Delhi Government structures that uphold colonial intent are criminal structures

It’s not Delhi’s business

It is time to ask, why the people of the states, states with dignity, states with ability, need Delhi deputed generalists to administer affairs on our behalf even for issues that is completely our business and not Delhi’s

n Garga Chatterjee

n a huge change to how Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officers are posted, the Union government at New Delhi has decided to make already subservient IAS officers even more subservient to the Union government than they already are. It was decided last month that 178 newly minted IAS officers, who have been assigned to different state cadres, will be posted in Union government ministries for a period, before they would be deputed to their respective states of service. They would begin their career from Delhi and after being posted in important positions in states which had nothing to do with their recruitment, would then aspire to come back to Delhi to reap benefits based on how they served the party in power in Union government by their behaviour in the states. In an already broken system, where officials are imposed on states by Delhi with the states having no say in these matters, the IAS system is about to be made even more centralised.

For an officer cadre which was originally raised by the British to keep interests of London at the forefront, which basically meant looting the British South Asian provinces and carrying out the wishes of London, this is not entirely surprising. Can state governments trust such folks, as the Indian Union is entering a phase where Delhi is hell-bent to completely destroy state rights? In fact, this tactic of Delhi of “catching them young” started from last year when 158 freshly produced IAS officers were posted to different Union government ministries even before they were sent out to the states to whose cadre they technically belong. As regards to the recent decision of formalising this tactic and making it routine, a senior official of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) officially said: “This decision will give an opportunity to Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers to be groomed at the Centre before they move over to their respective state of posting.” At a time when the Union government is talking about “small

government,” it has “earmarked” 200 section officer grade posts for this purpose and has decided to call them “assistant secretaries.” It is relevant to mention that DoPT functions directly under the prime minister and not some other cabinet minister. Thus, it can be safely assumed that the control of IAS officers and how they are “groomed” is something that the Union government at New Delhi wants to control from the very top. This has been true for previous regimes also. One might ask, what does such grooming mean and why is that needed? To understand that, it’s important we look at the colonial origins of the IAS. We must remember that the institutional father of the Indian Army is the British Indian Army. Only then we can put into greater context what “our” men do in Kashmir. Anybody who has been tortured by the police in the Indian Union may do well to remember that its institutional father is the Imperial Police, a force designed to terrorise the population when they dissent, and to protect legal and illegal rights of the powerful. The Indian

Administrative Service’s father was called the Imperial Civil Service. When a few thousand college graduates with top-ratings in the dowry bazaar “administer” a billion plus people, with most of their sons and daughters ending up in the Delhi-Mumbai-New YorkLondon power circuit -- spanning and pimping business, politics, arts, and ethnic marts, the “I” in the Imperial shows it to be alive and kicking in these “I = Indian” times. No wonder, the IAS in these nominally post-imperial times, represent one of the few ways by which a few of the riff-raff can aspire to be courtiers. The rest of the seats belong to the anointed at birth, as it always has been. It is in light of this understanding that it becomes clear that the basic DNA of the IAS still lies in its origin -- the ICS created by Britishers with their generalists to dominate and make sure that real aspirations of the natives happen, that the natives never take their own matter in their own hands. In the post-Partition scenario, this translates into the ridiculous situation where functions of the state and the concurrent list that constitutionally belong to the state and not to the Centre, are largely staffed by IAS officers deputed from Delhi. Every state is thus ruled, de facto, by these Delhideputed folks. The recent order of initial Delhi posting makes it clearer to the budding officers and also to the rest of us, who they are, why they are here, for and who do

they serve. While there is no dearth of accomplished people in every state civil services, it is by design that the primary administrators in all of the states are deputed from Delhi -- some Bachelor-degree highdowry guy who often don’t know the people’s language, culture, aspiration and aligns with Delhi power rather than with the people. That to me looks no different from the original objectives of the ICS -- a chosen nomenklatura, brainwashed by ideology and lured by “career prospects” and “respectability,” preferably with no organic connection to the people he serves. It is not an accident that they live in the same luxury mansions that the British built for the ICS, mansions build out of the blood and tears of brown people. It is time to ask why the people of the states, states with dignity, states with ability, need Delhi deputed generalists to administer affairs on our behalf even for issues that are completely our business and not Delhi’s. The Indian Union is a federal union. In a true federal union, states manage their affairs. There is no reason why there should be any IAS officer in any job that falls within the ambit of the state list or concurrent list, as described in the Indian Union. The administrative set-up in the Indian Union needs urgent reform upholding the principles of democratic federalism. Administrators speaking Hindi, Marathi, Bangla, Tamil, Kannada can manage their affairs in their respective regions as they have done for centuries before the Union was commissioned by the constituent assembly apparently for public service. This diverse public needs public institutions and public servants who represent this diversity by being socioculturally rooted in the regions they serve. The Delhi-centric rootless class cannot have a self-serving veto. Colonisation is a process, not an event. So is decolonisation. All government structures that uphold a colonial intent are criminal structures. And they are abhorrent to anyone born free. Taming and governing natives by sending in socio-cultural outsiders, be they soldiers or administrators, was a criminal project back then and is a mala fide project even now. l Garga Chatterjee is a political and cultural commentator. He can be followed on twitter @gargac.

Opinion

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

The Olympic hyperbole The Olympic Games have a dark political history

n William Milam

he Rio Olympic games are engulfing us, at least on television, as previous Olympics have engulfed us every four years for the last 80 years (with the exception, of course, of the years when World Wars I and II engulfed even the Olympics). The modern Olympics began in 1894, after about a 2,000year lapse, and the idea was to promote brotherhood and reduce the temptation for nations to wage war through amateur sports. But in 1916, 1940, and 1944, war trumped brotherhood (excuse my sophomoric political pun). Ironically, the Olympics themselves became politicised about 80 years ago, and became a method of political expression that, in one case at least, substituted for and foreshadowed true war. Even the selection of the Olympic site became, and still is, politicised and corrupted, influenced not only by the competing countries’ desire to use the games to enhance their political standing in the world, but by the enormous amounts of money that those who stand to profit from the games, those who will get the contracts to build the new infrastructure that seems to be a requirement of the modern games. This began in earnest with the Olympic Games of 1936. They are called the modern Olympics, as we all know, because the concept of athletic competition to bring people together began with the ancient Greeks about 2,800 years ago. In some ways, the ancient was similar to the modern: On the good side, they brought people together from the Hellenistic world so they got to know each other better (than they could in the perpetual warfare among the city states), and they helped to spread Greek culture around the region; on the bad side, they were constantly used by the city states for political reasons, importantly to bolster or counter efforts at political dominance. The idea of a modern Olympics began in the 19th century, inspired in part by Greek intellectuals as Greece achieved its independence. An idealistic French aristocrat, the Baron de Courbitan, brought the International Olympic movement into being in 1894. The first modern Olympics took place in 1896 in Athens, where 280 amateur athletes from 13 nations took part and competed in 43 events. Amateurism was the watchword of those first Olympic

A unifying event, or just another stage for politics?

