August 24, 2016 by DhakaTribune

SECOND EDITION

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

Bhadra 9, 1423, Zilqad 20, 1437

Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 119

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

DNA test confirms Gulshan attackers’ identities n Arifur Rahman Rabbi The identities of the five militants involved in the deadly terror attack on Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan, Dhaka have been confirmed through DNA tests. Deputy Commissioner Masudur Rahman of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) made the announcement yesterday afternoon. “The five attackers were identified previously, but their identities have been confirmed after matching their DNA with their family members,” he told reporters at his office. DMP’s Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crimes (CTTC) unit received the results of the DNA tests on Monday, according to which the DNA of each militant matched with the sample provided by their family members, the deputy commissioner said. The identity of Holey Artisan Bakery’s pizza chef Saiful Chowkidar was also confirmed after the testing, he added.

Khairul Islam Payel

Shafiqul Islam Uzzal

Asked if the bodies would be handed over to their families now that their identities were confirmed, he said if the investigation officer of the case does not require to keep the bodies for the investigation, they can be handed over to their families. “But the families have to place an official request for the handover, which none of them have done yet,” he added. On July 1, terrorists stormed the building that houses Holey Artisan Bakery and O Kitchen in Gulshan

INSIDE

DU observes ‘Black Day’

Toxic gas leak is merely an accident

Dhaka University (DU) students and teachers yesterday observed ‘Black Day’. August 23, 2007 is known as ‘Black Day’ because of the crackdown on students and teachers by the military-backed caretaker government.  PAGE 2

What does Islamic State believe?

Strike on waterways put people in miseries

Thousands of commuters stranded at river ports across Bangladesh, as vessel workers went on a wildcat strike for an indefinite period on Monday night to press home their several points demands.  PAGE 7

Rohan Imtiaz

n Tribune Desk

kir Hossain Shaon was detained by police later in the night, severely injured. He died while undergoing treatment in police custody. The terror siege continued for nearly 11 hours before a joint commando force stormed the restaurant premises around 7:40am on July 2 and killed all the attackers, rescuing 32 hostages. The attackers were identified as Nibras Islam, Rohan Imtiaz, Khairul Islam Payel, Shafiqul Islam Uzzal and Meer Saameh Mubasser,

The family of Hasnat Reza Karim, the only person shown arrested in Gulshan cafe attack, has sought services of a New York-based intelligence firm in an attempt to find out evidence to exonerate him from the case. They contacted with Guardian Consulting LLC, an intelligence-investigations-security company that provides client advisory services, two weeks back, Hasnat’s family says. The family gave three videos and eight photographs to the firm to determine Hasnat’s role – whether he was a party to the terrorist attack or a victim/hostage. Guardian’s forensic image analysis report of the terror attack on Holey Artisan Bakery on July 1, sent on August 21, suggests Hasnat as a kidnap victim rather than a participant of the attack. By analysing the photos and the videos, Guardian said Hasnat was a “passive unarmed individual who was apparently ordered at gunpoint

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 5

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Nibras Islam

around 8:45pm and took the diners and restaurant staff hostage, killing 20 diners – 17 of whom were foreign nationals and one a Bangladeshi-American – and Saiful in the process. Among the 17 foreigners, nine were Italians, seven Japanese and one Indian. Two police officers were severely injured during a gunfire exchange between law enforcers and the terrorists. They later died while undergoing treatment in hospital. Another kitchen staff named Za-

Family seeks NY firm’s service to determine Hasnat’s role

Meer Saameh Mubassher

News

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

PM’s picture recommended on all primary book covers

Hizb ut-Tahrir threatens five with death

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

The banned Islamic outfit Hizb utTahrir sent a letter by post to the district commissioner’s office yesterday threatening five prominent cultural and political personalities with death in Jessore. The letter was postmarked and received by Jessore central post office, but did not show where it was posted from. The letter, written in Bangla, contained the name of Hizb ut-Tahrir. On top of the letter are the proclamations “Atheist” and “Gentile.” The letter reads: “Killing atheists and apostates is a way to heaven for Muslims. Your death sentence is final. Execution will be carried out any time and don’t dare to harass militant brothers.” Then a list of five prominent personalities are listed: Freedom fighter and Jatiya Samajtanrik Dal (JSD) central committee member Rabiul Alam, Trade union centre and a CPB affiliated organisation’s Jessore unit Chief Mahbubur Rahaman Maznu, writer Benjin Khan, Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee leader Ashiquzzaman Tutul and teacher Shraboni Sur. Among them two confirmed that they got the letter. Police were notified of the letter. Jessore Police Superintendent Anisur Rahaman said they already knew about the threat and necessary initiatives will be taken soon. l

Parliamentary standing committee of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education yesterday recommended that a picture of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina be on the cover of all primary education level books starting 2017. They proposed that a photo of the premier distributing books with the slogan “Nation promises, quality education” be on the covers. The recommendations were made at a meeting held at the Bureau of Non-Formal Education in Tejgaon with the committee chairman Motahar Hossain in the chair, according to a press release. The committee also suggested computer labs be in every primary training institutions and transportation for those institutions. The members asked how quality education can be provided given that there are around 2,500 vacant education officer or assistant education officer posts in 65,000 primary education institutions. It was found that one assistant education officer has to inspect about 20 schools on an average every month. “There is no alternative to regular inspection of primary schools,” Mohammad Ilyas, a member of the committee, told the Dhaka Tribune. l

n Our Correspondent, Jessore

Students and teachers of Dhaka University form a human chain in front of Oparajeyo Bangla on the campus yesterday in observance of Dhaka University Black Day DHAKA TRIBUNE

DU observes ‘Black Day’ n DU Correspondent

Dhaka University students and teachers yesterday observed “Black Day” - which marks the crackdown on students and teachers by the then military-backed caretaker government on August 23, 2007. The observers wore black badges and held different programmes including a discussion and a human chain on the campus demanding the culprits be punished. A discussion was held in the TSC auditorium in the morning with DU Vice-Chancellor Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique in the chair.

The VC demanded exemplary punishment for those who were involved in the incident saying : “If the guilty are put on trial, nobody will ever dare do such a thing in the future.” A protest programme was held at DU Aparejeyo Bangla premises where professor Anwar Hossain who was arrested in 2007 urged the government to punish those involved that day. On August 20, 2007 army personnel assulted three DU students and insulted a teacher at the DU gymnasium during a football match.

The incident sparked clashes between police and students, spreading from DU to other educational institutions in the country. Two DU professors Anwar Hossain and Harun-ur-Rashid were arrested on August 23, 2007. Following the incident Professor Sadrul Amin and Professor Neem Chandra Bhowmick and a number of students were also arrested. The unrest led to the arrest of several DU and Rajshahi University students and teachers charged with breaking the emergency power rules. l

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Family seeks NY firm’s service to determine Hasnat’s role by alleged terrorists to move about the bakery. His actions, demeanour and dress are consistent with that of a kidnap victim rather than a modern terrorist.” The review report said the attack “operatives were from the Core and Franchise categories, having completed varying degrees of training in the use of firearms and defensive strategies that allowed them to slaughter victims and hold the building for a prolonged period of time. The profile of Core and Franchise terrorists is that they are perversely proud of their work and look to claim credit. Karim has done no such thing and therefore does not fit the generally accepted profile of a terrorist.” The bakery attackers were wellarmed, well-prepared and welltrained, but no evidence found Hasnat as fit to such profile, it reads. “News accounts present no evidence that Karim fits the profile of radicalisation. He is a professional who trained abroad and returned to Bangladesh working as a professor and an engineer. People his age do not suddenly emerge as terror-

ists. If he were involved in an extremist movement, prior evidence would likely have been discovered. Finally, it is nearly unheard of for a terrorist to use his own wife and children as a shield in an attack,” the report said. With its review, the report claimed Hasnat was dressed in a style for celebratory birthday meal with his wife and children rather than to take part in a terrorist attack. He wore a golf shirt, slacks and soft, thin soled shoes. The known terrorists shown in the videos are in darker coloured clothing (making them more difficult targets for law enforcement) and were shod in thick-soled shoes more appropriate for running, climbing and other combat related activities than the soft shoes worn by Karim. “In each of the photographs he [Hasnat] appears to be subservient or neutral. Those stances are not consistent with a Core or Franchise terrorist. The lack of a pistol, suicide vest or other “low-tech” weapon are contrary to the profile of Aspirant,” it said. Guardian in its review report

said none of the images fits Hasnat as a threat. “No weapons are visible in his hands or on his person. His casual clothes are closely tailored, ruling out the possibility that he was equipped with a suicide vest or even tactical body armour,” it said. “Karim presents as a victim in this situation. He is never seen with a weapon. He is never shown giving orders. He is positioned in harms way and apparently under duress. He does not fit the profile of a Core or Franchise operative. The lack of a weapon and/or suicide vest is contrary to the profile of an Aspirant operative,” it said as concluding remarks. While asked, Hasnat’s wife Sharmina Parveen told the Dhaka Tribune that they had collected the video footage’s from YouTube and the images from available sources. “My sister-in-laws, residing in the United States, collected the pictures and sent me those for verification. I verified the pictures that these are related to the cafe incident. With my approval, they sent the images to the consulting firm for a review,” she said.

The family sent the images to Guardian two weeks back. The firm prepared the report on August 15 and sent it back to the family on August 21. Responding to a query, she said: “We have submitted a copy of the report to the lawyer earlier, but the lawyer failed to submit the report to the court. We are expecting to submit the report to the court, through our lawyer, today [Wednesday] as the hearing on Hasnat’s bail petition is scheduled for today.” She said: “As the police have arrested him based on body language, we think the Guardian body language report can help my husband prove innocent.” Terrorists killed 22 people, mostly foreigners, and two police officers when they attacked the restaurant at the heart of Dhaka’s diplomatic zone. The 11-hour standoff ended with a commando operation the next morning when all the five attackers were killed. Hasnat, a former North South University teacher holding a UK citizenship, was formally shown arrested on August 3. l

DNA test confirms Gulshan attackers’ identities based on the photographs of their bodies released by the DMP. A few hours into the siege, Islamic State claimed responsibility of the attack through Amaq, the media outlet of the international terrorist group, US-based SITE Intelligence Group reported. However, police say that the attack was carried out by a new faction of banned militant outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). Police also detained two of the survivors, Hasnat Karim and Tahmid Hasib Khan, on suspicion of their involvement in the attack. Hasnat was later shown arrested in the case; Tahmid was not, but he still remains in detainment. Police identified Banladeshi-Canadian Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury as the mastermind of the attack and are looking for him. l

News

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

What does Islamic State believe? n Faiz Sobhan

Even as Islamic State (IS) continues to lose large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria and suffer a large number of casualties on the battlefield, the group has continued to wage a series of deadly terrorist attacks around the world from Paris to Quetta. So who are IS exactly? And what do they stand for? In simple terms, IS is an expression of a staunch Islamist view that all power – political, social, economic and religious – must be under the control of the Caliphate, or what has come to be known as Islamic State.

Who was the caliph?

After the death of the Holy Prophet Mohammed (SAW) in 632, the Islamic community chose a Caliph or Khalifa to lead the faithful. That institution continued until it was abolished in 1924. But on June 29, 2014, all that changed when IS announced the re-establishment of the Khalifa. It said that the Khalifa must not only be Muslim, but he must maintain a purist and authoritarian form of order in his area of control.

The invisible sheikh

At the helm of today’s so-called Caliphate sits the self-proclaimed Khalifa, the absolute ruler – the shadowy figure of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, sometimes dubbed the “invisible sheikh” for almost never being seen in public. Born in the ancient Iraqi city of Samarra on July 28, 1971, as Ibrahim al-Badri, friends and neighbours have described Baghdadi as withdrawn, reserved and shy. It was said when he spoke, he could barely be heard. However, according to Will McCants, an expert on IS, when Baghdadi read the Quran, his hushed voice would come alive and he would pronounce “the letters in firm, reverberating tones.”

From Ibrahim al-Badri to the leader of IS

In 2004, Baghdadi was arrested for “militant activities” and detained in Camp Bucca prison as a “civilian internee” for around nine months. The prison was operated by the US government after their invasion of Iraq in 2003. It is believed that it

was here, at this prison, that he became fully radicalised after he met members of al-Qaeda. Said to have a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Baghdad, Baghdadi gave Quranic classes and lectures to many prominent Iraqi and foreign extremists at the prison. Baghdadi’s ascent to the leadership of IS was a combination of fortuitous timing and luck. When Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, the first Emir or leader of Islamic State in Iraq (ISI) was killed in a US airstrike in 2010, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was chosen as the group’s Emir by a Shura Council, where nine of the eleven men on the council decided in his favour. Here he seized the opportunity to regroup and merged with other groups under the banner of the Islamic State of Iraq. Baghdadi had, in a little over a decade, gone from a shy, quiet, religious individual to becoming the leader of one of the most feared terrorist groups in modern history.

Public appearance

Since emerging as the head of IS, Baghdadi has made only two public appearances. The first was in Mosul, Iraq on July 5, 2014. The appearance of Baghdadi at the Great Nurridin Mosque, dating back to 1142, was significant, as it highlighted the transition that IS was making to declare itself as a sovereign entity. His second public appearance was reportedly in a mosque in Fallujah, Iraq in February 2016. However, it is speculated that it may have even been a double, due to a United States bounty of $10 million on Baghdadi, and the enormous risks he faces in making public appearances. Baghdadi in his first public sermon at the Great Nurridin Mosque, which was a 21-minute video, produced by IS, spoke of blessings for Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan and called on them to participate in jihad. He also discussed his role as Caliph and portrayed himself as a reluctant leader. It is important to understand the foundation of Baghdadi’s beliefs and, in turn, the core mindset of IS. The basic beliefs of IS are resolutely driven by the following ideological and theological concepts.

REUTERS

First and foremost, IS believes in the concept of Islamism

IS’s inherent belief is in having a dominant political form of Islam, referred to as Islamism, which includes the forced implementation of Sharia law as the basis of government and societal law. Fervent believers of Islamism, such as IS, call for a strict interpretation of the Quran and the Hadith. Islamist groups like IS also oppose Western democracies and modern forms of government within the Islamic world. It would however be unfair and incorrect to conflate Islamism with Islam and its association with all Muslims.

Second, IS are considered Salafists

Salafists are individuals who hope to realise an Islamist state through the proselytising of Islam or da’wah. Their ultimate goal is the restoration of a fundamentalist Islamist state.

Third, IS adheres to the concept of Takfir

According to the Oxford Dictionary of Islam, takfir is used for “sanctioning violence against leaders of Islamic states who are deemed insufficiently religious”. Takfir remains an essential component of Wahhabi ideology and IS astutely uses the concept of takfir for mobilising and rallying people against kuffar or infidels, who oppose da'wah. The notion of takfir is reflected by the ideas of two modern-day influential Islamists, Sayyid Abul A’la Maududi and Sayyid Qutb. Sayyid Qutb was the spiritual leader of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood from the early 1950s until he was executed by President Nasser in 1966. His seminal book, Milestones, is essential reading for Islamist extremists everywhere and his influence on global Islamist terrorism is said to be profound. His work was known to have strongly

influenced Ayman al-Zawahiri, the current leader of al-Qaeda. Maududi, an Indian scholar of Islam at a Deobandi seminary in Hyderabad founded the Jamaat-e-Islami party in India in 1941. Originally it was the 14th century radical scholar Taqi al-Din Ibn Taymiyyah who established a precedent for the declaration of takfir, and this tradition continued through Muhammad al-Wahhab, who died in 1792, to latter-day Salafist ideologues. IS and Wahhabi ideology also agree on the view of Hijra or migration, where the world is divided between Dar al-Islam (House of Islam) and Dar al-Kufr (House of Infidelity), and where Muslim migration to Dar al-Islam is encouraged.

Finally, IS ideology is grounded in Jihadist-Salafism

Jihadist-Salafism is a transnational religious-political ideology based on a belief in violent jihadism. The scholar Gilles Kepel coined the terms “Salafi jihadists” and “Jihadist-Salafism” in 2002 to describe “a hybrid Islamist ideology” developed by international Islamist volunteers during the Soviet-Afghan War (1979-1989). Fundamentally, Islamist groups obtain their ideology from the same source and have the same basic objective – a global caliphate. Ultimately, IS believes in taking forward its takfiri-jihadist Islamist rule through sheer organisational strength, politics, governance and ideological indoctrination. While the basic ideology of IS can be seen as common to that of other Islamist groups, their indiscriminate use of violence as a means of controlling and shaping their narrative is what distinguishes them from all other violent extremist groups.

The management of savagery

In 2004, an al-Qaeda member call-

ing himself, Abu Bakr Naji, published an online manuscript titled The Management of Savagery: The Most Critical Stage Through Which the Ummah Will Pass. This influential publication is considered to be the IS handbook for justifying their vicious campaign of violence for achieving political ends and is thought to be much more than just the establishment of a Caliphate. The requirements for the administration of savagery are establishing Sharia law, instituting a fighting society among all individuals, establishing internal security, providing food and medical treatment and securing borders.

An enduring narrative

Even after its defeat, the IS narrative may continue to resonate in the minds of its adherents in the core area it controls, in Iraq and Syria, and beyond. Reportedly it has already expanded its footprint or has attempted to, to Nigeria, Libya, Tunisia, Egypt, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, among other countries.

Spreading of tentacles

At a recent hearing of the US Senate Intelligence Committee, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, John Brennan, painted an ominous picture that even a considerably degraded IS has the resilience, the manpower and the financial resources to strike at enemies both in the Middle East and in the West. And as mentioned earlier, we have also witnessed the spread of IS’s tentacles to other parts of the world including Africa and South Asia. This clearly poses a significant security threat for all states concerned and once again reinforces the need for boosting cooperation regionally and internationally in countering the group. l

News

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

Mir Quasem’s review hearing to start today n Tribune Desk The counsels of war criminal Mir Quasem Ali have once again lodged a three-week’s adjournment petition to delay the hearing of a review plea on the death sentences against the al-Badr commander. A five-member Appellate Division panel headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha had earlier adjourned the hearing as Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, chief counsel

for Jamaat financier Quasem, pleaded for two months’ time to prepare. After the granted deadline of one month ended, the hearing was enlisted yesterday afternoon in Wednesday’s cause list of the appeals court. Khandaker Mahbub yesterday told media that preparation could not be taken in one month as Mir Quasem’s son Barrister Mir Ahmmad Bin Quasem, who is a counsel of the case, was missing.

