09 Sep, 2016 by DhakaTribune

SECOND EDITION

Counterfeit cliques backed by mobsters and spies n Mohammad Jamil Khan and Kamrul Hasan Two decades ago, Abdur Rashid joined the Agrani Bank as a clerk and rose to the rank of a junior officer. Then in 1996, bank authorities found him involved in misappropriating money. He was sacked and jailed for two years. In jail, Rashid met Nuruzzaman, a high-profile counterfeiter. After serving his sentence, Rashid set up a printing press at Kataban in Dhaka. Nuruzzaman became a regular customer there, getting forged documents printed. It was only after 2000 that Rashid got fully involved in the counterfeit money business after he suffered a major financial setback, said Lt Col Tuhin Mohammad Masud, the commander of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) 1, whose forces caught Rashid yesterday. In this bust, RAB recovered more than Tk1 crore in counterfeit money. Rashid was arrested once in the past but simply got out on bail and resumed his operations. “They have been in this business for a long time,” Lt Col Tuhin said, commenting on the gang they had busted. Law enforcers say that at least 40 organised counterfeit  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Highways gridlocked ahead of Eid n Tribune Desk Additional pressure of vehicles carrying the home-bound people and huge flow of cattle-laden trucks ahead of the Eid-ulAzha are causing severe tailbacks on the highways across the country. According to the correspondents of the Dhaka Tribune, tailbacks on Dhaka-Tangail, Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Sylhet Highways left hundreds of home-bound people stranded for hours, causing immense sufferings to the holiday makers. In Narayanganj, a 20km long tailback ensued on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway stretching from Kanchpur to Meghna while an 18km long tailback occurred on Dhaka-Sylhet Highway stretching from Kanchpur-Bhulta. Mollah Taslim Hossain, traffic in-charge of Shimrail said: “The tailback on Dhaka-Chittagong Highway occurred as three trucks have gone out of order on Meghna-Kanchpur bridge on Wednesday.” Sheikh Shoriful Alam, officer-in-charge of Kanchpur Highway police camp said: “At least six vehicles met with accidents on Dhaka-Sylhet and Dhaka-Chittagong Highways, causing an extreme gridlock. “The highway traffic and police team are giving 24 hours service so that the normalcy on the roads returns soon.” In Munshiganj, The Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane Highway witnessed a 13km long traffic congestion due to the additional load ahead of the eid.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 4

RAB arrested five forgers and recovered counterfeit bank notes of various denominations worth more than Tk1 crore yesterday from several places in Dhaka MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

News

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

Major counterfeiter gang busted in Dhaka

Bangladesh gets good grades on AML-CFT

n Kamrul Hasan

Bangladesh has been rated as compliant with international Anti Money Laundering (AML) standards by Asia Pacific Group (APG) on money laundering despite the cyber heist in Bangladesh Bank and terror attack in Gulshan in Dhaka. Moreover, Bangladesh improved more in anti-money laundering activities in comparison to many other developed countries in APG’s third Mutual Evaluation Report (MER). There was apprehension in the market that Bangladesh could be listed in the International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) in MER due to the recent growing militant attacks but now the country is out of that risk, said a statement issued by Bangladesh Bank yesterday. Bangladesh government’s role to withstand money laundering and terror financing activities was discussed and appreciated by APG member countries in the meeting. Bangladesh’s position was im-

The Rapid Action Battalion has busted a gang of counterfeiters who had been circulating forged banknotes in Dhaka’s local market for years. Five of the gang’s members were arrested yesterday with counterfeit bank notes of various denominations worth more than Tk1 crore. This major bust takes place days before the Eid-ul-Azha celebrations. Counterfeit gangs are more active during big festivals when cash purchases are large and numerous. Sophisticated printing machines and material used to forge banknotes were also seized in the raids, starting late Wednesday night and lasting until yesterday morning in Jurain and Banasree areas, RAB said. RAB-1 arrested two of the counterfeiters – Fatema Beguma and Rubina Begum – from Banasree

around 11pm Wednesday and raided Jurain to nab the others around 3am yesterday. RAB-1 commanding officer Lt Col Tuhin Mohammad Masud in a press briefing at the battalion office in Uttara, described one of the arrestees, former Agrani Bank official Abdur Rashid, as a prominent counterfeiter. The others are Dulal and Sarwar Hossain. Rubina and Fatema are married to the same man, Abdur Rahim, another high profile counterfeiter, the RAB officer said, adding that the three were arrested last year. The wives got out on bail but Rahim is in jail. Lt Col Tuhin said the gang had already circulated Tk1 crore fake currency and had planned to inject currencies worth Tk2 crore more into the market, of which Tk1 crore was recovered. Materials for making a large quantity of counterfeit

money was recovered. Replying to a question, the RAB 1 commander said at present some 1015 gangs were active in Dhaka alone. Many of them had been arrested and some of them were in jail. He said many arrestees were coming out of jail on bail. Asked if law enforcers were failing to press charges properly, he said they pressed the charges properly but there were loopholes in the judicial system that were allowing the criminals to get bail. “Sometimes they get benefit from the system as a woman and come out of the jail,” he said, citing the examples of Rubina and Fatema. Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police Akramul Hasan, who led the raids, said the gang was active in Banasaree, Jatrabari and Jurain. He said they termed Tk500 bundle as ‘Panjabi’, Tk1000 bundle as ‘Jobba’ and little number of notes as ‘Hatkata.’ l

n Tribune Business Desk

proved in two ratings by the APG assessment team. A proposal of downgrading Bangladesh in four ratings by APG member countries was not considered in the meeting, said the statement. The final MER report was approved at the 19th annual meeting held at California on August 7 this year. Bangladesh was recognised as compliant with international AML standards by APG and it’s 41 member countries. In the APG report, Bangladesh’s rating was better than those of Sri Lanka, Norway and in some categories, Australia. Bangladesh was ahead of Sri Lanka and Norway in terms of technical compliance. An AGP team consisting of eight members visited Bangladesh from October 11 to 22 last year. During their visit they held meetings with the government’s respective departments, private sector banks and insurance companies to collect information about compliance with international money laundering standards. l

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Highways gridlocked Kamruzzaman Raj, Bhoberchar highway police camp in-charge, said: “Due to additional pressure of vehicles carrying home- bound people, a 13km long tailback occurred on Dhaka-Chittagong Highway stretching from Meghna bridge to Gomoti bridge.” In Tangail, Dhaka-Tangail- Bangabandhu Bridge Highway is experiencing a 62km long tailback due to the closure of Paturia-Daulatdia ferry services. Traffic Sargent Iftekhar told the Dhaka Tribune: “The extreme traffic congestion on Dhaka-Tangail Highway ensued due to the haphazard movement of cattle-laden vehicles and the closure of the Paturia-Daulatdia ferry services.” Tangail Police Superintendent Md Mahbub Alam told the Dhaka Tribune: “A total of 750 police officials are working on the highways in three shifts to ensure swift passage of home-bound people carrying vehicles. Besides, four teams of Rapid Action Battalion also patrolling at the area to ensure safety to home bound people.” A mobile court led by DC Md Mahbub Hossain has also been monitoring the situation on the highways, added the police official. However, our correspondents from Chittagong and Gazipur reported that the situation is normal in the adjacent highways. In Chittagong, no traffic congestion has been reported on Dhaka-Chittagong Highway stretching from Chittagong to Comilla till fil-

ing the report at 5pm on Thursday. Bar Awlia Highway police station OC Md Saleh Ahmed Pathan told Dhaka Tribune: “Traffic on Dhaka-Chittagong Highway stretching from Chittagong to Comilla is quite normal. Additional police have been deployed in the key points on the highway to tackle the additional load.” In Gazipur, the traffic situation has been reported normal on Dhaka-Tangail Highway. Khalilur Rahman, Gorai police camp OC, said: “Although the situation is normal now, the highway may witness tailback in the night.” Traffic gridlock on the highways, operation of unfit vehicles and mismanagement in ferry services have become one of the most common phenomena during the eid rush. According to Mozammel Huq, secretary general of Jatri Kalyan Samity, around 3 million people leave the capital by road, some 1.5 million by waterways and around 400,000 by train to celebrate eid with their near and dear ones. The additional load on roads and highways cause frequent and fatal road accidents. According to Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity, at least 200 people were killed and 746 others injured in accidents on roads, waterways and railways across the country during 12 days before and after the Eid-ul-Fitr holiday. The number of casualties came from 121 incidents of accidents that took place in between July 1 and July 12. l

Counterfeit cliques backed by mobsters and spies syndicates are active in circulating fake notes across Bangladesh now, taking advantage of the massive rush of cash exchanges during Eidul-Azha season.

‘Paper from Pakistan, security thread from India’

Obtaining security materials used in counterfeit money seems very easy. The counterfeit syndicates in Bangladesh are bringing the special paper from Pakistan and the security threads from India, law enforcement sources said. Once the materials are in hand, they take expert support from several former bank officials and with their expertise, the printing of fake bills becomes very smooth. The notes are produced using sophisticated machines, making the detection almost impossible for a layperson during the mad rush of Eid. Law enforcers in recent times have learned about the manufacturing and circulation process by investigating forgery cases where many gang members have described their workings in detail. Police detectives who have been working on forgery gang activities say they found the involvement of a Pakistani gang behind the recent fake notes. The group is known as “ISI Rupee” and originally it used to forge Indian rupees. Along with this, involvement of a foreign intelligence agency was also found to be behind the racket. Police’s counterterrorism chief

Monirul Islam told the Dhaka Tribune that they were suspecting the involvement of a foreign intelligence agency and were investigating the matter. Lt Col Tuhin said Abdur Rashid and his gang used to import security thread and paper. He said the forgery gang was highly skilled. “Their fake notes contain the watermark and the print of Bangabandhu. These could be very difficult to identify,” he said. According to sources, law enforcers have so far arrested a number of note forgers. But most of them serve only a few months in jail before getting bailed out. Sheikh Nazmul Alam, deputy commissioner of detective police, told the Dhaka Tribune: “We know a number of arrestees get released after their arrest. However, we are keeping watch on their activities.”

‘Tk20 crore target’

In recent times police intelligence has found that besides Pakistanis, some international criminals, especially from Africa, the Philippines and Thailand are also providing technical support to counterfeiters to manufacture fake notes in Bangladesh. These criminals are working in 40 syndicates, most of them active around Dhaka and the nearby districts. Their target is to spread over Tk20 crore in fake notes during the festival rush, sources said. Along with Bangladesh police, officials of Indian intelligence are also

working to trace these note forgers. Using Bangladesh as transit route, a group from Pakistan had been spreading fake rupees in India for a long time. Due to increased vigilance across the border, the group has now switched to making fake Taka. Bangladeshi law enforcers have been able to trace six persons in this group. They were identified as Pakistani citizen Mostofa, his wife Salma, Imon, Alauddin, Humayun and his brother Kawsar. Recently, Kawsar was arrested in Narsingdi with fake notes equivalent to Tk21 lakh.

