30 Aug, 2016 by DhakaTribune

SECOND EDITION

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

Bhadra 15, 1423, Zilqad 25, 1437

Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 125

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

Kerry: Bangladesh has extraordinary development story US Secretary of State John Kerry yesterday praised Bangladesh saying that it had an extraordinary development story. “Bangladesh has an extraordinary development story,” he tweeted expressing his satisfaction over his meeting with Sheikh Hasina. Kerry started his visit by paying respect to Father of the Nation and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in the city. He also delivered a speech for civil society members and youngsters at the EMK Center in Dhanmondi. Opposition Leader in Parliament Raushan Ershad and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia met him separately. He had a meeting at the US Embassy here, too. US Secretary of State John Kerry left here for New Delhi yesterday

evening wrapping up his hectic nine-hour visit that covered a series of meetings with Bangladesh leadership and opposition leaders. State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam saw him off at the airport, said an official. Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque, Bangladesh Ambassador to the US Mohammad Ziauddin and US Ambassador Marcia Bernicat were also present at the airport. Before leaving Dhaka, he had meetings with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and had “important discussions on security issues, strong support in fighting against terrorism and violent extremism.” l 

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina greets US Secretary of State John Kerry at the Prime Minister’s Office in Dhaka yesterday after he went there to meet the premier

PMO

n Tribune Desk

News

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

Kerry: BD moving ahead in line with Bangabandhu’s vision n Tribune Desk Bangladesh is moving ahead in line with Bangabandhu’s vision under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s strong leadership, US Secretary of State John Kerry has said. He came up with this observation while writing in the comment book at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi Road 32 yesterday. The top US diplomat visited the house – where Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members were killed in 1975 – to pay respect to Bangladesh’s father of the nation. In the comment book of the museum, Kerry wrote: “What a tragedy to have such brilliant and courageous leadership stolen from the people of Bangladesh in such a moment of violence and cowardice. But today, Bangladesh is growing in the vision of Bangabandhu – and under the strong leadership of his daughter. “The United States is proud to be a friend and strong supporter of the fulfilment of his vision. We look forward to growing and working together for peace and prosperity,” Kerry wrote in his fine penmanship. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam and Sheikh Rehana’s son Radwan Mujib Siddiq welcomed Kerry at the museum in the morning, UNB reports. Kerry arrived in Dhaka yesterday on a nine-hour visit packed with a series of meetings to discuss bilateral and global issues that both sides expected to take the relations to “new heights.” Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali received Kerry at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on his arrival at 9:45am from Geneva by a US Air Force Boeing 757.l

Raushan briefly meets Kerry n UNB Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Raushan Ershad at a programme yesterday had talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry and briefly discussed on how both countries can better fight against terrorism. Touching upon issues of Bangladesh’s interest, Raushan told Kerry that prosperity can defeat terrorism and laid emphasis on job-oriented education so that more employments can be generated in Bangladesh. She shared with the reporters what she told Kerry during her apparently informal discussion at the EMK Center. l

US considering extradition request for Bangabandhu killers n Tribune Desk The United States is considering Bangladesh’s request to extradite the killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who are now believed to be living on US soil. US Secretary of State John Kerry made the comment in response to a request from Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is also the daughter of Sheikh Mujib.

The main legal effort of extradition from the US is being carried out by reputed New York-based law firm Skadden for the past two years During an hour-long meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office yesterday, Hasina requested Kerry to extradite the killers of Bangabandhu who were now living in the US. In reply, Kerry said: “I understand your sensitivity, the issue is under review.” Currently, the Bangladesh government is pursuing diplomatic and legal efforts to bring back six death-row fugitive killers of Bang-

US Secretary of State John Kerry, middle, takes a look around the exhibits at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in Dhanmondi, Dhaka yesterday, accompanied by Bangabandhu’s grandson Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby, left, and State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam PID abandhu. At least one of Bangabandhu’s fugitive killers, Rashed Chowdhury, is believed to be now living in the US. Recently, Home Minister As-

aduzzaman Khan Kamal told journalists that he has learnt that death-row convict Rashed’s current location was in the US. Law Minister Anisul Huq also confirmed that Rashed was now

living in the US. The main legal effort of extradition from the US is being carried out by reputed New York-based law firm Skadden for the past two years. l

Who knew John Kerry has such nice handwriting?

Kerry tweets about Bangladesh

n Tribune Desk

US Secretary of State John Kerry created quite an impression during his 12-hour trip to Bangladesh. In addition to meeting with the prime minister and BNP chairperson, he also found the time to pay respect to the Father of the Nation at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, penning a graceful and heartfelt tribute in the museum’s guest book. In addition to the eloquence of his words, we could not help but notice that his penmanship (see picture) matched the elegance of his sentiments. He wrote: “What a tragedy to have such brilliant and courageous leadership stolen from the people of Bangladesh in such a moment of violence and cowardice. But, today Bangladesh is growing in the vision of Bangabandhu – and under the strong

leadership of his daughter. The United States is proud to be a friend and strong supporter of the fulfillment of his vision. We look

forward to growing and working together for peace and prosperity. Warm regards, John F. Kerry” l

The Foreign Secretary of the United States of America John Forbes Kerry completed his day-long visit to Bangladesh yesterday. He visited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office where he tweeted: “#Bangladesh has an extraordinary development story. Pleased to meet w/ PM Sheikh Hasina today.” Secretary Kerry came to Bangladesh to discusses several bilateral issues and discuss the current issue of global terrorism that has also affected Bangladesh on July 1 with the Gulshan attack. Kerry also tweeted: “Important discussions today in #Bangladesh incl. on security issues & our strong support in fighting against violent extremism.” He left Dhaka for New Delhi yesterday evening to attend the second India-US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue. l

News

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

Kerry: United States to work with Bangladesh to fight terrorism n Tribune Desk The United States has said it would work together with Bangladesh to fight terrorism and reiterated its offer to provide experts to this end. “We would fight with Bangladesh to combat terrorism… We have enough experts in this regard and we could help Bangladesh by giving these experts,” US Secretary of State John Kerry said when he called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office yesterday. Kerry also expressed US interest to work closely with intelligence

agencies of Bangladesh to fight terrorism. “We need to exchange information to combat terrorism,” he said.

support in fighting against violent extremism.” After the meeting, PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told re-

The IS has been cornered in the region due to the operation and many IS terrorists were now returning home in the face of the attack Kerry also posted on his official Twitter account: “Important discussions today in #Bangladesh incl. on security issues & our strong

porters that the one-hour meeting between Hasina and Kerry was held in a very cordial and warm atmosphere where issues of bilateral

relations were reviewed. The US secretary of state also highly praised Bangladesh’s development in socio-economic progress, saying Bangladesh has been doing “brilliantly” in the sector. “We have partnered with Bangladesh in its economic progress and other issues,” he said. Kerry also showed his country’s eagerness to work closely with Bangladesh in other sectors like climate, health and energy, BSS reports. Talking about the ongoing anti-Islamic State drive in the Middle

East, he said the IS has been cornered in the region due to the operation and many IS terrorists were now returning home in the face of the attack. When the Bangladesh premier recalled the assassination of Bangabandhu and most of his family members in 1975 and requested the US to extradite the killers living in the United States, Kerry said he understood Hasina’s concern. “The issue [of extradition] is under review by the US government,” he said. l

Kerry, Khaleda discuss prevailing situation n Tribune Desk

US Secretary of State John Kerry talks with BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday at the US Embassy

DHAKA TRIBUNE

US Secretary of State John Kerry met with BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday to discuss different issues of the country, including the existing political and human rights situation of Bangladesh. During the meeting, Kerry expressed his country’s interest in bringing a stable situation and ensuring democracy and the rule of law in Bangladesh, said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. “They [the US] are hopeful, as are we, about economic development of Bangladesh with cooperation from the US. At the same time, democracy will be established here,” said Fakhrul, who accompa-

nied Khaleda to the meeting, which lasted more than half an hour at the US Embassy in Dhaka. Two other leaders of the BNP, standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and Khaleda’s Adviser Sabihuddin Ahmed, were also present. After the meeting, Fakhrul told journalists that they discussed about the upcoming general election of Bangladesh, the country’s democracy, human rights, militancy and terrorism situation, the rule of law and different issues. Responding to a query on whether there was any talk over the BNP’s claim that there was no democracy or elected government in the country, Fakhrul only said: “We had discussions.” l

Kerry: Islamic State connected to Bangladesh terrorists n Tribune Desk

The United States believes that elements of Islamic State are “connected” to operatives in Bangladesh, Secretary of State John Kerry said yesterday, directly contradicting the narrative of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government which has blamed home-grown militants for the recent wave of militant attacks. During his one-day visit to Dhaka, Kerry said that Islamic State had contacts around the world, including in South Asia, adding: “They are connected to some degree with some of the operatives here, and we made that very clear in our conversations [with Hasina].” He also promised to provide help with intelligence and law en-

forcement in the wake of the recent string of militant attacks in Bangladesh, reports Reuters. Responding to questions, Kerry said he had a “very candid” conversation with the Bangladesh prime minister. But as Kerry’s motorcade headed to the US Embassy for meetings with opposition leaders, a government minister directly contradicted the US secretary of state. “I told him [Kerry] that there is no such terrorist or militants from outside or who are connected with the [Islamic State], but there are militants inside our country and they are home-grown,” Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said.

Security cooperation

Kerry said “there is much we can

do to cooperate” in the fields of intelligence and law enforcement to address security threats from both domestic and trans-national organisations. “That is the nature of the beast that we are dealing with today,” Kerry said. “I am absolutely confident that we will build additional capacity and it will be effective.” In a speech, Kerry also touched on the need to uphold democratic principles “to defeat terrorists” and expressed concern over upholding the rights of workers. Bangladesh’s economy depends heavily on the fortunes of the $28bn garment industry, which is struggling to improve a poor safety record epitomised by the Rana Plaza disaster of 2013 in which a

factory collapse killed more than 1,100 people. Kerry was making his first visit to Bangladesh. His armoured SUV hit a gate in front of the US Embassy, but he was not hurt.

‘Eye off the ball’

Bangladesh’s secular government has continued to enjoy the West’s support despite mounting concerns over its handling of the escalation in militant activity. Michael Kugelman of The Wilson Centre, a Washington-based think tank, said the US administration had not paid enough attention to the growing terror threats in Bangladesh, which is now impacting Americans. “It has arguably taken its eye off

the ball even as this threat has begun to directly affect Americans,” he said. Two days before Kerry’s visit, Bangladeshi security forces killed three militants, including Bangladeshi-born Canadian citizen Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury, who was suspected of being the mastermind behind the attack at Gulshan’s Holey Artisan Bakery that killed 24 people including a US citizen. Tamim is reported to have been the subject of a profile in an Islamic State journal called Dabiq that identified him as its top operative in Bangladesh. The Syria-based militant group had also claimed the other Gulshan attackers as their operatives in Bangladesh. l

News

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

Biman asks hajj pilgrims to confirm tickets n Tribune Desk

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has requested hajj pilgrims to confirm their air tickets with the national flag carrier by today. In a statement yesterday, Biman said they apprehend that those who have not yet collected their tickets may face problems in going to Jeddah. The statement came after Biman had to cancel 15 flights as hajj pilgrims did not buy air tickets or booked seats in time to fulfil the seat capacity of the aircraft. In light of the existing situation, all pilgrims were requested to confirm their tickets with Biman or else the management would not be able take any responsibilities for them. Under the circumstances, the Bangladesh government also plans to seek more landing slots at Jeddah airport for Biman to smoothly transport hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. At a recent inter-ministerial meeting at the secretariat, Biman Managing Director and CEO Mosaddique Ahmed asked all hajj agencies to confirm air tickets with Biman; otherwise, the situation would deteriorate. A marketing official of Biman said the national flag carrier plans to carry around 51,000 hajj pilgrims this year, while 50,758 more would be carried by Saudia Airlines. Biman Bangladesh Airlines will operate a total of 278 flights to carry hajj pilgrims. Of them, 144 flights would be pre-hajj operation and 134 for post-hajj operation. To transport hajj pilgrims this year, Biman has leased a Boeing 747 with a capacity of carrying over 500 people from Malaysian Airlines. l

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali greets US Secretary of State John Kerry at the Dhaka airport after he landed yesterday for a brief visit

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Foreign Minister: Talks with Kerry was open, fruitful n BSS Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali yesterday said Bangladesh and the United States held open and fruitful talks encompassing issues of bilateral ties and cooperation in areas including militancy and trade as US Secretary of State John Kerry met with senior Bangladesh ministers. “We had a very open discussion on issues of Bangladesh-US relations... it was a fruitful discussion,” Ali said during a media briefing along with Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Home Minister Asa-

duzzaman Khan and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam, emerging from the talks with Kerry at state guest house Padma. Ali said the issues of cooperation in combating terrorism and militancy largely dominated the talks but he declined to elaborate the details immediately saying this briefing was not a befitting time for elaboration. “These are issues to be disclosed gradually,” he said. Ali, however, said Kerry was very appreciative of Bangladesh’s ongoing fight against militancy and

terrorism with particular mention of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s “zero tolerance policy” in this regard. “Kerry also praised our development initiatives saying Bangladesh is marching forward,” the foreign minister said. Asked if the issue of duty and quota-free (DFQF) access of Bangladeshi products came up in the discussion, the commerce minister answered in the affirmative. “Discussions were fruitful... we said the US will have to give us the facility and he agreed to consider

the request,” Ahmed said. Ali said being a disciple of the then Democrat US senator Edward Kennedy, Kerry himself was supportive of Bangladesh’s 1971 independence along with several other senators, ordinary US people and the media though the then US administration was opposed to “our independence.” “We have conferred several of them (US nationals) with state honour for their supports to our cause in 1971,” Ali said. The meeting was followed up by a working lunch. l

Solar power plant planned in Sirajganj n Aminur Rahman Rasel For the first time the state-owned North-West Power Generation Company Limited (NWPGCL) is going to set up a 7.6MW solar power plant in Sirajganj to generate electricity for the national grid. The company has already sent a development project proposal (DPP) to the executive committee of the national economic council (ECNEC) for approval. It has also selected a contractor, Power Point Korea, through a tender process for the construction of the plant. NWPGCL invited tenders for the

project on December 17, 2015. “We have sought approval from the Planning Ministry for the proposed project. Soon after getting approval, we will start construction work on the plant,” NWPGCL Managing Director AM Khurshedul Alam told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday. “We have undertaken the project to install a photovoltaic (PV) power plant at Syedabad in Sirajganj as part of our renewable energy programme,” he said. “We have a lot of barren land beside the Jamuna River at Syedabad. These lands will be used to set up

the PV solar power plant,” he added. The Sirajganj plant will be set up on 23.75 acres of land that would cost around Tk1.25 billion (US$16.02 million). The government has set a target of 3,490MW production that will be implemented by NWPGCL under the master plan. Out of 3,490 MW, 100MW will be based on renewable energy source. The contractor will build the proposed power plant by June 2018. With increased awareness of the adverse effects of global warming due to greenhouse gas emissions,

efforts have been made all over the world to curb emission by increasing energy generation from renewable energy resources, Khurshedul said. Currently, NWPGCL is the owner of two combined cycle dual-fuel power plants - Sirajganj 225MW and Khulna 225MW. The company is working to set up a 360MW gas-based combined cycle plant in Bheramara, another 400MW capacity unit-4 of a dual-fuel plant at Sirajganj through joint venture with a Singaporean company and a 1320MW coal-based power plant at Payra through a JV

with China. The government earlier awarded contracts to set up two solar-based plants in Dhorola and Sharishabari. Contractors of the projects – ETERN-HAREON Consortium and IFE-CPC-JEL Consortium – will implement the projects, which will have the capacity of 30MW and 3MW. On October 1 last year, the Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase approved a proposal for setting up a 200MW solar park in Teknaf on a build-own-operate basis. It will be implemented by SunEdision Energy Holding (Singapore) Pte Ltd. l

News

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

‘N’ganj building used for JMB, militant training’ n Tanveer Hossain, Narayanganj The top-floor flat of the three-storey building in Paikpara, Narayanganj, where three militants were killed in a police raid on Saturday, was not only a militant den but also a training centre for members of new Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), according to a case filed by police over the raid. Narayanganj Sadar Model police station OC Asaduzzaman filed the case under the Anti-Terrorism Act on Saturday night, accusing 10 or 11 persons of being involved in militancy. According to the case details, at least four or five militants lived in the flat besides the dead ones,

a safe haven for the militants. Militants – members of the NEW JMB and other militant groups – often visited the flat, where the residents, especially Gulshan attack mastermind Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury, helped them with funds, weapons, explosives, training and suggestions. Before they were killed in the raid, the three militants destroyed a number of documents upon realising that they had been surrounded by police, said Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque on Saturday. “We could have gotten more information on militant operations if we had been able to arrest the militants alive, or recover the

while seven or eight more militants frequently visited it. One of the militants who were killed in the raid was a listed suspect in a case filed with Mirpur police in Dhaka over Kallayanpur militant den. The flat in Paikpara, located on the north side of the building, was rented by two of the trio under the aliases Murad and Ronnie. According to locals and well as police sources, the location of the building was strategically convenient for the militants. Due to different businesses based in the area, Paikpara is well connected, with Dhaka city only 30 minutes away. The relatively lax presence of law enforcement makes the place a haven for criminals and

documents before they were destroyed,” said Additional Deputy Commissioner Md Sanwar Hossain, in-charge of police’s bomb disposal unit. “However, we found some papers, memory cards and a broken laptop, so we might be able to extract some information.” Sanwar further said police spent two hours to persuade the militants to surrender. But the militants opted to attack the police, which led to the operation. <Building owner remanded for concealing tenant info> A Narayanganj court has placed Nuruddin Dewan, owner of the three-storey building, on remand for three days for interrogation re-

garding the militants who rented a flat in his house. Narayanganj Senior Judicial Magistrate Mehedi Hasan passed the order yesterday afternoon after police produced Nuruddin, 60, before the court seeking a seven-day remand. He was shown arrested under Section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure for concealing information about the tenants. He was arrested with nine other people on Saturday following the police raid, but the nine others were released later. During primary interrogation, Nuruddin said two of the militants rented the flat using the aliases Murad and Ronnie. l