All case dockets were in his custody, Mahbub said, adding that the court might hear their adjournment petition on Wednesday. On July 25, the apex court set August 24 for holding the hearing while accepting the time plea filed by Mir Quasem. The International Crimes Tribunal had awarded capital punishment to Quasem, now 64, on November 3, 2014. As many as 24 prosecution witnesses testified

against Quasem. The tribunal handed down the death penalty on two charges including killing seven people after abduction. He was also awarded a total of 72-year imprisonment on eight other proven charges of abduction, conspiracy and planning. Later, the Supreme Court upheld the tribunal’s death sentence. Quasem then filed a plea seeking review of the Supreme Court verdict. In 1967, Quasem joined Islami

JnU students stage strike protesting police attack

MP Nizam Hazari verdict deferred 2nd time n Ashif Islam Shaon The High Court yesterday said it would pronounce verdict on the legality of holding office by Feni 2 ruling party lawmaker Nizam Uddin Hazari on August 30. The bench of Justice Md Emdadul Huq and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir on August 17 deferred the date until yesterday to deliver judgement on a writ petition that challenged his parliamentary membership. That day the court sought the case dockets which upheld the MP’s jail sentence in an arms case, to ascertain how many years he had served in jail. The constitution says that one cannot participate in the parliamentary elections within five years she completes serving jail terms in a criminal case. Yesterday, a report on the dockets was placed before the court, and after hearing it fixed the new date for judgement. Feni Jubo League leader Sakhawat Hossain Bhuiyan filed the writ petition after a Bangla daily reported that the controversial lawmaker allegedly got released from jail illegally. A relative of Joynal Hazari, Nizam was supposed to serve jail terms till September 13, 2010. He became a lawmaker participating in the January 5 election in 2014. The petition mentioned that on August 16, 2000, a Chittagong court sentenced Nizam to 10 years in jail in an arms case. He, however, was released after serving only five years in prison. Although he appealed against the verdict with the High Court and the Appellate Division, the appeals were dismissed. His review petition was too rejected. Nizam was first sent to jail on March 22, 1992 in an arms case and was released on July 28 that year. Nizam was elected the mayor of Feni in 2011. On January 5, 2014, he took part in the national election from the Awami League, resigning from his post as the mayor.l

Chhatra Sangha, then student wing of Jamaat, while studying at Chittagong Collegiate School. He later became its Chittagong city unit general secretary. He played an important role in forming al-Badr Bahini. He had set up makeshift torture camps at different places in the port city. According to the government, Quasem has also spent a large amount of money abroad to make the war crimes trials controversial. l

n Rafikul Islam

Members of ‘National Committee to Save Land in Old Central Jail’ form a human chain at Nazimuddin Road Old Dhaka yesterday, demanding the prime minister’s attention in utilising the space in the abandoned prison to build new roads, a children’s park and a museum for Bangabandhu and four leaders MEHEDI HASAN

Eid bus tickets selling out fast n Kamrul Hasan

Thousands of people have started to throng bus counters in Dhaka, hoping to secure tickets for celebrating Eid-ul-Azha with their families back home. Ticket counters at Gabtoli, Mazar Road, Kallyanpur, Shyamoli and some counters at Sayedabad were abuzz with activities with Eid expected to be celebrated in the second week of September. The Dhaka Tribune found that people had been queueing up at ticket counters from as early as 6:30am yesterday. But many had to return empty-handed as north-bound bus tickets for September 8 to 10 were sold out soon after advance tickets went on sale, counter staffs said. Tickets to southern districts for the evening of September 8 and September 9 were also sold out, said Sohel Haider, assistant manager (southern) of Hanif Paribahan. Hanif Enterprise General Manger Mosharraf Hossain said tickets for September 8 and 9 were on high demand. Almost all of the tickets

for buses travelling to the north on September 8-10 had been sold out. “We still have some tickets for September 8 morning and September 11,” he told the Dhaka Tribune. He expressed hopes of transporting 12,000 passengers daily to the north during Eid.

‘Many had to return empty-handed as north-bound bus tickets for September 8 to 10 were sold out’ Shyamoli Paribahan’s Mazar Road counter staff Asifur Rahman said they only had a handful tickets available for the night of September 9 on northern routes. But tickets for September 6, 7 and 11 were still available. Emdadul Haq, a staff at Tungipara Express’ Sayedabad counter, said most of their tickets for September 8 and 9 have been sold out. “We hope the rest will be sold out by tomorrow.”

Ticket sellers at SB Paribahan, Dipjol Paribahan, Purbasha, Eagle, Shakura, Golden Line, Nabil and other bus services said most of their advance tickets have also been sold out. The state-run Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) also started selling advance Eid bus tickets yesterday. This Eid, Hanif and Shyamoli did not make their tickets available online. But other services including Desh travels and National Travels were selling their tickets online. But like each year, many passengers complained that they had been charged extra for tickets. Ashfaq Ahmed, who was seeking a ticket to Thakurgaon, said he had to pay an extra Tk150 to get three tickets. The person who sold him the ticket for an extra charge, claimed that Ashfaq got the last few available tickets. Sazzadul Islam, who tried but failed to buy a ticket at Gabtoli counters, said: “I pulled some strings and finally managed a ticket for myself.” l

Students of Jagannath University boycotted their classes and exams yesterday as part of a two-day strike protesting the police attack on demonstrators on Monday. They also put locks on different buildings of the university including the office of the vicechancellor. The JnU students have been demonstrating since August 1 demanding that the land of Old Dhaka’s abandoned central jail premises be allotted for their residential halls. During demonstrations yesterday morning, the JnU students staged a sit-in at Rai Shaheb Bazar intersection, putting a halt to traffic movement in the nearby streets for several hours. They also displayed a fake body covered with a white funeral shroud as protest. Agitated students said they would continue demonstrations until all their demands were met. On Monday, at least 30 students were injured when police fired rubber bullets and teargas shells at them in Bangshal to intercept their scheduled march towards the Prime Minister’s Office. Meanwhile, JnU Teachers Association President Prof Dr Kazi Saifuddin told the Dhaka Tribune that the teachers supported the legitimate demand of the students. The JnUTA had asked students to meet for a discussion, but received no response as the student movement had no leaders, he added. Prof Saifuddin also said the University Grant Commission and the ministry concerned were now working to meet the students demands. He further pointed out that it was an injustice that students of JnU were unable to live in residential hall, unlike other public universities of the country. l

News

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

TOXIC GAS LEAK IN CHITTAGONG

BCIC chairman: This is merely an accident n Anwar Hussain, Chittagong

Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) Chairman Mohammad Iqbal claimed that the incident of toxic gas emission at a fertiliser factory in Chittagong on Monday night was just an accident. The BCIC chairman made the comment while talking to reporters following a visit to the site of the incident. On Monday, at least 52 people fell ill after toxic gas from diammonium phosphate discharged into the air as one of the three reserve gas tanks at DAP Fertiliser Company's factory 1 leaked around 10:50pm. DAP Fertiliser Company Limited, a subsidiary of BCIC, is situated on the south bank of River Karnaphuli at Rangadia under Anwara upazila in Chittagong. Talking to reporters, Mohammad Iqbal said: “This is merely an accident. The Distributed Control System (DCS) of the fertiliser company is up to the mark. However, we will take all necessary preventive measures so that no such accident could recur in the future.” When asked if there was any previous fault in the reserve tank, the BCIC chairman said: “It is too early to make such a comment as the production process at a chemical factory is very complex unlike any cement factory or power plant. “We have already contacted the company that built the reserve tank.” Responding to another query, the BCIC chairman said: “We will not spare anybody if found guilty. Any official or employees of the DAP, if proven guilty of negligence in duty will face punitive action from the administration.” He further said: “The chemists of BCIC and KAFCO are continuously monitoring the air and water quality in the area. I want to assure you that no untreated water will find its way into the nearby water bodies, rivers or the sea.”

The dislodged ammonia tank in DAP fertiliser company in Anwara upazila, Chittagong. The photo was taken yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

The BCIC chairman also urged journalists to be cautious while publishing news on the accident so that the branches of rumours could not spread. Requesting people to exercise patience, Iqbal said: “This is a highly technical issue. So it will not be wise to make any comment before the technical committee submits its probe report.”

asked to place recommendations to avert such accidents in the future. Chittagong District Administration Assistant Commissioner Abdus Samad Shikder said: “A three-member probe committee has been formed and will be led by Additional District Magistrate Mominur Rashid.” “The committee has been asked to submit the probe report within seven working days.” The committee will talk to locals, public representatives and officials and employees of the fertiliser company. Meanwhile, Chittagong Medical College Hospital police outpost Nayek Abdul Hamid said: “Fifty-two people were admitted to the hospital on Monday night. Of them, nine were released after treatment today [yesterday].” Those admitted at the hospital were suffering from respiratory complications brought on by ammonia inhalation, said Sub-Inspector Jahirul Islam of CMC police outpost. Exposure to high concentrations of ammonia in air causes immediate burning of the nose, throat and respiratory tract. This can cause differ-

Two probe body formed

Yesterday, Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation and Chittagong District Administration formed two separate committees to probe into the incident. The BCIC have formed a 10-member technical committee led by BCIC Director (technical and engineering) Ali Akkas. The committee has been asked to submit the report within three days. The technical committee will ascertain the reason behind the accident and assess the extent of the damage. It will also conduct a test to determine the present state of the three reserve tanks at the fertiliser company to check for risks, if any. The committee has also been

ent complications and may even result in respiratory distress or failure. “Production remained suspended at DAP 1 when the accident occurred. I soon fainted due to the emission of the toxic gas. Later I was admitted to CMCH,” said Belal Hossain, shift incharge of DAP 2. When asked, Amal Kanti Barua, managing director of DAP Fertliser Ltd, admitted that the accident has caused one of the reserve tanks to move about 50 feet away from its original position. “There are a total of three reserve tanks in the two plants of the fertilider company. The larger tank contains 5000 tons of ammonia while the other two tanks contain 500 tons of ammonia each,” the MD said adding that the damaged reserve tank only crossed its 10 years of 25 years of economic life. However, the BCIC authorities claimed that the tank contained 250 tons of ammonia during the time of the accident. The DAP fertiliser company comprises two plants DAP 1 and DAP 2 and went into production on September 12, 2006.

During a visit to the area of the fertiliser factory yesterday morning, the correspondent saw that the fire fighters were desperately trying to bring down the toxic gas to a tolerable limit. Jasim Uddin, deputy assistant director of Chittagong Fire Service, told the Dhaka Tribune that during the time of the accident, the amount of ammonia gas in the air was recorded at 600ppm (parts per million). Workers at the factory can tolerate conditions with ammonia gas up to 25ppm, he said. “The ammonia gas was recorded in the air at 9am [yesterday] was about 20ppm. General people can tolerate 5ppm and our target is to bring it down to that tolerable level,” said the fire service official. “We have sprayed water no neutralise and dilute the toxic gas in the air. As many as 70 fire fighters of 10 units worked to bring the situation under control,” said Brig Gen Ali Ahmed Khan, director general of Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence. While addressing yesterday's press briefing, Chittagong Deputy Commissioner Mesbah Uddin informed that the accident caused severe damage to fish resources of the area. The locals showed this reporter how fishes, dead from the toxic gas, started floating on water of the fish enclosures. The plants of the surrounding areas also became black and shriveled due to the toxic gas in the air. “A good number of people in the area make a living from fish cultivation. There are so many fish enclosures in the area and we are gravely worried about the damage caused by the toxic gas emission,” said Abdul Jalil, a villager. The air close to the fertiliser factory was too heavy with ammonia gas. In a bid to protect themselves from the pungent toxic gas, the locals were seen to move around wrapping wet napkin around their face. l

Environmentalists fear massive damage n Anwar Hussain, Chittagong The locals, environmentalists and green activists apprehended that the toxic ammonia gas emission from the DAP Fertiliser Company Ltd might a take massive toll on the environment. They feared that the leaked ammonia gas would eventually find its way into the nearby water bodies,

ganism will be in peril if it is getting mixed with pond, river and sea water,” said the reacher who is also an expert on River Karnaphuli. “The pH level in the water will mark a rise. Therefore, the firefighters should be careful so that no untreated sprayed water could find its way into the nearby water bodies,” suggested the environmentalist. l

River Karnaphuli and the Bay of Bengal. Muhammad Edris Ali, associate professor, department of chemistry of Hazi Mohsin College, Chittagong said the diffusion rate of ammonia gas was higher than other chemical compounds. “Ammonia is also a highly corrosive chemical compound. The aquatic environment and microor-

TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY

THUNDERSHOWER WITH RAIN

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24

Dhaka

Chittagong

Rajshahi

DHAKA TODAY SUN SETS 6:24

Rangpur

Khulna

Barisal

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:38AM

35.0ºC Syedpur

23.5ºC Chandpur

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

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

Rokeya University yet to cancel studentship of Kunio Hoshi killing mastermind n Liakat Ali Badal, Rangpur The authorities of the Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (BRUR) yet to cancel the studentship of Ahsanullah Ansari Biplob, suspected operative of banned militant outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and mastermind of Japanese national Kunio Hoshi murder. Kunio Hoshi, 65, a Japanese citizen, was gunned down by masked assailants in Kownia in Rangpur on October 13, 2015. Campus sources said Ahsanullah went into hiding on October 16. Since

then, he remained absent in classes. Masud Rana, who made a confessional statement before a Rangpur court saying that he himself shot Kunio. In the statement, he said he and his two associates gun down Hoshi. After completing the mission, they managed to escape the spot with the help of Ahsanullah. Police said he was one of the mastermind of the killing. Ahsanullah passed the SSC from Kurigram Government College in 2009. In 2011, he completed his HSC from Rangpur Public Cadet and College. He admitted to

the university in 2012 in Accounting department. After taking admission, he was not regular and dropped two semesters. “As he is not regular student, his studentship may be canceled anytime,” said Sirajuddoula, head of the accounting department. Registrar Ibrahim Kabir said police had not informed them that Ahsanullah was the accused of Kunio Hoshi murder. If they got written complain, they would cancel his studentship, he said. On August 7, police submitted a charge sheet before a Rangpur

court framing eight people in the killing case. Of the accused, Masud Rana, Eshak Ali, Liton Mia and Abu Sayeed Mia are now in police custody while four other accused – Saddam Hossain alias Sobuj, Ahsanullah Ansari Biplob, Nazrul Islam and Shakhawat alias Shafiq – are absconding. The court also issued arrest warrant for the four militants, court sources said. After the killing, top government officials claimed that leaders and activists of the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami were involved in the killing.

Police then arrested eight people, including local BNP leader Biplab and Hoshi’s business partner Hia, in connection with the killing. Biplab, Hira and the three Jubo Dal leaders were put on remand for several times, but no clue of the killing could not be ascertained from them. Later, they were released on bail. The killing case has taken on a new dimension after JMB commander Masud Rana, 40, was arrested on December 9, 2015. Later, police arrested another JBM man Eshak Ali. He also gave confessional statement before a court. l

Comilla University student injured in blast n Mohiuddin Molla, Comilla A student of Comilla University sustained burn injuries as an unknown object exploded in a room of a female students’ hostel in the early hours of yesterday. Fahmida Hasan Nisa, a student of Economics department, is now undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH). Hostel residents said an explosive substance went off with a big bang at the room of Nisa around 6am, leaving her critically injured. She was first taken to Comilla Medical College Hospital and later on shifted to the DMCH as her condition

deteriorated. Residential Medical Officer of the DMCH burn unit Partha Sarkar Paul told the Dhaka Tribune that 40% of her body had been burnt. Police said four female students of the university lived in a private students’ hostel named Prosanti located at Salmanpur. They moved to the hostel four days back. Detective Branch of Police detained six students of the university for interrogation. The detained students are Morjina Begum, Nurun Nahar, Shirin Akter, Ishrat Jahan, Piya and Saila Akter. Police are trying to reveal the type of explosive substance. l

Student-cop clash in Gazipur leaves 30 injured Islam Akand, n Raihanul Gazipur At least 30 people were injured as a clash ensued between police and students in Pubail Mirer bazar area under Gazipur city yesterday. Officer-in-Charge of Joydevpur police station Rezaul Hasan Reza said one of their sub-inspector was also injured in the clash. The OC also said the students of Harbaid High School damaged a microbus and a covered van parked in front of Pubail police camp. Harbaid High School Managing Committee President Abdul Malek Sarkar said the students brought out

a procession in the morning demanding justice for their English department teacher Abu Bakkar Siddique who had been beaten up a guardian. At one stage, the pupils put a blockade on Tongi-Gorashal road in Mirer bazar area creating unusual tailback on both sides. Being informed, police rushed to the spot and the students started hurling brick chips when they tried to lift the blockade. Chase and counter-chase ensued between both groups leaving 30 injured and police finally moved away the students from the spot. l

Khulna-2 constituency MP Mizanur Rahman yesterday inaugurates a newly train service on the Dhaka-Khulna Route

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

Strike on waterways puts people in misery Rahman Swapan n Anisur from Barisal and FM Mizanur Rahman from Chittagong Thousands of commuters stranded at river ports across Bangladesh, as vessel workers went on a wildcat strike for an indefinite period on Monday night to press home their several points demands. The Water Transport Workers’ Movement Council called the strike demanding their several demands that include fixing minimum salary of the river transport workers at Tk10,000, sufficient measures to check robberies and extortion on the river routes and increasing navigability of the rivers. No vessel, including goods-laden cargo, ran on the Dhaka-Barisal route, much to cause sufferings for the people travel on the route. Many people were seen waiting for vessels at Barisal port yesterday. People who live in remote areas of the southern region suffered most as vessel is the only mode of their transportation. Achia Khatun, a resident of Muladi, said she had an emergency in Dhaka. She said: “I did not know about the strike. Now I have to go to Dhaka by road.” Many people alleged that taking the advantage of strike, bus and truck workers were taking extra from them. Mahabub Alam, a resident of Swarupkati, said he wanted to go to Bhola’s Monpura.

