16 Aug, 2016 by DhakaTribune

SECOND EDITION

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

Bhadra 1, 1423, Zilqad 12, 1437

Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 111

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

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina observe a moment of silence at a memorial in front of Bangabandhu Musuem on Dhanmondi 32 on National Mourning Day BSS

Bangabandhu’s 41st death anniversary observed n Tribune Desk The nation observed the National Mourning Day paying rich tribute to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on his 41st anniversary of martyrdom yesterday. The government, ruling Awami League, its front and associate bodies, and different socio-cultural, political and professional organisations organised elaborate programmes, highlighting the darkest part in national history and mourning Bangbandhu’s death along with most of his family members and relatives, reports BSS. The programmes began with hoisting of the national flag at half-mast and raising of

black flags atop public and private buildings, including Bangabandhu Bhaban as a mark of respect to the martyrs of August 15, 1975 carnage. Wearing black badges, hundreds of people from all walks of life thronged the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum on the historical road number 32 in Dhanmondi residential area since as early as 6 in the morning to pay profound homage to Father of the Nation by placing wreaths at his portrait there. As part of the state programme on the National Mourning Day, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the wreaths separately at the portrait of Bangabandhu.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Marjan’s identity revealed Jamil Khan n Mohammad in Dhaka and Md Emroz Khandakar from Pabna

Nurul Islam Marjan

The identity of Marjan identified by the Counter-terrorism and Transnational Crime unit as an operational commander of Gulshan Terror attack was revealed yesterday. Marjan comes from Afuria village under Hemayetpur union in Pabna. Local identified him as Nurul Islam Marjan. He is the second son of Nizamuddin and Salma Khatun’s 10 children.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

DBBL NEXUS

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

‘Bullets could never kill Bangabandhu’ n Kamrul Hasan

Bullets could never killed Bangabandhu as people like him are always immortal said Former State Minister Prof Abu Sayeed yesterday at a discussion held at Eastern University, Dhanmondi. National Human Right Commission Chairman Reazul Hoque also

attended as the chief guest. Prof Abu Sayeed expressed disappointment when he learned that two fractions of the ruling party publicly faught over taking control of a stage in preparation for observing the national mourning day. He said: “We misused the name of Bangabandhu and the Mujib coat,” he opined adding that people

need to stop deceiving and abusing others and follow the path of the father of the nation. The former state minister said no one can fulfill the void left behind by Bangabandhu. We can honour him and his memory by being united as nation and working towards building a brighter future together.

He said that the nation should follow the 1972 constitution but as it has been amended by several governments the country needs more time to able to accept the 1972 constitution again. Chairman of Eastern University Trustee Board, Azizul Haque said if youth of the country knew about Bangabandhu, their own history

and culture they would never resort to fundamental terrorism. NHRC Chairman Reazul Hoque said that Bangabandhu was warned that he might be killed but he paid no heed to the warnings because he refused to believe his own people would kill him but he ultimately paid the highest price for that belief. l

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Bangabandhu’s 41st death anniversary observed After placing the wreaths, president and prime minister stood in solemn silence there for sometime as a mark of respect to the great leader. A smartly turned out contingent of Bangladesh Armed Forces gave an honour guard, while bugle played tune of grief and somber. Special Munajat was offered seeking eternal peace of the departed souls. Bangabandhu’s younger daughter Sheikh Rehana and Sheikh Hasina’s daughter Saima Wazed Hossain Putul accompanied the Prime Minister in paying homage to Bangabandhu. Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and Deputy Leader of the Jatiya Sangsad Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, cabinet members, Prime Minister’s advisors, parliament members, cabinet secretary, chiefs of the three services, senior leaders of Bangladesh Awami League and 14-Party and senior government officials were present on the occasion. Flanked by senior party leaders, Sheikh Hasina, also the President of Awami League, placed another wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu. Later, the Prime Minister visited the historic residence of Bangabandhu on Dhanmondi road no 32 which witnessed world’s one of the most barbaric carnage on this day in 1975. Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin

Chaudhury placed wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu while President of Supreme Court Bar Association Advocate Yusuf Hossain Humayun placed wreath on behalf of Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha. The Awami League-led 14-Party led by Health Minister and the alliance spokesperson Mohammad Nasim, Information Minister and JaSoD President Hasanul Haque Inu, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister and Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon, Samyabadi Dal President and former minister Dilip Barua also placed wreaths at the portrait of the Father of the Nation. Later, the prime minister went to Banani Graveyard in the city and paid homage to her mother Bangamata Fazilatun Nesa Mujib, Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal and Sheikh Russell and other martyrs of August 15 by placing wreaths and spreading flower petals on their graves. She also offered Fateha and doa seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of the martyrs of August 15. Sheikh Rehana, Saima Wazed, Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, central leaders of Awami League and mayors of Dhaka north and south city corporations were present. Like in the capital city, thousands of mourners from all strata also gathered at the mausoleum of Bang-

abandhu at Tungipara to pay deep homage to Father of the Nation. The prime minister paid homage to Father of the Nation by placing a wreath at his mazar and stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of the architect of the independence. A special contingent drawn from the three services gave a state salute on the occasion, while bugle played the last post. Chiefs of the three services were present at that time. Accompanied by Sheikh Rehana, the premier then offered munajat at the mazar seeking eternal peace of departed souls of the Father of the Nation, Bangamata Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib and other martyrs of August 15, 1975 massacre. Saima Wazed Hossain and other family members, cabinet members, party leaders and workers joined a milad and the doa mahfil. A milad mahfil was held today at Bangabhaban on the occasion of National Mourning Day marking the 41st death anniversary of Bangabandhu. President Abdul Hamid attended the milad mahfil held at Darbar hall after Zohr prayer. A special munajat was offered seeking divine blessings for the salvation of the departed souls of Bangabandhu and martyred members of his family. Family members of the president, officials and employees of

Bangabhaban attended the milad. Earlier, a discussion was held and a documentary titled Chiranjib Bangabandhu produced by Department of Film and Publications was screened. Besides, different ministries, divisions, institutions, foreign diplomats and socio-cultural-professional bodies also placed wreaths at Bangabandhu’s portrait in front of Bangabandhu Museum. Bangladesh missions in different countries observed the day with due fervor amid different programmes. The national dailies published special supplements while Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television and other private television channels and radio stations aired special programmes highlighting the life of Bangabandhu, his affection and care for his people and immense contribution to the nation. Special prayers were offered at all the places of worships seeking divine blessings for eternal peace of the souls of the martyrs of August 15 carnage while different organisation organised blood donations camps and distributions of foods among the destitute at different places across the country. Black banners and posters were hung at different places across the capital and the country. The historic speeches of Bangabandhu and patriotic songs were played through loudspeakers at different

places. President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave separate messages on the eve of the National Mourning Day. In his message, the president called for building the country a happy and prosperous one by completing the unfinished task of Bangabandhu. In her message, the prime minister urged all to engage themselves to the task of materializing Bangabandhu’s dream of building a hunger, illiteracy and poverty-free and non-communal Bangladesh perceiving the sacrifice and endeavors of Bangabandhu. The day is a public holiday, but the capital city and other major cities and towns were busy when people came out of their homes to pay homage to their greatest leader by participating in different programmes, organised in befitting manners of the day. On this day in 1975, Bangabandhu, his spouse Sheikh Fazilatun Nesa Mujib, his three sons Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal and Sheikh Russell and others were brutally killed in an orchestrated conspiracy while a group of derailed army personnel staged the carnage to reverse the values of 1971 Liberation War. Bangabandhu’s two daughtersSheikh Hasina, now prime minister, and Sheikh Rehana - escaped the bloodbath as they were abroad at that time. l

student,” said Dulal. Confirming the identity of Marjan, Police Super Alamgir Kabir of Pabna district told the Dhaka Tribune that they were interrogating Marjan’s family members. As per the latest information, Marjan’s father was taken to district police detective branch custody for interrogation. In this regard, Abdul Mannan, additional deputy commissioner of the Counter Terrorism, said a team of the unit had already been sent to Pabna. According to an investigator, Marjan is the youngest military commander of the new JMB. He also has connection with a number of top leaders of the outfit. Marjan has expertise in operating heavy arms.

A high-placed source of an investigating agency, told the Dhaka Tribune that Marjan stayed in the militant den of Gobindaganj in Gaibandha for a long period. Marjan reportedly gave motivational training to seven militants in the den while staying in Gaibandha. Of the seven, five took part in the in Gulshan terror attack. Sanowar Hossain, additional deputy commissioner of the Counter Terrorism Unit, said they had had information on Marjan. Investigators said his organisational name is Chocolate. Marjan was brought in to Dhaka in the beginning of the Ramadan. Apart from staying in Gaibandha, Marjan has visited a number of militant dens in North Bengal.

A source investigating into the Gulshan attack earlier said Majran is one of the close associates of new JMB leader Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury. The Gulshan attackers sent updates and photos of the restaurant massacre to an ID by using a “protected text”. Marjan had the password of the ID and he opened it and then sent the photos to the mastermind and planner. Monirul Islam, chief of the Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit, said they had got photograph of Marjan while conducting investigation into the Gulshan attack and interrogating previous arrested militants they came to know about his involvement in the Gulshan attack. l

Marjan’s identity revealed Family members said Marjan completed his Alim degree from Pabna Alia Madrasa and then got himself admitted into the Arabic department of Chittagong University (CU) in 2014. He is a second-year student there. Mohammad Islami Chowdhury, chairman of the Arabic and Islamic Studies Department of the CU, however said they were yet to verify his identity. According to family, Marjan married his cousin Priyoti a year back, who used to live in Kaliakoir area of Pabna. Nearly seven to eight months back Marjan came home with his wife and after they left they had had no contact with him, said Nizamuddin, father of Marjan.

The Dhaka Tribune correspondent yesterday visited Marjan’s house and found an extremely strict Muslim family. Marjan’s family members never allow any outsider. They even do not have any cell phone. The family members said they had seen Marjan’s picture in newspapers. Local people said the family was basically isolated in the village and they would not like to meet other people. Marjan was seen to offer prayer in local mosques but would not like to stay outside his house for long. He doesn’t have any friends in the village. Dulal Uddin, member of Hamayetpur Union Council, said they had no bad report against Marjan in the locality. “We knew him as good a

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

‘Ziaur Rahman had a hand in Bangabandhu’s assassination’

PDB employees to announce new protest programme today

n Tanveer Ahmed, London

Back to the drawing board

In his book “India, Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh Liberation & Pakistan (A Political Treatise)”, retired Indian diplomat Sashanka S Banerjee says the coup in 1975 was the culmination of months of planning. He also discusses Zia’s close ties with Faruk. This reporter caught up with Banerjee, who served in East Pakistan from 1960-65, in London. Banerjee recalled a war game started in the spring of 1973 in London where the deputy army chief himself played the protagonist. Indian intelligence had tipped off how furious Pakistani generals were planning to terminate Sheikh Mujib. The discussions also included possible options for a military takeover during the chaos that would follow the killing. Pakistani army officials wanted to run a clandestine popularity campaign to set the operation in motion.

n Aminur Rahman Rasel

PHOTO: GOVERNMENT ARCHIVE

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman once said his love for the people was his greatest strength and that loving them too much was his greatest weakness. This indeed proved to be true when Indira Gandhi warned Bangabandhu about a possible plot by then Maj Gen Ziaur Rahman and Lt Col Faruk Rahman. Bangabandhu told Indira he considered them as his sons and he believed they could never think of harming him. Bangladesh was barely fouryears-old when some derailed army officers and their men staged a bloody coup and killed the man who had led the nation to freedom from Pakistan in 1971. In an interview with Anthony Mascarenhas, self-confessed killers Faruk and Col Abdur Rashid said that Zia had known about the coup beforehand. The killers had to find someone to put in Bangabandhu’s place and the obvious choice was Zia, a man from the army. Faruk said they chose Zia as he “was not tarnished.” He admitted to meeting Zia on March 20, 1975 as part of carrying out their plan. “General Zia said: ‘I am a senior officer. I cannot be involved in such things. If you junior officers want to do it, go ahead’,” Faruk said, adding that he had told Zia that the whole plan was chalked out keeping him in mind. “We want your support and your leadership,” he said. Zia did not disappoint them. Subsequent military rulers allowed the killers to go scot-free. BNP founder Zia appointed the killers at foreign missions after assuming power.

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But before that, they ran propaganda against Sheikh Mujib among the people. Asked how he reached the conclusion in 1973 that army officials in Rawalpindi were chalking out a plan to kill Bangabandhu and put Zia in his place, Banerjee pointed out that Zia had bonded with Rawalpindi’s military intelligence and army officers when they received training at the same centre. “Moreover Ziaur Rahman was an officer in the Pakistan army, which meant that he was a good option for the Pakistani intelligence and generals.”

Plan set in motion

Around 1973, there were rumours in India that Pakistan intelligence ISI and CIA were plotting to kill Mujib. At that time, Zia met ISI members in Washington, Banerjee said. Indian intelligence learned that Zia had also met Pakistan’s military attaché in Washington. “But he did not tell me about his meeting with ISI. When I asked him about it referring to our intelligence report, he admitted that he had had a meeting with the Pakistan military attaché,” Banerjee added. US President Richard Nixon, on the other hand, was angry with Indira Gandhi’s government. She had ordered her forces to pressure Pakistan to surrender seeing the presence of the 7th fleet in the Bay

dispatched by Nixon. The 7th fleet’s return without firing a single shot was a huge defeat for the US before China. Nixon’s personal grudge would have subsided a bit if the Indira-backed government was toppled, Banerjee explained.

‘The suitcase war game’

Bangabandhu had turned his attention to forming a non-aligned policy for Bangladesh after independence. Delhi and Moscow’s contribution in the Liberation War had led to close ties with Dhaka. Sheikh Mujib sent his then deputy army chief Col Zia to Washington in 1973 as his personal envoy to foster diplomatic ties with the US as part of Bangladesh’s gradually flourishing non-aligned policy. In his six-week US tour, Zia build ties with the Pentagon, CIA and State Department heads. He also met then Indian High Commission attaché Banerjee in London on his way back. Bangabandhu’s self-confessed killer Faruk had asked Banerjee to keep his suitcase and colonel baton before leaving to join the Liberation War on December 3 from London. Zia had mainly gone to London to take the suitcase back. Banerjee said he had learnt details about Zia’s Washington tour from intelligence sources. He asked Zia why he was going to run an er-

rand for a junior officer collecting his suitcase. “Zia replied, ‘Col Faruk is my close friend. That’s why I want to give him the suitcase myself’,” the former diplomat said. Banerjee said the statement made it clear to him that Zia had a latent desire to grab state power through a coup. Zia seemed nervous when Banerjee asked him about his meeting with Pakistan embassy’s military attaché in the US. “After pressing Zia for a while on the matter, he said, ‘You have a very creative imagination. You have played an intriguing war game with me over a mere suitcase’,” Banerjee recalled. Banerjee told Zia that he would file a report to Delhi based on their conversation, to which Zia reacted: “You should have worked for the intelligence instead of foreign service, Mr Banerjee.” Based on that report, then Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi had cautioned Bangabandhu but the latter, who loved his people too much, had said Zia and Faruk were like sons to him and that sons never kill their parents. It did not take much time for Zia to promote himself to the post of general shortly after the killing of Bangabandhu on August 15, 1975. “Zia took over as military dictator in November that year, fulfilling his suitcase war game,” the former diplomat said. l

Instability still persists at Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB) after two weeks of protest by its employees over PDB’s decision to shift operational electricity of Rangpur and Rajshahi zones to North-West Zone Power Distribution Company Ltd (NWZPDCL). The protesters plan to announce new protest programme today. Zahirul Islam Chowdhury, president of Bidyut Sramik League, said the meeting with State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid on Sunday ended without a fruitful solution, which is why new protest would be launched. Earlier, the PDB staff and officials, uniting under the banner of Sramik-Karmachari Oikya Parishad, staged protest against the operation of NWZPDCL, which ended on Sunday. Nasrul told reporters that the government was planning to transform PDB into a corporation, similarly as Petrobangla and Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation. He said PDB would now only act as an electricity generating company, and new companies were being formed to take over its distribution zones. “We agreed to PDB’s transformation into a corporation, but on condition that any ongoing work by the NWZPDCL would be suspended immediately,” Zahirul said. “We will continue our protest. We have already placed our demands, now it is up to the higher authorities.” More than a decade after NWZPDCL was formed with some of PDB’s distribution zones in the north, the PDB signed an MoU and a power purchase and sales agreement with the NWZPDCL on August 1 start its operation. But the Sramik-Karmachari Oikya Parishad protested the decision and started agitation programme on August 2, putting the company’s operational debut on hold. The protesting employeers of PDB held several programmes and mass abstention from work in protest for the last two weeks. As leaders of the protesters approached the State Minister Nasrul Hamid for solution, he along with Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan sought the prime minister’s advices in this regard, before meeting with the protesters. l

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

Hasnat denies involvement in Gulshan attack n Mohammad Jamil Khan Hasnat Reza Karim, one of the survivors of Gulshan terror attack who was shown arrested in the case and placed on remand, has denied allegations against him of being involved in the attack, investigators said yesterday. They are now waiting for the forensic report on Hasnat's mobile phone and hope that they would receive the report by this week, said a high official of police's Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crimes (CTTC) yesterday. Terrorists attacked Gulshan's

Holey Artisan Bakery and O Kitchen Restaurant on July 1 and brutally murdered 22 people, 17 of whom were foreign nationals and two were policemen. They held the diners and waiting staff of the restaurant hostage for nearly 11 hours before a joint commando force stormed the place, ending the siege and killing all the attackers. Police sources said within half an hour of the attack, a mobile application named Wickr Me, a private secure message service, was installed in Hasnat's phone. The app was reportedly used by the

attackers to give updates to their superiors and send the photos of their kills. The CTTC official, who requested not to be named, told the Dhaka Tribune that forensic experts were looking to dig out information in this regard from the phone's database. He further said police were now scrutinising the witness accounts of the attack to understand Hasnat's activity that night. “We are also analysing the photos of Hasnat during the hostage situation that were published by the media.”