Cabinet approves zilla parishad polls, RSTP n Shohel Mamun

People wait in long queues at Kamalapur Railway Station in Dhaka yesterday on the first day of advance train ticket sale for Eid-ul-Azha holidays DHAKA TRIBUNE

Brand Managers Summit announced n Tribune Desk Brand Managers Summit 2016, an international conference for marketing professionals, is going to be held on October 7, organisers have officially announced. Artistry Marketing and Communications Limited, which will be managing the event, made the announcement through a press conference on Sunday at The Westin Dhaka in Gulshan. Sunday’s event also saw a grand reception for Brand Ambassador Masud A Khan, chairman of Better Bangladesh Foundation (BBF), for showcasing Bangladesh in C20 – Civil Society Summit 2016 – in Qingdao, China. At the press conference, Artistry

TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY

THUNDERSHOWER WITH RAIN TUESDAY, AUGUST 30

proven tactics from innovators in brand management. They can also take away the best practices and find out how to make a good use of brands in order to outperform your competition, smooth your marketing processes and grow your profits. The press conference was attended by Nabi Newaz, MP Jhenaidah 4, as chief guest. Others who attended the conference are Col Motaher Hasan, advisor of ATN Bangla, Helena Jahangir, chief of Joyjatra Foundation, and Roseline, director of BBF and moderator of the programme. At the summit, there will also be a Brand Managers Award, first of its kind in Bangladesh. To get nominations and buy tickets, people can visit www.artistrymcl.com. l

CEO Partha Pratim Choudhury said Brand Managers Summit is a key event designed to bring top-level strategic advice and insights for contemporary professionals. The summit will address brand managers and marketing professionals who want to challenge their strategic thinking and drive the growth of their brands, he added. By participating in the summit they will find out the new approaches in marketing and learn how to apply them efficiently. Some of the world’s thought-leading speakers from all major brand consultancies in the world and renowned brand leaders will share their learnings and best practices, he said. During the summit sessions, participants can learn the methods and Dhaka

Chittagong

Rajshahi

DHAKA TODAY SUN SETS 6:18PM

Rangpur

RSTP approved

The cabinet has given final approval to the Zilla Parishad Act (Amendment) 2016, clearing way for holding the polls for the first time. Briefing reporters at the secretariat yesterday after a cabinet meeting, Cabinet Secretary Shafiul Alam said it would be “published soon” as an ordinance. The Zilla Parishad polls will likely be held in December, as per the plan. The cabinet secretary said: “Elected public representatives of city corporations, municipalities, union parishads and upazila parishads will vote in the polls under an electoral college which would be formed according to the draft.” “The Zilla Parishad will comprise of a chairman and 20 members, including five from reserved seats,” he added. Shafiul Alam said “Anyone breaching the electoral codes can face up to six months in jail or Tk50,000 fine or both of the punishment.”

Khulna

Barisal

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:40AM

36.4ºC Rajshahi

24.3ºC Rangpur

Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES

The cabinet has also approved the Revised Strategic Transport Plan which aims to fix a master plan for 20 years (2015-2035) to ensure a disciplined road and transport system for Dhaka and adjacent districts. As per the RSTP, the government will build large scale infrastructure including five metro rails, two bus rapid transit routes, three ring roads, eight radial roads, six elevated expressways and 21 transportation hubs. Construction work of the first metro rail (Mass Rapid Transit line 1) and Bus Rapid Transit has already been started with a plan to complete the project by December 2019. The revised STP also proposed for the development of traffic safety and traffic management and reconstitution of the city public transport system through route rationalisation, formation of companies of operators and relocation of bus terminals. l

Sylhet

Cox’s Bazar

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

News

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

Fatehpur railway overpass yet to complete in 3yrs

7 members of inter-district robbery gang held

n Rafikul Islam, Feni

Police arrested seven alleged members of an inter-district robbery gang along with firearms and ammunitions from Satkania upazila in the district early Monday. The arrestees were Mohsin Kaisar, 48, Abul Kashem, 40, Sankar Chowdhury, 52, Md Jahangir Alam, 32, Samsul Alam, 48, Jakir Hossain, 35, and Md Monir, 25, said Additional Superintendent of Police Md Habibur Rahman at a press briefing in Chittagong District SP Office on Monday. Acting on secret information that a group of armed robbers was

It has been three years since the construction of Fatehpur Railway overpass in Feni started, but the work on the walkway is yet to be finished, has remained incompetent causing sufferings to the people. According to local sources, Shipo PBL Ltd, a construction farm, had been entrusted with the construction work in 2012. The time frame of finishing of the work has been fixed three years. But the firm could not complete the work.

Locals alleged that passengers on the highway suffered a lot as long tailback is regular incident for lack of overpass. The Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges had taken the project at cost of Tk100 crore. Project Director Mozaffar Ahmed said Communication Minister Obaidul Kader had suspended the Shipo PBL Ltd as it could not complete the work within the stipulated time. Later, another company had been given the charge for complet-

ing the work. Another sources said about 60% work had been completed and the total work would be finished within one year. Locals said the instruments were damaged, as it had been lying idle on the roadside for a long. They urged the government to complete the work immediately as the rainy season has already begun. The minister, when visited the area few months before, said the work of the bypass would be completed within 4 months. l

Mizanur Rahaman, n FM Chittagong

preparing for a robbery, a team of Satkania police conducted a drive around 12am at Demsha union and arrested the first four alleged robbers from Napiter Char village. The police recovered a barrel gun, a light gun and 18 rounds bullets from a tea stall at the village, said Habibur. Sensing the presence of the police, three others of the gang managed to flee the spot though they were arrested from Amilaish union later in the night. Based on their confession, the police recovered six bullets, cleavers and machetes digging out earth near a pond in the union. l

Father kills daughter n Nazmul Huda Nasim, Bogra A father killed his only daughter, as she refused to get married as per his decision in Kahalu upazila of Bogra early Monday. Sadia Khatun, daughter of Shafikul Islam Khokon of Maheshpur village in the upazila, was a student of class 9 in Kahalu Tairun Nesa High School. The father fixed her marriage with his selected person three days after the upcoming holy Eid-ul-Azha, as he came to know that Sadia, 15, had developed an affair with a youth, locals said. Shafikul hit Sadia on her head with a rod during an altercation with

her over the issue, leaving her dead instantly. He went into hiding soon after the incident. Police recovered the dead body while the family members of Sadia were about to bury the body in the morning. The police sent the body to Bogra Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital morgue. Nur- A- Alam Siddiki, officer-in-charge of Kahalu police staion, confirmed the incident though he could not ascertain the reason behind the killing instantly. No case had been filed till filing of the report at 6.30pm. l

A human chain was formed in front of New Market in Chapainawabganj district town yesterday, protesting land grabbing of indigenous people AZAHAR UDDIN

4 students held with firearm

BCL man jailed for disgracing lawmaker on FB

Four university students were held with firearm from a dormitory in Kotbari Sanonda area in the district yesterday. The arrested were Monirul Islam, son of Abul Hossen of Joylaskar village in Feni and student of English department, Nurul Islam, son of Akkas Ali of Gotramondol village under Kalamkanda upazila of Netrakona and student of Public Administration department at Comilla University, Alamgir Hossen, son of Abul Khaer and Arif Hossen, son of Abdur Rahim of Joykamta village in Sadar upazila and student of CCN University of Science and Technology. Sadar Model police station Sub-Inspector Khademul Bahar said on a tip-off, a team of police raided the dormitory and arrested the four with a revolver and some books and leaflets of Islami Chhatra Shibir. The police suspected the arrested might be the Shibir activists. A case was filed in this connection. l

n Anisur Rahman Swapan, Barisal

n Mohiuddin Molla, Comilla

An activist of Ruling Awami League’s student front Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) has been sent to jail, as he disgraced a female AL lawmaker on his Facebook wall. Junayed Ahmed Sumon, a student of Social Welfare department at Barisal Government BM College, copied a photo of Jebunnessa Afroj from her Facebook account and attached the upper portion of the photo with the lower part of the body of an Indian model’s photo.

He posted the modified photo on his Facebook wall and commented that the lawmaker now turned to a model, said Shah Md Awlad Hossain, officer-in –charge of Kotwali police station. Shoyeb Ahmed Sejan, the city Jubo League (the youth wing of AL) activist, lodged a case after he noticed the post on the social media. The police arrested Sujon from Kawnia area on early Monday and produced him before a Barisal Metropolitan Magistrate court that sent him to jail. l

Flood situation improves n Tribune Desk Flood situation in Kushtia district has improved as the water level of the Padma River has started receding. According to Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), the water level has receded 8cm in last two days. Earlier, 30 villages of Daulatpur upazila in Kushtia district were flooded as the wa-

ter level of the Padma river increased after the Indian authority opened the floodgates of Farakka Barrage. Executive Engineer (North Region) Jahurul haque of BWDB, said the water is flowing under 14cm of the danger level in Handdinge Bridge point area. Executive Engineer of Kushtia BWDB Noimul Haque said the overall flood situation in Daulatpur and Bheramara upazila is static. l

News

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

MOVEMENT OVER REALISATION OF JNU DORM LAND

BCL calls separate programme, attacks agitators n Rafikul Islam The movement of the students of Jagannath University (JnU) over realisation of land of old Dhaka jail for construction of dormitories has been divided into two groups, as leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Chhatra League, university unit called separate programme. The BCL yesterday announced that they would hold a rally on the campus today while Left-leaning parties to stage demonstration on the premises of Central Shaheed Minar. Left-leaning parties of the university unit have been observing different types of agitation programmes since August 2 demand-

ing allocation of land of old Dhaka jail which has remained vacated since the jail shifted to Keraniganj, outskirt of the capital. Campus sources said since the beginning, the BCL men wanted leadership of the movement, but the leftist parties have been observing programmes keeping BCL, the students’ front of the ruling party Awami League, in the sideline. President of BCL university unit FM Shariful Islam said Chhatra League usually led the students of the university, so it was obvious that it would lead all the movements regarding students’ interest. “So we [BCL] will lead the movement to realise the vacated land of

old Dhaka jail from the authorities concerned,” he added. Pointing fingers at left leaning parties, he said: “Who are they to lead the movement?” Bangladesh Chhatta Union President, JnU Unit, Al-Amin said the BCL was trying to foil the movement of general students which they did in 2014. When general students tried to bring out a procession, BCL men snatched banners, posters and leaflets from students which was the indication that the Chhatra League was not with students’ demand. The BCL men also threatened Rakibul Rawshan, vice-president of the Bangladesh Chhatra Union,

with dire consequence. Campus sources said, leaders and activists of BCL swooped on agitating students in the morning, leaving over 100 students injured. Al-Amin said as a part of their scheduled programme, they took position on the campus around 8am. Suddenly, BCL leaders and activists led by its President Shariful Islam and Secretary SM Sirajul Islam attacked them. About 25 students were rushed to nearly clinics and hospitals soon after the attack as they were critically injured. “I also received injuries. Now, I am undergoing treatment at Medinova Hospital at Paltan,” told Alam

to the Dhaka Tribune over phone. General Secretary of BCL, JnU unit SM Sirajul Islam said: “They tried to drive out those people who were outsiders who wanted to create anarchy in old Dhaka,” he said. “We will stage protest at Shaheed Minar. No class and examination will be held tomorrow at JnU, said the BCL leader.” Authorities of the university have already appealed to the government to give allocation of the land the public university. On August 21, meanwhile, the authorities of the university formed an 11-member comitee led by business faculty dean Moniruzzaman to talk with agitators. l

Two suspected JMB militant killed in gunfight n Nazmul Huda Nasim, Bogra Two suspected JMB militant accused of trying to kill Italian national Piero Parolari in Dinajpur last year were killed in a gunfight yesterday with police at Sherpur of Bogra. The deceased were Khaled Hasan alias Badar Mama, 32, JMB‘s northern region military wing commander and son of Enamul Haque at Hamidpur village under Nachol upazila of Chapainawbganj and Ripon, 28, assistant of Khaled hailed from Boalia, Rajshahi. Acording to police sources, on a tip-off, a team of police raided Sirajnagar village while the JMB men were holding a secrere meeting. Sensing the presence of the lawenforcers criminals opened fire

trigerring a gunfight. In the gunfight, two of the militants and two policemen were injured. The injured were rushed to Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital where doctors declared the militants dead. Police recovered a pistol, bullets, materials to make grenades from the spot. Khan Mohammad Erfan, officerin-charge of Sherpur police station, said Khalid was accused in several cases including that of life attempt on Italian doctor Piero Parolari in Dinajpur in November 2015 and bombing of the Kantaji temple. On June 14, a suspected member of JMB, who was accused in the attack on a Shia mosque in Bogra, was killed in a “gunfight” with police in Shibganj upazila. l

A signature campaign was held at Begum Badrunnesa Government Girls’ College, Dhaka yesterday, demanding construction of a museum after the name of Bangabandhu and a children park at the site of old Dhaka jail MEHEDI HASAN

Accident at ship-breaking yards goes unbridled n Anwar Hussain, Chittagong

Workplace casualty at the ship-breaking yards continues unabated as the employers allegedly engage the workers in the hazardous job without adequate occupational safety measures. Workers getting crushed under falling steel beams and heavy plates for lack of safety measures. Apart from this, cylinder, boiler and generator blast and electrical shocks are responsible for casualty in the yards. Yesterday, a worker died in an accident at a ship-breaking yard at Kumira Ghat, Sitakunda upazila.

Md Saifullah, sub-inspector of Sitakunda police station, told the Dhaka Tribune that Md Raju, 30, a resident of Baro Awlia, Sitakunda upazila, had received critical injuries in the leg and the waist when a heavy iron plate fell on him. “He was brought to Chittagong Medical College Hospital around 5am where he died,” Assistant Sub-Inspector Pankaj Barua of the CMCH police outpost, adding that the body was sent to morgue for an autopsy. A murder case was filed with Sitakunda police station in this connection. According to Young Power in So-

cial Action (YPSA), a non-government organisation working for the rights of the ship-breaking workers, at least 13 workers have died and six others have received critical injuries so far this year in the ship-breaking yards of Chittagong. Tapan Dutta, convener of Ship-breaking Workers’ Trade Union Forum, alleged that the workplace casualty occurred, as most of the ship-breaking yards hardly follow occupational safety standards. “The yard owners do not comply with the minimum wage structure set by the government. The workers at the yards are not permitted to exercise trade union

activities. It has turned out to be a farce that the government declared the sector as an industry since the workplace casualties continue unabated in the ship-breaking yards,” said Mohammad Mamun, general secretary of Bangladesh Trade Union Sangha, Chittagong. A ship-breaking worker of Master & Brothers at Sitakunda upazila also succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at the CMCH on August 1. The hapless worker identified as Salam, 50, sustained critical injuries when an iron plate fell on him. Besides, a worker identified as Biplob Haldar, 27, died after in-

haling toxic gas while cleaning oil from a scrap ship on April 17. A ship-breaking worker died after a heavy plate fell on the head at Asadi Steel Enterprise at MadamBibir Hat under Situakunda upzila on January 19. On April 3, 2014, four workers were killed and three others were injured from inhaling carbon dioxide when a gas cylinder exploded at a ship-breaking yard in Sitakunda. Tapan Dutta, convener of Ship-breaking Workers’ Trade Union Forum, alleged that the workplace casualty occurred, as most of the ship-breaking yards hardly follow occupational safety standards. l

8 World

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

SOUTH ASIA

Pakistani aircraft violates Indian airspace in J&K A Pakistani aircraft reportedly violated Indian air space on Monday when it hovered over Indian territory for a minute in R S Pura sector in Jammu and Kashmir, sending an alarm in the security establishment. The incident comes at a time when India has sharpened its attack on Pakistan over atrocities with residents in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. -TOI

INDIA

Maharashtra to give women in slum joint ownership rights The Indian state of Maharashtra will give women slum dwellers equal ownership rights with men, the first such move by the state where millions live in the very poor neighbourhoods. About 55 slums in the city of Nagpur will be regularized under a plan to recognise the more than 25,000 families who live there as legal residents. -REUTERS

CHINA

China wants a successful G20 but suspects the West China is hoping to cement its standing as a global power when it hosts leaders from the world’s biggest economies this weekend, but suspects the West and its allies will try to deny Beijing what it sees as its rightful place on the international stage. Ensuring that this does not happen will be one of President Xi Jinping’s priorities. -REUTERS

ASIA PACIFIC

Poll: Majority want Japan’s Abe until 2020 Support for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe edged above 60% for the first time in almost 2 years, and nearly the same percentage want him to stay in the top job until Tokyo hosts the Summer Games in 2020. Support for Abe’s cabinet hit 62% in the Aug 26 to 28 survey by the Nikkei business daily, up 4 points from earlier this month. -REUTERS

MIDDLE EAST

Suicide attack kills 18 in Iraq Attackers armed with suicide vests, rifles and grenades killed 18 people and wounded at least 26 in the Iraqi oasis town of Ain al-Tamer, many of them guests at a wedding party. There was no immediate claim of responsibility but all recent suicide operations in Iraq have been claimed by the IS. -AFP

Islamic State suicide attack in Yemen kills 71 army recruits n AFP, Aden, Yemen An Islamic State group militant rammed his explosives-laden car into an army recruiting centre in Aden Monday, killing 71 people in the deadliest jihadist attack on the Yemeni city in over a year. The army, supported by a Saudi-led coalition, is training young recruits to join its nationwide war against Shia Huthi rebels and their allies, as well as Sunni jihadists. Aden is the temporary base of Yemen’s internationally recognised government, which was forced into exile after Iran-backed insurgents seized Sanaa and other parts of the war-torn country. Security officials told AFP the attacker drove the car bomb into a gathering of recruits at a school in the north of the port city. The recruits were among 5,000 newly enrolled soldiers being trained to fight the Huthi rebels in the north along the border with Saudi Arabia, military sources said. Although the complex was locked as recruits registered inside, the attacker drove in when the gate was opened for a delivery vehicle, officials said. Witnesses said some recruits were buried when a roof collapsed after the blast which left a gaping hole on the building’s facade. Debris was scattered around the complex and nearby buildings were damaged. The assault killed at least 71 people and wounded 98, medical sources told AFP. They could not immediately verify whether all those who died were army recruits. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said on Twitter that its hospital in Aden “received 45 dead and at least 60 wounded” following the explosion. Aden has experienced a wave of bombings and shootings targeting officials and security forces. Attacks in the city are often claimed by jihadists from either al-Qaeda or IS, which have both taken advantage of the chaos in Yemen to make gains in the south and southeast.