Water vessels are anchored at Barisal port as workers went on strike for an indefinite period on Monday night DHAKA TRIBUNE “I have to go back to home because launch is the only transport to go there,” he said. On the day, agitated river transport workers also barred anchoring a triple-deck vessel MV Farhan 8 owned by Jatiya Party leader and former MP Golam Kibria Tipu, from anchoring at Barisal port. On receiving information, police rushed to the spot and dispersed

the workers from port area, said Abdul Motaleb, additional superintendent of police. “If any river transport wants to anchor or leave the port, law enforcing agencies will assure safety and security for that,” he said. Shah Alam, president of Bangladesh Water Transport Workers’ Federation, said they would continue their strike until their de-

mands were met. In Chittagong, cargo loading and unloading were suspended at Karnaphuli River and the outer anchorage of Chittagong port. Water Vessel Workers Federation Convener Wejul Alam Bulbul said: “Our demand is a minimum wage of Tk10,000 for the workers, revised compensation package for workers who are killed in accidents on

board, stop robbery in water routes and protect river navigability.” Bulbul said earlier in April, after another wildcat strike by the workers, the government announced a new wage chart for the cargo vessel workers after having a meeting with them. “But two vessel owners’ associations, Bangladesh Cargo Vessel Owners’ Association and Bangladesh Passenger Transport Owners’ Association, refused to implement the government-formulated wage chart. They also went to court to stay the decision.” Workers abstained from unloading and loading cargo at 16 jetties of Karnaphuli River as well as Chittagong port. “A total of 611 goods-laden lighter vessels were stranded across the country as loading and unloading of goods were halted following the strike,” Water Transport Cell Joint Secretary Kazi Ataul Kabir Ranju told the Dhaka Tribune. Lighter vessel workers previously enforced another wildcat strike on April 20 to press home a 15-point demand which included raising minimum wage. After six days of deadlock, the strike was withdrawn after a meeting between Shipping Minister Md Shajahan Khan and cargo ship workers, where the wage was increased to Tk10,000 from Tk7,000. Workers of oil tankers were not participating in current strike as the oil tanker owners’ association accepted the new wage, sources said. l

Six cops injured Staff shortage hinders services in govt offices in BCL attack Majumder, n Jasim khagrachhari Mohammed Serajul Islam, n Sylhet

BCL men assaulted policemen, as the law enforcers prevented them from entering the premises of Hazrat Shahjalal Mazar Sharif during ors on Tuesday. According to local sources, police stopped plying vehicles between Amberkhana to Chowhatta as an ors (religious function) was going on at the Mazar Sharif. Suddenly, a group of BCL men led by its former central joint secretary Masud Kamal Sufi tried to enter the area riding motorcycles. They attacked on on-duty police personnel leaving SI Shaheen, Aziz, Farhad, constable Moslem, Abbas and Alfaz critically injured while they stopped them. Members of the law enforcers also opened fire and brought the situation under control. They arrested eight BCL men in the area. Rahmat Ullah, deputy commissioner of Sylhet Metropolitan Police confirmed the incident. l

Services in 16 government offices in the district have been hampered due to lack of officials. According to local sources, more than 1,00000 people in Laxmichhari, Dullatali and Bormachhari are deprived of basic rights as there are no regular staffs in the government offices. Debu Bikash Dey, a resident in Bazar area of Laxmichhari upazila said people of his upazila were al-

ways deprived of getting expected services as most of the government offices had been run with acting or additional officials from upazila Matiranga or Manikchhari upazila. “We have no Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) in last two months and Manikchhari UNO has been given the charge as acting official but he does attend the office,” Debu added. Ratan Chakma, another villager of Dullatali said he came from 10-kilometer away for seeking suggestion in regards of his animals

and orchards but he had not found any officer in Upazila Livestock office or Upazila agriculture office. He said angrily the government should shut down these offices if it did not want to provide services to its citizens. Tatumoni Chakma, another villager said most of the government offices remain shut down on Wednesday and Thursday due to shortage of manpower. Rahman Farhad, one of the student hailed from Moiurkhil under Laxmichhari upazila said he had

not found any officer on last Sunday morning to attest his documents. Laxmichhari Upazila Chairman Super Jyoti Chakma said he had been sufferings a lot as most of the government offices run without officers. People of the upazila did not get any services from here, he said adding that he had written letters to Khagrachhari Hill District Council (KHDC) Chairman and concerned ministry to fill up the vacant posts. l

Yaba seized from BCL man’s room at JU n JU Correspondent

The authorities of Shahid Rafiq-Jabbar Hall at Jahangirnagar University (JU) yesterday seized a good number of yaba pills from the room of an activist of the Bangladesh Chhatra League, the students’ front of the rulign party Awami League. Prof Abu Dayen, provost of Shahid Rafiq-Jabbar hall, confirmed the matter.

However, the accused Chhatra League activist Hashem Reza, a masters student of public administration department, denied allegation of possessing drugs and termed the incident as a part of political conspiracy against him. JU administrative sources said the hall authorities along with the security members of the university launched a raid in the dorm around 12:30pm following a secret

information and seized some yaba tablets which were kept under the bed of Reza. The authorities sealed off the room and formed a probe committee for further investigation over the matter. Reza was released after preliminary interrogation. “A five-member probe committee has been formed to investigate into the matter and it is asked to submit probe report within three

working days,” Prof Abu Dayen said. Following the probe report, the university authorities would take necessary action against the guilty according to the university disciplinary act, Prof Abu Dayen added. JU unit Chhatra League General Secretary Rajib Ahmed Rasel said: “I have heard the matter. The organisation will take step against Reza if the probe committee finds him guilty.” l

8 World

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

SOUTH ASIA

Pakistan forces seal MQM party headquarters Pakistani paramilitary forces raided the headquarters of a powerful political party in the port city of Karachi on Tuesday after supporters of the party stormed the office of a television channel the day before. The operation deepens a dispute between Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), which has dominated Karachi politics for decades -REUTERS.

INDIA

US backs Amnesty over India sedition case US has backed Amnesty International after a sedition case was registered against the global rights group in Bengaluru for hosting a Kashmir event where alleged anti-India slogans were raised. State department deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said the US supported the right to freedom of expression for anyone including the Amnesty. -HT

CHINA

UN expert slams China on human rights A UN expert Philip Alston accused China Monday of staging a pincer movement to curb the influence of lawyers, activists and non-governmental organisations and limit their ability to protest against abuses. While China has made significant progress towards its ambitious goal of eliminating poverty by 2020, it has often ignored the harm done to individuals as it pursues greater economic development. -AFP

ASIA PACIFIC

Duterte expects talks with China on sea dispute within the year

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday he expects talks with China on their South China Sea dispute within a year and he would not raise an international ruling rejecting China’s claims there when he attends a regional summit next month. An arbitration court in the Hague infuriated China in July when it ruled that China had no historical title over the South China Sea. -REUTERS

Things to know about likely-dead Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau n Tribune International Desk Nigeria claimed on Tuesday that its air force had killed a number of senior Boko Haram militants, possibly including the group’s elusive and notorious former leader, Abubakar Shekau. Government planes attacked the fighters in the village of Taye inside the Sambisa forest in Borno State during a raid on the Islamists’ northeast heartland on Friday night, Reuters reports. Army spokesman Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman said, in a statement, that “Their leader, so called ‘Abubakar Shekau’, is believed to be fatally wounded on his shoulders.” However, this is at least the fourth time Shekau’s death has been reported. Despite the military declaring him killed in 2009, a man purporting to be Shekau reappeared in videos posted on the internet less than a year later, when he ridiculed suggestions of his death. The Boko Haram militant, named among TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in 2015 as the “scourge of Africa,” was reportedly ousted from his leadership position by IS chiefs earlier this month. Here’s what we know about him:

Ruthless ideologue

Abubakar Muhammad Shekau is believed to have been born between 1965 and 1975 in Shekau village in Nigeria’s north-eastern state of Yobe, according to the BBC. He was a theology student and is fluent in his native Kanuri language, as well as Hausa and Arabic, and appears to understand English too. Shekau has been described as having an “intense ideological commitment and ruthlessness.” He has demonstrated a bloodthirsty nature, saying in one video: “I enjoy killing anyone that God commands me to kill – the same

way that I enjoy killing chickens and rams.”

BOKO HARAM LEADER ABU BAKAR SHEKAU

Journey to becoming a warlord

Born in Yobe state, Nigeria

The jihadist group Boko Haram, whose name translates roughly to “Western education is forbidden,” was founded in 2002 by Mohammed Yusuf. Shekau took over as leader in 2009 after Yusuf was paraded and then executed in front of a crowd by Nigerian security forces, retaliating after 70 Boko Haram fighters attacked a mosque and police station in the town of Bauchi. Shekau is said to have married one of Yusuf’s four wives and adopted their children, following the former leader’s death. Shekau then began to stage increasingly daring kidnapping and killing raids on schools, police stations, federal institutions, churches and mosques thought by Boko Haram to be violating their interpretation of Islam. Under Shekau’s leadership, Boko Haram has killed some 20,000 people and displaced more than two million, according to the International Business Times. In 2013, the US government’s bounty for Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau stood at $7m – $2m more than what was offered for the Afghan Taliban’s top man, Mullah Omar. He formally pledged allegiance to IS’s self-styled caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in March 2015, and gave IS its first franchise in sub-Saharan Africa.

International pariah

The abduction of over 270 schoolgirls in April 2014 brought Boko Haram into the international spotlight, with many using the #BringBackOurGirls hashtag to raise awareness of the campaign to find the abductees. In a series of videos posted online at the time, Shekau admitted to kidnapping the girls and said he would sell them. “I ab-

MIDDLE EAST

Syrian Kurdish, government forces agree Hasaka ceasefire Syrian Kurdish and government forces agreed a ceasefire that came into effect on Tuesday afternoon to halt fighting in the northeastern city of Hasaka. The Kurdish YPG militia, which already holds swathes of northeastern Syria, has won control of nearly all Hasaka city in fighting with government forces that erupted last week. -REUTERS

File photo: A poster advertising for the search of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau is pasted on a wall in Baga village, Nigeria on May 13, 2013 REUTERS

1965, 1969 or 1975

From 2000

Studies theology in Maidururi, Meets Boko Haram chief Mohammed Yusuf

2009 Yusuf killed, Shekau

takes over the group

April 2011

Launches attacks on schools and churches, strikes at the UN headquarters in Abuja

January 2012 Leads a war against Christians in Nigeria and the country’s president Goodluck Jonathan

24 March 2014

2 October Video released showing Shekau ‘alive’

Organises a break-out of 2,000 prisoners in the town of Giwa 14 April More than 200 school girls kidnapped

24 September

Nigerian army says Shekau is dead

ducted your girls. There is a market for selling humans. Allah says I should sell,” he said, grinning. “He commands me to sell. I will sell women. I sell women,” he added, occasionally laughing throughout the segment. Some of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls have been killed by Nigerian military air strikes, according to a new video appearing to come from Boko Haram, which shows one kidnap victim pleading for authorities to bow to the extremists’ demands that they release detained militants in return for the girls. It’s not clear how many have died among the 218 who remain missing.

Ousted by IS leaders

At the time of his reported death Shekau had been in a leadership battle with Abu Musab al-Barnawi, who was named by the Islamic State group as the new leader of what it calls its West Africa Province on August 3. An audio speech released the following day, purporting to be from Shekau, criticized his rival and said al-Baghdadi did not respond to letters in which he claimed al-Barnawi is “an infidel” preaching “false creeds.” According to the Associated Press, Shekau’s speech highlighted ideological differences with al-Barnawi, who has promised to end the attacks on mosques and Muslim markets that had become a hallmark of Boko Haram.

One of many deaths

In 2009, rumors of Shekau’s death by security forces did the rounds

Sources: State dDepartment, CTC, USMA

in Nigeria – however many believed that the announcement was “merely a ruse, designed to provoke Shekau into making a public appearance or statement, in the hope of flushing him out”, The New York Times reports. He then appeared in a videotaped interview with a local Nigerian journalist in July 2010, as Boko Haram’s new leader, a position he had held since taking over from Yusuf the year before. In 2013, an army spokesman announced that Shekau “may have died” between July 25 and August 3 during a shoot-out with security forces. And one year later, the Cameroonian military released photos believed to be of Shekau, suggesting he was killed during a cross border raid inside Nigeria. At the time, Ryan Cummings, a security analyst, said “Is this his fourth or fifth death? He dies more often than an iPhone battery,” according to the UK’s Times newspaper. After Shekau’s third death in 2014, theories circulated that the body was that of an impostor. The Washington Post reported that the Nigerian military issued a statement saying a corpse photographed by Cameroon military’s photograph was that of “a doppelganger, masquerading as the leader.” Tuesday’s statement made no mention of a doppelganger. Only time will tell if this fourth reported death proves to be terminal. l

[This is an excerpt from a Time Article, Which can be found at http:// ti.me/2biHK0l]

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

Turkey strikes IS, Kurds in Syria n Tribune International Desk

Turkey’s military bombed Islamic State and Kurdish targets across the border in Syria on Tuesday, state-run media said. The bombardment comes after a bomb attack blamed on the Islamic State in the Turkish town of Gaziantep on Sunday killed more than 50 people. The state-run Anadolu Agency said Turkey fired the shells Tuesday after coming under mortar fire from the Islamic State-held town of Jarablus. Syrian Prime Minister Binali Yilidirm has said Turkey would take a more active role in Syria in the next six months to prevent the country from being divided along ethnic lines.

Why is Turkey strikes both IS and the Kurds?

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said that IS should be “completely cleansed” from areas in northern Syria near its border. Turkish forces have been exchanging shellfire with IS positions in the Jarablus area since Monday. However, Turkey is also wary of moves that might bolster Syrian Kurdish forces, known as the YPG, which it views as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a Turkish-Kurdish rebel group fighting for autonomy since the 1980s. On Monday, Turkey shelled YPG positions near Man-

bij, a town they took from IS this month. The 1,500 fighters poised to enter Syria from Gaziantep are believed to be Turkish-backed Syrian rebels. A senior rebel official quoted by Reuters said they were fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army.

Source: IHS Conflict Monitor (22 August, 2016)

disability was duped into carrying the device, a tactic seen elsewhere in the region. In the latest southeast violence, two Turkish security force members and five PKK militants were killed in clashes and attacks in three areas of eastern Turkey over the last 24 hours, officials said. Some in Turkey, particularly in the Kurdish southeast, feel the government has not done enough to protect its citizens from Islamic State. The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) said the wedding party was for one of its members. The groom was among those injured, but the

n Tribune International Desk

A Kashmiri protester holds a tear smoke shell and chases government forces as he reacts to the Sunday’s killing of a young man in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir on August 22 AP at least two places in the northern Bandipore area, where a woman was injured. The killing of a popular rebel commander on July 8 has sparked some of Kashmir’s largest protests against Indian rule in recent years. At least 65 civilians have been killed and thousands injured, mostly by government forces firing bullets and shotguns at rock-throwing protesters. Two po-

Trump demands closure of Clinton Foundation

THE AMERICAS

Kurdish populated Kurdish militia control IS control Government control Rebel control

bride was not hurt.

Where is Assad in all this?

Syrian government forces are not directly involved in the battle for the border at Jarablus, having gradually lost ground in the north over more than five years of civil war. Turkey’s long-time position has been that President Bashar al-Assad must be ousted as a condition for peace in Syria. However, Prime Minister Yildirim acknowledged this week that he was one of the “actors” and suggested he could play a role in an interim leadership. l

Sources-REUTERS, BBC, AP

14 injured as Indian troops fire at Kashmir protesters Government forces in Indian-controlled Kashmir fired bullets and shotgun pellets on Tuesday to break up protests demanding an end to Indian rule in the disputed Himalayan region, injuring at least 14 people, reports The associated Press. Police said the troops fired after villagers pelted them with stones in the southern Shopian area while they were clearing roadblocks set up by anti-India protesters in about half a dozen villages. However, local residents said the clashes erupted after troops fired tear gas indiscriminately to intimidate villagers while moving through the villages. They said the agitated villagers objected and retaliated with rocks, and the troops responded by firing live ammunition and shotgun pellets. Bashir Ahmed Chak, a villager whose young son was among the injured, said it was a “premeditated attack” by the troops. The injured were hospitalised. Clashes were also reported in

USA

Donald Trump on Monday demanded that Hillary Clinton shut down the charitable foundation founded by her husband, former US president Bill Clinton, branding it a corrupt enterprise. The Republican presidential candidate also called for a special prosecutor to investigate his Democratic rival, accusing the FBI and Justice Department of a whitewash during their probe of her use of a private email server while secretary of state. -AFP

Turkey target

For Ankara, Islamic State is not the only threat across its frontier. Turkey is also concerned that attempts by Syrian Kurds to extend their control along the common border could add momentum to an insurgency by Kurds on its own territory. Dogan news agency said the death toll in the Gaziantep bombing had risen on Monday to 54 after three more people died. Sixty-six were being treated in hospital, 14 in serious condition. The attack comes with Turkey still shaken just a month after the government survived an attempted coup by rogue military officers, which Ankara blames on US-based Islamist preacher Fethullah Gulen. Gulen denies the charge. Turkish authorities have said a destroyed suicide vest was found at the scene of the bombing. A second security official told Reuters that they were investigating the possibility militants could have placed the explosives on the child without his or her knowledge and detonated them remotely, or that a child with a learning

World

licemen have also been killed and hundreds of government forces have been injured in the clashes. A strict curfew, a series of communication blackouts and an intensified crackdown since then have failed to stop more than six weeks of deadly protests against Indian rule. Residents have struggled to cope with shortages of food, medicine and other necessities. Authorities lifted a daytime

curfew in some parts of Kashmir’s main city of Srinagar. However, curfew and security restrictions continued in old parts of Srinagar and in other areas in the region. In the growing security crackdown, Indian border guards on Tuesday set up camps inside a college and a girl’s school in Srinagar’s main commercial hub of Lalchowk for first time since 2005, when the guards were removed from counterinsurgency duties and patrols of civilian areas. Residents have increasingly accused counterinsurgency police and army soldiers of systematically raiding neighbourhoods, ransacking houses and beating residents to intimidate protesters. Kashmir is divided between India and Pakistan and claimed by both. Most Kashmiris want an end to Indian rule and favour independence or a merger with Pakistan. More than 68,000 people have been killed since rebel groups began fighting Indian forces in 1989 and in the subsequent Indian military crackdown. l

Police death squad kills 20 in Peru A so-called death squad established within the Peruvian National Police has executed at least 20 criminals extrajudicially, amid a growing wave of insecurity in the South American country, the interior ministry found. Earlier this month the ministry announced a probe into the alleged abuses after they surfaced in media reports. -AFP

UK to create isolation units to counter extremism in jails UK will isolate Islamist extremists in special units in high security jails to limit their ability to radicalise other inmates. The government moves come as Britain’s most notorious Islamist preacher, Anjem Choudary, is due to be sentenced next month after being found guilty of inviting support for Islamic State. -REUTERS

EUROPE

41,000 seek asylum in Greece Greece has at least 41,000 refugees and migrants who are seeking asylum, mostly Syrians eligible to relocate within the EU. Greek and UN services had recorded 54,000 refugees and migrants on Greek territory between June and the end of July. Over 41,000 of them on the mainland have expressed interest in asylum, or have made formal requests. Another 2,000 have agreed to be returned home. -AFP

AFRICA

Muslim mob kills 8 in northern Nigeria A Muslim mob in northern Nigeria has killed 8 people after torching the house of a man who tried to save a Christian student accused of blasphemy. The mob of Muslim students in the town of Talata Mafara were enraged over alleged derogatory comments about the Prophet Mohammed by their Christian schoolmate, who they attacked. -AFP

World

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

Trump staff’s online posts: Racism and talk of religious war Donald Trump’s paid campaign staffers have declared on their personal social media accounts that Muslims are unfit to be US citizens, ridiculed Mexican accents, called for Secretary of State John Kerry to be hanged and stated their readiness for a possible civil war

n Tribune International Desk Since Trump declared his candidacy last summer, he has paid about 120 people on his campaign, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Over the weekend, the campaign reported about 70 people drawing salaries, a number that did not include a few dozen more working as consultants. A slew of hires in early August were not yet reflected in Trump’s filings. The Associated Press examined the social media feeds of more than 50 current and former campaign employees who helped propel Trump through the primary elections. The campaign has employed a mix of veteran political operatives and outsiders. Most come across as dedicated, enthusiastic partisans, but at least seven expressed views that were overtly racially charged, supportive of violent actions or broadly hostile to Muslims. A graphic designer for Trump’s advance team approvingly posted video of a black man eating fried chicken and criticizing fellow blacks for ignorance, irresponsibility and having too many children. A Trump field organiser in Virginia declared that Muslims were seeking to impose Sharia law in America and that “those who understand Islam for what it is are gearing up for the fight.” The AP’s findings come at a time when Trump is showing new interest in appealing to minority voters, insisting he will be fair in dealing with the 11 million people in the US illegally and explicitly pitching himself to African-Americans, saying “what do you have to lose?” The AP was able to review the accounts of only a minority of Trump staffers: Others set their accounts to private, some could not be found or identified with confidence as Trump campaign employees. One month ago, the AP sent written questions to the Trump campaign with examples of the posts. The campaign has not commented, despite several requests since. Veteran Republican campaign operatives said keeping an eye on staffers’ social media postings has long been a standard practice. AP found little questionable content in the ranks of Trump’s top officials. The campaign’s social media director, Dan Scavino, tweets pro-

lifically but avoids discussing race and religion. Field organisers representing Trump’s campaign around the country, however, have had no such reservations, either before or during their employment with the campaign. Their judgement matters beyond the campaign because the paid staff of winning presidential candidates often receives jobs in the next administration. Teresa Unrue, a field organiser and graphic designer in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, for Trump’s advance team, shared a video on her Facebook account July 11 — the week before the Republican National Convention — of a black man eating fried chicken while shaming fellow black people. “Why are you mad about slavery?” the man asks. “Y’all weren’t no damn slaves.” “Had me crack’n up!! Thank you!” Unrue wrote of the video. “Please share this with people.” In a short phone conversation, Unrue said she tried to keep her personal social media comments positive and referred questions to the campaign. Some posts fixated on stories of black-on-white violence with claims that news about such crimes was being suppressed.