REUTERS

The Sochi Winter games were perhaps a warning. The Russians seemed to view the Sochi games they hosted and perhaps the summer games in Rio as a way to assert they are again a superpower. It is reported that they poured over $50 billion into making Sochi an impressive success Games, and politics was eschewed over the following five Olympic meetings. Public interest and athlete participation grew; in the 1912 games, 28 nations and 2,408 athletes, including 48 women, participated in 102 events. The innocence of its intent as exemplified by amateur requirement remained strong through the games of 1912. Wars complicate everything it seems, and they produce hard feelings on the part of both the losers and the winners. When the Olympics resumed in 1920 in Antwerp, after World War I, politics, and the growing nationalism of the time, began to infect the games. All the losers of the war, having been blamed for starting the war by the winners at the Paris Peace Conference (perhaps misnamed) were banned from competing, and Germany, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire held their own games. Even without these countries competing, the Olympics continued to grow in the 1920s. By 1928, 3,278 participants from 46 countries competed in 109 events. Nationalist feelings and politics remained suppressed, but

broke through occasionally. This was perhaps best recorded in the serious fights among spectators after a ragtag US team made up of primarily Stanford students upset the French national team to win the gold in rugby in 1924. In 1932, what I would term the orphan Summer Olympics, held in Los Angeles, ended the era when politics was still believed to be subsumed to sport. In the midst of the catastrophic world depression, no country and no city wanted the Olympics, as the last several had lost money for the host city, so Los Angeles got it by default. Less than half of the participants and countries showed up, as many countries did not see the games as important enough to use their much-reduced resources to send teams. The death of innocence came in 1936. The Olympic Committee, in 1931, two years before Hitler was elected, had chosen Berlin for the 1936 games. After the Nazis came to power in 1933, there was a weak movement to move the games to another site, arguing that the Nazi regime would not allow Jews to participate (which would have contravened Olympic rules), but the Olympic Committee couldn’t make up its mind.

This ambivalence was probably due to some sympathy on the part of some of the committee for the Nazi regime. The Nazi plan to use the Olympics as political statement had included the little known fact that the athletes had been supported by the state since 1934 while their training focused on winning the athletic competition to prove their superiority. To Hitler, winning was the only thing, but to his consternation, the show was stolen when Jesse Owens, Ralph Metcalf, Mack Robinson, and John Woodruff ran rings around the German runners, and an eight-man rowing crew from the University of Washington, with Hitler watching closely, took the gold from the best of the German rowing squads. The important fact is that the use of the Olympics to consecrate a country’s place in the political firmament began with Hitler. Subsequent Olympics have not been used as overtly as Hitler did, and there is not always a political message other than “it is my turn.” The 1964 Olympics in Tokyo were to welcome the Japanese to the Western camp and to finalise their becoming a peaceful power. The 1972 games did the same for Germany, though they were

badly marred by the killings of members of the Israeli team. The 2008 Olympics in Beijing were China’s way of saying to the world it is a great power now. A final sober thought, however: The Sochi Winter games were perhaps a warning. The Russians seemed to view the Sochi games they hosted and perhaps the summer games in Rio as a way to assert they are again a superpower. It is reported that they poured over $50 billion into making Sochi an impressive success, and an untold amount into making sure they won most of the medals. Now there are very credible reports of a state-supported doping regime for Russian athletes going to Rio. The World Doping Agency called for a complete ban on Russian athletes at Rio. The International Olympic Committee temporised again (shades of 1936) and allowed 271 to participate while turning down 118. It is not a good omen for the Rio games. Rio was chosen to host the games seven years ago as a token of its emergence to a new level of development. It was the “B” in the BRIC group of nations (Brazil, Russia, India, and China). But it has fallen back in the last two years. Now we wonder not about what political message the Rio games are transmitting; we only hope it will not be a message of failure. l William Milam is a Senior Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington DC and a former US diplomat who was Ambassador to Pakistan and Bangladesh, and Chief of Mission in Liberia. This article was previously published in the Friday Times.

24 Sport

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

Mezbah ousted from Rio Olympics

TOP STORIES

n Tribune Report Messi back for Argentina Lionel Messi has announced that he will play on for Argentina, reversing his decision to retire from international football. Messi said he wouldn’t play for Argentina again after they lost to Chile in the final of the Copa in the US. PAGE 25

Nadal and Lopez win gold in doubles Rafa Nadal and Marc Lopez of Spain won the Olympic men’s doubles tennis title on Friday, beating Romania’s Florin Mergea and Horia Tecau to secure their country’s third gold medal of the Rio Games. PAGE 26

(R-L) Hermenegildo Leite of Angola, Isaac Silafu of American Samoa and Mezbah Ahmed of Bangladesh race toward the finish line during the heats of the 2016 Rio Olympics’ men’s 100-metre event yesterday REUTERS

Ton-up De Silva leads SLfightback Dhananjaya de Silva hit a maiden century and combined with Dinesh Chandimal to resurrect Sri Lanka’s innings after a poor start against Australia on the opening day of the third and final Test on Saturday. PAGE 27

Hull bring Foxes back down to earth Leicester’s EPL defence got off to an embarrassing start as the champions crashed to 2-1 defeat at troubled Hull in the season opener yesterday. Just three months after their title triumph, Claudio Ranieri’s side were brought back down to earth. PAGE 28