At least 40 witnesses have given their statements about what they experienced during the siege, sources said. Earlier, Detective Branch Joint Commissioner Abdul Baten said Hasnat had been shown arrested in the case after getting “primary evidence” against him, but did not disclose any further details. Another law enforcement official, who also sought anonymity, said they were also looking into Hasnat's past activities. “Since we found evidence of his involvement in the attack, we suspect he may

CJ: Judiciary was fearless in Bangabandhu murder case

Canada sends flood relief n Tribune Desk

n Tribune Desk

The judiciary had stood fast against threats and delivered the verdict in Bangabandhu murder case, Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha has said. Bangladesh's courts have played their due role in every crisis of the state, the Chief Justice said at a function at the Supreme Court auditorium marking the National Mourning Day yesterday. During a voluntary blood donation programme at the Supreme Court, Chief Justice Sinha said that Dhaka Judge Kazi Golam Rasul had delivered the verdict on the Bangabandhu murder case ignoring threats. “Witnesses did not volunteer with depositions,” he said. There were difficulties in disposing the appeals and death references after the case came to the High Court for death confirmation, he added. He also said that the judiciary faced criticism after assassination of Bangabandhu but amid that the senior justices never backtracked. The Chief Justice said he felt fortunate to have been a member of the judge panel involved in the trial of the Bangabandhu murder case. l

have connections with Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).” The former North South University teacher was arrested along with another survivor, University of Toronto student Tahmid Hasib Khan, on August 3 night under Section 54, according to police. Regarding Tahmid's involvement in the attack, the CTTC official said they were still investigating it. He said though Tahmid claimed that he had held a gun during the siege after being threatened by the terrorists, it was necessary to find out what really happened. l

A child places roses on a memorial in front of the Bangabandhu Museum on Dhanmondi 32 on the National Mourning Day yesterday RAJIB DHAR

Ex-NHRC chief Mizan recovering in ICU n Kamrul Hasan The health condition prominent human rights activist Dr Mizanur Rahman has been improving after he was shifted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a city hospital on Saturday night. The former chairman of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) was admitted at Anwer Khan Modern Hospital in Dhanmondi, Dhaka on Thursday, said Dr Abdus Shakur Khan, pulmonologist at the hospital. “He was taken to the ICU last [Saturday] night when his condition deteriorated,” he told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday. On Saturday, a medical board was formed to discuss Mizan’s condition and determine the next course of treatment, he added.

But since he was taken to the ICU, his condition has improved, said Dr Col (retd) SM Hossain Shahid, head of the hospital’s department of critical care medicine. Mizan is still under mechanical ventilator and doctors are yet to decide when he would be moved out. “We will gradually take him off the ventilator, depending on his condition. The antibiotics are working effectively, and we are hoping we would be able go back to regular treatment,” Dr Shahid told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday afternoon. He said Mizan gained consciousness in ICU and responded to questions without much trouble. “If his condition keeps improving, we may be able to release him in two or three days.” l

People affected by the recent floods in the country in the northern and north-east part of Bangladesh will get aid from The Canadian Humanitarian Assistance Fund (CHAF) of C$250,000. CHAF will also provide non-food item kits and unconditional cash transfers for up to 10,000 flood-affected people in Kurrigram district in the north-west region of Bangladesh. Canada is also providing C$30,000 through the Emergency Disaster Assistance Fund (EDAF) in support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies humanitarian response. l

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

Family fears SP Babul might be killed after resigning

n Tribune Desk

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana and daughter Saima Wazed Putul put flowers on the graves of family members killed alongside Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15 at the Banani graveyard in Dhaka BSS

BNP's national unity project faces two-way trouble n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's initiative to forge a national unity to curb militancy, which was an attempt to create a common platform with several parties based on the terrorism issue, has come to a halt over external and internal crises. Discontent is boiling within the party since the announcement of its new national committee, crippling efforts to consolidate the ranks, while outside, other political parties have refused to talk about a common platform as long as BNP remains tied to its key ally Jamaat-e-Islami. After two major terrorist attacks shook Bangladesh in July, Khaleda Zia called for a national unity to curb militancy. She also invited the ruling party to join this effort. As part of this, the BNP chief held a meeting with Kader Siddique, the head of Krishak Sramik Janata League, but there has been no progress since then. Pro-BNP intellectuals involved with the national unity plan said the party was facing problems on two fronts. On one side the newly an-

TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY

THUNDERSHOWER TUESDAY, AUGUST 16

curbing militancy. It seems that he narrowed down the national unity process. “Apart from this, our alliance leaders also reacted in various ways. Political parties consider their party politics rather than national interests. Altogether, it is a question in my mind and also in the mind of the people whether the national unity process can become a reality.” Party sources said Khaleda Zia wrote to some political parties but at least three parties expressed reservation about the national unity platform. The CPB, BSD and JSD (Rob) have reportedly been thinking of forming a separate alliance. They may work from the same platform on militancy if BNP excludes Jamaat. Prof Emajuddin said: “If anyone forms a separate platform, there is no problem. I know ASM Rob's position. They will form a separate platform.” Party sources said the party is thinking of vote politics and also the loss if it cuts ties with Jamaat. “It was a mistake to form the alliance with Jamaat. But if we cut our ties with Jamaat, it will be worse,”

nounced committee has created rift and grievances over posts and positions. On the other side, the party's unwillingness to part with Jamaat is causing rift with potential allies. BNP announced its executive committee on August 6. Since then at least three senior leaders have resigned from the committee and a number of leaders are thinking of quitting politics. In the wake of this fiasco, Khaleda Zia has asked some senior leaders to recast the committee by including some deprived leaders to minimise the grievances. The ruling Awami League has raised questions about Khaleda's national unity process as Jamaat is a part of the BNP-led alliance. Pro-BNP intellectuals have advised Khaleda either to cut ties or to keep strategic distance with Jamaat over the process. Emajuddin Ahmed, former vice-chancellor of Dhaka University, said: “The national unity process was supposed to be expedited but it did not happen. We will have to wait.” Mohammad Shahjahan, vice-chairman of the party, said: “BNP chairperson's meeting with Kader Siddique was not focused on Dhaka

Chittagong

Rajshahi

DHAKA TODAY SUN SETS 6:31PM

Rangpur

said a senior leader seeking anonymity. Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Zafrullah Chowdhury said: “We wanted to resolve the problem from a united platform. Now we have to wait till BNP's internal problems are resolved.” Party sources said BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman had spoken to Emajuddin and Zafrullah about their public statements about cutting ties with Jamaat. Emajuddin at a recent event said BNP would cut ties with Jamaat. Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir later binned it as Emajuddin's personal statement. l

Khulna

Barisal

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:34AM

35.7ºC Rajshahi

24.0ºC Rangamati

Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES

Family members of SP Babul Akter yesterday said they were afraid that he might be killed if he resigned from his job. They expressed their fears after Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told two private TV channels yesterday that he had received SP Babul’s resignation letter and further action will soon be taken on the basis of it. However, Dhaka Tribune could not confirm the statement independently as neither the Home Ministry or the home minster answered the phone yesterday. Superintendent of Police (SP) Babul was also unreachable over the phone. Babul’s father-in-law former OC Mosarraf Hossain said that he was glad someone had finally confirmed of the matter. He said he feared that the criminals Babul chased all his life might get the chance to kill him if he was sent to jail. OC Mosarraf also urged journalists to help law enforcers find the real killers of his daughter. SP Babul’s wife 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. Report was also published that on that night SP Babul resigned from his job that was confirmed early yesterday by the minister. l

Sylhet

Cox’s Bazar

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

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

640,000 yaba seized Mizanur Rahaman, n FM Chittagong Bangladesh Coast Guard seized 6, 40,000 yaba tablets worth Tk32 crore from the outer anchorage in Sitakunda area of Chittagong Seaport early yesterday. “On secret information, a team of the CG led by Lieutenant Dickson conducted a raid at the outer anchorage in the midnight and chased a trawler for its suspicious movement,” said Captain Shahidul Islam, commanding officer of Coast Guard (East Zone), while speaking at a press conference at the base camp of the force in Ishanagar area of the city. The crewmen of the trawler tied up four sacks of yaba pills with floating fishing net at the outer anchorage and managed to flee the scene, said Lieuten-

ant Dickson. Later, the CG personnel recovered the sacks and seized the consignment of yaba pills, he added. Captain Shahidul told the Dhaka Tribune that the force arrested 48 smugglers and recovered 30, 56,214 yaba tablets worth Tk152,81,09,000 from January to August this year, including the latest consignment. “Usually, drug peddlers bring yaba tablets into the country from Myanmar through Cox’s Bazar, Kutubdia and Saint Martin, but this time, they have used a new sea route through Sitakunda to dodge the eyes of law enforcing agencies,” said Captain Shahidul. “After discovering the new smuggling route in Sitakunda, our surveillance would be tightened in the area to curb drug smuggling,” he added. l

Embroidering brings hope for women n Tafsilul Aziz, Kishoreganj College girl Nipa Akter, a daughter of farmer Mati Mia at Lakuhati village in Kishoreganj, was about to give up her study due to financial crisis in her family. At that time, she came to know that a woman in her neighborhood earns money by embroidering saree. At once, she and her mother made up their minds to do the work. Within four days, they completed embroidering a piece of saree and earned Tk500. Nipa said if she had not started the work at that time, she could not continue her study and help her family. Like her, Nasima Begum, Taslima Akter and Morzina Akter of the same village also started embroidering saree, kameez and dupatta in order to continue their studies. Around 10,000 women of 12 villages in the district namely Daliarchar and Nodar in Sadar upazila and Gangatia, Lakuhati, Kurimara, Dipeshwar, Pumdi, Dangri, Panan, Syedpur, Keshera and Gabindapur villages in Hossainpur upazila earn their livelihood mostly by embroidering the items mentioned above. Girls, who could not continue their studies due

to financial constraints, have also been engaged in this sector for their economic self-sufficiency. Haresa Khatun of Daliarchar village said: “I take a week to complete embroidering a piece of saree and earn Tk500 to Tk700. A single piece of saree is sold at Tk5,000 to Tk15,000 in Dhaka.” Rahima Khatun, Jesmin Akter, Rina Begum and Nurunnahar of Nodar village told our correspondent while he was visiting the area recently that businessmen take embroidered saree, kamiz and dupatta from them and sell the items at renowned shopping malls in Dhaka city. They urged the authorities concerned to extend their hands to help them flourish the industry. Milan Mia, a middleman in the sector, said: “We provide the women with Jari, Chumki and stones along with saree, kamiz and dupatta to make exquisite artwork on the fabrics.” Md Abdullah Al Mamun, UNO of Hossainpur upaila, said: “We will try to play an important role in making the women in the locality self- reliant by giving them small loans and sewing trainings.” l

News

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

National Mourning Day observed

Home Minister: No existence of IS, al-Qaeda in Bangladesh n Tazul Islam Reza, Gaibandha

Teachers and students of Rajshahi College bring out a mourning procession in the city yesterday to observe the National Mourning Day and 41st martyrdom anniversary of Architect of Independence and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman AZAHAR UDDIN

n Tribune Desk The National Mourning Day, commemorating the 41st anniversary of Bangabandhu’s tragic assassination, was observed across the country yesterday. In Chittagong, leaders and activists of the city chapter of Awami League and its other associate organisations laid the wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu at Darul Fazal Market office in the city in the morning, reports our correspondent. Apart from the Chittagong city, north and south district units of Awami League (AL) and its front organisations, different socio-cultural organisations, trade unions, district administration and professional bodies organised separate discussion meetings marking the day. Government high-ups including Shangkar Ranjan Saha, Chittagong divisional commissioner (acting), Shafiqul Islam, Deputy Inspector of Police (Chittagong Range), Iqbal Bahar, Commissioner of Chittagong Metropolitan Police, Mesbah Uddin, Chittagong deputy commissioner and Nure Alam Mina, Chittagong Superintendent of Police were present on the occasion. Chittagong University, Chittagong University of Science and Technology (CUET), Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Premier University, Southern University, East Delta

University and University of Science and Technology Chittagong (USTC) also chalked out elaborate programmes to observe the day. Our Rajshahi correspondent said various government and non-government organisations, political parties, socio-cultural organisations and educational institutions, including Rajshahi University and Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology (RUET), chalked out elaborate programmes to observe the day. The day’s programmes began with hoisting of national flags and black flags, placing of wreaths at the portraits of Bangabandhu and four national leaders, offering special prayers and bringing out mourning processions. In Rangpur, the district administration, Rangpur City Corporation (RCC), Awami League (AL), its associate organisations, educational institutions and government departments chalked out elaborate daylong programmes to observe the day, reports our correspondent. In Khulna, marking the day, Khulna district administration organised a discussion on the life and deeds of Bangabandhu at Khulna Deputy Commissioner (DC) office. In Manikganj, as part of observance of the day, the district administration arranged different programmes including mourning rally, milad mahfil and discussion. In Faridpur, the day was observed with a pledge to convert

shock into strength by translating Bangabandhu’s dream of building a “Sonar Bangla” into reality. A rally commemorating the national mourning day was brought out from in front of the DC office in the morning. The mourners paraded different roads in the district town and ended their rally at the Ambika Maidan, where they paid their homage by placing floral wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu. Special prayers were offered at all mosques, temples and churches in the town seeking eternal peace of the departed martyr souls of August 15 carnage. In Netrokona, the National Mourning Day was observed in the district through holding different programmes which included discussion and placing of floral wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu on the Mukta-mancha. Quran Khawani, Milad mahfil and special prayers were held after Zohr prayers at Netrakona central Jam-e-mosque and other mosques across the district seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of Bangabandhu and his family members, near and dear ones, who were killed on August 15 carnage. Special prayers were also held in all the temples, churches and other places of worships in the district. In Mymensingh, the day was observed with due respect and different programmes, including placing of floral wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu, holding discussions

and doa mahfil arranged by the district administration. In Gaibandha, a discussion, doa and milad mahfil took place for the past few days in observance of the day. In Sylhet, local administration had taken up elaborate programme to observe the 41st martyrdom anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in the district with due respect and befitting manner. The daylong programme was adopted at a meeting in presence of leaders of Bangladesh Awami League and its front organisations, heads of educational institutions, representatives from socio-cultural organisations and journalists of print and electronic media. In Chapainawabganj, Quran Khawani, Milad mahfil and special prayers were held across the district seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of Bangabandhu and his family members. The day was also observed in other districts of the country including Magura, Tangail, Khagrachhari, Barisal, Pirojpur, Sirajganj, Kurigram, Shariatpur, Jhalokhati, Joypurhat, Comilla, Panchagarh, Jessore, Natore, Thakurgaon, Barguna, Noakhali, Dinajpur, Nilphamari, Chuadanga, Pabna, Lalmonirhat, Narayanganj, Bagerhat, Narail, Patuakhali, Sherpur, Jamalpur, Gopalganj, Meherpur and Gazipur, report our correspondents. l

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal yesterday said there was no branch of Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda in Bangladesh. He made the comments as while addressing an anti-militancy rally as the chief guest. Gaibandha police organised the programme on the occasion of the inauguration of the newly-constructed Shaghata upazila building in the afternoon. The home minister said when Bangladesh was advancing towards development under the efficient leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, vested quarters are making conspiracy to hinder the development activities and tarnish the image of the country to international arena. Mentioning Bangladesh as an IS and Al Qaeda free country, the minister said Ansarullah Bangla Team and JMB including other banned organisations are conducting their activities in the name of IS and Al Qaeda. Bangladesh had become successful to resist militancy within a short time. The present government had already taken initiatives to turn Bangladesh police into a modern force by providing them with the latest arms and other equipments, he added. Deputy Inspector General of police, Rangpur range Khandker Golam Faruque, Deputy Commissioner M Abdus Samad and General Secretary of district Awami League Abu Bakar Siddique were present as the special guests while Superintendent of Police Ashraful Islam presided over the function. l

Six killed in road accident in Pabna n Emroz Khandakar, Pabna At least six people were killed in a head-on collision between a mini truck and a CNG-run autorickshaw in Kashinathpur area of Pabna district yesterday. Of the deceased, five were identified as Abul Kamal, 36, Abdul Makel, 32, Jalal Khan, 45, Shadhon, 27, and Hasina Khatun, 28. Aminpur police station Officer-in-Charge Tajul Huda said: “A sand-laden mini truck collided with an autorickshaw in Kashinathpur area around 7am, killing four people on the spot.” He said two of the injured died after they were taken to hospital. l

8 World

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

SOUTH ASIA

Taliban capture key district in Afghanistan Taliban insurgents, seeking to force the NATO-led coalition out of Afghanistan and bring in Islamic law, captured a key district in the northern province of Baghlan after days of fighting on Monday. Fighting has escalated in Afghanistan as the Taliban insurgency spreads from its traditional strongholds in the south and east of the country to once peaceful regions in the north. -REUTERS

INDIA

One Indian soldier, 4 rebels killed in Kashmir At least one paramilitary soldier and 4 suspected insurgents were killed in a series of gunbattles in Indian-controlled Kashmir despite a security lockdown in the disputed region Monday. Ten government troops were also wounded. The first clash took place in the Nowhatta neighborhood of Srinagar and the second attack took place in the Khanyar neighborhood. -AP

CHINA

China: No South China Sea at G-20 Deputy Foreign Minister of China Li Baoding made clear Monday that Beijing wants next month’s meeting of leaders of the Group of 20 major economies that it is hosting in the eastern resort city Hangzhou to avoid political issues such as its territorial disputes with its neighbors in the South China Sea. -AP

ASIA PACIFIC

Thailand risks losing 200,000 visitors after blasts

Thailand could lose up to 200,000 foreign visitors and $293m in tourism revenue this year, after a series of deadly blasts in tourist towns last week. The wave of attacks in places including the seaside town of Hua Hin and the island of Phuket, is the biggest challenge to an industry that has weathered more than a decade of instability and bounced back from violence over recent years. -REUTERS

MIDDLE EAST

Saudi king gives bonus to soldiers fighting in Yemen Saudi soldiers on the front lines of the war in Yemen are getting a month’s extra salary from King Salman. The handout comes after an escalation of the 17-month-old war following the suspension of peace talks between Yemeni rebels and the internationally recognised government. -AFP

INSIGHT

Islamic State faces uphill branding war in Afghanistan, Pakistan n Reuters, Islamabad The US drone strike that killed Islamic State’s commander for Afghanistan and Pakistan was the latest blow to the Middle East-led movement’s ambitions to expand into a region where the long-established Taliban remain the dominant Islamist force. Islamic State has enticed hundreds, perhaps thousands, of jihadist fighters in Afghanistan and Pakistan to switch loyalty and has held a small swathe of territory in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar, where leader Hafiz Saeed Khan was killed on July 26 by a US drone, Washington confirmed late Friday. But outside that pocket of territory, security officials and analysts say that Islamic State remains - for now - more of a “brand name” than a cohesive militant force in much of the region. Anxiety over Islamic State - also known as ISIS or “Dae’sh” - in Afghanistan and Pakistan has been building since the al Qaeda breakaway movement seized portions of territory in Iraq and Syria in 2014 and began promoting itself worldwide. Those fears had gain fresh impetus in the last month after IS’s self-declared “Khorasan province” in Afghanistan and Pakistan claimed two especially deadly bombings that each killed more than 70 people one in the Afghan capital, Kabul, and the latest in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta last week. Yet Pakistani officials and independent analysts have raised doubt on the IS claims, especially for the Quetta bombing - saying the more credible claim for the suicide attack at a hospital was by a Pakistani Taliban offshoot, Jamaat-ur-Ahrar.