String of attacks

IS claimed Monday’s bombing on its official propaganda outlet, Amaq. Earlier this month, a suicide bomber drove his vehicle into a large group of army reinforcements sent from Aden to fight jihadists in neighbouring Lahj, killing five soldiers, military officials said. No group has claimed that attack. But on July 20, four policemen were killed in a bombing attack in

People gather at the scene following an attack by a suicide bomber who drove a car laden with explosives into a compound run by local militias in the port city of Aden, Yemen on August 29 REUTERS aden that was claimed by IS. And in May, twin suicide bombings in Aden claimed by IS killed at least 41 people. Yemeni authorities have trained hundreds of soldiers in the city over the past two months as part of operations to retake neighbouring southern provinces from jihadists. Earlier this month, government forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition entered Abyan’s provincial capital of Zinjibar. Troops retook other towns across Abyan but have been met by fierce resistance in the key al-Qaeda stronghold of Al-Mahfid, security sources said. The militants still have a presence in areas surrounding the recaptured towns and control large parts of neighbouring Shabwa province, the sources say. The Arab coalition battling the rebels and their allies in Yemen has also been providing troops with air cover throughout their war against the jihadists. The United States has carried out numerous drone strikes against al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) operatives in Yemen. The Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in March last year and have helped government forces push the rebels out of Aden and four other southern provinces since July 2015. The war in Yemen has also impacted security in Saudi Arabia, where shelling from the kingdom’s impoverished neighbour killed three Saudi children and wounded nine other people on Sunday. Cross-border attacks from

YEMEN ATTACK SAUDI ARABIA

Suicide car bomb attack on an army SANAA training camp 150 km

Aden Gulf of Aden SOMALIA Yemen have intensified since the suspension in early August of UN-brokered peace talks between the rebels and the Saudi-backed government.

ICRC delivers medicines

The Arab coalition has also stepped up its air raids in Yemen since peace talks collapsed. A coalition air strike north of Sanaa on Monday killed eight civilians including a child, rescuers and witnesses said. More than 6,600 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Yemen since March 2015 and more than

80 percent of the population has been left needing humanitarian aid, the UN says. A plane chartered by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) landed at Sanaa airport on Monday, carrying insulin for thousands of people suffering from diabetes. “Yemen’s health sector is in a terrible state,” said the head of the ICRC in Yemen, Alexandre Faite. “Less than 30 percent of the required medicines and medical supplies have entered Yemen in 2015,” he added. l

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

US ELECTION

USA

Why it matters: Climate change n Tribune International Desk It’s as if Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump live on two entirely different Earths: one warming, one not. Clinton says climate change “threatens us all,” while Trump tweets that global warming is “mythical” and repeatedly refers to it as a “hoax.” Measurements and scientists say Clinton’s Earth is much closer to reality. As heat-trapping gases in the air intensify and hot temperature records shatter, global warming is taking a toll on Americans’ everyday life : their gardens, air, water, seasons, insurance rates and more, report The Associated Press.

Where they stand

Trump calls attempts to remedy global warming “just a very, expensive form of tax.” He tells coal miners he’ll get their jobs back. Solar power now employs four times more people than coal mining. Clinton proposes to spend $60bn to switch from dirty fossil fuels to cleaner energy. She says clean energy is needed, otherwise it would “force our children to endure the catastrophe that would result from unchecked climate

change.” She promises to deliver on the President Barack Obama’s pledge that by 2025, the US will be emitting 30% less heat-trapping gases than in 2005.

Why it matters

Dozens of measurements show Earth is warming. And it’s worsening. The overwhelming majority of climate scientists and nearly every professional organization of scientists have said climate change is real, man-made and a problem. The last 15 months in a row have set records globally for heat, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The world is on pace to break the record for hottest year, a record broken in 2010, 2014 and 2015. The five hottest years recorded have all been from 2005 on and it is about 1.8 degrees warmer than a century ago. But it’s more than temperatures. Arctic sea ice keeps flirting with record low amounts. Hot water has been killing coral as never before seen. Scientists have connected man-made climate change to extreme weather, including deadly heat waves, droughts and flood-inducing downpours. They even have connected it as one of several factors in the Syrian drought and civil war that led to a

In this July 21, file photo, the sun sets beyond visitors to Liberty Memorial as the temperature hovers around 100 degrees in Kansas City, Missouri AP massive refugee crisis. Climate change is causing the seas to rise, which threatens coastlines. Sea level has risen a foot in the waters around New York City in the past century, worsening flooding from Superstorm Sandy. And it is making people sicker with worsened allergies and asthma, heat deaths, diseases spread by ticks and mosquitoes, dirtier air and more contaminated water and food, a federal report said in April. Changing the world’s economy from burning fossil fuel, which causes global warming, has a huge price-tag. So does not doing anything. The world’s average income will shrivel 23% by the year 2100 if carbon dioxide pollution continues at the current pace, according to a

n Tribune International Desk

2015 study out of Stanford and the University of California Berkeley. Just the Obama administration’s efforts to cut carbon pollution from 1,000 power plants projects to cost about $8bn a year, but save several times more than in reduced health problems. The world’s largest general scientific society warns of “abrupt, unpredictable, and potentially irreversible changes with highly damaging impacts.” It may seem improbable that government action can restore balance to something as vast as the climate. But presidents Ronald Reagan and George HW Bush showed that big things can be done about air pollution. They took steps that reduced ozone depletion and acid rain. l

Bolt Science

“I don’t want to get into the con-

The Indian diet

troversy of beef due to cultural and religious issues,” says sports medicine specialist, Dr Ashok Ahuja, former head of the department of medicine at Sports Authority of India centre in Patiala. “Ultimately it’s the training that proves the difference. And looking at Bolt, you can fathom his kinetic advantage in terms of height-weight ratio (Bolt is 1.95 meters tall and weighs 94kg). His stride length is 2.44 metres and completes the 100m with 41-42 strides.” When we compare that to the top Indian sprinters, the disadvantage is glaring. Besides, Bolt also has a genetic advantage too. “Scientists have looked into the genetics of Jamaican sprinters

Trump plans detailed immigration talk Donald Trump says he’ll deliver a detailed speech Wednesday on his proposal to crack down on illegal immigration — but it’s anyone’s guess what he will say. The announcement came late Sunday in a tweet by the Republican presidential nominee after days of wavering on a question central to his campaign, Whether he would use a deportation force to eject the estimated 11m people in the US illegally. -AP

THE AMERICAS

‘Usain Bolt ate beef, won nine medals’ Bharatiya Janata Party parliamentarian Udit Raj has triggered an intriguing debate, whether beef, or lack of it, in the diet of the Indian athletes, is to be blamed for the poor showing at the Rio Olympics, reports The Hindustan Times. Raj tweeted on Monday: “(sic) usain bolt of jamaica was poor and trainer advised him to eat beef both the times and he scored 9 gold medals in Olympic.” He later clarified that his comment was not an endorsement for beef eating. “It’s 200% wrong to interpret my comment as an endorsement of beef eating,” he told HT. However, the Twitter statement triggered a troll outburst on social media. Diet is an important part of an athlete’s training. But not all Indian athletes are non-vegetarian so the question HT asked experts was whether a vegetarian diet put our athlete at a disadvantage.

World

trying to understand their dominance,” adds Ahuja. “The first gene associated with powerful sprinting is the angiotensin-converting enzyme, or ACE, gene. If you have a particular variant of this gene (known as the “D allele”) you are likely to have a larger than average heart capable of pumping highly oxygenated blood to muscles quicker than the average human. “That also gives your body a better response to training. In people of West African origin, the frequency of the variant is slightly higher than in those of European and Japanese origin. In Jamaica, it’s a little higher than in West Africa,” explains Ahuja. “This small effect may be amplified by the ACTN3 gene.

Top Indian athletes and coaches believe healthy diet is must for recovery, and is one of the components of good system for development. Dietary habits have a deep association with the cultural and societal norms prevalent in a country, but individual preference matters most. Indian wrestlers are mostly vegetarian and used to vouch by a diet comprising mostly of dairy products and sources of proteins such as lentils and pulses. But of late, things have changed though our champion wrestlers such as double Olympic medalist, Sushil Kumar, still prefers a vegetarian diet. International grappler Amit Dhankar has made some changes in his eating habits, following his trips abroad. “Generally when we travel for competitions it becomes a challenging task to stick to Indian food,” says Dhankar. “So, I have made some changes in my diet and have included fish and chicken which is easily available within India as well other places where we travel for competition.”. l

Brazil’s Rousseff in Senate trial: Future of Brazil at stake Suspended President Dilma Rousseff told the Senate on Monday the future of Brazil was at stake in her impeachment trial as her conservative opponents were using trumped-up charges to oust her. The leftist leader, appearing before the Senate to defend herself in a process expected to remove her from office this week. -AFP

‘UK must pay for Brexit’ German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel has said that Britain must not be allowed to keep the nice things that come with EU membership without taking responsibility for the fallout from Brexit. As Theresa May called a cabinet meeting to discuss the UK government’s Brexit strategy on Wednesday, Gabriel warned if the issue was badly handled and other member countries followed Britain’s lead, Europe would go down the drain. -THE GUARDIAN

EUROPE

Nato: Russia increasingly staging snap military drills Russia is increasingly conducting unannounced military exercises, straining its relationship with Nato. Nato’s Deputy Secretary-General Alexander Vershbow said on a visit to Buchares that Russia had staged large drills with no advance notification with increasing frequency, where Alliance members haven’t staged snap drills since the end of the Cold War. -AP

AFRICA

Zimbabwe charges 68 with violence after protests Zimbabwe has charged 68 people with public violence following violent clashes between protesters and the police last week and a magistrate court will on Tuesday rule whether they should be released from custody while they await trial. Police fired tear gas and water cannon at opposition leaders and hundreds of demonstrators at Friday’s protest. -REUTERS

World

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

INSIGHT

Pakistan’s role in the Syria conflict n Tribune International Desk

THE SYRIA WAR

On May 2, 2016, the Iranian government passed a law allowing families of deceased foreign Iranian Revolutionary Guard fighters to gain Iranian citizenship. Iran’s new citizenship legislation applies chiefly to relatives of Afghans and dissident Iraqis who fought for Iran against Saddam Hussein’s regime during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War. However, the law has also been extended to include foreign volunteers assisting Iran’s anti-Islamic State (ISIS) campaign in Syria. Pakistanis are likely to be a major beneficiary of Iran’s new citizenship legislation. Since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard has recruited Pakistani volunteers to participate in its pro-Assad military campaign in Syria. Meanwhile, the Pakistani government has maintained a strong alliance with embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The strength of the Islamabad-Damascus alliance is counter-intuitive; Pakistan is a Sunni majority country and a close ally of Saudi Arabia, which has repeatedly called for Assad’s overthrow. Pakistan’s ongoing loyalty to Baathist Syria can be explained by historical legacies, and Islamabad’s disdain for Western interference in Syria’s internal politics. However, Pakistan’s support for Assad comes with considerable risks. The Pakistani government’s alliance with a Shia Syrian regime could inflame sectarian tensions within Pakistan and cause Saudi Arabia to distance itself from Islamabad in favor of closer ties with India.

2011

2012

2013

Revolt and repression

All-out war, foreign intervention

Chemical weapons, radicalisation

The foundations of the PakistanSyria geopolitical alliance

Even though air force cooperation between Pakistan and Syria already began during the 1960s, the Islamabad-Damascus partnership has been defined by the strong alliance between the Assad and Bhutto families. During the 1970s, Syrian President Hafez al-Assad forged a close relationship with his Pakistani counterpart, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. This friendship caused Assad to become the first Syrian head of state to visit Pakistan during the 1974 Organization of Islamic Cooperation summit in Lahore. The strength of the Bhutto-Assad alliance was revealed by Assad’s fierce condemnations of Bhutto’s execution in 1979. Immediately after the 1978 military coup that propelled General Mohammed Zia ul-Haq to power, Hafez al-Assad urged Zia to spare Bhutto’s life. Zia’s defiance of Assad’s advice ruptured Pakistan’s burgeoning partnership with Syria. After Zu-

DAMASCUS

Nationwide protests against regime. Crackdown

Scores of rebel groups battle regime for control of towns

2014

Rise of Islamic State group (IS) IS siezes 30% of country, most gas/oil production

Regime backed by:

Rival rebel groups backed by:

RUSSIA IRAN

SAUDI ARABIA

US-led coalition attacks IS

GULF STATES

QATAR WESTERN POWERS

2015

Jihadist rebels

Islamic State group enters war, fighting:

Regime

2016

Conflict becomes international UK FRANCE

Moderates lose ground to jihadists

Al-Nusra

TURKEY

Emergence of Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra

1,400+ die

Regime uses chemical weapons

Where we are now

Attacks: RUSSIA TURKEY

Rebels Kurds

Deaths:

at least 270,000*

Refugees abroad:

4.8 million (21% ofpopulation)

Internally displaced:

6.6 million (29% of pop.)

Sources: UNHCR, IDMC, SCPR

lfikar Ali Bhutto’s execution, some left-wing Pakistanis who supported Zia’s overthrow took refuge in Damascus. Syria also granted asylum to three Bhutto family members in 1979. Even though Syria and Pakistan normalised relations in 1987, Hafez al-Assad strongly supported Benazir Bhutto during the 1988 Pakistani presidential election campaign. Assad was convinced that Bhutto’s victory would strengthen Pakistan’s relationship with Syria’s principal international ally, the Soviet Union. Assad also believed that Bhutto advocated left-wing principles that resembled those of the Syrian Baath Party. The alliance between the Assad and Bhutto families was revived in 2008, as Bashar al-Assad and Benazir Bhutto’s husband, Asif Ali Zardari, expanded Pakistan-Syria cooperation in the economic and security spheres. Even though Nawaz Sharif replaced Zardari as prime minister of Pakistan in 2013, Islamabad’s commitment to Assad’s survival has not wavered. Pakistan’s pro-Assad stance has corresponded closely with Islamabad’s anti-Western foreign policy tilt. Pakistan has condemned the United States’ willingness to violate Syria’s sovereignty. Sharif’s government also echoed Russia’s calls for peace talks that include all major political factions in Syria. After the Syrian military’s alleged use of chemical weapons in 2013, Pakistan strongly opposed a potential US-led military intervention in Syria to remove Assad. The Pakistani government argued that Assad’s fall would make Syria a terminal failed state. Pakistan’s emphasis on maintaining the status quo in Syria has strengthened its relationships with Russia and China, the leaders of the pro-Assad bloc in

the United Nations (UN). Pakistan has also criticised international sanctions against the Syrian government. The Syrian economy’s collapse has disrupted trade links between Damascus and Islamabad. Before the Syrian civil war’s outbreak, Pakistan regularly sold large quantities of wheat and cotton to Syria in exchange for subsidized Syrian crude oil. Pakistan hopes to revive these economic deals by ensuring that a negotiated solution to end the Syrian conflict is implemented on Assad’s terms.