Staying safe from fake notes

An average consumer can easily be tricked by the fake banknotes produced by the gang, RAB 1 second-in-command Maj Safiul Azam Siddique said. “These are very high quality, almost perfect copies,” he said. It is nearly impossible to tell the difference just by looking with the naked eye. The forged banknotes contain the watermark and the long thread found in minted notes. “Only the colour is not permanent in these bills. If you rub the notes with wet fingers or keep them in your pocket for long, the colour will come off due to sweat,” said Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police Akramul Hasan, who led yesterday’s drive. The officials suggest that everyone should check thoroughly before accepting any Tk500 or Tk1,000 note. l

News

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

Killer machetes on the loose n Mohammad Jamil Khan While Dhaka is being cordoned off to protect against terrorist attacks ahead of the Eid holidays, the violent extremists’ weapon of choice is selling on the streets and in the bazars like hotcakes. And this is happening in broad daylight. Despite a colonial-era law restricting the sale of weaponisable blades – the law regards anything above 7.5 inches long as a lethal weapon – there are no restrictions on the sale of butchers’ knives and machetes used to slaughter cattle. Such implements have been used to devastating effect in 48 terrorist attacks from February 15, 2013 to date. Dozens more have been injured in machete attacks. The preference for machetes in extremist violence results from a belief among militants that killing with the blade earns more blessing and eases the path to paradise, Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit chief Monirul Islam explained to the Dhaka Tribune. In kitchen markets like across the city, blacksmiths hawk an array of machetes, butcher’s knives, daggers and cleavers, their deadly wares spilling into the sidewalks

Different types of daggers, machetes and butcher’s knives are on display at a blacksmith’s shop in Dhaka’s Karwan Bazar ahead on Eid-ul-Azha as demand for these sharp tools, used for slaughtering sacrificial animals, increases during this time. The photo was taken yesterday RAJIB DHAR fronting their workshops and stores. Blacksmith Liakat told the Dhaka Tribune that orders for butcher’s knives, machetes and cleavers had risen ahead of the festival of sacri-

fice. Newly forged blades go for between Tk250 and Tk2,500, depending on size, he said. When asked if memos were kept when selling blades, Blacksmith Sanjay of Kamarpotti in Noyabazar,

BB CIRCULAR AGAINST CYBER ATTACK

Experts see no effect but strict monitoring n Kamrul Hasan

Welcoming the Bangladesh Bank's circulation to the banks of the country to take proper steps against possible cyber attacks during upcoming eid festival banking, security experts of the banking sectors said this warning could not carry much effect during the time. Bangladesh Bank issued two circular yesterday to tighten cyber security of the banks as they were fearing attacks during the time. Security experts suggested to take long term planning for combating this security risk and said for this upcoming Eid the bank authorities only could ensure strict monitoring systems so that they could remain alert. Mahbubur Rahman Alam told the Dhaka Tribun: “After the Bangladesh Bank heist the authorities of the banks had compelled to emphasize on the cyber security issues. They had taken several steps to beefed up their security measures in this sector.” “But for Eid with four day left they could do nothing big or effec-

tive. They only can ensure strict monitoring of the transactions during the festival as the hackers often tried to take advantage of the time,” he added. He said they would have to ensure 24 hours examination of every transaction of the time if they were authorised were not.

‘There is no option without building local technological eligibility for ensuring cyber security for banks’ Even, the bank authorities had no such facilities to identify if any attack took place and from where they could recover the data, said Associate Professor Mahabubur. He said: “They had made a study over the matter, they found that the number of attack were 45 to 300 a day. The attack from the abroad had increased significantly after almost six month of the study.”

Associate Professor Dr Mohammad Shariful Islam said: “Implementing measures for cyber security of the banks is a long term process and at this current status of bank security systems revealed that they only could monitor their transaction to prevent any cyber attack.” Bangladesh now had enough person to deploy at the banks. Beside, banks should sponsor local software engineer so that they could build software to ensure bank's security, he said. There is no option without building local technological eligibility for ensuring cyber security for banks, he added. Abul Kalam Azad, the joint secretary of 'SWIFT User Group of Bangladesh' said: “They had taken enough security measures for the eid.” Beside, authorised officials of the swift room would be on duty during the time. He said all the banks under their association also asked take enough security measures during the festival. l

replied: “Are you out of your mind? We never give any memos.” But the Arms Act, 1878, requires licences to use – though not to sell – sharp weapons including “swords” and “daggers.”

Advocate Belal Hossain Jashim, a criminal lawyer at the Dhaka Judge Court, told the Dhaka Tribune that machetes or daggers exceeding 7.5 inches in length and possessing handles of 3.5 inches length fall under the arms act. But he added that there were no laws regulating the sale of these weapons. “Considering the ongoing situation, the authorities ought to set up a system to monitor sales of these items,” he said. CTTC chief Monirul told the Dhaka Tribune that monitoring the sale of such a ubiquitous kitchen implement was impracticable. He added: “Awareness building is a better solution to the problem.” Policing the sale of knives has led to false alarms, a police official said. A recent tip off that a young man had bought a knives before going to a hotel, rather than to a residential home, led to a police raid, a CTTC source told the Dhaka Tribune. But it turned out that his alibi for staying at a hotel was legitimate and knives were being used to cut fruits. Monirul says that despite the false alarm, that the lead was investigated was a sign that vigilance had improved. l

Government to form a hydropower company n Aminur Rahman Rasel The government is going to form a hydropower company in the country which will not only generate power but will also import it from the neighbouring countries. “We discussed the project and decided to formulate the company's memorandum of association and articles of association at a meeting in the Power Division,” said Mohammad Hossain, director general of the Power Cell under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, yesterday. “The legal infrastructure for setting up the company under the Power Division is being prepared, and it will be registered with the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms,” he told the Dhaka Tribune. He further said they company would likely be named Hydropower Generation Company Limited and will look to import electricity from hydropower plants in high-altitude countries such as Nepal and Bhutan. Earlier on Sunday, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid had a meeting with Indian High Com-

missioner in Dhaka Harsh Vardhan Shringla at the Secretariat, where the state minister asked for a trilateral meeting among Bangladesh, India and Bhutan next month to put emphasis on power generation from renewable energy sources. The Indian high commissioner earlier invited the state minister on behalf of the Energy and Power Ministry of India to a visit to the country on October 3-5. When Nasrul asked to include Bhutan in the discussion, Shringla said a trilateral meeting could be finalised at the October 3 meeting. The government is also planning to form a company to conduct the operations and maintenance of public and private power plants and the activation of two new distribution companies – South Zone Power Distribution Company Limited and North West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited, sources at the Power Division told the Dhaka Tribune. A new distribution company named Central Zone Power Distribution Company will also be formed, while the 740MW Ghorasal power plant will be transformed into a corporation, they added. l

News

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

Bangladesh to get $100m from WB to improve college education n Tribune Business Desk Bangladesh yesterday signed a $100 million financing agreement with the World Bank to improve education and management in the National University-affiliated colleges, the bank said in a statement yesterday. The aim of the financing is to help the educational institutes teach more market-relevant skills and create a competitive workforce for the country. The $100 million College Education Development Project will improve the education system of the government and non-government colleges affiliated with the National University, where around 1.6 million students are currently enrolled.

The project will also provide more than 100 competitive grants to participating colleges to improve the teaching and learning environment by introducing improved internet connectivity, developing market-relevant soft skills of the students, and linking them with employers. The project also aims to strengthen strategic planning and management capacity of the colleges. “Every year 2.1 million youths enter the job market in Bangladesh, and creating more and better jobs is the top development priority for the country,” said Acting World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh, Zahid Hussain. A skilled and competent youth workforce will help Bangladesh at-

tain middle-income country status by 2021, he added. “The Project will help create better employability of the youths entering the workforce.” It will also help fill 2,700 vacant teacher positions at the government colleges, plus promote teachers’ development and provide training for around 8,000 college teachers and managers through establishing a training consortium with national training agencies and the University of Nottingham in Britain to ensure global best practices in teachers’ training. “For sustaining Bangladesh’s remarkable progress in reducing poverty and accelerating economic growth, there is a strong demand

for college graduates with job-specific technical skills,” said Kazi Shofiqul Azam, additional secretary, Economic Relations Division, Government of Bangladesh. Bangladesh is now focusing on improving the quality and relevance of college education systems to produce graduates with more market relevant skills and create a competitive workforce for higher level jobs, added Shofiqul. “This will help achieve the country’s quest of reaching middle-income status by 2021.” The financing agreement was signed by Azam and Hussain on behalf of the government and the World Bank respectively at the Economic Relations Division. l

Mahmudul DU admission test: 1 seat for 45 students Huq’s first death Arif Ahmed creased in this session for newly Cha-unit, said a press release. n opened honours courses in JapaDhaka University Public Relaanniversary nese Studies and Chinese Studies tions Officer Nur-e-Islam released Around 45 applicants will compete departments at the university. the press note in this regard yesterfor one seat under five units in the today According to the press release, day as submission of online appliupcoming Dhaka University adcalculator, mobile phone or any kind cation forms ended on September 7 mission tests for first year honours Tribune Desk n of electronic communication deviccommencing from August 22. courses for the academic session of Today is the first death anniversary of Abu Sayeed Mahmudul Huq, former division manager of BCIC. To mark the day, a dua mahfil will be arranged at his hometown in Sirajganj and also in his Dhaka house. Food will be distributed among destitute people. Mahmudul Huq died of cardiac arrest on this day in 2015. He left behind his wife, one son and a daughter. Journalist Habibur Rahman Khan is his son-in-law. l

2016-17. A total of 302,489 admission seekers have applied against 6,800 seats this year. Last year, 254,404 candidates sought admission against 6,655 seats, around 38 competing for each seat. A total of 91,932 admission seekers will vie for 1,680 seats in Ka-unit, 35,066 for 2,241 seats in Kha-unit, 43,064 for 1,170 seats in Ga-unit, 115,808 for 1,440 seats in Gha-unit and 16,619 for 135 seats in

The admission tests will begin on September 23 with the entry test for humanities group’s students under Kha-unit for admission into different disciplines of Arts and Social Sciences faculties. The admission test of Ka-unit is scheduled to be held on October 21, Ga-unit on September 30, Gha-unit on October 24, and Cha-unit on October 1 (drawing) and September 24 (general knowledge). Some 150 seats have been in-

Activists of Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Sramik League bring out protest procession near the National Press Club area yesterday to press home for their 12-point demand which includes issuing of appointment letters for drivers, supervisors and helpers, and curb extortion at different terminals RAJIB DHAR

es are prohibited in the exam halls. A mobile court will remain on duty during the examinations, it added. DU VC Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique told the Dhaka Tribune that the authorities will remain at the highest possible alert level to prevent any kind of forgery and fraudulence. Admission seekers have been suggested to visit website www. http://admission.eis.du.ac.bd for detailed information. l

Govt asked to recognise 2,367 guerrillas as freedom fighters n Tribune Desk The High Court on Thursday has asked the government to recognise 2,367 guerrilla fighters of 1971 liberation war as freedom fighters. The HC bench of Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore and Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman also declared a government decision of revoking guerrilla freedom fighter certificates illegal. The writ petition was filed in January, 2015, by Pankaj Bhattacharya, deputy commander of the guerrilla force formed with National Awami Party (NAP), Communist Party and Chhatra Union’s leaders and activists on March 26, 1971. In the petition, he said that the Bangabandhu-led Bangladesh government had recognised guerrilla fighters as freedom fighters and published their names in government notifications following the war. A gazette notification was published in July 2013 by the Liberation War Ministry on the list of 2,367 guerrillas as freedom fighters but in October next year they scraped it. In January 2015, the HC after primary hearing issued a rule on the government asking it as to why the government decision of scrapping the list of guerrilla freedom fighters will not be declared illegal. After the final hearing on September 5, the court fixed the date for delivering judgment. The writ petitioner’s lawyer Subrata Chowdhury said the list of guerrilla freedom fighters remains effective following the HC verdict. They will get their dues from October 2014. l