Bangladesh’s fastest man Mezbah Ahmed exited the 2016 Rio Olympics as he finished fourth out of seven participants in the heats of the men’s 100-metre event yesterday. Mezbah, who clocked 11.34 seconds, ended at 14th place among 21 athletes in the overall standings. This was the 21-year old’s maiden appearance at the Olympics. Mezbah’s best timing is 10.72s and even if he had clocked 10.76s in the preliminaries, he would have qualified for the first round. The timing is Bangladesh’s poorest result in the Olympics after the Sydney Games in 2000. Athlete Mohan Khan took part in the last Olympics in London 2012 where he clocked 11.25s while Abu Abdullah Mohammad and Mohammad Shamsuddin clocked 11.07s and 11.13s respectively in the Beijing Games in 2008 and Athens Games in 2004. Meanwhile on Friday, swimmer Sonia Akter Tumpa saw the exit door after being eliminated in the heats of the women’s 50m freestyle event. The Jhenaidah swimmer recorded her best ever personal timing – 29.99s. Sonia concluded her mission at 69th place out of 88 participants.l

Schooling stuns Phelps for Singapore’s first Games gold n AFP, Rio de Janeiro Joseph Schooling sensationally upset Michael Phelps in the 100m butterfly on Friday to seize Singapore’s first ever Olympic gold medal at the Rio Games. The 21-year-old Asian champion denied Olympic icon Phelps a fourth straight victory in the event, leading from start to finish to win in an Olympic record of 50.39sec. Phelps, sixth at the turn, couldn’t pull off one of his trademark comebacks, but he had plenty of company on the second step of the podium as his longtime rival Laszlo Cseh of Hungary and South African Chad le Clos both matched his time of 51.14sec in an astonishing three-way tie for silver. The only other three-way tie for Games silver came back in 1968, in

the women’s speedskating 500m. “It’s wild,” said Phelps. “Chad and I have had some races over the last four years and Laszlo and I - I can’t even remember when I

Michael Phelps and Joseph Schooling

first raced him... so it’s kind of special and a decent way to finish my last individual race.” The tie with Phelps was the closest Cseh has come to the US

star in Olympic competition. In three prior Games the Hungarian had claimed five medals, all silver or bronze in races won by Phelps. Phelps’s rivalry with Le Close blossomed more recently, at the 2012 London Games where the South African beat Phelps in the 200m butterfly only to fall to him in the 100m fly. Victory in Friday’s fly would have given Phelps a 14th individual Olympic title, but Schooling was too strong. He punched the water and bellowed as Phelps swam over to congratulate him. “He said ‘good job, that was a great race’,” Schooling said. “I told him to go four more years and he said ‘No way.’ “Hopefully he changes his mind. That was fun. I like racing Michael.” l

Sport

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

Messi back for Argentina n Reuters, Buenos Aires Lionel Messi has announced that he will play on for Argentina, reversing his decision in June to retire from international soccer. The Barcelona forward said he would not play for Argentina again after the team lost to Chile in the final of the Copa America in the United States. However, in a statement on Friday, Messi explained that he wanted to continue representing his country as he preferred “to help from within”. “I consider there to be a lot of problems in Argentine football and it’s not my intention to create another one,” the 29-year-old said. “There are a lot of issues that need to be resolved in Argentine football but I prefer to help from within and not to criticise from the outside. “A lot of things went through my mind on the night of the final and I gave serious thought to quitting but my love for my country and this shirt is too great,” the player said. A few hours later Messi was named in new coach Edgardo Bauza’s squad to face Uruguay and Venezuela in 2018 World Cup, South American qualifiers to be

held in the first week of September. Bauza, who replaced Gerardo Martino after he quit in July over the FA’s failure to prepare a strong under-23 team for the Rio Olympics, was in Barcelona on Thursday for a meeting with his team captain. Messi, who has scored a national record 55 goals in 113 appearances,

has lost four major finals with Argentina, three in the last two years including the 2014 World Cup final to Germany in Brazil. The June reverse in New Jersey was the second successive Copa America penalty shootout defeat by Chile in 12 months. Messi, unhappy with the Ar-

gentine FA’s running of the team, planned to speak out after the Copa final but felt he could not after they were beaten. His return will be a relief for the FA, mired in an economic and management crisis and administered by a so-called regularisation committee appointed by world soccer’s governing body FIFA. Messi’s decision in June sparked demonstrations in Buenos Aires and calls for him to change his mind. “I send my thanks to all who want me to continue playing for Argentina, I hope we’ll be able to give them something to cheer about soon”, he said.l

SQUAD Goalkeepers: Sergio Romero, Mariano Andujar, Nahuel Guzman Defenders: Facundo Roncaglia, Mateo Musacchio, Ramiro Funes Mori, Emmanuel Mas, Marcos Rojo, Martin Demichelis, Pablo Zabaleta, Nicolas Otamendi, Gabriel Mercado Midfielders: Matias Kranevitter, Javier Mascherano, Lucas Biglia, Augusto Fernandez, Nicolas Gaitan, Ever Banega, Javier Pastore, Angel Di Maria, Erik Lamela Forwards: Lionel Messi, Angel Correa, Lucas Pratto, Sergio Aguero, Paulo Dybala, Lucas Alario.

Ash hoping for BCL return n Tribune Report Former captain Mohammad Ashraful, whose three-year ban for his involvement in corruption during the 2013 Bangladesh Premier League ended yesterday, talked with the media following his arrival to the capital city. Here are the excerpts:

How does it feel to become eligible for domestic cricket again?

I am feeling relieved that I can play under the BCB and use its facilities. The last three years were quite tough. But I tried everything that I was allowed during this period. I trained for two years under Imran sir, and later went back to Ankur academy. I also trained in Banasree, where I live.

Are you fit?

I didn’t want to go too far behind in my training. But then again it is difficult to stay fit on my own. I tried everything from my experience. If I am picked, I will be fit for BCL.

What are your plans about BCL, which starts September 20?