Secretary of State John Kerry to be hanged

“How about this little white boy being murdered by a black man,” grassroots organiser Annie Marie Delgado of Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, wrote in December 2014 post, one of a number highlighting crimes against white people before Trump declared his candidacy. Delgado also shared a discredited, hoax photo of the State Department’s Kerry with Jane Fonda, and commented: “I say hang them!” She was paid $11,146 through April, according to campaign records. Fear or dislike of Muslims was a recurring theme. Though Trump at one point proposed temporarily barring foreign Muslims from entering the country and scrutinising the activities of mosques, he has sometimes distinguished Islamic extremists who pose a risk and those who don’t. “I love the Muslims,” Trump said in September, expressing willingness to appoint one to his Cabinet.

Islam a barbaric cult

On Facebook, Mark Kevin Lloyd of Lynchburg, Virginia, who has been paid $36,000 as Trump’s field direc-

This combo shows two examples of some of the social media postings by Trump campaign staff members discovered by the Associated Press in an online search AP tor in the state, shared a post June 30 calling Islam “a barbaric cult.” He shared a meme June 16, four days after the Orlando nightclub shooting by a heavily armed Muslim who professed allegiance to the Islamic State group. The meme said people should be forced to eat bacon before they can purchase firearms. Lloyd declined to talk to the AP without the Trump campaign’s permission, citing his nondisclosure agreement with the campaign. Other campaign staffers also singled out Muslims for special scrutiny. Unrue shared the statement, “We need Islam control, not gun control.” During her time with the campaign, Delgado deplored the appointment of a Muslim-American judge in New York. “Step by step... this is how American culture will end,” she wrote Feb. 27, saying it was only reasonable to believe that the judge would implement Sharia law. Delgado said in a telephone interview she stopped working for the campaign in April. She said she did not recall making some of the posts the AP asked her about and does not stand by others. “If I read the whole thing, I probably wouldn’t have posted it,” she said of one post she shared, a short essay declaring that Muslims are inherently incapable of being good Americans.

A meme mocking Muslim sympathiser

Phillip Dann, a field organiser in Massachusetts who recently relocated to Florida, was paid $6,153

between January and March. He shared a meme mocking “Muslim sympathisers.” He also shared an article about Trump threatening to bring back waterboarding “or worse,” and added “where is the gasoline?” Dann told the AP in a phone interview he had no antipathy against Muslims in general. Dann attributed inflammatory comments of other Trump staffers to the fact that the campaign had drawn on people inexperienced in politics. While he has been politically active for decades — originally as a leftist, he said — he described the field staff Trump acquired in the primary as unfamiliar with traditional campaign rules. “We get hired because there was no one left,” Dann said. In a later email, he acknowledged some of his and other staff postings were “clearly over the top” — but said that criticism of the posts would amount to intimidation. Scott Barrish, who earned $12,250 as Trump’s political director for the Tampa Bay, Florida, region, took his views beyond social media posts. In 2011, he drew local press coverage for writing to the head of the nonprofit Council on American-Islamic Relations, an advocacy group for Muslims in the US, saying he was wise to its plans to establish a totalitarian theocracy in the United states. “This is us v you,” wrote Barrish. “In the great words of the late President Ronald Reagan, ‘I win, you lose!’” Separately, Barrish tweeted in 2013 that he hoped America wasn’t headed for civil war, but “if our

freedoms must be defended against a tyrannical government, so be it.” “Those comments at that time were made by me and were my own personal view,” Barrish said in a brief interview with AP. He said he stopped working for Trump’s campaign after the Florida primary. “I don’t want to detract anything from the campaign.”

Conspiracy theories

Many accounts AP reviewed embraced conspiracy theories. Lloyd, the Virginia field director, said Obama is aiding the Iranian nuclear program as part of the president’s “’final solution’ to the Israel problem,” a phrase evoking the Holocaust. Delgado, the Florida organiser, circulated a theory that the company Edible Arrangements LLC is funnelling money to Hamas, a claim that the Anti-Defamation League, a US Jewish organisation, has repeatedly dismissed as false. Unrue posted a link to a website that alleged that the US government assassinated Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who died earlier this year after a history of heart trouble. Racially charged social media posts from Trump campaign employees and associates have already been a repeated source of embarrassment. Trump fired one adviser who had used a racial slur to describe Obama’s children, and the campaign denounced Trump’s longtime Mar-a-Lago butler for saying he would support dragging Obama from the White House and hanging him. l

World

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

How South Sudan rebel’s flight adds to turmoil South Sudan, the world’s newest country, is in political limbo after rebel leader and former vice president Riek Machar fled earlier this week. His whereabouts remained unclear Saturday after a spokesman for Machar and the United Nations both said he was in neighbouring Congo but Congo’s government said it had no knowledge of him being there. His departure puts South Sudan’s peace deal, reached a year ago under international pressure, into disarray while the country’s humanitarian crisis worsens, reports The Associated Press.

rebel forces, in which hundreds of civilians were killed and fears grew of a return to civil war. The fighting displaced at least 15,000 people in the capital. About 12,500 fled to UN camps in Juba, where food remains scarce. After he fled, Machar was replaced as first vice president, a post he held for just a few months under the fragile peace deal. He has been replaced by another official in his party, Taban Deng, but that appointment has not been accepted by many of Machar’s supporters.

and secures Juba. Last week, the UN Security Council voted to send 4,000 additional peacekeepers to South Sudan with a strengthened mandate to provide security. President Salva Kiir’s government at first rejected the decision, saying it violated the country’s sovereignty. But in recent days, the government has been more receptive to the UN plan. Machar’s flight from South Sudan could give him more visibility and increase pressure on the international community to send in the regional peacekeepers.

ethnic Nuer, the second largest group, support Machar’s opposition party, with some notable exceptions. There has been sporadic fighting in parts of the country since Machar and his forces fled, especially in the south. Local and opposition officials in the Yei region say clashes have taken place there. The region had little violence during the country’s civil war, which began in December 2013. The fighting in Yei indicates that violence has shifted to a new front following Machar’s disappearance.

Why there is chaos in Juba

Machar has vanished, but that could help him

Taban has pledged to step down if Machar returns to the capital. Machar says he will return to Juba only after a regional peacekeeping force arrives

How Machar’s flight could spark new ethnic violence

South Sudan’s hungry are fleeing by the thousands

Machar and many of his supporters fled the capital after last month’s fighting between government and

France, Germany press for EU encryption law after attacks n Reuters, Paris France and Germany said they want to compel operators of mobile messaging services to allow access to encrypted content to aid terrorism investigations, joining forces after a series of deadly attacks in both countries. French intelligence services, on high alert since attackers killed scores of civilians in Paris in November and in Nice in July, are struggling to intercept messages from Islamist militants. Many of the groups now favour encrypted messaging services over mainstream social media, with jihadist Islamic State a big user of such apps, investigators in several countries have said. French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said the European Commission should draft a law obliging operators to cooperate in judicial investigations into tracking down terrorists. Cazeneuve singled out the app operated by Telegram, which he said did not cooperate with governments, adding that legislation should target both EU and non-EU companies. Telegram, founded by Russian Pavel Durov in 2013 and incorporated in several jurisdictions, promotes itself as ul-

tra-secure because it encrypts all data from the start of transmission to the finish. A number of other services, including Facebook Inc’s WhatsApp, say they have similar capabilities. Cazeneuve’s initiative, which he hinted at earlier this month, has come under fire from privacy and digital experts, who warned against opening “backdoors” that would let governments read content. “How could we then prevent terrorists from creating their own encrypted apps and as a consequence enjoy a higher level of security than users who have nothing to hide?” experts including the head of France’s CNIL privacy watchdog wrote in a comment piece in Le Monde on Monday. France and Germany where nerves are equally raw following a wave of attacks on civilians this summer, including two claimed by Islamic State - are also seeking closer links between the continent’s databases of personal information. That would cover data on visas, potential militant threats within the border-free Schengen area, refugees and airline passengers, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said. l

Most South Sudanese who are Dinka, the largest ethnic group of South Sudan’s 12.5 million people, support their tribesman, President Kiir. Most

The displaced are not just in Juba. There are 190,000 South Sudanese living at UN camps across the country. At these sites, UN peacekeepers have

been criticised for failing to protect civilians. About 70,000 South Sudanese have crossed the border into Uganda since the July clashes, adding to the more than 2.3 million people who have been displaced both inside and outside the country since the civil war began, according to the UN. The new refugees have overwhelmed humanitarian agencies that are already short on funding. Earlier this week, the UN said it was forced to cut food assistance in half for 200,000 South Sudanese in Uganda. “Never has the gap between what is being provided and what is needed been larger,” said acting Unhcr Representative to Uganda Bornwell Kantande. l

Source: AP

12 Business

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

Default loans rise by Meghna gets fi nal licence for Tk4,000 crore in June n Jebun Nesa Alo

economic zone

DEFAULT LOANS RISE DURING LAST SIX MONTHS

n Tribune Business Desk

Bangladesh’s banking sector witnessed a moderate rise in default loans by around Tk4,000 crore in April-June quarter compared to the previous quarter. The default loan rate climbed to double digit of 10.06% at the end of June from the single digit of 9.92% in March. However, Bangladesh Bank is considering the rising rate a tolerable one with the hope that the trend will remain steady in the next quarter, said a senior executive of Bangladesh Bank. The central bank is now rigid in allowing loan rescheduling, which contributed to grow the default loans, he said. “So far, the uptrend in default loan is very normal.” The total default loan stood at Tk63,365 crore as of June from Tk59,411 crore as of March, according to the latest available data of Bangladesh Bank. The total outstanding loan was Tk6,30,019 crore in June which was Tk5,98,648 crore in March, this year. Foreign and specialised banks mainly accounted for rising total default loans. The default loan rate of foreign banks rose to 8.33% as of

June compared to 7.51% as of March. Out of foreign banks’ total outstanding loan worth Tk25,881 crore, Tk2,156 crore turned into default. Specialised banks accounted for default loans of Tk5,l816 crore with default rate of 26.14% at the end of June. The default loan rate of these kinds of banks was 23.24% in March. The default loan of the stateowned banks rose slightly by over Tk2,700 crore in June quarter compared to previous quarter. The default loan rate of these banks stood at 25.74% from 24.27% in the same quarter. The total default loans of state-owned banks stood at Tk30,076 crore in June from

Textech Expo begins Aug 31 n Tribune Business Desk

BB to ask banks for steps against loan frauds

CEMS Global will hold “Textec Expo Bangladesh 2016”, an international textile and apparel technology and machinery show from August 31. Meherun N Islam, MD of CEMS Global USA and Asia Pacific, made the announcement at a press conference in Dhaka yesterday. The exhibition on the textile and garment industry of Bangladesh will be held from August 31 to September 3 at the International Convention City, Bashundhara, Dhaka. The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL), Basic Chemicals Pharmaceuticals & Cosmetics Export Promotion Council (CHEMEXCIL), & The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) are also participating with their Members in this expo. Nearly 1050 exhibitors from over 23 countries along with important industry associations are participating in these exhibitions. l

n Asif Showkat Kallol

8.79%

March 2016

9.92%

June 2016

10.06%

Source: Bangladesh Bank

December 2015

Bangladesh Bank is going to direct commercial banks to take necessary initiatives against all kinds of loan fraudulence, official sources said. The decision was made at a recent meeting of the central bank’s supervision committee. The meeting stressed that the commercial banks will keep loan disbursement process safe from all sorts of fraud and put special importance on the matter. A report on visits by Bangladesh Bank officials to different branches of commercial banks was placed at the meeting. The report covered the situation of deposits, debts and letter of credit opening in the country’s commercial banks. Bangladesh Bank will ask the officials of commercial banks to properly scrutinise documents related with loans for export-im-

Tk27,289 crore in March. Bangladesh Bank Senior Executive explained that the state banks were mainly accounted for higher growth of default loan but the scenario has now been changed. After the BASIC Bank and Halmark loan scams, general loans are now also turning into default in slow motion. The total default loans of the private commercial banks decreased slightly to Tk25,315 crore as of June compared to Tk25,331 crore as of March. The default loan rate of these banks slipped to 5.44% at the end of June from 5.75% at the end of March, according to the Bangladesh Bank data. l

port and also verify them online or through communication with relevant authorities. The meeting decided to ask banks to properly or physically verify quality of the collateral, warehouses and assets related to mortgages placed for loan approval. Banking sector insiders said there is a large amount of debt in the banking sector processed through fraudulence over the past few years. In the recent years, Bangladesh’s banking sector has experienced a number of big loan frauds like HallMark and Bismillah Group in Dhaka and Imam Group, City Group, Jehan Group and MEB Group loan anomalies in Chittagong. Bangladesh bank officials said the central bank will take actions against commercial banks if directives of the central bank are not complied with to prevent loan frauds in the country’s banking sector. l

Meghna Economic Zone (MEZ), a concern of Meghna Group of Industries, has received final approval as the first private sector economic zone of Bangladesh. Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) yesterday awarded the final licence to the Meghna Group, a leading business conglomerate of the country, to build an economic zone in Sonargaon, Narayanganj. It will be established on a gross area of 245 acres of land on the bank of Meghna River. The location is close to the Dhaka-Chittagong highway.

The government has a target to set up 100 economic zones which will generate about 10m jobs BEZA Executive Chairman Paban Chowdhury presided over the licence-awarding ceremony attended by Meghna Group Chairman and Managing Director Mostafa Kamal, director Tanveer Mostafa and other high officials. MEZ is the first private sector economic zone that gets final licence after full-filling all requirements including environmental impact assessment and feasibility study. In October, 2015 the Meghna Group received pre-qualification licence from BEZA for the economic zone. Officials said the MEZ authorities have already started working to draw both local and foreign in-

vestments to the proposed economic zone. By the end of 2016, two companies are expected to start their test production from the zone, they said. Of them, Meghna Pulp and Paper Mills Limited is being built at a cost of around Tk600 crore while the process to set up Meghna Edible Oil Limited is underway at a cost of Tk200 crore. The economic zone will generate around 3,000 employments in its first year of operation and 30,000 in first five years, officials said. They said economic zone, once comes into operation, will have all necessary utility facilities, including a 40 megawatt power plant, water supply system and gas connection from Titas Gas. It will also have water treatment plant, systems for removing dirty waters, liquid waste refinery plant, solid waste removal system, fire extinguishing system, along with other environment-friendly arrangements. This economic zone is suitable for industries like pulp and paper, tissue paper, sanitary napkin, baby diaper, PVC plant, oil refinery, flour mill, power plant, petrochemicals, ceramics and LPG plant, according to officials. The economic zone is 1km away from Dhaka-Chittagong highway, while it is 27km away from Kamalapur Railway Station, and 38 km away from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA). The government has a target to set up 100 economic zones over 30,000 hectares of land which is expected to generate employment of about 10 million people, along with additional export of $40 billion per year. BEZA has so far awarded pre-qualification licences to eight local private companies to set up 10 economic zones. l

Business

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

Investors skeptical of Microfinance leaves India’s banks in the dust Fed’s rate policy ahead n of Yellen speech Una Galani

Microfinance is making India’s big banks look bad. Small lenders that help the poor buy everything from bicycles to sewing machines are back and growing at breakneck speed after the industry nearly collapsed six years ago. The last boom ended badly after a number of borrowers committed suicide. That prompted authorities in Andhra Pradesh to effectively stop micro lenders collecting debts. The state once accounted for up to 40%

n Reuters Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen may struggle later this week to convince financial markets she can steer a divided US central bank to raise interest rates at least once in 2016 after it started the year with four hikes on its radar. Yellen will deliver the keynote speech at a global central banking conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, on Friday, an event that Fed chiefs have traditionally used to signal the direction of monetary policy. Fed policymakers began this year with the wind at their backs, having pushed through a rate increase in December, the first such move in nearly a decade. Their forecasts at the time suggested an economy strong enough to withstand four more hikes in 2016. But the Fed has been buffeted by a global growth slowdown, financial market volatility - first over concerns about China’s economy and then later Britain’s decision to quit the European Union and choppy US data. With only three policy

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen holds a news conference in Washington REUTERS meetings left in the year, investors wonder whether it has dug itself into the sidelines. “You can talk all you want but let’s face it: In the last seven years we have had one measly 25-basis-point hike. Show me the money,” said Don Ellenberger, a portfolio manager at Federated Investors in Pittsburgh. Prices for Fed funds future contracts suggest investors see almost no chance for a rate increase at the September or November meetings

and roughly even odds at the last meeting of the year in December. If Yellen’s Fed fails to convince Wall Street about the policy path, a rate increase could trigger financial turmoil of the sort seen in 2013, when investors were caught off guard by the central bank signaling an end to its bond-buying program. “She has a tough job,” St Louis Federal Reserve President James Bullard told reporters last week. l

GP launches e-shop n Tribune Business Desk

Grameenphone, the leading mobile telecommunications operator in Bangladesh, has launched its own e-commerce platform named “GP Shop” for selling mobile devices, wearable and modems throughout the country. There is EMI facility for different banks’ credit card holders while eligible customers can buy smartphone paying in instalment. GP Chief Marketing Officer Yasir Azman formally inaugurated the online shop in Dhaka yesterday. Yasir Azman said: “GP Shop offers secured service, a variety of devices across all price ranges, exclusive offers, all payment options and most importantly nationwide delivery and distribution capability through GP Express.”

