23 Aug, 2016 by DhakaTribune

SECOND EDITION

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

Bhadra 8, 1423, Zilqad 19, 1437

Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 118

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

'A power plant like Rampal would never be allowed in India'

Tribunal, we carried tests on the river and found that the level of pollution had reached such an extent that there was no existence of biodiversity in a 30km area of the Chandrabhaga River. The waste ashes from the thermal power plant had killed off all fishes, insects, algae, crabs of the river,” Dr Rudra said. There are now plans to use the Pashur River for transporting coal to the Rampal plant and bringing out waste produce from it; so there  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

Construction workers are seen working at the Rampal power plant project site near Sundarbans in Bagerhat. The photo was taken recently DHAKA TRIBUNE

Considering the risk for wildlife, thermal power plants are undoubtedly at the top of the danger list

sion. So there cannot even be a question of setting up such a plant near a reserved forest.” Dr Rudra also cautioned about the potential for river pollution caused by the Rampal plant. “Around two years ago, monsoon waters washed away ashes produced by West Bengal's Bakreshwar Thermal Power Station. From an ash pond, the material was carried to the nearby Chandrabhaga River. “In accordance with a directive from India's National Green

Life in jail for propaganda against Liberation War, Bangabandhu n Shohel Mamun The Cabinet has approved, in principle, the draft of Digital Security Law 2016 with a provision of life imprisonment and Tk1-crore fine for anyone spreading propaganda against the Liberation War and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on electronic media. The draft was approved at the regular Cabinet meeting yesterday at the Secretariat in Dhaka, chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. “As per the law, if anyone conducts propaganda against the 1971

Liberation War, or any war-related issue that has been dismissed by court, or the father of the nation on any electronic medium, he or she will face life in prison in maximum and three years in minimum, or a maximum fine of Tk1 crore, or both prison and fine,” Cabinet Secretary Md Shafiul Alam told reporters after the meeting. The draft also proposed maximum 14 years and minimum two years in prison, or a fine of Tk1 crore, or both for cyber crimes and cyber terrorism. The law has been formulated

in order to curb cyber crime in the country, said the cabinet secretary. “Matters that affect the unity and solidarity of people in Bangladesh and threaten the security of other countries, and issues that are linked to terrorism or promote terrorist activities are considered as cyber terrorism.” Crimes committed using computers, mobile phones or any digital device as well as digital forgery are punishable by a maximum of five years and a minimum or three years in prison or Tk3 lakh in fine, or both.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

n Kamrul Hasan

From an early stage, terrorist groups have been directing their members to involve their wives and daughters in the organisations. They have also encouraged intermarriage to tighten the bonds among members and prevent desertion. Law enforcement has recently uncovered that newly activated terror groups are recruiting scores of women, especially university students, to expand their reach. These radicalised women pose a new kind of threat that security experts say Bangladeshi law enforcement are not prepared to handle. In his confessional statement, Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) chief Shaykh Abdur Rahman said they had some 50-60 female militants who were mostly wives of male members of the group. Their duties were to continue Dawati (indoctrination) activities and inspire family members to be ready for jihad, he had said. However, law enforcers have been able to arrest very few female militants. In all its operations against JMB, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested 45 women members and 634 men of the group. Police could not provide any information on its arrests. On May 8, Bogra police arrested Masuma Akter, wife of JMB’s Chittagong wing commander Raisul Islam Khan alias Fardeen, who was killed earlier while making bombs. Two other women were also caught with her. On July 24, Detective Branch of

n Ranjan Basu, New Delhi Several Indian experts have expressed disbelief at how Bangladesh government even approved the coal-based Rampal power plant in the first place, saying such a project near a vulnerable environment site like the Sundarbans would have been shot down in India at the first instance. Talking to the Bangla Tribune recently, Indian environment specialists and rights activists said that no matter what the government in both countries claim, the construction of the 1,320MW Maitree Super Thermal Power Plant in Bagerhat's Rampal would surely have dire consequences on the Sundarbans. They also said it was incomprehensible why the NTPC Limited – India's largest thermal power agency – was building a plant near a mangrove forest in Bangladesh when it had never done so near any mangrove forest in India. One of the vocal opponents of the project is the chairman of West Bengal Pollution Control Board, Dr Kalyan Rudra, who said: “There is no precedence – not in West Bengal or India – of constructing a thermal power plant so close to a reserved forest. “According to a list of India's central Environment Ministry, this thermal power plant falls under the 'red category industry' – meaning this industry is extremely dangerous for environment. This [plant] produces both effluent and emis-

A new veil of terror

INSIDE

30 JnU students hurt as police foil demo

Sherpur shelters save children

At least 30 students of JnU were injured yesterday when police fired teargas shells and rubber bullets to foil their demonstration in Dhaka city’s Nayabazar intersection.  PAGE 5

A casual visitor to the villages around Sherpur town would see men and women working on fields just like any other place. There is, however, a difference.  PAGE 32

Afsana killing: Chhatra Union gives ultimatum to arrest killers

Heavy rainfall paralyses normal life

Bangladesh Chhatra Union yesterday gave an ultimatum for a week demanding the arrest of Afsana Ferdous’s killers.  PAGE 3

Life became paralysed in Khulna and Chittagong yesterday as major parts of the cities were submerged in knee-deep water following heavy rains throughout the day.  PAGE 7

News

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

Major gas leak in Ctg n Anwar Hussain, Chittagong

At least 25 people have fallen ill following a gas leak in a fertiliser factory in Chittagong yesterday. The gas leak of Diammonium phosphate occurred around 10:50pm at one of the gas tanks at DAP Fertiliser Company Ltd’s Factory 1 in Rangadiya, on the south shore of Karnaphuli River near the Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Limited (CUFL). The factory’s Managing Director Amal Barua confirmed the news to the Dhaka Tribune. Many of those who had fallen ill from the effects of the leaked gas were rushed to the Chittagong Medical College Hospital. Those admitted at the hospital were suffering from respiratory complications brought on by ammonia inhalation, said Sub-Inspec-

tor Jahirul Islam of CMC police outpost told the Dhaka Tribune. Several of those admitted at the CMCH were in critical condition, he said. Exposure to high concentrations of ammonia in air causes immediate burning of the nose, throat and respiratory tract. This can cause different complications and may even result in respiratory distress or failure. Fire Service’s Agrabad Headquarters Deputy Assistant Director Jasim Uddin told the Dhaka Tribune that a major gas leak had taken place one of gas reservoirs at the factory in Rangadiya. Eight to ten fire fighting units were working to contain the leak as of filing this report at 1am. CMP Deputy Commissioner Harun-ur-Rashid said police were trying to evacuate people from the immediate proximity of the factory. l

One of those suffering from respiratory trouble following yesterday’s gas leak in Chittagong is being rushed into Chittagong Medical College Hospital RABIN CHOWDHURY

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Life in jail for propaganda “Using someone’s photographs without permission or distorting them on social media or any other digital platform is also punishable offence under the law,” Shafiul said. Offenders violating someone’s privacy will be imprisoned for two years, or fined Tk2 lakh, or both. Creating or promoting pornography will get the offenders a maximum of 10 years in prison or a minimum of two years, or Tk10 lakh fine. Defamation and hurting religious sentiment is punishable by two years in prison in maximum and two months in minimum, or Tk2 lakh in fine, or both. A maximum of seven years and a minimum of one year in prison, or Tk7 lakh in fine, or both will be awarded to anyone found to promote anarchy. The law also calls for the formation of Digital Security Agency, which will be run by its director general, to be appointed by the government. He or she will be empowered to direct any law enforcement agency to stop transmission of any information through computers, the cabinet secretary said. The Cabinet also approved, in principle, the draft of Meteorology Law 2016 in a bid to enact a new law considering global perspective. The cabinet secretary said under the new law, the existing directorate and the management of its officials and employees would be brought under a legal structure. The law has provisions for weather observation network, related establishments and their maintenance, and directives for quality observation. The highlights of the new law are the construction of national earthquake network and devising more effective system for weather observation, forecast and warnings. l

A power plant like Rampal would never be allowed remains a considerable risk for the wildlife – including the endangered Ganges Dolphin. Indian environmentalists also expressed their worries about the fate of the Bengal Tigers that are native to the Sundarbans. Gauri Maulekhi, a trustee for the animal rights organisation People For Animals, said she had no doubt that the activities of the Rampal thermal power plant would destroy the natural habitat of tigers in the Sundarbans. It was impossible to prevent pollution at a place so close to a thermal power plant, she said. “Several years ago, when the Kalagarh Dam was built in India’s Uttarakhand state, many tigers in Jim Corbett National Park had to be uprooted from their homes. But that was a hydro power plant

which causes far less pollution. I fear that building a thermal power plant so close to the Sundarbans would be a danger signal for many Bengal Tigers,” she said. “One of the biggest causes for concern is that coal, which has dangerous polluting effects, will be used as fuel for Rampal. It is shocking for many Indian environmentalists and activists that how in 2016 – when the world is becoming more vocal against the use of coal – Bangladesh is choosing to use coal for power production; even more, doing it so close to the Sundarbans,” Maulekhi added. KC Ayappa, a long-time activist with Greenpeace who has done extensive research on the harmful effects of coal pollution, said: “The Sundarbans is an extremely vul-

A new veil of terror Sirajganj police arrested four female JMB members, one of whom was found to be the relative of JMB leader Tarikul Islam Jewel, who was killed alongside Fardeen. But law enforcement’s attention has only recently been drawn to the risks these female militants pose. The arrest of several female militants, specially the one in Dhaka by RAB on August 16 brought this issue into focus. Tangail’s Kalihati police on July 6 arrested three female JMB members, aged between 19 to 30, who were later claimed they were members of a suicide squad. They were living with their husbands and children. Their husbands fled the scene and one was later killed in an encounter. RAB arrested four suspected members of JMB female wing from different areas of Dhaka. These four are highly educated and from

wealthy backgrounds, similar to some of the terrorists involved in the Gulshan and Sholakia attacks. One of them is an internee from Dhaka Medical College and other three are graduate pharmacy students of Manarat University. From them, RAB learned that at least 20 more women were involved in the group, though only 10 names could be extracted. RAB 4 senior ASP Shamsul Haq yesterday said the names were code names and RAB was still trying to identify them. One RAB official said the documents they found from the four women indicate that they were formerly members of Islami Chhatri Sangstha, the female students wing of Jamaat-e-Islami. But they had become further radicalised, said the source. RAB sources said they had received information that the terror-

nerable terrain. It gives me shivers just to think that a coal-based thermal power plant is being built so close to it.” He pointed out that different researches have shown that coalbased or nuclear power plants were capable of causing far more damage than other sustainable power generation sources like wind turbines. “Considering the risk for wildlife, thermal power plants are undoubtedly at the top of the danger list,” Ayappa said. Despite all the warnings and protests, India’s NTPC Ltd continues to insist that the Rampal project would have almost no impact on the Sundarbans. An NTPC spokesperson declined to make any comments on this issue, but said the project’s environ-

mental impact report shows how authorities were using the most modern methods and proceeding with caution to protect the environment. The Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Limited, a 50-50 joint venture between Bangladesh Power Development Board and India’s National Thermal Power Corporation, is building the 1,320MW coal-fired power plant near the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest. Demanding that the plant be shifted from the current location, local and international green activists have long been opposing the construction of the project, fearing that it would harm the Sundarbans, the Pashur River and the nearby areas in the long run. l

ist group was using girls and women to carry small arms. Kalihati police station’s Inspector (investigation) Nazrul Islam said they had found names of some other female members of the group by interrogating the arrestees. Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crimes unit officials told Dhaka Tribune that they were also investigating the matter. The officials said it was a challenge for law enforcement to deal with female militants. Police working on the field do not subject women to a lot of scrutiny, they said. Female police officers are also few in number and it is impossible to place them everywhere. Syed Mahfujul Haque Marjan, an assistant professor of Criminology at Dhaka University, said the information published in the media in recent times indicated that

RAB had found female militants who were in an early stage of training. “But it could be more dangerous if they were fully trained and perhaps formed suicide squads. These are intelligent women, they could think innovatively and their socio-economic status could hinder security objectives,” he added. Security expert Brig Gen (retd) Shakhawat Hossain said educated girls getting involved in terrorism was certainly a new dimension. “I think these girls are getting radicalised for the same reasons as the boys. But this will be a difficult problem for law enforcement because women often escape suspicion,” he said. “It is easier for women to disguise themselves, they can easily carry small arms without detection and it is easy for them to radicalise others,” he said. l

News

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

AFSANA KILLING

Chhatra Union gives ultimatum to arrest killers n DU Correspondent

Bangladesh Chhatra Union yesterday gave an ultimatum for a week demanding the arrest of Afsana Ferdous's killers. They also threatened to besiege the Home Ministry if the killers are not arrest within a week. A fight broke out at the press club between the protesters and police while they were marching towards the secretariat with a procession breaking through barbwired barricades.

Afsana’s family alleged that the victim was raped before being murdered “At least three activists were injured during the scuffle, Konok Hayat, Abdullah Al Noman, Rajib Rajkumer who were taken to Dhaka Medical College & Hospital,’ said Lucky Akhter, president of Chhatra Union. A memorandum was also submitted to district administrator's offices across the country yesterday, she claimed. Earlier, leaders and activists of the left leaning student organization brought out a procession from Dhaka University campus that broke through a barbwired barricade at Doyel Chattar and marched towards the secretariat. They were forced to hold a protest rally at the press club after police stopped their march. Later, a five-member representative team led by Lucky gave a memorandum to the Home Ministry with three point charter demanding the immediate arrest and trial of the people including Tejgoan College Chhatra League leader Habibur Rahman Robin allegedly involved in killing. They also demanded a fresh autopsy rejecting the results of the first one. Lucky said: "If the killers of Afsana are not arrested with a week it will prove the home minister's and we will demand his resignation." On August 13 two unidentified men dumped Afsana's body at a local hospital. She was a final year student of architecture at Mirpur’s Saik Institute of Management and Technology. Afsana’s family alleged that the victim was raped before being murdered. l

Unable to enter the Dhaka University campus on a vehicle due to road blocks, a man walks to Dhaka Medical College Hospital carrying his ill elderly relative in arms yesterday. Police put up barricades to block streets inside the campus to foil Bangladesh Chhatra Union’s programme to lay siege to the Home Ministry yesterday to protest their fellow activist Afsana Ferdous’ murder MEHEDI HASAN

Use of expired LPG cylinders on the rise, poses great risks n Aminur Rahman Rasel With the rising demand of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders in the country, the risk of accidents due to cylinder explosion has substantially increased due to widespread use of substandard cylinders, experts fear. Lax government supervision and lack of proper regulations are the reason behind the rampant use of these cylinders, which are most likely expired, they said. Sources in the energy sector said the LPG cylinders that are imported by the state-owned LP Gas Limited, a company under Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), have the lifespan of 15 years as per the global standard. Once expired, the cylinders must be replaced and disposed of to avoid leakage or other hazards – especially at the consumer end. However, the Dhaka Tribune found out that at least 200,000 of the 450,000 LPG cylinders imported by LP Gas Ltd are more than 20 years old.

These cylinders are supposed to be scrapped; instead they are available for use around the country, posing great safety risks for users. Due to the lack of proper LPG policy and guideline by the government, there is no practice of periodically replacing expired cylinders in Bangladesh, experts said. Moreover, the cylinders that enter Bangladesh are not properly checked for safety by the authorities concerned, which makes it easier for suppliers to flood the market with substandard cylinders. Lack of awareness among the consumers make the matter worse, they added. Fazlur Rahman, general manager of LP Gas Ltd, told the Dhaka Tribune that there is no mention of 15-year lifespan of a LPG cylinder in the amended LPG Rule 2004. Although concern over this issue has been voiced several times, it came to light again after around 200 LPG cylinders exploded and caused a massive fire in an LPG depot in Bogra, owned by Padma oil distribution company, on Saturday.

Investigating the explosion, officials of LP Gas Ltd found that the gas pressure inside the cylinders were way beyond their capacity, which caused a leak and led to an explosion, an official of the company told the Dhaka Tribune. Petrobangla has been notified about the high gas pressure in the cylinders several times, but no steps have been taken to resolve the issue, he said, requesting not to be named. However, Rajshahi Divisional LP Gas Distributors' Association blames the distribution authorities for the accident. Ahsanul Rashid Dablu, general secretary of the organisation, said the cylinders distributed by Padma as well as Meghna and Jamuna – all state-owned distribution companies that operate under the BPC – are very old and extremely unsafe to use. “The authorities concerned have been asked to replace these cylinders repeatedly, but they have yet to take any action,” he told our Bogra correspondent on Saturday.