I requested Akram bhai and Nannu bhai to keep me in the BCL if possible. I know that it might be tough since only the best first-class players are selected in this competition.l

1990 ICC TROPHY

A tour of missed opportunities n Mazhar Uddin Following a disappointing performance in the previous edition, Bangladesh bounced back impressively in the 1990 ICC Trophy when the fourth event was played outside England for the first time, in the Netherlands. Bangladesh came agonisingly close to their maiden World Cup appearance but despite creating

a lot of expectations during the round robin stage, Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu’s side lost against a formidable Zimbabwe team, for the second time after the 1982 ICC Trophy, and saw their World Cup dream come to an end. Seventeen nations took part in the fourth edition and Bangladesh made a solid start, topping Group B. Bangladesh beat a strong Kenya side by three wickets in their first round match after Minhajul Abedin picked up three wickets with the ball to restrict the African outfit to 189/9 in 60 overs. Later, skipper Gazi and Akram Khan guided the side to victory. Bangladesh then registered a 36-run win over Bermuda and fol-

lowed it up with a three-wicket victory against Fiji to maintain their unbeaten run. In the second round, hosts Netherlands, who finished top of Group D, thrashed Bangladesh by a huge margin of 161 runs. In pursuit of a challenging target of 310, Bangladesh were bundled out for 148. Bangladesh managed to finish second in the group and ensured their semi-final berth, courtesy some brilliant batting by Nurul Abedin, who eventually ended as the second highest Bangladeshi run-scorer with 235 runs in five matches, just a run behind his brother Minhajul, who accumulated his runs in seven games. Paceman Golam Nousher Prince, mean-

while, was the highest wicket-taker of the team with 13 wickets. Right-hander Nurul, also known as Nobel, scored highest 85 against Denmark in the second round to ensure a three-wicket win. He then scored a brilliant 105 against Canada to steer Bangladesh to a comfortable 117-run victory. Against Zimbabwe in the semi-finals, Bangladesh were cruising at one stage as Zimbabwe were struggling on 37/4. But skipper Dave Houghton scored highest 91 as Zimbabwe ultimately posted 231/6. In what was a rain-interrupted game, Bangladesh were eventually skittled out for 147 on the reserve day. This was the first time where the two finalists qualified for the 1992

ICC World Cup but Bangladesh, who prepared well for the 1990 edition under the supervision of Pakistani Mudassar Nazar, narrowly missed out. Bangladesh also trained for 18 days in Denmark prior to the fourth edition of the ICC Trophy and played a few practice matches in the Netherlands before the tournament proper.

1990 ICC Trophy squad

Akram Khan, Aminul Islam, Azhar Hossain, Enamul Haque, Faruk Ahmed, Gazi Ashraf, Golam Nousher, Golam Faruq, Harunur Rashid, Jahangir Alam, Minhajul Abedin, Nasir Ahmed, Nurul Abedin, Shanewaz Shahid, Zahid Razzak. l

Sport

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

MEDAL TALLY COUNTRY UNITED STATES

CHINA

GREAT BRITAIN

GERMANY

JAPAN

AUSTRALIA

SOUTH KOREA

RUSSIA

FRANCE

HUNGARY

ITALY

SPAIN

NEW ZEALAND

CANADA

KAZAKHSTAN

Updated yesterday (10pm)

DAY NINE EVENTS TO WATCH BANGLADESHI ATHLETES

Stina Blackstenius of Sweden (R) scores a goal past goalkeeper Hope Solo of USA as Julie Johnston of USA tries to defend during their women’s football quarter-final in Mane Garrincha Stadium, Brasilia, Brazil on Friday REUTERS

Holders US suffer penalty heartache n Reuters, Rio De Janeiro

Siddikur Rahman (Golf) Men

Individual

4:30pm

GOLD MEDAL EVENTS ATHLETICS Women

Marathon

6:30pm

Women

Triple Jump

5:55am

Men

400m

7am

Men

100m

7:25am

TENNIS Men

Singles

9pm

Women

Doubles

11:40pm

Men, Women Mixed Doubles

2:20am

SHOOTING Men

50m Rifle 3 Positions

10pm

Men

RS:X (Windsurfer)

10:05pm

Women

RS:X (Windsurfer)

11:05pm

SAILING

GYMNASTICS Men Women Men

Floor Exercise

11pm

Vault

11:47pm

Pommel Horse

12:34am

Women

Uneven Bars

Men

Light Fly 49kg

1:21am

BOXING 11:15pm

DIVING Women

3m Springboard

1am

CYCLING (TRACK) Men

Sprint

2:04am

Men

Greco-Roman 59kg

2:30am

Men

Greco-Roman 75kg

3:30am

WRESTLING

FENCING Men

Team Epee

3:30am

Favourites the United States crashed out of the women’s soccer tournament on penalties on Friday but host nation Brazil advanced from the quarter-finals the same way on a day of surprise and high drama. Sweden eliminated the U.S, recording one of the sport’s biggest shocks by beating the holders 4-3 on penalties after the two sides drew 1-1 after extra time. Lisa Dahlkvist converted Sweden’s final penalty after Alex Mor-

gan and Christen Press missed for the world champions in the shootout. Linda Sembrant also missed for Sweden. The U.S., who dominated large parts of the match, have won four of the last five Olympic golds and had never failed to reach the Games final. Sweden will be joined in the last four by Brazil who beat Australia 7-6 in an even more dramatic penalty shoot out. The teams were tied 0-0 after extra time at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte.

Marta, the five-times world player of the year, missed Brazil’s fifth penalty of the shootout but Brazilian goalkeeper Barbara saved Australia’s last spot kick from Katrina Gorry to take it to sudden death. Tamires converted her kick before Alanna Kennedy missed hers to send the home fans into raptures. Germany, who beat China 1-0, and Canada, who overcame France by the same margin, also advanced to the semi-finals. Melanie Behringer got the winner for Germany after 76 minutes while Wang Shuang

Nadal and Lopez win gold in doubles n Reuters, Rio De Janeiro Rafa Nadal and Marc Lopez of Spain won the Olympic men’s doubles tennis title on Friday, beating Romania’s Florin Mergea and Horia Tecau to secure their country’s third gold medal of the Rio Games. Nadal and Lopez defeated the Romanians 6-2 3-6 6-4 while American duo Steve Johnson and Jack Sock beat Canada’s Daniel Nestor and Vasek Pospisil 6-2 6-4 to clinch bronze. The doubles win sets up Nadal for a potential golden double in the men’s events at the Rio Games as he is still alive in the singles draw. Nadal, who won singles gold in Beijing eight years ago and missed the 2012 London Games due to a knee injury, will play Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro in the semi-finals yesterday. Nadal said his partner was a close friend even though they had

little experience of playing together and were tested by a experienced Romanian pair. “It is a privilege to be able to share this moment with one of my

best friends,” he told reporters. Nadal and Lopez claimed Spain’s fifth overall medal, following others in swimming, canoe slalom and weightlifting. l