“We have built the solution on our physical distribution strength and have taken learning from the best in class e-commerce platforms to develop the GP online shop.” Azman said: “Being a digital service provider, Grameenphone is committed to enriching people’s lives with digital services.” “It is one step further towards becoming the preferred Digital Service Provider of our customers,” he added. Using the GP online shop, any customer can order the latest smartphones, gadgets with authentic manufacturer’s warranty, pay through flexible payment options and get home delivery nationwide. The GP Online shop offers only genuine products, best handset value, bundles and exclusive offers for all

customers to avail. As of now, the GP shop is the first e-commerce site to offer genuine Xiaomi handset bundles through its pre-order mechanism. GP’s online shop is also one of first e-commerce sites in Bangladesh offering secured platform to protect the customers’ information and offer a secured online transaction. GP Shop allows its customers pay through flexible payment gateways including bKash, SureCash, VISA, MasterCard, American Express, DBBL Nexus, Mycash and IBBL mCash. Customers will also be able to pay through up to 24 EMIs on selected devices with selected credit cards. All devices, purchased from GP Shop, come with oneyear manufacturer warranty along with 24x7 customer service. l

of industry loans. The Reserve Bank of India has since capped usurious lending rates. India’s microfinance firms typically focus on lending to women in groups where they act as guarantors for one another. That ensures social pressure to repay. Scale, technology, and shared credit data has helped the industry to thrive again in a segment underserved by big banks. Net interest income grew almost 70% year on year in the first quarter, gross non-performing loans are almost negligible at 0.1%, and BFI earns a 29% return on equity. l

Business

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

Poultry sector to help meet SDGs Poultry industry has the potential to help Bangladesh achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of eliminating malnutrition and ensuring better health for the countrymen. Among 17 SDGs, ending hunger, achieving food security and improving nutritional status are the ones that the poultry industry can deal with and contribute much through providing protein items. The aim of UN goals is to end all forms of hunger and malnutrition by 2030, making sure that all people – especially children and those more vulnerable to severe malnutrition – have access to sufficient nutritious food all the year round. “Hunger and malnutrition pose major barriers to development for a country. In meeting the demands for protein, the poultry industry is playing a pivotal role,” Sirajul Hoque, general secretary, World’s Poultry Science Association-Bangladesh Branch, (WPSA-BB) told the Dhaka Tribune. On the other hand, as a source of safe food, there is no alternative to chicken and eggs, as now they are produced in modern technology-based factory, he said. “By 2021, our per capita consumption is expected to increase by 8.42kg, and considering the aspect, we can say Bangladesh will be able to achieve SDGs in the field of ending hunger and removing malnutrition.” Experts, however, suggested ensuring affordable prices of eggs and chickens so that lower-income people can meet protein demands.

BANGLADESH POULTRY INDUSTRY IN BRIEF Contribution to GDP 2.4% Annual growth about 15% Investment size Tk30,000cr People employed 6.0m Per day egg production capacity 22.5m pcs Per day chicken production capacity 1,851 tonnes Per capita chicken consumption 4.2kg Per capita egg consumption 51pcs They also advocated making the products available for all across the country. From five star hotel to street shops, everywhere you will see different items of chicken food items. This has been possible only because the sector is booming driven by the private sector, said WPSA-BB general secretary. He also called for setting up of collecting hub to give better prices to poultry farmers and get it to the commoners. According to Bangladesh Poultry Industry Coordination Committee (BPICC), 45% of animal protein come from the poultry industry. Moshiur Rahman, convener of BPICC, told the Dhaka Tribune that private sector people run most of

the farms which are either small or medium in size. He called for government policy support and loan facilities to enhance production capacity and meet the demands of 2021. “We are going to arrange programmes to make people aware of several items of chickens so that they increase their meat intake.” Moshiur also urged the government to formulate guidelines for better development of the sector. WAPSA, Bangladesh’s demands for eggs will rise to 4.5 crore pieces by 2021 while demands for chicken meat 4,500 tones per day. Bangladesh has now capacity to produce 5 crore chickens per month, which mature into hen

Source: BPICC

n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi

within 28 days. Talking on the production capacity, the sector people said Bangladesh poultry sector needs investment of Tk60,000 crore to increase production capacity to meet the demands by 2021. According to the World’s Poultry Science Association Bangladesh Branch, in 2020, per capita poultry meat consumption is expected to reach 8.42Kg, which is now nearly 4kg, while in Pakistan 5.5kg and in the U.S. over 50kg. Khursheed Jahan, director of Institute of Nutrition and Food Science of Dhaka University, said on average, per day meat intake should be 50 gram, which is currently about 8 gram. l

Stocks keep falling despite higher turnover n Tribune Business Desk Stocks continued to fall for the fourth consecutive session yesterday with a higher turnover. The benchmark index of Dhaka Stock Exchange DSEX lost 14 points or 0.4% to finish at 4,563, pulled down by mainly large cap stocks, which were under selling pressure. The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, dropped about 6 points to 1,756. The DSE Shariah Index fell 2 points to 1,111. The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index CSCX declined 32 points to 8,520. However, trading activities improved significantly as the DSE turnover was almost Tk600 crore, up 32% over the previous session. Block transaction, led by Bata Shoe, accounted for Tk34.7 crore of the total turnover. Engineering and power dominated the market trading activities, making up 36% of the total turnover. Food and allied sector posted the highest loss of 1.3%, led by as BATBC that dropped 1.5%. Telecommunication sector fell about 1%, dragged down by heavyweight Grameenphone that shed 2.7%. Engineering, pharmaceuticals, banks and cement closed marginally lower. On the other hand, textile sector performed well with a rise of 1.3%. Non-banking financial institutions and power ended flat in red. Of 319 issues traded on the DSE, 113 advanced, 148 declined and 58 remained unchanged. l

DCCI urges Chinese investors Ecnec approves three projects of Tk988cr to invest in Bangladesh n n Tribune Business Desk

Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) has urged the Chinese investors to invest in infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, ceramics, ICT, leather and in shipbuilding sectors. DCCI President Hossain Khaled made the call at a meeting with an 18-member trade delegation from China Council for the Promotion of International Trade of Zhaoqing City held in the city yesterday. The team was led by Liu Fang, president of CCOIC Zhaoqing Chamber of Commerce. Bangladesh keeps up 6% GDP growth for the last 15 years and the economy is much stronger than before. “About 3 million young population of Bangladesh are coming into job market and taking advantage of

those younger working force you (Chinese investor) can invest here,” said Hossain Khaled. Hossain Khaled informed the delegation that government is going to establish 100 economic zones in the country within a couple of years. He has sought Chinese investment in infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, ceramics, ICT, leather, ship building sector. He also urged the Chinese entrepreneurs to relocate their industries to Bangladesh to enjoy the competitive advantage here in Bangladesh. “Trade between Bangladesh and China is increasing day by day and we are maintaining a good economic relation on a long time basis, said Liu Fang. Liu said: “Bangladesh has tremendous potentials in trade and investment and Chinese investors

are willing to invest in the promising sectors of Bangladesh.” He invited DCCI to participate in the Guangdong Maritime Silk Road international Expo to be held in October this year. He said Bangladeshi businessmen will get an opportunity to meet thousands of entrepreneurs from across the world in the Expo. This Expo will be a platform of exploring new business opportunities and getting joint ventures, he added. DCCI Senior Vice President Humayun Rashid, Vice President K. Atique-e-Rabbani, FCA, Directors Asif A Chowdhury, Salim Akhter Khan, former Vice Presidents Hossain A Sikder, M Abu Hurairah, former Director M Bashir Ullah Bhuiyan and Secretary General AHM Rezaul Kabir were also present during the meeting. l

Tribune Business Desk

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) has approved five development projects worth over Tk988 crore. The approval was given at the Ecnec meeting held yesterday at the NEC conference room in the city with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. Of the approved project cost, over Tk974 crore will come from the national exchequer while more than Tk13 crore from the project related public organisations’ own fund. The Tk374.51 crore Excavation or Renovation of Pond and Water Bodies in Zila Parishads is one of the five approved development projects. After the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said: “The project has been undertaken to reduce dependence on groundwater for safe water supply.”

Under the project, some 809 ponds and water bodies in 42 districts will be re-excavated. Of them, 574 will have sand filter, he said. Ecnec also approved a project worth over Tk283 crore on land acquisitions and rehabilitation for setting up a 300-400 MW super critical coalbased power plant in Munshiganj. Under the project, the implementing agency will acquire 300 acres land to construct boiler, turbine, chimney, water treatment and jetty to stock coal from barge. The other projects approved at the meeting are-construction of Rangpur divisional headquarters with around Tk77 crore, development of connecting road for Rupganj Jalshiri Abasan with over Tk102 crore and construction of officers’ mess complexes and residents with other related works for the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) at Dhaka Cantonment with around Tk151 crore. l

Oil prices fall as analysts say market still oversupplied n Reuters Oil prices fell yesterday, with Goldman Sachs warning that August’s price rally had been overdone and that a proposed oil production freeze at current near-record levels would not help rein in an oversupplied market. International Brent crude oil futures were trading at $48.86 per barrel at 0644 GMT, down 30 cents, or 0.61%, from their last close. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was down 40 cents, or 0.84%, at $47.01 per barrel. Analysts said the falls were a result of an overdone price rally this month which lifted crude by over 20% between the beginning of the month and late last week. Since then, Brent prices have fallen back by more than 4 percent. “While oil prices have rebounded sharply since Aug 1, we believe this move has not been driven by incrementally better oil fundamentals, but instead by headlines around a potential output freeze as well as a sharp weakening of the dollar (and exacerbated by a sharp reversal in net speculative positions),” Goldman Sachs said.

Employees demonstrate sample of oil from well at central processing facility of Rosneft-owned Priobskoye oil field outside Nefteyugansk REUTERS

The bank said a proposal by members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and other producers like Russia to freeze output at current levels “would leave production at record highs” and therefore do little to bring supply and demand back into balance. Goldman also said the likelihood of a deal “may not be high” due to disputes between OPEC members Saudi Arabia and Iran as well as uncertainty over non-OPEC producing giant Russia’s willingness to cooperate. The bank said it expect-

ed crude oil prices of between $45 and $50 per barrel “through next summer”, but warned that “a sustainable pick-up in disrupted production would lead us to lower our oil price forecast with WTI prices ... to average $45 per barrel”. French bank BNP Paribas said that “the narrative of a rapid re-balancing of the oil market has ... met a few stumbling blocks” as “some of Q2’s disrupted supply returned, OPEC’s collective output rose, and US shale oil is being spared the dramatic year-on-year declines forecast earlier in the year”. l

CORPORATE NEWS

Islami Bank Limited has recently held its 372nd board meeting, said a press release. The bank’s chairperson, Major Dr Md Rezaul Haque (retired) presided over the meeting

Standard Bank Limited has recently held its 258th board meeting, said a press release. The bank’s chairperson, Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed presided over the meeting

Business

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

Interview

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

44 questions with Sumala Chowdhury n Rad Sharar Bin Kamal

The last person you texted? The one person I text the most my cousin, Sadi Abdullah.

The director and chief operating officer of Tiger Tours Limited is hardly considered to be the average lady. A workaholic by nature and traveller by passion, we took a closer look at the little things which make Sumala Chowdhury the success she is.

How do you feel about selfies? Mine are always disasters. Selfies are okay, unless one is so bogged down with selfies that they miss the moments. What was one thing you wish you knew when working your way to the top? The concept of synergy across businesses is absent in Bangladesh, especially in our trade. And most often people will give you the wrong advise and mislead you if you are trying to do something new. There is an innate resistance to change, and if you stand for change, it is most likely that you will be standing alone.

Best thing about working at Tiger Tours? Exploring Bangladesh and travelling to places that only a few know about. One question you wish people would stop asking you? “Oh you have a boat, so you do Sunderban trips right?” River destination is not limited to just the mangrove forests! One quality of yours that people underestimate? My unfaltering conviction because I am always goofing around, people often don’t get how serious I can be. One talent you wish you had? I wish I could play a musical instrument. Favourite band of all time? Roxette. One thing you still have from your childhood? My Disney sleeping bag that my parents bought for me when I was about a year old. Favourite cartoon or TV show? FRIENDS. Favourite vacation spot? North Bengal, primarily Naogaon, Bogra and Paharpur, and Kathmandu, Nepal. The one vehicle you would tour the world with? Umm, no idea. I really don’t know much about cars, but it would be interesting to do a road trip covering parts of India, Nepal and Burma in a trailer. What travel trend do you hope doesn’t exist in the next few years? The first step to blurring borders is making movement easier. I really hope that travel is made easier with simpler visa processes. One thing in your office you’ve had the longest? Ptolemy’s map that clearly marks the rivers and Ramu. It hangs in my dad’s office. If you had to choose an alternate career, what would it be?

I really don’t know what I would do, but I would never be anywhere but here. I would probably work in the education sector (my special interest being early childhood development). What’s the happiest colour for you? Red. It was a colour that my favorite aunt, Samar, always sported. Her house was full of things that were red. Red to me is her, and she is love and courage to me. Your favourite app? The Facebook page manager, it makes life easier for me and of course Google Map (I can never be lost). If you had one superpower what would it be? The ability to heal people. Your absolute biggest phobia? I am petrified of dogs because I was chased by a dog when I was little. Other than that, I fear nothing. How do you like your coffee? I really don’t like coffee. Coffee is “bideshi.” I love tea, particularly milk tea at road side stalls, and of course, outside Dhaka. Favourite and least favourite food? I love anything that has been prepared well. I am really not into trying anything out of the box like snakes, snails etc.

If you could meet one historical figure who would it be? Master Surja Sen. Biggest surprise you ever had? My Macbook Air from my parents on my birthday. Best surprise you ever planned for? The surprise birthday party for my cousin Sadi Abdullah, when he turned 50. It was very exciting. Was a lot of work, but was so worth it in the end. As a COO, what is one lesson you learnt that you want to share with everyone? Being kind (not to be confused with being stupid) more often pays off better than being smart. What’s the best way to decompress? Be with people you love and can be silly with. What’s one thing you always carry with you, other than your phone? My Mont Blanc pen that my father gave me when I first joined Tiger Tours Limited. The most dangerous thing you’ve ever done? Driving my friend's car one night from Gulshan 2 to Gulshan 1. It would be important to say that I don’t know how to drive, really, and my driving instructor had specifically told me never ever to drive because my driving is so dangerous.

Your favourite lyrics of all time? Amar kichhu kotha chhilo, tomar bolar, kebol tomai, jei naa ami thot nerechhi, shei kotha taa toliyay gelo, ei shomoiy er shobdo tolai. One bad habit you wish you could change? I wish I could be calmer. What are you most excited about these days? We are looking to invest in a vessel based in Aricha that will cover upper Padma and Jamuna. It will completely change the way people view river travel in Bangladesh. Favourite country to visit? Nepal. It always feels like home. The last movie that made you cry? Can’t remember, but I cry quite easily when I am watching films. If there’s one thing missing in your life, what is it? Free time. These days life is a constant juggling act. The first thing you notice about a person? Their eyes and their hands. How do you spend your weekends? I have one day weekends. There’s no fixed way that it goes. That one free day is hardly ever free really (laughs). But I try to make sure I do at least one fun thing on my free day.

What’s your favourite place to shop from right now? Aarong and Arannya. I love local handicrafts. I am particularly fond of Arannya because my childhood friend Nawshin Khair has taken over and completely changed the way it used to be. It is now a fusion of crafts with modern style and designs. One fashion trend you wish would be removed? I really don’t think much about fashion, so can’t really comment on this. If you could switch lives with a person for a day, what would it be? Eve Ensler. Best gift you’ve ever received? My nephew, Zarar. He came at a very sad point in my life, and truly pulled me up. He is without doubt the best gift and blessing in my life. The cutest thing on planet earth? Pandas! The last book that you read? It was some collection of short stories, but I can’t remember… One experience in your life where you felt most nervous? When my father was in a plane crash and I was in the UK, nobody was really telling me the truth about how badly he had been hurt. What do you hope to be doing next year? Changing people’s perception of Bangladesh as a tourist destination. Bangladesh is an absolute ‘must’ and not just a “bythe-by” tick on the travel list when one is in Southeast Asia. l

Feature

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

Good girls don’t do that! Bonhishikha stages It’s a SHE thing for the first time this year

n Shuprova Tasneem

eneath the urban glamour of Dhaka city - with its bright lights, chic eateries and high rise buildings - lies a darker reality of the struggles that women face every day. On Friday August 19, 2016, ‘Bonhishikha – unlearn gender,’ an organisation that believes that gender stereotypes and roles constrain the potentials of individuals by holding them back, staged the play It’s a SHE thing at Spectra Convention Centre, to shed light on some of these struggles. The play, inspired by Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues, is based on real-life incidents and stories collected from women and girls from around Dhaka, and are from all age groups and walks of life. This year, the play lived up to its reputation and was engaging from beginning to end, drawing peals of laughter from the audience in one instance, and inspiring a breathless silence in another. It started with a few of the cast speaking about the things that girls often have to hear, starting from “ladies don’t behave like that” to “women are meant to raise families” and “make sure you don’t earn more money than your husband.” While the statements seemed to resonate with the crowd, it also drew attention to the brunt of the play - how often women are constantly put in boxes and expected to play certain roles in our society, regardless of their personalities and personal preferences. The actors also shed light on certain parts of women’s lives that are considered to be completely taboo, such as conversations about sex and sexual organs, as well as menstruation cycles. The cast spoke directly to the audience about their experiences, including being told they were napak or dirty while they were on their periods, anecdotes of having the

chapter on reproductive systems in biology books being stapled together at school and much more. While the discussion on such social taboos was lighthearted and drew laughs as well, it focused on the very real issues of a total lack of sex education in our school systems, a lack of knowledge on sexually transmitted diseases in our health system and the equating of morality with virginity that often dissuades women from getting help for very real medical problems. Throughout the play, the cast continued to discuss issues of sexuality, and was bold in its no-nonsense and honest take on the importance of breaking antiquated social taboos. Another lighthearted segment that drew tumultuous applause from the audience focused primarily on the ‘orna’ and the different ways of wearing it. Three of the cast represented three different voices of the orna itself, where it is in turn declared to be essential, stifling, beautiful and oppressive. However, regardless of what the orna represented, the focus was on the fact that it is a choice and not a necessity, and that the notions of honour, modesty and ‘womanhood’ that are intrinsically a part of this piece of fabric need to be deconstructed and tossed in the bin. As one of the actors put it - “breasts don’t stop existing just because you put a cloth over them.” The play also included some powerful monologues, including an emotive narration on psychological domestic abuse - an important but oft ignored issue that needs to be part of current debates on domestic violence. There was also an excellent telling of a young girl’s story of sexual harassment, and how she slowly got sucked into a restrictive religious education establishment in order to get away from it, thus completely losing the very little liberties she had yet held so dear. However, the most poignant piece

This year, the play lived up to its reputation and was engaging from beginning to end, drawing peals of laughter from the audience in one instance, and inspiring a breathless silence in another

of the play was a re-telling of the stories of sex workers, which again included diverse stories, including a sex worker who chose her profession and demanded rights for herself and her child, and a young girl who was sold into sex slavery. Again, the cast of It’s a SHE thing did a brilliant job in bringing to light issues that are an important part of our urban society, including the rights of marginalised women, such as sex workers. While the play did shed light on many important issues that affect women in Dhaka and tried to make sure that diverse stories were

being told, a few other segments fell slightly short of expectations. The discussion on the difficulties women face in the workplace, especially when they are the boss, seemed to skirt around the experiences of professional woman and seemed ambiguous at times. The explanation of modern feminism was also slightly repetitive and presented the debates around feminism in perhaps oversimplified and binary terms (although one could argue that simple language and repetition is what is needed to drive the message home). On the other hand, while the piece

on ‘superwomen’ and the many roles of wife, mother, daughter, boss/worker and more that women are constantly expected to play resonated strongly with the audience, one hoped for a little more focus on the domestic labourers who make it possible for many upper and middle class women to play these multiple roles in the first place. On the whole, the cast of It’s a SHE thing, which included Anika, Chenoa, Mayeesha, Minaal, Namira, Nawrin, Poroma, Samara, Shararat and Tasaffy did an amazing job in presenting the struggles of urban Bangladeshi women. While some issues tackled seemed a bit simplified and reflections on the influence of race and class in perpetuating the patriarchal society in Bangladesh seemed largely absent, their performance was commendable in shedding light on other important yet often ignored issues, such as psychological abuse, consent, sexuality, rights of sex workers, etc. The play was bold, funny, poignant and extremely relevant; even necessary, considering the sheer number of women who still cannot make very simple choices and take control of their bodies without a power struggle over their personhood. l

Feature

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

Pathshala celebrates World Photography Day n Saqib Sarker Pathshala South Asian Media Institute celebrated World Photography Day on August 19, 2016, with a full day event at it’s premise at Sukrabad, in Dhaka. The pioneering media organisation and education institute wanted to make World Photography Day all about celebrating photography, by including photographers of all expertise level and persuasion. Amateurs, hobbyists, and professional photographers met with each others and shared their common love for photography during the day long programme. A portfolio review session for the amateur photography students was held from 11am to 1pm. There was also a series of presentations by six female Pathshala graduates who showcased their personal body of work. The portfolio review session was conducted by Tanvir Murad Topu, the Head of Photography Department at Pathshala; and Ashraful Awal Mishuk, a Pathshala faculty member. Homayra Adiba, Habiba Nowrose, Sadia Marium, Mahmuda tuli, Rajoyana Chowdhury Xenia and Aungmakhai Chak, the six women alumni of Pathshala, held presentations and provided intriguing insights into their philosophy and perspectives on the art of photography. One of the female alumni, Sadia Marium, who spent time at Monomita Mental Hospital wrote about her experience there. “Day or night, no one in this room could tell the difference. Shameless tube lights are glimmering over our head. I lost the track of time. It feels I (was) born here, in this white room. They cut the umbilical cord connected to my mother, my mom got free and I broke all the bonds. There is no life outside this room, no faces to live for, nothing to love,” reads an excerpt from her diary.