Earlier, the association staged a protest against the widespread availability of expired cylinders on August 1 demanding immediate steps to stop the distribution of “date-expired and risky” LPG cylinders in 16 northern districts. Ahsan requested the chief inspector of the Department of Explosives to look into the matter. When contacted, Chief Inspector of Explosives Md Shamsul Alam said there were roughly around five million LPG cylinders – both privately and government issued – currently in use in Bangladesh. “Including the headquarters, the department has five offices in Dhaka, Khulna, Chittagong, Rajshahi and Sylhet and has a total of 107 employees. It is not possible to inspect such a huge number of cylinders with this workforce.” Asked about the Bogra incident, he said Assistant Chief Inspector of Explosives in Rajshahi Md Asadul Islam is due to submit a probe report in this regard, which will be forwarded to the Energy and Mineral Resources Division. l

News

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

Court sends Hasnat to jail Injunction on Ashiyan Rahman Rabbi and n Arifur Md Sanaul Islam Tipu A Dhaka court yesterday ordered Gulshan terror attack suspect Hasnat Reza Karim to jail. Police produced him before Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Ahsan Habib after interrogating him for eight days. The court also fixed August 24 for the hearing of a bail petition placed by Hasnat’s counsel Shah Mohammad Shahab-Uddin after he was produced before the court. Sub-Inspector Md Farid Mia, general recording officer of CMM court, told the Dhaka Tribune that the police have acquired several important information from Hasnat regarding the Gulshan

UNHCR’s refugee awareness session n Rifat Islam Esha The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) organised an information session on the global refugee situation at Jahangirnagar University (JU) yesterday. The session was divided into two presentations. The first presenter, Showvik Das Tamal, Protection Associate, explained the definition of ‘refugee’ in the global and political context. The second presenter, Farheen Khan, External Relations, expounded on how to create awareness about refugee crisis. The event was hosted in the Department of Law & Justice, JU and was attended by students and teachers from the department. In the recent years, the world has witnessed massive forced displacement since Second World War – there are 60million displaced people, of which 20million are refugees. As global citizens, it is important for us to know those individuals who have been stripped off their rights, and what host countries should and can do in order to protect and assist the refugees. The knowledge or understanding of the refugee crisis has never been more important in world history as it is now. Thus, UNHCR and its partners try to provide humanitarian aid to the refugees and bring governments together to come up with a solution for the crisis. UNHCR had conducted refugee awareness lectures in a number of universities in Dhaka since June. This was a part one of the last sessions on global refugee crisis. l

Holey Artisan Bakery attack. Now the information is being verified and investigated, he added. He said that it is very crucial that Hasnat is sent to jail because if he secures a bail, that would disrupt the investigation. But the court has fixed August 24 for bail petition hearing, he added. After investigators interrogated him for 16 days in two stints, they did not apply for extension of Hasnat’s custody for further questioning. “We are trying to verify the information we got from him,” Masudur Rahman, deputy commissioner of DMP, told the Dhaka Tribune. “If he needs to be questioned again for investigation purposes, police will seek a remand prayer,” he added. Hasnat is the only person ar-

rested in connection to the July 1 terrorist attack, the worst in Bangladesh’s history. Terrorists killed 20 people, mostly foreigners, and two police officers when they attacked an upmarket restaurant at the heart of Dhaka’s diplomatic zone. The 11hour standoff ended with a commando operation the next morning. Hasnat, a former North South University teacher holding UK citizenship, was formally arrested on August 3. Police detained another suspect, University of Toronto student Tahmid Hasib Khan, on the same day. Both men are survivors of the terror attack. Tahmid has not been shown arrested for the attack. A court on Saturday ordered him to jail. l

City Housing project n Ashif Islam Shaon

The Appellate Division of Supreme Court yesterday issued an injunction order on all activities at the Ashiyan City Housing Project in Uttara’s Ashkona and Kaola yesterday. The apex court also stayed the effectiveness of an earlier High Court review verdict that had scrapped its previous decision of declaring the housing project illegal. The injunction order was given by a five-member appeals bench headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha. As per the order, there will be a

ban on activities like handing over the project lands to customers, selling plots, developing the project and publishing advertisements. The court has also asked the state and writ petitioners to file a leave-to-appeal petition against the High Court review verdict. The stay order will remain effective until disposal of the appeal, said lawyer of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA) Minhajul Haque Chowdhury. Additional Attorney General Murad Reza said from now the Ashiyan City authorities will not be able to move with any activities on the project. l

ONE KILLED IN MIRPUR SHOP FIRE

Three shopping stores catch fire in two days n Arifur Rahman Rabbi A person died in a fire yesterday that broke in a six-storey building in Dhaka’s Mirpur area. The fire broke out at curtain shop called ‘Porda Bilash’ on the ground floor in Monipur around 8:30am yesterday in a building that has no fire exit. A fire service official said the blaze spread quickly to the shop’s second unit on the first floor. Six firefighting units put out the flame at around 9:35am, fire service headquarters Duty Office Atikul Alam Chowdhury said.

Police identified the victim as Mamun, an employee of real estate company Isamoti, located on the building’s third floor. “He died of asphyxiation,” Mirpur police Inspector (investigation) Sazzah Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune. The cause of the fire and the extent of damage could not be known immediately. Fire at Bashundhara A fire also broke out on the sixth floor of the Bashundhara shopping centre Sunday morning. It took a total of 29 fire engines and 10 hours to put out the fire.

There were no reported casualties. Fire Services has formed a five member committee to find out the cause of the fire within seven days. Bashundhara shopping mall marketing head Jasim Uddin said: “Bashundhara will form separate inquiry committee to find the cause of the fire.” They have plans to reopen the mall on Wednesday except the block that was damaged by the fire. Abdul Alim, deputy director of Fire Service and Civil Defence said : “The fire has been doused but there still a lot of smoke which we are working on at the moment.”

Fire at Mouchak Market Another fire broke out yesterday at Golden Food Shop on the ground floor of Mouchak Market at around 5:55pm. The fire was doused within 10 minutes, said Kayum an employee of the shop. Eliyas Sarker ownder of Riya Fashon said he quickly grabbed the fire extinguisher put the fire out. Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarter telephone operator Mohammad Joy confirmed that three units had rushed to the market but the fire was already put out by the time they reached. l

Dhaka Tribune

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

30 JnU students hurt as police foil demo

Female ‘JMB militants, their trainer’ placed on remand n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

Students to boycott classes, exams today and tomorrow n Rafikul Islam At least 30 students of Jagannath University were injured yesterday when police fired teargas shells and rubber bullets to foil their demonstration in Dhaka city’s Nayabazar intersection. The JnU students were on their way to the Prime Minister’s office to press home their demand for residential halls. Ten of the students, including three female students, reportedly suffered serious injuries. Of the injured, economics department students Toufik Elahi and Mithun Roy were sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in critical condition. Rashedul Islam, a spokesman for the agitated students, said: “We wanted to draw Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s attention to our demands, which include the construction of residential halls on the vacant land of the moved-out Dhaka Central Jail. But the law enforces foiled our movement by beating us mercilessly in collaboration with the university authority.” The JnU students would now boycott all classes and examinations on Tuesday and Wednesday protesting the police attack, he added. Rashedul also demanded the resignation of the university proctor, as he was not able to protect the students. “Instead of solidarity, the proctor incites the police to invade the movement,” he said. DMP Deputy Commissioner for Lalbagh division, Mohammad Ibrahim Khan, said the police used water cannons and teargas shells to disperse student demonstrators near Bangshal around 9:45am.

Students of Jagannath University trying to break through a police barricade yesterday in Dhaka’s Bangshal area. The barricade was placed to restrict their march towards Prime Minister’s Office demanding the construction of halls in the old Dhaka Central Jail premises DHAKA TRIBUNE SM Sirajul Islam said it was a disgrace that students of the university were being forced to live in rented houses because there was no residential hall at the JnU. He also demanded punishment for the law enforcers who attacked students yesterday. Meanwhile, JnU Proctor Dr Noor Mohammad said: “The university authority is working heart and soul to keep a sound atmosphere on the campus and to resolve the students’ problem.” He urged the students to continue their academic activities.

“We could not permit 3,000 to 4,000 students to go the Prime Minister’s Office together. We asked them to give us a delegation list but they did not response. Then police obstructed them. They broke down the police barricade several times,” Ibrahim told the Dhaka Tribune. The students later staged demonstrations at the Tanti Bazaar intersection until 1:45pm, forcing traffic to come to a standstill. They also set fire to some tyres on the road. JnU Chhatra League Secretary

News

Meanwhile, JnU Teachers Association (JnUTA), the pro-Awami League Teachers Association (Neel Dal), Bangladesh Chhatra League, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Progressive Students Alliances of the university protested the police attack and expressed solidarity with the student movement. The JnU students have been demonstrating since August 1 for allotment of lands on the abandoned premises of Central Jail in Old Dhaka for residential halls named after Bangabandhu and four national leaders. l

Four women, suspected to be members of Jamaa’tul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), were yesterday remanded in police custody for interrogation for a second time. The Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court also allowed investigators five days to question another suspect Fuad al Mahadi, who, according to investigators, was involved in training the women. Mahadi is an MA student at the Bangladesh Islamic University. Investigators moved the court to interrogate the five suspects for 10 days in custody. The court allowed them to question the women for four days and Mahadi for five days. The women were arrested in Dhaka and Gazipur last week. One of them is Dhaka Medical College Hospital intern Ispisna Afroz Oishee while the others – Khadija Parvin Meghna, Israt Jahan Mou, Aklima Rahman Moni – are final year pharmacy students at Manarat International University. DMCH intern, 3 MIU students held as female JMB suspects. Four alleged female JMB members remanded Mahadi was arrested from his Kalabagan residence in Dhaka on Sunday night, Senior Police Superintendent Shamsul Haq of RAB-4 told Dhaka Tribune. Shamsul said the women told them about Mahadi and the investigators had evidence that the man was involved in training the women. “But we are not aware of what sort of training he had given them,” the RAB officer added. Mahadi’s mother Sofura Begum told the court he was innocent. “My husband Nurul Islam is a freedom fighter. He currently heads the Krishak Sramik League’s Laxmipur unit and teachers at a private college.” “Coming from such family, my son can never be involved with militancy,” she claimed. l

Terror suspect's bail stayed n Ashif Islam Shaon The Supreme Court has stayed the bail for the alleged coordinator of banned militant outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) Fida Muntaseer Shaker for three months. A five member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha

stayed the bail yesterday following a petition filed by the government. Previously, the High Court on June 16 granted him six months’ bail in two cases filed for his alleged involvement with militancy. Of the cases, one was filed with Uttara West Police Station and another with Cantonment Police Station in May 2015 under the anti-terrorism act.

TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY

THUNDERSHOWER WITH RAIN TUESDAY, AUGUST 23

Dhaka

Chittagong

Additional Attorney General Momtajuddin Fakir told the media: “Now the militant would not be able to get out of jail.” The Apex court has asked the government to file police report in the cases within three months, he said. Fida's father Mohammd Shaker is an ex-commander of Bangladesh Navy, he added. l 28

Rajshahi

DHAKA TODAY SUN SETS 6:25

Rangpur

Khulna

Barisal

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:37AM

34.5ºC Sylhet

22.5ºC Rangamati

Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES

Sylhet

Cox’s Bazar

Fajr: 5:05am | Zohr: 1:15pm Asr: 5:00pm | Magrib: 6:36pm Esha: 8:30pm Source: Islamic Foundation

News

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

Students panicked as part of BM College hostel collapses Rahman Swapan, n Anisur Barisal Residential students of Surendra Bhavan Chhatrabas, a male students’ hostel of Barisal Government Brojo Mohan College, are in panic, as a portion of the century old dormitory collapsed yesterday. However, no causality was reported, as there was nobody in the collapsed portion of the hostel building. Babul Dutta, a residential student of English department at the hostel, said a large portion of the roof of the building suddenly collapsed on the road adjacent to tinshed portion of the hostel with a big bang around 6am. “We immediately informed the college principal and hostel superintendent about the incident. Panic created among the residents of the adjacent portions of the hostel and residents of neighbouring dormitories,” he said. “Forty-two students are now residing at temporary tin-shed building adjacent to the abandoned cen-

A portion of Surendra Bhavan Chhatrabas, male students’ dormitory of Barisal Government Brojo Mohan College collapsed yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE tury-old two-storied main building of the hostel,” said Alamin Sarwar, teacher of Islamic Studies and superintendent in-charge of the hostel. Prof Imanul Hakim, principal of the college, said recent downpour had triggered the collapse of the portion of the century-old building.

One decade ago century old building of the hostel was declared as abandoned by Barisal City Corporation and Public Works Department. Then, residential students were accommodated in a two tin-shed houses constructed adjacent to

Char people expect profit from sacrificial animals n Ariful Islam, Kurigram Hundreds of people, mostly women, living in the Brahmaputra basin char areas are expecting a good profit by selling their locally-reared sacrificial animals on the occasion of coming Eid-ulAzha. They are now taking special care of their reared bullocks, calves, cows, oxen, buffaloes, goats, and fattening those to get better prices like in the previous years, said local sources. As demand of cows generally shoots up before the Eidul-Azha festivity every year, the char people are expecting to meet the possible scarcity of sacrificial animals due to ban on ‘imports’ by selling their cows to earn huge profits this time. However, there would be adequate supply of sacrificial animals as the char people as well as common farmers would sell thousands of their locally-reared cows, bullocks and other animals before the Eid-ul-Azha. Agriculture and Environ-

ment Coordinator of RDRS Bangladesh Mamunur Rashid said the animal husbandry sector had expanded on the char areas in recent years bringing fortune to thousands of extremely poor char people. “The char people are now taking special care of their reared bullocks, calves, cows, oxen, buffaloes, sheep and goats and fattening those to have better price following huge demand of those this year,” he added. Chilmari Upazila Chairman Shawkat Ali Sarker, Bir Bikram, said the char people had achieved the success following successful implementation of many projects under GOI-NGO assistance under the social safety-net programmes. “Thousands of extremely poor char families have achieved self-reliance through animal husbandry along with conducting other income generation activities in recent years though they struggled for their survival even a decade ago,” he added. Acting Chilmari Upazila Livestock Officer Dr Golam

Rabbani said the boosting animal husbandry sector has been flourishing the char economy, improving livelihoods and increasing milk production following huge production of grass in vast char areas. “Many char families have been rearing and fattening cows commercially and earning huge profits every year to add to their capitals after meeting their nutritional demand, expenses for living and education costs of their school- going children,” he said. Successful char women Kohinoor Begum, Aklima Khatun, Momena Lalbanu, Halima, Rahela, Ayesha Khatun and Nazmun Nahar of different char villages Kurigram, Rangpur, Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha narrated their success stories through animal husbandry. “We are taking special care of our reared bulls now to sell those at rates between Taka 60,000 and 90,000 or even more depending on their sizes in the local markets before the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha,” the delighted women said. l

the Surrender Bhavan in 2010, he said. “We could not start construction of new building by demolishing the abandoned old one, as a case remains pending over ownership of the land,” said principal of the case. Renowned Barisal Government Brojo Mohun College, the largest and century-old higher educational institution of the division, was established in 1886 and nationalised in 1964. There are about 25,000 students in HSC, 19 honours and masters level departments. The college has two halls and two hostels for male students with capacity of 1,300 seats and two halls for female students with capacity of 320 seats while more than 60% students of the college came from out side the city and district. Due to accommodation crisis, many students of the rural areas, specially the female students of the division, became deprived of higher education, said students of the college. l

7-month-old girl hacked to death by parents

n Md Noor Uddin, Habiganj A couple allegedly stabbed their seven-month-old daughter to death at Jaruliya village, Chunarughat upazila, Habiganj on Monday. OC of Chunarughat police station Nirmolendu Chakrabarty told the Dhaka Tribune that Liton Mia and his wife Molina Begum hacked their two daughters – Ifa Atker, the deceased, and Rifa Akter, 4, around 5am, leaving Ifa dead on the spot. Rifa Akter, who is now undergoing treatment at Sylhet Medical College, told police that their parents hacked them in the morning, but she was not aware of the reason. Police arrested Molina Begum, her mother-in-law and their neighbour Murtez Ali in connection with the killing while main accused of the case Liton went into soon after the killing. During interrogation, Molina confessed to the killing of her daughter. She said she along with her husband killed their daughter to trap their neighbour Sohel, as they had a long-standing dispute with him over the ownership of a piece of land. l

News

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

New dialysis unit soon at CMCH n Anwar Hussain, Chittagong A new outpatient hemodialysis unit is going to be launched at Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) from September this year. Hemodialysis, commonly called dialysis, is the process of purifying the blood of a patient whose kidneys are not functioning normally. In hemodialysis, blood is removed from the body, filtered through a machine and then returned to the body to mimic the kidney's functions. The CMCH is the only public hospital in the entire Chittagong region with dialysis facilities. It has nine hemodialysis machines that can provide services to 18-20 patients per day.

A patient with damaged kidneys needs at least two sessions of dialysis a week. Brig Gen Md Jalal Uddin, director of the CMCH, told the Dhaka Tribune that the establishment of a full-fledged hemodialysis centre was a long-felt demand. “The new hemodialysis unit was going to be launched from the first week of September. The construction work is now at its final stage. We have procured 34 hemodialysis machines for the unit. The hemodialysis centre will be able to provide service to at least 102 patients in three sessions per day,” the director said. “We will supervise and keep a close watch on the hemodialysis unit so that the patients can reap

maximum benefit from the hospital,” he assured. During a recent visit to the under-construction hemodialysis unit housed on the ground floor of the hospital, it was seen that workers were busy installing suspended ceiling. Bangladesh government signed a deal with the Indian firm Sandor Medicaids to provide improved access to quality dialysis care on January 27, 2015. As per the Public Private Partnership (PPP) project, two hemodialysis centres will be set up at the CMCH and National Institute of Kidney Disease and Urology (NIKDU) in Dhaka. This is the first agreement in the health sector in the PPP model. As per the agreement, the Indi-

an company will invest Tk250 million for the next 10 years. The government will give them space, utility facilities and nephrologists in two hemodialysis centres at public hospitals. Sandor Medicals will be responsible for everything from buying those machines to installing and maintaining them. The firm will also recruit support staff, if needed, according to the agreement. It will charge the existing fee of Tk400 from poor patients for each session of dialysis while well-off patients will have to pay Tk2,190. According to Kidney Foundation Bangladesh and Bangladesh Renal Association, the number of patients suffering from kidney diseases is

increasing rapidly in the country. Nearly 2 million people are suffering from various kidney and urological problems in Bangladesh. The Health Ministry says at least 400,000 people suffer from kidney diseases a year. Of them, 20,000 die from kidney failure. Dr Sk Md Jamal Mostafa Chowdhury, assistant director of CMCH, said patients from low-income groups cannot afford the recurring costs of the dialysis treatment. “There are around 600 dialysis machines all over the country which can only treat about 8% of the patients with end stage renal disease.” “The new hemodialysis unit will meet the ever increasing demand for quality dialysis treatment in greater Chittagong,” he hoped. l

Charge framing deferred in Habiganj schoolboys killing case n Md Noor Uddin, Habiganj

Charge framing over the killing of four school children deferred on Monday, as judge was on leave. Public Prosecutor of Habiganj Women and Children Repression Tribunal Abul Hasem Molla told the Dhaka Tribune that three accused of the case were produced before the court of Additional District and Sessions’ Judge Mafroja Parvin, but charge framing was deferred, as the judge was on leave. August 28 have been fixed for hearing of framing charge. On February 17, police recovered the bodies of four schoolboys— Zakaria Ahmed Shuvo, 8, son of Wahid Miah, his two cousins – Tajel Miah, 10, son of Abdul Aziz, Monir Miah, 7, son of Abdal Miah – and Ismail Hossain, 10, son of Abdul Quadir, from a ditch at Shundratiki village under Bahubal upazila, four days after they went missing. On April 5, nine people were indicted in connection with the killing. Abdul Muktadir, officer-incharge of detective branch of police, submitted the charge sheet before the court of Senior Judicial Magistrate Md Kausar Alam. The accused of the case are Abdul Ali, Rubel Mia, Jewel Mia, Arzu Mia, Shahid Mia, Boshir Mia, Belal Mia, Ustar Mia and Bacchu Mia. Of the accused, five are in police custody. Ustar Mia, Boshir Mia and Belal Mia are absconding while prime suspect ‘Bachchu’ died in a gun battle with the members of Rapid Action Battalion. l

Homeless people are sleeping at the car parking space under Chittagong Railway Station. The picture was taken yesterday

RABIN CHOWDHURY

HC: Evict 211 illegal establishments from Kirtonkhola River bank

Trailer operators call off strike

n Tribune Desk

Trailer operators in the port city withdrew their strike yesterday evening after a meeting with Chittagong City Corporation mayor. The operators enforced the strike from 8am under the banner of Chittagong Prime Mover Trailer Owners-Workers Unity Association demanding their seven points. Humayun Kabir, joint member secretary of the association confirmed the withdrawal of the strike. l

The High Court yesterday asked the government to evict 211 illegal establishments from the bank of Kirtonkhola River in Barisal within 60 days. The High Court bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Ashish Ranjan Das passed the order being moved by a petition of Human Rights and Peace for

Bangladesh. The court also directed the district administration to file a progress report before it informing what they have done to comply with the order. The court will hear the matter on November 13. The High Court had issued a rule on March 6, 2012 after the petition was filed by the organisation. The court had asked to know as to why necessary steps would not be tak-

en to evict illegal structures at the bank of Kirtonkhola River and why the court will not ask to take steps to protect the river. In April last year, the court had asked the Barisal DC to make a list of the people who are grabbing the river’s lands and place it before the court. This month, the authorities placed the list with an affidavit following which the order was passed yesterday. l

n Anwar Hussain, Chittagong

8 World

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

SOUTH ASIA

Pakistani forces kill 6 near Afghan border Pakistani security forces have killed 6 people in a remote northwestern valley near the Afghan border in a new offensive against Islamist militants in the area. The military said in a statement late on Sunday that all 6 of those killed in the offensive in the Khyber region were terrorists. In contrary, Reuters was unable to independently verify their identities as access to the area is restricted. -REUTERS

INDIA

Flood in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh kills 40 At least 40 people have died and hundreds of thousands have been evacuated as floods hit vast swathes of central and eastern India in recent days. Days of heavy rain have caused the Ganges River and its tributaries to rise above the danger level during the past 48 hours in about 20 districts of the states of Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. -AP

CHINA

China to strengthen Communist Party’s role

How children are being used as weapon in terror attacks CHILDREN ASSOCIATED WITH ARMED FORCES OR ARMED GROUPS It is estimated today that tens of thousands of children-some as young as eight years old -are involved in at least 15 armed conflicts around the world. Children are used as combatants, messengers, porters, cooks and for sexual purposes including being used as ‘wives’ Some are forcibly recruited or abducted; others are driven to join by poverty, abuse, discrimination and ideology, or to seek revenge for violence enacted against themselves and their families.