Geopolitical risks Associated with Pakistan’s pro-Assad position

Pakistan’s pro-Assad stance has reaffirmed Islamabad’s importance as an arbiter in Middle East conflicts. However, the Pakistani government’s Syria policy is accompanied by many risks. There are two main reasons why Nawaz Sharif’s handling of the Syrian crisis could destabilise Pakistan. First, Pakistan’s support for Assad could exacerbate sectarian tensions between Shiites and Sunnis in Pakistan. Pakistani Shia military volunteers have joined the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in Syria, under the umbrella of the Zeinabiyoun unit. Supporters of Islamabad’s Syria campaign argue that these recruitments will help unite Pakistan, as they give Pakistan’s historically marginalised Shia minority a rare opportunity to participate in politics. Iran’s recruitment of military volunteers from Pakistan has also boosted the economic prospects of some Pakistani Shias. Iranian recruiters offer Pakistani Shia men aged 18-35 a monthly salary of 120,000 Pakistani rupees ($1,100). Iran has also offered to pay for the education of the children of Paki-

stani soldiers killed in Syria and has agreed to fund annual pilgrimage trips to Iran, Iraq, and Syria for the families of fallen soldiers. Many Sunnis view Sharif’s alignment with Assad as blatant pandering to Pakistani Shias. Some members of Pakistan’s Wahhabi community have turned to Islamic extremism, and the Pakistani Taliban has sent militants to join the fight against Assad in Syria. To prevent unrest amongst the Wahhabi community, Pakistani officials have insisted that Pakistan’s cooperation with Iran in Syria has not jeopardised Islamabad’s alliances with Saudi Arabia and other Sunni Arab states. To demonstrate the limits of the Pakistan-Iran partnership, the Pakistani government remained neutral during the January 2016 Riyadh-Tehran diplomatic standoff. However, this neutral stance did not appease Wahhabi community leaders in Pakistan. Pakistani Wahhabis wanted Sharif to unconditionally support Saudi Arabia and condemn the Iranian government for its alleged role in the attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran. Dissatisfaction amongst Pakistani Wahhabis could increase IS recruitment in Pakistan and weaken the loyalty of Islamists in the Pakistani military to Sharif’s government. Second, Sharif’s alliance with Assad could cause Saudi Arabia to rebalance its foreign policy in a way that threatens Pakistan’s internal stability and vital interests. Many Saudi officials views Pakistan’s refusal to contribute troops to Riyadh’s air war in Yemen, while supporting Iran’s objectives in Syria, as a betrayal of a long-standing alliance. Pakistan’s refusal to contribute ground troops to Saudi Arabia’s 34- nation Islamic military alliance or participate in the US-led anti-IS

campaign have further entrenched Riyadh’s negative perceptions of Pakistan’s involvement in Middle East affairs. However, Saudi Arabia’s discontent with Pakistan’s Syria policy is unlikely to result in a suspension of the long-standing Riyadh-Islamabad security partnership. Pakistan has been a major manufacturer and exporter of arms to Saudi Arabia for decades. Many analysts also believe that Pakistan would sell nuclear weapons to Saudi Arabia if Iran were to violate the terms of the nuclear deal. Even though Saudi Arabia still wants to maintain a diplomatic partnership with Pakistan, tensions over Syria have caused Riyadh to look for alternative trade and security partners in South Asia. In recent months, Saudi Arabia has strengthened its security links with India. Saudi officials believe that India is a rapidly developing country that can help Riyadh contain Iran’s increasingly assertive foreign policy. A deepening Saudi Arabia-Pakistan rift could cause Riyadh to pressure Pakistan to suspend military activities that India believes are contributing to terrorism. If Sharif complies with Saudi pressure to accommodate India’s interests, the risk of a military coup in Pakistan could increase considerably. To appease Saudi Arabia, Pakistan has downplayed its support for Assad by maintaining an official stance of “strict neutrality” in the Syrian conflict. As Pakistan’s military cooperation with Iran in Syria has grown dramatically in recent months, Saudi diplomats have become increasingly sceptical of Islamabad’s neutrality pledge. Unless Saudi Arabia’s relationships with Russia and Iran drastically improve, Sharif might be forced to soften his pro-Assad stance to ensure the survival of his government. Pakistan’s pro-Assad stance in the Syrian civil war is Islamabad’s most extensive foray into a Middle East conflict in modern times. So far, Pakistan’s intervention in Syria has had mixed results. Sharif’s support for the Assad regime has strengthened Islamabad’s alliances with Iran and Russia. Yet these diplomatic gains have countered by stronger Saudi Arabia-India ties and the rising tide of Sunni Islamic extremism in Pakistan. Therefore, Nawaz Sharif faces an uphill struggle to ensure that holding his ground in Syria does not cause Pakistan to spiral downwards toward political instability and Sunni extremist violence. l

[This is an excerpt from a The Diplomat article, Which can be found at http://bit. ly/2bQUTPj]

BANGLADESH INLAND WATER TRANSPORT AUTHORITY (BIWTA)

-Receiving Tender Document

Invitation for Tenders

-Opening Tender Document

FUNDING INFORMATION 10 Budget and Source of Funds 11 Development Partners (if applicable) PARTICULAR INFORMATION 12 Project/Programme Code(if applicable) 13 Proiect/Programme Name (if applicable) 14 Tender Package No. 15 Tender Package Name

Brief Description of Works

1. The Tenderer must be an owner of a dockyard/Shipyard. In case of JV, one partner must be an owner of a dockyard/Shipyard. 2. In the dockyard/Shipyard, there must be slipways and winch’ for docking the pontoon. 3. The Tenderer must have minimum 5 (five) years of general experience in the construction works as Prime Contractor or Subcontractor. 4. The tenderer must have at least three (3) years experience of new construction/repair of ship, pontoons, ferries, barge or ally type of vessel ofGovt/Semi Govt./autonomous/private organization. 5. In case of experience certificate of new construction/repair of ship, pontoons, ferries. barge or any type of vessel issued by private organization, the completion certificate & the authentic documents of paying V AT, TAX etc against those works shall have to be submitted with Tender Documents as evidence. 6. The Tenderer must have NOC from Department of Shipping. 7. Other terms & conditions as mentioned in TDS. Maior (Docking) Repair of Pontoons of BIWTA

Brief Description of Physical Services

Repair of pontoons.

Price of Tender Document (Tk)

TK. 3,OOO/-(Three Thousands) per lot (Non refundable.

16 17

Tender Publication Date Tender Last Selling Date

18 19 20

Tender Closing Date and Time Tender Opening Date and Time Name & Address of the office(s) -Selling Tender Document (Principal) -Selling Tender Document (Others)

Place/Date/Time of Pre- Tender Meeting (Optional) INFORMATION FOR TENDERER 22 Eligibility of Tender

Revenue Budget of financial year 2016-17 (BIWT A) N/A. N/A. N/A. 08/2016-17 1. Major (Docking) Repair ofTP-97 (Borguna Launchghat) of BIWT A under Lot-I. 2. Major (Docking) Repair ofLP-14 (Kajirhat Ferry ghat) of BIWTA under Lot-2. 3. Major (Docking) Repair of MP-12 (Azmirigonj Launchghat) of BIWTA under Lot-3. 4. Major(Docking) RepairofSP-I83 (Dorial Khalpar) & SP-I90 (CSD Launchghat) of BlWTA under Lot4. 5. Maior (Docking) Repair of SP-110 (Bakergoni Launchghat) of BIWTA under Lot-5. Date Time 30/08/2016 26/09/2016 at 16:00 hours. Date Time 27/09/2016 at 13 :00 hours. 27/09/2016 at 14:30 hours. Address Tenderer has to purchase tender documents through written application to the Director, Accounts Dept.,’9’h floor, BIWTA Bhaban, 141-143, Motiiheel C/A, Dhaka. i) Social Islami Bank Limited, Foreign Exchange Branch, BIWTA Bhaban, 141-143, Motijheel C/ A, Dhaka-1000. ii) Accounts Depaltment, Dhaka River Port, Sadarghat Branch, BIWTA, Sadarghat, Dhaka iii) Accounts Department, Narayallgonj River Port, Narayanganj Branch, BIWTA, Narayanganj. The Tenderer can purchase Tender Document from the offices as mentioned. In this case, the Tenderer shall collect Money Receipt from depositing price of Tender Document to the BIWTA, STD Account No-1360000021 of Social Islami Bank Ltd (SIBL), Foreign Exchange branch (Ground floor), 141-143, Motijeel, CIA, Dhaka-I 000, and shall submit the photocopy of this money receipt (showing the original one) to any of the above office for collecting Tender Document.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

a) Office of the Chief Engineer (Marine), MME Dept, 3rd floor, BIWT A, 141143, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka. b) Office of the Additional Divisional Commissioner (Sarbik), Dhaka Division, First 12. Storied Building, Segunbagicha, Dhaka. Office of the Chief Engineer (Marine), MME Dept., 3rd floor, BIWTA, 141143, Motiiheel C/A, Dhaka. N/A.

MECHANICAL & MARINE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT 141-143, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.

GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF BANGLADESH 1 Ministry/Division Ministry of Shipping 2 Agency BIWTA 3 Procuring Entity Name Chairman, BIWTA 4 Procuring Entity Code 5205 5 Procuring Entity District Dhaka. 6 Invitation for Major (Docking) repair of 06 (Six) Pontoons (TP-97, LP-14, MP-I2, SP-183, SP-190 & SP-110) of BlWTA under 5 Lots. 7 Invitation Ref No 18.11.26.00.293.26.227.16/380 8 Date 29/08/2016 KEY INFORMATION 9 Procurement Method Open Tendering Method (OTM)

Package No.

08/ 2016-17

Identification of Lot

Tender Security Amount (Tk)

Lot No I Lot No 2 Lot No 3

88,000/80,000/65,000/-

Lot No 4

93,000/-

Lot No 5

48,000/-

Location

TP-97 (Borguna Launchghat) LP-14 (Kajirhat Ferry ghat) MP-12 (Azmirigoni Launchghat) SP-183 (Dorial Khalpar) & SP-190 (CSD Launchghat) SP-11O (Bakergoni Launchghat)

Completion time from the Commencement Date. 50 (Fifty Five) days 50 (Fifty Fiye) days 45 (Forty Five) days 60 (Sixty) days 45 (Forty Five) days

PROCURING ENTITY DETAILS 27

Name of Official Inviting Tender

–

Designation of Official Inviting Tender

Chief Engineer (Marine)

Address of Official Inviting Tender

MME Department, 3rd floor, BIWTA, 141-143, Motijheel C/A Dhaka.

Contact details of Official Inviting Tender

Tel. No. 9553558

Tenders are being invited for individual Lot.

The Procuring Entity reserves the right to reject all the Tenders or cancel the Tender proceedings

DG-878/16 (14x3)

Fax No. 9551072

Chief Engineer (Marine) MME Dept., BIWTA, Dhaka

12 Business

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

TOP STORIES Ford rolls out black edition Dhaka street Bangladeshi Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) enthusiasts from now can avail 2016 Ford EcoSport Black Edition. Since black edition of Ford is limited worldwide, Ford has allocated only 12 units of this latest edition for Bangladesh. Ford is the second-largest U.S-based automaker (preceded by General Motors) and the fifth-largest in the world based on vehicle sales in 2010. PAGE 13

EU insists ‘ball still rolling’ on US trade deal The European Commission yesterday insisted talks on a huge US free trade deal were on track, rejecting German claims that irreconcilable differences had left the deal dead in the water. PAGE 13

Driverless taxi firm eyes operations in 10 cities by 2020 A US software firm which chose Singapore for the world’s first public trial of driverless taxis hopes to be operating in 10 Asian and US cities by 2020, an executive said yesterday. PAGE 15

Capital market snapshot: Monday DSE Broad Index

4,534.0

-0.0% ▼

Index

1,101.6

-0.2% ▼

30 Index

1,736.4

-0.3% ▼

Turnover in Mn Tk

4,105.6 -11.8% ▼

Turnover in Mn Vol

108.0

-0.8% ▼

All Share Index 13,925.2

0.0% ▲

CSE 30 Index Selected Index Turnover in Mn Tk Turnover in Mn Vol

12,656.4

-0.3% ▼

8,475.9

0.0% ▲

197.1 -16.7% ▼ 7.0

-3.1% ▼

BIDA, new investment authority, starts functioning today n Asif Showkat Kallol Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), a merger of Board of Investment and Privatisation Commission, begins operations today to promote private sector investment – both local and foreign - in the country. Prime Minister is the head of a 17-member governing board of the BIDA while finance minister is the vice-chairman. Other ministers concerned are the board members. Kazi M Aminul Islam, a retired secretary from Bangladesh civil service, has been appointed as executive chairman of the BIDA for next three years, according to a gazette notification.

BB to show stolen money as protested bill n Asif Showkat Kallol Bangladesh Bank has decided to show its $81 million, stolen by hackers, as a protested bill to avoid losses in equity. The decision came in the central bank’s board meeting yesterday. The BB has taken the decision in response to the suggestion of IMF Technical Mission. Protested bill is an uncollectible debt. It is determined when a debt is realistically dead, which means there must be some evidence of uncollectibility or a lengthy passage of time. In its recommendation, the IMF said if the central bank showed the digitally stolen money in its balance sheet, it will have negative impact on equity. Unless the case related to reserve heist is not settled down within short period, the money should be kept as a protested bill counting from June 30, 2016, to avoid sudden losses in equity, it said. l

The government appoints Kazi Aminul Islam as the first BIDA Executive Chairman yesterday

The company bench of the High Court is likely to pass its judgement on the long-awaited Robi-Airtel merger proposal tomorrow. “The High Court has taken all the aspects related to the merger

vestment in private sector reducing bureaucratic tangles in executing government decisions related to private investment. BIDA is going to provide onestop service in investment processing work. Under the BIDA Act, the BIDA will register new private sector firms as well as foreign trade liaison offices in Bangladesh. BIDA can also issue “no objection certificate” to declare areas as industrial zones through gazette notifications, assist authorities to acquire land, ensure efficient use of land and make list of unused land and structures and frame a policy to their utilisation, frame a guideline for allotment and transfer of plots. l

Banks reminded to transfer 0.03% of RMG export receipts n Tribune Business Desk Bangladesh Bank has reminded banks to transfer 0.03% of garment export receipts to the apparel worker’s welfare fund. The directive came following failure of most banks to deposit the amount cut by them from RMG export receipts. Banks have been asked to transfer 0.03% of export proceeds of hundred percent export-oriented garment industries to the central fund formed for the ready-made garment sector, said a circular Bangladesh Bank issued yesterday. The deducted fund will be deposited at the central fund account with the Ramna corporate branch of Sonali Bank, said the circular. Though the instruction was issued on June 12 this year, no banks except those related with 100% export-oriented apparel indus-

HC decision on Robi-Airtel merger likely tomorrow n Ishtiaq Husain

The government decided to merge Board of Investment and Privatisation Commission after failure of these state-run organisations to adequately mobilise local and foreign investment in private sector. The gazette notification signed by M Jasimuddin Khan, deputy secretary to public administration ministry, said Kazi M Aminul Islam will start working as BIDA’s executive chairman after he is discharged from other organisations and associations. In September last year, the cabinet approved the draft of BIDA Act 2015. According to the law, once BIDA comes into existence, it is expected to be able to increase in-

of Robi Axiata Limited and Airtel Bangladesh Limited into account and fixed August 31, 2016 for passing its judgement,” Barrister Sayed Mahsib Hossian, counsel for Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) told the  PAGE 13 COLUMN 5

tries were complying with it. Banks were supposed to send a statement in this regard to the central fund management board and other related authorities, but some banks were not following the instruction.

A total of over Tk72 lakh have been deposited at the central fund from July 17 to August 1 this year As a result it was being difficult to confirm the deduction form the certain export proceeds, said the circular. According to the circular, a total of over Tk72 lakh have been deposited at the central fund from July 17 to August 1 this year.

Trust Bank, Islami Bank, BASIC Bank, National Bank, Jamuna Bank, Eastern Bank, Janata Bank, IFIC bank, Standard Bank and City Bank sent the statement about the fund deduction to the respective authorities regularly. Though HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank, Citibank NA, BRAC Bank, Dhaka Bank, UCB and Sonali Bank settled significant amount of export proceeds, but they did not send statement in this regard to the authorities, according to the circular. It said the ready-made garments worth around Tk22,000 crore have been exported in June this year. As per the export proceeds, Tk6 crore would have been deposited at the central fund if 0.03% had been deducted. In this circumstances, the central bank mandated the deduction of 0.03% of export proceeds by respective banks. l

Business

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

Ford rolls out black edition Dhaka street n Adil Sakhawat Bangladeshi Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) enthusiasts from now can avail 2016 Ford EcoSport Black Edition. Since black edition of Ford is limited worldwide, Ford has allocated only 12 units of this latest edition for Bangladesh. Ford is the second-largest U.S-based automak-

er (preceded by General Motors) and the fifth-largest in the world based on vehicle sales in 2010. USA-origin 12 Ford ‘Black Edition’ SUV will be available in Bangladesh from today. Bangladeshi buyers can avail this classy black edition Ford with a cost of around Tk35 lakh including the registration fees. AG Automobiles Limited, sole

distributor of Ford Motor vehicles in Bangladesh, launched new Ford ‘Black Edition’ for sell on Sunday afternoon. Hossain Khaled, managing director of AG Automobiles Limited and president of Dhaka Chambers of Commerce and Industry, formally inaugurated the new Ford edition in Bangladesh.