Shifting loyalties?

Two years ago, Islamic State was the world’s hot new name in the

ISLAMIC STATE GLOBAL PRESENCE Countries where IS holds territory

Countries where local groups have pledged allegiance to IS

LEBANON JORDAN

MOROCCO

Countries from where large numbers of IS supporters have been arrested

TURKEY AFGHANISTAN PAKISTAN

ALGERIA

SAUDI ARBIA

NIGER

CHAD

BANGLADESH

YEMEN

NIGERIA CAMEROON INDONESIA

Sources: Heritage Foundation research and various media reports.

eyes of jihadists bent on using violence to destroy secular institutions and impose their harsh interpretation of Islam. Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, in fact, at one point swore allegiance to Islamic State’s leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in 2014 during a spat with the Pakistani Taliban leadership. Several months later, however, JA had switched back to the Taliban banner, and when it claimed responsibility for the August 8 suicide bombing in Quetta it used its full name “Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Jamaat-ur-Ahrar”. Islamic State has made it clear that it is committed to developing its “Khorasan province”, declared in January 2015. When the central IS leadership claimed responsibility for the Quetta bombing it issued statements in Arabic, English and Urdu, the latter language native mostly to Pakistan. “Khorasan” has special significance in Islamic State’s ideology because it refers both to a historic region encompassing much of modern-day Iran, Afghanistan and

Pakistan, and also a prophecy of a Muslim army emerging from the same region to conquer all of the Middle East, including Jerusalem. History and prophecies aside, the attraction of South Asia for Islamic State is obvious enough, due to the many opportunities to recruit existing, well-armed fighters and bomb makers. With literally dozens of loosely allied Islamist groups operating in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the region is ripe for a ready-made switch of allegiances.

Global Jihadist market

But the fledgling IS movement in both Pakistan and Afghanistan faces challenges. Various Taliban factions and their al Qaeda allies - who vehemently oppose al-Baghdadi’s claim to lead a nascent global caliphate still control vast, overlapping networks of finance from opium, kidnappings and taxes on areas under their sway. Aside from their seizure of several districts of Nangarhar from the

Taliban, the newly declared Islamic State loyalists have taken no other major territory in Afghanistan. Both the Taliban and Islamic State have also been pummelled by US drone strikes and Afghan security forces offensives in Nangarhar - including the one that killed Khan. The United States said last week an estimated 300 IS fighters had been killed in July. The death of the local leader is not a fatal blow to Islamic State’s still-limited operational capabilities in the region, but it does represent a dent to its “brand” in a region rife with options for waging jihad. Wilson Center’s Kugelman described the difference between the appeal of the Islamic State name in Afghanistan and Pakistan compared with other parts of the world. By contrast, in Pakistan and Afghanistan “the newly radicalized in search of an affiliation don’t need to gravitate to ISIS because they already have so many other options”. l

50 killed in IS suicide blast at Syria-Turkey crossing n Tribune International Desk Islamic State claimed a suicide bombing on a bus in Syria near the Atmeh border crossing with Turkey late on Sunday that the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said killed at least 32 people. The bus was carrying fighters from foreign-backed rebel factions, local rebel sources said. Islamic State militant claimed

responsibility for the attack in an online statement on Sunday, saying the blast killed 50 fighters from the Failaq al-Sham and the Nour al-Din al-Zinki Movement groups. The statement said the rebels were from US-backed groups who were travelling to fight Islamic State in northern Aleppo province. Large parts of Syria’s north-western province of Idlib, where Atmeh

is located, is controlled by rebel factions supported by the Turkish govt. Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya TV reported that the fighters targeted on Sunday were part of a 600-strong force that had been preparing to advance towards the countryside north of the divided city of Aleppo. On Monday, a Syrian military official and activists said government forces had repelled a rebel assault

south-west of Aleppo, forcing rebel fighters to retreat from positions near a cement factory that they had seized the previous day. The UK-based Syrian Observatory, which monitors the fiveyear-old conflict in Syria through a network of sources, said at least 35 rebels had been killed in the battle. Seventeen died on the government side, it added. l

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

India’s Modi lashes out at Pakistan and gets hit back n Reuters, New Delhi Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took aim at supporters of “terrorism” in his Independence Day speech on Monday, ratcheting up criticism of Pakistan while avoiding direct mention of month-long protests in Indian-ruled Kashmir. Modi also pitched a vision of national unity and progress in his third annual address from the ramparts of the Red Fort in Old Delhi that, at 94 minutes, was the longest delivered by the 65-year-old leader. Yet it was a broadside against Pakistan, the arch-rival also born out of independence from Britain and partition, that left the strongest impression in a speech that otherwise focussed on his government’s achievements. “What kind of life is this, inspired by terrorism? What kind of government setup is it that is inspired by terrorism?” asked Modi, who delivered the open-air address amid a security lockdown in the Indian capital. “The world will know about it and that’s sufficient for me.” Modi referred to messages of support he had received from people in regions of Pakistan, including the restive province of Baluchistan, drawing a rebuke from Islamabad which accused him of

fomenting terrorism there. Modi was “only trying to divert world attention from the grim tragedy that has been unfolding in the Indian Occupied Kashmir over the past five weeks”, Pakistan’s foreign affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz said in a statement. Baluchistan’s provincial capital, Quetta, was the scene of a suicide bombing on August 8 that killed more than 70 people and wounded at least 100 more at a hospital. A Taliban faction and Islamic State both claimed responsibility.

Kashmir raids

As Modi spoke, gunmen attacked a police station in Indian Kashmir’s summer capital, Srinagar, killing an officer and wounding 10 police and paramilitary troops. Two militants were killed in the ensuing shoot-out, police said. The army also said it had foiled an infiltration attempt from Pakistan into North Kashmir, killing three militants. Kashmir has witnessed violent protests since a July 8 encounter in which security forces eliminated a commander of Pakistan-based Islamist militant group Hizbul Mujahideen. As of Monday, at least 54 people had been killed and thousands hurt in clashes with security forces. Modi met national party leaders

Republicans seek votes in Israel The Israeli branch of the US Republican party began a campaign on Monday to get American voters living in Israel to cast absentee ballots in favour of Donald Trump. According to the Israeli chapter of the Republican party, around 300,000 Americans are eligible to vote in the November presidential elections. They live in Israel or in settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. -REUTERS

THE AMERICAS

Narendra Modi gestures as he delivers his Independence Day speech from The Red Fort in New Delhi on August 15 AFP on Friday to seek ways to end the worst unrest in Kashmir since 2010. In a separate statement, Pakistan on Monday invited India for talks exclusively on the future of Jammu & Kashmir - India’s northernmost state. New Delhi has already ruled out such talks. Analysts said the sharp exchange marked an escalation in the long-running rivalry between the countries. Modi also referred to Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, through which some of a $46bn, Chinese-backed trade corridor is expected to run, extending south through Baluchistan to the port of Gwadar on the Arabian Sea.

n Reuters, Milwaukee

Protestors march during disturbances following the police shooting of a man in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US on August 14 REUTERS ple arrests. Police said they began trying to disperse crowds after shots were fired and some protesters threw objects. A tense standoff continued into the early morning hours, punctuated by intermittent reports of gunfire. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker had activated the National Guard in case more trouble broke over the death of Sylville K Smith, 23, who was shot while fleeing a traffic stop. Despite the violence, police

USA

8 shot dead in Honduras

Modi’s remarks directed at Pakistan overshadowed comments in his Independence Day address in which he touted his government’s achievements in rural electrification, financial inclusion and health provision. He strongly backed the fight against inflation, endorsing a 4% target, within a range of 2 percentage points either way, agreed with Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan. He barely mentioned his government’s latest, and arguably most significant reform: the passage of a key amendment that clears the way for the introduction of a Goods and Services Tax (GST) next year. l

Man shot as Milwaukee protests turn violent Tension flared again overnight in Milwaukee, with one person shot and a police officer injured in the second night of riots triggered by the fatal shooting of a suspect by an officer. Police violence against African-Americans has ignited sporadic, sometimes violent protests in the past two years. It also has prompted a national debate over race and policing while fuelling the growth of the Black Lives Matter civil rights movement. Violence erupted in Milwaukee on Sunday after peaceful vigils by small groups of demonstrators, and police said late that night that they had rescued one shooting victim, who was taken to a hospital. It was not immediately clear if the injured person was a protester. One police officer was hospitalised after a rock smashed a patrol car windshield, the city police department said. Another squad car was damaged by rioters hurling bricks, rocks and bottles, it said, adding that officers made multi-

World

said the National Guard had not been called in, as authorities worked to restore order.

Within lawful bounds

Aiming to reassure the community that the police acted properly, Chief Edward Flynn told a news conference on Sunday that video from the officer’s body camera showed Smith had turned toward him with a gun in his hand. Earlier on Sunday evening, about 200 people had gathered to light candles near the spot where

8 people were shot dead by unknown assailants early on Sunday in the outskirts of Honduras’s capital Tegucigalpa. The victims were attacked outside a bar in the southern Altos de Loarque district, an area dominated by Honduras’s infamous Mara Salvatrucha gang. -REUTERS

Brexit could be delayed to late-2019 Britain’s exit from the EU could be delayed until at least late 2019 because the government was too chaotic to start the 2-year process early next year, the Sunday Times reported. Britain voted to leave the EU on June 23, but views differ over when it should invoke ‘Article 50’, which sets the clock ticking on a 2-year deadline to leave the bloc. -REUTERS

EUROPE

Turkey: Give us EU visa freedom or abandon migrant deal

Smith was killed in the Sherman Park neighbourhood. A few officers looked on as faith and community leaders implored protesters to restrain their anger. On Saturday night, shots were fired, six businesses were burned and police cars damaged before calm was restored in the area, which has a reputation for poverty and crime. Seventeen people were arrested, and four officers were injured.

Turkey could walk away from its promise to stem the flow of illegal migrants to Europe if the European Union fails to grant Turks visa-free travel to the bloc in October, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told a German newspaper. His comments coincide with rising tensions between Ankara and the West that have been exacerbated by the failed coup attempt on July 15. -REUTERS

Shot in his back

Zambia’s president reelected in close vote

On Sunday evening, several of Smith’s sisters addressed the crowd, saying their brother did not deserve to be shot. Walker announced the National Guard activation after a request from Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke. But Barrett said any decision to deploy the troops would come from the police chief. The National Guard, which is under the dual control of the federal and state governments, was deployed in Ferguson, Missouri, in August 2014 after several nights of rioting over the police killing of an unarmed black man. l

AFRICA

Zambia’s president Edgar Lungu has been re-elected in a closely contested vote over the main opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema on Monday. However, opposition allegations of polling irregularities raised the prospect of continued tension after a campaign marred by street clashes. Lungu’s Patriotic Front party received 1,860,877 votes, giving him just over 50% of the votes, where Hichilema’s United Party for National Development received 1,760,347. -AP

World

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

ANALYSIS

Hillary Clinton got a big boost from the convention, what next? THE US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION Start of the official campaign

Conventions

Delegates voted to choose their candidate

Presidential debates

Advanced voting in several states

Republicans in Cleveland (Ohio)

July 2016

August

Popular vote, by state The candidate who wins most votes in a state wins all available grand electors*

Democrats in Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) 18-21 25-28

Election Day

September

October

The Electoral College elects president by absolute majority Results declared

November

Presidential inauguration

December

January 2017

*Proportional system in Maine and Nebraska

n Tribune International Desk The Guardian analysed RealClearPolitics polling averages from three previous election cycles to look at what could affect Clinton’s lead. How the candidates fare in the polls before election day may yet defy all expectation; this has been a tumultuous election season to say the least. But if history is any guide, Clinton’s current lead hinges on her performance in upcoming debates, the ability to avoid (any more) scandals, and bigger-picture issues like the economy and national security, which are beyond either candidate’s direct control.

The convention bump: what does it mean, and will it last?

Looking back at previous election years, it’s not unusual to see both candidates rise in the polls after their conventions. After all, conventions are essentially pep rallies with loads of free press for each party’s candidate. “The candidate is the centre of attention and the centre of profuse praise for several days,” said Scott Keeter, senior survey adviser at Pew Research Center. Candidates also usually benefit from increased party unity, as infighting left over from the primary race tends to slow by the convention, Keeter said. One candidate getting a bigger and longer lasting convention bump is also not unusual. But who comes out with the bigger net gain from conventions doesn’t necessarily predict who will win in November. Take John McCain’s 2008 campaign: Going into convention sea-

son that year, Barack Obama led McCain by a point and a half. After the Democratic convention, which was first that year, Obama seemed to rise about a point or two in the polls. But a big boost for McCain after the GOP convention the following week gave him about a twopoint lead over Obama. In total, McCain got a net gain of about three and a half points but went on to lose to Obama in November. The nature of Clinton’s gains, combined with Trump’s further stumbles in the past few weeks, could mean that her post-convention rise in the polls marks a meaningful shift rather than a temporary gain. But even if Clinton’s lead holds for the next few weeks, she shouldn’t get too confident. Debates, gaffes, and unpredictable geopolitical events have all taken hits on even the most prolonged convention bumps in previous elections.

The candidates’ next chance to shine: the debates

Clinton and Trump will go head to head on 26 September during the first general election debate – that is, if Trump decides to show up. The debate will be the next big opportunity – or at least the next planned opportunity – for the candidates to bask in the national spotlight and gain an edge in the polls. In the past, debates have had a big influence on the number of people who say they will vote for a given candidate. After the 2004 and 2012 convention seasons, both George W Bush and Obama were able to hold onto their convention bumps for a few weeks. (For Bush, his post-convention bump lasted about a month. For Obama,

his numbers stayed high for two weeks.) Despite trailing Bush in the polls for much of the fall of 2004, a majority of viewers polled thought John Kerry won the first debate. The candidates sparred over the war in Iraq for nearly two-thirds of the debate, and Bush’s defences appeared weak in the face of Kerry’s persistent criticisms. Bush subsequently lost around five points of his polling lead. A similar scene played out again in 2012, between another incumbent, Obama, and Republican challenger Mitt Romney. Despite trailing in the polls, Romney was well prepared for the first debate, and Obama – often glancing at his notes – didn’t perform particularly well. More than seven in 10 Americans told Gallup that Romney did a better job, which was reflected in post-debate polls when Obama’s lead decreased by around three points. If Clinton’s current lead holds up by the first debate in late September (which would be a very long post-convention bump indeed), her debate performance could once again change the balance of the race.

Economic or geopolitical shocks could move the polls

While it’s easier to predict swings in the polls because of planned events such as conventions and debates, it’s more difficult to forecast how unpredictable factors – including geopolitical shocks or economic slowdown – could impact the candidates’ chances of victory. McCain’s reaction to the financial crisis and his association with the outgoing president likely

contributed to the collapse of his post-convention polling bounce. The morning after Lehman Brothers collapsed, McCain, who was leading in polls at the time, argued that the economy was “fundamentally sound”. The comment caused an uproar. McCain was in the tough position of representing the incumbent party during a financial meltdown and was now on record saying things that further damaged his image. McCain’s poll numbers sank the following week, and he wouldn’t recover his lead again before that year’s election. Signs of an economic crisis could particularly hurt Clinton, who has aligned herself closely with Obama’s legacy. Questions of national security – terrorist attacks or foreign military conflicts – could throw greater uncertainty into the election, too. Security – and Isis especially – has been a central issue for both campaigns this year. On terrorism, for instance, some polls show voters believe Clinton would handle such unrest better. Other polls have both candidates head to head.