Often girls and boys are abducted from their schools, homes or village and brought to camps. They may be used as combatants, porters or for sexual purposes.

n Tribune International Desk

The Philippine government and Maoist-led guerrillas opened peace talks in Oslo on Monday, seeking to end nearly 5 decades of conflict that has killed more than 40,000 people. Both sides announced ceasefires at the weekend to buoy the Oslo talks, the first formal meeting in 5 years in fitful peace talks dating back to 1986 over one the world’s longest-running guerrilla insurgencies. -REUTERS

The suicide attacker who detonated his explosives amid an outdoor Kurdish wedding party in southeastern Turkey, killing at least 51 people, was an Islamic State group child as young as 12 years old. The extremist group has a history of using children as weapons, sending them to their death strapped with explosives and putting them on front lines in Iraq and Syria. The group maintains an army of child soldiers, which it calls “cubs of the caliphate,” and seeks to re-educate children at IS-run schools, indoctrinating them with the group’s own radical version of Islam and exposing them to violent acts, including beheadings, as part of a concerted effort to build a new generation of militants. IS videos have shown boys killing IS opponents through beheadings and shootings. But the practice is not restricted to the Islamic State and has been used by other militant groups in various ways. Here’s a look at some:

MIDDLE EAST

Islamic State group

China has issued new rules demanding the establishment of Communist Party panels in non-government bodies, aiming to beef up the ruling party’s role in such social groups, amid a broad crackdown on civil society. Western governments and rights groups lambasted a law passed in April, saying it treats foreign NGOs as a criminal threat. -REUTERS

ASIA PACIFIC

Philippines, communist rebels start peace talks

Israel launches up to 50 strikes on Gaza The Israeli military has launched dozens of strikes on Gaza in an unusually strong response to a rocket fired from Gaza that landed between 2 houses in the Israeli community of Sderot. Responsibility for the rocket attack on Sunday was initially claimed by Ahfad al-Sahaba, one of the small Salafi groups – ultra-conservative Sunnis. -THE GUARDIAN

The group has deployed child suicide bombers to stage attacks in both Iraq and Syria. Among the most deadly attacks was a bombing at a youth soccer game at a stadium south of Baghdad on March 25, 2016. A bomber - believed be a teenager - detonated his explosives as officials were handing out trophies to players after the tournament, killing 29 and wounding 60. IS claimed responsibility and released a photo of the attacker in which he appears to be no more

than 16 years old. Nearly half of those killed were also children, participating in the soccer game or cheering from the stands. The UN’s children’s agency, Unicef, said in a recent report that thousands of children have been abducted in Iraq. Girls, the group says, are at greatest risk of being sold into sexual slavery while boys are often forced into becoming combatants or suicide bombers.

Boko Haram

Human Rights groups and Unicef report a dramatic increase in Boko Haram’s use of children as suicide bombers. In a report earlier this year, Unicef said one in five suicide attacks claimed by the militant group across Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad are now carried out by children. In Nigeria, Human Rights Watch said that since Boko Haram began its attacks in 2009, it has recruited hundred, and possibly thousands, of youngsters and used dozens, mostly girls, as suicide bombers.

Al-Qaeda

The global terror network has a history of recruiting children and training them to be suicide bombers. The leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, used teenagers as suicide bombers to fight the American occupation in Iraq before he was killed in a US airstrike in 2006. Al-Qaeda in Iraq eventually developed into what today is the Islamic State group.

Radical Palestinian groups

Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other militant groups run summer camps that seek to indoctrinate Palestini-

The physical and psychological impact on children and their communities across generations cannot be underestimated. It deprives them of their rights and their childhood. Stopping this is complicated. The key is prevention - to address the social, security, political and A child associated with an armed force or armed group is economic factors that lead to any person under 18 years of child recruitment. age who is part of any kind of regular or irregular armed force or armed group in any capacity. The term “child soldier” is discouraged as it does not accurately reflect the range of roles in which boys and girls are recruited and used for military Unicef and partners negotiate with governments and armed groups for purposes, and for whose the release of children; some of release Unicef advocates. them escape by themselves.

an children with violent anti-Israel ideologies. These groups have not sent young children on suicide missions, though during the second Palestinian uprising in the early 2000s, several Palestinians as young as 16 carried out suicide bombings. In the current, monthslong wave of violence, dozens of Palestinian teenagers have carried out or been accused of carrying out stabbing attacks on Israelis, with the youngest perpetrator just 11 years old. The attackers are believed to have acted individually and were not sent by organised groups.

Yemen

In Yemen, home to one of the world’s most heavily armed civilian population, boys often learn how to handle weapons from an early age. In the country’s current conflict, irregular forces from both the pro-government and rebel sides have incorporated teenagers into their ranks.

Child recruitment and use

Hundreds of thousands of children are used as soldiers in armed conflicts around the world. Many children are abducted and beaten into submission, others join military groups to escape poverty, to defend their communities, out of a feeling of revenge or for other reasons.

Combat and support roles

In many conflicts children take direct part in combat. However, their role is not limited to fighting. Many girls and boys start out in support functions that also entail great risk and hardship.

One of the common tasks assigned to children is to serve as porters, often carrying heavy loads, including ammunition or injured soldiers. Some children act as lookouts, messengers, cooks or other routine duties. Girls are particularly vulnerable. They are often forced to serve as sexual slaves. Moreover, the use of children for acts of terror, including as suicide bombers, has emerged as a phenomenon of modern warfare.

A long healing process

Regardless of how children are recruited and of their roles, child soldiers are victims, whose participation in conflict bears serious implications for their physical and emotional well-being. They are commonly subject to abuse and most of them witness death, killing, and sexual violence. Many are forced to perpetrate these atrocities and some suffer serious longterm psychological consequences. The reintegration of these children into civilian life is a complex process.

Prohibition under international law

Human rights law declares 18 as the minimum legal age for recruitment and use of children in hostilities. Recruiting and using children under the age of 15 as soldiers is prohibited under international humanitarian law – treaty and custom – and is defined as a war crime by the International Criminal Court. l

Sources - AP, UN Office of the SRSG Children and Armed Conflict

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

Need drugs in jail? Try using a drone n Reuters While Amazon and the British government are looking into how to use drones to deliver parcels to customers, criminals are already exploiting the technology to send drugs to accomplices in prison. Police said on Monday they recovered two drones carrying mobile phones and drugs near London’s Pentonville prison and have set up a special task force - Operation Airborne - to catch offenders trying to get contraband into the jail. In the early hours of Saturday, police saw a man acting suspiciously near the prison. He ran away, dropping two bags containing drugs and mobile phones and managed to evade arrest, according to a police statement. Next day, police found a

drone that had crashed after being tracked flying over Pentonville. They were later alerted to another drone being flown at low altitude towards the prison. The unmanned aircraft was stopped in mid-flight by a police officer and a package containing large amounts of drugs and two mobile phones was recovered from it. Appealing for witnesses, Detective Chief Inspector Steve Heatley said: “These recovered drones carried a substantial amount of Class B drugs, legal highs and a large quantity of mobile phones.” Last month, Amazon announced a partnership with the British government “to explore the steps needed to make the delivery of parcels by small drones a reality, allowing Amazon to trial

A senior aide to US Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump signalled a possible shift in his hardline immigration policies on Sunday, saying his plans to deport 11 million people who are in the country illegally were under review. Trump has put his vow to toughen the country’s immigration policies at the centre of his campaign. He has promised to carry out mass deportations and build a wall on the US-Mexico border, proposals that critics have assailed as inhumane and too costly and unrealistic to achieve. Trailing Democrat Hillary Clinton in opinion polls for the November 8 election and struggling to broaden his support beyond the white working-class voters who have been his base of support, the New York businessman has reached out in recent days to black and Hispanic voters. On Sunday, his new campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway, told CNN that Trump was committed to a “fair and humane” approach to those living in the country illegally. Pressed on whether Trump’s plans would include a “deportation force” that the candidate previously pledged to set up, she replied: “To be determined.” Republican Senator Jeff Sessions, a close ally of Trump, told CBS’s “Face the Nation” that

A drone flies over Enfield in north London on April 20 new methods of testing its delivery systems”. But while the US giant is looking into how to use drones safely and reliably, criminals are pushing ahead with the technology.

REUTERS

British media reported in February that there were more than 30 incidents last year in which drones were found in or around prisons and items such as drugs, phones and USB drives recovered. l

45.7 45

July 30 Responds to criticism from Khizr Khan, father of a Muslim American solder slain in Iraq, by saying he had “made a lot of sacrifices” and “I work very, very hard”

The wife of jailed Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez said late Sunday that her husband had received a death threat from prison guards. Lopez, one of leftist President Nicolas Maduro’s most hardline opponents, was arrested in February 2014 amid a wave of anti-government protests that swept Venezuela and left 43 people dead. He is serving a 14-year sentence. -AFP

Voting begins in bitter Labour leader contest in United Kingdom

RealClearPolitics average of media polls preference: Trump vs Clinton

August 1 Continues feud with Khan by tweeting “Mr Khan... viciously attacked me...”

Venezuela opposition leader receives death threat

Donald Trump’s recent struggles with gaffes, backtracks, criticisms and outlandish claims

Powell brushes off Clinton over emails

THE AMERICAS

HOW TRUMP ROLLS July 27 Trump challenges Russia to hack into Hillary Clinton’s emails

USA

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell over the weekend dismissed reports that Democratic US presidential nominee Hillary Clinton told federal investigators that it was at his suggestion that she used a personal email account. Powell told People magazine that while he did send Clinton a memo about his own email practices, Clinton had already chosen to use personal email rather than a government account. -REUTERS

Trump campaign signals possible shift on immigration stance n Reuters, Washington, DC

World

45.6

Voting starts Monday to decide if veteran leftist Jeremy Corbyn will remain leader of Britain’s Labour party, with an ill-tempered campaign deepening divisions that threaten the party’s future. Ballots and online voting forms were being sent to party members, who have until September 21 to decide whether to replace Corbyn with MP Owen Smith. -AFP

EUROPE

EU big three mull Brexit wreckage

44.3 Hillary Clinton

43.4 43.3 July 28 Trump tells Fox News he had been “sarcastic” about the emails

42.0

40 Trump was still working through his plans for deportations should he win the White House. Trump has also been rebuked by opponents for his proposal to impose a temporary “total and complete shutdown” of Muslims seeking to enter the country, later rolled back to focus on countries with “a proven history of terrorism.” Clinton has accused Trump of sowing divisiveness and said she would propose a path to citizenship for some migrants living in the United States illegally. The former secretary of state has said that militant groups like Islamic State have begun using Trump’s proposed Muslim ban as a recruitment tool.

42.0

41.6

40.6

Source : RCP

Campaign shake-up

Conway’s comments came after Trump announced last week a major reshuffling of his campaign. Trump promoted Conway, who had been a senior adviser, to the role of campaign manager and hired Stephen Bannon, head of the Breitbart News website, as campaign chief executive. The Trump campaign said on Friday that campaign chairman Paul Manafort was resigning. The campaign’s new leadership combines Bannon, a combative conservative, with Conway, a data-driven analyst who has been trying to broaden Trump’s appeal to women and independent voters. Trump’s support has slumped

in national polls in recent weeks and surveys in pivotal states such as Pennsylvania and New Hampshire have shown a widening lead for Clinton. A Reuters/Ipsos survey released on Friday showed Clinton leading Trump nationally by 8 percentage points, 42% to 34%. Trump vowed at a campaign rally in Fredericksburg, Virginia, on Saturday to return the Republican Party to the values of President Abraham Lincoln, who issued the Emancipation Proclamation and championed the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution during the US Civil War that led to the abolition of slavery in 1865. l

The leaders of Italy, France and Germany meet Monday to lay the groundwork for a summit aimed at salvaging the European project in the wake of Britain’s shock vote to leave. Europe’s economic outlook, jihadist attacks, the refugee and migrant drama, the Syrian conflict, and relations with Russia and Turkey will all be on the table on the lush Italian island of Ventotene. -AFP

AFRICA

Libya parliament rejects unity government Libya’s internationally recognised parliament on Monday voted no confidence in a UN-backed unity government in a blow to efforts to end the country’s political chaos. The majority of lawmakers present at the parliament session voted no confidence in the government. Parliament speaker Aguila Saleh as well as 101 lawmakers attended Monday’s vote. -AFP

World

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

ANALYSIS

Chaos could be the reward of victory over Islamic State in Iraq n Brian Stewart It’s one of the grimmest ironies of war in Iraq: the advance of IS two years ago terrified foreign governments, but the steady retreat of the same jihadist group now makes diplomats nervous about what’s next. The IS setback is real. Tikrit, Ramadi, Baiji, Fallujah, all key cities swept up in that original IS conquest have been recaptured by the anti-IS coalition, which is now preparing to retake Mosul, the country’s second largest city, possibly by year’s end. The jihadists try to make up for defeats in both Iraq and Syria by calling for more attacks in the West and spawning IS affiliates in Africa, but they’ve lost over half their Iraqi territory in the past year, which robs them of critical oil and tax revenues and makes recruiting more difficult. The martial tide runs against the jihadists, but their decline hardly inspires euphoria among their enemies. Instead, diplomats are flying to international conferences to try to find a formula that might prevent a shattered Iraq from falling into new wars once the IS threat is gone. There are no signs that quest for a fix is going well. “The moment there is what you might call victory against IS, then you are up against all the problems that caused this crisis in the first place,” Yezid Sayid, senior analyst with the Carnegie Middle East Centre, told the Washington Post recently.

The core problem is Iraq has never had a true democratic consensus behind a central government. Its severe fault lines between religious, tribal and cultural groups, dangerous even before the traumatic US invasion, have only grown more toxic in the 13 years of warfare since. Rolling back IS doesn’t guarantee the government in Baghdad can forge a fragile unity. Competing armed forces will likely move in quickly to claim turf in their own interests.

A single war-weary division

Iraq has only one good army formation, the 10,000 counter-insurgency troops of the Golden Division that led the recent battles that drove IS back. The rest of the army is weak and still reforming under coalition guidance. A single war-weary division can’t hold all the land it frees from IS. Instead, the recaptured land is seized by a dizzying array of forces that include several competing Shia militias, Sunni local protection units, some Iraq army units, Kurdish fighters known as Peshmerga and various smaller tribal armies. The Shia forces, some dominated by proxy units controlled by Iran, are pushing into what used to be Sunni-held areas — an obvious potential cause of a new civil war. “These groups are not united or cohesive … and once IS is defeated, there could be an internal Shia

Iraqi soldiers raise an Iraqi flag on the ruins of a building near the provincial council headquarters in Ramadi during the offensive that freed the city from nearly a year of IS rule AP

battle for primacy,” Ned Parker, Baghdad bureau chief for Reuters, recently told the US Council on Foreign Relations. “The idea that the state currently controls the territory of Iraq has been exposed as an illusion.” Shia against Shia, Shia against Sunnis, all against Kurds — the thought of Iraq soon facing new cyclones of internecine wars troubles foreign governments who’ve invested heavily on the ground as part of the anti-IS coalition.

DEADLIEST IS ATTACKS IN IRAQ IN 2016 TURKEY

SYRIA

Waleed Trebil JORDAN SAUDI ARABIA

IRAN

Arbil Tal Afar Sharqat

Qaim

60 miles

Mosul

Sinjar

Canada’s complicated role

Few have more to worry about than the Trudeau government. Canada put a major effort into the training and partial equipping of Peshmerga, which many Kurds see as their independent army of the future. Our military aid was meant to protect the Kurds in northeastern Iraq from IS slaughter, but the Peshmerga proved to be skilled fighters who’ve not only pushed the jihadists back, they’ve spread their own control well beyond their original Kurdish heartland. The Kurdistan Regional Government has expanded its total territory by 50%. It’s not land the Kurds plan to give back, nor is it land others will easily concede to them. The Kurds are anxious to claim the oil fields they’ve long thought to be rightfully theirs, but above all, they want full separation from Iraq. Their president, Masoud Barzani, has insisted that Kurdistan’s new borders have been “drawn in blood” and, according to news reports, he vows they won’t relinquish this territory. Those are fighting words for Shia militias who’ve denounced any breakup of Iraq. The Baghdad government has vowed to reassert its authority over all Kurdish-controlled areas. If IS continues to degrade at its current pace, a conflict over Kurdish succession could find Ottawa scrambling to withdraw military trainers and medical staff. It would be an embarrassing pullout at best and one likely bitterly resented by Kurds. Canada was always clear it doesn’t want Kurds to secede, but the government can hardly claim surprise if the force it helped mobilize decides to go all out for independence. “There is an irony in that we and others are investing in the Peshmerga and are actually aiding a separatist army,” Martin Bell, Middle East expert and formerly one of Canada’s most experienced ambassadors to the region, said earlier this year. “But at this point, there’s no

100km

Kirkuk

Sulaymaniyah Tuz Khurmato

Hawija Baiji Tikrit

Khanaqin

Samarra

Haditha Hit

Muqdadiyah Baqubah Baghdad

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

1,5-8

Kut Najaf

lskandariya 3

Samawa Nasriyah

Karbala

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

Hilla 2 4

Basra

Areas/towns under Kurdish Control

KUWAIT

Areas/towns under control of Iraqi security forces

Amarah

5 6 7

3 8 4

alternative to that.” Canada is already struggling to appear properly neutral. When Canadian soldiers wore Kurd insignia on their battle dress, Baghdad and some others in the coalition complained they were sporting separatist symbols. The links to the Kurds also put Canadian officers working with the Iraq government in Baghdad in the delicate position of assisting two groups that could be future opponents of each other. The senior Canadian officer there, Brigadier General Greg Smith, has said, “We’re enabling both sides.” “As for the longer political solution,” he told the Toronto Star this summer, “that is very much an Iraqi democratic problem.”