Addressing the launching ceremony he said: “The buyers will get 3 years warranty that means 60,000 kilometres.” He also informed that the proud owners of these 12 limited Black Edition will be handed over a certificate from Ford, mentioning the serial numbers among the only twelve units. l

Ataur Rahman Prodhan new MD of Rupali Bank n Tribune Business Desk

EU insists ‘ball still rolling’ on US trade deal n AFP, Brussels

The European Commission yesterday insisted talks on a huge US free trade deal were on track, rejecting German claims that irreconcilable differences had left the deal dead in the water. “The ball is rolling right now. The Commission is making steady progress,” Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said when asked about comments by German vice chancellor and economy minister Sigmar Gabriel that the talks had “failed.” “Talks are now indeed entering a crucial stage but ... provided the conditions are right, the Commission stands ready to close this deal by the end of the year,” Schinas told a regular press briefing. The EU and US began work on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) in 2013, aiming to create the world’s largest free trade area by the time President Barack Obama leaves office in January next year. But the talks have got bogged down amid widespread suspicion in the 28-nation EU that a deal would undercut bloc standards in key areas such as health and welfare. Gabriel told German television on Sunday that “the talks with the US have de facto failed because we Europeans of course must not succumb to American demands... Nothing is moving forward.” Schinas insisted that while the Commission, the EU’s executive arm which conducts all bloc trade negotiations, wanted a deal, it would not come at any cost. Commission President JeanClaude Juncker has made clear “the Commission will not sacrifice Europe’s social health and its data protection standards, nor its cultural diversity on the altar of free trade,” Schinas said. Asked whether TTIP could go through without support from Germany, the EU’s paymaster and largest economy, he said Juncker had won fresh backing for the negotiations from all bloc leaders at a summit in July. l

Ataur Rahman Prodhan joined the state-owned Rupali Bank yesterday as a new Managing Director. Earlier, he was serving Probashi Kallayn Bank as Managing Director. He was appointed at the Rupali Bank by Finance Ministry after the expiry of the job contract of M Farid Uddin. Ataur Rahman had earlier started his banking career in 1984 through Sonali Bank. l

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 12 units of Ford EcoSport ‘Black Edition’ was unveiled in Bangladesh by Managing Director of AG Automobiles and President of Dhaka Chambers of Commerce and Industry Hossain Khaled

Stocks extend losses for 7th day n Tribune Business Desk

Stocks ended flat with volatility yesterday, extending their losses for the 7th consecutive session. The market moved between negative and positive throughout the entire session amid narrow band, making intraday volatility 20 points. The benchmark index of Dhaka Stock Exchange, DSEX, saw a fractional loss of 0.6 points to 4,534. The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, lost only over 4 points to 1,736. The DSE Shariah Index, DSES, inched around 2 points down to 1,101. However, the Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index CSCX rose over 2 points to 8,475. Trading activities continued to

shrink ahead of Eid ul-Azha as the DSE turnover stood at Tk410 crore, down 12% over the previous session. IT sector was the worst loser, shedding more than 2%. Jute came second with a drop of around 2%, followed by mutual funds, and paper & printing. Bank, telecommunications, ceramics, tannery and pharmaceuticals closed marginally lower. On the other hand, general insurance sector shone on the day, gaining over 4%. Most other sectors, including power, cement, engineering, non-banking financial institutions and food & allied, ended marginally higher. Of the total 323 companies traded, 148 ended up and 126 down while 49 remained unchanged.

MJL was the most-traded share for the fourth straight day with a turnover worth around Tk15 crore. It was followed by National Tubes, BSRM Limited, FAR Chemical, Shahjibazar Power Company Limited and Al-haj Textile. Savar Refractory was the biggest loser falling over 9%, followed by Modern Dyeing (8.5%), Samata Leather Complex (6%), Zeal Bangla Sugar Mills (4.4%), Kohinoor Chemical Chemicals Company (4.4%), Hakkani Pulp and Paper (4.4%) and Mithun Knitting (3.7%). FAR Chemical was the best performer rising about 10%, followed by Mercantile Insurance (9.8%), Continental Insurance (9.3%), Agrani Insurance (8.3%), Global Insurance (8%), Northern Insurance (7.3%) and Federal Insurance (7%). l

India’s growth pace likely slowed in April-June n Reuters India’s economic growth likely lost some momentum in the April-June quarter on cutbacks in domestic and global demand, a Reuters poll showed. The poll also found that economists expect the newly-passed goods and services tax (GST) will

take time to have an impact on gross domestic product growth. For April-June, the median forecast of 40 economists was for GDP growth of 7.6% from a year ago, slower than the 7.9% in the previous quarter. The slower pace would still be rapid, by any standard. China reported 6.7% annual growth for

April-June, and the Philippines posted 7%. Much of India’s slowdown was attributed to slumping demand. On an annual basis, the country’s exports fell for 18 consecutive months until June, when they finally rose. Business surveys have pointed to slowing foreign and domestic demand. l

HC decision Dhaka Tribune yesterday. Earlier, the Prime Minister’s Office approved the merger proposal of mobile phone operators – Robi and Airtel, paving the way for first such initiative in Bangladesh. If the court decision goes in favour of the merger, Robi will have to pay Tk507 crore as spectrum fee and Tk100 crore as merger fee to the government exchequer. As of June this year, Robi had around 27.5 million subscribers while Airtel nearly 10 million, according to BTRC. After the merger, the company will be named as Robi and will have the second largest subscriber base in the country. On July 24, Posts and Telecommunications Division sent a summary proposal to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her consent as she is also the minister of Posts, Telecommunications and IT. Apart from the merger fee, the telecom division has also fixed Tk33.8 crore for per megahertz 2G spectrum fee, the official said. An inter-ministerial meeting chaired by Finance Minister AMA Muhith finalised the merger fee and spectrum prices on July 13. Earlier this year, the two operators signed an agreement to merge their companies in Bangladesh. Upon completion of the merger process, Robi Axiata Ltd, Robi’s parent company, will hold 68.3% controlling stake in the combined entity while Airtel’s parent company Bharti Airtel 25%. l

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

Business

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

Driverless taxi firm eyes operations in 10 cities by 2020 n AFP A US software firm which chose Singapore for the world’s first public trial of driverless taxis hopes to be operating in 10 Asian and US cities by 2020, an executive said yesterday. Doug Parker, nuTonomy’s chief operating officer, said the firm is eyeing tests by early next year in three other Asian countries which he declined to name. He said an announcement of the test venues would be made within the next month or so. The company last week kicked off the world’s first driverless taxi service in a limited trial for invited people in a Singapore research campus. Parker, 41, said nuTonomy was also considering trials in the Middle East, the United States and Britain. More than a dozen people in Singapore have already experienced a ride in the “robo-taxi” within the confines of one-north, an enclave of technology and science research institutes outside the central business district.

‘Pretty excited’

“I think people are pretty excited that the car is driving itself. I would say they start apprehensive and scared but

by the second block they start to enjoy it,” Parker said. The current test car - a modified Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric vehicle - plies a 2.5 square mile (4 square km) area with set pick-up and drop off points. Trips must be booked through the company’s smartphone app and are currently by invitation only. Five other test cars - Renault Zoes - will be added to the fleet next month. Data from the experiment will feed into the rollout of driverless taxis across Singapore in 2018, said Parker, adding that by 2020 “we would like to be in 10 cities in Asia, the United States and maybe Europe”. He also said a number of real-estate developers from Asia and the United States have contacted the company “about how they can use autonomous cars in their eco-friendly communities”. Parker said the vehicle, equipped with sophisticated laser, radar and cameras, has so far experienced navigating among buses, slowing down at pedestrian lanes and adjusting to unplanned street scenes. “One day we pulled out of here and literally five buses of schoolchildren pulled up on this very narrow street. And the buses were trading positions,” he said. l

CORPORATE NEWS

Bank Asia has recently opened its 108th branch at Maijdee Court in Noakhali, said a press release. Member of parliament (Noakhali-4), Mohammad Ekramul Karim Chowdhury inaugurated the branch at presence of Rumee A Hossain, chairperson of the bank’s executive committee

Audit committee of Standard Bank Limited has recently held its 75th meeting, said a press release. The committee’s chairperson, SS Nizamuddin Ahmed presided over the meeting

Tech

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

The external beauty Here are a few things to know before you buy your next portable hard drive

n Mahmood Hossain

e do a lot of things on the cloud nowadays, saving and sending files through cloud storage services. Unfortunately, that isn’t 100% safe. You are more likely to pay more attention to what you have in your own hands. The thing with portable drives is that, you will always make it a priority, and not fall into complacency with work that involves an external hard drive. Saving data is all about safety and backing things up properly. The reason why portable drives still exist is because you can never be too safe when storing and saving data. Type of connection There’s really two types of hard drive connections right now. You’ve got the USB and the Thunderbolt. The latter is obviously used with Mac devices that have Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 ports. Naturally, you’ll want to lean towards a portable drive that has a Thunderbolt connection or cable. On the other hand, there’s the universally accepted USB connection. A USB-based drive can connect with any USB port on any device that allows a USB connection. There should be no surprise that today’s laptops and desktops from Apple supports both USB and Thunderbolt. The ideal thing to do is to buy a drive that has the fastest USB connection. So now, you won’t have to worry about limiting yourself to a Thunderbolt only connection. It just makes life easier if you can swap one device for another without having to switch the necessary cables.

Back to the future The second most important thing to check off is thinking about how future-proof your portable device will be. Ultimately, it depends on what type of device you are using, but you need to think about how long you’ll be using the given device. Regardless, you’ll want to invest in something that is ready for future devices like the USB-C port. You will eventually see new devices that only support a smaller and faster USB-C port, which means it’ll be wiser to buy a portable hard drive that can convert into a USB-C connection. Not to worry, even Mac users will eventually shift to the same port type and cable as the USB-C. Thunderbolt 3 will be the new and improved connection type with new Apple devices. And if your current device doesn’t have the latest port or connection, there are plenty of cables out there that will connect your current device to future portable drives and devices. Ready, set, go Plenty of space is important but so is speed. Portable hard drives that have a solid-state drive (or SSD) are incredibly fast. In fact, some of your new laptops have SSDs housed in them. However, SSDs are not cheap, they’ll cost you a good chunk. The idea here is knowing what exactly you are using it for. If it’s just about saving movies and other media files, then really fast performances shouldn’t be a priority. Then again, if you are using it quite often for more than just watching movies, speed is a very important factor. Whether it’s for work or other important documentation, you’ll want the fastest transfers an SSD can provide. The Thunderbolt drives are actually faster than the

regular USB drives, although a USB 3.1 standard is close enough and will satisfy your need for speed. Move over, you need space This should be a no-brainer. The more space, the better. If space matters to you most, more than anything else, a solid hard drivebased portable drive is the ideal choice. A 4TB storage can go up to Tk10,000. If you want the same in SSD format, well, that will obviously cost you much more. The capacity in a portable drive will always will cater to your needs, you just need to know what you need it for and how much space you are willing to use. Takeaway The ultimate message here is that the checklist is quite simple, just don’t forget to tick each of the boxes off. The more popular and trusted brands of portable drives are from Western Digital (WD),

Samsung and SanDisk. For overall performance, the WD My Passport Ultra is possibly your best bet. It’s small, very fast for a non-SSD, and it will only cost you around Tk8,000 for a 3TB model. l

The reason why portable drives still exist is, because you can never be too safe when storing and saving data

Feature

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

The evils of statesponsored crime

August 30 is the ‘International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances Photo: Bigstock

n Mahmood Sadi In one scene in the popular 90’s animation movie Toy Story, Buzz tries to calm down a scared Woody during a crisis situation by saying “Sheriff, this is no time to panic.” Woody frantically replies, “This is a perfect time to panic!” The question that we have in front of us-is this a ‘perfect time’ for Bangladeshis to panic? The question might arise from different quarters-why? Bangladesh is on a steady path to progress. Unlike many other countries in the world, it hasn’t been affected by a long prevailing global recession. The quality of life-to some extent-has obviously been improved as people’s purchasing capacity has increased. On the political ground, people have recovered from the wave of violence which happened because of a longstanding disagreement between the government and the opposition surrounding the conduct of national elections held in January 2014. Even though the presence of a strong opposition in the country’s politics has vanished with the ‘political decapitation’ of BNP, a significantly larger portion

of the population has actually started believing in the mantra of ‘development over democracy’. And developments have actually taken place-largely to the courtesy of the private sectorbut the incumbent government can take credit for that as the government’s main role is to facilitate things which it did. So, why is this the perfect time to panic? It is because of the widespread occurrences of enforced disappearances and people’s increased nonchalance towards this phenomenon. The age of ignorance throws a pretty mean party when we start to believe that enforced disappearances are okay as long as the disappeared person is not family. The rationality and humanity inside us gets buried under the cloud of dust when we begin to accept that enforced disappearance of suspected ‘terrorists’ and ‘sons of war criminals’ are all right. No. These are not all right. It is not alright to remain silent about the state’s month long illegal and secret detention (later they are shown as arrested after more than

a month) of Hasnat Karim and Tahmid Hasib Khan, two survivors and later two alleged suspects of the Gulshan terrorist attack. It is not alright to accept that Hummam Quader Chowdhury, Mir Ahmed Bin Quasem and Abdullahil Amaan Azmi –sons of three war criminals Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, Mir Quasem Ali and Ghulam Azam can be abducted because of their father’s crimes. It is not alright to overlook the statistics of ‘Ain o Salish’ Kendra which mentions that only in between January-July this year, 60 people were victims of enforced disappearance out of which, the bodies of seven were later recovered. Forget the deceased. Just think about the members of the family of the person who is still “missing” and there is no confirmation of status. Arrested without warning and imprisoned in an unknown location by the very authorities to whom the members of the abducted person have to go to inquire about the person’s whereabouts. Ponder about the agony, the asphyxiating wait for just an assurance of life. The state has the right to arrest

Forget the deceased. Just think about the members of the family of the person who is still “missing” and there is no confirmation of status

anyone if s/he breaks the law and there are legal mechanisms for this arrest. Enforced disappearances like these nullify the very sanctity of the judicial mechanism on which the modern civilization stands on. Ironically, in Bangladesh, no criminal laws have yet recognised enforced disappearance as offense and yet now it is a reality. The problem lies there because right to life is one of the key fundamental rights guaranteed under Bangladesh constitution and that is violated by continuous perpetration of this crime. The International Convention for the ‘Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearance’, adopted by the United Nation in 2006 ensures that the perpetrators of enforced disappearanceno matter whether it is a state authority or not- can be tried. Later on December 21, 2010, via Resolution 65/209, the UN

General Assembly expressed its deep concern, in particular, by the increase in enforced or involuntary disappearances in various regions of the world. By the same resolution the Assembly welcomed the adoption of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, and decided to declare August 30 as the ‘International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances’, to be observed beginning in 2011. Today the world is going to observe this day for the sixth time. On this day, it is our moral obligation to raise our voice and stand united against this heinous activity. On this day, it is our responsibility to comprehend the fact that allowance of this atrocious ‘state-sponsored crime’ could and would ultimately harm our own existence.l

Biz Info

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

| event |

| fair |

Workshop on gynaecological endoscopic surgeries held at Apollo Hospitals Dhaka

Canadian University of Bangladesh holds education fair

In order to encourage the use of laparoscopic procedures in surgery, the department of Obstetrics/Gynaecology, Apollo Hospitals Dhaka and the Society of Laparoscopic Surgeons of Bangladesh (SLSB) jointly organised a day long “live” workshop on gynaecological endoscopic surgeries on August 28, 2016 at Apollo Hospitals

Dhaka. More than 100 doctors from numerous hospitals across the country participated in the workshop. As the name implies, the workshop showcased surgeries that were done and

broadcast live for participants to learn from real-time laparoscopic surgeries by experienced professionals. The panel of special guests of this event included the likes of Prof Sarder A Nayeem, vice president, SLSB, Prof Dr Rowshan Ara Begum, president, OGSB, Prof Dr Farhana Dewan, secretary general, OGSB, Major (Retd) Dr Laila Arjumand

Banu, president elect, OGSB and Prof Dr Samsad Jahan Shelly, secretary general, OGSB. The inaugural ceremony of the event was presided by Dr Gulshan Ara, senior consultant and coordinator- Obs/Gynae

of Apollo Hospitals Dhaka. She discussed the advantages of laparoscopic surgeries and how it benefits the patient with an early recovery and a reduced length of stay at the hospital. Prof Sarder A Nayeem mentioned how laparoscopic surgeries was first used for surgeries pertaining to the department of gynaecology and Dr Farhana Dewan added how the procedure is common all over the world and how its use is becoming popular in Bangladesh. Major (Retd) Laila Arjumand Banu also shared her views and added that in recent times, many surgeons prefer laparoscopic surgery because of the shorter length of stay, less bleeding and a virtually invisible scar. Dr Gulshan Ara and Dr Monowara Begum, senior consultant – Obs/Gynae from Apollo hospitals Dhaka performed the surgeries for the live presentation and also replied to the queries of the participants. Dr Mrinal Kumar Sarker, senior consultant and coordinator – Obs/Gynae and IVF, chaired the evening segment of the event with his co-chairperson, Dr Monowara Begum. The workshop was organised by the CME committee of Apollo Hospitals Dhaka presided by Prof Dr Tareak Al Nasir, and attended by Dr Ratnadeep Chaskar, chief operating officer of Apollo Hospitals Dhaka and Dr Prasad R Muglikar, director of medical service. l

The education fair of Canadian University of Bangladesh was held for the second day yesterday. Tofael Ahmed, honourable minister of commerce inaugurated the fair on August 27. The speakers on the second day included the likes of Professor Dr Atiur Rahman, former governor of Bangladesh Bank, A K Azad Chowdhury, honorary advisor of Canadian University and former chairman, University Grants Commission (UGC) and Chowdhury Nafeez Sarafat, founder and chairman of Canadian University of Bangladesh. The theme of the program was “Importance of

encouraged to see successful initiatives taken by the Canadian University of Bangladesh and especially the opportunities it has created for students to transfer credit to Canadian Universities for higher education. According to AK Azad Chowdhury, “The 21st century society wants a global workforce from universities. Top universities around the world are providing a global workforce for the society. Canadian University of Bangladesh, a piece of Canada in Bangladesh is trying to produce the same workforce not only for Bangladesh but also for the global society.”