News

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

Buet to open fire safety institute n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) is going to open a fire safety institute to provide post diploma degree to graduates and trainings to professionals to create skilled human resource to reduce fire incidents in industries. The institute is aimed at creating skilled professionals to reduce fire incidents and other hazards by advocating and providing technical support. A committee of the Buet headed by professor SM Mahbubur Rahman of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department is working on it. Last week, the committee members held a meeting with the stakeholders and sought cooperation from them. In Bangladesh, there is no institution which can provide professional degree on fire safety and protection. Existing professionals are working based on their experience and some trainings, Dr. Ishtiaque Ahmed, adviser of the committee said. There is also no professional degree holders who can properly design a factory on fire safety, said Ishtiaque, also a professor in the Department of Civil Engineering. The country's industry mostly the RMG sector and even the shopping malls are witnessing fire incident only due to faulty designs and causalities are also happening due to lack of proper exit point. Considering all the aspects of fire safety the Buet has decided to set a fire safety institute, said Ishtiaque Ahmed. Primarily, the institute will provide six-month diploma course to graduates and training to existing professionals who are working in different industries. Later, the institute would provide full-fledged professional degree. The institute will be established under the technical and training assistance from the University of Maryland and National Fire Protection Association, a non profitable organisation of the US working to stop fire incidents. The institute will also work on formulating guideline on fire safety as Bangladesh is currently following America's guideline drawn up 20 years back. According to plans, the initiative will entail Tk2.64cr to train up the

faculty members and plan a curriculum. A for the financial support, the initiators have met stakeholders including Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), International Labour Organisation (ILO), Accord on Fire and Building Safety In Bangladesh and Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety. Since the project is new and needs training for the faculty members it would cost a lot and we have sought financial support from the stakeholders, said Ishtiaque. If we get the financial support from the stakeholders, we will be able to start working on it within the next six months, he added.

Homeward-bound people, going on Eid holiday, wait on a platform at Kamalapur Railway Station yesterday as a train approaches at to take them to their village homes MEHEDI HASAN

22 cattle markets in capital officially open on Saturday

In Bangladesh, there is no institution which can provide professional degree on fire safety and protection

n Abu Hayat Mahmud The 22 Eid cattle markets will officially be opened on Saturday under the jurisdiction of both the city corporations. Cattle market leaseholders have already completed their preparations to receive the rush of traders and buyers this Eid-ul-Azha. Although the authorities concerned of both Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) had asked the leaseholders not to open the market to traders before the official opening, the leaseholders have already let traders conduct business for about a week now. Visiting the city's cattle market yesterday, the Dhaka Tribune found that a large number of herdsmen with their animals such as native and Indian cows, buffalo, goats mostly from the western districts of the country. The market mainly had makeshift bamboo huts for unloading animals, camps and booths for law enforcement agencies, veterinarians and others. Boshir Uddin, a cattle trader from Natore said: “I hope that the customers will be start to come from tomorrow (Friday).” However, the prices are anticipated to be higher than the last year, as traders say they had to buy local cattle for a higher price this

“The initiative is a good one definitely,” BGMEA Vice-President Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu told the Dhaka Tribune. The initiator has discussed the objectives of the institute extensively and sought cooperation and financial support to set up the institute, said Babu. Talking on the financial support, the issue would be placed before the board members and decision in this regard would be taken based upon the opinion of all. According to Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense Department (BFSCD) approximately 75% of fires in RMG factories are originated from electric short circuit. The issue of fire safety in the country's industry especially in the RMG sector came under spotlight following the fire at Tazreen Fashion that killed at least 117 people and injured about 200 workers. Later, the collapse of Rana Plaza that killed 1,135 workers intensified the importance of fire safety. l

TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY

RAIN LIKELY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

Dhaka

Chittagong

Rajshahi

DHAKA TODAY SUN SETS 6:08PM

Rangpur

year because of the unavailability of Indian cows. Visiting several cattle markets this correspondent found that traders are asking for an average of Tk50,000-60,000 for 100 kilograms of meat which was Tk40,000-50,000 last year. Apart from the permanent cattle market in Gabtoli, Dhaka south has 13 temporary ones while Dhaka north has 8. The locations of the DSCC temporary markets are going to be Jigatala-Hajaribagh, Dhupkhola, Rahmantganj playground, Meradia Bazar Khilgaon, Sadek Hossain Khoka playground, Shahjahanpur Moitri Shangha ground, Brothers Union Balurmath, Postogola-Shashanghat, Kamrangirchar cattle market, Jatrabari kitchen market, free space adjoining Kamlapur Rail Station, Shyampur and Donia.

Khulna

Barisal

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:43AM

35.2ºC Rajshahi

24.7ºC Rangamati

Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES

The locations of the DNCC temporary markets are open space near the bridge between Uttara sectors 15 and 16, the open space near Khilkhet-Banorupa Residential Project, open space of Mirpur Eastern Housing at ward no 6, Mirpur section 6, open space adjoining Bhasantek Benarosi Palli ground, Badda (Indulia, Daudkandi, Baghapur), free space between Ashian City Housing and Bhatara (Sayeednagar) cattle market. DSCC Chief Estate Officer Khalid Ahmed yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune that the city corporation has set 5% toll on the total cost of a cattle. The market leaseholders will not collect more money ignoring the city corporation's designated rate. “The city corporation’s mobile court will visit all the cattle market to monitor the matter,” he added. l

Sylhet

Cox’s Bazar

Fajr: 5:10am | Jumma: 1:15pm Asr: 4:45pm | Magrib: 6:25pm Esha: 8:15pm Source: Islamic Foundation

News

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

2 forest robbery gangs of Sundarbans surrender Rahman Swapan, n Anisur Barisal Fourteen robbers of two Sundarban-based forest robbers’ gangs surrendered to law enforcers with huge arms and ammunitions in presence of Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal at the headquarters of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in Barisal city yesterday. The law enforcers kept the gangs of Md Alam Sarder and Abdur Barek Talukdar Shanto under surveillances after barricading Sharankhola range since September 7, which made the pirates surrender, according to RAB-8. The surrendered pirates from ‘Shanto Bahini are—Shanto (ringleader), Dulal Molla Bhandari, Monir Haoladar, Farid Haoladar, Anisur Rahman Molla, Bashir Ahmed Sheikh, Modtaf Sheikh, Farid Gazi, Nurul Islam and Khorshed Sheikh, all from different upazilas of Bagerhat, while the rob-

A member of a forest robbers’ gang surrenders a firearm to Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal at the headquarters of Rapid Action Battalion in Barisal city yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE bers from ‘Alam Bahini’ are—Alam (ringleader) and his associates Abu Bakar Siddik, Halim Gazi and Asa-

duzzaman from Satkhira. They handed over 20 fire arms, 1008 rounds of ammunitions and

Chittagong cattle market gains momentum Hussain, n Anwar Chittagong Cattle traders in Chittagong say the market has gained full momentum yesterday, four days before Eid-ul-Azha. According to the traders the market there is large supply of cattle in the market. Visiting different cattle markets in the city, this correspondent saw a large number of cows, buffaloes, goats and sheep. It was noted that most buyers were not committing to buying livestock yet as they were gaging the price in different markets. Buyers alleged that the prices this year are higher than last year which the cattle traders say is because of the rise in prices of cattle feed. This time Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) authorities leased out two permanent and six makeshift cattle markets in the city for around Tk15 crore. The two permanent markets are in Sagarika and Bibirhat areas while the makeshift markets are located in the city’s Karnaphuli, Saltgola Rail Crossing, Steel Mill, Komol Mohajon Hat, Patenga City Corporation High School and Postarpar School areas. Oli Ullah, president of Chittagong Cattle Traders Coop-

erative Association Ltd said: “There is a huge demand for local cows in Chittagong. The cattle reared in different farms of Chittagong fulfill 30% of the demand of sacrificial animals while rest is procured from different parts of country like Bogra, Kushtia, Jessore, Faridpur and Chapainawabganj.” According to the district livestock office, there are a total of 302 regular cattle farms in Chittagong. There are as many as 3000 farms where cattle are raised by individual farmers particularly for Eid-ul-Azha. The district livestock office estimates that 4,91,750 heads of cattle are currently available in Chittagong for sacrificial purposes. Dr Md Reajul Huq, district livestock officer, Chittagong said that veterinary teams comprising veterinary surgeons, veterinary field assistants and students from Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (CVASU) would be on-duty to examine the health of sacrificial animals brought into the cattle markets of Chittagong. Chittagong Deputy Dommissioner Mesbah Uddin announced that they would conduct mobile courts to evict unauthorised cattle markets from the city and district.

While speaking at a special law and order meeting held on September 1, the DC said: “We will not stoop to any political pressure and we will not allow any unauthorized cattle markets.” Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Chittagong SP Noor E Alam Mina vowed that they would not allow any public sufferings triggered by unauthorised cattle market particularly on the highways. “As many as 3000 policemen will be deployed in plainclothes and in uniform to maintain law and order in and around the cattle markets of the district. We request people to seek our assistance in carrying a large sums of money during the holy festival,” said the SP. Cattle markets spreading to the busy thoroughfares are a common scenario every year during Eid-ul-Azha. In many places of the country, unauthorized cattle markets are set up by local influential people, allegedly, backed by ruling party men. Last year on September 21, two people were killed and five others were injured in a cattle market during an armed clash between two groups of the ruling party, reportedly, over assuming control of the market. l

local lethal weapons to the law enforcers. The pirates who had not com-

mitted any grievous crime would be brought under rehabilitation, said the home minister at a discussion following the surrender programme also attended by Director General of RAB Benazir Ahmed. The surrender of the pirates was the success of the task force in the region, which was formed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said the RAB DG. Earlier, several other pirate gangs such as ‘Master Bahini’ ‘Majnu Bahini’ and ‘Ilias Bahini’ also surrendered to law enforcers to come back in normal life, added Benazir. “There were six gangs who control the Sundarbans area. Now, after the surrender of the two groups, we call upon the other four gangs to surrender to law enforcers. Otherwise, no one of them will survive RAB’s bullets,” he added. Earlier, RAB had recovered 350 arms and 16 thousand ammunitions and arrested 141 pirates in 89 drives in the region, said Benazir. l

News

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

Cattle traders facing rampant extortion n Hedait Hossain, Khulna

As the Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest festival of the Muslims, is coming within a few days, members of law enforcers, associates of local politicians and musclemen have allegedly started realising extortion from cattle traders. A number of cattle traders alleged that they were being extorted on the highways’ different points. Sometimes people identifying themselves as the members of law enforcement agencies demand extortion in the name of checking documents, said some traders. Md Mamun, driver of a human-haulier locally known as Alam Shadhu, said: “Police collect Tk50 to Tk100 from an Alam Shadhu while traders have to pay Tk100 to Tk300 to local middlemen and musclemen as extortion.” “The tendency of extortion by stopping vehicles carrying sacrificial animals on highways and roads of Khornia and Dumuria cattle markets is increasing day by day,” he added. Another cattle trader who preffered to be unnamed said: “Apart from Dumuria police station’s members, highway police have been stopping cattle-laden transport at different point of highways to take extortion in the name of checking documents for the last couple of days.” “They take extortion in day and night by changing their locations in every hours,” said the traders. Nazrul Islam, a cattle trader from Jessore who came at Atharomile