Tough sell

Canadian military missions abroad are renowned — and sometimes lampooned — for their always sunny optimism, but our mission could become an increasingly hard sell as factions use all means other than democratic ones to boost their

power as IS declines. Meetings of foreign backers of Iraq, including Canada, convened in Washington last month to concentrate on the post-IS recovery effort, but the players emerged with no clear sense of what democratic options would even look like. Some diplomats may remember the Duke of Wellington’s words on war: “Nothing except a battle lost can be half as melancholy as a battle won.” Another relevant rule of war for Canada: they’re always easier to get into than get out of. That’s especially true after you’ve bonded on the ground with people as resilient as the Kurds, who may yet face a lifeand-death struggle. l [Brian Stewart is currently a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Munk School for Global Affairs at the University of Toronto. He also sits on the advisory board of Human Rights Watch Canada.]

[This is an excerpt from a CBC article, which can be found at http://bit. ly/2bbo1RC]

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

12 Business

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

BB to watch over granting big loans n Asif Showkat Kallol Bangladesh Bank has decided to direct commercial banks to take special cautionary measures while sanctioning large credits and to see collateral against loans is not overvalued by the borrowers. A recent meeting of the central bank’s supervision committee came up with the decision of “strong monitoring” over the commercial banks’ sanctioning of large loans to single borrowers, official sources said. The central bank already conveyed it to the Bank and Financial Institutions Division and requested it to take necessary steps in this regard. Bangladesh Bank will issue a circular on the matter to keep the banks’ large credit programmes secure. According to the meeting decision, the authorities concerned of the commercial banks will review the credit risks of the banks’ branches in sanctioning big loans. The commercial banks will also ensure security of loan disbursement and give importance on it, the meeting decided. The big loans are more than 80% of total loans disbursed by the country’s commercial banks. In March 2015, Bangladesh Bank embarked on a two-step programme to ensure that the loan situation of the sector’s large borrowers do not go out of hand but that programme did not work out. As of June of the same year, a number of only 60 borrowers owed a total of Tk60,000 crore to the country’s commercial banks. In 2013 Bangladesh Bank launched a software to increase large loan monitoring after the banking sector was rocked by a number of high-profile loan scams. l

Capital market snapshot: Monday DSE Broad Index

4,577.8

-0.0% ▼

Index

1,117.0

-0.2% ▼

30 Index

1,762.9

-0.2% ▼

Turnover in Mn Tk

4,472.4

-5.0% ▼

Turnover in Mn Vol

117.2

6.9% ▲

All Share Index 14,052.3

-0.2% ▼

30 Index

12,783.7

-0.3% ▼

CSE

Selected Index

8,553.5

-0.2% ▼

Turnover in Mn Tk

257.1

-1.5% ▼

Turnover in Mn Vol

9.8

27.3% ▲

Political turmoil still blamed for rescheduling of bank loans n Jebun Nesa Alo Businessmen are still blaming political turmoil for rescheduling their loans despite the fact that political situation has long remained calm since the end of 2014. Many business organisations have been pressing the central bank for rescheduling their default loans saying that their business still suffers from the spillover effects of political unrest in 2013 and 2014. Though the loan defaulters had earlier enjoyed a relaxed loan rescheduling facilities till June 30 last year, Bangladesh Bank (BB) has now become very rigid in allowing such rescheduling cases. The borrowers were allowed to continue their loan rescheduling with fewer down payments than the required amount even after the expiry of the relaxed policy deadline. But the new BB Governor, Fazle Kabir, has stopped this practice soon after he took over the charge of the central bank in March this year. Many clients, who had earlier rescheduled their loans, taking the advantage of the relaxed policy, has failed to continue their installment payments as their businesses are yet to overcome the losses incurred during the political turmoil. As a result, they again sought for loan rescheduling from the central bank as they turned defaulters. According to the Bangladesh Bank data, LTR (Loan Against Trust Receipt) loans are mostly getting default and seeking for loan rescheduling. Global price

Many business organisations have been pressing the central bank for rescheduling their default loans saying that their business still suffers from the spillover effects of political unrest in 2013 and 2014 RAJIB DHAR fall and spillover effect of political turmoil are mainly attributed to business loss. Nafi International involved with importing food grains has become defaulter with 46 LTR loan accounts worth around Tk46 crore. The Southeast Bank client has sought for rescheduling in July this year to Bangladesh Bank, citing the ground that its business has long been suffering from the year 2013 due to the political turmoil. The client claimed that his business transaction fell down at the end of the year 2014. Moreover, price fall of food grains in the local markets has further contrib-

uted to its financial lose. Earlier in December 2014, Bangladesh Bank had allowed Nafi International to reschedule its loan under the special facility in the wake of political unrest. The proposal of for loan rescheduling was approved subject to 5% down payment with a 6-month grace period. But, the client eventually turned into a defaulter as he failed to pay the required down payment accordingly. Motiur Rahman, Bank Asia’s client also engaged in the import of food grain, has also sought for loan rescheduling this month. He also incurred a loss in busi-

ness due to political turmoil during the year 2013 and 2014 and still suffering from the spillover effects. He sought for rescheduling 40 LTR loans by converting in term loan worth Tk16 crore. New BB Governor Fazle Kabir has been allowing loan rescheduling proposals subject to full payment of the required down payment as per the rule, said a senior executive of Bangladesh Bank. Bangladesh Bank relaxed its reschedule policy in December 2013 to facilitate the business groups affected by political unrest. Businessmen took the advantage of relaxed policy till June 2014. l

BTRC to hold public hearing on operators service quality n Ishtiaq Husain To get customers’ feedback directly, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is going to arrange public hearing soon. The commission has taken the decision at its regular commission meeting on Sunday. An official of BTRC told the Dhaka Tribune that the regulator is getting complaints frequently from customers on the poor services of all mobile operators. BTRC will arrange the public hearing soon, another official said, asking not to be named. On December last year, State Minister for Posts and Telecommunication Tarana sat with all mobile operators to resolve call-drop is-

sues. On that day, she informed the journalists that if the mobile operators couldn’t reduce dropped calls, the government will force them to introduce compensation. In January, BTRC gave directives to all mobile operators to provide compensation for each dropped call. Later, Tarana reiterated that from July the regulator would introduce compensation for dropped calls, but the government is yet to do that. Earlier, the regulator organised public hearing on various issues including Robi-Airtel merger. Meanwhile, the regulator is planning to prepare a guideline to ensure Quality of Service (QoS). After taking the charge of BTRC on October 26, Dr Shahjahan Mahmood assured the mobile

phone subscribers of quality services across the country. “During the first three months, my first job will be to resolve all the call termination-related problems,” he told a view exchange meeting with the members of Tel-

ecommunication Reporters Network, Bangladesh (TRNB) at his office in Dhaka on November 9. Operators said dropped calls in Bangladesh are at a tolerable level, according to International Telecommunications Union. l

Business

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

Coal one of the hottest commodities n Reuters Less than a year after the coal industry was declared to be in terminal decline, the fossil fuel has staged its steepest price rally in over half a decade, making it one of the hottest major commodities. Cargo prices for Australian thermal coal from its Newcastle terminal, seen as the Asian benchmark, have soared over 35% since midJune to more than one-year highs of almost $70 a tonne, pushed by surprise increases in Chinese imports. “Coal markets, after five years of declining prices, appear to have found a bottom in the first quarter,” Australia’s Whitehaven Coal said yesterday, as its shares hit a three-year high on the release of its annual results. “Reasons for the increase in prices include mine closures in Indonesia, United States and Australia and policy change by Chinese authorities,” Whitehaven said, adding it was confident that coal prices will rise. Goldman Sachs, reversing a gloomy outlook it issued last September, said this week restrictions on domestic production by Chi-

terminal decline. As a result of China’s surprise move, Goldman said there was now “support (for) global prices for the foreseeable future.” The bank raised its three, six and 12 month price forecasts to $65/$62/$60 per tonne for Newcastle coal, up as much as 38% from its previous outlook.

Winners and losers

An aerial view shows a coal-burning power plant on the outskirts of Zhengzhou, Henan province, China nese regulators had turned coal “into one of the best performing commodities so far this year.” Global mining majors like Glencore and Anglo American, but also regional Asian players like Whitehaven and Thailand’s Banpu, are reaping the benefits. All four have seen their shares

rise sharply, particularly since China in April cut mine operating days by 16% in a bid to help meet its target of reducing capacity by 250 million tonnes this year. Banpu, which operates several export mines across Asia-Pacific, said this week that it expects to sell its 2016 coal supplies at an average price

REUTERS

of over $50 a tonne, up from a previous target of $47 to $48 per tonne. The price recovery is an unexpected boon for miners, who were hit hard by a years-long downturn, and stands in sharp contrast to previous calls by Goldman and the International Energy Agency (IEA), who said last year that coal was in

Coal has also been garnering support from Asian industrial powerhouses Japan and South Korea, while demand remains firm in India, Vietnam and the Philippines. Japan and South Korea have both said they want to expand future coal imports while reducing more expensive imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG). China’s power consumption has also risen against expectations, jumping 8.2% from a year ago in July to reach 552.3 billion kilowatt hours. While almost all thermal coal miners were hit by the previous price decline, and most shut or sold assets, those left with the best assets now stand to benefit from the rebound. l

Stocks close flat amid dull trading ‘Only 10,000 children n Tribune Business Desk

Activity remained lacklustre at stock exchanges yesterday when the index traded in a narrow band virtually closing flat as late selling wiped out early gains. Stocks witnessed yet another flat session yesterday amid volatile trade as modest profit booking continued. The benchmark index of Dhaka Stock Exchange DSEX was marginally down 1 point to finish at 4,577. The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, dropped 3 points to 1,762. The DSE Shariah Index fell 2 points to 1,116.

The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index CSCX declined 17 points to 8,553. Trading activities continued to decline as the DSE turnover stood at Tk447 crore, down 5% over the previous session. The market remained dull for the major part of the day where accumulation was seen in engineering issues, accounting for over 20%. The block transaction also made up for over 3% of the total turnover. Shares of 324 companies were traded. At the end of the day, 112 stocks closed higher, 130 declined while 82 remained unchanged.

Life insurance sector attracted the investors, posting the highest rise of 3.7%, led by Delta Life Insurance that climbed over 8%, which was the top gainer of the day. Engineering sector was the second best performer with a rally of 0.7%, pulled up by National Tubes. Telecommunication, power and pharmaceuticals closed flat. Keya Cosmetics was the most-traded share with a turnover worth about Tk20 crore. It was followed by BSRM Limited, MJL Bangladesh Limited, National Tubes, Shahjibazar Power Company Ltd and Lafarge Surma Cement. l

Walton eyes Eid sale of 450K fridges n Tribune Business Desk Walton – a local manufacturer of electronics and home appliances – has set a target of selling 450,000 refrigerators ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. To meet the increased demand, the local brand has taken massive preparation from its production process to marketing strategies, said a press release the company issued recently. Walton has already increased fridge production just after the Eidul-Fitr. Now, about 6,000 to 7,000 refrigerators are manufactured

every day. The local brand has already built up a stock of 1.5 lakh fridges in its factory to maintain their smooth supply during the abrupt increase of demands. “Over the last couple of years, we have experienced that the demand for fridges goes up ahead of Eid ul-Azha. So, this year we increased the production and side by side took strategic planning in our supply chain process,” said Eva Rezwana, chief marketing coordinator and executive director of Walton Plaza.

She hoped that Walton would be able to grab a lion’s share of the excessive demands for fridges in the local market, centering the upcoming Eid festival. “The customers’ trust in our quality and passion for Walton products is increasing in a larger scale,” said Amdadul Haque Sarker, head of marketing and executive director of Walton. He also said the customers believe that the quality of Walton fridges is better than those of imported ones and the price is also affordable. l

removed from hazardous jobs in 10 years’ n Tribune Business Desk Only 10,000 children were possible to be taken out of hazardous jobs in last one decade, which made the achievements in reducing child labour in Bangladesh less visible, said officials. They were speaking at a press conference in Dhaka last week, organised by South Asia Initiative to End Violence against Children (SAIEVAC), on behalf of Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and in collaboration with International Labor Organization. Joint Secretary of MoWCA and National Coordinator of SAIEVAC Dr Md Aminul Islam, Director General of SAIEVAC Dr Rinchen Chophel, Executive Director of INCIDIN Bangladesh AK Masud and Professor of Development Studies at the University of Dhaka Dr Kazi Maruful Islam were present. Dr Md Aminul Islam said a new comprehensive law has been formulated to ban all forms of violence and punishment against children and to remove children from hazardous jobs. He said under the National Plan of Action the ministry was working to promote adoption, implementa-

tion and monitoring of integrated strategy with adequate budgets and resource allocation. The government provided parents with financial supports to remove their children from hazardous jobs and send them to school, he said. But according to a study conducted by Prof Dr Kazi Maruful Islam, an increasing number of children are becoming engaged with leather sector because payments are higher there than other alternative jobs. He said at the Hazaribagh tanneries around 4,000 children have been engaged and almost 35% of their family income come from there. “So it is very difficult to shift them from this risky job.” Dr Aminul Islam said jointly MoWCA and SAIEVAC are trying to create alternative jobs for the children engaged in hazardous jobs. In his speech report, Director General SAIEVAC Dr Rinchen Chophel said: “SAIEVAC is working with MoWCA to protec children from major five explorations like early marriage, child labour, child abuse, child trafficking and corporate punishment.” l

Business

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

Telenor sets sights on ads as network revenue stagnates as India and Indonesia are at least doubling in size every year, albeit from a far lower spending base, the media research firm projected.

‘Dumb pipe’

Sigve Brekke, President and CEO of Telenor, delivers a keynote speech during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain REUTERS

n Reuters, Arendal Norway’s Telenor will set up a separate business unit to claim a share of the rapidly growing mobile advertising market in Asia, Chief Executive Sigve Brekke told Reuters. Telecom operators like Telenor are facing challenges to their traditional business as increased data usage has opened the door for digital content providers like Netflix and Spotify and messaging companies such as Facebook to capture an increasing share of network revenue. Telenor aims to fight back by staking a claim to a slice of the mobile ad market that is growing fast, especially in emerging and developing markets where a rise in smartphone sales is giving many consumers access to the internet for the first time. “A lot of digital players are coming in and taking parts of the value chain,” Brekke said in an interview last week. “It’s a very demanding situation for mobile players right now and we are forced to make a decision on what we want to do going forward.”

Its advertising strategy builds on technology from Tapad, a US-based startup it acquired earlier this year for $360m, which is designed to place relevant ads as individual users switch between their devices. “We will try to use Tapad as an entry into mobile advertising as a separate business unit in our Asian growth markets,” Brekke said, adding that Telenor “needs to be able to do business in a different way going forward.” Telenor has more than 211 million mobile phone subscribers across Asia, Scandinavia and southeastern Europe. More than 90% of those subscribers are in its six Asian markets, including Bangladesh, Pakistan and Thailand. Global mobile advertising is set to top $100bn in revenue in 2016, representing around 16.5% of all media ad spending, according to a forecast last year by eMarketer. More mature markets like the United States, China and Britain now account for two-thirds of all mobile ad spending among the top 20 markets, but mobile ad markets in the rest of Asia such

“You can choose to be a ‘dumb pipe’, a network provider or you can try to take a larger digital position,” Brekke said. Industry-wide, he said he expected annual growth in networks of 1%, compared to 20-30% in digital. In addition to the Tapad acquisition, Telenor has started a joint venture with Norway’s Schibsted within online classified ads in Asia and Latin America. It also operates two bank and financial services providers in Serbia and Pakistan. Digital businesses such as advertising and financial services accounted for just 2% of the group’s total 2015 revenues of 26.5 billion crowns ($3.22bn). “The question is how far you should go into this segment. We will not do as some of our competitors have done and take positions in content like music and video streaming. That is not for us,” Brekke said. However, he did expect the company to make some smaller acquisitions to boost the move into mobile advertising. “Some of it we can manage ourselves, but sometimes we will also need to acquire competence. These are just small acquisitions. We are not planning any major acquisitions right now,” said Brekke. Telenor is expected to give more details on its future digital strategy at its capital markets day in London on Sept 22. l

CORPORATE NEWS

Southeast Bank Limited has recently signed an agreement with bKash Limited on providing payment and collection services to bKash distributors, said a press release. The bank’s managing director, Shahid Hossain and CEO of bKash Limited, Kamal Quadir have signed the agreement

Samsung plans refurbished smartphone programme n Reuters Samsung Electronics Co Ltd plans to launch a program to sell refurbished used versions of its premium smartphones as early as next year, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The South Korean technology firm is looking for ways to sustain earnings momentum after reviving its mobile profits by restructuring its product line-up. As growth in the global smartphone market hits a plateau, Samsung wants to maximize its cost efficiency and keep operating margins above 10%. The world’s top smartphone maker will refurbish high-end phones returned to the company by users who signed up for one-year upgrade programs in markets such as South Korea and the United States. Samsung would then re-sell these phones at a lower price, the person said, declining to be identified as the plan was not yet public. The person declined to say how big a discount the refurbished phones would be sold at, which markets the phones would be sold in or how many refurbished devices Samsung could sell. A Samsung spokeswoman said the company does not comment on speculation. It was not clear to what extent the phones would be altered, but refurbished phones typically are fitted with parts such as a new casing or battery. Rival Apple Inc’s iPhone has a re-sale value of around 69% of its original price after about one year from launch, while Samsung’s flagship Galaxy sells for 51% of the original price in the US market, according to BNP Paribas. Refurbished phones could help vendors such as Samsung boost their presence in emerging markets such as India, where high-end devices costing $800 or so are beyond most buyers. Apple sells refurbished iPhones in a number of markets including the United States, but does not disclose sales figures. It is trying to sell such iPhones in India, where the average smartphone sells for less than $90. Selling used phones could help Samsung fend off lower-cost Chinese rivals that have been eating into its market share, and free up some capital to invest elsewhere or boost marketing expenditure. Deloitte says the used smartphone market will be worth more than $17bn this year, with 120 million devices sold or traded in to manufacturers or carriers - around 8% of total smartphone sales. Some market experts expect the used market to grow fast as there are fewer technology breakthroughs. l

Business

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

Tech

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

New semester, new smartphones Back-to-school necessity in the palm of your hands

n Mahmood Hossain Whether you’re a college or a university student, or even part of the faculty, the new semester is nearby. So why not sport the latest smartphone to make your life easier? This week, we take a run through several smartphones that might be ideal for the upcoming semester or beginning of a new educational cycle. Motorola Moto G4 Plus

to-head with flagship smartphones in the Android market for some time now. It may never stand on top of the hill against other flagships, but you won’t have to pay a ridiculous flagship-like price for a phone that can contend with the best of them. If this was a cricket player, there wouldn’t be a single doubt of the OnePlus 3 being the best all-rounder. You don’t have to worry about rolling Android updates or it being locked because of certain regions. This phone (if taken care of) will last you for a solid two years without any major headaches. Apple iPhone SE Not all of us can afford the larger and more expensive flagship phones from Apple. That’s where the smaller sibling SE comes into play. With a smaller build, it still boasts up-to-date technology and impressive specs. Smaller device also means easier to use on one hand. With the very popular

If you actually manage to get your hands on this device, consider yourself in a favourable position. This phone blew plenty of tech-heads away with how much is squeezed into this very affordable device. Dealing with photos, casual gaming, LTE speeds, fingerprint reader are all impressive in a smartphone that will cost you around Tk20,000. It performs really well for a phone in that price range so you won’t have to worry about breaking the bank for a decent current generation smartphone. Bang for your buck? Yeah, we’d say so. OnePlus 3 We’ve brought the attention to this mid-price phone that can go headdesign of the past, from its 5S cousin, and today’s navigation, the iPhone SE provides the Apple iOS experience in a more affordable manner. But if you’re really eager to make the leap, and feel this is sort of pointless, well, you can always wait for the new iPhone 7 coming out soon that will probably cost you an arm and a leg. Samsung Galaxy Note 7 You could honestly replace a fullfledged tablet with this beautiful wonder. In fact, you’ll probably be able to complete everyday tasks

in a single day on this new phablet from Samsung. We’ve already reviewed this amazing phone that has the best display in the entire market. And we mean in both the Android and Apple markets. Sure, it’s a bit on the pricey side, but if you aren’t relying too much on your laptop nowadays, this could be the best investment. This phone is all about the multitasking ability, not to mention the media playback on its beautiful screen. Now, you’ll be able to zone out in-between periods, watching your desired video as if you were sitting in your own room at home.