Scandals and controversy

Scandals and gaffes have hurt candidates before, but whether the same holds true for this election is anyone’s guess. Both Trump and Clinton are trailed by scandal – the looming Trump University lawsuit and email-gate, respectively. The FBI’s decision not to press criminal charges over Clinton’s private email server was a central news story in early July. After FBI director James Comey complained that Clinton showed “gross negligence” regarding her emails,

Clinton’s poll numbers dropped by a few points, though they’ve bounced back since. How much more impact the email controversy will have remains to be seen. Meanwhile, Trump says controversial things so routinely that the word “gaffe” has lost all meaning. From the day he announced his candidacy, Trump’s speeches, television appearances, and tweets have been rife with insults. But many of his rhetorical barbs didn’t lead to big shifts in his polling numbers – to the amazement of many analysts. It’s hard to say that the right insult or combination of controversial statements couldn’t bring down Trump’s chances of getting elected. Just in the past couple weeks, he attacked the family of a fallen marine captain, suggested the election will be rigged, and hinted at an assassination attempt against Clinton. This combination of statements may have contributed to Trump’s dip in the polls after the GOP convention. But just four years ago, these things mattered. In September 2012, Romney was already trailing Obama in the polls when a surreptitiously recorded video leaked of Romney, behind closed doors, describing 47% of Americans as entitled and “dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims”. The polls swung about one percentage point in Obama’s direction shortly thereafter, Nate Silver estimated. It’s still possible that the right controversial statement could cause a shift in this year’s polls, too. After all, there are about three months between now and election day. l

World

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

33 killed, 28 injured in Nepal bus crash n Tribune International Desk An overcrowded bus veered off a mountain highway in Nepal on Monday, killing at least 33 people and injuring 28 others in one of the country’s deadliest bus crashes in recent years. Injured people were brought by helicopter to Kathmandu and were being treated in two hospitals, Home Ministry official Chiranjivi Nepal said. The bus, which was carrying local passengers to the capital, veered off Arniko highway and rolled about 150 meters (500 feet). Parts of the bus, bodies and luggage were scat-

tered on the forested slopes below the highway. Army and police rescuers were combing the slopes near Deurali village, 80 kilometers (50 miles) east of the capital. Police were still trying to determine the cause of the crash. The highway is wide enough for two vehicles to pass but has sharp turns and no guard rails. Nepal’s mountainous terrain, extreme weather and poorly maintained roads and vehicles often make for treacherous travel conditions. Much of the bus crashes in the country happen during the rainy monsoon season that begins in June and ends in September. l

South Koreans shave heads to protest US missile defence system

Seongju residents get their heads shaved during a protest against the government’s decision to place a US THAAD anti-missile defence unit in their town, South Korea on August 15 REUTERS

n Reuters, South Korea About 900 South Koreans shaved their heads on Monday to protest against a government decision to place a missile defence system designed to counter North Korean missile threats, in the southeastern county of Seongju. Tension has run high since North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and followed up with a satellite launch and a string of test launches of missiles. South Korea announced in July that a US THAAD anti-missile defence unit would be deployed in Seonjgu, but residents have protested, citing safety fears over the system’s sophisticated radar and its potential to be a wartime target. The plan has also angered China and prompted a North Korean warning of retaliation.

Seongju residents, many of them farmers cultivating a melon variety that has brought the county domestic fame, sat in somber silence as they had their heads shaved while a protest leader led a crowd in chants of “No THAAD!” “THAAD should not be deployed at all, not just in Seongju, but anywhere in South Korea,” said Yoo Ji-won, a 63-year-old melon farmer. “We residents gathered here and shaved heads to demonstrate against its deployment.” As many as 908 people joined in the head-shaving part of the protest, organizers said. “This is the most powerful way of displaying protest,” protest leader Kim An-soo said. “We cannot protest any bigger”. The South Korean defence ministry has vowed to minimize any impact from THAAD on residents and the environment. l

12 Business

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

Citycell fate set to be decided tomorrow

United Mediaworks expands footprint n Ishtiaq Husain to Bangladesh n Tribune Business Desk Indian digital cinema services provider United Mediaworks (UMW) has expanded its footprint to Bangladesh, even as its plan to form a joint venture in India with KSS has failed to take off. UMW has partnered with Jaaz Eskay MultiMedia, the largest film production company in Bangladesh, to provide digital cinema services and technical knowhow in the region, reported Economic Times yesterday. As part of the deal, UMW has already provided its digital cinema technology to 256 screens. “Bangladesh had about 800 cinema screens, mostly analogue and they were closing down fast. There are only 300 active screens,” Ashish Bhandari, joint managing director, UMW, told ET. “We partnered with Jaaz Eskay MultiMedia to offer our services in Bangladesh. With our technology, they have revived and updated 256 screens with the latest digital technology.” Bhandari added that the two companies are working on 100 more screens in the second phase. “It’s a strategic move from our side to enhance the digital cinema industry by leveraging our reach in this region. Our aim is to get 500 screens in the next 12 months.” UMW is assisting in digital content security and distribution of films with 512-bit encryption to get the highest level of security with its patented product, Digibutor. Bhandari said his company is helping in setting up servers and processing labs and training local teams in Bangladesh. In lieu of the technology transfer, UMW is keeping the advertising rights to these screens. “Currently, we are creating awareness in the market. Within three months, we should start getting advertisers. Starting next fiscal, we should be able to reap big benefits,”Bhandari added. l

The future of country’s first cellular phone operator, Citycell, which has turned defaulter, will finally be decided tomorrow. The phone company owes to the government Tk477.51 crore as spectrum and licence renewal fees and other charges. To this effect, Posts and Telecommunication Division will hold a high-level crucial meeting tomorrow to decide the ultimate fate of Citycell. State Minister for Telecommunication Tarana Halim will preside over the scheduled meeting. Telecommunication Division Secretary Faizur Rahman Chowdhury, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) Chairman Dr Shahjahan Mahmood and Citycell CEO Meh-

boob Chowdhury, among others, will attend the meeting to be held at the secretariat, according to the ministry sources. The future of Citycell is a much talked about issue in the country’s telecommunication sector when the regulator, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), asked the subscribers of the operator to choose alternative services by August 16. On July 31, in a surprising move, the regualtor had served a notice to Citycell to pay all its dues, including regulatory fees and fines, worth Tk477 crore by August 16. The regulator ordered the operator to create an option for their subscribers to provide service through an alternative way, said the notice. “BTRC cannot ask the subscribers to switch their connection surprisingly. Before serving any such notice, the commission should consult me,” said Tarana Halim on Sunday while talking to the jour-

RealVU, the first “Direct-toHome” (DTH) service provider in Bangladesh, has launched electronic programme guide (EPG), said the company in a statement recently. RealVU, a joint venture of BEXIMCO and GS Group, introduced the programme in partnership with

Citycell subscribers is approximately 1,50,000 after the biometric RIM registration. According to the BTRC, the Citycell has not paid the second and third instalments of the renewal fees of Tk229 crore for 8.82 megahertz spectrum since spectrum renewal in 2012, which has breached the licencing terms. The other dues include Tk10 crore annual licence fees, Tk27.14 crore for annual spectrum fees from 2013 to 2016, Tk27.84 crore revenue sharing from 2014 to 2016, Tk8.92 crore corporate social responsibility fund from 2011 to 2016 while Tk39.92 crore VAT and Tk13.5 crore late fees. Its parent company Pacific Bangladesh Telecom Limited got licence for telecom services in 1989. Citycell is the only CDMA network operator in the country. It is currently owned by Singtel with 45% stake and the remaining 55% is owned by the Pacific Group and Far East Telecom. l

Okapia goes for super offer today

n Tribune Business Desk

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina receives a cheque for Tk75 lakh from Shib Narayan Kairy, Director, BRAC Bank Limited, at a program at Ganabhaban in Dhaka recently COURTESY

RealVU offers e-programme guide services n Tribune Business Desk

nalists on the issue of BTRC’s notice on Citycell. Following the junior minister’s reaction, an official of Telecom Division said a meeting has been scheduled on Wednesday. “The high-level meeting will decide whether Citycell would be shut or not. As far as I know, Citycell will get an additional time to pay all its dues and to switch their subscribers to another operator. But, the government may ultimately shut down its operation,” added the official. He also said details would be discussed at the meeting. After the meeting, the Citycell subscribers may get more time to switch to another operator. Earlier, BTRC Chief Dr Shahjahan Mahmood said: the government will make its final decision about the fate of Citycell as to whether it would be shut or let to continue its services.” Shahjahan informed the journalists that the total number of

Gracenote, a provider of the World’s Largest Entertainment Metadata, powering billions of devices and entertainment products, apps and services. Gracenote is the industry standard for music and television metadata, featuring descriptions of more than 180 million tracks and TV listings for over 60 countries.

RealVU EPG provides a preview of programme information of seven days so that subscribers can choose comfortably and plan what to watch next. The RealVU EPG technology will provide subscribers flexibility to choose their favorite TV programmes with the press of a button. l

Mobile handset company, Okapia is set to launch a 27 days-long consumer promotional campaign titled ‘Okapia Super Offer’ from today with exciting offer for its customer. The campaign will continue till September 11 before the Eidul- Azha. Consumers of all okapia smartphones and feature-phones are entitled to this offer who buy in this period. The customer will get the opportunity to win one deep freezer and 100 t-shirt every day throughout this campaign period. The winner will be selected on random selection. To avail this offer the customer has to send a SMS to 6969 number after purchasing any Okapia Mobile handset. The lucky winner of the prize will be informed through and SMS within 72 working hours. l

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

Japan’s economic growth fizzles out in second quarter n AFP, Tokyo Japan’s economy stalled in the April-June quarter, data showed yesterday, missing market forecasts and rekindling worries about the government’s faltering bid to stoke a recovery. Growth in the world’s third largest economy was flat at 0.0% on-quarter, falling below economists’ expectations for a modest 0.2% expansion, as weak exports and a fall in business spending dented activity. On an annualised basis, the economy expanded by a slight 0.2% in the latest period, well off expectations for a 0.7% rise and a 1.9% growth rate seen in the first quarter of the year. Japanese officials are under growing pressure to deliver as economists increasingly write off Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s yearslong bid to cement a lasting recovery, dubbed Abenomics. “Today’s data are quite disappointing,” said Junko Nishioka, chief economist at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking. “The situation is becoming tougher and tougher. There is the rally in the yen and worries about Japan’s prospects in overseas markets. And so companies are becoming more pessimistic about making investments.” Inflation dropped for a fourth straight month in June, delivering a fresh blow to Abe’s war on deflation. Business confidence has slumped to levels last seen when he swept to power in late 2012 on a ticket to fire up an economy beset by years of falling prices and weak growth. Tokyo recently announced a whopping 28tn yen ($276bn) package aimed at kickstarting growth, after Britain’s June vote to quit the European Union sent financial markets into a tailspin and sparked a yen rally.

Second quarter growth in Japan was flat at 0.0% quarter-on-quarter, missing economists’ predictions for a 0.2% expansion in the April-June period REUTERS The second quarter drop in business spending comes as the strong yen threatens corporate Japan’s bottom line - aggravating broader concerns about growth. Investors tend to buy Japan’s currency as a safe bet in times of turmoil or uncertainty. But it makes its exporters less competitive overseas and hits profits at Japan Inc. The problem was highlighted recently as many of the county’s best-known firms, including Sony and Toyota, reported lower profits in the three months to June.

Spend-for-growth

Abe’s plan -- a mix of massive monetary easing, government spending and red-tape slashing -- initially brought the yen down from record highs and set off a stock market rally. But promises to cut through red

tape have been slower, and Abe’s plan to buoy Japan’s once-booming economy have looked increasingly unrealistic. His spend-for-growth policies have set Japan apart from some of its rich nation counterparts, including Germany which has been reluctant to endorse them, seeing it as an ineffective way to stimulate the economy. Abe reshuffled his cabinet in early August after easily winning upper house elections, and vowed to speed up his battle with deflation. The Bank of Japan’s massive monetary easing campaign is a cornerstone of plans to boost prices. The central bank disappointed markets at its late July meeting when it opted to leave its 80tn yen annual bond-buying programme unchanged, amid worries that expanding the scheme could spark volatility in Japan’s debt markets.

The BoJ also held off cutting interest rates deeper into negative territory. Negative rates are meant to encourage lending to people and businesses by effectively charging banks to keep excess reserves in the BoJ’s vaults. But commercial banks have complained they are eating into their financial results. Japan’s growth data are likely to heap pressure on the BoJ to act when it meets next month, analysts said. “Japan’s economy stagnated in the second quarter,” said Marcel Thieliant from research house Capital Economics. “Adding in the deflationary impact of the stronger yen, underlying inflation should moderate further in coming months, increasing the pressure on the BoJ to provide more monetary easing.” l

Oil rises on talk of producer action, but excess looms n Reuters, London Oil prices rose yesterday to their highest in nearly a month, with benchmark Brent crude trading more than 10% above the start of August, as speculation intensified about potential producer action to support prices in an oversupplied market. Brent crude oil futures rose to a high for the month of $47.67 a barrel yesterday before dipping back to $47.10 per barrel at 0943 GMT, up 13 cents from their last settlement,

and 11.3% above the last close in July. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose to a high of $45.15 a barrel before dipping to $44.63 a barrel, still up 14 cents from their last close. WTI has gained more than 7% in August. On Monday, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak bolstered hopes that oil producing nations could take action to stabilize prices, telling a Saudi newspaper that his country was consulting with Saudi Arabia and other producers to achieve market stability.

Still, analysts were skeptical that the market could maintain its strength, particularly as the excess of supply that has dogged producers for the past two years showed little sign of quickly abating. “In our view a renewed price correction cannot be ruled out if market participants start focusing on the supply side again, for the latest drilling activity figures in the US cast doubts that the oversupply is really being eroded,” Commerzbank analyst Carsten Fritsch said in a note. Baker Hughes data released on

Business

Friday showed the number of rigs operating in the US rose by 15 last week to 396. While far from the over 1,600 in operation in 2014 before the price rout, it has steadily risen from a low of just 316 in late May as US producers adjusted to lower prices. Doubts also abounded over the chances of OPEC putting aside a market share battle in order to prop up prices. Iran is edging out Russia in a fight to supply crude oil to Poland, while its crude exports to South Korea jumped nearly four fold in July from the previous year. l

UK employers scale back hiring plans after Brexit vote n Reuters British employers have turned more cautious about hiring and are less likely to invest in training for their workers following the decision in June by voters to leave the European Union, a survey showed yesterday. The proportion of employers expecting to increase staffing over the next three months dropped from 40% before the referendum to 36% after it, according to the CIPD, an organisation representing human resources professionals, and staffing firm Adecco Group UK & Ireland. One in five employers expected to reduce investment in training and skills as a result of Brexit and the subsequent fall in the value of the pound which will push up the cost of imports. Seven percent planned to invest more. “While many businesses are treating the immediate post-Brexit period as ‘business as usual’ and hiring intentions overall still remain positive, there are signs that some organisations, particularly in the private sector, are preparing to batten down the hatches,” CIPD acting chief economist Ian Brinkley said. l

German spending would do little for global growth n AFP, Berling A public stimulus programme in Germany would contribute little to lifting global growth, the Bundesbank said yesterday, shrugging off calls from eurozone partners for Berlin to increase its spending. “It appears that a programme of public spending in Germany would not be the most appropriate tool to help give a strong stimulus to the international economy,” the central bank said following a study into the issue. Increased public spending would boost German domestic demand, and thereby trade with “some small and medium-size economies in the surroundings of Germany and in central Europe”. But the effect would be “weak” for the eurozone’s biggest economies like France, Italy and Spain, said the Bundesbank, adding that it would also have little impact on Portugal and Greece. The bank grounded its arguments in a study that simulated an increase in German public investments by up to 1% of gross domestic product over two years. l

Business

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

300 diploma engineers to get Walton internship n Tribune Business Desk The local manufacturer of electronics products, Walton, will provide internship opportunity for over 300 fresh diploma engineers from several polytechnic institutes to help acquire practical knowledge before entering job market, said the company in a statement. Walton Service Management System (WSMS) will host internship programme under its Industrial Attachment Course. The company disclosed the matter at an event titled “Industrial Attachment Orientation Programme for Diploma in Engineering Students of 2016” held in the capital recently. Under the programme a threemonth higher vocational training will be provided to over 300 interns on the technical sides of different electronics, electrical and automobile appliances like fridge, television, motorcycle, air conditioner, mobile phone and other electronics and electrical home and kitchen appliances. Internship will start on August 13 and continue till November 15. The trainees will complete their internship programme at the Walton’s 62 service centres across the country. “The internship opportunity at Walton Service Centres will help fresh diploma engineers turn themselves into skilled workforce through a higher level of practical training,” Walton Group’s Executive Director and Head of Policy SM Zahid Hasan said. Walton Service Centres are equipped with the world’s latest technologies, state-of-the art machinery and skilled engineers and technicians, Zahid said. Besides, such initiative of Walton will not only reduce the scarcity of skilled workforce but also help Bangladesh make a strong presence in the world’s technology-based products’ manufacturing industry, he said. “I am lucky for getting chance of taking higher level of practical trainings from the country’s electronics giant Walton,” said Sohel Hasan, an intern from Narsingdi Polytechnic Institute. The WSMS officials said a total of 110 and 194 diploma engineers received internship certificates from Walton Service Management in 2014 and 2015 respectively. Over 500 diploma engineers applied for the Industrial Attachment Course at Walton this year, of which 320 were selected. l

China signals growth, not political disputes, should dominate G20 n Reuters, Beijing China expects next month’s summit of the G20 which it is hosting will focus on boosting economic growth and other financial issues rather than disputes like the South China Sea, senior officials said yesterday. The summit of the world’s 20 biggest economies in the eastern city of Hangzhou will be the highlight of President Xi Jinping’s diplomatic agenda this year, and the government is keen to ensure it proceeds smoothly. The Sept 4-5 leaders’ meeting comes as clouds continue to hover over global growth prospects and worries about China’s own slowing economy. Last month’s meeting of G20 policymakers was dominated by the impact of Britain’s exit from Europe and fears of rising protectionism. Yi Gang, a vice governor of the People’s Bank of China, said the summit will focus on how to stimulate sluggish global economic growth through open, inclusive trade and the development of robust financial markets. “We need to instill market confidence and ensure there are no competitive devaluations but rather let the market determine exchange rates,” Yi told a news briefing, adding this would be the first G20 to discuss foreign exchange markets in such detail. The G20 will also discuss how to better monitor and respond to risks presented by global capital flows, he said.

A man rides an electronic bike past a billboard for the upcoming G20 summit in Hangzhou Despite increasingly protectionist rhetoric around the world, the G20 is strongly opposed to anti-trade and anti-investment sentiment, Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao said. “We really do need to make sure that the people, the public, benefit from economic development and growth. If people don’t feel like they are beneficiaries of economic development, if they don’t think their lot in life is improving, that’s when they start getting all kinds of ideas.”