Traders bring cattle to a market which has been set up in Sagorika area, Chittagong city yesterday cattle market of Dumuria upazila, said: “Price of fodder has increased due to flood in the district, so cost to home-reared cattle has increased more than the previous year.” “Apart from this, we have to pay extortion at different locations, if we do not pay the money we have to face harassment in every points of the market,” told Nazrul. Rokunuzzaman Montu, the les-

see of Atharomile cattle market said: “This year we leased the market by Tk41 lakh and also we need to pay 15% vat, 5% taxes and 5% as deposit.” Ignoring the depredation of middlemen Montu claimed that there is no middle man in their market. Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Dumuria upazila Sifat Mehnaz said: “If we get any complain from cattle traders of extortion, we will conduct

Ruling party men pocket money setting up illegal cattle markets n Tanveer Hossain, Naraynganj

A section of leaders of the ruling party Awami League have allegedly set up unauthorised cattle markets at several points in Narayanganj city to do brisk business ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, one of the main festival of Muslim community. According to local sources, the city corporation authorities permitted 14 markets to set up at important points. But of them, four cattle markets have been set up illegally in Isdair, Siddirganj, Bandar and Barafkall areas. Local AL leader Mohiuddin Bahar Liton and Liton Gazi set up the market at Isdair Osmani Stadium few days ago. The city corporation authorities evicted the market on Tuesday after locals demanded eviction of it. Ruling party woman leader and the upazila vice chairman Fatema Munir protested the eviction and on Thursday, the market was set up again. Alamgir Hiron, the city corpo-

ration officer, said the market had been set up illegally. Though the city corporation authorities tried to evict it, the ruling party men had set it forcefully. When contacted, Fatema said she had requested the city corporation authorities not to evict the market from the out look of humanity. Another market was build up in Siddirganj 4 No Ward area. On Wednesday, a team of police went to the spot and tried to evict the market. But locally influential group protested them. In Barafkall area, Khanpur, an unauthorised market had been set up nearby the Shitalakshya River. The city corporation sources said several times the authorities had conducted drive to evict the market but the ruling party men protested them. The ruling party men had set up another illegal market in 22 No Ward area in Bondar on the BIWTA area led by Chhatra League leader

Khan Masud. Masud could not be contacted as his mobile phone was switched off. Tofael Ahmed, the city corporation magistrate, said the unauthorised markets would be evicted step by step. Sadar UNO Afroza Akter and Bondor UNO Moushumi Habib said if there was illegal market, of course legal steps would be taken immediately. Fatulla police station Officer-inCharge Kamaluddin, Sadar police station Officer-in-Charge Asaduzzaman and Siddirganj police station SI Md Rafiqul Islam told Dhaka Tribune that they helped the city corporation to evict the illegal cattle markets. Seeking anonymity, an official of the city corporation, said the police administration would be busy to keep the law and order situation normal ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. In this period, the market authorities could be able to continue their illegal business. l

drives against the extortionists.” “We have taken all necessary steps to protect the rights of cattle traders at Atharomile cattle market,” she added. Officer-in charge of Khulna district Detective Branch Sikder Akkash Ali said: “Following several complains of extortion from cattle traders, we have already detained three extortionists and handed over

RABIN CHOWDHURY

them to Dumuria police station.” “The detainees are used to take Tk200 to Tk300 from per cattle carrying vehicles in the name of social and political organisation,” added the OC. OC of Dumuria police station ignored the allegation of extortion from the cattle traders and said: “We have increased our patrolling on highways to stop extortion from the cattle carrying vehicles ahead of Eid.” l

‘Slaughter animals on designated spots’ n Anwar Husain, Chittagong

The mayor of Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) AJM Nasir Uddin urged the city residents to sacrifice animals in the designated spots of the city for ensuring faster disposal of leftovers from the slaughtered cattle. The CCC mayor also requested the city dwellers not to dump waste of sacrificial animals in haphazard manner. The corporation hoped to remove waste from the city within 48 hours from the noon of Eid-ul-Azha. The mayor made the request at through a press statement issued on Thursday. The corporation authorities have also opened a control room and urged the city dwellers to inform immediately about any leftovers of sacrificial animals scattered in the city. The phone numbers of the control room are 031-630739 and 031633649. The city mayor also said they would begin removing waste of

sacrificial cattle from 9am on Eid day. Besides, the permanent committee on waste management of the city corporation will monitor the waste cleaning activities. Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Mohammed Abul Hossain, secretary of Chittagong City Corporation, said they selected 387 slaughtering spots under 41 wards of the city in an effort to accelerate the waste removing work. “We have set a target of cleaning all the sacrificial waste from the city within the day after Eid. As part of the cleaning drive, we have canceled the vacation of the cleaning staff of the corporation. Around 5,000 cleaning staff will work for cleaning the city on Eid day and the day after Eid,” added the CCC secretary. The city residents are usually seen slaughtering animals in open areas in front of their houses or on the roads and alleys, leaving smelly piles of animal leftovers lying around. l

8 World

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

SOUTH ASIA

44 Pakistanis working on CPEC killed since 2014 Militants trying to disrupt construction of an economic corridor linking China with Pakistan’s coast have killed 44 workers since 2014, a rising toll likely to reinforce Chinese worry about the project’s security. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a $46bn network of roads, railways and energy pipelines linking western China to a deep-water port on Pakistan’s Arabian Sea coast. REUTERS

INDIA

India pledges to join climate deal this year India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged to formally join the Paris climate change agreement this year, a potentially major step toward the pact entering into force. After a meeting with US President, the two leaders had made a joint commitment to join the Paris Agreement this year. While in China earlier this week the US already took that step. AFP

CHINA

China jails anti-corruption protest leader for bribery A protest leader from a Chinese village which became a symbol of resistance against corruption was sentenced to three years in prison for bribery. Lin Zulian, elected head of the village of Wukan in rare open polls after residents expelled local officials in a mass 2011 uprising which drew global attention, was convicted of corruption. AFP

ASIA PACIFIC

Japan to provide patrol ships to Vietnam Japan is ready to provide Vietnam with new patrol ships, in its latest step to boost the maritime law-enforcement capabilities of countries locked in territorial rows with China. On Tuesday, Japan agreed to provide two large patrol ships and lend up to five used surveillance aircraft to the Philippines, another country at odds with China over sovereignty issues in the South China Sea. REUTERS

MIDDLE EAST

Palestinian, Israel leaders agree to meet Israeli and the Palestinian leaders have agreed in principle to meet in Moscow for talks in what the Russians hope will relaunch the Mideast peace process after more than a two-year break. While bringing the men together would represent an accomplishment for Moscow, a diplomatic breakthrough seems unlikely. AP

INSIGHT

Asean leaders tiptoe around South China Sea tensions n Reuters, Vientiane Asian leaders played down tensions over the South China Sea in a carefully worded summit statement on Thursday, but even before it was issued Beijing voiced frustration with countries outside the region "interfering" in tussles over the strategic waterway. The heads of 10 Southeast Asian nations, as well as US President Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang among six other leaders, "reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security and freedom of navigation in and over-flight in the South China Sea". But the draft of a statement to be issued in Vientiane, Laos, tiptoed around the regional strains caused by competing claims to areas of the strategically important sea. The statement made no reference to a July ruling by a court in The Hague that declared illegal some of China's artificial islands in the sea and invalidated its claims to almost the entire waterway. Obama said on Thursday the ruling had helped clarify maritime rights. "I recognise this raises tensions but I also look forward to discussing how we can constructively move forward together to lower tensions," he said at a summit meeting. Officials said that talks on Wednesday between leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and China's Li had gone smoothly. But in a statement later from China's Foreign Ministry, Li was paraphrased as saying China was willing to work with Southeast Asian countries in "dispelling interference ... and properly handling the South China Sea issue". He did not elaborate, but such wording is typically used by Chinese leaders to refer to not allowing countries from outside the region with no direct involvement in the dispute, like the United States, from getting involved. China claims much of the South China Sea, through which more than $5tn of trade moves annually. Taiwan and four Asean members Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei - also have claims, making it a hot spot of regional tension. The other Asean nations are Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand. Leaders from Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea and the United States also attended the summit.

SOUTH CHINA SEA TERRITORIAL DISPUTES Territorial claims:

Malaysia Philippines China Brunei Vietnam

CHINA

Handi

Hong Kong Paracel Islands

South China Sea facts:

Spratly Islands

PHILIPPINES

Claims a significant portion of the sea based on EEZ and its continental shelf. Occupies 20 of the Spratly islands and claims the Paracel islands despite having been forcibly removed by China in 1974.

Vietnam Claim

Brunei Claim

Malaysia Claim

EEZ: Exclusive Economic Zone. Under the UN Law of the Sea, EEZ is a seazone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources

Cleared the air

The Philippines' move came after a dispute with the United States, its former colonial power. Ties turned frosty when new President Rodrigo Duterte insulted US counterpart Barack Obama on Monday, prompting the cancellation of a meeting between them. The two leaders made some steps towards clearing the air late on Wednesday, however, chatting briefly, and exchanging pleasantries as they prepared to take their seats at a leaders' dinner. The United States has been a staunch ally of the Philippines and China has repeatedly blamed Washington for stirring up trouble in the South China Sea. Washington says it has no position on the territorial disputes but wants to ensure freedom of navigation. To press that point, it

Philippines

Occupies 8 of the Spratly islands. Claims are based on EEZ*, the continental shelf principle and a 1956 explorer's expedition.

Vietnam

Philippines Claim

China Claim

China

Claims almost all of the South China Sea, including all of the Spratly islands. Seized the Paracel islands from Vietnam in 1974. China's claims are based on historical records of the Han (110AD) and Ming (1403-1433AD) Dynasties.

Claims limited to the continental shelf and EEZ. Claims 3 islands of the Spratlys, having built a hotel on the and bringing soil from the mainland to rise the level of other.

INDONESIA

South China Sea

CLAIMS BY COUNTRY

Malaysia

Bandar Seri Begawan

MALAYSIA

SINGAPORE

China Philippines Malaysia Vietnam Taiwan

Manila

BRUNEI

500km

Island/reef controlled by:

South China Sea

VIETNAM

Size: 1.7 min sq km No. of islands: 200+

Kuala Lumpur

TAIWAN

has conducted patrols near Chinese-held islands. Although the Scarborough Shoal is merely a few rocks poking above the sea, it is important to the Philippines because of the fish stocks in the area. Manila says China's blockade of the shoal is a violation of international law. The dispute has become more significant since the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in July that no country had sovereign rights over activity at Scarborough Shoal. China has refused to recognise the ruling by the court in The Hague. Li made no direct mention of Scarborough Shoal in the comments provided by the foreign ministry, but Beijing said on Wednesday there had been no new activity there and "some people" were spreading information that was "hyping the situation".

Taiwan Lays claim to most of the South China Sea, including all of the Spratly islands, based on historic records.