Last year’s winners You can always go out and get yourself the latest iPhone or Galaxy S7 Edge, but we all know the aching price hike. With that in mind, there is no shame whatsoever in purchasing last year’s Galaxy S6, S6 Edge and Apple iPhone 6S or 6S Plus. By this time, the prices have obviously gone down which means you have a better change of owning one of these wonderful devices. Technology is always moving at a fast pace, but that doesn’t necessarily mean last year’s winners are obsolete. There are plenty of new phones from this

year that are still playing catchup to the S6 and 6S phones of the world. In fact, in order to save money and pack an incredible amount of amazing features in one smartphone, you’re actually better of buying last year’s flagship phones. Whatever your choice may be, know yourself first in what you actually desire and need. Ultimately, no matter the affordability of a smartphone, you are still making an investment. Think about longevity and productivity before you make the plunge. l

Gaming

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

Super Mario at the Olympics n Mahmood Hossain

Mr Abe popped out of a huge life-size pipe holding a red ball and wearing Mario’s signature cap. The ball was then handed to gold medal winning, Japanese swimmer Kosuke Kitajima. The presentation and hand off was an indication of Japan’s boasting of the country’s athletic and technological prowess. Japan is the next country to host the summer Olympics. We’re hoping that the iconic character will make plenty of appearances four years down the line, alongside all the other familiar and popular figures of Japan. l

Who could ever imagine Mario would ever take part in the closing ceremonies of the summer Olympics in Rio? If you weren’t in front of a television, Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe put on the Mario cap and came out of a warp pipe. You read that right, he popped out of a warp pipe. The prime minister took the stage in the closing ceremony of the Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro. In the climax of a video showing Mario travelling to Rio from Japan,

A slim alongside Neo Xbox One S versus Xbox One n Mahmood Hossain It’s always a difficult choice to make when a company decides to release an updated version of a best-selling gadget. They will take the necessary steps to confuse the crap out of you, and lure you into their sexy new look. That is the case with the new Xbox One S. We try to break things down for you Xbox fans, so you aren’t left wondering if it’s actually worth investing in a new gaming console from Microsoft.

n Mahmood Hossain The first week of September will be a time period of pure speculation and eagerness for the tech world, especially for the fans of the Sony PlayStation gaming console. For those who don’t already know, Sony is planning to introduce and present the new PlayStation Neo or PlayStation 4.5, if you will. Alongside the new upgraded version of the PS4, there have been rumours and a leak of a slimmer version of the current generation console, as seen in the image. Sony is no stranger to throwing something extra and unexpected to the public on a given event. The company is holding a PlayStation focused event in New York on September 7. However, naturally, the company is keeping all information close to their chest, revealing nothing until the event. What we do know is Sony is presenting a more powerful

machine in the Neo. It’s like pushing an updated version of a flagship smartphone. New model, new specs, and possibly new look. The leaked image was taken off of an auctioning site, via Gumtree. From the looks of the box itself, the slimmer version is a fusion of the PS3 Slim and the PS4. Again, there is no official confirmation of this slimmer version of the PS4. Question is: why would Sony introduce a new, more powerful version of the PS4 and a slimmer version of the current gen console at the same time? Even the Wall Street Journal made it apparent that the company is providing not one, but two consoles. On the topic of the upgraded model, Sony’s CEO Andrew House said something along the lines of, “intended to sit alongside and complement the standard PS4.” As usual, only time will tell what the ultimate message the tech titans are trying to send. l

Xbox One • $249 USD • 10 ¾” x 13” x 3 ¼ • Plays all Xbox One games • Plays backward compatible Xbox 360 Games • Does not have HDR video streaming • Does not have HDR video gameplay • Not 4K Blu-Ray supported • Kinect compatibility • Does not function vertically • Includes controller • Does not have integrated IR blaster • Hard drive sizes: 500GB and 1TB Xbox One S • $299 - $399 USD • 9” x 11 ½” x 2 ½” • Plays all Xbox One games • Plays backward compatible Xbox 360 Games • HDR video streaming • HDR video gameplay (with select titles) • 4K Blu-Ray supported • Kinect compatibility (requires an adapter) • Functions vertically • Includes controller (slightly revised) • Integrated IR blaster • Hard drive sizes: 500GB, 1TB,

2TB Okay maybe that wasn’t as easy as simple as we claimed. Don’t blame it on us; companies like Microsoft will do that to you, unsurprisingly. The truth is if you’re still rocking the original Xbox One, you really aren’t missing out on anything else. The slightly boosted specs may not be all that important for the average gamer. Sure, it’s very pretty to look at. In fact, it’s the best design Microsoft has developed for their gaming console. As for the new upgraded characteristics, the majority of gamers really

won’t bite at the chance of getting the latest version. The upgrades themselves can only garner gamers and tech lovers who always want to be in the forefront of technology. Is it worth the upgrade? Not really. If you want to splurge or money is no object, then dive right in. It’s a fantastic console, there is no doubting that, but making the jump now is unnecessary. Regardless of the comparison there is fun to be had on both consoles. As far as we’re concerned, this is a win/win for Xbox fans. l

Biz Info

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

| award |

| conference |

Certificate awarding ceremony at BUET

Special meeting held with parents at IUB

Prof Dr Saiful Islam, vicechancellor, BUET handing over certificates to participants of a two day long (August 20-21, 2016) short course on "Full Custom Very Large Scale Integrated Circuit Design" at

the seminar room of EEE, BUET organised by HEQEP Sub-Project # 3817 under UGC, Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, BUET. Prof Dr Quazi Deen Mohd Khosru, head, Dept of EEE, BUET

and Prof Dr M Muhibur Rahman, AIF management specialist, HEQEP was also present at the event. The function was presided over by Prof Dr ABM Harun-ur-Rashid, ISM, HEQEP Sub-Project # 3817. l

| deals |

Janmashtami promotions at Le Meridien this year allows for yet another long weekend, the hotel is also offering a wonderful family retreat package to make the holidays more enjoyable and relaxing. The package entails one night accommodation for two adults and upto two children with complimentary buffet breakfast, use of swimming pool and gym, welcome drinks and in-room chocolates all for Tk11,900 net per room, per night. The package also includes a 30 minute Thai massage for two adults in the signature Explore Spa as well as 20% discount on all dine-in food

With Janmashtami holidays coming up, upscale hotel Le Méridien Dhaka has arranged a Janmashtami vegetarian promotion with influences of India. The promotion will be held from August 25-26, 2016. The Janmashtami Vegetarian Relish will showcase an extended vegetarian cuisine station, inclusive of various traditional sweetmeats as well as a chaat corner. Master Chef Shamsher a notable gourmet expert from Mumbai, India, has been appointed to direct and prepare the buffet menu. This is the

first time in Bangladesh that a hotel has organised such an initiative to explore the diverse cuisine culture of the country for the occasion of Janmashtami. Guests may enjoy the buffet dinner at Latest Recipe for Tk3,600++ per person. Buy one get one free and discount offers are available with various partner banks and telecommunications at the buffet dinner. Given that Janmashtami

consumptions during the stay. Guest may contact +8801990900900 to book tables or +8801990909909 for room reservations. l

Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) organised a special discussion session and opinion sharing meeting with the parents and guardians of the students of the university on Saturday, August 20 2016 at IUB Auditorium in Bashundhara, Dhaka. The purpose of the meeting was to apprise about the measures taken by IUB to ensure a safe academic environment for the students. It also provided an opportunity for guardians to interact with the university

management and share matters of common concern. Prof M Omar Rahman, vice chancellor, presided over the program and assured parents that Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) is complying with all instructions the government has introduced for educational institutions. Registrar of the university Brig Gen (Retd) Md Anwarul Islam briefly presented the measures IUB has taken to safeguard all pertinent interests and issues of the students as well as parents. More than 500 parents and guardians took part in the opinion sharing meeting and participated in question-answer session. Deans of different schools, registrar and vice chancellor of IUB answered all pertinent questions and assured to keep the university completely safe and secured for their children. They also urged for parents’ cooperation in this regard. All the senior faculty and management members were present in this very significant meeting. l

| tech |

Samsung inaugurates customer service centres in Narayanganj and Comilla

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd Bangladesh is relaunching two of its service centres in the river port city Narayanganj and in Comilla, which is one of the three oldest cities in Bangladesh. These service centres will provide after sales support for Samsung Mobile devices. The service centre in Narayangonj is located at Tokyo plaza, Shop no 17 & 18 (3rd Floor), 69 BB Road, DIT, Narayangonj. The service centre in Comilla is located at Albir Tower (2nd floor) Holding no 571 (west side), Nazrul Avenue, Ranir Bazar Road, Comilla. The service centres are designed in accordance with Samsung’s global standards. They will operate every

day except on Fridays and public holidays. The centres were inaugurated by Seungwon Youn, managing director of Samsung Electronics Bangladesh who cut the ribbon and officially launched the Customer Service Centre. Also present at the event were Tanveer Shahed, head of customer service and Khandaker Hafiz Al Asad, director of Fair Solution Ltd. In his message the MD informed, “Our commitment to our customers does not end with the sale of a product. We believe in serving our customers with the best-inclass product and services. From now onwards, our customers residing in the river port capital Narayanganj and Comilla can receive quality after sales service for their Samsung mobile handsets.” Samsung now has 35 service centres and 39 collection points nationwide for device after sales service. For details, interested customers can call at 09612-300300, 08000-300-300(Toll free). l

Auto Connect

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

Shake the shakes off n ASM Foysal Speed! Power! The raw grunt of the engine hard pressed by the accelerator; a lot has been done to make people go faster in cars but what evolution lies on the other end of the spectrum? The unseen yet progressive development in automotive braking system has been crucial to ensuring road safety and by extension, your safety in the vehicle. Hence it is necessary, for the system that ensures we don’t become roadkill, to be well maintained at all times. Any type of sound you hear or vibration you feel when pressing on the brake pedal in your vehicle could be distressing. A high-pitched noise usually indicates to the brake shoes being wet. A few minutes on the road will take care of that, given there isn’t a deeper problem. What’s more worrying is feeling any sort of vibration through the brake pedal. Typically brake pedals vibrate because of uneven wear on the rotor - a circular disk-like object the brake pads press against. If the disk is thinner in particular

places, the pads will press on them non-uniformly, sending brake vibrations or shudders through the brake lever. There is also a possibility of dirt and rust building up on the rotor, which causes micro pulsations to be sent through the pedals. A variation of a few thousandths of a centimeter in the rotor’s thickness is enough to rattle the driver. In some cases, the vibration could be so bad that the whole car might shake when the driver hits the breaks. The primary cause of rotor distortion is the brake pads themselves; if they aren’t being completely released when the driver moves his foot off the brake pedal, they drag on the disk, damaging them; in some cases, deeply etching them. Unreleased brake shoes could also be the reason for shrill noises emitting from vehicle. We often resurface our rotors to smooth them out. This involves scraping off metal from the top layer and is commonly known as disk turning. Resurfacing or turning requires a certain thickness

of metal in the disk, if too much of the rotor thickness is used up; it’s advisable to replace the rotors instead of grinding more metal off

it. Pedal vibration could also be an issue for vehicles with drum brakes. The drums could wear out disproportionately as well and the

brake shoes would press against them unevenly. Smoothing out the braking surface could solve this.l

first, resulting in a greater twisting force on stubborn nuts and bolts. Even though this can get you out of tricky situations, be careful and try keeping the leverage straight on the direction you want it to turn. Anything out of balance will most certainly give some bloody knuckles and cursing, that too at yourself.

(preferably electric tape). Just cover your battle wound with clean cloth, and tape the living daylights out of it, so that you’re good to fight on again.

Home mechanic tips and tricks

The mechanic’s field dressing

Predictably, at some point, you’re going to mess up and make your finger bleed. Perceptibly, having access to first aid supplies is optimal, but in the likely scenario where you don’t have these things, then desperate times call for desperate measures. At this point, all you need is a small piece of clean cloth and some tape

n Tahsin Momin For most us, the motivation behind becoming a home mechanic tends to lie within the sole desire to work on your ride and getting the bragging rights to it. Despite your

motivation, it is always a plus to know some of the insider tricks of the trade. Here are some of the tricks you may or may not have previously known:

The double wrench

This is simple yet effective trick to get some more leverage in a tight space. Using just a simple pair of spanners, you can in fact latch the closed end of the second wrench to the curved side of the

The magnet vacuum

No matter how tedious you are, home car projects will always be a mess at the end. If you have spilled a bucket full of nuts and bolts on the floor and they end up literally everywhere, then what do you do? Simply put a strong magnet in a plastic bowl or container, and then skim it along the floor to pick up the nuts and bolts. Once you’ve picked up all you can, move it over the bucket and pull the magnet out of the plastic bowl, letting the nuts and bolts drop into the bucket. l

20 Editorial

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

TODAY

Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d have thunk it? We must, no matter how bad things get, understand that the right of the individual to be tried, fairly and with transparency, is crucial to any democratic process PAGE 21

To swallow or not to swallow Russia can take full advantage of our ignorance about the actual construction and operational cost

RAJIB DHAR

PAGE 22

No substitute for safety

Where were you when everyone became a terror analyst? Private universities are not the issue, yet they seem to be the focal point of any discussion over terrorism 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.

n the aftermath of a national tragedy, safety is one of the biggest concerns in the mind of every citizen. The attack at Holey Artisan Bakery has acted as many things, among which, it has acted as an eyeopener for any possible threats that may loom. However, while incidents such as the Holey attack and the Sholakia bombing show that terrorism is a real threat that needs to be prioritised, the security of the country and its people does not limit itself to only protection from violent militant forces. There have been numerous incidents where civilian lives were put in danger because of some form of unpreparedness or negligence, from capsizing of boats, to natural calamities taking the lives of many, and, more recently, a fire at the popular Bashundhara City shopping mall in Dhaka. Although some incidents are indeed unforeseeable, it is up to everyone -- citizens and authorities alike -- to be alert and ready for any potential calamity to hit. We applaud the swiftness with which our firefighters brought the Bashundhara City blaze under control, but the incident only reinforces how little it takes for disaster to strike, seeing how the fire had originated in a solitary leather goods shop. The government has done a commendable job in manning the streets of our cities after the Gulshan attack, and we hope that they can continue to provide the level of security, if not improve upon it. That being said, there are other safety concerns which need to be considered. Workplace hazards, proper monitoring of our transportation systems, initiation and implementation of efficient post-disaster relief-work, to name but a few. Aas civilians, we must also remain vigilant and alert in our everyday lives, as well as aid the authorities when possible when a potential disaster strikes. In order for Bangladesh to be a safer country, both the citizenry and the authorities need to work together. This is the only way we can inch towards a more safe and secure nation.

In order for Bangladesh to be a safer country, both the citizenry and the authorities need to work together. This is the only way we can inch towards a more safe and secure nation

Opinion

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

Who’d have thunk it? We have become as bad as those who stereotype, judge, and oppress us

Innocent until proven guilty or guilty until proven innocent?