But meetings between Xi and the leaders of countries including the United States, Japan, South Korea and Australia are all also expected to touch upon tricky subjects such as China’s increasingly assertive moves in the South China Sea, diplomats say. China has refused to recognise an international court ruling over its claims there in a case brought by the Philippines. Vice Foreign Minister Li Baodong did not directly answer a question about whether the G20

REUTERS

was the right place to discuss the South China Sea, saying various countries always had their own agendas to push on issues of concern at such meetings. “This meeting, this G20 summit in Hangzhou, has as its theme economic growth,” Li said. “How can we have sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth. This is what everyone is focused on and is the consensus. We believe that member states will discuss this important subject and find a resolution.” l

CORPORATE NEWS

City Bank has recently signed an agreement with Building for Future Limited (BFL) on providing home loans at zero processing fee to their customers against new flat purchase, said a press release. The bank’s AMD, Faruq M Ahmed and Tanveerul Haque Probal, managing director of BFL were present at the signing ceremony

NYSE sees double-digit Asian IPOs through 2017, with focus on tech n Reuters, Hong Kong The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) sees technology companies driving a revival in new Asian listings and expects double-digit IPOs through the end of 2017 from the region, the exchange’s global head of capital markets said in an interview. New listings should start picking up pace in the next months after a slow first half of the year, said Garvis Toler, who is finishing up a trip to Asia with stops in Japan, Indonesia, Hong Kong and mainland China. NYSE, which has seen

only two listings from Asia this year, is betting that technology companies that have raised billions of dollars in private markets would lead the rebound. “If that number was in the double digits in the next year and a half it wouldn’t be surprising at all,” Toler told Reuters. “I would absolutely say technology is where the greatest interest is coming from,” he added. The comments mirror those by Nasdaq Inc Chief Executive Officer Robert Greifeld, who said in June that Chinese companies were eager to list in the United States and double-digit listings this

year would be seen as a success. Companies including Chinese car-hailing app Didi Chuxing and financial technology company Lufax, plus India’s Flipkart and cab hailing firm Ola, are among several that have raised billions of dollars from investors betting on the region’s booming demand for internet services. NYSE, which is owned by Intercontinental Exchange Inc, regularly battles with rival Nasdaq Inc for listings, including technology and internet companies that had been a staple for the Nasdaq for many years. l

Business

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

Tech

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

Mac revamp After several years, the MacBook might finally get a total revamp

n Mahmood Hossain The last time there was any kind of major upgrade was back in 2012, when the MacBook Pro received the Retina display treatment. Even with the slightest hint of an announcement of the new changes are yet to be determined. Why? Well, it’s because these are just rumours for now. Believable rumours at that. Recent reports from Bloomberg say that Apple are planning on revamping the entire MacBook Pro line. It is said that the new changes will involve more powerful graphics, Touch ID fingerprint sensor, and a touch-screen strip that would completely replace the function keys. We won’t be seeing these changes anytime soon or might not hear any legitimate announcements until later next year. In the tech world, four to five years is a very long time so it’s about time Apple took things to bring back their sales in this given department. Modest improvements really haven’t helped sales of the MacBook laptops, as sales decline after every quarter of the fiscal year. While the other features rumoured to make its debut on the new MacBook Pro laptops,

the most intriguing one might be the touch-screen strip positioned above the keyboard. This strip will replace the traditional function keys you see on regular laptops. To take it further, the strip will have OLED-based icons which was predicted by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In addition, these special icons will change their behaviour based on the application you might be using. To get a clearer picture, Bloomberg gave a perfect example. As you open iTunes app, the strip icons will automatically turn into playback buttons that will let you control the music. The same can go for a word processor application, which may turn the strip into editing

buttons for copying, pasting and so on. There is also the inevitable change in USB ports, as the new laptops will house USB-C ports that will be able to charge older devices in a faster manner. The laptops might also be in different colours, including grey, gold and silver. It seems they are taking the right direction, brining back a little bit of the past in its design with today’s technology. So many options and attractive features might be the muchneeded changes Apple needs for their laptops. Then again, there is always that price tag on each model that we all struggle with at the beginning. Yeesh. l

ridiculously crispy that is to watch on a 5.7-inch display. It is to no surprise that it has received the highest marks for peak brightness, highest contrast ratio and lowest screen reflectance. The message we get here is

that Samsung has provided the market, as expensive as it may be, with the state-of-the-art display that is a step ahead of the game. Soneira was quoted saying, “The Galaxy Note 7 is the most innovative and high-performance

smartphone display that we have ever tested.” It may have the best screen, but let’s wait a bit for a full review to see the rest of the attributes compliment the new advancements. l

Skipped a note The new Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is already making headlines

n Mahmood Hossain The people at Samsung decided to hop past the 6-train and land on the 7th. For those of you confused, the new ‘phablet’ is a Note 7 and not 6 because Samsung decided to clear any confusion between its flagship smartphones of the slightly smaller relative. We’ve already bragged about how amazing the Galaxy S7 Edge is, but now the Note 7 is on its way to putting on some huge numbers for the Android market. Releasing this August 19, the Note 7 is Samsung’s latest beautiful beast. It has a 5.7-inch, 2560x1440 pixel Quad-HD Super AMOLED display. Just like the Edge, the Note 7 features a curved screen that bends off to the sides. The screen’s quality is so damn good, it’s caught the attention of

DisplayMate President Raymon Soneira, who tested and ranked it for Technology Shoot-out released a week ago. When an average consumer goes out to purchase a new device, the display has to be impressively sharp and crisp in order to meet their standards. The Note 7 has details the average consumer won’t even think about using. It is a fact that most smartphones and tablets only offer single colour mode with no ways to change it. The Note 7, on the other hand, has four different colour modes that the user can switch between. The screen is so good that the AMOLED Cinema mode can play the latest highend 4K video content that can be found on 4K Ultra HD televisions. Take a step back and a seat, and try to picture in your mind how

Gaming

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

The sound and the Furi

n Omar Saif What do you get when the art director of Afro Samurai, Takashi Okazaki, gets involved on an unorthodox hack and slash indie game? You get Furi. One sword. One gun. Multiple guardians with one goal: to stop you from breaking out of prison. This is the concept of Furi, a game centered around the tension of boss fights, before and during. As far as the introductory story goes, you are a warrior, and you are unjustly imprisoned in an

otherworldly setting. Your task is to slash, shoot, and dodge your way through each of the worlds as you make your way out of your prison. Pretty straightforward, right? Well, here’s the kicker: you only go from boss battle to boss battle. There are no “canon fodder” to cleave your way through, no upgrades, no unlockable bonuses. There’s just one boss battle after another. Now, the story unfolds in cut scenes and narrations from your unlikely non-combative ally:

a mysterious man with an odd bunny hat who seem to know all about your predicament. For those familiar with it, it’s very akin to Afro Samurai. You will feel like you are playing a chapter right out of the series. The techno-heavy music is beautiful and it will do wonders to keep you on your feet. Neon coloring, slow unraveling of the story, a silent protagonist with a gun and sword, and a crazy cast of villains, and a music that compliments every aesthetic; all blend beautifully to create an unique experience. The controls are fairly simple. Dodging, shooting, charging, blocking. That’s all you get, and to be fair that’s all you need. But between the beautiful cell shaded graphics, the story build up and the relatively simple controls, one should NEVER consider this an easy game. The tutorial is just as cinematic as any part of the game. Even as a tutorial, this is not a battle to be trifled around with. Although the control schemes are explained very nicely and the fluidity of the mechanics is clearly demonstrated, the complexity of

this game is very apparent from the get go. Each boss is very unique, each with it’s own unique patterns of attacks and phases. Much like some other boss centric games, each boss has a few bars of health. Now, each of these bars will signify a certain pattern of attack from the boss, which you have to avoid, much like a bullet-hell game, in order to get close to the enemy and cleave it down. After each bar is degraded to a certain extent, you and the enemy is locked in a small area where close combat occurs. The same “dodge, parry, cleave” method is implemented here as well, but with different animations and attacks. Once you hit the enemy enough times here, this single bar of the enemy’s health is depleted and you move on to it’s next phase. Keep in mind, during any phase, if one of your health bar is depleted, the phase restarts. It’s an odd “tug of war” mechanics that works beautifully together. If all that seemed complicated, allow me to make it a tad bit worse. As stated earlier, this is no easy game. If you are a casual

gamer, you will have a tough time with this. However, if you’re glutton for punishment, this one is for you. All that being said, the feeling of accomplishment after defeating an enemy is undeniable. You will know that you are getting better and that it was your skills alone that brought you victory. The talented developers at The Game Bakers have gotten a runaway hit in their hands. Furi is an aesthetically pleasing, musically beautiful, and a short and precise story. The gameplay is as punishing as it is addictive. The team behind the game deserves a pat on the back for this masterpiece. If you have a PlayStation 4 with a PSN account, you cannot pass on this. If you are on the PC, Furi is available on Steam. For the PC, it is recommended that you use an Xbox 360 or an Xbox One controller. This is one game, this reviewer is happy to have paid full price and support the indie developers. In my humble opinion, it is worth every penny. I will be keeping a keen eye on The Game Bakers from now on. l

Biz Info

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

| memorial |

| event |

BRACU remembers Father of the Nation

Inauguration of Fire Station at Adamjee EPZ

Remembering the legacy of our Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, on his 41st death anniversary, a discussion session on his life and works was organised by BRAC University on August 14, 2016 at BRAC University Indoor Auditorium. Professor Dr Hafiz G A Siddiqi, Professor Dr Akbar Ali Khan, Professor Dr Mirza Md Azizul Islam, Professor Dr Salehuddin Ahmed of the BRAC Business School, BRAC University were key discussants. Professor Hafiz G. A Siddique, in his speech, remembered how

great a visionary Bangabandhu was to promote science and technology education in the early 70s and his willingness to facilitate BUET at that time. The Bangladesh today has universities on Engineering and Technology, which has rooted from that initiative. Professor Dr Akbar Ali Khan said that Bangabandhu’s biography is an honest confession of a leader who was open and transparent at all times. He encouraged all to read Bangabandhu’s biography. The discussants shared their precious memories of working with

Bangabandhu and how rightful he was in his decisions at all times. Dr Mirza Md Azizul Islam particularly praised the human qualities of Bangabondhu. Dr Salehuddin Ahmed particularly mentioned the leadership role of Bangabandhu in building the foundation of our country. The discussants hoped that modern day teachers and students would be able to learn the greatness of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and will be able to create a country that he dreamt of – “the best way to pay respect is to materialise the dream of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to create a developed Bangladesh.” Honourable vice chancellor of BRAC University Professor Syed Saad Andaleeb, PhD in his concluding speech, talked about the supreme quality of leadership which Bangabandhu showed at the age of 51. The event concluded with a short video on the life and works of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The video presentation was prepared by the students of BRAC University.l

Bangladesh Export Processing Zones authority (BEPZA) has set up a new Fire Service & Civil Defence Station inside Adamjee EPZ to strengthen fire prevention, workplace safety, rescue and safety assistance during fire disasters. Major General Mohd Habibur Rahman Khan, ndc, psc, executive chairman of BEPZA inaugurated the newly built fire station in Adamjee EPZ premises on August 10 at Shiddirgonj, Narayanganj. This initiative was taken up by the BEPZA chief to ensure

the safety of lives and properties of workers and entrepreneurs alike. The fire station has four emergency tenders vehicles which are equipped with modern facilities along with fire fighting appliances. The executive chairman of BEPZA was accompanied by Md Mosaddeque Ali, member, engineering, Md Ashraful Kabir, general manager of Adamjee EPZ, Nazma Binte Alamgir, general manager, PR and Lt Col Md Lokman Ali, general manager, security.l

| food |

| meal |

Palatable Pad Thai at Absolute Thai

Mexican Bites at Brews and Bites

Pad Thai is undoubtedly the number one stirred-fried noodle dish in Thailand, and it is rightly listed as the fifth on the world’s most delicious food list. It is prepared with either chicken or prawns paired with delicious flat soft rice noodles which soak up all the tasty flavours of the dish. It hosts a beautiful balance of flavours, with ample amount of sourness from the tamarind, sweetness from the palm sugar, saltiness from the fish sauce and a the perfect amount of heat from the dried chilli flakes, and garnished with crunchy peanuts, chilli flakes and a wedge of lime. Pad Thai is essentially a very nutritious dish, with the addition of bean sprouts, onions, peanuts, eggs along with the noodle and meats. The Pad Thai at Absolute Thai is probably the best you can find in Dhaka city. Steaming when it’s brought to your table and the smell of the Pad Thai wafting towards you make your mouth salivate as you prepare to spoon the first bite! Absolute Thai House No. 52, Road-12/A, Block-H, Banani For reservation dial: 01610-5000 l

Brews and Bites are now offering Mexican Bites, prepared with authentic ingredients and recipes to bring you the most delectable Mexican dishes including nachos, tacos, Quesadilla and their latest Mexican chicken steak meal.l

Auto Connect

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

Why do people still love old cars?

n Tahsin Momin In most cases, old cars are rubbish. As James May once said, if they were any good, they’d still be made today. On top of that, modern cars are faster, more reliable, more comfortable, better handling, safer, and more economical, too. Fundamentally, they are better in just about every way possible. Despite all the odds, the inferior old cars not only still exist, but are positively flourishing these days. But why? Well, there is no simple answer to this; however there is a combination of factors that plays a part. First of all, there’s the design of the car itself. Old cars were created very much in an analogue world where pencil and paper were used to create the elegant shapes and flowing lines that would not be possible on the computer-based design software used by modern

car designers. For example, take the front wing of a Jaguar XK120 or of a Ferrari 250 GTO. Hence the old cars in most cases considered to be classics. These designs are simply beautiful in every way, and most importantly these are shapes that no modern designer would create today. In most cases the way the metal frame sits underneath the bodywork used during prototyping, it creates a direct influence on the car’s form. These designs belong to a different era - an era that many people fondly look back on, where designers were not bogged down by constraints such as crash tests, or aerodynamics; instead they created shapes that reflected the mood and trends of that era. Modern production techniques are to be blamed here. They have removed much of the character from new cars. Mass production “systems” coupled with soulless

robots and computers on the production lines producing identical parts 365 days a years, are focused on meeting the targets and quotas set by the manufacturers to maximise efficiency and profit. In the older days, car production was largely a manual process performed by coach builders using simple tools complemented by decades of craftsmanship to create panels by hand-eye coordination. The results of this are creations that not only have withstood the hardships of daily usage but also weathered the passage of time. Of course, not all were like this. Some were poorly designed, and built with even less care, and this is exactly what separates classic cars from cars that are merely old. Mechanically, they were quite different, too. Car engines today are effectively a sealed unit, containing components that are unserviceable by the average person. Most of the components are controlled by an electronic computer, which takes inputs from the driver, and then channels them through systems such as the electronic throttle system, electric steering, the traction control, electronic clutch, the ABS system, and so on. All of these systems were introduced to improve efficiency and safety, but if you are looking for heart and soul, they often rob the car of its feel and character. Older machines, on the contrary, are the real deal. They are skillfully balanced mechanical systems comprising hundreds of individual parts, tuned to work together in harmony. The driver gets a direct

access to the machine, providing input and receiving raw feedback through the controls, resulting in an experience that is just not possible with the modern equivalent machines. Driving a classic car requires a lot skills and a great deal of manual input from the driver; from adjusting the fuel/air mixture manually to selecting gears and controlling the power to the wheels through the clutch. All of this needs to be done in a way that gets the best results out of the engine and transmission and not to mention, proper technique also protects the longevity of the moving components. Getting all this right is like a hedonistic game and more challenging than the modern equivalent of all electronic driver aids. For classic car owners, they don’t embark upon a journey to reach a destination, instead the journey itself is the destination. Nostalgia is also a large part in the appeal of classic cars. They all have a history - some have achieved great things in their lives, such as competing in and winning races or endurance events, while others have overcome challenges that are mundane but close to

all it takes is money, and with easy finance, even that is not very difficult any longer. However, you can’t just buy a classic car off the showroom floor. They are no longer in production and are therefore innately limited in supply, as a result they hold a far greater and ever increasing level of exclusivity. No matter how rich you are, you can’t buy a brand new Ferrari 250 GTO, for example, and even if you want an old one, you would still have to find someone, who is willing to sell you theirs. All this effort of acquiring, owning and maintaining a classic car prompts questions of the owner’s passion for that product and their motivation for going to such lengths when owning a new car is so much easier. A culture that has emerged surrounding classic cars, comprising of events such as classic rallies, historic racing, and classic car shows. Owners of these cars get a greater satisfaction from exhibiting their cars at these events and use them as a reflection of their own personality and taste. A modern car typically has an ownership period of anything between 6 months and 5 years before their owners move on to

the heart of the owner. These machines were great enablers of a better life, provided mobility and freedom back when such qualities were rare. They went with their owners on major life events, and consequently became ineradicably associated with those events. All classic cars have a story to tell about what they have accomplished in their lives, places they have been to, and why they are still in operation. The scratches on the paint or the cracks in the leather are seen by most as imperfections, but to a fanatic of classic cars, these are a record of the car’s character and chronicling its life. Car manufacturers play heavily on the heritage and pedigree of their brands, but classic cars are the real-life testaments that define the heritage and established reputation of the brand in the first place. Owning any new car is easy,

something newer and better, but classic car owners see it in the opposite way; the cars will exist beyond their life time, and they are merely temporary custodians of something that will outlive them. New cars are likely to get better and better every year. So, the two year old car that you have today might already be outclassed by the new model just released. Conversely, classic cars, compete on a completely different level. It’s not about speed or efficiency, but about the experience, styling, craftsmanship, and exclusivity, all of which are timeless. Classic cars not just a lump of metal, they are a work of art that not only appeal to car lovers, but also to people who admire engineering, design, art and history. That is why people do, and always will, love classic cars.l

20 Editorial

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

TODAY

The only things that matter When it comes down to it, you, whoever you are, you must realise that the need for compassion and love outweighs all PAGE 21

Jamaat and the sunk cost fallacy In foreign policy, facts are not like a jigsaw puzzle where you try to solve a problem based on evidence, it’s more like PlayDoh, where malleability of modelling clay allows it be presented in a way that suits the maker’s taste PAGE 22

BIGSTOCK

Stronger trade relations a win-win How unfair is the fare? We have a large number of staunchly principled urbanites who are willing to ensure that CNG and rickshaw-pullers are made to obey; curiously, it fades away when we are faced with far bigger vices at the upper levels of society 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.