Brunei

Claim limited to its EEZ. Source: EIA, Middlebury College Graphic: Brice Hall/RNGS

REUTERS

China's embassy in Manila said there has been no dredging or building at the shoal and China has maintained a coastguard presence there for law enforcement patrols. A statement by Asean on Wednesday listed eight points related to the South China Sea, but made no mention of the arbitration ruling. The bloc traditionally shies away from taking a position on thorny diplomatic issues, especially where China is concerned, because of its influence in the region and the need to balance ties with the United States. "Both China and the United States are among the most important partners of Asean, and Asean does not want to have to choose between those partners," the secretary general of the bloc, Le Luong Minh, told Reuters in an interview on Thursday. l

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

Immigration: Why it matters in 2016 US election n Tribune International Desk An estimated 11 million people are living and in many cases working in the United States illegally. The questions of what to with them and how to curb future illegal immigration have been a campaign issue for more than a decade. Never more so than now. Illegal immigration goes to the heart of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. It’s a source of his strength among supporters, contention among critics and confusion over what he really intends to do, reports The Associated Press. The long debate over immigration in Congress has focused on which should come first: stiffer enforcement at the border and inside the country or a path to legal status for the millions of people who are already a part of their communities. Efforts to overhaul the country’s immigration laws have routinely been defined by Republicans supporting an enforcement-first approach with Democrats preferring a path to legal status for those here while work-

Why it matters

In this June 24 file photo, demonstrators protest against a Supreme Court decision on immigration outside the New York Supreme court in New York AP ing on security efforts at the same time. The result? A standstill.

Where they stand

Trump vows to build a wall along the Mexican border complete with a “big beautiful door.” He vows Mexico will pay for the wall; Mexico vows it won’t. Trump had repeatedly pledged to deport all the people living in the country illegally. Now he’d focus on deporting people who have committed crimes beyond their immigration offences. As for the rest, he’s proposing no path to legal status while they are in the US. Democrat Hillary Clinton has

pledged to push for an overhaul that would enable citizenship not just legal status - for many living in the country illegally. She has also said she would expand programs that protect some groups of immigrants from deportation, including those who arrived as children and the parents of US citizens and legal permanent residents. President Barack Obama’s effort to shield parents from deportation is on hold after the Supreme Court deadlocked on a decision in a case challenging the president’s authority to expand the deportation protection program.

Illegal immigration has remained at nearly 40-year lows for the last several years and several estimates of the immigrants living in the country illegally suggest that Mexican migration trends have actually reversed. And billions of dollars have been spent in recent years to build fencing, improve technology used at the border and expand the Border Patrol. Nonetheless the Mexican border remains a focal point for those who argue that the country is not secure. As evidence that the border is not secure, many Republicans point to the illegal crossings of hundreds of thousands of unaccompanied children and people travelling as families in recent years. The surge of children and families from Central America in 2014 was described as a crisis at the border and the volume of people apprehended overwhelmed government resources. At the same time, the Obama administration has dramatically slowed the pace of deportations after setting a record by sending home more than 409,000 people in 2012. During the 2015 budget year, the administration removed 235,000 people. l

EXPLAINER

Why do US, Iran often face off in Persian Gulf? n Tribune International Desk The US Navy again has accused Iranian patrol boats of harassing an American warship in the Persian Gulf, this time with a Revolutionary Guard vessel nearly causing a collision with the USS Firebolt, reports The Associated Press. Why does this keep happening?

Heavy US military presence

The US Navy has had a regular presence in the Persian Gulf since the end of World War II. It ramped up its involvement in the region after Iran’s 1979 revolution, which toppled the US-backed shah and alarmed Washington’s Gulf Arab allies. The 1991 Gulf War and the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq brought even more American forces to the region. Today US ships patrol the Gulf and its narrow Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly a third of all oil traded by sea passes. Iran views the US presence as a provocation.

Past confrontations

During the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, Iran mined portions of the Persian Gulf and several commer-

cial ships sank. In 1988, the USS Samuel B Roberts struck a mine and nearly sank. That sparked a day-long naval battle between Iran and the US in which American forces attacked two Iranian oil rigs and sank or damaged six Iranian vessels. A few months later, the USS Vincennes in the Strait of Hormuz mistook an Iran Air flight heading to Dubai for an attacking fighter jet, shooting down the plane and killing all 290 people onboard.

Aftermath of the nuclear deal

The hard-liners who dominate Iran’s security forces were largely opposed to the landmark nuclear deal that President Hassan Rouhani, a moderate, reached with the United States and other world powers last year. Police have arrested a number of dual citizens on security-related allegations since the deal was struck, and there has also been an uptick in provocative acts at sea. The US Navy has recorded 31 instances of what it describes as “unsafe and/ or unprofessional interactions” with Iranian forces this year alone, compared to 23 in all of 2015.

World USA

Obama: Didn’t take Duterte’s comments personally US President Barack Obama said on Thursday he had indicated to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte that their teams should meet and that he did not take earlier comments from Duterte personally. Obama said the partnership between the two countries should be consistent with the rule of law and international norms. Duterte this week called Obama a son of a bitch. REUTERS

THE AMERICAS

Mexico replaces finance minister after Trump visit President Enrique Pena Nieto on Wednesday replaced his close ally and finance minister, Luis Videgaray, after the two were heavily criticised for Donald Trump’s controversial visit to Mexico last week. Pena Nieto told a news conference that Videgaray, who officials said was the architect of Trump’s visit, would make way for former Finance Minister Jose Antonio Meade. REUTERS

‘EU must work together for smooth divorce’ Britain and the EU must work together to make their divorce smooth and forge a new strong relationship, Prime Minister Theresa May told European Council President Donald Tusk on Thursday. At their first one-toone meeting Tusk said the British leader should start the formal procedure to leave the bloc as soon as possible. REUTERS

EUROPE

Turkey ends ban on German lawmakers

In this Monday, July 2, 2012 file photo, an Iranian Revolutionary Guard speedboat escorts a passenger ship, unseen AP

Rocket launches and sailor seizures

The provocations cited by the US Navy were largely blamed on Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard, a paramilitary force charged with protecting clerical rule. Iranian speedboats fired rockets near US warships and commercial traffic in December, and an Iranian drone overflew an American aircraft carrier in January. Iran also briefly seized 10 US sailors in the Gulf at gunpoint in January after their boats drifted into Iranian territorial waters. In Sunday’s incident, the Guard’s fast-attack boats came within some 450 meters of the USS Firebolt, with one stopping right in

front of the coastal patrol boat, said Cmdr. Bill Urban, a spokesman for the US Navy’s 5th Fleet, based in Bahrain. Urban said the USS Firebolt turned and missed the boat by only some 90 meters.

Risks remain among the waves

For the US Navy, each “unsafe” Iranian action “creates a significant risk for our ship’s commanding officers, who have mere seconds to decide on appropriate actions to take to defend their ships and crew,” Urban said Wednesday. Iran has vowed to continue its patrols, has blown up replicas of US vessels in drills and says it can close the Strait of Hormuz at will. l

Turkey has approved plans for German lawmakers to visit their country’s troops at a Turkish air base, ending a stand off that had deepened strains in the countries’ relationship. Turkey had refused to allow German lawmakers to visit personnel stationed at the Incirlik base since the German Parliament’s vote in June to label as genocide the killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks a century ago. AP

AFRICA

South Africa’s ruling party faces deep crisis Record electoral losses and deep internal divisions are threatening both the long hold on power enjoyed by South Africa’s ruling ANC party and the political future of President Jacob Zuma. The party has always bred factions and divisions, but its dismal showing during the August 3 local elections has brought tensions to the surface. AFP

World

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

ANALYSIS

Can Merkel win back voters’ trust without abandoning refugees? German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who acknowledged that her strong stance supporting refugees cost her party seats in the weekend’s regional election, vowed to win back voter trust without compromising her now year-old policy. foremost,” Merkel told reportn Tribune International Desk and ers on the sidelines of the Group of Chancellor Angela Merkel took responsibility for her party’s election defeat in the German state where she has her political base, but strongly defended her migrant policy on Monday even as she vowed to win back voters’ trust, reports The Associated Press. A year before an expected national election, a nationalist, anti-immigration party’s second-place finish Sunday ahead of Merkel’s conservatives was a jolt that will likely increase tensions in Germany’s governing coalition. However, the result didn’t pose any immediate threat to Merkel, 62, Germany’s leader since 2005. Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union finished third in the election for Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s state legislature, behind the three-year-old Alternative for Germany, or AfD. It was held exactly a year after she decided to let in migrants stuck in Hungary, triggering the peak of last year’s influx. Merkel conceded the outcome was “almost entirely about federal political issues.” The centre-left Social Democrats, Merkel’s partners in Germany’s national government, remained the strongest party in Mecklenburg. They have led the regional government for a decade with the CDU as junior partner, a coalition they can continue if they choose. The region is sparsely populated, but the vote was symbolically significant because Merkel’s parliamentary constituency is there. It was the first of five regional ballots before a national election a year away. The next is September 18 in Berlin, where local issues are likely to feature more strongly. Mecklenburg is home to few foreigners, but Merkel acknowledged that migrant policy was a dominant theme. New arrivals have slowed drastically after more than 1 million people were registered as asylum-seekers in 2015, and asylum policies have been tightened. Still, New Year’s Eve robberies and sexual assaults blamed largely on foreigners, and two attacks in July carried out by asylum-seekers and claimed by the Islamic State group, have fed tensions. “We must all consider how we can now win back trust, me first

20 summit in China. “I am the party leader, I am the chancellor — you can’t separate those in people’s eyes, so I am of course responsible too” for the result, Merkel said. “However, I believe the decisions that have been made were right, and now we must continue working.” She added that “the issue of integration will play a huge role in that, and the question of the repatriation of refugees who have no residence permit here.” Merkel’s critics have faulted her for sticking to her mantra that “we will manage” the refugee crisis. Sunday’s result may make it tougher to smooth over a dispute with the Christian Social Union, her conservative Union bloc’s Bavarian arm, which criticised her welcoming approach from the start and wants an annual migrant cap. CSU leader Horst Seehofer, Bavaria’s governor, told the daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung that the situation for the conservatives is “highly threatening.” He was quoted as complaining that his “repeated demand for a change of course” on migrant policy hadn’t been heeded and said Sunday’s “disastrous” result was a consequence. Meanwhile, Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, the Social Democrats’ leader and a likely challenger to Merkel next year, underlined his party’s increasing distance from the chancellor as it eyes the national election. He accused her conservatives of being too slow to respond to the migrant crisis. “We have wasted a great deal of time with unnecessary arguments,” he said, arguing that Merkel had been guilty of “simply repeating ‘we will manage it’ without doing it as well.” Although Merkel already adjusted migrant policies over the past year, she can’t make a clean break from her overall approach because “that wouldn’t be credible,” political science professor Klaus Schroeder told N24 television. “So the quarrels between the CDU and CSU will continue, and the Social Democrats will turn even more strongly against the Union to have a chance in the national election campaign.” Merkel’s bloc leads national polls, although her own popularity

German Chancellor Angela Merkel ratings have dropped from stellar to respectable. She hasn’t yet declared whether she will seek a fourth term next year, but there’s no obvious alternative. AfD polls between 11 and 14% nationally and appears strongest in the ex-communist east. It basked Monday in its latest success. Leader Frauke Petry attacked Merkel’s party for saying that “they haven’t done anything wrong. They just didn’t explain their policies.” “This ignorance is exemplary,” she said. “It is not just ignorance. What we see here is the continuing arrogance of power.” Petry, whose party has no prospect of going into government in the foreseeable future, complained that its rivals “still think they can label AfD as an undemocratic party.” On Sunday, AfD won support from across the spectrum to take 20.8 percent of votes, its second-best result yet. That helped push the far-right National Democratic Party out of its last state legislature. Germany’s Central Council of Jews voiced satisfaction at that development, but also concern about AfD. AfD “was unfortunately successful with its tactic of feeding prejudice against minorities and offering

REUTERS

slogans instead of solutions,” said the council’s head, Josef Schuster. “Apparently it is not clear to many voters, or they accept this, that AfD doesn’t distance itself clearly from the far-right spectrum either in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania or nationally.”