RAJIB DHAR

cut as to be the fact that they were involved; in fact, why must we, without knowing anything really, jump to a conclusion at all. More than a month has passed since the Holey Artisan attack, and I feel as clueless as the day it happened. In fact, I’ve become burdened with more questions. How can I, with such doubts, with so many things I just do not know, still make any sort of claim with any sort of conviction? How can you begin any sentence without the selfdoubting “I think,” “I believe,” or “maybe;” and now that Tahmid has been arrested-but-notarrested, there is even less one can say. How much longer will they be “interrogated” and “held” before this reaches its fateful climax? The trial of Tahmid and Hasnat may very well play out in the media, with half-truths and conjectures. But, if there is the slightest possibility of innocence,

n SN Rasul

o, when I was in school, I was sitting for an English exam. It was fairly easy, but with one question, I got stuck. I had to write the past tense forms of certain words and when it came to “think” I couldn’t, for the life of me, remember what it was. So, sitting down, I thought and I thought and I thought, and finally, I wrote: “Thunk.” Variations of this joke exist, and I have merely paraphrased what I remember of the original. And, much like the protagonist, who knows the answer and yet, chooses not to see it sitting right under his nose, or his mind, so to speak, we, perhaps, do not wish to see the truth even when it’s staring at us right in the face. Not our fault, though, the Bangladeshi people. We are a suspicious bunch, if you pardon my generalisations. I only take this liberty because, we, as a collective, have chosen to generalise in the same way people have done against us: Without thought (thunk? I forget), rationale, patience, and time. When pictures of Tahmid came out holding a gun, whatever favour or goodwill he had garnered either through the Free Tahmid Facebook page or via general consensus and word of mouth, vanished -- and the entire country’s opinion shifted. It is almost as if a nation has, collectively, forgotten what its own government and law enforcement agencies are capable of. Not to

If there is the slightest possibility of innocence, we must hold on to that string with all the unified might we can. We must, no matter how bad things get, understand that the right of the individual to be tried, fairly and with transparency, is crucial to any democratic process

mention terrorists. Terrorists represent a demography of people without a specific age, religion, caste, race, or creed and are capable of the worst things imaginable. They could, for example, be a university lecturer in his mid-40s who knowingly took his family, which included two young children, to a bloodbath. Or a university sophomore who willingly brought two of his friends, pretending all is fine and dandy, to an elite upper class restaurant, knowing full well that it may very well lead to their deaths. They could also be clever enough, or at least puppets for a mastermind who was clever enough, to leave a trace of doubt amongst the general populace regarding the innocence and involvement of their victims, by forcing one of them to hold a gun and another to pretend like he’s the ringleader, and go to the roof for absolutely no logical reason, in clear view of snipers, and act as if they’re all in on this together. It is only human to be suspicious. And seeing pictures like those, anyone would wonder:

Hey, that’s kind of dodgy. Same old questions: Why is Tahmid holding the gun like that? Why does Hasnat look like the leader? Why is Tahmid not shooting Rohan and getting straight out of dodge? Et cetera. These are questions which have logical explanations (see above) or see inside yourself to try and find out. There are plenty of reasons each of them was acting the way they were. A body language expert has said that Tahmid was acting submissive. Most of us were unwilling to buy that. That is not a proper science, of course, and that is only understandable. What is not, however, is that, for a generation of people who have lived through governments bad and worse, corrupt and more corrupt, unjust and in flagrant violation of its own laws, how are we so easily persuaded as to believe that there isn’t something amiss? Of course, they wouldn’t arrest Tahmid and Hasnat without reason (and I must reiterate: I do not think that they are uninvolved and innocent; I do not know). But why must that reason be so clear

we must hold on to that string with all the unified might we can. We must, no matter how bad things get, understand that the right of the individual to be tried, fairly and with transparency, is crucial to any democratic process. For all we know, this government has taken an individual and ruined his future. Imagine that: An innocent boy, with no intentions of harm or violence, goes to prison, his most crucial years spent in a prison cell, his life perpetually marred by stigma. Could we live with that? Or are we okay with that, as long as there’s the minutest possibility that he was connected? What does that say about us, if anything at all, anymore? That we are not united in faith and in principle, that we’re losing whatever collective identity we once boasted, that we are just as worse as those who stereotype us, judge us, oppress us. After all of this, who’d have thunk it? l SN Rasul is a Sub-Editor at the Dhaka Tribune. Follow him @snrasul.

Opinion

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

To swallow or not to swallow The Rooppur deal is starting to look worse by the minute

n Rezaul Hoque

wo major power deals were almost finalised, while the darkest café attack in Dhaka ceased all our attention: The formal agreement on Rampal Power Plant and the government’s nod for the draft of Bangladesh-Russia Inter Governmental Credit deal of $11.38 billion for the Rooppur Nuclear Power plant. We have been going through a turbulent period, compounded by political disagreement which we never experienced before since our independence. The government seems poised to go ahead with its big infrastructure plans and energy projects despite the odds. The well-being of the people and the development of the country are not the only criteria that led the government to kick off such bigbudget projects. We have seen considerable opposition to the Rampal Power Plant, which will be made real with Indian EXIM bank’s credit of $1.6bn, yet very little opposition and protest have been observed when it comes to Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, which will be built with Russian credit of $11.38bn. The Rooppur Nuclear Power deal has already been marred by controversy. Atomstroyexport is assigned to build the plant, hired by Goldenberg ,which was supposed to develop the site where the power plant will be built. But controversy broke out in the media, when Goldenberg left the deal without paying the Bangladeshi sub-contractors; turning the whole project into a damp squib. Moreover, Russia has a bad habit of escalating agreed project costs in the middle of project implementation. Take for instance India’s procurement of Russian Aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, which was inducted to Indian Navy as INS Vikramaditya. Initially, India had signed a deal of $1.5bn in 2004 and a retrofitted Gorshkov was scheduled to be delivered by 2009. Later, Russia increased the agreed cost by $1.2bn, severely damaging Indo-Russian relations. India revised the deal, which finally became $2.35bn and got retrofitted Gorshkov in 2014. If a formidable friend like India had this kind of experience with Russia, imagine what awaits us. From feasibility study to the

The economy stands to be impacted just as badly as the environment by deals such as Rampal and Rooppur

Russia can take full advantage of our ignorance about the actual construction and operational cost, and they hold a position that is too dominant in this negotiation

construction of the power plant to its operation, and to take away the spent fuel, all will be done by Russia since we have very little knowledge regarding these areas. Russia can take full advantage of our ignorance about the actual construction and operational cost, and they hold a position that is too dominant in this negotiation. We not only lack the techsavvy experts, but never took assistance from a third country that has the required know-how of nuclear technology and is adept in negotiating such deals. So the risk emanating from this situation is that we may swallow a costly deal, which negates the purpose of the project, when the idea was first envisioned: Generating electricity at a cheaper price. One example of a bad deal in our country is Karnaphuli Fertiliser Company (KAFCO) deal. KAFCO produces ammonia and granular urea using subsidised natural gas supplied by the government of Bangladesh.

Defective machinery mothballed its operation for five years after its completion. It also witnessed three dozens of shutdowns, resulting from technical glitches. Moreover, the agreement contains clauses that require Bangladesh to buy fertilisers from only two companies at international market price and that the two companies receive commission of two-three percent from each sale. Apart from information asymmetry, commission and bribery played two crucial roles in making Bangladesh swallow a bad deal in the case of KAFCO. Clearly, corruption and commission are the main motivating forces that lead the governments in this part of the world to undertake big projects. According to the Corner House, a UK-based not-for-profit organisation that works for environment and social justice, normal commission for such deal is around two-three percent and

is paid to domestic accounts of a local business magnet, who is usually not part of the decisionmaking process. A dubious commission ranges between 10-20% and is usually received by a minister, or is transferred to offshore accounts. In light of such phenomenon, the commission from the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant deal is somewhere between $253 million (for a two percent commission) and $1.26bn (for a 10% commission). As for the Rampal deal, the commission is $33.6m, if the regular two percent commission is considered, and $168m, in case of a dubious 10% commission is taken into account. Another factor that may cast shadow on projects being financed by foreign credit is the currency volatility. Russia cited it as a reason for jacking up the initial cost in the case of Admiral Goshkov carrier deal. For an online newspaper,

BIGSTOCK

economist MA Taslim wrote a brilliant analysis titled “Borrowing Overseas: Quo Vadis?” on the risks involved with overseas borrowing. Taslim argues that projects financed by overseas borrowing face some risks if the deals are inked based on market exchange rate. The total project cost may increase substantially at the end of project’s completion if there is volatility in the currency market. In addition, in such cases interest payment may be several times higher than the usual payment. In this circumstance, the whole project may become futile. Given the brewing tensions in Europe where Russia is deemed a threat, the risk of currency volatility looms large. If Russia managed to make India agree to its renewed terms, imagine what Bangladesh’s stance will be in this kind of scenario. In the face of Russian armtwisting, the government of Bangladesh may have to accept an overpriced deal just like a reluctant boa that swallows an elephant. Public disclosure of such kind of compromise may be greeted with brickbats. When all the quarters that brook no compromise in national interest jump down the government’s throat, it may hide its face in a hat. l Rezaul Hoque is a researcher.

Opinion

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

Where were you when everyone became a terror analyst? Terrorism is not isolated to Bangladeshi private universities, it’s a global threat

Private universities are quite against terrorism, in fact

RAJIB DHAR

universities make no contributions to the “Bengali” society. For the sake of their argument, let’s picture a situation where there is no private university in the country -- the government has shut down all private universities. How would that affect us? Before getting to this point, we need to find answers to three important questions: Why do parents send their children to private universities? What is the social background of those who are sending their children to private universities? Why do private universities become popular in a very short span of time? Most parents send their children to private universities because they have no other option. And that is no more evident than watching an interview of

n Mushfique Wadud

mong other things, the Gulshan attack helped us understand one important aspect of our society: That a good portion of the society is against the very idea of private universities. To them, the attack seemed a good opportunity to attack private universities, given that some of the terrorists behind the incident had received their higher education from private universities. A former teacher of a private university was also allegedly involved in the attack. Within a few hours of the attack, vocal “haters” of private universities took to social media to wag their fingers all high and mighty. I saw two or three comments arguing that most of the private university students are from the income group to whom the terms “income group” doesn’t mean anything, the sort that make no commitments to their society. The gist of these comments were: Private university students are never exposed to our cultural heritage, and this, in particular, is why these students are getting radicalised. Unsurprisingly, some “concerned citizens” suggested introducing student politics at private universities. Who would’ve know that our society was full of analysts. Within a few hours, we

It’s interesting because private universities are not the issue, yet they seem to be the focal point of any discussion over terrorism. The issue is, and always has been, terrorism, with radicalisation of our youth being an immediate tangent

even found a few “experts on universities” who came up with reasons as to why private university students were becoming terrorists. They have never informed us about their research findings, but as the law enforcement revealed that some of the terrorists were indeed private university students, these so-called “researchers” were quick to present us with their work. Interestingly, it seemed that they were more interested in talking about private universities rather than the problem of terrorism and possible measures to thwart it. I was astonished when a renowned musician of the country reportedly made a Facebook post mentioning private universities in the same breath with Madrasas, going so far as to urging the government to demolish the very concept of private university. There were even numerous columns on newspapers and heated discussions on talk-shows

over private universities, most of which were, again, unsurprisingly, thinly-veiled hate speech. It’s interesting because private universities are not the issue, yet they seem to be the focal point of any discussion over terrorism. The issue is, and always has been, terrorism, with radicalisation of our youth being an immediate tangent. I personally find no point in blaming an entire system of education only because a few students of two or three specific institutions within said system were involved in an unlawful act. Terrorism is a global problem, after all. As private university and English-medium students are more connected to global affairs, the probability of them being radicalised is just a bit higher than that of their alternatives. And I think that’s where the answers lie. There are already some individuals who suggest that we do not need private universities in the country, believing that private

the father of slain terrorist Rohan Imtiaz. In an interview, he said that Rohan had gotten a chance for admission at Dhaka University, but that Rohan’s mother decided against sending her children to public universities because of the high rate of campus violence and a little thing called “session jam.” This is the reason most parents send their children to private universities. Government after government have failed to ensure violencefree public university campuses. Students are often killed in actual fights between rival student groups. Session jam is another big reason. In most public universities, students cannot finish their education on scheduled time. The condition is even worse in colleges under the national university. At these institutions, students need almost double the time to finish their education. Compared to all of that, private universities are violence-free and

with hardly any session jam. These are but a few reasons why private universities are so popular, and, according to UGC, the enrolment rate is only going up. When we discuss the socioeconomic conditions of the families of private university students, we often make a big mistake. Our society has a perception that private universities are the sole domain of the upper crust. This is completely untrue. Most private university students are from middle-income and lower-middle-income groups. I personally know many private university students who come from very poor families. A good number of students bear their expenses by taking up odd jobs like tutoring school-kids. Why, then, do they opt for private universities despite the fact that public universities provide education that is, comparatively, free-of-cost? The answer is the state is all but forcing them -- public universities do not have adequate seats for all students who pass the HSC. That is why, a large number of students have no other option but to get admitted at private universities despite the expenses. Which is why hate speech from an entire section of our “civilised society” towards university students is especially egregious, given the hard work that these boys and girls have to do to afford an education. When there was no private university in the country, what happened to the students who did not get chance in public universities? Most of them used to go abroad for higher education -- with neighbouring countries being a convenient preference. There’s no denying that there are many problems with private universities, many of them not being up-to-mark in terms of quality, of education or otherwise. The concept of private universities is comparatively new for us, and thus needs time to be perfected -- any new idea needs to go through trial and error. But it seems that is not the issue most are interested in discussing.l Mushfique Wadud is a journalist currently working in the development field.

24 Sport

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

TOP STORIES

Saintfiet, Smalley sign contracts BFF yesterday officially introduced Belgian coach Tom Julianus Saintfiet as the head coach of the Bangladesh team and Paul Thomas Smalley as the technical and strategical director of the federation. PAGE 25

10 endearing stories that won our hearts

Michael Phelps was touted as unbeatable until Joseph Schooling beat him at his own game. Schooling lost to Phelps 4 years ago, but Phelps’ words of encouragement boosted the young swimmer’s morale. PAGE 26

Pakistan rise to No 1 in Test rankings Pakistan have risen to No. 1 in the International Cricket Council’s Test rankings for the first time. They took the top position from India, following India’s washed out Test against West Indies in Trinidad. PAGE 27

Bale helps Real to winning start Talismanic Welsh forward Gareth Bale scored a double in a commanding 3-0 win for Real Madrid in their La Liga opener at Real Sociedad on Sunday, building on his stunning displays at Euro 2016 where they reached the semifinals. PAGE 28

Mustafizur returns after successful op n Tribune Report Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman returned to Dhaka yesterday afternoon after undergoing a successful operation in his left shoulder in England on August 11. Mustafizur’s operation was performed by surgeon Andrew Wallace at Bupa Cromwell Hospital in London. Upon arrival, Mustafizur informed that he is recovering well and waiting to start rehab in the capital city. “I am doing better every day. I was given a routine to follow after the operation. Doctors in London had explained Dr Debashish [Chowdhury, Bangladesh Cricket Board’s chief physician] how to follow the routine. The rehab will gradually increase after the fourth week,” Mustafizur told the media. According to the physicians, Mustafizur will take at least six months to recover fully and return to the field. The wait however, might increase as according to medical science, recovery varies from person to person. This means Bangladesh cricket will miss its vital bowler until February next year. A man of limited words, Mustafizur said like any other sportsman, he will not enjoy the time away from the game. “It will take time. I request everyone to pray for my speedy recovery. I have been to England twice now. The first time was when I played for [Bangladesh] Under-19. Both the times, I came back injured,” said Mustafizur. The 20-year old went to Sussex on July 20 to take part in the NatWest Twenty20 Blast and Royal London One-Day Cup, and following a brilliant debut in the T20 Blast, the Satkhira lad complained of pain in his shoulder. Mustafizur, who arrived late in Sussex’s one-day and T20 campaigns, took four wickets in his first match for the county before going wicketless in his second outing. He was scheduled to play at least five more games in the group phase of both competitions before injury intervened. He was in the 13-man squad for the game against Gloucestershire in the Royal London One-Day Cup and had travelled to the ground to practise with the rest of the team, but persistent pain forced Sussex to take the precautionary move. The 20-year old had taken advice from two shoulder surgeons in England – Lennard Funk and Tony Kocchar – to assess his condition and his reports were also sent to Australia’s David Hoye for observation. But as Lennard was not available until August 22, the board decided to consult with Dr Wallace. Following a series of medical assessments, Mustafizur was taken under the knife by Dr Wallace, who had performed a shoulder operation on Sachin Tendulkar in 2006. l

Bangladesh pace sensation Mustafizur Rahman is all smiles upon his arrival at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka yesterday. Mustafizur’s operation was performed by surgeon Andrew Wallace at Bupa Cromwell Hospital in London on August 11 MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Sport

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

Saintfiet, Smalley sign contracts n Tribune Report

Bangladesh Football Federation yesterday officially introduced Belgian coach Tom Julianus Saintfiet as the head coach of the Bangladesh team and Paul Thomas Smalley as the technical and strategical director of the federation. Saintfiet only signed a twomonth deal that will cover Bangladesh’s two matches against Bhutan in the Asian Football Confederation Cup Qualifiers Play-off in September and October. Smalley on the other hand, penned a two-year deal with the BFF. The duo signed the contract papers on Saturday but it was only announced officially at BFF House yesterday in the presence of the federation’s national team management committee chairman Kazi Nabil Ahmed. Together, the duo are going to cost the federation around $20,000 per month. Meanwhile, BFF is also planning to appoint a fitness trainer and a goalkeeping coach. The new fitness trainer of the national team, Ridoh Burden, arrived in Dhaka yesterday evening to join Saintfiet with whom the South African worked for Togo previously. Goalkeeper coach Ryan Sandford will arrive tomorrow from New Zealand. Saintfiet termed both the coaches “highly qualified and experienced”. As Saintfiet’s deal is only for the short term, Smalley’s signing is going to be an important deal for the BFF as well as the country’s football. BFF’s technical director post has not been that influential in the past. Following the signing ceremony, Smalley said he is “extremely excited and impressed” by the “opportunity” and the BFF’s

professionalism. “With the help of people here in Bangladesh and the local experienced people, we can produce a plan that clearly illustrates and describes what we are going to do in the next four years. That’s my early

you look at his results, passion, his ability to initiate change and to win football matches in international level, it’ll become clear. He is extremely excited and I’m happy to work closely with him. Hopefully I can make valuable contributions in

Bangladesh’s newly-appointed head coach Tom Saintfiet (2R) and technical and strategical director Paul Smalley (2L) during the signing ceremony yesterday BFF priority and it will take longer than two years,” said the Englishman. He continued, “I’m committed for two years. Obviously the development of the game is going to take longer than two years. I have significant experience at this level. “My first priority would be to develop coaches here because if you are going to develop, you need the best teachers. So my early priority is to take a look at the infrastructure here. “We also have to develop the best coaches because they have a lot of influence.” Smalley said he is “extremely excited” to have Saintfiet here as national coach. “He has experience throughout the world with national teams. If

developing Bangladesh football,” he said. Saintfiet has been with the national team for more than a month, watching premier league matches and conducting a six-day training camp before even signing the contract. “For me, it’s a huge honour to become the national team head coach of Bangladesh. Working for the Bangladesh Football Federation is something special for me,” He added, “I’m here for a short time project with one goal - to qualify in the qualifiers, against Bhutan. That’s our aim and ambition for the coming weeks. I’m convinced we have the quality to qualify. My ambition is then after that to bring Bangladesh to higher level.” l

Bangladesh U16 girls hopeful of qualification n Tribune Report Bangladesh Under-16 women’s football team are hopeful of making a positive mark in the upcoming Asian Football Confederation’s U-16 Women’s Championship Group C Qualifiers, scheduled to kick off at Bangabandhu National Stadium on Saturday. A total of six countries – Iran, Chinese Taipei, the United Arab Emirates, Kyrgyzstan, Singapore and hosts Bangladesh – will partake in the 10-day long qualifiers among which only one team will make it into the final round. Considering Bangladesh’s recent performance in the women’s age-level international competition, this U-16 side, under the supervision of local coach Golam Rabbani Choton, can certainly hope for positive results against favourites Iran and Chinese Taipei. Bangladesh U-14 women’s team emerged as the champions of the AFC Under-14 Girls’ Regional (South and Central) Championship in the last two editions. Twelve

players from the latest title-winning squad have been retained in the current squad. “We began the trial on June 13 with 43 players. Three days later, the squad was reduced to 32. Then, we started the training camp on June 17. We now have the best 23 players available. It is really tough to finish first but if you look at the last two years, our girls’ performance makes me hopeful,” said Choton yesterday. The U-16 team played three practice matches against the senior side, winning all three by 9-1, 6-1 and 6-0 margins. Choton doesn’t want to take any opponent lightly but believes their toughest opponents will be Iran and Chinese Taipei. On the other hand, captain Krishna Rani Sarkar said, “We have been practising together for a long time. All the teams are strong but we are no less than them. We will fight for qualification till the end.” Bangladesh will begin their campaign with the match against Iran on Saturday before facing Singapore in their next game. l