S Ambassador Marcia Bernicat’s recent statement that her country wishes for greater business ties with Bangladesh is good news for all. The United States is Bangladesh’s second largest destination for its RMG products after the EU, and it is encouraging to see that international business relations are still a priority for the both the countries involved. After recent tragic events, many nations were sceptical of Bangladesh’s continued role in the global market, and this vote of confidence from the American ambassador is an encouraging reminder of our continued relevance and efficiency, and speaks for the resilience of the Bangladeshi people to survive any tragedy. The US has continued to invest and do business with the Bangladeshi garments sector, with the country having done business worth $6.2 billion in 2015 alone. We hope this relationship goes from strength to strength. Even more encouraging is the fact that the American team sent here for assessment has found the current initiatives taken by the government to battle militancy and terrorism satisfactory, and consider our nation safe for American businesses and businesspeople. For continued economic development in the future, this is important. Bangladesh cannot, as a nation, bow down to the forces of terror which have attempted to derail it on its way to progress. Both Bangladesh and the US stand to gain vastly by improved trade relations. At a time when many of the world’s emerging economies are faltering, it is a sign of Bangladesh’s dynamism that it is holding steady in the face of adversity.

We hope this relationship goes from strength to strength

Opinion

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

The only things that matter Practise love as you practise your faith

Freedom makes people happy

REUTERS

When it comes down to it, you, whoever you are, you must realise that the need for compassion and love outweighs all

n SN Rasul

he recent pictures of Syrians being rescued by the Syrian Democratic Forces from IS have to be some of the moving photos I’ve ever seen. There was one in which an SDF girl, ponytail hanging rebelliously from her head, consoles an old man in tears. In another one, the same girl one presumes, hugs ever so tightly an old woman hidden under a niqab, with slits for eyes. And one in which a woman sets fire to a niqab playfully on the streets. The Daily Telegraph’s headline ran: “Women rip off their burqas as Syrian residents of Manbij celebrate rescue from ISIL.” Those of us less willing to buy into the so-called Western, Eurocentric narrative would be, justifiably so perhaps, sceptical of the happiness with which the headline and the photos choose to portray their freedom.

In one photo, another elderly woman looks defiantly at the camera, puffing on a half-finished cigarette, smoke slithering out of the wrinkled slit in her mouth. In another, a man, with the smiliest smile, has his beard cut and shaven off. These are the faces of people who have been “freed” from the theocratic rule of the Islamic State. Don’t let the quotation marks fool you; I am on the less sceptical side, the democratic side, the side which the Islamic State has said to be ungodly, unholy, a complete antithesis to whatever their version of Sharia Law is. These photographs, though they can be taken out of context, can be taken with naiveté on our heels, can be a reminder that theocracy does not a happy people make. You may call these values “Western” and “liberal” and “antiIslam,” but, at the end of the day, when one has been oppressed to such a degree with the threat

of violence, both to themselves and their families, one takes in freedom as a drowning man breathes in air after being rescued. Here’s a hint: If you need the threat of violence to get people to follow your religion, it’s not the religion of peace and love you think it is. In fact, ideas of love and peace, which are meant to be inherently selfless and forgiving, do not factor into the equation at all, and are religions in their own right. You may practise love as you practise Islam or Christianity or Hinduism. You may practise peace as you may Buddhism. When defenders of religion speak, this is what they mean. They, perhaps, ignore the contradictions and the context, but this is what they mean. All religions, if seen from afar, are religions of love. Just don’t get too close, or it’ll burn you out. Did I see love in those photos? I chose to. Did you? I don’t know, maybe you looked

at the photos online, and clicked and swept past them as you do a funny comic or another news story. Or maybe you didn’t see them at all. It doesn’t matter, really. What I saw was liberation. I saw people together. I saw versatility. Of course, if I went deeper, I’d see how each of them had their own agendas, backed by the allencompassing American narrative behind them, but I didn’t. In that moment, the important thing was that these people had seen what so many of us take for granted every day: An opportunity to live as we wish. Of course, freedom, like magic, comes at a price. What price these people end up paying as a result of their captivity, and their subsequent freedom, only time will tell. And democracy isn’t perfect. But theocracy, this idea of being ruled by a religion that smothers, that wishes to erase out entire peoples, this is much, much worse. This nation needs to understand that. And neither is freedom. Most of the time, we’re fighting amongst ourselves, bickering over where we should draw the line of freedom, and which version supersedes the other.

This country needs to understand that too. There is a lesson to be learnt from these photos. That, when it comes down to it, you, whoever you are, you must realise that the need for compassion and love outweighs all. You must realise that flesh and blood, the quotidian aspirations of the poor man, that of food and shelter and good company, are the only things that matter. It doesn’t matter if you disagree with someone, or if someone is offending your faith. That is what people do. If you wish to be violent and angry, stop. Look at these photos, be naïve for a second, and consider how another person’s heart beats, how their mind thinks, how difference and diversity make us stronger, not weaker. Practise love as you practise your faith. There’s no definite proof that it exists, people are always telling you that you’re being silly or stupid, sometimes you have doubts, sometimes you disagree with regards to what exactly it means. But, surely, that is the only religion worth fighting for? l SN Rasul is a Sub-Editor at the Dhaka Tribune. Follow him @snrasul.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

Long Form

Jamaat and the sunk cost fallacy BNP needs to rethink its brand of politics if it wishes to rise again some day. This is the first part of a two-part long form

n Faham Abdus Salam

ohn Ralston Saul in his seminal book Voltaire’s Bastards portrayed an unflattering picture of the supposed rationality of Western bureaucracy that gives rise to a self-serving machinery. The ruling elites, in the name of reason have developed a bureaucratic system that lacks ethical framework and breeds only sanctioned ideas. Rather than solving real problems, the system endorses a set of popular ideas championed by the powerful that ultimately fractures the society. In particular, diplomacy is one area where facts and realities often take a backseat, because there is a structured set of policies that needs to be propagated and implemented. BNP basically wants to reach out to these establishments and convince us that there is no democracy in the country, that the AL is ravaging the national interest, and that the rise of terrorism is directly related to total breakdown of rule of law and state institutions. These are all valid points, and such, outreach programs are often comforting too. We get that, but, more often than not, the hue and cry is destined for deaf ears. Let us not forget, behind every policy disaster there are scores of bureaucrats feeding their superiors

to, and c. will never blow off. Yes, it is that simple, and keeping it simple as such makes life a lot easier -- sadly, only in Washington or Brussels. That guy may know very well that Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh is not a terrorist organisation and in some respect they fare better than AL or BNP as far democratic decision-making is concerned. But will he risk writing a favourable opinion of an Islamist organisation in a decision-making process or policy paper? Of course not. In fact, to be safe, he will probably remain 100 pages away from anything that comes even close to that radioactive outfit. The culmination of these notes, minutes, briefings, and expert opinions is what we loosely call “foreign policy.” In foreign policy, facts are not like a jigsaw puzzle where you try to solve a problem based on evidence, it’s more like PlayDoh, where malleability of modelling clay allows it to be presented in a way that suits the maker’s taste. Solving problems or helping the deserving has never been the primary function of bureaucratic organisations -- it is to support their dogma. BNP has set out to convey these establishments a set of following core messages (but not limited to), which, in the light of current geo-political reality, seem rather audacious:

In foreign policy, facts are not like a jigsaw puzzle where you try to solve a problem based on evidence, it’s more like PlayDoh, where malleability of modelling clay allows it be presented in a way that suits the maker’s taste The BNP leadership needs to make some drastic changes the 11-course degustation meal of analysis and information -exactly the way the establishment demanded it to be. Now, this young man hiding behind a desktop in Washington, London, or Brussels may well be aware of 50 Shades of Green, but that is his academic curiosity. In real life, for practical purposes, there are just three kinds of Muslims in the world: Muslims who a. will, b. be likely

1. Jamaat is not a terrorist organisation. It is a regular democratic party. 2. BNP’s alliance with Jamaat is strictly an electoral one (so this particular Islamic brand of politics has got nothing to do with BNP. 3. They should persuade India that a democratic election in Bangladesh is actually in the interest of Bangladesh, which, if it supersedes Indian interest in Bangladesh, should be accepted

gracefully by the regional superpower. In all fairness, this commentator is confident that he has a better chance convincing Donald Trump that Mexican Muslims are at least semi-human beings while some might have really big hands -- bigger than his. Some people, after ordering a large sized Big Mac, devour the meal even if they were satisfied half-way through it. They think:

“Since I have paid for it I might as well finish it.” In psychology, falling into the trap of this thinking error is known as “sunk cost fallacy.” If you are having a meal to satisfy your hunger, logically speaking, it does not matter how much you have paid earlier or how much food is left in the plate after you have had enough. The BNP’s alliance with Jamaat is a classic example of sunk cost fallacy.

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

The party is continuing a meaningless (and fruitless) alliance because it thinks “since we have invested so much, it makes sense to carry on for the sake of credibility.” l The concluding part of this long form will be published tomorrow. Faham Abdus Salam is currently working in the Australian government in pharmaceutical evaluation.

Opinion

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

How unfair is the fare? We demand integrity from poor people, but stay quiet about bigger injustices

Meter or no meter?

n Towheed Feroze

“B

hai, give me Tk20 more on the meter,” is a common line faced by many who use the CNG. I come across such a request almost regularly. In case, the meter rate is not followed and there is an agreed fare between the passenger and the CNG, the other line often used by the CNG driver is: “If the sergeant asks, please say we are on the meter.” Some people, as I find from vitriol-filled Facebook posts, would rather go into a prolonged fight on the street to protest or resort to absolute denunciation of these demands, calling the CNG drivers totally devoid of any moral sense. I do agree, a lot of people have the right to be livid. The meter is there to be followed like all other rules aimed at providing proper public service. Then, recently, I came across another Facebook post after special-coloured rickshaws with fare rates were introduced in the diplomatic area. It seems that the rickshaw-pullers have expressed dissatisfaction over the rates, calling them unreasonable. Some have reportedly said: With

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

We have a large number of staunchly principled urbanites who are willing to ensure that CNG and rickshaw-pullers are made to obey; curiously, while this zeal towards one section is so pronounced, it fades away when we are faced with far bigger vices at the upper levels of society this rate, it becomes hard for them to survive. Maybe that is an exaggeration, but the personal comments following the Facebook post, many overflowing with venom, provided food for thought. I ask you to please weigh my logic a little objectively. First of all, why is it that in a society where corruption in a variety of forms runs deep with flouting of regulations by people wielding power almost too blatant, we expect people at the lower rung of the work force to be 100% ethical with strict adherence to all rules set for them? In one of the comments, a person called the rickshaw-pullers “extortionists” who, according to him, ask three times more the actual fare. Well, for argument’s sake, let’s see how much more can actually be asked from a possible passenger. Around Dhaka, the maximum fare is Tk150; in such a case, the

demanded fare will never be over Tk250 though such a sum may only be requested in case of a long jam or prior to a major celebration based on religious event. During monsoon, rates go up, the Tk20 fare becomes 40, the 40 usually becomes 60, but hardly 80. Anyway, let’s assume it becomes double but answer me this: Is paying that amount leaving us penniless or, is that extra amount making the CNG or the rickshaw-puller a rich person? Some will rationalise by saying that for people with limited income, even small amounts paid extra can mean a lot. Well, I do not know how many who say this actually are on the road, observing the whole culture of hiring a rickshaw or a CNG, but as a regular street walker who has experience of almost all areas of the city, the CNG plus the rickshaw drivers know instinctively who will be able to pay a little more.

I have hardly seen them demanding more from garment workers returning home, or from working class people. Of course, another argument may be that one should not pay extra since it is a matter of principle and upholding a stipulated fare is the right approach. Agreed, we have a large number of staunchly principled urbanites who are willing to ensure that CNG and rickshaw pullers are made to obey; curiously, while this zeal towards one section is so pronounced, it fades away when we are faced with far bigger vices at the upper levels of society. It’s easy to say: “I will give you a slap if you want more,” to a CNG driver but how many of us will get out on the street, stand in front of a flag stand car driving on the wrong side with the police making way and take an admonishing stance?

Interestingly, of late, I notice cars with diplomatic number plates also breaking the law. The point here is this: If we want people at the lower level of the social pyramid to obey laws, the examples of respect for rules need to be set at the upper echelons. Will I be wrong to say that living here in Bangladesh all of us, including myself, have resorted one time or the other, to some form of speed money payment, favouritism, or palm greasing to facilitate our own work? In those cases, we do what is required, isn’t that so? And then, maintain that holier-than-thou facade. I say, in the Gulshan-Banani and Baridhara area, the rates should be high for all rickshaws because by putting pressure on these poor fellows and keeping a low fare does not make any administration a superhero, especially in an affluent area where residents meeting for a casual cup of coffee spend more than the entire day’s earning of the rickshaw driver. No one flinches at spending Tk200 for a cup of coffee plus another 200 for a small cake but the temper rises if a CNG or a rickshaw wants a little more. Can we show the same anger towards all those loan defaulters with high connections who move about with impunity in their luxury vehicles? No, maybe in the glint of their opulence, all of us become a little subdued, resorting to an ingratiating smile. Or how about the so-called business magnates who make it a point to never pay employees on time? Trust me, I have seen many of those. I feel that all our rage is directed towards these fellows because we cannot get angry at the misdeeds of others. Plainly speaking, those who are way up in the power ladder. That is exactly why the small time thief caught in a bazar is lynched whereas the big extortionist wearing the political colour gets the sycophantic salute. Well, in a country where corruption, crony culture, and ego massaging are done at various levels in mind-boggling manifestations, we need to ask ourselves: How fair is it to demand total integrity from people at the lower rungs of the income table when all those taking the supercilious position have many hushed up sides themselves? l

Towheed Feroze is a journalist currently working in the development sector.

24 Sport

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

TOP STORIES

Bolt, the unstoppable

Meeting with agencies, HCs vital The Bangladesh Cricket Board is on its toes to receive the threemember England and Wales Cricket Board security inspection team which is set to reach Dhaka tomorrow following its India visit. PAGE 25

Murray wins historic second gold Andy Murray of Great Britain became the first player to win two Olympic tennis singles gold medals Sunday when he defeated Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro 7-5, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 in an epic final. PAGE 26

Usain Bolt of Jamaica wins the gold medal in the men’s 100m final at Olympic Stadium on Sunday

n Reuters, Rio De Janeiro Misbah: Pakistan deserve to be No 1 Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said his side will deserve to be the world’s top-ranked Test team after they came from behind to draw a four-match series 2-2 in England by winning the Oval Test. PAGE 27

Suarez gives Barcelona edge Luis Suarez of Uruguay insisted the Spanish Super Cup is not Barcelona’s yet after helping his team shoot down Europa League winners Sevilla 2-0 to give them a comfortable lead after Sunday’s first leg of the final. PAGE 28

For 9.81 glorious seconds on Sunday all the ills that have dogged athletics were forgotten as Usain Bolt stormed to victory in the 100 metres final to become the first man to win three successive Olympic titles on the track. The Jamaican trailed arch-rival Justin Gatlin, roundly booed by the Rio crowd for his doping past, until the 70 metre mark but then swept past the tightening American, finding time to pat his chest as he crossed the line a metre clear. Gatlin, the 2004 champion who came into the race with the season’s fastest time of 9.80, took second in 9.89. Canada’s Andre de Grasse claimed bronze in 9.91 seconds - the same finishing order as in last year’s world championships. Victory took Bolt a step closer to his goal of winning a historic “triple-triple” combination of gold in the 100m, 200m and the 4x100m relay in three consecutive Olympics. Other than the 2011 world championships, when he was disqualified for a false start, Bolt has won every global championship

individual sprint race since 2008. That equates to five Olympic golds and seven in the world championships. Throw in two more Olympic and four world championship 4x100m relay golds and the world record in all three events and that is total and utter domination Already assured of his legendary status on the track, Bolt also added to his reputation as sport’s number-one crowd pleaser as he took a leisurely circuit of the stadium, posing for pictures and shaking a thousand hands before taking time to satisfy the demands of the world’s media. If the fans were pleased, it is hard to imagine the relief felt by officials of the IAAF and IOC, who must have been dreading a Gatlin victory. The American has served two drugs bans, though he denies any deliberate wrongdoing for either, and at 34 was bidding to become the oldest 100m champion. The Rio fans showed what they thought of him as he was loudly booed as he entered the arena and Gatlin returned the compliment by being the only finalist not to acknowledge the them. Bolt, in contrast, brought the

spectators to the usual fever pitch of excitement as he strolled in, smiling and waving. It was no surprise to see Gatlin, the fastest man in the semi-finals, get his usual explosive start but Bolt took longer than usual to reel him in. The big Jamaican eventually unravelled his long legs to reach maximum velocity and though he did not hit the front until later than he might have liked, when he did he shot past a grimacing Gatlin like a track cyclist coming out of a slipstream in the velodrome. The time was a long way off his 2009 world record of 9.58 and his victory was probably the least dominant of all but last year’s world championships final, but that was never the issue at stake. Gatlin had nothing but praise for a man he has watched come past him so often. Yohan Blake called his compatriot and training partner “an icon and a true warrior of the sport”. “To come back and win three times he’s a one of a kind,” said the 2011 world champion, who finished fourth in 9.93. “I just want to say congrats. He’s a legend. He’s incredible.” l

REUTERS

RESULT 1. Usain Bolt (Jamaica) 9.81 seconds 2. Justin Gatlin (U.S.) 9.89 3. Andre De Grasse (Canada) 9.91 4. Yohan Blake (Jamaica) 9.93 5. Akani Simbine (South Africa) 9.94 6. Ben Youssef Meite (Ivory Coast) 9.96 7. Jimmy Vicaut (France) 10.04 8. Trayvon Bromell (U.S.) 10.06