Applied Knowledge for National Development.” The speakers highlighted the importance of education and encouraged the participation of private universities and their contribution to the education sector. The speakers were

Dr Atiur Rahman also spoke on the occasion. He was happy to note that the CUB will be able to bridge the education gap between us and Canada, and will prepare local students for advanced education which equips them to meet the challenges of the 21st century. l

| agreement |

Hotel Bengal Blueberry signs MoU with Crown Cement Group

Hotel Bengal Blueberry and Crown Cement Group recently signed a memorandum of understanding between the two on August 3, 2016. Shameem Hasnain Huda, CEO of Bengal Group of Hotels and

Talukder Shahirul Islam, deputy general manager, administration of Crown Cement Ltd signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisations. l

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

Fast forward to the past An oldie but goodie gets a sleek update

n ASM Foysal BMW, a name that brings tenaciously elegant looking designs in mind and it widely recognised that the 2002 was the model that helped BMW cement its name as a practical sports car maker with the boxy sedan. This year, they chose to pay tribute to the 2002 with their new concept car, and dare I say, the most iconic design of all time to roll out of BMW. The 2002 Homage concept was formerly shown at the Concorso d’Eleganza, the most exquisite location to show off the elegance factor of the automotive industry, back in May. At Pebble Beach this year, BMW brought the 2002 concept for round two; the once doe-eyed baby-blue Homage has received a menacing makeover. The

protruding front bumper and the orange and black blend of colours give it a rather sinister vibe. In order to honour the first BMW 2002 turbo, the new concept was dubbed as the “Turbomeister.” Its chiselled body, bulging wheel arches, the i8 look alike tail lamps and of course, the shark tipped front adds character to this rendition of the monster. Underneath it all, it’s a concept car based on the M2. The top half of the body includes the hood which is is belted with carbonfiber that is painted black, same as the original 2002. The orange paint, covering the bottom and the roof of the car however, is new. “Turbomeister” stickers are spread, and not sparingly, all over the car. It appears on the front fenders, the roof, the front hood and the rear bumper. We see the

Auto Connect

“turbo” script appears on the front, beside the grills and contrary to the previous model, the cursive writing appears on the rear spoiler as well. The rims on the 2002 Homage were left untouched; it still has that dual spoke look, except the colour. Painted gold and paired with M-blessed calipers, the bi-colour “bling” wheels somehow seem befitting. Looking at the wheels, you might get flashbacks from the BMW M4 GTS, a fine choice indeed. BMW refuses to discuss the powertrain of this beast but surely one can imagine the rage of this turbo-charged monster. Given how successful the expensive M4 GTS was, BMW has every reason to roll up their sleeves and get to work behind this in their production line. Surely everyone must want this flashy widow maker.l

20 Editorial

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

TODAY

Playing with fire In the absence of an authoritative interpretation of how religion can coexist with liberal freedoms, the use of religion by politicians for opportunistic reasons creates the space for more radical groups to influence the political game PAGE 21

Farakka is a hindrance to peace If rivers die, the country will gravely suffer and ultimately die too. Most importantly, the barrage is affecting the ecological system of Bangladesh PAGE 22

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

The definitive list of things women should and should not wear

Throughout history, we, the patriarchal body politic have waged social and political battles and too often the ground-zero upon which these battles are fought is the woman’s body 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.

A welcome and long-awaited visit

ohn Kerry’s maiden trip to Bangladesh yesterday was the first trip to Bangladesh for a United States secretary of state in four years, and a welcome one. The secretary of state tweeted that he had important discussions with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, which included talks on security issues, and the US’s support in the fight against violent extremism. Friendship and cooperation with the US is extremely crucial for Bangladesh at this juncture. Recently, US Ambassador Marcia Bernicat’s statement that the US wished to have greater business ties with Bangladesh signaled a stronger relationship between the two countries to come. Removing the restrictions on the GSP would go a long way towards improving that relationship. As the US is the second largest destination for RMG products, strong trade ties are a win for both the US and Bangladesh. While the nation still reels from the tragic attacks of July 1 in Dhaka, businesses are suffering from uncertainty, and ordinary citizens are worried about their safety. Now, then, it is more important than ever for Bangladesh to foster the good will of the rest of the world, not just for trade relationships, but in partnerships that can help make our country safer and root out militant elements that threaten to destroy our social fabric. Bangladesh cannot, as a nation, bow down to forces of terror which hinder its progress on the global stage. But it will need allies in that fight. We sincerely hope, and believe, that the United States government can work with the Bangladesh government in these trying times and take US-Bangladesh relations to new heights.

Bangladesh cannot, as a nation, bow down to forces of terror which hinder its progress on the global stage. But it will need allies in that fight

Opinion

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

Playing with fire Islamism and politics are a dangerous mix

Is Hefazat a significant political force?

n Mubashar Hasan

ver the past 20 years, an influential body of conservative scholarship by Samuel Huntington, Bernard Lewis, Roger Scruton, and Paul Berman has focused on the alleged conflict between Islam and the West. Following widespread criticism of this scholarship, most notably by Amartya Sen and Edward Said, a number of commentators such as John Esposito, Abdullahi Ahmed An-Na’im, Michael D Driessen, Jillian Schwedler revised its core assumptions and claim instead that the real conflict is between democracy within Muslim societies and the political ideology of Islamism. But even this idea has been challenged by a number of scholars including Oliver Roy and Asef Bayat, who have identified the notion of “post-Islamism,” and the potential subordination of religion to the demands of democratic competition within Muslim societies such as Indonesia and Turkey. However, the debate is limited insofar as it ignores a third possibility, which occurs when those in power of an allegedly secular state promotes Islam for its own legitimacy (both domestic and international) and as a source of national identity. Pakistan is an excellent example of this phenomenon, and Bangladesh is moving in this direction. In the absence of an authoritative interpretation of how

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

religion can coexist with liberal freedoms and basic human rights, the use of religion by politicians for opportunistic reasons creates the space for more radical (and violent) groups to influence the political game. The invocation of religion for political legitimacy in Bangladesh is in a significant part driven by a cynical opportunism among a ruling elite that cannot deliver real development for the country. Corruption has reached alarming levels in all segments of society as increasing nepotism through partisan political preferences has resulted in growing frustration among the populace. While globalisation has brought economic opportunities to some, it has also widened income disparities. This bleak situation creates fertile ground for the radicalisation of frustrated minds to which the vision of Islamic justice has some appeal. Conflict waged by various Bangladeshi Islamist groups as a form of resistance against the impact of global capitalism on Bangladesh becomes prevalent. Perhaps surprisingly given the high levels of corruption and poor governance, Bangladesh has experienced moderately good economic growth of around 5% per annum over the past decade. The primary reason for this is the fact Bangladesh is a classic case of a coastal low income country with few resources. Its development has therefore been driven by the export of labourintensive manufactures (such as

the clothing) and services. In this context, the government does not have to clean up its performance in order to preside over some economic success. As Paul Collier has noted: “The government merely has to avoid doing harm rather than actively do much good. Exporters simply need an environment of modest taxation, macroeconomic stability, and a few transport facilities.”

inequality, and unprecedented corruption. The government’s failure to provide and regulate basic public goods, particularly education, also allows radical religious groups to grow their support. Bangladesh has both private Qawmi madrasa and state-sponsored Alia madrasa. Whilst the latter follows a syllabus that includes subjects such as English, science, and

In the absence of an authoritative interpretation of how religion can coexist with liberal freedoms, the use of religion by politicians for opportunistic reasons creates the space for more radical groups to influence the political game However, this strategy is unlikely to be sustainable over the long term and the mainstream political parties are failing to tackle growing discontent with the state of the economy. Nearly half the population is between 15-24 years of age, and at present growth rates, the total population of 125 million will double in less than 30 years. As things currently stand, the number of jobs and opportunities will not keep pace with the increasing demand, creating a setting similar to that of several Arab countries where young people have been drawn to radical political projects against a backdrop of limited jobs, rise in

mathematics; the former is not subject to regulation. Today there are estimated 6,500 Qawmi madrasas in Bangladesh, enrolling almost 1.5 million students. Despite the considerable success of overseas nongovernmental organisations in offering educational opportunities in addition to the formal schooling system provided by the state, there are millions of potential students who remain outside the state system and vulnerable to radicalisation. The rise of Hefazat-e-Islam is a good illustration of a radical organisation which has used the unregulated education system

to build support and is now aggressively seeking to influence policy. The grouping formed out of Qawmi madrasa lobby to oppose any moves to give Muslim women equal rights in inheritance or to reform Qawmi private education. In 2013 Hefazat went even further and issued its 13-point charter of demands, including the promulgation of a blasphemy law with a provision for the death penalty, the scrapping of laws on women’s rights and education, declaring members of the Ahmadiyya community non-Muslims, banning Christian missionary activities (especially in the Chittagong Hill Tracts), and dismantling sculptures erected in public places considered by the Hefazat as un-Islamic symbols. Hefazat represents a very narrow, obscurantist view of Islam. However, its march in Dhaka on May 5, 2013 drew a crowd of nearly half a million madrasa students, teachers, and sympathisers; and the government had to apply considerable force to eject the protesters from their sit-in. Hefazat’s ability to mobilise such significant numbers in 2013 suggests that the Qawmi madrasas, previously considered by the political elites as the abode of the poor and neglected, are becoming a potent political force. The upshot of these developments is that disaffection with both political parties is widespread, while the support base of Islamists is growing steadily. Policies that are good for export-oriented development, such as low taxes, are hardly conducive to regulating and improving the education system. Although many Bangladeshis believe that the role of Islam in Bangladesh should not be political (in a context marked by a great diversity of Islamic forms, ranging from Wahhabism and Salafism to Sufism), there is a strong possibility that the conservatives will become a formidable political force in Bangladesh in the nottoo-distant future if political parties continue to mobilise Islam for political ends and neglect their broader responsibilities of ensuring democracy and strong institutions. l Mubashar Hasan is Assistant Professor at a Bangladeshi university. This is an abridged version of a research article published in the Asian Journal of Political Science.

Opinion

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

Farakka is a hindrance to peace The Farakka Barrage is a bane for Bangladesh

Sometimes the dam holds back water, sometimes it causes floods

n Mushfique Wadud

he Indo-Bangla relationship is historic. We are always grateful to India for its help in creating an independent Bangladesh. It would have been impossible for us to win the fight against Pakistani occupation forces if it weren’t for India’s help during our Liberation war. I was born after many years of independence, but have heard from our freedom fighters and learned from books that the majority of the population in Bangladesh was pro-Indian. However, after almost 45 years since independence, the IndoBangla relationship has been through a lot of change. A good percentage of the population in Bangladesh does not see India like the way India was perceived by us in the old days. Some policies of India have contributed to this shift in our perception of India. And obviously anti-Indian forces used these very policies to create an anti-India sentiment in this Muslim majority country. The Farakka Barrage is one of those things that trigger anti-

Indian sentiments in Bangladesh. This barrage is a nightmare for the people of Bangladesh. It is affecting our economy, our agriculture, our fish production, our bio-diversity, and our water and land transportation among many other things. The barrage was built to divert 1,100 cubic metres per second of water from the Ganges to the Hoogly River for flushing out the sediment deposition from the Kolkata harbour without the need of regular mechanical dredging. Though it is a fortune for some parts of India, it has been leaving a trail of destruction for Bangladesh. The recent decision of the Indian government to open all gates of Farakka Barrage due to flood in Assam and Bihar is an example of how the barrage is affecting Bangladesh. Districts adjacent to Padma river are being heavily flooded due to opened gates of Farakka Barrage. Thousands of people are marooned across the country. It is also reported that the flood protection embankment in Rajshahi has been affected due to rise in water level of Padma River. If the gates of Farakka remain open for some more days, the

BIGSTOCK

number of affected people will certainly increase. People of Bangladesh could have accepted this grave situation, if the Indian government decided to do the same thing during the dry season. But, it does not take opening gates of Farakka Barrage then, and we suffer from scarcity of water in rivers. And as a result, our rivers are dying.

rivers in Bangladesh. Many fishermen have told me that they do not get the same volume of fish that they used to get a decade ago. Bangladesh is not the lone sufferer. Farakka Barrage also affects Bihar and some other parts of India. Many experts blame the Farakka Barrage for floodlike situations in most parts of

If rivers die, the country will gravely suffer and ultimately die too. Most importantly, the Farakka Barrage is affecting the ecological system of Bangladesh

Bangladeshi newspapers often publish photos where it can be seen that buses or trucks are being run on parts of Padma River that was once tidal. Many water experts believe if this continues, Bangladesh will soon turn into a desert area. This is not true only in case of Padma river, but the flow of water falls drastically in major

Bihar this year; and we have also observed the Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar demanding removal of Farakka Barrage. Nitish reportedly said: “The current flood-like situation in 12 districts including Patna has been a result of silt being deposited in Ganga, due to construction of Farakka dam in West Bengal. The

only way to remove silt from the river is to remove the Farakka dam.” Rivers are everything for a riverine country like Bangladesh. If rivers die, the country will gravely suffer and ultimately die too. Most importantly, the Farakka Barrage is affecting the ecological system of Bangladesh -- many experts fear that the negative impact of Farakka Barrage will be more severe in the coming years. India is undoubtedly a big power in South Asia. It has full control in many ways. And it has no visible competitor in the near future. As a big country, it must acknowledge the hurdles faced by its neighbouring small nations. India’s relationship with Bangladesh has been time tested. The big power should not allow the anti-Indian elements to take advantage of this situation using the issue of Farakka Barrage. As Bihar’s chief minister demands the removal of the Farakka Barrage, we do too -- and now it is high time for India to seriously consider our demands for the sake of a peaceful South Asia. l Mushfique Wadud is a journalist currently working in the development field.

Opinion

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

The definitive list of things women should and should not wear Looking out for women, as always?

n Samier Mansur

f you’re a female navigating the complexities of global swimwear, or clothing in general, this summer, I feel you (as much as my privilegedmale-patriarchal-status will let me feel, that is). More than a week ago, Nice joined the growing list of French cities to ban the “burkini” on its beaches. Cross over onto the shores of the Middle East, and good luck using this bewildering guide to help you navigate the complexities of beach wardrobe do’s and don’ts. Meanwhile on Danish beaches, you can wear pretty much whatever, or nothing whatsoever if you please. Those hippies. This made me ponder a hypothetical: If beach-loving women from another galaxy ever came to visit our wonderfully confused planet, how (on Earth!) would they know what to pack: The one piece, two piece, or just skip the beach altogether? The correct answer depends on where their flying saucers land, as Earth sensitivities on such matters tend to be a fickle thing. Throughout history, we, the patriarchal body politic have waged social and political battles fired up by such sensitivities -- and too often the ground-zero upon which these battles are fought is the woman’s body. For the past thousands of years we, the patriarchy, have prescribed rules for women on what they can and cannot wear, say, and do. We have seized the right to determine what is appropriate, and what is not appropriate. What is too much, or what is too little. What is morally permissible; and what will cast them into the fiery pits of hell. Despite our chivalrous fronts, we tend to mold social norms to parameters that suit our comfortlevels, at the expense of theirs. We, the patriarchy, like to think we are looking out for women: For the religious-patriarch we are protecting you from eternal damnation itself; for the practicalpatriarch, we are shielding you from the sexual deviants lurking in the bushes; for the secular-patriarch, we are vigilant against wardrobe malfunctions and nipple slips in defense of greater public sensitivities; and for the progressive-patriarch, we are freeing you from the

A woman’s choice of clothing is none of our business

Throughout history, we, the patriarchal body politic have waged social and political battles and too often the ground-zero upon which these battles are fought is the woman’s body

backwardness and oppression of too much clothing. By the way, our obsession with such matters has absolutely nothing to do with our own insecurities, be they cultural, religious, political, or sexual. Zero. Zilch. Nada. We swear, pinky

swear it. I mean, to think that the banning of the burkini on French beaches has anything to do with French attitudes towards marginalised immigrant communities or Islam, is just plain absurd. Or, to think that Saudi Arabia forces its

REUTERS

women into conservative “abayas” because they have social and cultural issues with the female rights and visibility is simply a crack-pot conspiracy of the highest order. Whether women are forced to take off their burkini, or forced into the abaya, it’s always in the name of greater social good (and always the expense of personal choice). In some twisted way, this double-think makes sense in our minds -- the opinionated and authoritative minds of the patriarchy. And so, in continuation of this age-old tradition of patriarchal pontification on the subject, I, endowed by nature as a man of authority-wielding-opinions (and with the credible experience of having four sisters, a mother, and a handful of friends of the

opposite sex) have come up with what I’m calling the The Definitive List of Things Women Should and Should Not Wear. Take note, any one, or any nation looking to impose prescriptions on the matter. Here it goes: 1. It’s none of my damn business. 2. It’s none of your damn business. And there we have it, The Definitive List of Things Women Should and Should Not Wear. Good day. l Samier Mansur is a writer, thinker, and entrepreneur driven by ideas and technologies that make this world a happier, and more peaceful place. This article was previously published in the Huffington Post.