Sk Russel fly off today evening n Tribune Report Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra will begin their Asian Football Confederation Play-off Qualifiers campaign when they take on Tatung FC of Chinese Taipei at Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu, Bhutan today evening. The former premier league champions have been struggling awfully in the Bangladesh Premier League this season as they conceded five

defeats from six matches. Sheikh Russel will play their final Group C match against hosts Tertons FC on Thursday. The group champions will advance to the Play-off stage. Head coach Maruful Haque will have four guest players - defenders Nasir Uddin Chowdhury and Yeasin Khan (both from Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club) and wingers Rubel Mia and Mohammad Ibrahim (both from Chittagong Abahani) – at his disposal. l

Bangladesh baseball still lagging behind

n Rashad Banna Amid a lot of enthusiasm among the youngsters, the first ever, twoday long Walton Cup Baseball was held at Bangabandhu Outer Stadium last Tuesday and Wednesday. Narail division emerged as the champion in the inaugural edition of the tournament, defeating Dhaka Commerce College 10-3 in the final. Alongside the finalists, Mirpur Bangla College, Dani University College, Dhaka Zila Krira Sangstha and Sirajganj Zila Krira Sangstha also participated in the competi-

tion, co-organised by Bangladesh Baseball and Softball Association. The winners pocketed Tk 10,000 while the runners-up side received Tk 5,000. The six teams were also allotted Tk 2,000 each as participation money. The prize money however, paled in comparison to the fervour shown by the baseball players throughout the tournament. “The last time all of us played a competition was back in December last year. We had to wait eight months for this tournament. We practice really hard but there’s nothing like the excitement of a competition which really motivates a player to continue playing the game,” said Dipto Ibne Zakir, an integral member of Dhaka Commerce College. A total of 54 players, mostly youngsters, took part in the tournament which was organised in the

span of a few days, that too without the presence of coaches Hiroki Watanabe and Sean Morris, who were both unavailable. “We got to know about the competition three days before it was scheduled to begin. It would have been better if we had a few more days for practising. None-

theless, we were all excited. After all, its not often that baseball tournaments are held in Bangladesh,” said Dipto. The next time these players will get the opportunity to strut their stuff in a competition will be in December this year when sponsors Walton holds the first ever national

Dhaka Commerce College, runners up of the inaugural Walton Cup Baseball, pose for photographs following the final against Narail division COURTESY

baseball tournament. “The national baseball tournament’s importance cannot be stated in words. Following that tournament, the Bangladesh team will be drafted with the best performers. We are all looking forward to it,” Dipto explained. The 20-year old has reasons to feel eager. The World Baseball Classic, premier baseball competition of the globe, takes place next year while the game will return to the Olympics in Tokyo, 2020. “A few countries, for instance Pakistan, started playing the game before us but they have improved a lot in recent times. Sadly, we are lagging behind. We have good coaches but we do not have a dedicated ground for training, which is the biggest drawback. If we get proper facilities, we will only grow from strength to strength,” concluded Dipto. l

Sport

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

MEDAL TALLY Performers take part in the closing ceremony in Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Sunday

COUNTRY UNITED STATES

46 37 38

GREAT BRITAIN

27 23 17

CHINA

26 18 26

RUSSIAN FED

19 18 19

GERMANY

17 10 15

JAPAN

FRANCE

10 18 14

REP KOREA

ITALY

AUSTRALIA

NETHERLANDS

HUNGARY

BRAZIL

SPAIN

KENYA

JAMAICA

CROATIA

CUBA

NEW ZEALAND

CANADA

UZBEKISTAN

KAZAKHSTAN

COLOMBIA

SWITZERLAND

IRAN

GREECE

ARGENTINA

DENMARK

SWEDEN

SOUTH AFRICA

UKRAINE

SERBIA

POLAND

DPR KOREA

BELGIUM

THAILAND

SLOVAKIA

GEORGIA

AZERBAIJAN

BELARUS

TURKEY

ARMENIA

CZECH REPUBLIC

ETHIOPIA

SLOVENIA

INDONESIA

ROMANIA

BAHRAIN

VIETNAM

CHINESE TAIPEI

BAHAMAS

CÔTE D’IVOIRE

IOA

FIJI

JORDAN

KOSOVO

PUERTO RICO

SINGAPORE

TAJIKISTAN

121

REUTERS

10 ENDEARING STORIES THAT WON OUR HEARTS posed to He. This happened right after she won the silver medal in three-metre springboard event and left her quite speechless. Well, she accepted, they embraced and wrote an endearing love story.

Schooling gives hope

Refugess, for the first time ever Michael Phelps was touted as unbeatable until Joseph Schooling beat him at his own game. Schooling lost to Phelps 4 years ago, but Phelps’ words of encouragement boosted the young swimmer’s morale. The inspiring story of the young Singaporean goes on to prove that with hard work and dedication anything is possible.

Hamblin from New Zealand tumbled on the track and took USA’s Abbey D’Agostino down with her. Hamblin was quick on her feet, but she wasn’t one to complete the race without her fellow competitor. Nikki helped Abbey up on her feet, encouraged and assisted her till the very end of the race.

Charlotte says ‘Yes’

Ervin wins 2nd gold after selling 1st

and broke barriers to make history after beating Nikita Glasnovic of Sweden.

Vietnam wins first gold, thanks to Vinh The Refugee Olympics team brought attention to the ongoing refugee crisis that many nations are facing right now. This team is proof that though they may live in harsh conditions no one can put a cap on dreams.

Fiji wins first medal, that too gold

Fast forward to 2000, the year of the Sydney Olympics, and Anthony Ervin claims the gold in 50 metres freestyle. A gold medal that made him invincible in water, a gold that put him among the bestest of the best. But then came 2004, when tsunami wreaked havoc and caused major loss of life and property everywhere. So Anthony Ervin selflessly sold his Olympic medal on eBay to raise money for tsunami relief. The year is 2016 and Anthony Ervin, the oldest member of the US team, claims the very gold medal he once sacrificed in service of humanity. Karma is kind.

Hamblin & D’Agostino help each other to the finish

During the 5,000 meter race, Nikki

After winning her third gold medal, Charlotte was in for another sweet surprise, courtesy her boyfriend. While cheering vigorously for his beloved, Dean Golding wore a t-shirt with this message: Can we get married now? Well, who could resist such a sweet gesture, right? They’re happily engaged and ready to tie the knot next year.

Zi & Kai gets engaged

Gilot’s touching tribute to grandfather After participating in 14 Summer Olympics and 3 Winter Olympics, the country never won any medals. But this year, the rugby team of Fiji changed that and made the country proud by beating Great Britain 43-7. The whole country was overjoyed and declared that day as a national holiday.

Zenoorin, first Iranian women to win medal

The crowd cheered in rapture as Qin Kai went on one knee, with a beautiful ring in hand and pro-

Years of dedication, practising on mere 100 bullets everyday, and with economical conditions worsening everyday, it was no easy feat to win that gold medal. Hoang was happy and proud he could win the first medal for his country.

Kimia’s bronze medal marks a major win for Iranian women in particular as they are not even allowed to enter stadiums in Iran. She not only kicked on the field, but even off the field. She battled patriarchy

Part of France’s Olympics team, Fabien has a beautiful tattoo in Hebrew engraved on his inner arm. It reads this: “I am nothing without them”. It’s in memory of his grandfather who was a Holocaust survivor and his hero. A hero he wants to share with the world every time he raises his arms in victory.

Sport

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

Pakistan rise to No 1 in Test rankings n Cricinfo

QUICK BYTES Asian Karate Championship ends Hanshi Alvin Tan of Singapore was chosen as the president while Khaled Monsur Chowdhury was elected vice president by the AGKF (Asian Goju Ryu Karate Championship) Congress at Charas Indoor Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. At the same time, Khaled was also elected secretary general of the South Asian Goju Ryu Karate Federation. The four-day long championship was participated by Bangladesh, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Iran, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates. TRIBUNE REPORT

Gullit agrees to join Dutch coaching staff Ruud Gullit has agreed to join the coaching staff of the Dutch national team after being asked to play a role by head coach Danny Blind, local media reported on Monday. Gullit, who won 66 caps for the Netherlands, was expected to sign a contract through the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Dutch media added. REUTERS

Carroll sidelined by knee injury West Ham United striker Andy Carroll will be sidelined for several weeks after suffering a knee injury, Hammers boss Slaven Bilic revealed on Sunday. Carroll sustained the problem during West Ham’s Europa League play-off first leg 1-1 draw against Astra Giurgiu on Thursday. The injury-plagued 27-year-old is expected to be out of action for four to six weeks. AFP

Campbell joins Sporting on loan from Arsenal Costa Rican winger Joel Campbell has joined Sporting Lisbon on a season-long loan from Arsenal, both clubs announced on Sunday. The 24-yearold spent spells on loan at Lorient, Real Betis, Olympiakos and Villarreal. AFP

DAY’S WATCH FOOTBALL TEN 2 12:45AM UEFA Champions League AS Roma v FC Porto

TEN 3 12:45AM UEFA Champions League Monaco v Villarreal

CRICKET TEN 3 2:00PM New Zealand Tour of South Africa 1st Test Day 5

Australia’s Steve Smith plays a shot as Sri Lanka’s Kusal Perera watches during their first ODI in Colombo on Sunday

Finch, Smith help Aussies overcome tricky chase against SL n AFP, Colombo Half-centuries from Aaron Finch and skipper Steve Smith helped Australia pull off a tricky chase to defeat a resilient Sri Lanka by three wickets in the first one-day international in Colombo on Sunday. Australia, who suffered their first series whitewash against the hosts in the three Tests, chased down 228 in 46.5 overs at the R. Premadasa Stadium to lead the five-match ODI series 1-0. Pacers James Faulkner and Mitchell Starc, who became the fastest to reach 100 wickets in his 52nd match, also played their part with seven wickets between them after Australia elected to bowl.

BRIEF SCORES Sri Lanka 227 for 8 (Chandimal 80*, Kusal Mendis 67, Faulkner 4-38, Starc 3-32) Australia 228 for 7 (Smith 58, Finch 56, Bailey 39, Dilruwan Perera 3-48) Australia win by three wickets “Nice to be on this side of the result, proud of the way the boys fought back,” Smith said. “I thought the bowlers did a good job to restrict them to 227, they took the pace off, put them in the right areas and made it difficult,” he added. Opener Finch, who scored a quickfire 56, gave Australia a brisk start despite the early wicket of Warner, who was out for eight after

a scratchy 17-ball stay at the crease. Finch took on the Sri Lankan bowlers with ease as he regularly cleared the infield to notch up seven boundaries and two sixes during his 46-ball knock. Finch, who registered his 12th ODI half-century, fell to debutant left-arm spinner Amila Aponso after edging the ball to Sri Lankan skipper Angelo Mathews at first slip. On-field umpire Aleem Dar ruled Finch not out before Sri Lanka successfully reviewed the decision in their favour much to the disappointment of the batsman. Mathews though could not hold on to a sharp chance at slip, giving Smith a new life at 15 off Perera and the batsman made the most of it. l

Pakistan have risen to No. 1 in the ICC’s Test rankings for the first time. They took the top position from India, following India’s washed out Test against West Indies in Trinidad. Pakistan had moved to No. 2 on the table last week, after drawing the Test series in England 2-2 and after Australia were whitewashed 3-0 in Sri Lanka. At the same time, India had moved to No. 1 after beating West Indies in the St Lucia Test to go 2-0 up in their four-match series; they needed to win the final Test, in Trinidad, to hold on to No. 1, but the match was drawn after weather and outfield issues forced play to be abandoned over four days. Their rise to No. 1 was built on the back of a run of unbeaten Test series since August 2014, when they were down at No. 6. Apart from the successes against England, they had also beaten Sri Lanka 2-1 in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh 1-0 in Bangladesh, and whitewashed Australia 2-0 in the UAE. Against New Zealand in the UAE in November 2014, the series during which Phillip Hughes died in Sydney, they had drawn 1-1. l

ICC TEST RANKING Team 1 Pakistan 2 India 3 Australia 4 England 5 New Zealand 6 Sri Lanka 7 South Africa 8 West Indies 9 Bangladesh 10 Zimbabwe

Points 111 110 108 108 99 95 92 67 57 8

Kerber wastes shot at No 1 n AP, Mason

The world’s second-ranked player wasted a chance to end Serena Williams’ long run at the top. She fell behind at the outset, repeatedly missed routine shots and fell to Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-1 in the championship match Sunday at the Western & Southern Open. On the men’s side, Andy Murray also ran out of steam in the title match. He fell to Marin Cilic 6-4, 7-5, ending his career-best winning streak at 22 matches. More was at stake on the women’s side. Williams will be ranked No. 1 for the 184th consecutive week, two shy of Steffi Graf’s WTA record that ended in 1997. And Kerber will remain right behind after her frustrating performance on

Sunday, hoping for another chance. Williams, the two-time defending champion in Cincinnati, missed the tournament because of a sore shoulder, giving Kerber the opening to move ahead of her by winning the title. Kerber badly wanted to win the Cincinnati tournament for the first time and join Graf as the only German women to be ranked No. 1 in the world. At age 28, she would be the oldest woman to reach the top of the WTA rankings for the first time. The first seven days of the tournament included long rain delays. Cilic finished his three-set win in the semifinals at 1:35 a.m. local time, and was back on the court 14 hours later to play for the title. By the time he reached the semifinals, Murray appeared to have

Angelique Kerber (L) and Karolina Pliskova pose for a photo after their finals at Linder Family Tennis Center REUTERS caught a second wind. He couldn’t keep it up on Sunday, playing his 14th match in the last 15 days. Cilic’s win ended a streak of 18 straight Masters titles by one of the Big Four. The 2014 U.S. Open champi-

on had never reached a Masters final, going 0-8 in the quarterfinals until this week. When he won on Sunday, he pumped both arms on the baseline, shook Murray’s hand, then jumped and punched the air with a fist. l

Sport

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

Bale helps Real to winning start, Atletico held n Reuters, Barcelona

Gareth Bale scored a double in a commanding 3-0 win for Real Madrid in their La Liga opener at Real Sociedad on Sunday, building on his stunning displays for Wales at Euro 2016. Bale opened the scoring with a powerful header in the second minute and rounded off the win four minutes into added time with a simple finish after new arrival Marco Asensio had scored his first league goal for Real in the 40th with a sumptuous lob. Elsewhere, title rivals Atletico Madrid were denied a win with virtually the last kick of the game and had to settle for a 1-1 draw at home to promoted Alaves. The game looked to be heading for a goalless draw until the home side were awarded a penalty in injury time for a handball, allowing Kevin Gameiro to mark his Atletico debut by converting from the spot in the 93rd minute. Diego Simeone’s side were dealt a nasty late surprise though when Manu Garcia let fly from outside the area to salvage a point for the Basque side, the 2001 UEFA Cup runners-up who were playing their first top flight game in 13 years. Earlier on Sunday, Sporting Gijon beat Athletic Bilbao 2-1 thanks to quick fire goals from Duje Cop and Victor Rodriguez at the start of the second half, with Borja Viguera scoring late for the visitors. Midway through the first half referee Carlos Clos Gomez halted the game for a minute after Athletic striker Inaki Williams, a Spain under-21 international born in Spain

to a Ghanaian father and Liberian mother, was subjected to racist chanting from the home supporters. Real are third in the table with three points, behind Barcelona and Sevilla on goal difference, while Atletico are seventh. They were without first choice forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, so Bale was ac-

PSG ease past Metz n Reuters, Paris

De Boer admits Inter job will take time after losing start

Paris St Germain eased to a 3-0 win over Metz in Ligue 1 on Sunday despite a miserable evening for Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani who missed a host of chances. Cavani, now PSG’s main striker after Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s departure

LIGUE 1 Guingamp

2-1

Salibur 1, Sorbon 58

Marseille Thauvin 78

3-1

Montpellier

Monnet-Paquet 46, Saint-Louis 50, Beric 85

Mounie 23

3-0

Metz

Saint-Etienne

PSG

Lucas 52, Kurzawa 68, Verratti 90+4

to Manchester United, wasted half a dozen clear cut chances and the crowd lost patience with him and jeered him off the pitch at the end. Instead, it was left to Brazilian Lucas Moura to open the scoring for the title holders with a thumping finish seven minutes into the second half. l

FIVE THINGS WE LEARNT IN EPL Pogba gives Manchester United extra heft Paul Pogba made his second Manchester United debut in Friday’s 2-0 win over Southampton following his world-record 89 million pounds (105 million euros, $116 million) return from Juventus, catching the eye with his purposeful running and shooting. With the rangy Pogba, the gangly Marouane Fellaini, the strapping Eric Bailly and towering striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic -- who scored twice also in the starting XI, United look a more physically imposing team than they have for some time. United no longer instil dread in their opponents as they did under legendary former manager Ferguson, but they look ready to go toe-to-toe with anyone under Mourinho.

Chelsea’s Costa is back to his best/worst

Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale (C) vies with Real Sociedad defender Joseba Zaldua during their Spanish league match at the Anoeta stadium in San Sebastian on Sunday AFP

n AFP, Rome Frank de Boer admitted he has his work cut out if he is to turn Inter Milan into Italian title contenders after a shock defeat to Chievo on Sunday. Speaking after his first Serie A match in charge of the Chinese-owned club, the former Dutch international said he had not had enough time to put his stamp on the team after only two weeks in charge. “It can’t be denied that today was a difficult day but we are at the beginning and we can do better in terms of our play and physical level.” said De Boer, who left Ajax at the end of last season. “We have to get better in many levels but I have only had a friendly to prepare, I’ve not had much time,” he added.

companied by Alvaro Morata and Asensio instead. The Wales international had nodded in the only goal in this fixture last season late in the second half but needed little more than 60 seconds to strike this time, meeting Dani Carvajal’s whipped cross from the right to power the ball into the top near corner. l

Napoli, second to Juve last season, had to come from two goals down to earn a point at Serie A newcomers Pescara while AC Milan needed a last-minute penalty save to hang on for a 3-2 win over Torino. Colombian striker Carlos Bacca struck a hat-trick as AC Milan began a new era under Chinese owenership with a nervy win over Torino. It took an injury-time penalty save by 17-year-old goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to secure the three points for Vincenzo Montella’s side after Torino mounted a stoppage-time fightback. Bacca, a target for West Ham United who Milan are reportedly willing to sell to fund a higher-profile acquisition, made his case for staying at the San Siro in emphatic fashion. l

LA LIGA 2-1

Sporting Gijon

Athletic Bilbao

Cop 50, Victor Rodriguez 53

Real Sociedad

Borja Viguera 85

0-3

Real Madrid

Bale 2, 90, Asensio 40

1-1

Atletico Madrid Gameiro 90+3-pen

Alaves Manu Garcia 90+5

SERIE A AC Milan

3-2

Torino

Bacca 38, 50, 62-pen Belotti 48, Baselli 90+1

Bologna

1-0

Crotone

3-4

Lazio

Destro 86

Atalanta Kessie 63, 67, Petagna 90+1

Chievo

Immobile 15, Hoedt 20, Lombardi 33, Cataldi 89

2-0

Inter Milan

0-1

Sampdoria

Birsa 49, 81

Empoli

Muriel 37

Genoa

3-1

Ntcham 78, Laxalt 79, Rigoni 88

Palermo

0-1

Cagliari Borriello 66

Sassuolo Berardi 31-pen

Pescara

2-2

Benali 8, Caprari 35

Napoli Mertens 60, 63

Chelsea have won both their opening league games 2-1. On both occasions, Diego Costa scored a late winner. On both occasions, he was fortunate to still be on the pitch at the time. Costa’s 20 goals inspired Chelsea to the title in 2015. He looked a shadow of himself last season, but if Chelsea are to mount a sustained title challenge in 2016-17, new manager Antonio Conte will hope the troublesome Spain international continues to play on the edge.