Usain Bolt of Jamaica celebrates winning the men’s 100m gold REUTERS

Sport

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

Misbah pleads England to tour Bangladesh n AFP, London Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has warned of the damage that could be done to Bangladesh cricket should England call off their upcoming tour of the country. England are due to fly to Bangladesh on September 30 for three one-day internationals and two Test matches. But there been concerns about the viability of the fixtures, the first leg of an England tour programme that features a subsequent Test series in India, ever since 29 people were killed in a terror attack in Dhaka. Misbah, while accepting the legitimacy of security concerns, knows full well how debilitating it has been for fans in cricket-loving Pakistan not to have seen their own heroes in international action and fears what a similar situation might do to the game in fellow Asian nation Bangladesh. “It’s their (England’s) decision but if a team is not playing at home, it’s really not good for cricket,” said Misbah after leading Pakistan to a 10-wicket in the fourth Test against England at The Oval on Sunday that saw his side draw the fourmatch series 2-2. “People in Bangladesh love cricket. They have a craziness for it. If they are deprived of hosting cricket, it could be a big loss for them.” l

ECB SECURITY INSPECTION TOUR

Meeting with security agencies, high commissions vital

BCB headquarters under heavy security blanket

n Minhaz Uddin Khan The Bangladesh Cricket Board is on its toes to receive the three-member England and Wales Cricket Board security inspection team which is set to reach Dhaka tomorrow. According to BCB’s media and communications committee chairman Jalal Younus, the board has taken all possible measures to satisfy the ECB delegates and any observation from the visitors will be taken care of accordingly and if needed, assurance will be given by

MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

the top officials of the Bangladesh government. The ECB’s security advisor Reg Dickason, Professional Cricketers’ Association chief executive David Leatherdale and ECB director of cricket operations John Carr are in the inspection team which is currently inspecting venues in India. England are scheduled to reach Bangladesh on September 30 to play three ODIs and two Tests in Dhaka and Chittagong. But the tour was pushed into uncertainty after ECB showed concerns over securi-

ty following the terrorist attack in Dhaka on July 1. Anyone visiting the Sher-eBangla National Stadium in Mirpur now will have to go through at least two layers of security starting from the main gate. These measures were communicated with the ECB from time to time. The notable security measures include increased security personnel, installation of many CCTV cameras around the venue and stringent checks to anyone entering. The BCB’s foreign employees are also provided personal security. Jalal said during the three-day visit, the ECB representatives will visit the British and the Australian High Commissions, meet local security agencies and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal. “We have nothing much to talk about with them because we have been in constant communication with the ECB for the past few months. Their meeting with the British and Australian High Commissions, the home minister and the security agencies will be of importance,” he told Dhaka Tribune yesterday. “Besides, if they want to meet any other top officials of the government, we will get them the appointment. Terrorism is not an

issue only in Bangladesh but in many parts of the world like London, Paris or India. But that does not mean sports will be stopped or hampered,” added Jalal. Last year, Cricket Australia postponed its scheduled tour of Bangladesh over security concerns while months later, Cricket South Africa postponed its women’s team tour of Bangladesh citing the same reason. Australia pulled out of the 2016 Under-19 World Cup in January but England, Scotland, Ireland and New Zealand participated. England’s participation is giving Jalal some confidence about a repeat this October. “We had arranged such a big tournament without any trouble and England sent their team to it. I hope they will take note of that,” said Jalal. But there have been many occasions when security was found compromised during home series with the personnel responsible to make sure of authorised entry into the stadium often seen breaking the rule. “We need cooperation from everyone. This tour of England has become a national interest now and I will expect everyone to do their respective duty properly." l

AC Milan, the lost superpower n Ali Shahriyar Bappa AC Milan, The seven-time European and 18-time Serie A champions have been struggling in the last five years. Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi agreed last week to sell Milan to a consortium of Chinese investors. It ends Milan’s Berlusconi era as he created a football dynasty with so much success on the field, building Milan as one of the giants of world football. Transforming Milan into a champion team yet again will be a tough challenge for the new owners as the rivals are way ahead of them these days. Milan had tremendous success in the last three decades as the club experienced a golden era. Legendary coach and tactical genius Arrigo Sacchi formed a formidable

Milan side with a fearsome Dutch attacking trio - Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard along with a world famous defence line consisting Mauro Tassotti, Franco Baresi, Alessandro Costacurta and Paolo Maldini. In four full seasons at Milan, Sacchi won eight trophies, including Champions League titles in 1988-89 and 1989-90, the league crown in 1987-88 and the Club World Cup in 1989 and 1990. Although Fabio Capello and later Carlo Ancelotti would maintain Milan’s position as a major force in European football, Sacchi’s side were the most memorable of recent times. In 2001, Ancelotti took over Milan’s job. In his first year on the job, Milan finished fourth in the league. The following season, Ancelotti adopted a creative strategy whilst making several changes to the team’s roster. He converted budding attacking midfielder Andrea Pirlo to a defensive midfielder and played him as a deep-lying playmaker. Pirlo later established himself as a world class player in that position. At the same time, Filippo In-

zaghi and Andriy Shevchenko proved to be dominant and dynamic strikers in front of goal. In 2003, Milan won the Champions League and the Coppa Italia. Next season, with the addition of Brazilian attacking midfielder Kaká, Milan formed a superb team, including a solid defence line comprising Jaap Stam, Cafu, Costacurta, Alessandro Nesta and Maldini. Milan clinched another Champions league title under Ancelotti in 2006-07. Ancelotti then left Milan in 2009. Legendary and influential club captain Maldini also retired the same year after 647 appearances. During those times, Milan faced financial crisis and star player Kaka was eventually sold to Real Madrid in 2009 to ease their economical woes. And thus their downfall started. Although Milan won the Serie A in 2010-11, they were not dominant on the pitch as before. Many key players were on the verge of retirement. Nesta, Clarence Seedorf, Massimo Ambrosini, Gennaro Gattuso and Inzaghi - all were about to hang up their boots. It was no surprise therefore that Milan

encountered a transitional period. However, one of the blunders proved to be the release of Pirlo. Milan let him go to rival Juventus on a free transfer. Later Pirlo proved Milan wrong with four successive Serie A titles, playing an influential role in the Juve midfield. Milan also sold Zlatan Ibrahimović and Thiago Silva to Paris Saint Germain in 2013 due to their financial crisis. After the retirement of so many key players and the sales of star footballers, Milan were unable to build a competitive side. The Rossoneri did not qualify for any European tournaments in the last two years, which is weird for a club of Milan’s stature. Milan

tried several coaches like club legend Seedorf and Inzaghi but they all failed to turn the table around. Over the past three years, Milan struggled to develop a clear identity and style of play. Now, Milan have given the coaching responsibility for the upcoming season to another promising Italian coach Vincenzo Montella. Following Berlusconi’s 30-year reign and the arrival of the new owners, the club fans are desperate to see some cash flow in the transfer market in order to turn Milan into a great side again. Can Milan become a European football powerhouse again in the coming years? Only time will tell. l

Sport

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

Murray wins historic second gold in epic final n AFP, Rio de Janeiro

MEDAL TALLY COUNTRY UNITED STATES

GREAT BRITAIN

CHINA

RUSSIA

GERMANY

ITALY

FRANCE

JAPAN

AUSTRALIA

SOUTH KOREA

HUNGARY

NETHERLANDS

SPAIN

NEW ZEALAND

CANADA

Updated yesterday (9pm)

DAY TEN EVENTS TO WATCH GOLD MEDAL EVENTS SWIMMING Men Women

10km Marathon

6pm

Synchronised Duet

11pm

CANOE (SPRINT) Men

Canoe Single 1000m 6:08pm

Women

Kayak Single 200m

6:47pm

Men

Kayak Single 1000m

7:12pm

ATHLETICS Men Women Men Women Men

Triple Jump

6:50pm

Discus Throw

8:20pm

High Jump

5:30am

1500m

7:30am

110m Hurdles

7:45am

Gold medalist Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa points to the board showing his new world new record following the men’s 400m event at the Rio Olympics at Olympic Stadium on Sunday REUTERS

Brilliant Van Niekerk smashes 400m world record n Reuters, Rio De Janeiro South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk ran the fastest single lap in history to win the Olympic 400 metres gold medal in 43.03 seconds and break Michael Johnson’s 17-yearold world record on Sunday. Running an extraordinary race in lane eight, the 24-year-old world champion got off to a flier and was streaking clear on the back straight before upping his pace even further to better American Johnson’s 1999 mark of 43.18 seconds. The South African flew across

Mixed

Finn (Dinghy)

10:05pm

Nacra 17 (Multihull)

11:05pm

GYMNASTICS Men Women Men

Parallel Bars

11pm

Floor Exercise

11:47pm

Horizontal Bar

12:34am

n AFP, Rio de Janeiro

CYCLING (TRACK) Women

Omnium

2:05am

Women

Sprint

2:44am

Men

Keirin

3:20am

Men

Greco-Roman 66kg

2:30am

Men

Greco-Roman 98kg

3:30am

WRESTLING

DIVING Men

3m Springboard

3am

WEIGHTLIFTING Men

Over 105kg

4am

BOXING Men

Light 60kg

4:15am

TABLE TENNIS Women

Team

4:30am

ers of all time, was dumbfounded by the quality of Van Niekerk’s finish. Van Niekerk marked himself as the leading contender for Rio when he led home Merritt and James with an exceptional run to win gold at last year’s world championships in Beijing, where the podium again all ran under 44 seconds. This year, he became the first sprinter to run the 100 below 10 seconds, 200 under 20 seconds and 400 in less than 44 seconds before deciding to concentrate on the longest distance in Brazil. l

GB’s Rose seals first golf gold in 112 years

SAILING Men

the line a good five metres ahead of 2012 champion Kirani James and held his hands to his head in disbelief before being embraced by the Grenadian, who took silver in 43.76. LaShawn Merritt of the United States, the 2008 Olympic champion, claimed bronze in 43.85, the first time the top three had run under 44 seconds in the one-lap Olympic final. American Johnson, who won back-to-back Olympic titles in the event in 1996 and 2000 and is considered one of the greatest sprint-

Justin Rose of Britain celebrates his gold medal win in the men’s Olympic golf competition REUTERS

Britain’s Justin Rose was listening to “God Save The Queen” and watching the Union Jack rise into the sky Sunday while still trying to fully appreciate the historic Olympic gold medal around his neck. The 36-year-old Englishman had outdueled Sweden’s Henrik Stenson in a tension-packed Rio final-round thriller Sunday to capture the first Olympic golf title in 112 years and was in the midst of a dream made real while on the podium. Rose pitched the ball 18 inches from the cup on the par-5 18th hole and sank the birdie putt to beat Stenson by two strokes for the greatest triumph of his life. Rose fired a closing four-under par 67 to finish 72 holes on 16-under 268. Stenson, whose poor chip

Andy Murray became the first player to win two Olympic tennis singles gold medals Sunday when he defeated Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro 7-5, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 in an epic final. Murray added the Rio title to his 2012 triumph and to his Grand Slam collection of the 2012 US Open and 2013 and 2016 Wimbledon crowns. It also stretched the 29-yearold’s current winning streak to 18. The final will go down as one of the best in the Olympics, lasting over four hours and ending with both men embracing at the net. He ended with 10 aces and 46 crunching winners while del Potro smashed 39 winners but was undone by 57 unforced errors. Del Potro, a bronze medallist in London four years ago, was inconsolable at the end, weeping as he sat courtside. The Argentine has fought his way back to the top after undergoing three surgeries. l

left him a near-impossible putt to stay level with Rose, closed with a bogey to take the silver on 270, one stroke ahead of US bronze medalist Matt Kuchar. An event dimmed by the decisions of more than 20 players to stay away, including world number one Jason Day of Australia and the entire world top four, provided plenty of excitement and spectacular shotmaking as the gold hung on a knife’s edge all day. A sellout crowd of 12,000 included people wanting to take photographs, a golf no-no. Just a month after fifth-ranked Stenson won his first major title at last month’s British Open in a final-day battle with American Phil Mickelson, he found himself locked in a similar fight with 12thranked Rose. l

Lochte says gun held to forehead in taxi hold-up n Reuters, Rio De Janeiro Armed robbers posing as police officers held a gun to the forehead of US gold medallist swimmer Ryan Lochte in a taxi hold-up in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, feeding concern over safety at the first Olympic Games in South America. Lochte was returning to the Athletes’ Village from a party hosted by the French Games delegation, with swimming team mates Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen, when armed men carrying police badges pulled them over. The men told the swimmers to drop to the ground and demanded their money and belongings, Lochte said. When he refused, one of the men cocked a pistol and placed it against the swimmer’s head, and he then handed over his wallet. l

Sport

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

SCORECARD

QUICK BYTES

SRI LANKA 1ST INNINGS 355 (D. Chandimal 132, D. de Silva 129; M. Starc 5-63, N. Lyon 3-110)

Cech prangs car after Arsenal defeat

AUSTRALIA 1ST INNINGS D. Warner c Perera b de Silva 11 9 S. Marsh b Lakmal 130 281 S. Smith st Perera b Herath 119 218 A. Voges lbw b Herath 22 63 M. Henriques st Perera b Herath 4 13 M. Marsh c Mendis b Herath 53 92 P. Nevill lbw b Dilruwan 14 34 M. Starc not out 9 19 N. Lyon c Mendis b Dilruwan 3 9 J. Hazlewood b Herath 0 6 J. Holland c Mathews b Herath 1 7 Extras (b4, lb9) 13

Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech’s day went from bad to worse as he conceded four goals in a 4-3 defeat by Liverpool on Sunday before crashing his car into a pillar. As he left the stadium after the match, Cech drove his car into a pillar in the Arsenal car park. Pictures circulating on social media showed a large dent on the front-left of Cech’s car, while he stood beside it. Reports said nobody was injured in the incident.

Total (all out, 125.1 overs)

Bowling Perera 44-4-129-2, de Silva 7-0-27-1, Herath 38.1-11-81-6, Sandakan 19-0-70-0, Lakmal 13-0-54-1, Mathews 4-1-5-0

AFP

Advocaat abruptly quits job with Dutch team Dick Advocaat has quit as the assistant to Netherlands head coach Danny Blind just months after agreeing to take on the role, the Dutch football association (KNVB) said yesterday. Former Netherlands manager Advocaat will be joining Fenerbahce in Turkey. His abrupt departure has elicited a cold response from the KNVB, Blind and Hans van Breukelen, the technical director of Dutch football. A KNVB statement said Advocaat had “indicated he is going to work somewhere else” . REUTERS

No racial quotas for Proteas to face NZ South Africa will not be using any racial quotas to pick the team to face New Zealand in the first Test later this week despite promising to formally introduce them to a bid to speed up transformation. Coach Russell Domingo said players would be selected on merit only for the first Test in Durban. “We will continue to do what we’ve always done and that is pick our best eleven players. We are fortunate that it hasn’t been an issue for this particular team,” Domingo told. REUTERS

DAY’S WATCH OLYMPICS STAR SPORTS 1, 2, 3 5:00PM, 12.30AM Rio Olympic Games 2016 Daily Live Coverage

CRICKET TEN 3 10:30AM Australia Tour of Sri Lanka 3rd Test, Day 4

FOOTBALL TEN 1 HD 12:40AM UEFA Champions League 2016/17 Steaua Bucuresti v Man City

TEN 3 12:40AM UEFA Champions League 2016/17 AFC Ajax v FC Rostov

379

SRI LANKA 2ND INNINGS D. Perera lbw b Starc D. Karunaratne not out K. Silva not out Extras

8 8 6 0

Total (1 wicket; 5 overs)

4 12 14

Bowling Starc 3-0-19-1, Lyon 2-0-3-0

Australia’s Shaun Marsh (R) celebrates after scoring a century during the third day of the third and final Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo yesterday AFP

Smith, Marsh tons give Australia lead n AFP, Colombo Centuries from Steve Smith and Shaun Marsh raised Australian hopes of avoiding a whitewash in the final Test against Sri Lanka yesterday before the visitors were pegged back by their bogeyman Rangana Herath. Smith and Marsh compiled a record 246 runs for the second wicket, putting Australia on track for a decisive lead in reply to Sri Lanka’s first innings total of 355, before

Herath put the brakes on with a six wicket haul. Australia were eventually all out for 379, a lead which was cut to just two by close of play as Sri Lanka reached 22 at stumps, albeit with the loss of opener Dilruwan Perera who was lbw to Mitchell Starc for eight. Dimuth Karunaratne was unbeaten on eight, alongside Kaushal Silva who has so far made six at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in the final match of the series. Aus-

tralia are trailing 0-2. Herath - who took a hat-trick in the last Test and 10 wickets in the first match of the series - again brought the hosts back into contention by taking six for 81. The 38-year-old ran through the Australian tail despite struggling with a groin injury that he picked up while batting for Sri Lanka. Herath got good support from the medium-pacer Suranga Lakmal, who struck with the second new ball in the second session. l

Misbah: Pakistan deserve to be No 1 n AFP, London Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said his side will deserve to be the world’s top-ranked Test team after they came from behind to draw a four-match series 2-2 in England. Their 10-wicket thrashing of the hosts in the fourth and final Test at The Oval on Sunday gave Pakistan, currently third in the standings, a chance of climbing to the top of the table. “This team deserves that (going to number one) for six years of no cricket at home, sometimes people think it’s easy - the UAE suits us, we win - but just getting every day away from the country, without family and friends and all games out of Pakistan, it’s really difficult,” Misbah told reporters at The Oval on Sunday after Pakistan won with more than a day to spare.