Germans on edge after attacks

Fears of terrorism run high among AfD supporters after two refugees carried out Islamic State-inspired attacks in July. “Everyone’s got a lot of thinking to do about winning voters back, and that means first of all me, of course,” said Merkel, who has won the last three federal elections since 2005 but has had to delay her announcement of a run for a fourth term because of CSU opposition, according to Der Spiegel newsmagazine. Her approval ratings fell 22 points to a five-year low at 45% in the year since she opened the gates to more than a million refugees, mainly from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, drawn by Germany’s famed prosperity, order and stability. The CSU has been railing against Merkel’s steadfast opposition to putting limits on the number of refugees even though Germany took in more than the rest of Europe combined in 2015. Incoming refu-

gee numbers have dropped sharply this year. There have been rumours that the powerful CSU leader, Bavaria state premier Horst Seehofer, is considering a run for chancellor in 2017 instead of supporting Merkel’s candidacy. That threat had always been thwarted in the past by CDU warnings that it would then run its own campaign in Bavaria. “We need a change of direction in Berlin,” Bavarian state Finance Minister Markus Soeder told the Bild daily. “The voice of the people can’t be ignored any longer.” CSU General Secretary Andreas Scheuer, Seehofer’s right-hand man, demanded Merkel drop her opposition to limits on refugees. “It’s obvious who’s to blame for this election - not the CSU.” Grumbling in CDU ranks is also growing as many fear a drubbing in next year’s federal election would cost it dozens of seats in parliament. The CDU/CSU has slid some eight points to 33 percent in the last year, Infratest Dimap said last week. “Peoples’ confidence in the chancellor has been badly shaken,” said Erika Steinbach, a CDU MP. “It’s hard to tell if that can be repaired by the election.” l

Source: THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

12 Business

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

TOP STORIES

Biman to lease two aircraft for Hajj flights operation n Ishtiaq Husain

ECB holds rates, keeps March date for ending asset buys The European Central Bank kept its already loose policy stance unchanged as expected on Thursday, holding rates at record lows and promising to keep its 80bn euro monthly asset buys going at least until next March. PAGE 13

A $1tn un-merger record that’s hard to beat Two notable M&A achievements hang in the balance. Even with a couple of US whoppers on the rocks, 2015 is set to retain the global crown. A year someday will come, though, which surpasses its $4.4tn of action. The volume and scale of withdrawn deals in 1999, however, are more likely to stand the test of time. PAGE 14

Brussels calling: Tech firms add lobby strength as EU gets tough US tech giants Google and Facebook are among multinationals spending more in Brussels as the European Commission eyes new business regulation after last week handing Apple a 13bn euro tax demand. PAGE 15

Capital market snapshot: Thursday DSE Broad Index

4,601.1

0.1% ▲

Index

1,108.7

-0.2% ▼

30 Index

1,759.7

-0.1% ▼

Turnover in Mn Tk

4,807.5

-3.6% ▼

Turnover in Mn Vol

129.6

-0.9% ▲

CSE All Share Index 14,154.2 30 Index Selected Index

12,802.3

0.2% ▲ -0.0% ▼

8,617.2

0.2% ▲

Turnover in Mn Tk

277.3

2.9% ▲

Turnover in Mn Vol

9.0

2.6% ▲

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has decided to hire two wide-bodied aircraft on wet lease for transporting pilgrims from Saudi Arabia to Bangladesh after the holy Hajj. The national flag carrier is scheduled to begin its return flights from Saudi Arabia on September 17, a busy time for it. Though Biman has completed pre-Hajj flights without leasing any aircraft, the management of the airliner has decided to lease two aircraft for ensuring smooth operation of its regular flights to other destinations on time. Air Marshal (retd) Enamul Bari, chairman of Biman, told the Dhaka Tribune that it was a tough job to transport all the Hajj pilgrims with Biman’s own aircraft. “Defying all the obstacles, the management of Biman has been able to complete pre-Hajj flight without leasing any aircraft,’’ he added. According to sources, Biman had to struggle a lot to operate all the pre-Hajj flights as it had no additional aircraft in its hand. As a result, regular passengers had suffered sudden withdrawal of aircraft from regular routes. Even, after completion of the pre-Hajj flight, regular flight schedule is yet to become normal. In response to a question, Enamul Bari said: “Regular flight

Biman Bangladesh Airlines transported around 51,000 Hajj pilgrims through 144 flights this year and will operate 134 flights during post-Hajj operation MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU schedule has now become normal from on Wednesday. Out of previous experiences, the management of the airlines had decided to lease two aircraft for continuing its regular flight operation.” Besides, Biman is phasing out two Airbus-310 aircraft any day in October as they are unfit to fly. The national flag carrier will continue its return Hajj flights till October 16.

An official of Biman said: “Biman is trying to lease two Boeing-767 aircraft with over 200 passenger carrying capacity.” This year, Biman, had to cancel 20 pre-Hajj flights as Hajj agencies did not buy air tickets or book seats in time. The national flag carrier, however, transported around 51,000 Hajj pilgrims through 144 flights. It will operate 134 flights during post-Hajj operation.

The Civil Aviation Minister Rashed Khan Menon has already requested the Hajj pilgrims not to carry any Zamzam water (holy water) along with them. He also requested the Haji pilgrims not to carry any luggage which is more than 46kg. The airlines, however, will distribute Zamzam water among the pilgrims after their arrival at the Shahjalal airport. l

BGMEA: About all factories pay wages, bonus n Tribune Business Desk Almost all the apparel factories’ owners have paid wages and festival bonus to workers ahead of Eidul-Azha, said Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). Trade union leaders also said workers of all garment factories except few received wages and bonus. Earlier, the BGMEA had brought a number of 529 readymade garment units under close monitoring as they were identified as likely to encounter problems in paying wages and bonus before Eid-ulAzha to be observed on Tuesday. “Of the factories, only 21 were identified as risky (regarding wage and bonus payments),” Mahmud Hasan Babu, vice president of BGMEA, told the Dhaka Tribune. He said: “After negotiation with

banks and owners, the problems of 17 factories have been solved. However, only four other factories faced trouble though their problem is expected to be solved by Sunday.” About bonus, BGMEA vice president specified that 95% of the garment owners paid wages and bonus while the remaining 5% would complete the process by Sunday. Sirajul Islam Rony, president of Bangladesh National Garment Workers Employees League, said they monitored factories located in Dhaka, Gazipur, Ashulia, Savar and Narayanganj to know about the payment as per the government’s directive. “Around all the factories paid bonus while over 80% gave wages. Others will pay it by Sunday,” he said. Sirajul Islam added there were

four factories who were found closed due to shortage of work orders and yet pay workers. “However, efforts are going on to solve their crisis regarding payment to workers.” Earlier, the government directed the industry owners including the apparel sector to pay wages by

September 5 and bonus by September 10. Bangladesh’s largest readymade garment sector employes 4.4m workers and makes over 10% of gross domestic product while more than 80% of the country’s total exports come from the garment industry. l

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

ECB holds rates, keeps March date for ending asset buys n

Reuters, Frankfurt

The European Central Bank kept its already loose policy stance unchanged as expected on Thursday, holding rates at record lows and promising to keep its 80bn euro monthly asset buys going at least until next March. Keeping rates deep in negative territory and printing money at a record pace, the ECB is hoping to revive inflation and growth in a region weighed down by nearly a decade of economic malaise and crises. But its untested and often controversial unconventional measures are still seen as insufficient, so the ECB is widely expected to provide even more stimulus before the end of the year as governments have for years failed to do their part to lift growth. The ECB kept its deposit rate at -0.4%, charging banks for parking cash overnight, and held the main refinancing rate, which determines the cost of credit in the economy, unchanged at 0.00%. It also maintained the March

end date for its asset buys with the caveat that the scheme could be extended if inflation is not rebounding. Though some had already expected a six month extension on Thursday, such a move is fully priced in by the end of the year. Repeating its usual forward guidance, the ECB added that rates would stay at their current or lower levels for an extended period, a stance intended to reassure investors that any reversal in rates was many years away. Attention now turns to ECB President Mario Draghi’s 1230 GMT news conference, where he will unveil fresh economic forecasts and will likely offer clues about the bank’s future course.

Hurdles

Though growth and inflation remain anemic, the ECB needs to exercise patience as it has already exhausted much of its firepower, leaving it with tool that carry significant side effects. Nonetheless, it is probably just a matter of months before it eases

policy further, acknowledging that inflation just isn’t moving higher, despite free credit to banks, record low interest rates and money printing worth 1.2tn euros ($1.35tn) in the past year and a half. With unemployment hovering at 10 percent, governments holding back on spending as they manage down record debt piles, and companies producing far less than they can, growth cannot take off, putting a lid on inflation. Indeed, price growth, holding near zero, has undershot the ECB’s 2% target for more than 3 years and will miss it for at least another 2, a risk to the bank’s credibility and the viability of inflation targeting. Fresh quarterly forecasts to be unveiled by Draghi could show a slightly lower path for underlying inflation while recent research published by the ECB suggested that long term inflation expectations are drifting lower, an indication of waning confidence in the ECB’s policies. Market based inflation expectations are also back to lows hit after

the Brexit vote and most recent Germany data have also disappointed. But even a simple extension of the 1.74tn asset purchase program, started in March 2015, is not so easy as the ECB is running out of bonds to buy due to its self-imposed constraints. The choice is then between tweaking purchase rules or going for a bigger redesign. Easiest options could include buying bonds yielding less than the bank’s -0.4% deposit rate, extending the maturity range of eligible bonds to 30 years from 20 years and buying an even bigger portion of certain bond issues. Bigger changes could involve the purchase of new types of assets, like bank bonds, non performing loans or in the extreme case, stocks. Still, each of these changes would generate concern or even outright opposition from the hawks and the growing camp of moderates on the Governing Council, who worry about the unintended negative effects of the ECB’s extraordinary stimulus. l