24 Sport

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

TOP STORIES

Plunkett, Hales uncertain on tour Liam Plunkett has said he will speak to his family before making a decision over whether to tour Bangladesh following the ECB’s approval for the trip to go ahead. Plunkett added he has “a few more questions to ask”. PAGE 25

City top as Baggies, Boro struggle Manchester City were left top of the Premier League heading into the international break following a 3-1 win at home to West Ham United on Sunday. There was plenty of excitement at Eastlands. PAGE 26

Singapore no match for Bangladesh girls n Tribune Report

South Africa take 372-run lead South Africa’s three-pronged pace attack put their team in a strong position with a lead of 372 runs on the third day of the second Test against New Zealand yesterday. New Zealand were bowled out for 214 shortly before tea.. PAGE 27

Dhoni wants more US matches India captain MS Dhoni wants more matches in the United States despite a chaotic Twenty20 clash against the West Indies on Sunday ending in a rain-hit no result. Heavy rain forced the game at the Central Broward Regional Park to be abandoned. PAGE 28

Bangladesh continued their amazing run in the Asian Football Confederation Under-16 Women’s Championship Qualifiers as they outplayed Singapore 5-0 in their second Group C match at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. Captain Krishna Rani Sarkar and substitute forward Anuching Mogini netted a brace apiece while midfielder Mousumi Jahan added the other to provide Bangladesh their second consecutive victory. Following their vital 3-0 win over Iran in the first game, the Bangladesh girls seemed more confident, dominating their opposition, especially in the latter stages of the tie. Although the hosts scored one in the opening half, it is safe to say they could have netted at least three more goals if the chances were utilised. Despite misfiring in the first half, Bangladesh dominated their opponent while their ball possession increased after resumption. Singapore failed to create any notable chance throughout the game and were mostly busy or-

ganising their defence. The home side had a golden opportunity to break the deadlock with only seven minutes into the clock. Queen of the wings, Sanjida Akhter, ran free towards the goal, broke into the penalty area but her shot was blocked by a defender. Shopna collected the rebound at the edge of the sixyard box but her attempt went inches wide off the post. Mousumi hit the sidepost in the 18th minute with her attempt from the right side of the box before Krishna’s shot on the rebound flew over the crossbar. Six minutes later, defender Nargis Khatun’s header went straight into the hands of Singapore goalkeeper Nur Izzati. Just two minutes had elapsed when Krishna shot wide from close range after a lovely cross from right-back Sheuli Azim. Krishna had two more chances in the 30th and 39th minutes. Even though her first attempt went wide following a Shamsunnahar cross, her second effort gave Bangladesh the lead. Following a superb Sanjida cross from the right flank, Krishna’s glancing header hit the back of the net, giving the custodian no chance.

It was Krishna again who doubled the lead two minutes into the second half with a brilliant effort. After Marzia Khatun crossed from the left flank, Krishna collected the ball at the near post and calmly sent the ball home from three yards. Mogini came off the bench and made an immediate impact, running the opposition ragged. Her first shot on target in the 80th minute from the right of the box was fisted away by the netminder for a corner. Mogini though was not to be denied for long as her first goal came only three minutes later. Tohura Khatun unleashed a powerful shot from the left side of the box but it was parried away by the Singapore keeper. Mogini however, was there to tap home from inches away. Mousumi extended the lead four minutes later with a grounder from the middle of the box after a cross from the right flank fell into a goal-mouth scramble. Mogini headed home from a yard away in injury time to complete the rout. Bangladesh will take on Kyrgyzstan in their third match tomorrow. l

Bangladesh’s Anuching Mogini bundles in her side’s fourth goal against Singapore in the Asian Football Confederation Under-16 Women’s Championship Qualifiers at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

WHAT THEY SAID Golam Rabbani Choton, Bangladesh head coach We came through another obstacle and [yesterday’s] positive side is that we continued our dominance from kick-off to the final whistle. As they are very young, only Under-16, they struggled to find goals despite going very close but after second half they got better. The girls tried their best and I think we had 85 percent of ball possession. We totally dominated the game.

Chen Caiying, Singapore head coach Despite the defeat I’m happy with the performance of my girls. They are very young and they are improving match by match.

RESULTS Iran

9-0

Kyrgyzstan

Chinese Taipei

5-0

UAE

Bangladesh

5-0

Singapore

Sport

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

Bangladesh fly off to Maldives today n Tribune Report

A 23-member Bangladesh football team will leave here for Maldives today at 12:05pm to contest an international friendly against the Saff finalist on Thursday. The preliminary 33-man squad was reduced yesterday with midfielder Hemanta Vincent Biswas making the cut. Captain Mamunul Islam though will not travel to Male due to injury. Four new faces have been called up to the final squad for the first time, including the experienced Sentu Chandra Sen, and wingers Jafar Iqbal, Mohammad Abdullah and Didarul Alam. Midfielder Anamul Haque Sharif got the nod after seven years while Pranotosh Kumar returned to the national side following a three-year hiatus. In the absence of Mamunul and the suspended Jamal Bhuiyan, Hemanta, who was not included in the 33-member squad, is likely to take charge of midfield. Hemanta has returned from injury along with Emon Mahmud and Sohel Rana. On the other hand, Jewel Rana, Atiqur Rahman Meshu, Aminur Rahman Sajib, Mehedi Hasan Tapu, Mansur Amin, Mohammad Rumman, Mehbub Hasan Nayan and Atiqur Rahman failed to make it into the final squad.

Bangladesh’s Belgian head coach Tom Saintfiet, who flew to his homeland on Friday due to the birth of his daughter, is likely to join the team in Maldives today. Bangladesh Football Federation’s technical and strategical director Paul Smalley is temporarily guiding the team in Saintfiet’s absence. The men in red and green will stay at Champa Central Hotel in Male and after the friendly, they are scheduled to return to Dhaka on Saturday. Bangladesh will take on Bhutan at Bangabandhu National Stadium next Tuesday in the Asian Football Confederation Cup Qualifiers Playoff.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Shahidul Alam Sohel and Ashraful Islam Rana Defenders: Tapu Barman, Mamun Miah, Ariful Islam, Wali Faisal, Raihan Hasan, Nasir Uddin Chowdhury, Yeamin Munna and Rezaul Karim Midfielders: Pranotosh Kumar, Emon Mahmud, Sohel Rana, Mohammad Abdullah, Mohammad Sohel Rana, Sentu Chandra Sen, Anamul Haque Sharif and Hemanta Vincent Biswas Forwards: Nabib Newaj Jibon, Rubel Miah, Shakhawat Hossain Rony, Jafar Iqbal and Didarul Alam l

Bangladesh wicketkeeper-batsman Nurul Hasan during training in Mirpur yesterday

Plunkett, Hales uncertain on tour n Agencies Liam Plunkett has said he will speak to his family before making a decision over whether to tour Bangladesh following the England and Wales Cricket Board’s approval for the trip to go ahead. Plunkett added he has “a few more questions to ask” before making up his mind but that he has full faith in the ECB’s head of security Reg Dickason. “People are just digesting what went on in the meeting and I will

have a bit more of a think once the series is done,” Plunkett said. “Maybe I will speak to a few more people but I trust Reg and what he says and I will have another look after the series. “You pick up a paper and there’s trouble everywhere in the world so I don’t know but I’ll speak to my family once the series is done, have a good think, look into it a bit more and come up with a decision.” England have been promised huge levels of security for the tour which includes three ODIs and two Tests.

Death of English cricket and start of the Ashes

n Fazley Rabbi Moon Exactly 134 years ago on August 29, 1882, cricket had seen something extraordinary which is known as the “death of English cricket” when the creator of the game, England, were beaten at home for the first time by Australia. Chasing down 85, England were all out for just 77 with a whole day to spare to lose the low-scoring three-day match by seven runs at Kennington Oval, thus handing the one-match series to arch-rival Australia. This was followed by the beginning of one of the biggest cricket rivalries, “The Ashes”. The series defeat stunned the sporting world at the time, and caused The Sporting Times newspaper to print a sardonic, but unforgettable

obituary on their September 2 edition. The obituary stated that English cricket had died, and the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia. The English media dubbed the next English tour to Australia (1882–83) as the “mission” to regain the Ashes. The then England captain Ivo Bligh promised that he would regain “the Ashes”. He spoke of them several times during the tour, and the Aussie media quickly caught on. The three-match series resulted in a two-one win in favour of England, despite the fourth match being won by the Australians. A pair of bails was burned and the ashes put into the now famous terracotta urn which was presented to England captain Bligh by a group of Melbourne women. Nowadays, the winning players are given a replica to celebrate with, as the real trophy is far too frail. In the next 20 years, the term “Ashes” largely disappeared from public use. That name was not accepted for the series, especially

DHAKA TRIBUNE

On the other hand, Alex Hales is still undecided on whether he will pull out of England’s tour of Bangladesh as he admits losing his Test place is a factor in his decision. “It’s a tough call to make. It’s your own decision, but you’ve got to speak with your friends, family and loved ones and listen to them,” said Hales. “Obviously one of the risks of pulling out is that I’d sacrifice my Test place. There’s so many factors to weigh into a decision.” l

Manik takes charge of Sheikh Russel n Tribune Report

The death notice that appeared in The Sporting Times

in England. And it became trendy again in Australia first, when George Giffen, in his autobiography in 1899, named “With Bat and Ball”, used the term as if it was well known. But the ultimate and global revival of the term happened in 1903, when Pelham Warner took a team to Australia with the promise that he would regain “The Ashes”. Ful-

filling his promise, Warner published a book titled “How We Recovered The Ashes”. So far, the world has seen 69 Ashes series’, England and Australia both winning 32 each with five series drawn. Nowadays, the Ashes series is formatted with five Tests. England are the current holders of the urn and will be challenged next year again in Australia. l

Veteran tactician Shafiqul Islam Manik has officially taken charge of struggling Bangladesh Premier League side Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra as the head coach yesterday, replacing Maruful Haque, who resigned on Friday. The details of the contract were not revealed but it was learned that the former Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club coach signed a deal that will keep him till the end of the season. Manik is aiming to bring back the confidence and winning spirit of the team. In the top-flight, Sheikh Russel have lost as many as five times in six attempts, drawing the other one. “The results in the first six matches are surprising. My initial target is to bring back the mental strength of the players. I hope the team will bounce back in the league,” said Manik yesterday. l

Sport

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling (C) scores his side’s third goal during their Premier League match against West Ham United at Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England on Sunday

City on top as Baggies, Boro struggle n AFP, London Manchester City were left top of the Premier League heading into the international break following a 3-1 win at home to West Ham United on Sunday. While there was plenty of excitement at Eastlands, the same could not be said of Sunday’s earlier clash between two of the league’s lesser lights as West Bromwich Albion and Middlesbrough played out a dispiriting goalless draw at The Hawthorns. Raheem Sterling may have become the poster boy for England’s woeful Euro 2016 campaign, which culminated in the embarrassment of a defeat by Iceland, but there

was no denying the City forward’s class as he scored twice against the Hammers at Eastlands. Sterling finished off a slick move in the seventh minute to put City 1-0 up before Fernandinho doubled their lead when he headed in a Kevin De Bruyne free-kick 11 minutes later from seven yards out. City could easily have scored a third goal before Michail Antonio’s header in the 57th minute gave West Ham an unexpected lifeline. But with City’s lead reduced to 2-1, Sterling put the result beyond doubt when he collected David Silva’s through-ball late in the game and rolled the ball in from an acute angle. “Reborn? I keep seeing that

PREMIER LEAGUE Team

GP W D

L GD PTS

Man City

Chelsea

Man United

Everton

Hull City

RESULTS Manchester City

3-1

Sterling 7, 90+2, Fernandinho 18

West Brom

West Ham Antonio 58

0-0

Middlesbrough

word,” Sterling told Sky Sports. “It was a difficult first season at a new club but the manager Pep Guar-

diola has come in and given me a lot of courage and authority to go forward. He even had a go at me for not dibbling as much.” “When you see how many chances we create, they scored with their first chance,” Guardiola told Sky Sports. “They jumped more than us but we played a good game. Our fans enjoyed it and we are happy,” added the Spaniard, who said he did not see an incident in which Sergio Aguero appeared to elbow West Ham’s Winston Reid. Meanwhile Hammers boss Slaven Bilic lamented his side’s start to the match. “We did not start well and straight away they (City) had a cou-

ple of corners and then scored,” he said. As for Aguero’s clash with Reid, Bilic added: “I did not see the Sergio Aguero incident. We were going to change the centre-half anyway to go four at the back.” Elsewhere, West Brom manager Tony Pulis was keen to freshen up his squad before the transfer window closes on Wednesday after a forgettable stalemate with Middlesbrough. “We have to bring some players in...we need new blood,” he said. Boro manager Aitor Karanka was pleased by his newly-promoted side’s first clean sheet of the season as they maintained their unbeaten start to the league. l

PSG suffer shock defeat at Monaco n Reuters, Paris

Rakitic header earns Barca victory in Bilbao

Champions Paris St Germain suffered a shock 3-1 defeat at Monaco on Sunday, suggesting they may find it harder to retain their Ligue 1 crown after last season’s complete domination. PSG won the title by 31 points in May, losing only two games, but they were outclassed by Monaco. l

n Reuters, Barcelona

RESULTS 1-0

Nantes

Saint-Etienne

0-0

Toulouse

Monaco

3-1

Bordeaux Rolan 31

Moutinho 13, Fabinho 45+2, Aurier 80-og

PSG Cavani 63

FC Barcelona’s Ivan Rakitic (R) heads the ball to goal beside Athletic Bilbao’s Mikel Balenziaga during their La Liga match at San Mames Stadium on Sunday AP

Champions Barcelona came through a gruelling La Liga test at a rainswept San Mames on Sunday, beating Athletic Bilbao 1-0 thanks to Ivan Rakitic’s first-half header. Elsewhere, Las Palmas thrashed Granada 5-1 to top the table with six points from two matches ahead of Barca and Real Madrid on goal difference while Europa League holders Sevilla were held to a goalless draw at Villarreal. Croatia midfielder Rakitic glanced in Arda Turan’s cross to complete a sweeping move started by Luis Suarez and settle the

RESULTS Las Palmas

5-1

El Zhar 22, 68, Boateng 51, Momo 72, Araujo 85

Granada Boga 45

Alaves

0-0

Sporting Gijon

Athletic Bilbao

0-1

Barcelona Rakitic 20

Villarreal

0-0

Sevilla

visiting side’s nerves after a few early scares, including goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen giving the ball away in his own area. Barca grew in confidence after the break and stand-in captain Lionel Messi spurned two chances. l

Sport

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

Bangladesh confident ahead of Chess Olympiad n Tribune Report Bangladesh are hoping to put up their best performance than previous editions in the upcoming Chess Olympiad as a five-member men’s chess team, comprising four Grandmasters, fly off for Azerbaijan on Thursday. The 42nd edition of the Chess Olympiad is scheduled to be held in the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku, from September 1-14 where GMs Niaz Murshed, Enamul Hossain Razib, Ziaur Rahman and Abdullah al Rakib and International Master Minhazuddin Ahmed Sagor will represent Bangladesh. In contrast, the women’s team contains IMs Rani Hamid and Shamima Akter Liza and Fide Masters Shamima Sharmin, Jakia Sultana and Nazrana Khan Iva. Liza will join the team from Lisbon. Bangladesh Chess Federation arranged a month-long preparation camp for the participants but failed to provide a foreign coach, despite promises from the newly-elected committee more than two months ago. Bangladesh finished 33rd in the 40th Chess Olympiad in 2012 but ended 64th in the next edition two years later. Syed Tahmidur Rahman and Yeasmin Begum won gold medals in the Greece Olympiad in 1988. Four years later in Manila, Rokshana Gulshan and Syeda Sabana Parvin won silver and bronze medal respectively while in the same Olympiad, Ziaur Rahman earned the IM norm. In the 1998 Moscow Olympiad, Rakib acquired the IM norm while Razib achieved the GM norm in the 2002 Slovenia Olympiad. All three later became GMs. l

DAY’S WATCH CRICKET STAR SPORTS 2 7:00PM Pakistan Tour of England 3rd ODI

TEN 2 1:30PM New Zealand Tour of South Africa 2nd Test, Day 4

FOOTBALL TEN 3 4:00PM FFA Cup 2016 Edgeworth Eagles v WS Wanderers

TENNIS TEN 1 9:00PM US Open 2016 1st Round Session 1

Titu issue yet to be resolved n Tribune Report Bangladesh Football Federation is yet to decide on the situation of Saiful Bari Titu, who submitted his resignation letter to the federation last week from the post of national team’s assistant coach. Titu has been the Bangladesh deputy coach for more than last two years. Having been appointed in January 2014, the local coach worked mostly alongside Dutch head coach Lodewijk de Kruif.

“He submitted his resignation letter to the BFF on August 23. We sent it to the development committee for feedback. Then the BFF will decide,” BFF’s general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag told Dhaka Tribune yesterday. Football’s governing body in the country announced the national squad on August 20, naming Jakaria Babu as the assistant coach in place of Titu, ahead of the upcoming Asian Football Confederation Cup Qualifiers Play-offs against Bhutan.