Habiba Nowrose’s work focused on issues and perceptions related to our outward appeareances and how our images shape us instead of us creating what we want to project. “We lose ourselves in that created reality. We become anonymous even to ourselves. Our true identity remains concealed,” said Nowrose. Rajoyana Chowdhury Xenia is interested on exploring the nature of connections we feel with the world around us. “I felt your touch, I felt your blood. I’ve seen you from my windscreen and in my dreamland,” Xenia said about the elusive character of reality and

nature. Aungmakhai Chak’s photo story portrays her indigenous identity in the changing world. “As an indigenous person I believe that I am a part of nature. I have tried to assemble the photographs in a way that prevails my sense of belonging to nature and how I relate myself to nature,” Chak said. Mahmuda Tuli explores the anxieties of modern life that is haunted by the “monsters made of metal and cement.” Homayra Adiba’s work titled ‘Where Blue Birds Fly’ is about rooftops in Dhaka city. The solitude of rooftops in the

busy metropolis attracts Adiba. Rooftops are places that are “as secret as (they are) open,” Adiba said. Along with these presentations, a unique exhibition was also organised on the day. Titled "19," it showcased photographs and installation works by six Pathshala students who are graduating from the Professional photography program, the class of 2016. These works collectively deal with the idea of family, home, alienation, anxiety and re-experience. To create these bodies of works, the participants were open to use

photographs, moving images, sounds, and archive materials. This exhibition is a result of six months of research and works, conducted and curated by Sarker Protick. The participants were M Hasan Tareque, Nayeem Tushar, Taufiqur Rahman Anik, Nasirul Islam, Minhaz Marzu and Tushar Shahidur Rahman. “We never felt encumbered by our course here, even though it was very demanding,” said Taufiqur Rahman Anik, one of the six graduates. A dentist by profession Anik took up photography because of his passion for this art form. “Sometimes we would spend 8 or 9 hours with our teachers outside of class time because we just wanted to be around our teachers. Their depth of knowledge and understanding intrigued us so much,” Nasirul Islam said about his experience during the course at Pathshala. Anik and Nasirul are both immensely influenced by their teachers at Pathshala, many of whom are internationally acclaimed photographers. Other than their teachers they found inspiration in the works of Jeff Wall, Robert Cuppa, Josef Koudelka, and Diane Arbus among many others. l

Biz Info

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

| training |

| hospitality |

BCSIR holds training course

Special prices at Hotel Milina

Bangladesh National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention (BNACWC), Armed Forces Division (AFD), arranged a two-day long training course on Sampling Test for Identification of Schedule Chemicals on August 23 in Dhaka, an Inter Services Public Relation (ISPR) press

release reported. A total of 20 officials from National Board of Revenue (NBR) took part in the training course. The training course was designed to identify the schedule chemicals and implement chemical weapons (Prohibition) Act 2006 and OPCW Convention.

The training was jointly organised by BNACWC and Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR). In implementation of Chemical Weapons Convention, NBR officials can play a vital role in identifying schedule chemical which are mostly traded to our country through entry ports of air, sea and land. According to Bangladesh gazette act 2006 there is a provision for the persons/organisation who produces/imports/stockpiles/ uses schedule chemicals they are obligated to be enrolled and obtain certificate from BNACWC. After this training the officials of NBR will be able to identify the schedule chemicals in the entry ports of Bangladesh and find out the person/organisations that produce/imports/stockpiles/ uses schedule chemical without being enrolled with BNACWC. This will enhance the proper implementation of CWC which will ultimately ensure safety and security of Bangladesh. After successfull completion of the training course, certificates were awarded by the Bangladesh National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention (BNACWC), the Armed Forces Division. l

| competition |

Black Horse Extreme Explorer commences at AIUB Black Horse, the popular soft drink by AST Beverage Ltd and Globe Soft Drink Ltd (A concern of Pharmaceuticals Group of Companies Ltd), has been conducting various programs to engage the youth of the country. In continuation of this effort, Black Horse has introduced a new, thrilling campaign named “Black Horse Extreme Explorer – Sky Diving”. The first of its kind in Bangladesh, the top five participants from this campaign will be taken to Pattaya, Thailand to experience an adventurous sky diving excursion. Black Horse has started its selection process through virtual sky diving competition in different universities and college campuses all over the country. The most advanced virtual reality (VR) gaming technology Oculus Rift has been used for youngsters to skydive virtually. The top performers will be selected through this process. The five highest point scorers will win

their real skydiving experience in Pattaya. The competition is starting its official journey at American International University of Bangladesh (AIUB. The competition will continue in different private and public universities all over the country till November this year. Three of the top scorers from AIUB have already been rewarded with crests in an event held on August 10, 2016 at AIUB auditorium. The chief guest of the event was Dr Charles C Villanueva, the dean of FBA

in AIUB. The special guests of the event were Samir Al Rashid, director corporation, Globe Pharmaceuticals Group of Companies Ltd, Manzur H. Khan, senior assistant professor, Department of Computer Science, AIUB, Dr Anisur Rahman Faroque, assistant professor and head, Department of Marketing, AIUB, Dr Nisar Ahmed, associate professor and director, MBA Program, AIUB. Shafiqul Islam Tushar, GM (Brand Marketing and Sales), Globe Soft Drinks and AST Beverage Ltd were also present at the event. l

Located close to Shahjalal International Airport, Hotel Milina (house 4, road 9, sector 6, Uttara) offers one of the most secured hotels in Dhaka. They are offering special booking prices for tourists. For booking and contact call +88 019 1132 6895 or email: mdsohel178@ yahoo.com l

| fair |

Pickaboo.com organises the country’s largest online mobile fair Ahead of Eid-ulAdha, e-commerce site pickaboo.com has launched, what they are claiming is the country’s biggest mobile fair. The completely web-based fair will begin on August 25. Pickaboo is offering attractive discounts on over 60 smart phones by 21 renowned mobile brands. Pickaboo is offering up to 65% off on original smart phones. Customers will receive their ordered phone within 48 hours in Dhaka, and within 96 hours outside Dhaka. In addition to online payment, customers will have the of cash on delivery payment option. Pickaboo.com also has an easy return policy if the delivered smartphone is faulty or if the customer doesn’t like the device. “Customers often fail to give themselves the opportunity to purchase the phone of their choice

due to busy schedules, which is why we have taken this initiative to provide our valued customers the opportunity to buy original handsets at affordable rates. Let our customers give their family their due time, while we take the responsibility of helping them find the right product,’’ the CEO of Pickaboo.com said. The online fair will end on September 3. l

20 Editorial

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

TODAY

Papers, please They treat the ‘common’ people like cattle, and they are positively encouraging the business of the agents who would make things easy for a ‘nominal’ fee PAGE 21

Terror in a touch Harassment is too often perceived as an unavoidable fact of life, and subsequently, its prevalence and impact are conveniently stowed away PAGE 22 MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Everyone deserves a hassle-free Eid Logging into security Greater cyber connectivity is often accompanied by greater threats of cybercrime. As digital connectivity evolves, so does the means of breaching it 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.

ith Eid-ul-Azha just around the corner, it’s important that the government prepares for the onrush of people going back to their respective hometowns for the holidays. This year, the railway is expected to cater to 260,000 people. As a result of the numbers, twice every year, people find themselves clambering over each other to buy train tickets -- only further proof of how most government administrations lack the fundamentals of a workable system, resulting in citizens bearing the brunt of the ensuing chaos. Though the government has allocated advanced booking systems, both via counters and online, which will be available from August 29, it is imperative that the authorities allow for it to be a smooth and hassle-free process. Special trains will also be operating for 10 days during the Eid holidays. In the past, because of the prevalent VIP culture that is unfortunately still epidemic in the country, air-conditioned berths were sold out before counters had even opened. This year, 25% of the tickets have already been booked for VIPs. This is not how a democracy is supposed to work. As a nation, we should be ashamed to boast a class of people who are deemed more “important” than any other. These seats should be made available on a “first come, first serve” basis so that the distribution process is even and just. The government has been doing much in the form of introducing new modes of public transport, improved highways, and intra-city flyovers to ensure that Dhaka and its commuters have an easier time travelling from point A to point B. It is hoped that the government will do the same when it comes to travelling away from Dhaka. Eid should be a time of happiness and joy, when people around the country like to spend time with their families and loved ones. Let us hope the stress and misery of travel arrangements does not corrupt it with its mark.

VIP seats should be made available on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis so that the distribution process is even and just

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

Papers, please Navigating the serpentine dungeon of bureaucracy that is the Department of Immigration and Passports

Please wait in line for a caption

BIGSTOCK

n SM Shahrukh

t was a drizzly day, some would even call it pesky for the inconveniences such days often cause. The day fell between the weekend and the official holiday on August 15 -- it was a “forlorn” working Sunday. If one took that day off from work, one would have had a fourday spell of holidays, suitable for a quick trip “home” or a pleasing getaway to a vacation spot, away from the humdrum metropolis. I, therefore, expected that the city traffic would be somewhat light, and, indeed, I was somewhat right. I also thought that the rush at the passport office at Agargaon would be less oppressive … I was absolutely wrong. The moment I entered through the security arch, accompanied by an ear-piercing beep, I was in a “sea of people.” Men and women had different queues, of course, with the line for men 10 times as long as that for women. New passports, renewals, reporting loss of such, etc, all in the same line. I stood in a line that was rather serpentine in shape and it went around, forwards and backwards. It was impossible to see the “head of the snake” whence I stood at the beginning. The line moved, me with it, in batches, after gaps of several minutes. People, a lot younger than I, were almost swooning in the damp heat.

They treat the ‘common’ people like cattle, and they are positively encouraging the business of the agents who would make things easy for a ‘nominal’ fee

Most of the occupants of the long queue were young men: Some chatting, some staring blankly with a look of awe, some with their heads resting on the divider ironpipe; and there was the relentless screeching cry from the security arch as more and more people kept entering the premises. At one point, I came parallel with the line for the ladies. Finally, I reached the end and found a table manned by three overworked bored officials, one of whom gave me a form to fill before I proceeded to the next level. This new form is not available in the website but who is listening to your complaints? So I proceeded to the next level on the third floor. All the seats were taken by people who had come with the applicants, with toddlers sleeping in some chairs. I needed a place to fill the form. I found a little place on the counter of a service window and hurriedly filled my form, receiving an elbow midway through signing my name. I had to sign a second

time. There were two separate lines -- one for renewals, one for new passports; and, thankfully, the line for renewals was relatively short. But the room, with so many people, sweating profusely and some talking at the top of their voices, was a hellhole, to put it mildly. There was a lot of jostling, and standing on the line was not that easy. Finally, I reached the muchsought window and, after my form was stamped with the gentle thud of a seal, I was promptly “requested” to proceed to another room, and, of course, another line. There was again plenty of jostling and screaming at the line to reach “the final destination.” People were trying to spruce up before entering this final room, since photographs would be taken there. This activity only increased my discomfort at the line, as there was plenty of wriggling on the queue. Only four people manned this final room. It was a three-hour-long ordeal

and, when I came out, it was afternoon. During this long stint, it was impossible not to notice that some people, with the help of the security personnel, had ready access to various windows and rooms. There were grumblings from people standing and suffering in the line but all seemed resigned to such “practices.” It was an open secret and people just wanted to get it over with than rise up in rebellion. Still, there were some dissenting voices, mine included, and that did bring about some agents having to relent their agency duties, albeit only for a while. Later, when in my car and headed home, I used my phone to look up the total area covered by the Agargaon passport office. I found that the people residing in over 20 police stations within Dhaka City and the greater Dhaka district fall under the aegis of this office: From Paltan, Motijheel, Ramna to Dhanmondi, Mirpur,

Shahbag to Gulshan, Badda, Tejgaon to Dhamrai, Savar, Ashulia -- anyone requiring a passport will have to come to this small location in Agargaon. What would be the number of people living in the area of these 20 plus police stations? It boggles the mind. There are two other regional offices, at Jatrabari and at Uttara, with their own specified areas of coverage but only two are not much help to ease the rush at the Agargaon office. I can draw only two conclusions for the authorities to allow only one passport office to cover such a vast area and such a vast number of people: They treat the “common” people like the cattle that would soon come to all the qurbani markets, and they are positively encouraging the business of the agents who would make things easy for a “nominal” fee. I, however, only paid a tip to the parking attendant outside the office building for his wholehearted co-operation in navigating my car out of the jumble of cars, autos, rickshaws, etc, without any incidents. Many of the young men and women usually come here for a passport as a first step to go abroad and work as unskilled/semi-skilled labourers in “hostile” foreign countries. Many of them will live in an alien land with the barest consideration to their personal comfort so that they can remit the major portion of their earnings home. This remittance would swell the foreign exchange reserve of the country, and the ministers, and the central bank officials, in their glitzy suits or hand-crafted panjabis, would sing glories of the hard-working migrants. Songs that are nothing less than “crocodile tears” considering the hassle at the passport office, the subsequent harassments faced by migrant workers, coming home for a short visit at the airports, and the almost non-existent assistance from the embassies at times of various problems faced by these foreign-currency earners in a land far away from their little village in Comilla, or Feni, or Pirojpur, and so on. Pity to a country that gives so little value to the masses that toil the most for its prosperity. l SM Shahrukh is a freelance contributor.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

Long Form

Terror in a touch Sexual harassment has become inescapable due to our silence. This is the first part of a two-part long form

n S Hasan

t happened within seconds, seconds which are now etched in my memory like a slowmotion clip. He stood behind me, as I bent down to pick up my phone which had slipped from my hand. Every atom of my body wailed in protest, as I felt the hand on my rear end. It was there, and then it was gone. I straightened up immediately, quickly swiveling around to face him, only to lose my balance. As I felt myself falling, I reached out to the flight attendant standing nearby, digging my fingernails into her hand. Lifting myself up with my other hand, trembling, I indignantly whimpered, “he touched me!” Another passenger quipped that he had witnessed the incident. The attendant tried to go against my grimy perpetrator, who had been inebriated from the start of the flight. But he denied any such action on his part. A few minutes later, attendant had walked me away, given me a cup of water, and relocated my seat. No big deal, right? It was just a second. Or maybe two. He had felt me. And I, him. But, for the next eight hours, as our flight cruised at thousands of feet up in the air, I sat hugging myself, the lump in my throat refusing to dissipate, as I played those few seconds in my head over and over again. What right did he, a stranger, have to touch my body without my consent? I consider myself to be a strong, independent woman. Yet, the incident had left me reeling in horror, wishing to rewind. So that I would not have been in that situation. So that he would not have had the opportunity to touch me. So that I would not be feeling as dirty as I was feeling. Back in the safety of my home after I had landed, when I was finally alone with my mom, I burst out in tears describing a seemingly innocuous incident.

The trauma that follows

Sexual harassment, ranging from staring and eve-teasing to groping, flashing, and assault, is a daily reality for many women across the world, from all walks of life. These violations can happen at home, at work, at school, on the streets or, as in my case, on board a flight. The perpetrators can range from complete strangers, to close ones and family members.

There is no doubt that such violations are unacceptable in and of themselves, as frequent discussions on the media and public forums point out. However, the consequent emotional and psychological trauma that a victim faces, both immediately after and in the long run, must be emphasised in conversations surrounding harassment. The body of research investigating the aftermath of sexual harassment indicates that a victim may experience one or more of the following symptoms, depending on the particular individual and the nature of the

Harassment is too often perceived as an unavoidable fact of life, and subsequently, its prevalence and impact are conveniently stowed away The deeply scarring consequences of sexual harassment cannot be ignored encounter: Anxiety, frustration, depression, sleeplessness and/or nightmares, difficulty concentrating, headaches, fatigue, shame, guilt, powerlessness, helplessness, anger towards the harasser, loss of confidence and self-esteem, withdrawal and isolation, and suicidal thoughts or attempts. A University of Connecticut study found that people who experience street harassment are prone to greater body shame and pre-occupation with physical appearance, as well as heightened fear of rape. Feeling unsafe, disgusted, and objectified are also common reactions to harassment. The effects of sexual harassment on a victim are not limited to emotional or psychological domains only, but may include behavioural changes. A book by Holly Kearl, who is an expert on genderbased violence, describes the effects of street harassment as ranging from women reducing their time in public places alone, being perpetually alert, and even changing jobs and moving homes out of safety concerns.

One American study found that, as many as 10% of women quit their jobs in order to avoid a harassment-heavy commute. Moreover, in the context of neighbouring India, research by the Gender Study Group found that 45% of women felt that their personal or academic development was hindered due to sexual harassment faced on campus. They chose to avoid using library facilities as well as keeping away from particular institutions and courses in which they felt unsafe. Sexual harassment has also been associated with limiting social interactions, absenteeism from school and work, and general decline in women’s freedom and mobility.

Why the silence?

Harassment is too often perceived as an unavoidable fact of life, and subsequently, its prevalence and impact are conveniently stowed away. In fact, many women who experience harassment believe that no one will think anything of significance has happened to them, choosing to move on silently.