Rafael Nadal and Marc Lopez of Spain pose with their gold medals during the men’s tennis doubles victory ceremony in Rio de Janeiro on Friday REUTERS

missed a penalty for China with eight minutes to go. Germany will face Canada in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday, after the North Americans progressed thanks to a 56th minute goal from Sophie Schmidt gave them victory over France. Brazil will face Sweden in Rio de Janeiro on the same day. Sweden scored against the United States after 61 minutes when Stina Blackstenius ran on to a defence-splitting pass and calmly slotted the ball past U.S. keeper Hope Solo. l

Aging rebel Ervin becomes oldest swim champ n AFP, Rio de Janeiro American veteran Anthony Ervin won surprise gold in the men’s 50m freestyle in Rio on Friday to become the oldest swimmer ever to win an Olympic title. The 35-year-old, who has overcome personal demons on his return to the sport, stormed to victory in 21.40 seconds to repeat his success at the Sydney Olympics in the same event 16 years ago and reclaim the title of the world’s fastest swimmer. Ervin edged France’s defending champion Florent Manaudou by just one-hundredth of a second, with fellow American Nathan Adrian taking his second bronze, after finishing third in the 100m. Manaudou had looked in control until Ervin’s late flourish denied the Frenchman. l

Sport

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

SCORECARD

QUICK BYTES Arsenal appoint Mertesacker as captain Arsenal have named defender Per Mertesacker as their new club captain following the departure of Mikel Arteta this summer, the club said yesterday. “Per is a very respected figure in the dressing room, is loved as well and is also a very demanding figure,” Arsene Wenger told Arsenal Player yesterday. “I think it is absolutely natural to be (him).” The 31-year-old Mertesacker, who signed for Arsenal in 2011, helped the club to FA Cup victories in 2014 and 2015 but will be missing for the first four months of this season after picking up a knee injury in a friendly against Lens in July.

DAY’S WATCH OLYMPICS STAR SPORTS 1 4:30PM, 12:30AM Rio Olympic Games 2016 Daily live coverage

FOOTBALL STAR SPORTS 4 Premier League 2016/17 6:30PM AFC Bournemouth v Man United 8:35PM Arsenal v Liverpool

SONY SIX 2:00AM Supercopa de Espana 2016 Sevilla v Barcelona

TEN 2 French Ligue 1 2016/17 7:00PM Nancy Lorraine v Olympic Lyon 9:00PM Nice Cote D Azur v Stade Rennais 12:35AM Olympic Marseille v Toulouse

CRICKET TEN 3 10:30AM Australia Tour of Sri Lanka 3rd Test, Day 2

Total (5 wickets, 90 overs)

214

B 15 34 32 12 4 204 240

Bowling Starc 18-7-47-3, Hazlewood 11-3-27-0, Lyon 34-9-72-2, Holland 21-5-34-0, M. Marsh 5-0-20-0, Smith 1-0-5-0

Sri Lanka cricketer Dhananjaya de Silva plays a shot during the first day of the third and final Test match against Australia at Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo yesterday

Kumar puts India in command against WI

–REUTERS

R 0 7 16 1 1 64 116 9

Fall of wickets 1-2 (Silva), 2-21 (Perera), 3-23 (Karunaratne), 4-24 (Mathews), 5-26 (Mendis)

–REUTERS

A devastating spell of swing bowling by Bhuvneshwar Kumar put India in command on the fourth day of the third Test against West Indies in St Lucia on Friday. Kumar ripped through the middle order and tail, moving the second new ball both ways through the air and off the seam to pick up five wickets at the Darren Sammy Stadium in Gros Islet. Playing his first Test in 19 months, he took five for 33 in 23.4 overs as West Indies lost their last seven wickets for 23 runs to be all out for 225 in the first innings.

SRI LANKA 1ST INNINGS K. Silva c Smith b Starc D. Karunaratne b Starc K. Perera c Smith b Lyon K. Mendis c Smith b Starc A. Mathews c Starc b Lyon L. Chandimal not out D. de Silva not out Extras (b4, lb5)

–AFP

Ton-up De Silva leads Sri Lanka fightback n Reuters, Colombo Dhananjaya de Silva hit a maiden century and combined with Dinesh Chandimal to resurrect Sri Lanka’s innings after a poor start against Australia on the opening day of the third and final Test yesterday. Sri Lanka, who have an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, won the toss and opted to bat but were reduced to 26 for five, bringing De Silva and Chandimal

together at the crease. For close to the next 74 overs in the day, Australia could not separate the pair as they added 188 for the sixth wicket with the hosts reaching 214 for five at the close, with De Silva 116 not out and Chandimal unbeaten on 64. Left-arm paceman Mitchell Starc, the most successful bowler in the series, was at his devastating best in the morning and picked up three wickets, taking his tally for

the series to 20. Captain Steve Smith introduced off-spinner Nathan Lyon in the sixth over with the pitch at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground already providing some assistance to the spinners and was rewarded with two wickets. Starc, bowling with pace and accuracy, sent back Sri Lanka’s faltering opening batsmen, with Kaushal Silva falling for a duck and Dimuth Karunaratne (seven) getting out to

the same bowler for all five times in the series. Kusal Perera (16) hit three boundaries before edging Lyon to Smith at slip while the off-spinner also picked up Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews’ wicket, the batsman top-edging his sweep shot to deep square leg. Starc returned for another spell to dismiss in-form Kusal Mendis for one, Smith completing another smart catch behind the wickets. l

Muktis rise to the summit n Tribune Report Muktijoddha Sangsad Krira Chakra moved jointly to the top of the Bangladesh Premier League points table, despite playing out a 2-2 draw against Mohammedan Sporting Club at Rafik Uddin Bhuiyan Stadium in Mymensingh yesterday. Mohammedan forward Towhidul Alam Sabuj and Muktijoddha’s Towhid Alam netted a brace apiece for their respective sides. This is the first time this season that four or more goals were all scored by the local players. The victory took the All Reds jointly at the summit of the points table where they share top spot with reigning champions Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club. Mohammedan, in contrast, are joint eighth with only four points, having recorded their fourth draw in their fifth game yesterday. Muktijoddha went close to scoring in the 13th minute when Ahmed Kolo Musa headed inches wide of the post following a Mobarak Hossain cross. Six minutes later, Mohammedan defender Ashik

Ahmed made a goalline clearance to deny Towhid’s header. Sabuj opened the scoring at the half-hour mark when he tapped the ball into net from a rebounder after Biplu Ahmed’s shot hit the far post. Towhid equalised the margin in the 56th minute with a powerful grounder after collecting the ball from Musa.