Topper Top Cook winners awarded n Tribune Business Desk The award ceremony of ‘Topper Top Cook’ contest was held in Dhaka recently. The cook-off was conducted by Topper, a cookware brand of RFL in association with NTV online. Topper ran the cooking contest from June 18, 2016. The idea behind the contest was to bring up delicious, healthy and modern recipes before public, said Shariful Islam, brand manager of Topper. The event was held at a city restaurant where 10 winners were awarded. The ten finalists were invited to cook dishes based on the theme ‘Tasty Recipe, Healthy Food’ using Topper kitchen appliances. Participants with the highest marks were given away the prizes of the cooking show. Farzana Afrin of Dhaka got Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar-Dhaka air ticket and a chance to stay at a luxurious hotel of two nights and three days, as first prize winner for her recipe. Hasnat Jahan and Fatima Afroz got a 20-inch LED television and a woven of Vision as second and third prizes respectively. The other winners are-Jannatul Ferdous, Khadija Hossain, Md Asaduzzaman, Roksan Rima, Jayanti Das, Mir Fouzia Rahman and Shahina Kabir. l

Salman Karim, additional managing director of Confidence Group, and Selina Ahmed, executive director of Acid Survivors Foundation, have signed a MoU Dhaka recently. Under the MoU, the Group will support ASF financially, and also work as a strategic partner of their campaigns for one year courtesy

Walton launches new LED TV models n Tribune Business Desk Walton, a local manufacturer of electronics products, has introduced 36 new models Light Emitting Diode (LED) televisions in different sizes ahead of Eid-ulAzha. The brand, for the first time, brought 20-inch LED televisions, which was named by the company as “Boom Box” for having Dolby sound box on the left and the right

sides of the television, said a statement of the company. The company also released silver version models for its 19, 24, 28 and 32-inch LED televisions. Apart from these LED TVs, the company also supplied 40, 43, 49 and 55inch LED televisions in the local markets. In July and August, the LED TV sales jumped than the sales of the corresponding period of last year. The company witnessed record

Business

sales of LED televisions in August this year. Amdadul Haque Sarker, executive director (marketing) of Walton Group, said: “Sales of LED televisions have been increased substantially across the country during the last couple of months. Recently, the taste of buyers has been changed. Now, they prefer LED TV to CRT TV as it is less harmful for eyes, generates sharp images, cheap rates, energy efficient and stylish looks.” l

Telcos must lease fibre optics from NTTN licensees n Tribune Business Desk Telecommunication operators have to lease fibre optics from Nationwide Telecommunication Transmission Network (NTTN) licence holders for their transmission. Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) awarded licence to Fiber@Home and Summit Communication Ltd for providing NTTN services in the country in 2009. It issued a directive on September 6 in this connection. The directive, which was signed by Sharmin Sultana, senior assistant director of Engineering and Operation Divisions (BTRC), will be effective from the date of its issuance. According to BTRC directive, if any operator intends to introduce additional transmission link on the same route must lease fibre optics from the designated NTTN operators. If NTTN operators fail to provide them transmission network facility fulfilling their requirements the process shall be followed by infrastructure guideline. l

Stocks end flat before long closure n Tribune Business Desk Stocks finished flat yesterday—the last day of trading before the bourses go for the nine-day Eid vacation from today. The day kicked off with a higher note as the key index staged rally in the morning with crossing 4600mark, but failed to sustain the gains. The benchmark index of Dhaka Stock Exchange DSEX edged over 6 points or 0.2% higher to 4,601, extending its gaining streak for the sixth straight session. The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, lost 2 points to 1,759. The DSE Shariah Index was marginally down 2 points to 1,108. The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index CSCX moved up 16 points to 8,617. Trading activities remained almost unchanged as the DSE turnover stood at Tk480 crore, up around 3% over the previous session. Rally in the market bellwether banking sector that gained more than 1% helped the market close flat. Profit booking took place on engineering, telecommunications, non-banking financial institutions and pharmaceuticals, which ended marginally lower. Lanka Bangla Securities said in morning session, DSEX went up straight above 4,600-level throughout the day mainly supported by the banking. l

Business

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

A $1tn un-merger record that’s hard to beat n Reuters

Two notable M&A achievements hang in the balance. Even with a couple of US whoppers on the rocks, 2015 is set to retain the global crown. A year someday will come, though, which surpasses its $4.4tn of action. The volume and

scale of withdrawn deals in 1999, however, are more likely to stand the test of time. If, as investment bankers like to say, the best deals are the ones clients don’t do, then corporate chieftains have been on a roll. More than $750bn worth of acquisitions proposed last year have been aban-

doned, according to Thomson Reuters, whose data include spinoffs and initially double-count competing offers for the same target. Another $84bn worth are in jeopardy as US competition authorities seek to block Anthem’s takeover of Cigna and Aetna’s of Humana. Also awaiting various

Apple unveils iPhone 7 but some still waiting for iPhone 8 n Reuters, San Francisco Apple Inc unveiled an iPhone 7 with high-resolution cameras and no headphone jack at its annual launch event Wednesday, though the biggest surprise was the debut of a threedecade-old Nintendo game franchise, Super Mario Bros, on the smartphone. While shares of Apple barely budged, Nintendo’s US-listed shares jumped 29% on investors’ hopes that Super Mario would be another mobile gaming hit for the Japanese company akin to the wildly popular Pokemon Go. Much of the presentation headed by Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook was devoted to technical details of photography, wireless earphones, games from Nintendo, and a new version of Apple watch - with fitness features. The biggest iPhone technical improvements all had leaked, and Apple itself spoiled the surprise by sending out tweets of some details before Cook spoke. The company then deleted the messages. Apple has reported declines in iPhone sales for the last two quarters, which raised the stakes for the iPhone 7. Some consumers and analysts are considering waiting until 2017. “Just gonna wait on iPhone 8 cuz it’s the 10th anniversary of iPhone,” Tweeted @LewBruh near the end of the event. “Ya know they gonna do something big.” But Mike Binger, senior portfolio manager at Gradient Investments LLC in Minneapolis, said the new phone encouraged him that Apple was in good shape for a new sales cycle. “I think the iPhone 7, just from a replacement basis, will be a successful launch,” he said.

The world’s best-known technology company said the iPhone 7 would have one, zooming 12-megapixel camera. Starting at $649, it is the same price as the 6S predecessor. The larger 7 ‘Plus’ edition, starting at $769, would feature two cameras, including a telephoto lens. Apple also removed the analog headphone jack from both new models, as was widely expected. The new headphones supplied by Apple with the phone will plug into the same port as the recharging cord, making it incompatible with most wired headphones without an adaptor. Apple includes the adapter. The phones will also work with Apple’s new wireless headphones, called Air Pods, available in late October at a price of $159. The disappearance of the headphone jack “will probably annoy a certain amount of people” but they would likely get over it, Binger said. Apple described dropping the jack as an act of courage as it moved toward a wireless future with the optional Air Pods. Getting rid of the jack also increased room for stereo speakers, and Apple sharpened the technology on most features, from the camera to a pressure-sensitive home button to a boost in memory. The new phone will start shipping in major markets, including the United States and China, on Sept. 16. Bob O’Donnell of research firm TECHnalysis said Apple’s new glossy black finish could be more popular than any tech feature, reflecting the slowdown in major tech innovations for smartphones. “While the camera improvements for the iPhone 7 Plus are nice, they are incremental for most and the lack of headphone jacks could offset that for others,” he said. l

CORPORATE NEWS

AFC Health Limited has recently signed an agreement with Mutual Trust Bank Limited on providing healthcare services for the bank’s customers and employees, said a press release. Director of AFC Health Limited, Saidul Amin and the bank’s DMD, Syed Rafiqul Huq were present on the occasion

approvals are Anheuser-Busch InBev’s $110bn purchase of SABMiller and Dow Chemical’s $68bn marriage to DuPont. With Dell closing its $66bn union with EMC on Wednesday, however, even the failure of all four big deals should leave 2015 ahead of 2007. Last year could still test anoth-

er, less happy M&A record: the year’s tally of yanked deals could get close to $1tn. Over the past two decades, the sum has averaged less than half that figure. Only twice did it narrowly surpass it: in 2007, it represented a fifth of merger volume while in 1999 it accounted for nearly a quarter, a record. l

Brussels calling: Tech firms add lobby strength as EU gets tough n Reuters, Brussels US tech giants Google and Facebook are among multinationals spending more in Brussels as the European Commission eyes new business regulation after last week handing Apple a 13bn euro tax demand. A new annual filing by Google to the EU’s Transparency Register showed it spent roughly 15-20% more on lobbying European Union officials and lawmakers last year than in 2014, itself some three times as much as in the year before that. A review by Reuters of EU lobbying budgets of a handful of leading US firms which have been in the spotlight of European regulatory debates showed Google among the biggest spenders of all corporations, reporting a budget of 4.25-4.50 million euros ($4.85.1m) in 2015. That compared to 3.5-4m euros the year before and 1.25-1.5m euros in 2013. A spokesman for the company, which has been served with three sets of charges in the past two years by EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager, said its 14 staff involved in lobbying in Brussels were there to provide information. “European politicians have many questions for Google and about the Internet. We’re working hard to answer those questions, helping policymakers understand our business and the opportunity for European businesses to grow online,” he said. Google’s annual Transparency Register filing, publicized on Wednesday by anti-corruption group Transparency International, appeared online coincidentally on Aug 30. On that day European Competition Commissioner Vestager ordered Apple to pay a record $14.5bn in back taxes to Ireland after ruling that the US firm had effectively had illegal subsidies from Dublin. The iPhone maker did not respond to a request for comment on its lobbying in Brussels, where it has been advertising since July for a new government affairs manager to “represent Apple’s position with policymakers”. Its EU declaration of spend-

ing a modest 800,000-900,000 euros last year and employing just five staff working parttime on lobbying has prompted speculation that it may have underplayed its hand - though EU officials insist that they are not influenced by high-pressure corporate lobbying.

Waking up

Daniel Freund from the Brussels office of Transparency International said businesses could benefit from devoting resources to relationships with EU officials in a city where an expansion of regulatory powers for the Commission and European Parliament in the past few years has seen Brussels start to rival Washington in numbers of professional lobbyists. “A strong lobbying presence would smooth relations with the EU institutions, establish personal relationships, prevent spats,” Freund said. “The (2009) Lisbon Treaty means more competences have shifted to Brussels and companies are waking up to this fact.” Facebook, whose WhatsApp messaging service could be affected by an upcoming reform of the EU’s telecoms rules and which also has an interest in new data protection rules, spends much less than Google - 700,000-800,000 euros last year - but is expanding its small team of people lobbying for it in Brussels. A staff that numbered just two last year is now four and a fifth person is being recruited, a spokeswoman said. “Our team has increased in size as our company has grown and as such we are currently recruiting one extra person,” she said. Its advert for a Public Policy Manager reads: “As Facebook has become part of the daily lives of hundreds of millions of people around the world, policy makers in many countries naturally wish to talk to us, and we wish to talk to them.” Google’s spending surge has come since Vestager’s arrival in 2014 brought what many competition experts see as a more confrontational approach from the Commission. It is now similar to that of Microsoft, according to the latter’s public filing. l