On the other hand, perpetrators may view various forms of harassment as harmless, and perhaps even complimentary (much thanks to Bollywood pop culture of the 90s where stalking, verbal leering, and pulling off women’s dupattas all constituted romance). The silence, or lack of adequate noise, surrounding sexual harassment fosters a prevailing cultural environment in which gender-based violence and discrimination are acceptable. There are many reasons why these crimes go unreported and perpetrators unpunished, including social stigma, shame, fear of retaliation, fear of victimblaming, insensitivity of law enforcers, ineffective legal procedures, implications to career or academic pursuits, etc. In my case, during the eight hours in which I was obliged to remain seated a few metres away from my perpetrator, the only action I could take was to fill out an Unruly Passenger Report, which I did. Traveling alone, in the midst of many (single, male) overly curious fellow passengers,

BIGSTOCK

I was also averse to “creating a scene.” I had already had to shut off questions from a couple of on-lookers and was trying hard to avoid their stares. Once I landed, Bangladesh airport police staff (who I had requested the airline crew to alert) escorted my perpetrator and myself off the plane. Although I had every intention to see that he was punished, I could not wait around for the magistrate to show up and deal with the case, which could take up to an hour or more, as my family waited outside. I also had no desire to face my perpetrator again or have to recount the story of being inappropriately touched to several different (male) officers. Ultimately, he received a warning and went free. Will the warning keep him from believing that he has rights to another woman’s body in the future? Who knows. l The concluding part of this long form will be published tomorrow. S Hasan is a freelance contributor.

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

Logging into security Digital Bangladesh won’t mean much if we don’t put up measures against cyber-crime

Awareness about cyber crime and security is crucial for an increasingly digital nation such as ours

n Md Jubair Ahmed

ince the beginning of the millennium, the use of digital means to conduct everyday activities has been escalating at a meteoric pace around the globe. As the world becomes more digitised, with billions of people conducting day-to-day activities online, and a seemingly uncountable number of personal information gets stored in the digital sphere, cyber-security has become a priority not only on an individual level, but also on a national scale. Between 2004 and 2013, the personal information of over 100 billion people had been leaked due to data breaches in organisations. News of cybercrime ranging from the iCloud hack of private photographs of Hollywood celebrities, to Bangladesh losing $100 million to hackers, made headlines and raised concerns all over the world. The Global State of Information Security Survey 2016 by PwC says that, in 2015, there was 38% more security incidents detected than in 2014. Market research and business consultancy firm Juniper Research predicts that the cost of data breaches will rise to $2.1tn, globally by 2019, “increasing to

almost four times the estimated cost of breaches in 2015.” The internet is the core platform of global connectivity. This platform is the spine of the digital sphere. Since the internet’s arrival, the pace at which connectivity is being revolutionised has risen dramatically.

However, statistics say that the level of awareness and preparedness, as of now, is far from adequate. This is because people often become aware of the need for security only after they become direct victims of crime. The 2015 Global Cybersecurity Status Report by ISACA

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

to more developed nations, must consider adopting measures to protect state assets from external cyber threats as fast as possible. The same applies to organisations as well as individuals. The need is now felt even more particularly after the revelation of the elaborate heist of millions of

Greater cyber connectivity is often accompanied by greater threats of cybercrime. As digital connectivity evolves, so does the means of breaching it The Internet of Things, which is simply defined as “a proposed development of the internet in which everyday objects have network connectivity, allowing them to send and receive data,” is poised to bring about the next big revolution in connectivity. However, greater cyber connectivity is often accompanied by greater threats of cybercrime. As digital connectivity evolves, so does the means of breaching it. Therefore, individuals, institutions, and governments must be aware of accepting newer security measures to protect private, confidential, and sensitive information.

International says that only 38% of global organisations claim to have been prepared to handle a sophisticated cyber-attack. In the survey conducted by PwC, it was also found that only 58% of all global companies have an overall security strategy, 49% conduct threat assessments, and 48% actively monitor and analyse security intelligence. A study by KPMG on global CEOs of companies with more than $500m in revenue shows that a staggering 50% of all CEOs do not feel prepared for a cyber attack. Bangladesh, still far behind in terms of digitisation compared

dollars from the state by hackers. The good news is that, with increasing threats to cybersecurity, counter-active measures to tackle them are also evolving. Today, any organisation can obtain tailor-made security solutions from expert cybersecurity providers that suit their operational demands. This is essential for protection from risks such as unauthorised access to, and change or destruction of, private, confidential, or sensitive data. What needs to be the bridge between the problem and the solution is awareness and willingness. States and

organisations must be pro-active in adopting need-based, tailormade security solutions from proven experts in order to prevent regrets later. Bangladesh has recently seen a noticeable rise in telecommunication network technology and digital services. The number of internet users has also seen a noticeable hike. According to BTRC, the number of internet users in Bangladesh, as of June 2016, is over 63 million, nearly 60 million of which are mobile internet users. All of these point at the country’s progress towards enhanced connectivity through digitisation. However, events such as the recent heist worth millions of dollars of national assets has also pointed towards an urgent need for securing the digital sphere pertaining to the nation. To ensure that the progress towards digitisation is not interrupted by issues concerning security, pro-active measures towards raising awareness and adoption of security measures must be ensured. Only then will the dream of Bangladesh becoming a digitised nation be realised. l Md Jubair Ahmed is CEO, BASE Technologies.

24 Sport

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

TOP STORIES

MCC players’ draft held The players’ draft of the Masters Cricket Carnival was held yesterday at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. The six participating sides formed teams comprising 14 former cricketers. PAGE 25

Bundesliga Bayern’s to lose

All the major European leagues have already started but the German fans are still waiting for the Bundesliga season. Bayern Munich are always at the centre of the hype of the Bundesliga and it is no different this season. PAGE 26

‘Kun can’t disappear when we lose ball’ Manchester City’s Spanish manager Pep Guardiola has urged striker Sergio Aguero to help his side maintain pressure on opponents and not “disappear” when his side do not have possession of the ball. PAGE 27

Hero’s reception after Rio Games The 16-day Rio carnival came to an end with the closing ceremony. In 16 days, athletes from all around the globe created history. And after spending weeks away from their loved ones, the Olympians returned home in the last few days. PAGE 28

Following the conclusion of the men’s national team’s practice session at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday, Bangladesh’s Belgian head coach Tom Saintfiet called his players to a corner of the pitch where the national Under-16 women’s team were preparing to start training. Saintfiet told Dhaka Tribune, ‘The girls’ U-16 team is a very talented team. They are the pride of the country. We have to respect the girls. We have to support, assist and help the girls. Together, we make Bangladesh big. I’m proud of the girls. We will support them in the coming days. We are going to celebrate when they qualify for China 2017. And then it’s our job to qualify for Emirates 2019’ SHISHIR HOQUE

Saintfiet begins to implant ideas n Shishir Hoque Newly appointed Bangladesh head coach Tom Saintfiet included young midfielders Hemanta Vincent Biswas and Atiqur Rahman Fahad in the national training camp yesterday to fill the vacancy of the suspended Jamal Bhuiyan in midfield. Jamal received yellow cards in his last two matches, against Tajikistan in the first round of the Asian Cup Qualifiers Play-offs, and will miss the home tie against Bhutan on September 6. Interestingly, the Belgian coach was not notified about the suspension of Jamal while he was preparing the 33-man preliminary squad, announced on Saturday, where the expatriate midfielder was included. He was only informed on Monday. “The reason we added two players is because I got informed [Monday] that Jamal may not play but I was not informed about it before. So, I wanted to take another player in that position. I wanted Hemanta to come back to have more quality and options in training,” said Saintfiet yesterday. The 43-year old coach informed that he has “some ideas” regarding the starting XI against Bhutan but nothing concrete. Saintfiet, who conducted a sixday training camp from July 11-16,

is certain that the majority of the previous national camp will be included in the final squad. “I’m sure a big group of players from last month’s camp will be in the group of 23 and 11. But some players will be included when they prove to be ready. So it will be a very balanced squad. Actually, the majority will be from the first squad. I’m sure about that,”

added Saintfiet. Meanwhile, a total of 29 players trained under the guidance of Saintfiet at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday afternoon. Captain Mamunul Islam was unable to train due to thigh pain. Arrival of fitness trainer South African Ridoh Burden joined Bangladesh as the fitness trainer yesterday and was part

Young Bangladesh midfielder Hemanta Vincent Biswas (L) runs during training at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

of the training camp later on the same day after arriving in the capital on Monday evening. Ridoh introduced himself to the media after the training session. “I worked with a few premier league teams in South Africa. I worked at the Bolton Wanderers academy in the UK in 2006. I worked with Botswana national team, who played African Nations Cup, and also with Togolese national team last year,” said the fitness trainer. He added, “I worked with a lot of African players and countries and worked with Emmanuel Adebayor, who played in Europe. The African mentality is different to Asia. In Asia, there is always potential because a lot of players strive to do better.” When queried to describe the fitness of the Bangladesh players, Ridoh said, “It’s very soon to say. One thing I can say is that there is quality here. We have players who are very determined and a good bunch which is impressive and willing to improve.” Saintfiet said he is happy with the arrival of Ridoh with whom he worked together in Togo last year. New Zealand coach Ryan Sandford also arrived in Dhaka yesterday evening to become the goalkeeping coach of the national team. l

Sport

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

BCB not concerned about media speculation We are not willing to comment on any news from the media as we are waiting for the official report from the ECB

n Tribune Report Bangladesh Cricket Board did not comment and is willing to wait until the England and Wales Cricket Board releases the official report regarding its upcoming tour of Bangladesh. BCB’s reaction came hot on the heels of a report by English daily The Telegraph on Monday in which ECB’s chief security officer, Reg Dickason, apparently expressed concern about the team’s journeys

from the airport to the team hotel, and from the team hotel to the grounds in Bangladesh. “We are not willing to comment on any news from the media as we are waiting for the official report from the ECB,” chairman of the BCB’s media and communications committee Jalal Younus told Dhaka Tribune yesterday. Dickason was part of the three-member ECB delegation that inspected the security arrangements in Bangladesh ahead of their

forthcoming tour where England are scheduled to play two Tests and three ODIs. With that said, there were no official quotes from Dickason on the report as it also said, “It is understood that Dickason’s chief concern is not so much the hotels where England will be staying in Dhaka and Chittagong, or the grounds in those two cities, as they can be cordoned off by the police and military. “The most potentially danger-

ous parts of a cricket tour are the journeys from the airport to the team hotel, and from the team hotel to the ground, especially in crowded Asian cities where it is humanly impossible to secure all the buildings overlooking the roads. “Another consideration is not simply the safety of the players, or the media, who could be bussed around in the same convoy as the England team, but travelling supporters staying in cheaper hotels and far more exposed.” l

Masters Cricket Carnival players’ draft held n Tribune Report The players’ draft of the Masters Cricket Carnival was held yesterday at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. The six participating sides – Gemcon Group Khulna, Lanka-Bangla All Stars Masters, Ispahani Chittagong Masters, Jaj Bhuiyan Dhaka Division, Confidence Group Dhaka Metro and Renaissance Rajshahi – formed teams comprising 14 former cricketers. Each team also named a veteran cricketer as the mentor. Convened by former Bangladesh captains Akram Khan, Khaled Mahmud and Khaled Mashud, the tournament, that will hold its first phase in Cox’s Bazar from September 1-3, aims to raise fund for the welfare of the cricketers. The six participating teams have

been divided into two groups and the matches will be 25-over ties with the implication of international cricket rules. The final game of the carnival will be held at the home of cricket in Mirpur on September 6 under lights. “The former cricketers are all scattered and engaged with their personal work. This event will be a platform for cricketers like us to come close once again. This is not a tournament for us but a carnival where we will get to know how one is doing with life and if anyone needs support,” Mahmud told the media. “The tournament does not aim to earn from sponsorship, rather, use the incoming money for the welfare of former cricketers. It is bitter but the truth is that there are many former cricketers who are not financially sound and fall helpless financially if there is a serious

illness to fight against. So, we (the organisers) have decided to put the money earned from the tournament behind the welfare of the cricketers,” Mahmud added. There was however, an odd moment during the draft when the inclusion of banned former cricketer Shariful Haque Plaban got pointed out. Plaban is serving a lifetime ban after the Bangladesh Cricket Board found him guilty for approaching Mashrafe bin Mortaza for spot fixing during the first season of the Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20. But the MCC authority overlooked the ban and included Plaban in the draft list. He was eventually picked up by Renaissance Rajshahi. Mahmud while explaining the issue said they will look into the issue and take necessary steps. l

Gemcon Group Khulna captain Habibul Bashar makes his call during the Masters Cricket Carnival players’ draft at Mirpur’s SBNS yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

MASTERS CRICKET CARNIVAL: SQUADS

GEMCON GROUP KHULNA

LANKA-BANGLA ALL STARS MASTERS

CONFIDENCE GROUP DHAKA METRO

ISPAHANI CTG MASTERS

JAJ BHUIYAN DHAKA DIVISION

RENAISSANCE RAJSHAHI

Omar Khaled Rumy (mentor) Habibul Bashar (captain) Monjurul Islam Monju Hasanuzzaman Jhoru Mohammad Salim Jamal Babu Mahmudul Hasan Rana Murad Khan Ali Arman Rajon Harun-ur-Rashid Liton Shafiuddin Babu Tasrekul Islam Totam Towhidul Islam Chapal Zeeshan Hasib Mizanur Rahman Patwary

ASM Roqibul Hasan (mentor) Salim Shahed (captain) Hasibul Hossain Shanto Ehsanul Hoque Seezan Javed Omar Belim Talha Jubair Azam Iqbal Masudur Rahman Mukul Lablur Rahman Syed Adil Ahmed Sohel Hossain Pappu Neaz Morshed Nahid Baqui Billah Himel Fahim Muntasir Mahbub Anam

ASM Faruque (mentor) Khaled Mahmud Sujon (captain) Mohammad Rafiq Sazzad Ahmed Shipon Neeyamur Rashid Rahul Nasir Ahmed Nasu AIM Moniruzzaman Imran Parvez Ripon Anisul Hakim Rabbani Iqbal Hossain Imran Hamid Partho Mir Ziauddin Ahmed Sabbir Khan Shafin Tanvir Ahmed Timir Ashfak

Shafirul Haque Heera (mentor) Akram Khan (captain) Minhajul Abedin Nannu Enamul Haque Moni Tareq Aziz Aftab Ahmed Towhid Hossain Shamol Humayun Kabir Anwar Hossain Monir Jubair Ishtiaque Ahmed Fazle Bari Khan Rubel Nurul Abedin Afzal Khan Fazle Khan Titu Mir Akhteruddin Ahmed

Azhar Hossain Shantoo (mentor) Naimur Rahman Durjoy (captain) Mohammad Sanwar Hossain Shahriar Hossain Biddut Mehrab Hossain Opi Saiful Islam Kham Monirul Islam Taj Shahnewaz Kabir Shuvro Sazzad Kadir Rashidul Haque Sumon Zakir Hasan Dipu Ray Chowdhury Anisur Rahman Jalal Younus Abu Haider Ripon

Shahnewaz Kabir (mentor) Khaled Mashud Pilot (captain) Alamgir Kabir Rafikul Islam Khan Saifullah Khan Gem Abdullah Biplob Hannan Sarkar Tarikul Islam Morshed Ali Khan Gazi Alamgir Mushfiqur Rahman Babu Jahangir Alam Omar Shairf Khan Akhtar Ahmed Shariful Haque Plaban

Sport

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

AFC CUP QUALIFIERS

Russel denied by late goal

Celtic fans raise funds for Palestinian charities

n Tribune Report

n AFP, Glasgow

Struggling Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra kicked off their Asian Football Confederation Cup Play-offs Qualifiers campaign with a 1-1 draw against Chinese Taipei club Tatung FC at Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu, Bhutan yesterday. Cameroonian midfielder Jean Jules Ikanga put Russel ahead in the 32nd minute when his left-footed volley found the back of the net. Hung Shih-Cheng cancelled out the lead in the 80th minute from a penalty after defender Yeasin Khan brought down Tatung forward Chen Jui-Chieh inside the danger zone.

Two Palestinian charities have picked up an unexpected financial windfall with £45000 (52000 euros, $59000) raised by supporters of Scottish Champions Celtic it was revealed on Monday. One of the historic club’s supporters groups Green Brigade launched the fundraising effort initially to match an anticipated £15000 fine from European governing body UEFA for fans waving Palestinian flags at last week’s Champions League qualifying first leg clash in Glasgow against Israeli side Hapoel Beersheba. The money raised will be distributed to Medical Aid Palestine, who deliver health and medical care to those “worst affected by conflict, occupation and displacement”; and the Lajee Centre, a cultural and sports project for children in Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem. The Green Brigade said the money for the Lajee centre would be put towards football kit and equipment so they can set up a team, to be called Aida Celtic and who will compete in the Bethlehem youth league. “At the Champions League match with Hapoel Be’er Sheva on 17 August 2016, the Green Brigade and fans throughout Celtic Park flew the flag for Palestine,” read

RESULT Sheikh Russel

1-1

Ikanga 32

Tatung FC Cheng 80

Sheikh Russel fielded all four loanees - defenders Yeasin Khan and Nasiruddin Chowdhury and forwards Mohammed Ibrahim and Rubel Miah – but were unable to net the winner. The former treble winners have been without a win in their last eight matches and conceded five defeats in six matches in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League. Sheikh Russel will take on hosts Tertons FC in the last match tomorrow. Only the group winner will qualify for the Play-offs. l

Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha imparts instructions to Mushfiqur Rahim (R) and Liton Kumar Das (C) during training at Mirpur’s Sher-eBangla National Stadium yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Bundesliga Bayern’s to lose n Fazley Rabbi Moon All the major European premier football leagues have already started but the fans in Germany are still missing the heat and waiting for the Bundesliga season which is going to start next week. Bayern Munich, one of the most successful clubs in history, are always at the centre of the hype of the Bundesliga and it is no different this season. Bayern romped to a record fourth successive league title under Spaniard Pep Guardiola last season, moving 10 points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund. The feat easily describes the domination of the Bavarian giants but the departure of Guardiola makes the predictable situation interesting this time around. Football fans are waiting to see how the stable Bayern side can cope during their transition period. Current coach Carlo Ancelotti

is a high-profile tactician but regression is almost certain. He’s already showed indication with how they played the Super Cup that the team won’t play as possession-heavy of an approach as the previous years. The former Real Madrid boss is adding in a bit of variance for the rest of the league to play with. Also, Bayern, who won their last Champions League trophy four years ago, will expect the title this time from the European specialist. The Italian is the only coach to have won the Champions League three times and reached the final four times. The question the Allianz Arena fans will want answered in 2016/17 is whether their European drought will come to an end. A league winner at the helm of AC Milan (Italy), Chelsea (England), Paris Saint-Germain (France) and Real Madrid (Spain), Ancelotti will begin the season as favourite to add a fifth country’s league title to his collection. Bayern’s squad has been boosted with the arrival of former Dortmund captain Mats Hummels, who has evolved into one of the best centre-backs since initially leaving

the club in 2008. The Italian manager also signed Renato Sanches from Benfica having become the youngest ever winner of the recently concluded Euro competition with Portugal. One of the Europe’s best strikers, Robert Lewandowski was at his clinical best last season, plundering 30 Bundesliga goals to take the top-scorer award, five clear of his next competitor - Dortmund’s Gabonian striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Guardiola had always doubted the natural number nines but Ancelotti is quite comfortable building his teams around them. The Italian did the same with Karim Benzema at Real or Zlatan Ibrahimovic at PSG and without the same pressure on his first-team place, it is expected to see the Poland captain at the top of the goalscoring charts once again. Such is the dominance of the Bavarian giants in recent times that anything other than a Bayern title win will be considered a huge shock but the likes of Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, among others, will hopefully beg to differ come the end of the season.l