RESULT Mohammedan Sabuj 30, 76

2-2

Muktijoddha Towhid 56, 72

TODAY’S MATCH Ctg Abahani v Baridhara, 4pm Muktijoddha were again denied by a goalline clearance five minutes later, this time Patrice rescued Mohammedan by stopping a goalbound Musa chip. Towhid gave Muktis the lead in the 72nd minute heading home a Manik cross. The delight though lasted only four minutes as Sabuj restored parity from the penalty spot after Manik was penalised for handling the ball inside the box following Abul Malek’s lob. l

PSG’s Argentinian forward Angel Di Maria (R) vies with Bastia’s French midfielder Yannick Cahuzac during their Ligue 1 match at the Armand Cesari stadium in Bastia on Friday. PSG won 1-0 with Layvin Kurzawa netting the all-important goal AFP

Sport

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

Pogba suspended for United opener n Reuters Manchester United will be without Paul Pogba for their Premier League opener against Bournemouth today due to a suspension, the FA said on Friday. Pogba signed for United for 89 million pounds on Tuesday, but will have to wait to make his debut after the FA named the France international as one of four players who will be suspended for the opening weekend. Pogba’s suspension has been carried over from Juventus’ Italian Cup campaign last season where he picked up bookings in the semi-final against Inter Milan and the final victory over AC Milan. Manager Jose Mourinho only learned days ago that he would be without his marquee signing for his new club’s opening fixture. “I knew the situation with the yellow cards but I didn’t know if an accumulation would bring a suspension,” he told journalists on Friday. “I didn’t know if a suspension from Italian football would be for the corresponding competition in England, which would be the first FA Cup match.” Regardless of the suspension, it was unlikely that Mourinho would have handed the 23-year-old his debut, with Pogba only recently returning from his holiday. Pogba’s new United team mate Chris Smalling, Tottenham Hotspur’s Mousa Dembele and Robert Huth of Leicester City are the other players who will miss this weekend’s kick off due to suspension. Pogba is now in line to make his United debut in their first home game of the season, against Southampton on Aug. 19.l

Hull City’s Scottish defender Andrew Robertson (R) slides in to try to block a cross from Leicester City’s English striker Jamie Vardy during their English Premier League match at KCOM Stadium in Kingston upon Hull, north east England yesterday AFP

Hull bring Leicester right back down to earth n AFP, London

Leicester’s Premier League title defence got off to an embarrassing start as the champions crashed to 2-1 defeat at troubled Hull in the season opener yesterday. Just three months after their astonishing title triumph, Claudio Ranieri’s side were brought back down to earth by a team whose preparations for the new campaign were marred by the resignation of

manager Steve Bruce and their failure to sign a single player. Adama Diomande gave Hull a first-half lead before Riyad Mahrez brought Leicester level with a penalty shortly after the interval. Robert Snodgrass drove in the winner 12 minutes into the second half as a team in crisis on and off the pitch became the first to beat the defending English champions on opening day since Manchester United defeated Arsenal in 1989.

Younis’s double puts Pakistan on top n AFP, London

Younis Khan plays a shot during the third day of the fourth Test AFP

Younis Khan’s superb double century took Pakistan into a dominant position in the fourth Test against England at The Oval yesterday. The veteran batsman’s 218 was the centrepiece of Pakistan’s 542 all out at tea on the third day in reply to England’s 328. That left Pakistan with a first-innings lead of 214 runs as they looked to end the four-match series all square at 2-2. England won the third Test at Edgbaston by 141 runs after overturning a first-innings deficit of 103 runs. But only six times in properly completed matches in the 139-year history of Test cricket have a team come back from more than 200 runs behind on first innings to win.

Younis received excellent support in a ninth-wicket stand of 97 from Mohammad Amir, whose 39 not out was the left-arm quick’s highest Test score. Younis’s sixth innings of 200 or more in Test cricket was a dramatic way for the 38-yearold to end a run of low scores.

DAY 3, AT TEA ENGLAND 328 v PAKISTAN 542 (Younis 218, Shafiq 109, Azhar 49) Pakistan lead by 214 runs He had managed just 122 runs in six previous innings this series, with a best of 33 in Pakistan’s first Test win at Lord’s. Pakistan resumed on 340 for six after Asad Shafiq (109) and Younis (101*) had both compiled impressive centuries. l

Hull have approached the season in a state of turmoil, with no permanent manager following Bruce’s resignation on July 22, and a thin squad stretched to its limits by injuries. Caretaker manager Mike Phelan went into the game with just 13 fit senior players, and named a substitutes’ bench consisting largely of untried youngsters, including three teenagers. Hull’s supporters have blamed

owners Assem and Ehad Allam for a lack of investment in the squad, and graffiti calling for them to sell the club was found daubed on the outer walls of the stadium yesterday morning. As stewards hastily tried to paint over the vandalism before kick-off, supporters gathered outside to display banners and chant for the Allams to leave. A Chinese consortium has expressed an interest in buying the club. l

Wenger steels depleted Arsenal for Reds test n AFP, London Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is grappling with a defensive injury crisis ahead of his team’s Premier League opener at home to Jurgen Klopp’s buoyant Liverpool today. Wenger is set to be without his three senior centre-backs at the Emirates Stadium and in Liverpool faces a team who put four unanswered goals past Barcelona in a recent friendly. With Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur all having strengthened in hope of toppling champions Leicester City, Wenger knows that it is not the time to be

left in the starting blocks. Approaching the 20th anniversary of his appointment by Arsenal, Wenger finds himself under pressure to deliver from the club’s fans as never before. Last season’s title race was seen as a big squandered opportunity for the north London club, who have not won the league since their fabled “Invincibles” season of 2003-04. Wenger is no stranger to opening-day home defeats. l

FIXTURES Bournemouth v Man United Arsenal v Liverpool

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Primary (5) 5 Cicatrix (4) 8 Narcotic (6) 9 Bring upon oneself (5) 10 Utter gratingly (4) 11 Emperor of Ethiopia (5) 12 Bricks trough (3) 15 Bill of fare (4) 18 Make fast (5) 21 Offspring (3) 22 Building cover (4) 24 Affirm with confidence (4) 25 Take as one’s own (5) 28 Gazed fixedly (6) 29 Throw (4) 30 Water pitchers (5)