New Zealand’s Doug Bracewell takes evasive action against a bouncer from South Africa’s Dale Steyn on the third day of their second Test at Centurion Park in Pretoria yesterday AP

South Africa take 372-run lead n AFP, Centurion South Africa’s threepronged pace attack put their team in a strong position with a lead of 372 runs on the third day of the second Test against New Zealand yesterday. New Zealand were bowled out for 214 shortly before tea. South Africa decided not to enforce the follow on. Dale Steyn and Kagiso Rabada took three wickets each and Vernon Philander claimed two. Only captain Kane Williamson was able to provide sustained resistance

DAY 3 South Africa 481/8d & 105/6 (34.0 ov) de Kock 50, Southee 2/27 New Zealand 214 Williamson 77, Rabada 3/62, Steyn 3/66 South Africa lead by 372 runs with 4 wickets remaining for New Zealand. He was last man out for 77. With Steyn and Philander both returning from long-term injuries, it was the first time they had played in the same Test match as Rabada. The combination proved relentless. l

Earlier this year, Titu took a three-month unpaid leave from BFF in order to join Bangladesh Premier League outfit Arambagh Krira Sangha as their head coach. He guided the club to a runners-up finish in the Federation Cup. The former national footballer then extended his leave for another two months which is scheduled to end on September 21, informed Titu. “I submitted my resignation letter to the BFF four-five days ago. It

is not easy to conduct two teams at the same time so I decided to quit my BFF job and stay at Arambagh,” added Titu. Titu first joined the BFF in 2009, becoming the head coach of the national team a year later. Under his stewardship, Bangladesh participated in the AFC Challenge Cup in Sri Lanka. In September 2010, he was named the assistant coach again after Croatian Robert Rubcic joined as the head coach. l

Sport

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

Verstappen style is dangerous, says Raikkonen n AFP, Spa-Francorchamps

Accent Cup 2016

RESULTS Bowl Pre Quarter Final 1 Rahim Afroze 4-4 Beximco Textile Bex Tex won 6-5 on penalties Bowl Pre Quarter Final 2 Orion Power 1-1 Augmedix Augmedix won 5-4 on penalties Cup Pre Quarter Final 1 Qubee 2-1 BanglaCat Cup Pre Quarter Final Green Delta 5-2 Rangs REZWAN HUQ

Djokovic, Nadal...Phil Collins kick-off US Open n AFP, New York Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal got their US Open campaigns under way yesterday in the shadow of Arthur Ashe Stadium’s spectacular $150 million retractable roof and alongside rock music legend Phil Collins. Defending champion Djokovic and fellow two-time winner Nadal come into the season’s final Grand Slam with injury concerns. World number one Djokovic, the 2011 and 2015 champion, admits he is “not 100 percent” after suffering a wrist injury on the eve of the Olympic Games where he was a shock first-round loser. The 29-year-old has also said “personal problems” contributed to his third-round exit at Wimbledon which ended his hopes of going on to capture the first calendar Grand Slam since 1969. Nadal, meanwhile, is also battling the effects of a left wrist problem which forced a mid-tournament withdrawal from the French Open and sidelined him until the Olympics where he was a gold medal winner in the men’s doubles. The injury concerns, combined with the absence for the first time since 1999 of five-time winner Roger Federer, have put 2012 champion Andy Murray in the position of favourite.

Djokovic starts his bid for a third major of 2016, and 13th of his career, against Polish giant Jerzy Janowicz, who was a Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2013. A serious knee injury has limited Janowicz to just six matches all year and seen his world ranking collapse to 228. Nadal, the 2010 and 2013 champion in New York, tackles Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan. The Spaniard has a 4-0 career record over world number 107 Istomin, including a win over the Russian-born player at the 2010 US Open. Nadal closes the daytime session on Ashe while Djokovic starts the evening entertainment. In between, the tournament will stage its opening ceremony with Collins, making his first concert appearance in six years, headlining the occasion by reprising his “In the Air Tonight” hit. Play on the cavernous Ashe stadium starts at 1500GMT with 2015 women’s runner-up Roberta Vinci, the Italian seventh seed, facing Germany’s Anna-Lena Friedsam. Vinci stunned Serena Williams in the semi-finals in 2015 before losing the championship match to Italian compatriot Flavia Pennetta who retired in the immediate aftermath of her first and only Grand Slam win. l

Dutch teenager Max Verstappen’s aggressive racing style is dangerous and may have caused a big accident during the Belgian Grand Prix, rival Kimi Raikkonen claimed after Sunday’s race. Finn Raikkonen, who finished ninth for Ferrari, clashed frequently throughout the 44-lap contest with the local hero, who seemed to be inspired by the atmosphere created by a sell-out crowd packed with an “orange” army of his supporters. “My start wasn’t great,” said the Dutchman. “But then I dived up the inside and didn’t lock a wheel and was easily making the corner, but they just kept squeezing me. “I was on the inside, Kimi was squeezing me and then Sebastian just turned in on both of us. He turned into the corner, where there were already two cars. That gave my front wing a lot of damage and, the floor was destroyed and, from there on, my race was gone.” l

Cagliari come from two down to hold Roma n AFP, Milan

Dhoni wants more US matches despite washout

Marco Sau produced a last-gasp leveller for newly-promoted Cagliari as they battled back to draw 2-2 with Roma in Serie A on Sunday and complete a difficult few days for the Giallorossi. Genoa, who saw new Italy call-up Luca Pavoletti hit a brace in a 3-1 win away to newly-promoted Crotone, are top of the fledgling table, albeit level on six points with Juventus, Sampdoria and Sassuolo. l

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni wants more matches in the United States despite a chaotic Twenty20 clash against the West Indies on Sunday ending in a rainhit no result. Heavy rain forced the game at the Central Broward Regional Park to be abandoned with India wellplaced on 15-0 off two overs in pursuit of a modest 144-run target. The outcome completed a miserable day for the organisers who were forced to delay the start of the game by 40 minutes after technical problems caused a loss of television pictures.

RESULTS 1-1

Inter Milan Icardi 72

Cagliari

2-2

Borriello 56, Sau 87

Crotone Palladino 34

Fiorentina

Palermo Rispoli 48

n AFP, Fort Lauderdale

West Indies, the world champions in the format, claimed the twomatch series after winning the first game on Saturday by just one run. Dhoni, whose side conceded the third-highest total of all time in the format of 245 in the opening clash, said he defintely sees a future for T20 cricket in America’s crowded sports market. Carlos Brathwaite, leading the West Indies for the first time after the sacking of Darren Sammy, also looked forward to returning to Florida. West Indies struggled to 143 all out in their innings with slow bowler Amit Mishra claiming a career best 3-24. l

Roma Perotti 6-P, Strootman 56

1-3

Genoa

Gakpe 51, Pavoletti 55, 64

1-0

Chievo

2-1

Atalanta

Sanchez

Sampdoria Quagliarella 35-P, Barreto 45

Sassuolo

Kessie 27

2-1

Defrel 38, Berardi 67

Pescara Manaj 81

5-1

Bologna

Belotti 28, 38, 89, Martinez 53, Baselli 80

Taider 32

Torino

Udinese

2-0

Felipe 3, Perica 90+5

Empoli

West Indies’ Dwayne Bravo and India’s MS Dhoni talk during a rain delay at the second T20I on Sunday AP

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Musical note (5) 4 Decay (3) 6 Therefore (4) 8 Month (5) 9 Utter wildly (4) 11 Muslim leader (4) 12 Part of a ship (5) 15 Nuisances (5) 18 Persian fairy (4) 20 Soon (arch) (4) 21 Workers' organisation (5) 22 Serpents (4) 23 Pronoun (3) 24 Assists (5)

DOWN 1 Cries in pain (5) 2 Norwegian (5) 3 Gourd (5) 4 Wander (4) 5 Swarm (4) 7 Ingrained dirt (5) 10 Very extensive (4) 13 That time (4) 14 Checks (5) 15 Luxurious and costly (5) 16 Motionless (5) 17 Curving recess (5) 18 Track (4) 19 Bellow (4)

Downtime

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODECRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 7 represents G so fill G every time the figure 7 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

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

Showtime

Bebo stuns as showstopper for Sabyasachi

n Showtime Desk For Lakme Fashion Week’s Winter/ Festive 2016 collection, actress and mommy-to-be Kareena Kapoor Khan took the ramp by storm as she turned showstopper for designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee. Expecting her first child with actor Saif Ali Khan at the end of this year, Bebo was all smiles, glowing in a gorgeous grey, heavily embellished lahenga and kurti. As Lakme’s brand ambassador, prior to the shows opening, rumor mills were abuzz with talk of Kareena making an appearance, baby bump and all. As everyone waited with bated

breath, Kareena glided in, glowing in what can only be described as a less-is-more ensemble. Known for her flawless skin, Bebo’s makeup was kept to an absolute bare minimum with her pregnancy glow doing everything you’d expect make-up would. Wearing just a statement maang tika on her forehead, her ears too, were left bear, with her outfit doing all the talking. The designer’s collection was inspired from the 1920’s through the 1970’s, with the lineup consisting of embroidered anarkalis, suits, lahengas as well as cocktail dresses. Following the usual colour scheme of reds and

golds and blues and greens, there was also the unusual statement black ensembles. The collection included zardosi, parsi, baroque crystals as well as faux fur. What’s interesting to note is that the entire collection was made in a tight, two and a half week time frame with all the materials sourced from Banaras. “Everyone made this edition so special for me. For me, it’s quite an emotional moment as this was the first time we (she and her future child) took the ramp together. It was a moment to cherish,” Kareena told reporters at the show’s conference, after the finale. The finale had all the elements of a quintessential Sabyasachi finale - elegant, glamorous and full of the grandeur you come to expect from a Sabyasachi season finale. “I was happy and confident. Pregnant woman can walk and fly and for me it’s absolutely normal. When it comes to my work, acting is my passion and I will work till I die. As long as I am doing what I love, I am going to do that,” the Kapoor-Khan mom-to-be shared. In attendance, smiling on front row were Deepika Padukone as well as sister Karisma Kapoor. Both cheered Kareena on as she sported her babybump with panache. Ever since her pregnancy, the actress has embraced motherhood, feeling uninhibited about flaunting her baby bump, especially at public appearances. Moreover, she also made it clear to the media that she will continue to go on with her “normal life” despite the pregnancy. Always known for being one that defies stereotypes and is unapologetically forthright in her ways, she is not about to back out now. On the movie front, the actress will begin shooting for Shashanka Ghosh’s Veere Di Wedding in October. The film also stars Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania. l

Kriti in Lakme Fashion week

n Showtime Desk Kriti Sanon, one of the most beautiful faces of Bollywood, has been on a roll ever since she debuted opposite Tiger Shroff in Heropanti. After a successful debut, she worked with Shah Rukh Khan and Varun Dhawan in Rohit Shetty’s Dilwale. She is now working on Raabta alongside Sushant Singh Rajput and is in talks with quite a few other films. She is the face of a few brands too. Her mission of being a topnotch celebrity was accomplished by walking in a ramp for famous designer Ritu Kumar. After Kangana Ranaut, Shraddha Kapoor, Sushant Singh Rajput, Arjun Kapoor and

Jacqueline Fernandez impressed us with their stunning walks at the Lakme Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2016, it was Kriti Sanon’s time to enthrall the audience. The actress, who has walked at the prestigious fashion week on a few occasions in the past, was back as she walked for Ritu Kumar too. Kriti Sanon looked gorgeous and turned numerous heads as she walked for the ace designer. Her personalised ensemble was traditional with a modern touch. Ritu Kumar’s collection – The Label is really trendy. Traditional yet modern. She has used a lot of colours, prints and embroidery. The collection is really cool and will appeal to people of all ages. l

Star Updates Social worker Tushty Actress Shamima Tushty thinks that only the regular people can bring about changes in society. That’s why she and her friends have started a social welfare organization called Manush, which is separate from all the business of media she is invovle in.

Manush, the nonprofit organization, has already done some work for the non-privileged segments of the communities around the country. Manush collected fund and relief for flood affected area recently. Now they are collecting funds to help street children celebrate Eid.

“We want to celebrate Eid together. So, if some people become happy with a little effort from us that will be the best Eid gift for us,” Tushty said.

Fahmida and Samina’s new album

Singer Fahmida Nabi and Samina Chowdhury are doing an album together For the first time. Though they had been seen

together in many TV programs or other events, they never sang for a duet album. Pancham, who is also the brother of Fahmida and Samina, arranged the music for the album and brought them together for the first time in this project.

The recording of the vocals has been completed. Fahmida Nabi is so excited about her new album. “I think it will be a great surprise for our audiences. Especially when the lyricist is Zulfiqer Russell and composer is Nachiketa. It is a great team indeed,” Fahmida said. l

Alif Alauddin’s new single is out

Showtime

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

WHAT TO WATCH Martin Sheen, Sally Field, Irrfan Khan, Campbell Scott

Warm Bodies HBO 8:35pm After a highly unusual zombie saves a still-living girl from an attack, the two form a relationship that sets in motion events that might transform the entire lifeless world. Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Rob Corddry, Dave Franco, Analeigh Tipton, Cory Hardrict

n Showtime Desk Singer-presenter Alif Alauddin came up with a new single “Kobey Bolbo Tomay” under the banner of music label Mashrum Entertainment. Along with Alif, another singer Shahriar Sabbir also lent voice to the song. Penned by

both singers, music for the song was composed by Faysal. Alif Alauddin said: “I want to stay close to music all the time no matter what I do. Currently, I am not doing anything which has nothing to do with music. “The program I anchor is also based on music, so I barely

face any obstacles to handle my career’s objective,” she added. The song is available on various digital music platforms including Robi Yonder Music, GP Music and iTunes. The singer hopes to release the song’s music video with shooting set to commence early next month. l

The Amazing Spider-Man Movies Now 11:50pm After Peter Parker is bitten by a genetically altered spider, he gains newfound, spider-like powers and ventures out to solve the mystery of his parent’s mysterious death. Cast: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary,

Superman Returns WB 9pm Superman reappears after a long absence, but is challenged by an old foe who uses Kryptonian technology for world domination. Cast: Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, James Marsden, Parker Posey

Hitman Star Movies 1:20pm A gun-for-hire known only as Agent 47 hired by a group known only as ‘The Organization’ is ensnared in a political conspiracy, which finds him pursued by both Interpol and the Russian military as he treks across Russia and Eastern Europe. Cast: Timothy Olyphant, Dougray Scott, Robert Knepper, Olga Kurylenko

Back Page

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016

BIDA STARTS FUNCTIONING TODAY PAGE 12

SINGAPORE NO MATCH FOR BD GIRLS PAGE 24

BEBO STUNS AS SHOWSTOPPER PAGE 30

Citycell given 3 months to pay dues of Tk477.51 crore n Ishtiaq Husain

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid yesterday visits Willes Little Flower School where he assured the agitating students of arresting the killer of Risha DHAKA TRIBUNE

‘Risha’s killer to be arrested within 48 hrs’ RISHA MURDER n Arifur Rahman Rabbi Amid student protests, police has declared that they will arrest the suspected killer of 14-year-old Suraiya Akther Risha within 48 hours. Police’s Ramna division Assistant Commissioner Shibli Noman made the announcement yesterday while talking to agitating students of Willes Little Flower school and College. The students were protesting in front of the school, blocking the Kakrail intersection demanding the arrest of Risha’s killer. Students from nearby Notre Dame College, Viqarunnisa Noon School and College, Siddheswari School and College and other institutions also joined them. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid visited Willes Little Flower School and College and assured students of justice for the murder. Police and eyewitnesses said students had blocked

the road in front of the school and Kakrail intersection area for about two hours from 12:30pm demanding the killer be given exemplary punishment. The agitation threw the traffic movement in the area into a total disarray. Around 1:30pm, AC Shibli Noman went there and talked to the students. He assured them the murderer would be caught and asked them to return to class. “We have got all information about the accused Obaydul. He will be arrested in the next 48 hours,” he said. Later around 2:30pm, the protest coordinator Muntasir Mahmud postponed the programme till Tuesday 12am. In the meantime, they want to see the killer arrested. They will hit the streets again on Tuesday and vowed to continue agitation until the killer is arrested, he added. He also urged students all over the country to observe a human chain event on August 31 at their respective educational institutions for Risha. The Ganajagaran Mancha has expressed solidarity with the protesters and joined their programme.

Bangladesh’s first mobile network operator Citycell will have to pay the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) dues of Tk477.51 crore in order to stay afloat. Syed Mahsib Hossain, a council of BTRC told the Dhaka Tribune that the operator will have to pay all dues, including regulatory fees and fines worth Tk477. 51 crore within three months. Out of the total outstanding dues, twothirds of the amount Tk318 crore must be paid in a month. A five-member bench of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice SK Sinha gave the verdict yesterday. On August 24 a High Court bench Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed said that Citycell could continue its operation till September 16. The BTRC then filed an appeal against the High Court order which had stopped it

from shutting down Citycell’s operation. On July 31, BTRC asked Citycell to pay its all dues, including regulatory fees and fines by August 16. BTRC also ordered the company to make alternative arrangements for its subscribers in the event of it’s closure. On August 21, Citycell’s lawyer filed an application for injunction under the Section 248 of the Companies Act 1994, to keep BTRC from taking away or cancelling Citycell’s licence. The High Court heard the application of the injunction on August 22. At that hearing lawyers for China Development Bank, Citycell and BTRC were arguing their case. Citycell’s parent company Pacific Bangladesh Telecom Limited acquired its telecom licence in 1989. It is the only CDMA network operator in the country. Citycell is currently owned by Singtel with 45% share while the remaining 55% is owned by the Pacific Group and Far East Telecom. l

The school authorities organised a mourning for Risha in the morning. The education minister and the victim’s family were present, as well as students and teachers. Minister Nahid urged the public to help nab the suspected killer, whose picture has been circulated in the media. Speaking at the mourning rally, the victim’s father demanded justice for his daughter before breaking down in tears. Nahid said he had spoken to the home minister who promised swift steps to bring the killer to book. Risha’s mother Tania Hossain says she suspects that one Obaidul Khan, a cutting master at Baishakhi Ladies Tailors in Elephant Road’s Eastern Moillika Shopping Mall, stabbed her daughter for refusing his advances. A murder case was filed with the Ramna police station. Kazi Riazul Haque, chairman of the Nation Human Rights Commission, has expressed deep concern over the attack and murder of Suraiya Akhter Risha and demanded immediate arrest of the attacker. l

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