The Green Brigade statement when they launched the appeal. “This act of solidarity has earned Celtic respect and acclaim throughout the world. It has also attracted a disciplinary charge from Uefa, which deems the Palestinian flag to be an ‘illicit banner’. “In response to this petty and politically partisan act by European football’s governing body, we are determined to make a positive contribution to the game and today launch a campaign to #matchthefineforpalestine.” l

Israel watching for Palestinian flags Israeli police said Monday they will seize any Palestinian flags Celtic fans wave at the Scottish club’s decisive Champions League play-off in Israel against Hapoel Beersheba. Any flags seen at yesterday’s second leg game in the southern city of Beersheba would be “confiscated immediately,” said police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld. “Police units will respond in order to ensure that the game will be a professional game and not a political one,” he told AFP. He did not specifically mention Palestinian flags. l

Sport

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

QUICK BYTES Probe after WindiesIndia Test abandoned The Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board have launched an investigation after the fourth and final Test between the West Indies and India lasted just 22 overs due to a waterlogged outfield. No play was possible at the Queen’s Park Oval on Monday’s scheduled last day of the match, the fourth consecutive day on which there was no play because of saturated areas around the playing square. –AFP

South Africa, New Zealand Test washout South African captain Faf du Plessis and New Zealand coach Mike Hesson both expressed disappointment after the first Test between South Africa and New Zealand was abandoned as a draw due to poor ground conditions yesterday. No play was possible on days three, four and five because of a wet, soft outfield which the umpires decided would be dangerous for players. –AFP

Leganes claim historic first La Liga win Victor Diaz scored the only goal as Leganes defeated Celta Vigo 1-0 in the club’s first ever game in the Spanish top flight. Diaz steered in from a corner on 75 minutes to hand Leganes victory on their La Liga debut, having won promotion to the top tier by finishing runners-up in Spain’s second division last season. Leganes will host Atletico Madrid at their 8,000-seater stadium on the outskirts of the Spanish capital in their first home game next weekend before champions Barcelona visit next month. –AFP

DAY’S WATCH FOOTBALL TEN 2 3:30PM FFA Cup 2016 Brisbane Strikers V Melbourne City 12:45AM UEFA Champions League Man City v Steaua Bucuresti

TEN 3 12:45AM UEFA Champions League FC Rostov v AFC Ajax

CRICKET TEN 3 3:00PM Australia Tour of Sri Lanka 2nd ODI

STAR SPORTS 2 7:00PM Pakistan Tour of England 2016 1st ODI

(L-R) Manchester City’s John Stones, Kelechi Iheanacho, Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero with team mates during training in Manchester yesterday

REUTERS

‘Kun cannot disappear when City lose possession’ n Reuters Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has urged striker Sergio Aguero to help his side maintain pressure on opponents and not “disappear” when his side do not have possession of the ball. The Argentine scored twice in City’s 4-1 win against Stoke City on Saturday to take his season’s tally

to six goals in all competitions. The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager said Aguero must help his team mates with his movements off the ball. “It’s not enough to receive the ball from his team mates, he has to help us in the first pressure and run a lot and help us a lot with movement,” Guardiola told British media. “You cannot be brilliant when

you disappear when you (don’t) have the ball. It’s impossible. “Until now he’s doing it and, when that happens, you are involved in defensive tasks and the offensive.” Guardiola also praised young striker Kelechi Iheanacho, who came off the bench and proved influential in City’s third and fourth goals against Stoke. “He (Iheanacho) is always

Allardyce ponders Terry recall n AFP, Burton-on-Trent New England manager Sam Allardyce will consider ending former captain John Terry’s four-year international exile, he revealed on Monday. Terry, 35, retired from England duty in September 2012 after the Football Association charged him with racially abusing Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand. He was later fined and given a four-game ban.

Roy Hodgson, Allardyce’s predecessor, said in March that England had still not successfully replaced the Chelsea centre-back and Allardyce has not ruled out handing him a recall. Asked if Terry might be in line for an England return, Allardyce said: “Maybe so. I think it depends on what John said. “Maybe if I get the opportunity, I might have to give him a ring. But until I come to that selection or that process, we’ll wait and see.

Kagawa sparks Dortmund romp in German Cup n AFP, Berlin Japan midfielder Shinji Kagawa scored twice as Borussia Dortmund eased into the second round of the German Cup with a 3-0 victory away to fourth-division Eintract Trier on Monday. Kagawa struck with just eight minutes gone before adding a second on the half hour, with close-season signing Andre Schuer-

rle netting his first goal since arriving from Wolfsburg on the stroke of half-time. Croatia midfielder Alen Halilovic, who joined from Barcelona last month, grabbed the winning goal for Hamburg as they laboured to a 1-0 win at third-tier Zwickau. Werder Bremen and newly-promoted RB Leipzig were the only two Bundesliga casualties from the opening round.l

“I don’t know what the political side of that might mean, if there is a political side. I’ll have to have that conversation if I feel that John Terry may be a possibility.” Terry, capped 78 times, signed a one-year Chelsea contract extension in May and has played in their two games to date under new manager Antonio Conte. Allardyce, 61, was appointed England manager in July after Hodgson stepped down following England’s elimination at Euro 2016.l

ready,” Guardiola added. “We will need him. Sergio can’t play all season and Kelli is going to play. “We can’t achieve anything with just 11 or 12 players. We need everybody and I hope they realise that.” City next face Steaua Bucharest in the second leg of their Champions League playoff today, before hosting West Ham United in their next league clash on Sunday. l

Tite names uncapped quintet n AFP, Rio de Janeiro New Brazil head coach Tite on Monday named five uncapped players in his first 23-man squad for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Colombia in September. With several Europe-based players deemed not fit enough, Tite has turned to youth with Gabriel Jesus, Taison, Rafael Carioca, Fagner, and goalkeeper Weverton the players selected who are yet to play senior international football. Manchester City close-season signing Jesus, who is currently back on loan at former club Palmeiras, and Weverton, who made a crucial save in the penalty shootout victory over Germany in the Olympic final last week, are two of seven Rio gold medallists included. Barcelona forward Neymar, who scored the winning spot-kick as Brazil’s youngsters banished the memories of their 7-1 semi-final loss at the hands of Germany in the 2014 World Cup, has been told by club coach Luis Enrique that he can stay in Brazil until after the qualifiers. l

Sport

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

HERO’S RECEPTION

The 16-day long Rio carnival came to a glorious end on Sunday with the glitzy closing ceremony. In the span of 16 days, athletes from all around the globe created history on several occasions, including the unfancied ones from countries usually considered minnows. And after spending weeks away from their loved ones, the Olympians returned home in the last few days amid the boisterous reception accorded by the fans

Members of the the British Olympic team pose for a photograph with their medals after they arrive back from the Rio 2016 Games on a gold-tipped Boeing 747, at Heathrow airport in London yesterday. Twenty years after a stinging Olympic failure, Britain has risen from the ashes to become a sporting ‘superpower’ AFP

Rio Olympic gold medalist Fiji rugby sevens team members enter a stadium in Suva upon their arrival from Brazil on Monday. Tens of thousands of Fijians cheered AFP

Indian Olympic silver medalist PV Sindhu (R) and her coach P. Gopichand take part in a parade in Hyderabad on Monday AFP

Netherlands’ swimmer Ferry Weertman, who won a gold medal in the open water 10km marathon, holds the Dutch flag from the cockpit of a plane during the arrival of the 2016 Rio Olympic games medal winners yesterday AFP

Brazilian judoka Rafaela Silva (C) waves as she parades with her gold medal at Cidade de Deus favela, where she was born, after the Rio 2016 Olymmpic Games in Rio de Janeiro on Monday AFP

Indonesia’s badminton mixed doubles gold medallists Liliyana Natsir (L) and Tontowi Ahmad hold their medals prior to a parade in the outskirts of Jakarta yesterday AFP

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (L) applauds as cyclist and bronze medallist Stefany Hernandez (R) is honoured during the welcome ceremony of Venezuelan athletes who participated in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, at the Miraflores presidential Palace in Caracas on Monday AFP

South Africa’s Olympic medallist Caster Semenya (L) and South African sports minister Fikile Mbalula pose in Johannesburg yesterday AFP

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Hawaiian dish (3) 3 Labour (4) 6 So be it! (4) 7 Beverage (3) 9 Brave man (4) 10 Outfit (3) 11 Conceited (4) 13 Surrender (5) 16 Attempts (4) 18 Festivity (4) 19 Boring tool (3) 20 Minute particle (4) 21 Inferior horse (3) 23 Rawhide (4) 24 Part of a shoe (4) 25 Acceptance (3)

DOWN 1 Insignificant (5) 2 United (3) 4 Augury (4) 5 Zodiac sign (3) 6 Joint (5) 8 Ward off (5) 9 Conceal (4) 12 Foreign (5) 14 Article (4) 15 Parcel out (5) 17 Wise men (5) 18 Golfer's warning (4) 20 Tree (3) 22 Monkey (3)

Downtime

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODECRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 3 represents D so fill D every time the figure 3 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

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

Showtime

Iron lady Geeta Tandon n Showtime Desk In the Indian media, stuntwoman Geeta Tandon’s name is synonymous with courage. As one of the stronger contenders for the Khatro Ki Khiladi title in 2014, Geeta outperformed competitors until her 12th stunt, which led to her ouster from the show. Marrying at the young age of 15, Tandon has had a difficult life. Abused by her husband, she broke free from the marriage, leaving with her two children. From then onwards, it was an uphill ride for Tandon, despite the difficulties she faced along the way. Geeta shared great rapport with Rohit Shetty, the show’s host and her mentor, believing she would not have survived this long without the guidance and motivation from her “guru.” Today, she stands as a beacon of hope for many women that have suffered abusive relationships. “He always used to say to me, ‘If you leave me, you’ll just end up doing sex work and dancing in strip clubs,’” Geeta Tandon remembers. One of Bollywood’s leading stunt women, Geeta is used to taking risks and leaping into the unknown - and it all began when she was still a teenager and ran away from a violent husband. Despite having nowhere to go, she left with her two children. “I made up my mind I would never do that.” Over the years, she struggled to survive as a single parent in Mumbai and said yes to every opportunity that came her way as

a result of which, when a woman asked: “You seem like a bit of a tomboy, can you do stunts?” She answered with an enthusiastic, “Yes!” At the time, Tandon had never performed a stunt in her life, but she wasn’t going to turn down the chance of a paying job. Before long she found herself on the set of an Indian serial called Shakira, to perform a stunt that involved launching herself off the edge of a building with absolutely no training. Securing herself with wire cables, the crew reassured her she wouldn’t be harmed, but she wasn’t so sure. She was in need of money. And that became her opportunity. She moved from district to district desperately chasing scraps of work. One week she’d be making 250 rotis [flatbreads] a day, the next giving body massages to elderly women. She was also invited to a massage parlour. But she

found that it was nothing but a house of sex workers. As soon as she found out, she was horrified. “I wanted to do something with integrity. I wanted to be able to look in the mirror and not feel guilty about anything I did.” She added. Six years, and hundreds of highly technical stunts later, Tandon now has more than enough work to get by. She’s one of Bollywood’s most skilled and daring stunt performers, and one of the very few action women willing to take part in a high-speed car chase. It’s precisely her ability to play as hard and fast as the boys that makes her so great at her job. She doesn’t mind that some people don’t regard it as a suitable job for a woman. Attitudes to women in India are still in dire need of change, she says. One thing that disturbs her is that countless women, having heard her story, have written to say that they too are trapped in abusive marriages. “They can’t leave because of the way they will be treated by the Indian society,” Tandon says. “Women deserve more respect.” l

Farid Ali dies at 75

n Showtime Desk Those who have childhood memories of the golden period of BTV, can never forget a popular dialogue, “Taka den Dubai jamu, Dubai jamu taka den” of Jabbar Ali drama series. The actor Farid Ali, who used to say this, died at the age of 75 on August 22, Monday. He was suffering from heart disease for quite a long time. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took

reponsibility for his treatment when he was admitted to the hospital. Farid Ali was a great actor who started his career with Amjad Hoassain’s film, Dharapat (1966). Since then he has acted in many movies like Jibon Trishna, Slogan, Chanda, Daag, Odhikar, etc. He even worked in a lot of TV dramas. The Jabbar Ali series was one of them. The industry is remembering him with honour and respect. l

DiCaprio consoles girlfriend, moments after car crash

Source: BBC

n Showtime Desk Leonardo DiCaprio and Nina Agdal were spotted showing public displays of affection once again, but this time for an unfortunate incident. The couple, who have been dating since July, were pictured comforting one another, moments after their Hamptons car accident on Saturday. DiCaprio, 41, was dressed casually in a white T-shirt and shorts, and Agdal, 24, wore a Guns N’ Roses tank top and black leggings. The actor’s Range Rover

was involved in an accident with a Mini Cooper vehicle. DiCaprio and Agdal walked away unharmed, and the driver of the other car appeared uninjured. Police and an ambulance were called to the scene. After the crash, the Oscar winner was seen hugging his girlfriend and making her smile on the side of the road. He also went to check on the driver of the Mini Cooper and guided her off the street. A source close to DiCaprio confirmed that ‘all are doing great’ after the minor fenderbender. l

Humayun Faridi’s last flick to release on Friday

WHAT TO WATCH

2012 Movies Now 5:10pm A frustrated writer struggles to keep his family alive when a series of global catastrophes threatens to annihilate mankind. Cast: John Cusack, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amanda Peet, Liam James, Morgan Lily Real Steel Star Movies 9:30pm In the near future, robot boxing is a top sport. A struggling promoter feels he’s found a champion in a discarded robot. Cast: Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo, Evangeline Lilly, Anthony Mackie, Kevin Durand

Iconic actor, Humayun Faridi passed away on February 13, 2012, and before that he wrapped up a leading role in the film Ek Jobaner Jamidar, Here Gelen Ebar, a directorial venture of Uttam Akash. Though in 2011, the filming and dubbing part of Faridi were completed, but the depurture of Nazim Uddin Chairman, the film’s producer, put the film’s future in doubt. However, four years apart from the death of Humayun Faridi, and leaving behind all the complications regarding the theatrical release, the production company finally confirmed the film’s release date. Nironjon Sarkar, one of the

associate directors of the film, said that the film will be released in more than 60 theatres throughout the country this coming Friday. In the film, Humayun Faridi plays a jamidar who is a man of his word. Sometimes, he falls upon in hapless circumstances just because he was so adamant to keep his promises. Considering comfort of his granddaughter, he gave words to a young man, and this leads to losing all of his estate to the young man. The film, which earned the censor board nod last March, casts Amin Khan, Chadni, Omar Sani, Mizu Ahmed, Nasrin, and Kabila in leads, alongside Humayun Faridi. l

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

Surprise hit for Bollywood n Showtime Desk

Congo HBO 5:30pm When an expedition to the African Congo ends in disaster, a new team is assembled to find out what went wrong. Cast: Laura Linney, Dylan Walsh, Ernie Hudson, Tim Curry, Bruce Campbell

n Showtime Desk

Transporter 3 WB 9:00pm Frank Martin puts the driving gloves on to deliver Valentina, the kidnapped daughter of a Ukranian government official, from Marseilles to Odessa on the Black Sea. En route, he has to contend with thugs who want to intercept Valentina’s safe delivery and not let his personal feelings get in the way of his dangerous objective. Cast: Jason Statham, François Berléand, Robert Knepper, Natalya Rudakova, Eriq Ebouaney l

Showtime

Diana Penty made a comeback to films with Happy Bhag Jayegi. The actress was joined by the fun triumvirate of Ali Fazal, Abhay Deol, and Jimmy Shergill. The film released last Friday, and has turned out to be a huge surprise at the box office. The film opened to a decent Rs2.32 crore on Friday, but it only grew over the weekend. The figures

might be low compared to other films but considering industry standards, the growth has been tremendous. The film raked around Rs3.81 crore on Saturday and almost doubled its Friday figures on Sunday. With Rs4.58 crore on Sunday, the film has now earned Rs10.71 crore in three days. The positive word of mouth has helped the film, and it’s slowly turning out to be a surprise hit this year. l

Back Page

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2016

DEFAULT LOANS RISE BY TK4,000CR IN JUNE PAGE 12

SAINTFIET BEGINS TO IMPLANT IDEAS PAGE 24

DEATH OF YASMIN

A day to resist violence against women n

Bipul Sarker Sunny, Dinajpur

The day when teenager Yasmin Akhter was gang-raped and killed in police custody in Dinajpur on this day 21 years ago triggered massive outcry for justice across the country. It has since been observed as a day of resistance against violence against women. Yasmin, 14, used to work as a housemaid in Dhaka. On August 23, she was going to her village home in Dinajpur but as she boarded a wrong bus, she got down at Dosh Mile bus stoppage. A police patrol van picked her up assuring that they would drop her at home safely. But her body was found near the same spot after several hours.

People waged demonstrations in different districts demanding exemplary punishment for the accused. On August 27, seven people including Shamu, Siraj and Qader were killed in Dinajpur town as the police opened fire on a procession. In the face of resistance, the authorities filed a case against three police members. The CID submitted charge sheet against nine people including the then superintendent of police on charges of rape, murder, negligence and damaging evidence. The trial began on September 21, 1996 and the three policemen were sentenced to death on August 31 the following year. SI Mainul Islam and constable Abdus Sattar

were hanged on September 1, 2004 while pick-up van driver Amritalal Barman on September 28. Two decades after the death of Yasmin, events of policeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reluctance to take rape cases and delaying in arresting the accused are still prevalent. Four people were killed in police firing on September 18 last year while demonstrating at Kalihati of Tangail demanding the arrest of a local influential for raping a woman in front of her son and others. In May, the High Court ordered the government to ensure that police handle rape cases sincerely after it learnt that a gang rape victim was not given proper attention at three police stations. l

IRON LADY GEETA TANDON PAGE 30

Six to die for rape of factory worker Ripon, n Asaduzzaman Narsingdi A special tribunal in Narsingdi yesterday sentenced six youths to death for gang-raping a worker of Pran RFL Group and filming the incident two years ago. Judge Shamim Ahmed of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal also fined them Tk1 lakh each. The death-row convicts are Ashiqur Rahman, 35, son of late Kudrat Ali; Ilias, 21, son of Tajul Islam; Rumen, 20, son of Siraj Sheikh; Robin, 20, son of Hanifa; Ibrahim, 22, son of Montu Miah; and Abdur Rahman, 24, son of Salam Miah. All of them are the residents of Bhatpara village under Sadar upazila. Additionally, Ibrahim and Abdur Rahman were given seven yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

rigorous imprisonment and fined Tk2 lakh each under the Pornography Act. The tribunal gave the verdict examining evidence and depositions of 12 prosecution witnesses. The convicts have been given seven days to file appeals against the judgement with the High Court. According to the case, the convicts picked up the female worker from near Janata Jute Mill area under Palash Upazila when she was returning home from work around 9pm on May 17, 2013. She was taken to a place and gang-raped. At that time, one of the convicts recorded the incident on his mobile phone. Later the woman was released and threatened not to disclose the incident. A factory official filed a case against the six with Polash police the following day. l

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