Stoke no longer provide England’s acid test When Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona were weaving their dazzling patterns across the top-flight playing fields of Spain in the latter part of the last decade, a common refrain in England was: “Yes, but could they do it on a wet, windy afternoon in Stoke?” Guardiola took his Manchester City team to Stoke City’s newly renamed Bet365 Stadium at the weekend and the weather was appropriately unpleasant. But with Stoke manager Mark Hughes trying to introduce a more expansive playing style, the Potters are no longer the fearsome prospect they were under former manager Tony Pulis.

Wenger is running out of time, and patience Arsenal’s supporters could be forgiven for feeling like they have been here before. Just as in 2015, the north London club have made one exciting signing early in the transfer windowbut once again they have failed to strengthen their squad further with any significant signings. Manager Arsene Wenger angrily hit out at scrutiny of the club’s transfer policy following his side’s 0-0 draw at champions Leicester City and said he would not spend money for the sake of it. But with 10 days until the transfer window closes, the clock is ticking.

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Thespian (5) 4 Fewer (4) 7 Buccaneer (6) 8 Locations (5) 10 Rescue (4) 11 Unsuitable (5) 12 Cricket score (3) 14 Certain (4) 17 Woody plant (4) 19 Dry, of champagne (3) 20 Ingrained dirt (5) 23 Circle (4) 25 Freight (5) 26 Required (6) 27 Pay attention (4) 28 Cults (5)

DOWN 1 Declare (6) 2 Frank (4) 3 Getup (4) 4 Endures (5) 5 Greek letter (3) 6 Harsh (6) 9 Fork spike (4) 13 Bearlike (6) 15 Consumer (4) 16 Reflects sound (6) 18 Incited (5) 21 Frozen treats (4) 22 Manufactured (4) 24 Born (3)

Downtime

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODECRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 22 represents T so fill T every time the figure 22 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 23, 2016

Amber Heard donates $7 million divorce settlement n Showtime Desk Amber Heard has donated her $7 million divorce settlement from Johnny Depp to two charities. Half of the divorce settlement money will be given to the ACLU, to prevent violence against women, and the other half will go to the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, where Heard has volunteered for the past 10 years. The actress maintained her stance that the divorce and allegations of emotional and physical abuse at the hands of Depp had zero to do with financial gain. Heard says she hopes the donation will “help those less able to defend themselves.” After reaching a settlement with ex-husband Johnny Depp outside of court earlier this week, Amber Heard has released a statement saying she will donate the money to charity. “As described in the

Opshora Ali bags a golden crown at Miss Asia 2016

Nawshaba stands for saving the Sundarbans n Sajal Khan

n Showtime Desk Bangladeshi model-actress Opshora Ali, who participated in the recent Miss Asia 2016 pageant, has ended up winning a golden crown. The grand finale of the pageant took place at Kerala, India on August 18. Hailing from Rajshahi, Opshora Ali participated in Miss Cosmopolitan 2015 last year held at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and she earned a place in the pageant’s top ten contenders. This time, she has been selected as Miss Bangladesh 2016 and she is to take part in Miss Asia 2016 as Miss Bangladesh. Ali said that she is feeling great. “Even though I could not be the best but I was

honoured with a crown as the Bangladeshi representative to the competition.” This time around, a total of 18 contestants have participated in the competition from their respective countries. Opshora Ali first got attention when she reached the top five of Veet-Channel I Top Model in 2011, where she won the Miss Beauty Smile title. Later, she appeared in several TVCs of well-known brands including Airtel, Banglalink and Citycell. She has also played roles in some TV dramas including Bhuter Bari, Ei Shohorey and Keya. Her debut film Porobasini is yet to be released. l

restraining order and divorce settlement, money played no role for me personally and never has, except to the extent that I could donate it to charity and, in doing so, hopefully help those less able to defend themselves,” Amber said in a statement to People. “As reported in the media, the amount received in the divorce was $7 million, and $7 million is being donated,” she continued. “This is over and above any funds that I have given away in the past and will continue to give away in the future.” Amber first filed for divorce from Depp in May, citing irreconcilable differences. That same week, she was also granted a temporary restraining order after alleging Johnny had physically and emotionally abused her throughout their relationship. The restraining order was terminated on Tuesday. l

Quazi Nawshaba Ahmed is a popular Bangladeshi Model and TV Actress. She became popular through her unique acting in Bangla dramas, advertisement and films. Nawshaba has been participating in campaigns for saving the Sundarbans for a while. In continuation of her activism she organised a protest painting exhibition on August 18 at the Rabindra Sarobar in Dhanmondi. The event was able to attract viewers who slowly gathered and appreciated the reason for the exhibition. “I have carried out protests in many different places but this is the first time at Rabindra Sarobar,” said Nawshaba. She wanted to see how people react to her protest. “At first no one showed interest. But after about half an hour a few kids started to gather. That got the ball rolling and more people started to gather around the exhibition,” said Nawshaba. Nawshaba said she wants to see the Sundarbans live. “We don’t want Rampal. That is what we wanted to convey in these

paintings. That’s why the colour green has prominence in them,” she added. “Let the Sundarbans live, let our beautiful thoughts live” this is the slogan through which people are demanding the cancellation of the Rampal Coal Power Plant, Nawshaba said. Nawshaba will soon release a video on YouTube with people’s reaction to the paintings. l Translated by Saqib Sarkar

STAR UPDATES Flying Tuhin

Shafiq Tuhin is off to Bhutan and he let his fans know through his social media account just before flying. Eid surprise?

Ambrina Ambrin posted a glamorous photo with other the TV presenters. The photo featurs Sharmin Lucky, Tania Hossain, Afreen Sonia, Munmun, Maria Nur, Nabeela and Ambrina. Looks like this might turn out to be a teaser for up coming Eid program. Sisters forever In a recent visit to Kolkata Mim Rashid, actress and model, came across her former sister in law Sahana Bajpaie. Sahana posted this picture to her account with comment saying, “we are sisters forever.” Mithila Rashid and Mim Rashid are cousins of Arnob, the pop singer, who was married to Bajpaie for eight years. Shopping Time Popular ramp model Syed Ruma is now in a shopping mood. She recently visited Almira, popular designer Shahrukh Amin’s boutique where she took a selfie. The designer and model duo seem to be having real fun on their shopping trip.

Ferdous and Arifin Shuvo at Rituparna’s event

n Farhan Shahriar Actress Rituparna Sengupta is famous in Bangladesh, thanks to her contribution to our country’s film industry. Not only did she earn accolades as a Bangladeshi film actress, she also got offers

from Kolkata’s filmmakers, with Prakton, her recently released film with Prosenjit Chatterjee. The film garnered positive reviews. Although she isn’t currently working with Bangladeshi films, she’s been working on film after

film as far as the Tollywood industry is concerned. Potadar Kriti, one of her recent ventures is set to be released soon. Last Saturday, at an event for the release of the film’s audio production, two popular Bangladeshi actors Ferdous and

Arifin Shuvo were also present as special guests. Arefin Shuvo said, “Ritu and Ferdous have been good friends for a long time. They’ve also worked together in a few films. Moreover, Ferdous will play the role of a guest actor in the upcoming Potadar Kriti. He was really glad to be invited by her especially since they spent some quality time together.” The event took place at Hotel Hindustan, Kolkata. Ferdous and Shuvo will be staying in Kolkata for a while. Ferdous, who is immensely popular in both Bangladesh and West Bengal is currently not working in any Bangladeshi film, but is a regular face in the West Bengal film industry. On the other hand, Arefin Shuvo is staying in Kolkata from August 17 onwards to shoot for his new film Premi O Premi. l

Beat pe booty fever n Showtime Desk

Shantanu - a dancing boy from Kolkata n Shwotime Desk Shantanu Maheshwari, who is currently balancing his two shows Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa and MTV Girls on Top, has now become the heartthrob of a new generation. His husky voice, dancing skills has won the hearts of many. “I shoot for 12 hours for Girls on Top (a fiction show on MTV), and then spend four to five hours practicing for Jhalak,” he says. The schedule is grueling, but Maheshwari is in no mood to slow down. He’s currently on a high as he and his hip-hop crew, Desi Hoppers, performed on America’s Got Talent (AGT), last month. Desi Hoppers grooved to a mix of “Turn Down for What” (DJ Snake and Lil Jon) and “Tukur Tukur” (from the movie Dilwale). “We got a standing ovation,” Maheshwari

says, adding, “All the four judges were pleased. It was a big achievement.” Shantanu Maheshwari was born on March 7, 1991, in Kolkata. He has completed his education from St Joseph’s College, Kolkata. He moved to Mumbai for his higher studies, and was part of the Street Soul Dance Crew [SSDC] from his college, mainly concentrating on popping and (liquid) waving. Furthermore, he has trained in various dance forms from folk to hip hop, and he is one of the most popular actors amongst the youth. He is a very shy and introverted person in real life. Shantanu has played one of the lead roles in India’s popular dance-based drama, Dil Dosti Dance aired on Channel V. Currently, he is seen in MTV Girls on Top and Jhalak Dikhla Jaa Season 9.l

Social media publicity is probably the most powerful publicity nowadays. A Flying Jatt, an upcoming Bollywood movie has taken the social media strategy very seriously and got super response from audience. Even Bollywood press and TV media are also taking notice. The “Beat Pe Booty” challenge has not only managed to engage Bollywood stars but it also has TV actors hopping on board as well, the latest being Sonakshi. Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha, who will be playing the role of a tough girl in her upcoming movie Akira, was seen dancing to the beats of "Beat Pe Booty" with director Remo D’Souza. The song "Beat Pe Booty" from the upcoming superhero flick, A Flying Jatt, has become a hit on social media. After the film’s lead actors Tiger Shroff,

Jacqueline Fernandez and director Remo D’souza gave the "Beat Pe Booty" challenge to their Bollywood colleagues and the audience at large. It all began with the choreographer-turned-director asking producer Ekta Kapoor to shake a leg to the club number. Right after that, celebrities like Hrithik Roshan, Prabhudheva, Tusshar, Sunny Leone, Mouni Roy, Aamir- Sanjida, Sister’s gang of Shakti, Mukti and Neeti Mohan, Divyanka Tripathi, Anita Hassanandani, Krystle D’Souza, Masaba Gupta Mantena and Ganesh Acharya, among many others joined in, grooving their ‘booties’ to the beat. It didn’t take long for the challenge to go viral as fans from across India and overseas started sharing their videos. A Flying Jatt, produced by Balaji Motion Pictures, is set to releaseon August 25. l Source: Bollywood Gossip

Showtime

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

WHAT TO WATCH

Mission Impossible HBO 5:06pm An American agent, under false suspicion of disloyalty, must discover and expose the real spy without the help of his organisation. Cast: Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Beart, Kristin Scott Thomas, Jean Reno, Ving Rhames, Vanessa Redgrave, Marcel Iures

Thor Star Movies 6:55pm The powerful but arrogant god Thor is cast out of Asgard to live amongst humans in Midgard (Earth), where he soon becomes one of their finest defenders. Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgard

Pacific Rim Movies Now 4:05pm As a war between humankind and monstrous sea creatures wages on, a former pilot and a trainee are paired up to drive a seemingly obsolete special weapon in a desperate effort to save the world from the apocalypse. Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, Robert Kazinsky, Max Martini, Ron Perlman Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part 2 WB 10:40pm Harry, Ron and Hermione search for Voldemort’s remaining Horcruxes in their effort to destroy the Dark Lord as the final battle rages on at Hogwarts. Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon l

Back Page

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

BB TO WATCH OVER BIG LOAN GRANT PAGE 12

FIZZ RETURNS AFTER SUCCESSFUL OP PAGE 24

AMBER HEARD DONATES $7M DIVORCE SETTLEMENT PAGE 30

Sherpur shelters save children Al-Masum Molla n Mohammad back from Sherpur A casual visitor to the villages around Sherpur town, one of the poorest districts in Bangladesh, would see men and women working on the fields just like any other place. There is, however, a difference. These peasants working the fields do not have worry about their children’s safety while they are not home. Indeed Sherpur Sadar Upazila has become a glowing exception, and example, preventing children from one of the scourges that still haunt Bangladesh — drowning. The villages, not far from the district town, under the central sub district have adopted a unique strategy. They call them ‘anchal’ — derived from the part of the sari that hangs over women’s shoulders. It is also synonymous with motherly care and watchfulness. While drowning accounts for the highest proportion of child deaths in Bangladesh — at least 2 out of every 5 child death is by drowning, which comes to a staggering 18000 every year — not a single child has drowned in the flood that has inundated much of the northern countryside in recent times. Seven unions of the sub-district run 702 anchals — day care centre of sorts, but more like shelters for pre-schoolers — where children are kept busy with all kinds of activities as they socialise with other children when their parents are busy working outside the house. According to surveys and research, most children were found to have drowned when they strayed near ponds or rivers particularly at times when there were no adults around to watch over them. The anchals house around 25 children aged between 9 and 36 months in designated houses have been volunteered as an anchal from the community.

The picture shows a married couple holding the photographs of their two children who had drowned before the shelter Anchal came into being MOHAMMAD AL-MASUM These day care centres, staffed by hundreds of local women, has changed the lives of the children of the sub-district. It was not always like this at the remote villages. Not until the Centre for Injury Prevention and Research, Bangladesh (CIPRB), began its free rural daycare initiative. Till then there were no comparable institutions anywhere in rural Bangladesh. The people are now better aware and better equipped to prevent childhood injury and drowning because the infrastructure and knowhow has been put in place. Participating villages have a number of anchals keeping children safe. “Men are busy in the field while the women assist them and remain busy through the day. While the men are done with their work once they hand over the paddy to the women at the house. The women remain

busy with the crop for processing along with other household chores,” said Khursiduzzaman, chairman of the union explaining how adults have little time to look after their children during the day. He also said the whole union was inundated recently. “But we did not lose a single child due the Anchal projects.” Sathi Yeasmin, a housewife and also an anchal mother at Munshirchar village of Char Mucharia Union, said, “Whenever we get busy with household chores, it becomes difficult to watch over children but with the children at anchal, it is reassuring that they are safe.” She said, “I have a two and half year old daughter myself. I treat all the kids at anchal like my own.” Sathi pointed out that her village surrounded by water bodies like ponds and rivers and every

year they would lose at least one child to drowning. “But not a single child was drowned in my village since the initiative began.” Joba Khatun, a housewife of the village, said, “Earlier, women were confined to household works, but now women can contribute as they got some money from the school and that too for doing good. It is prestigious also. People respect us.” Sanuar Hossain Sanu, Upazila Chairman, commended the project saying that it was a model of early childhood development. He said that the government should take up similar initiatives. “It is really amazing that such facilities with so little resource can do so well in these remote villages.” Currently there are 37000 children housed at 1448 anchals in three sub districts of Bangladesh in Sirajganj and Narsingdi beside Sherpur. l

Smallpox eradication giant Donald Henderson dies n BBC US doctor and epidemiologist Donald Henderson, who led a successful campaign to wipe out smallpox worldwide, has died at the age of 87. Hailed as a “giant” in the field of public health for his work in the 1960s and 70s, Henderson died of complications after breaking a hip. One of the world’s deadliest diseases, smallpox killed hundreds of millions of people in the last century alone. Apart from causing great pain, it often caused lesions on the face and body. And it killed about one in three of those infected. It was officially declared to have been eradicated in 1980 - the first infectious disease to have been fought on a global scale.

‘Changed the world for the better’

The World Health Organization appointed Henderson, known as DA, to lead its drive to stamp out the disease in 1966. At the time it was still endemic in Africa and Asia. Few gave him much chance of success. But Henderson focussed on isolating outbreaks of the disease and systematically vaccinating people, rather than a mass vaccination programme. After his work for the WHO, Henderson went on to serve as science and bioterrorism adviser to three US presidents as well holding other academic and medical posts. Henderson “truly changed the world for the better,” a tribute from Tom Inglesby, Director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center for Health Security said. “He led the effort to rid the world of smallpox. He advised presidents. He was honoured by countries around the planet.” l

High Court gives Citycell more time n Ishtiaq Hussain

The High Court has extended the time for Bangladesh’s oldest mobile phone operator Citycell to continue its operations. The bench of Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed yesterday stayed a showcause notice from Bangladesh Tel-

ecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) served on August 17 based on an appeal by Citycell. In the notice, the regulator asked Citycell to provide a reply why the BTRC will not shut down its operations. “The court directed BTRC not to cancel the Operator License is-

sued to Citycell by BTRC up until September 16 and thereby comply with the show-cause notice issued by BTRC to Citycell on August 17,” said Barrister Sayed Mahsib Hossain, a counsel of BTRC. A high level meeting of Telecommunication Division had given Citycell time to transfer subscriber’s

RIMs to other operators by today. The court ordered Citycell to follow the deadline in the BTRC showcause notice and allowed the operator to continue its operation till then. On July 31, BTRC asked Citycell to pay its all dues, including regulatory fees and fines worth Tk477 crore, by August 16.

The telecom regulator has also ordered the company to create alternative arrangements for providing service to its subscribers after shut down. BTRC Director MA Tayab Hossain served the notice to the operator to explain why it should not face legal action for not paying dues. l

Editor: Zafar Sobhan, Published and Printed by Kazi Anis Ahmed on behalf of 2A Media Limited at Dainik Shakaler Khabar Publications Limited, 153/7, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208. Editorial, News & Commercial Office: FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka 1207. Phone: 9132093-94, Advertising: 9132155, Circulation: 9132282, Fax: News-9132192, e-mail: news@dhakatribune.com, info@dhakatribune.com, Website: www.dhakatribune.com