DOWN 1 Hasty departure (5) 2 Fabled monstrous bird (3) 3 Whirled (4) 4 Weary (4) 5 Play unskillfully (5) 6 Stops (6) 7 Tear (3) 13 Alternatively (2) 14 Constraint (6) 16 Denial (2) 17 Combines (6) 19 Classifies (5) 20 As stated (2) 23 Get on (4) 24 Liable (3) 26 Early freshness (3) 27 Lyric poem (3)

Downtime

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODECRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 15 represents F so fill F every time the figure 15 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

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

Patty Jenkins calls bull on rumours

n Mahmood Hossain It seems it has become an unwelcomed trend in the media regarding films from the DC Comics cinematic universe. The latest comes from the fuss surrounding the next standalone film Wonder Woman. After the mishap of Batman v Superman and not so critically favoured Suicide Squad,

no matter how much the film has made in the box office, more and more people are starting to worry about every single Warner Bros’ DC ventures that is yet to come out. Patty Jenkins, director of Wonder Woman, took to social media to express her thoughts over the socalled disgruntled, former Warner Bros employee who started the

Party in the CW network by DC

n Mahmood Hossain Looks like the new seasons of both The Flash and Supergirl will have a handful of crossovers. Early in the year, after CW’s acquisition of Supergirl from CBS, it was announced there will be a huge four-show crossover in the coming months. However recently, it was confirmed by the producers

and showrunners that there would be a separate crossover with The Flash and Supergirl in a musical episode or two. This could either be a total fail or an intriguing entertaining event. It should come to no surprise that the new episodes would have the main actors singing away their superhero woes. Both Grant Gustin (Barry Allen aka The Flash) and Melissa Benoist (Kara Zor-El aka Supergirl) are Glee alums. Glee was a very popular musical drama on primetime television that lasted for

six seasons. The major crossover, which includes the shows The Flash, Supergirl, Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow, takes place in the new season of each show, which has plenty of shake-ups that will greatly affect each character. The series of episodes of all four will take place this coming November. l

rumours. Recently, there was an anonymous letter to Warner Bros CEO Kevin Tsujihara that was published on Pajiba this past Friday. The writer of the letter discusses how he thought the studio had made a seires of mistakes leading to the 2014 layoffs regarding employees. The writer continued with very harsh words for Justice League director Zack Snyder, blaming him for the divided and unsuccessful responses to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. In turn, claiming that Snyder’s work cost people their jobs. The letter reads, “What are you even doing? I wish to God you were forced to live out of a car until you made a #1 movie of the year. Maybe Wonder Woman wouldn’t be such a mess. Don’t try to hide behind the great trailer. People inside are already confirming it’s another mess. It is almost impressive how you keep rewarding the same producers and executives for making the same mistakes, over and over.” After reading these words,

director Patty Jenkins went on a slight Twitter rant saying, “Whoa just saw this press about WW having problems. Are they serious? This is some made up bs right

here. Made up! Produce a source, anyone.” She continued, “You can’t because it’s entirely false. Don’t believe the hype people. Someone’s trying to spread some serious misnifo.” The Tweets continued as Jenkins expressed her frustration, “Let me reassure you…Zero about the movie we are making has been called a mess by anyone in the know. Fact. Real lasso of truth, time, will reveal that letter to be false soon enough. But lame something so transparent in its agenda gets traction.” The letter was revealed after a week of the opening weekend for Suicide Squad. Even though the critics did not love the movie, it is expected to fly past the $400 million mark when this weekend comes to an end. Wonder Woman hits theatres on June 2, 2017, and just as Jenkins said, only time will tell if the film follows the unfortunate mess of Suicide Squad and Batman v Superman. We can only hope for the best. l

Don detained at airport, again n Showtime Desk Shah Rukh Khan just can’t catch a break with US immigration. Bollywood’s King Khan was detained by immigration authorities this past Thursday when he tried entering the US at Los Angeles Airport. This is now the third time on record that SRK has been held at the US borders. And as usual, it is unclear to why he was held and for how long. It was, however, a kind gesture as he received an apologetic tweet from US Ambassador to India. Ambassador Rich Verma tweeted, “Sorry for the trouble at LAX @iamsrk. We are working to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Your work inspires millions, including in the US.” The tweet came after SRK’s own saying, “I fully understand & respect security with the way the world is, but to be detained at US immigration every damn time really really sucks.” But the most famous actor in the world remained positive and his witty self by tweeting, “The brighter side is while waiting caught some really nice Pokémon.” In 2009, SRK was held at Newark airport and was released two hours later, after the intervention by the Indian Embassy. In 2012, he was held for over 90 minutes at White Plains, near New York, after flying in on a private jet. It seems that even if you are the most famous, and by Singapore based Wealth-X announcing that you are the second richest actor in the world (fortune of over $600 million) behind Jerry Seinfeld, there is no escaping US immigration. l

Showtime

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

WHAT TO WATCH

Avengers: Age of Ultron Star Movies 9:30pm When Tony Stark and Bruce Banner try to jump-start a dormant peacekeeping program called Ultron, things go horribly wrong and it’s up to Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to stop the villainous Ultron from enacting his terrible plans. Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo

Rogue One’s first trailer n Mahmood Hossain This past Thursday night was all about the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story movie trailer from Disney and Lucasfilm. With around 11 million views and counting, Rogue One is shaping up to be another hit for the Star Wars expanded universe (EU). The trailer was everything anyone could ever ask for in a prospect blockbuster coming out this December. But there’s a slight hitch to this marketing. It still seems that the majority of moviegoers are unaware what this movie is still about. In fact, even die-hard film lovers are confused over the fact if this film is a sequel or standalone. For all the Star Wars fans, it’s the most anticipated film of 2016.