Pakistan’s Misbah-ul-Haq and England’s Alastair Cook with the trophy after the game REUTERS “It’s mentally tough - I’ve only seen my mother and sister once in a year, some friends I haven’t seen for three or four years. “It’s not easy, given those circumstances but the team is playing competitive cricket. “I am really proud of them and

this team really deserves to be number one.” Pakistan’s success at The Oval - which was achieved on the 69th anniversary of the country’s foundation as an independent state - was built on a brilliant 218 by Younis Khan, a hundred from Asad Shafiq and five second-innings wickets for leg-spinner Yasir Shah. It was an especially impressive result given that after their 75-run win in the first Test at Lord’s where 42-year-old skipper Misbah made a hundred - Pakistan had suffered heavy defeats, by 330 and 141 runs, at Old Trafford and Edgbaston respectively. But Misbah was even happier with his side’ conduct on their first tour of England since a controversial trip in 2010 saw often strained Anglo-Pakistani cricket relations sink to an all-time low. l

Raju’s spin camp from today n Mazhar Uddin Former Indian left-arm spinner Venkatapathy Raju arrived in Dhaka yesterday to conduct a seven-day spin bowling camp from today with the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s High Performance and national team spinners. Eight spinners from the national team and 17 from the HP squad were called up for the camp at the National Cricket Academy in Mirpur. Raju, who picked up 93 wickets in 28 Tests and 63 wickets in 93 ODIs, has worked with Associate nations like Nepal, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates previously. He will share his experience with the Bangladeshi spinners in his short stay. He follows up former Pakistani pacer Aaqib Javed who conducted a week-long camp with the HP and the national team pace bowlers. National team spinners: Taijul Isalm, Jubair Hossain, Mohammad Shorwardi, Shuvagata Hom Chowdhury, Nasir Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Mosaddek Hossain Saikat, Mahmudullah HP spin bowlers: Sanjamul Islam, Nur Hossain Munna, Tanvir Haider Khan, Saqlain Sajib, Mehedi Hasan Miraz, Al Amin, Mehedi Hasan, Rahatul Ferdous Javed, Nasum Ahmed, Sohag Gazi, Mohammad Omar, Rony Chowdhury, Mosharraf Hossain Rubel, Saleh Ahmed Shawon Gazi, Mahmudul Hasan Limon, Rafi Reza, Liton Chandra Dhar. l

Sport

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

Suarez gives Barcelona edge in Supercup n AFP, Madrid Luis Suarez insisted the Spanish Super Cup is not Barcelona’s yet after helping his team shoot down Sevilla 2-0 to give them a comfortable lead after Sunday’s first leg of the final. The Uruguayan opened the scoring early in the second half, making amends for two earlier misses, before Munir El Haddadi sealed the win when he ran on to a Lionel Messi through-ball and fired home. Having been beaten 4-0 by Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of last year’s final, Barcelona were determined to improve on that showing, setting themselves up nicely for the return at Camp Nou tomorrow. He was not impressed with some of the home supporters who shouted insults at him from the stands at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan. Luis Enrique was thrilled with the performance, which puts his team halfway towards the first trophy of the season. The coach sprang a surprise with his selection, picking Jeremy Mathieu at left-back and Arda Tur-

an at left-wing in place of the absent Neymar, with all four summer signings left out. Sergi Roberto was also chosen out of position at rightback, ahead of Aleix Vidal. However, by the 35th minute both Lucas Digne and Denis Suarez had to be brought on for their official debuts, with Mathieu and Andres Iniesta injuring their hamstring and knee respectively. Iniesta was making his 594th appearance for Barcelona, taking over from Carles Puyol as the player with the second most appearances for the club, behind Xavi Hernandez, but it was ended prematurely after a fierce challenge by Gabriel Mercado. The first period saw few chances created, although the best of them fell to Luis Suarez in the sixth minute. Sergio Busquets played him in and after spinning masterfully away from the defence his low strike was saved well by goalkeeper Sergio Rico. At the other end Jorge Sampaoli’s team worked their way into the game but despite plenty of possession in dangerous areas, they couldn’t worry Claudio Bravo. l

Barcelona’s Argentinian forward Lionel Messi vies with Sevilla’s Argentinian defender Gabriel Mercado during the first leg of their Spanish Supercup match at Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium in Sevilla on Sunday AFP

Winning start for Ancelotti as Bayern claim Supercup

Germany’s Podolski ends international career

n Reuters

n Reuters, Berlin

Bayern Munich gave new coach Carlo Ancelotti a winning start by beating arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund 2-0 to claim the German Supercup on Sunday in the Italian’s first competitive game in charge. Midfielder Arturo Vidal and forward Thomas Mueller scored in the second half for the German double

RESULT Dortmund

0-2

Bayern Vidal 58, Mueller 79

winners after Dortmund, contesting the match as league runners-up and playing in their own Westfalonstadion, enjoyed the better of the first half. Former Real Madrid, AC Milan,

Juventus, Paris St Germain and Chelsea coach Ancelotti has taken over from Spaniard Pep Guardiola, who won three Bundesliga titles in as many seasons with the Bavarians but could not reach a Champions League final. Defender Mats Hummels made his debut for Bayern after moving from Dortmund and was predictably booed by the home fans. l

Bayern Munich players celebrate after their German Supercup win over Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park

REUTERS

Germany’s World Cup winner Lukas Podolski announced his retirement from international football yesterday, bringing to an end a glittering 12-year career. Podolski retires as Germany’s third highest capped player with 129 appearances, behind only Lothar Matthaus and Miroslav Klose, having scored 48 goals. “Everything has its time - and my time with the DFB (the German Football Federation) is over,” Podolski said in a statement on his Instagram account. The 31-year-old said he has informed coach Joachim Loew of his decision. “I am dedicating myself more to other things, mainly my family,” he explained. “The national team has always been in my heart, and they always will be, but I felt after the Euros and the vacation that my focus has shifted.” Podolski, who currently plays for Galatarasaray, was an unused substitute in the 2014 World Cup final when Germany edged Argentina in extra-time to claim a fourth title. He made one brief substitute appearance at his seventh major tournament as Germany reached

the semi-finals of Euro 2016 where they were defeated by France. He made his Germany debut as a teenager in 2004 despite interest from Poland, the land of his birth, and was voted best young player of the 2006 World Cup on home soil. “From a two-year-old Polish boy who came to Germany with a ball under his arm to a world champion,” he added. “That’s more than I have ever dreamed about. “12 years, 129 matches. It was amazing! It was great! It was an honour to be part of Germany.” l

Lukas Podolski Appearances: Goals:

129

CROSSWORD Across 1 Head cook (4) 6 Equip (3) 7 Stare open-mouthed (4) 9 Naming word (4) 10 Artificial silk (5) 11 Danger (5) 12 Liable (3) 14 Measuring instrument (5) 17 Of the nose (5) 20 Wrath (3) 21 Grinding tooth (5) 23 Younger son (5) 25 Pledge (4) 26 Soon (4) 27 Deity (3) 28 Microbe (4)

DOWN 1 Dance (6) 2 Breaks out (6) 3 Sunny (4) 4 Narrow beam (3) 5 Marsh (3) 7 Strong wind (4) 8 Card game (5) 10 Edge (3) 13 Heathen (5) 15 Long angry speech (6) 16 Buy pack (6) 18 Prayer ending (4) 19 Fate (3) 22 Astonished (4) 23 Domestic animal (3) 24 Female deer (3)

Downtime

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODECRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 13 represents B so fill B every time the figure 13 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

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

Happy birthday Madonna

n Nazia Lopa

orn as Madonna Louise Ciccone, she is known to the world as “Madonna.” Only Madonna who sings, dances and entertains like no other. An icon in the music world, today marks Madonna’s 58th birthday. Surprising, you may say - but when it comes to this music mogul, age is just a number. The remarkable, hyperambitious Material Girl who never stops reinventing herself, Madonna is a seven-time Grammy Award-winner who has sold over three hundred million records and CD’s to adoring fans worldwide. Her film career, however, is another story. Her performances have consistently drawn scathing or laughable reviews from film critics, and the films have usually had tepid, if any, success at the box office. Madonna was born in August 1958 in Bay City, Michigan. She is the daughter of Madonna Louise Fortin and Silvio Ciccone, an engineer designer for car companies. Her father was of Italian descent (from a family from Pacentro) and her mother was of French-Canadian ancestry. She grew up in an Italian-American household and was a straight A student, as well as a cheerleader in high school. After earning a degree from the University Of Michigan School Of Music, Theatre & Dance, she moved to New York

City in 1978 to pursue dance and studied with renowned choreographer Alvin Ailey, joined up with the Patrick Hernandez Revue, formed a pop/dance band called Breakfast Club and began working with then-boyfriend Stephen Bray on recording several disco-oriented songs. New York producer/DJ Mark Kamins passed her demo tapes to Sire Records in early 1982 and the rest, as they say, is history. The 1980s was Madonna’s boom decade, and she dominated the music charts with a succession of multimillion-selling albums, and her musical and fashion influence on young women was felt around the globe. Madonna first appeared on screen in two low-budget films marketed to an adolescent audience: A Certain Sacrifice (1985) and Vision Quest (1985). However, she scored a minor cult hit with Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) starring alongside spunky Rosanna Arquette. Madonna’s next effort with then husband Sean Penn, Shanghai Surprise (1986), was savaged by critics, although the resilient star managed to somewhat improve her standing with her next two films, the off-beat Who’s That Girl (1987) (although she did receive decidedly mixed reviews, they weren’t as negative as those for her previous effort) and the quirky Damon Runyon-inspired Bloodhounds of Broadway (1989). The big-budget and star-filled Dick Tracy (1990) had her playing bad girl “Breathless Mahoney” flirting with Warren Beatty, but the epic failed to catch fire at the box office. Taking an earthier role, Madonna was much more entertaining alongside Tom Hanks and Geena Davis in A League of Their Own (1992), a story about female

baseball players during WWII. However, she again drew the wrath of critics with the whodunit Body of Evidence (1993), an obvious (and lame) attempt to cash in on the success of the sexy Sharon Stone thriller Basic Instinct (1992). Several other minor screen roles followed, then Madonna starred as Eva Perón in Evita (1996), a fairly well received screen adaptation of the hugely successful Broadway musical, for which she received a Golden Globe for Best Actress. The Material Girl stayed away from the movie cameras for several years, returning to co-star in the lukewarm romantic comedy The Next Best Thing (2000), followed by the painful Swept Away (2002) for husband Guy Ritchie. If those films weren’t bad enough, she was woefully miscast as a vampish fencing instructor in the James Bond adventure Die Another Day (2002). After finally admitting that her acting days were over, Madonna began a directing career in 2008 with the barely remembered Filth and Wisdom (2008) and a year later she reunited with Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991) director Alek Keshishian to develop a script about the relationship between the Duke of Windsor and the Duchess of Windsor that led to his abdication in 1936: the result, a movie named W.E. (2011), starring James D’Arcy and Andrea Riseborough as the infernal but still royal couple, was released in 2011 to lukewarm critics but it gathered one Oscar nomination for costumes and won the Golden

Globe for Best Original Song for “Masterpiece.” In September 2009, she opened the MTV Video Music Awards with a lengthy speech examining the Michael Jackson’s legacy and the parallels between their lives and careers. Madonna started off 2010 by

reportedly beginning work on her follow up to Hard Candy and performing “Like a Prayer” during the international telethon Hope for Haiti Now. The song appeared on the download-only Haiti charity album, which debuted at Number One. l Source: IMBD

(The Unnamed) has won a special jury mention at a film festival in Italy, following its premiere at the commercial Marché du Film market, at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Tauquir was present to

receive the award at the Gulf of Naples Independent Film Festival, on May 21. The telefilm is about the life of expatriate workers in the Middle East. It will be released for audience this Friday, August 19. l

Oggatonama arrives n Showtime Desk Impress Telefilm’s, Oggatonama is going to be premiered in Star Cineplex Bashundhara tomorrow (Tuesday, August 16) with invitees only. Oggatonama is the fourth film by Toukir Ahmed, which he made with the screenplay taken from a book written by himself. Popular actors, Mosharraf Karim and Nipun have played lead roles in the film. Besides, Shahiduzzaman Selim, Shatabdi Wadud, and Fazlur Rahman Babu, among others, are the important characters. Before releasing the movie in Bangladesh, Oggatonama

Showtime

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

The Night Of is HBO’s new hit

n Mahmood Hossain After the news of Game of Thrones ending after season eight, we’ve been looking for a solid replacement to our addiction to A Song of Ice and Fire. The Night Of, based on the BBC series Criminal Justice, isn’t that replacement. It is,

however, something different, new and ridiculously addictive. This crime drama miniseries has a fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes of 95%. Too much hype? You’d be wrong to doubt it. The HBO original is an intense, gripping murder mystery that will have your eyes glued to the screen at every scene, every

single frame. Starring Riz Ahmed as Nasir ‘Naz’ Khan, the show follows his every move, leaving the audience second-guessing every step of the way. Don’t worry, no spoilers to be had here because the show’s synopsis is about a young man who spends a night partying with

“Jhoom” by Minar - a treat for rainy days

n Roopkotha Chowdhury The constant rain has made many of us yearn for the perfect song to complement the weather, and “Jhoom” has come very close to producing one. The song, which comes with a music video aptly showing a rainy day, has become a recent crowd favourite. Singer Minar, is already known for popular tracks such as “Shada” and “Ahare”. According to teenager Shohini, coming in right after Bappa Mazumder’s

“Brishti pore ojhor dharay”, “Jhoom” is now her favourite song of the season. “This song has an unspoken emotion that really touches me,” she said. Banker Shoyeb Ahmed also told Showtime how he loved the song for its “rhythm and catchy tune.” According to school teacher Zeenat says, “Touching songs about the rain and the emotions it produces are very popular with most of us. This song is now making the audience sing about

the rain too.” The song “Jhoom” is featured in Minar’s album of the same name, and all the songs were written and composed by the artist himself. The music arrangement has been done by Sajid Sarker, and the album has been brought out my Gaanchill Music. The videos have been produced by Motion Rock Entertainment, starring Minar, Mousum and Ashfaq Rana, and are directed by Taneem Rahman Angshu. l

a female stranger. He later wakes up to find that she’s been stabbed to death, and then finds himself charged for her murder. It might sound a little too ‘by-the-numbers’ but the direction by Steven Zaillian is hauntingly brilliant. The script itself is fantastic; you are never deluded to believe this entire story

is a work of fiction. The wonderful filmmaking is boosted by its equally intriguing cast. Some faces, like Ahmed’s, are very familiar and well known. And those who are unfamiliar put on one hell of a show as well. It’s great to see the diversity in such a critically acclaimed show. The main characters are an accumulation of South Asians, Latinos and African Americans. And it should be, the entire story takes place in New York City, as Nasir’s Pakistani family resides in Jackson Heights, Queens. The audience will have no qualms with the realism of the environment. When you have a feature-film, studio type budget, that stretches out for eight episodes, plenty of things can go wrong if they aren’t well taken care of. It’s not the case with The Night Of, as the pilot episode will have you wanting for more. HBO has aired six episodes so far, with the following ending episodes airing in the coming weeks. This show is dark and consuming, with no signs of letting up or giving way to hints on what is really happening. The only thing you can expect is simply knowing that everything is about to go south from the get-go. This may not be on Netflix but it’s definitely worth binge watching, that’s of course after all the episodes have aired. l

Tribute to Rob Fakir on Radio Shadhin

n Showtime Desk Singer-musician Shayan Chowdhury Arnob, had good rapport with the recently demised baul singer Rob Fakir, and they have worked together in many occasions. In memory of Rob Fakir, a special radio programme

has been designed, and Arnod along with other singers has confirmed to perform in it. Radio Shadhin 92.4 FM’s special episode of Practice Pad, which airs live, features the baul singer’s fellow singers, musicians, and friends. Alongside Arnob, Buno, Seth Panduranga Blumberg, Labik Kamal Gaurob, and folk-fusion band Shikor, have confirmed to join the programme. It has been learned that the amount of money earned through the show will be handed over to the mourning family of Rob Fakir. Presented by Mir Rabbi, Practice Pad Special Tribute to Abdur Rob Fakir will be aired today at 11:00pm. l

Back Page

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2016

CITYCELL FATE SET TO BE DECIDED TOMORROW PAGE 12

BOLT, THE UNSTOPPABLE PAGE 24

“JHOOM” BY MINAR - A TREAT FOR RAINY DAYS PAGE 30

Ferdousi Priyabhashini: Bangladesh is my biggest achievement n Bangla Tribune “The 400,000 women who were tortured during the Liberation War must be looked for. Those who are still alive need counselling. They may be occupied with their families today, but it is necessary to make them understand that they must come forward and tell their stories. There is no shame in that.” The words of encouragement came from freedom fighter and renowned sculptor Ferodusi Priyabhashini, a Birangana who was the first in the country to openly speak about being tortured by Pakistan occupational forces during 1971 Liberation War. She has just been officially rec-

ognised as a freedom fighter – a gazette notification was issued on Thursday in this regard. “Having even the slightest contribution to our country’s struggle for independence is my greatest honour. What I have suffered during the Liberation War, I dedicate it to the 400,000 mothers and sisters who were tortured and three million people who died in the war,” she said. Ferdousi believes there is still a lot more to be done regarding the history of Liberation War. “A faculty on Liberation War should be established at Dhaka University. Students should be sent to every nook and cranny around the country in order to figure out the true horror

of the war. There are still many survivors who themselves have forgotten what they went through. Their stories must be brought out in the open.” Ferdousi is not the first Birangana to be recognised as a freedom fighter – 122 others have received the honour before her. “I am hap-

py,” she said when asked how she felt about her new identity. “It is difficult to express your own feelings in situations like this. Of course, such recognition always brings joy.” Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for the honour, she said never asked for it. “I never spoke about it at the ministry. I have always said that I would not apply for the freedom fighter status. But the minister explained to me that application was part of the process.” Ferdousi firmly believes in recognising one’s own worth before the world does it. “One must respect themselves. Which is why I have always felt proud. Now I have

the social recognition too.” She said life was a test even after the war. “I had a family, worked for a living, struggled through life – that is how I have spent my life. Whatever sufferings I have endured, are mine. I won’t share them with anyone. You can share happiness with others, not sorrow.” Talking about the anti-liberation forces in the country, Ferdousi said: “It’s now time to remove the anti-liberation forces. They don’t deserve mercy, because they didn’t show mercy in 1971.” Looking back, what is the greatest acheivement in Ferdousi’s life? “I witnessed the birth of Bangladesh after the Liberation War. Bangladesh is my greatest achievement.” l

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