For the average moviegoer, it can be mistaken for a sequel to The Force Awakens. Even if you saw the new trailer yourself, as impressive as it was, there still needs to be a clearer distinction in what this film is about. For one, Rogue One takes place between the main storyline of the Star Wars saga – between Episode III – Revenge of the Sith and Episode IV – A New Hope. Not only does this take place after the third film of the prequels, it sets up the events in A New Hope. All of this might sound very foreign for the average audience, but there should be no confusion that this film is purely a standalone project that connects with the rest of the saga – a bridge between two major movies. As expected, there was also a cameo at the end of the trailer by a very familiar and popular figure in the Star Wars universe. That same figure is not only meant for fan service, it also means we’ll see him in a live-action film since Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi in 1983. The trailer itself was executed

Transformers HBO 6:50pm An ancient struggle between two Cybertronian races, the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons, comes to Earth, with a clue to the ultimate power held by a teenager. Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel Constantine WB 7:00pm Supernatural detective John Constantine helps a detective prove her sisters death was not a suicide, but something more. Cast: Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz, Djimon Hounsou

beautifully, and one of the most standout elements was the modern take on John Williams’ compositions and music. And the filmmakers have delivered what they have been offering us for a long time: a proper war film. There are plenty of characteristics that are similar to past war films that have blown up the box office, this time it’s in space and on different planets. Even though The Force is always around, there

are no Jedi in this film, which further gives us hope how different this film will be from the rest. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story releases on December 16, 2016, directed by Gareth Edwards. The film stars Forest Whitaker, Felicity Jones, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Diego Luna, Mads Mikkelsen, Riz Ahmed, Alan Tudyk and many more. According to Edwards, is highly influenced by Saving Private Ryan and Black Hawk Down. In addition, this film was also shot by cinematographer Greig Fraser who also did the same for Zero Dark Thirty. This gritty film is about resistance fighters who embark on a daring mission to steal the Empire’s plans for the Death Star. l

Monster House Zee Studio 9:30pm Three teens discover that their neighbor’s house is really a living, breathing, scary monster. Cast: Mitchel Musso, Sam Lerner, Spencer Locke Fast Five Movies Now 9:30pm Dominic Toretto and his crew of street racers plan a massive heist to buy their freedom while in the sights of a powerful Brazilian drug lord and a dangerous federal agent. Cast: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2016

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Beware of toxic trinkets

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla A new research has found toxic substances in most imitation jewellery sold in Bangladesh’s markets. These cheap, glossy and colourful accessories have been found to contain toxic elements like mercury, lead, cadmium, chromium and arsenic that vaporise in room temperature and permeate through the skin. A survey by Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO) has also found that customers were mostly unaware that these substances cause a number of ailments among children as well as adults. The survey looked at 67 jewellery items — 32 for adult and 35 for children. Samples of these accessory items including earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings, chains, bangles were collected from malls in Dhaka and Chittagong and tested in EARTH XRF laboratory in Bangkok. Tests showed that most of the earrings contained arsenic and lead in high levels and mercury in medium level. Accessories like bangles and pendants that continuously rub

against the skin give off toxic vapours that poison the body. Children sucking or chewing on such items are naturally under more serious risk. Besides causing stunting in children, these heavy metals may also cause kidney failure, cancers of skin, lung and prostate and some other diseases. The study found that seven out of every ten consumers did not know about the risks of using these items. Most of them, about 55%, said some of those items had caused skin rash. Only 15 % of the retailers surveyed were aware of the use of toxic elements in jewellery. In Bangladesh, there are no significant regulations on the use of toxic substances in jewellery. Neither are these covered by the Environment Conservation Act. There is a general law against hazardous substance use in manufacturing. The Bangladesh Environment Act 1995 reads, “Hazardous substance means a substance, the chemical or bio-chemical properties of which are such that its manufacture, storage, discharge or unregulated transportation can be

harmful to the Environment.” The study recommended the government to formulate an act banning the import and manufacture of jewellery with toxic substances that may cause harm. Authorities concerned should make a list of stores selling tainted jewellery and act immediately. The survey also recommends raising mass awareness of not just consumers but also retailers and importers, warning labels on packets of such products and promotion of eco-friendly alternative jewellery. Gold plated and fancy jewellery are a cheaper and an easy replacement for precious or high-end jewellery. As a result, people are now fond of such jewellery. Shahriar Hossain, secretary general of ESDO, said: “The consumers and producers have little knowledge about the toxins in jewellery. We have carried out the research for the first time in Bangladesh to make people aware of the issue. Children usually chew whatever they get in their hands. So toxic jewellery are very risky for children.” He said the government should

consider the issue very seriously to ensure safe health for everyone. Anwar Hossain, president of Bangladesh Jewellery Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said: “Mass awareness is must. In this case, UN and states could work together to address the issue. If people became aware of it then the manufacturers will also be aware and will go for alternatives.” Hossain also said imitation jewellery items are used widely in Bangladesh as gold price is comparatively high. Dermatologist Prof Dr MN Huda said if there are toxins in imitation jewellery, they would be absorbed into the body through the skin. The chemicals from the jewellery would first affect the skin when they come into contact. “Then the toxins will affect the liver and then the kidneys. Children are especially vulnerable to this,” he added. Huda also said people were not much aware of this issue. “But we often get patients saying they cannot use imitation jewellery. This is very alarming,” he said. l

US-backed Syrian force captures key IS stronghold n Tribune Desk US-backed fighters have seized a key Islamic State stronghold in northern Syria after two months of heavy fighting and freed hundreds of civilians the extremists had used as human shields, Syrian Kurdish officials and an opposition activist group said Saturday. Nasser Haj Mansour, of the predominantly Kurdish Syria Democratic Forces told The Associated Press that the town of Manbij “is under full control,” adding that operations are ongoing to search for any IS militants who might have stayed behind. The SDF launched its offensive in late May to capture Manbij under the cover of US-led airstrikes. The town lies on a key supply route between the Turkish border and the city of Raqqa, the de facto capital of the IS group’s self-styled caliphate. Amateur videos posted online showed that shortly after SDF fighters captured the town late Friday, scores of residents went down to celebrate in the streets. Some men were seen clipping their beards with scissors while women were able to uncover their faces. IS imposes a harsh and extreme version of Islam on the territory under its control, including a mandatory dress code. “May God destroy them. They slaughtered us,” a young man shouted in a Manbij square. “May they not live for a minute.” The videos appeared genuine and corresponded to Associated Press reporting of events. In a photo posted online by Kurdish activists, a young woman defiantly uncovered her face while smoking a cigarette and flashing a victory sign. Under the extremists’ reign, women had to wear long black cloaks that covered all but their eyes, while all adult men were forced to grow beards. Smoking was banned. The capture of Manbij is the biggest defeat for the extremist group in Syria since July 2015, when they lost the town of Tal Abyad on the border with Turkey. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that with the capture of Manbij, hundreds of civilians that IS used as human shields are now free. For weeks, SDF fighters have been slowly advancing in the town and nearby villages over the past weeks. The fighting and the airstrikes have killed some 450 people, according to the Observatory. l

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