Business

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

Feature

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

Digitalising Libraries to Enlighten the Modern Youth n Features Desk

isdom, gained from knowledge, is the light that carries civilisations through the darkness of ignorance. Knowledge, on the other hand, comes from information. Where does information come from? Throughout history, the prime source of information for people about the world, inside and out, has been books. Libraries have been built by civilisations across the globe in recognition of the fact, so that citizens in need of knowledge and information could avail them all under one roof. However, with changing time, how people look for and obtain knowledge have transformed. This applies specially to the youth. Today’s youth, more tech savvy than any of their predecessors, are used to having access to the world at the tips of their fingers. For getting the information they want, they prefer going online to get precisely what they need instead of surfing through volumes of pages in the library. Most of us fail to realise that libraries are more than simply stores of knowledge. They are centres which offer people a dedicated environment to conceive, ponder over and discuss ideas - ideas which often become key to transforming societies. Libraries catalyse a civilisation’s progress while preserving its values. But in the age of digitalisation when people interact more online and less face to face, when people prefer more to spend hours with e-books and videos instead of going through physical books, how would libraries cope up to ensure that the collective progress of civilisation do not become stagnant? Sarwat Masuda Reza, who has been leading the Library and Cultural Centre Team

of the British Council Bangladesh for over nine years, has an answer. 'The advancement of digital technology, although has instigated replacement of books by e-books, has not made libraries redundant, contrary to what many of us may think. It has simply signaled the need of libraries to digitalise themselves as well. We, at the British Council, in recognition to this reality, have taken steps to accommodate the needs of a modern, global citizen," she says. She has struck the right chord, and it reflects in the British Council’s state of the art Library and Cultural Centre which boasts a collection of over 35,000 books,

DVDs and journals as well as a vast array of online academic resources including 4,000 titles of e-magazines. In addition, the Centre conducts regular outreach programs in partnership with corporations and educational institutions, prominent among which are the Book Reading Competition, the Kids Read and Play Learn Act, Reading Challenge from Reading Agency, and Celebration of World Book Day. The adaptive intent and innovative zeal of the British Council’s Library and Cultural Centre has already earned it over 32,000 members till date. "Over the years, Bangladesh has been catching up with the digitalising world at a rapid pace. The youth, who form a vast majority of the country’s population, are already adept at the digital way of life. Their pursuit of knowledge is also highly dependent on digital means. In order to encourage them pursue knowledge, libraries need to adapt to digital means of storing and disseminating the wealth of information that they nurture, so that the youth stay encouraged to visit them and to enrich themselves," says Sarwat. Libraries possess the soul of a civilisation. The youth of a

civilisation are flag bearers of its future. In order to ensure that the youth remain in touch with a civilisation’s values and morals

while taking it forward, libraries must adapt to the needs of the youth, so that sustained progress of a civilisation is ensured.l

Feature

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

awesome aunties to have in your life They’re not ALL bad

n Sabrina Fatma Ahmad Thanks to all the television tropes, Facebook memes and Youtube spoofs, the word “Aunty” comes with a mental image of a catty, meddling middle-aged woman with terrible intentions and far too much time on her hands. While the national pastime of meddling into someone else’s business certainly provides us with plenty of real-life examples to quote from, here’s a reminder that there are still aunties out there who rock, and without whom, life would be that much duller. If you know one or more of these, your life is awesome. If you happen to be one of those aunties, we love you!

The nashta dispenser No matter what time of the day you drop in, or how frequently, you can’t visit this Aunty (usually a friend’s/group-mate’s mother) and not have her feed you chock full of yummy nashta. She might prepare it herself, have someone at hand to make it for you, or even keep her cupboards stocked with store-bought goodies, but one thing is for sure; this lady believes in keeping you fed. When you’re a young student, spending hours on the road shuttling between school and coaching classes, and there are miles to go before you go home, this Aunty stands between you and starvation.

If you know one or more of these, your life is awesome. If you happen to be one of those aunties, we love you!

Illustration: Priyo The willing ear This might be a family friend of sort. She’s the “cool” one, the non-judgemental one, who listens carefully when your parents won’t, and dispenses good advice in a way you’re more receptive to. She will keep your secrets for you, so you feel more comfortable sharing things with her. As a member of the “grown-up” club, but with the objective perspective of an outsider from the family, this Aunty is useful as a bridge between you and your folks, if things get hairy. If you need an adult to reason with your family for any reason, whether it’s about the subject you chose to study, or the boy you want to date, this is the Aunty you call. The treat This Aunty either travels a lot, or lives abroad, so you don’t see her very often, but when you do, she’s always got something cool for you.

She’s the one with impeccable taste, and a generous heart to match. She’s also the reason why you didn’t mind when your own parents were strict about your allowance because somehow she’d balance it out. This Aunty gives you the best, most well-thoughtout gifts, sends you cards (with a little extra something tucked inside, naturally) when you do well in your exams, or when you get promotions, and in general, spoils you silly. The icon She might be a supermom, one half of a power couple, or chose career over domestic bliss, or even rocking a divorce. It doesn’t matter what her relationship status is; she isn’t defined by them. This Aunty has her own career or passion project. She’s good at what she does, and shows by example that a woman can be in control of her life. She has her own money,

is fiercely independent, and in general, a very strong person. You look up to her as a role model, and she inspires you. The SOS This Aunty is most likely your mother’s best friend, or a very close family friend. She’s the one on the family speed dial, the first one on the scene with chicken soup when one of you gets hospitalised, and parks herself in your kitchen making tea for guests when there’s a death in the family. It is very likely you had her name down in “Emergency contact” after your parents, because she’s one of the few people your folks would trust to pick you up from school when they weren’t able to. She’s been a rock for your parents, and a constant, reassuring presence in your childhood memories, and probably well into your adulthood. l

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

Feature

The problems and the potential Bangladesh is teeming with tourist locations, so why aren’t we getting more tourists?

n Md Rafiqul Islam

ourism is the fastest and the largest growing industry in the world. The tourism sector has enormous potential to make a huge contribution in the economy of Bangladesh. With the proper investment and development, this sector could bring in a large amount of foreign currency, which could provide a muchneeded boost to other sectors. It’s also the way to put the country on the world map for positive reasons. With proper management of tourism activities, this sector also helps provide employment opportunities and reduce the wage gap in the country. There is plenty in this country with potential for the tourism industry to flourish. The world’s largest unbroken stretch of natural beach resides in our own Cox’s Bazaar, where development is going on unchecked. The lush green slopes of the Chittagong Hill Tracts are treasured locations for eco-tourism and wildlife watchers. Also in the south are the Sundarbans, home to mangrove forests and the Bengal Tiger. Up in the north-east lies our tea capital in the form of Srimongol, Sylhet. Dotted around the country are ancient Buddhist monasteries and old Hindu temples. Our capital city Dhaka is called the City of Mosques for its impressive collection of mosques. As such, Bangladesh itself is home to quite a few World Heritage Sites which remain vulnerable, but with with proper management could bring a lot of tourist traffic. Recently, Bangladeshi tourists have taken to travelling abroad instead of travelling inside the country. With each outgoing Bangladeshi tourist, a lot of currency flows out of the country. Of late, Bangladeshi tourists are looking beyond Cox’s Bazar, Bandarban, Rangamati, Kuakata, Dhaka, Sylhet, Dinajpur and are grabbing foreign holiday deals like never before. The main cause of Bangladeshi tourists seeking holidays abroad is high aviation cost in the domestic sector. When a tourist in Bangladesh can get cheaper return tickets to Malaysia, Nepal or Thailand than to Cox’s Bazar or the Sundarbans, he will obviously go abroad. The unplanned and

unobstructed growth of tourism has an unfavourable effect on environment. The origin and growth of tourism in Bangladesh as elsewhere in the world, is distinctly urban oriented rather than being spread over the countryside. This is due to the fact that urban centres provide the necessary infrastructure and wider choice of facilities and price ranges for accommodation, food, entertainment, etc. The unplanned and unchecked growth of tourist centres deprives them of their original Photo charm and ultimately : Syed Zakir Hossa proves disastrous. This is what in is happening to some of the famous tourist centres like Cox’s Bazaar, Sundarbans, Sylhet, Kuakata etc. where sometimes even drinking water is not available to supply to the needs of the tourists. Sometimes, the area around a tourist spot is covered by commercial constructions and even by industries. Such unplanned growth tarnish the image of the concerned spot. The lake, park, attractions places of Dhaka city, in the restaurants unhygienic foods the country are examples of this nature where much Photo: Mahmud Hossain Opu of the original beauty and charm is lost due to unplanned constructions around them. There is a hike in the price of land because of the greater demand for construction of hotels for the tourists. The prices of daily needs especially of consumable goods like milk, eggs, vegetables and fruits shoot up in the upcoming tourist place. Even the hike in the price of hotels, motels, resorts accommodation. A rise in the wages of labour occupied in the service of tourists takes place. More demand and less supply of water and power, shared by both the tourists and the local residents, creates shortages—the worse sufferers are always the indigenous people. l

Photo:

at Syed L

ain if Hoss

The writer is Assistant Manager, Sales & Administration DuSai Resort and Spa

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

| launch |

| publication |

Teletalk opens new customer care centre

Architecture department at BRACU launches student publication Folio 1

A new customer care centre of Teletalk was inaugurated at the BTCL compound in Gulshan 1 on September 8. The new centre was inaugurated by Tarana Halim, state minister of the

Post and Telecommunication Division under the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology. At the event, the State Minister inaugurated new Teletalk data

Biz Info

BRAC University has launched its first ever student publication Folio 1, an anthology of student academic projects from the year 2012 to 2014. A launching ceremony of Folio 1 was held at the university auditorium on Tuesday, September 6. The Vice Chancellor Professor Syed Saad Andaleeb, Ph.D graced the event as the Chief Guest. “Folio 1” is a reflection of the wide range of fields that is pursued at the Department of Architecture, BRAC University within the given curriculum, and its intimate involvement with architecture and design communities worldwide. As a result, the compilation houses some 280 student projects that represent a huge variety of work ranging from

community involvements. It also focuses on the department’s keen interest in investigating contexts of public health, cultural identity, community housing, risk reduction, adaptation of climate change and similar other significant issues relevant to the built environment of Bangladesh. The program had a number of attractions in addition to the launching event itself. The book launching ceremony was followed by a panel discussion on the topic: ‘Architectural Education for Tomorrow’ by eminent Bangladeshi architects under the Angan Lecture series (ANGAN the forum for co curricular activities of the Department of Architecture). The panel discussion was moderated by Professor Fuad

basic two dimensional designs to professional level buildable projects in the graduating year. Moreover, the book also displays other additional studio based student works such as those of landscape and interior designs, 3d visualisation work, sculpture, painting and photography studios, etc. “Folio 1” also contains a collective representation of all the different activities that occur within the department that not only pertain to exhibitions and displays, but conveys department’s focus on creative ideas and social outreach through design exercises and

H Mallick; the panelists being Architect Kazi Khaleed Ashraf, Architect Mohammad Foyez Ullah, Architect Mahmudul Anwar Riyaad and Architect Marina Tabassum. The announcement of the results of Vertical Studio Design Charrette, an intra-departmental one day design competition and the award ceremony marked the conclusion of the launching ceremony. The Folio 1 publication has been sponsored by renowned architectural firm Volume Zero. The book launching event has been supported by SML XL Open Lounge and BRAC University.l

cards (Tk 9 for 50MB and Tk 19 for 125MB). The Managing Director of Teletalk, Gias Uddin Ahmed, and other higher officials were present during the ceremony. l

| team-up |

Bikroy partners with GP Accelerator

Bikroy announced partnerships with Grameenphone Accelerator to provide comprehensive mentorship and marketing support to the top five startup teams, on September 9. The

partnership will enable it to tap into the innovation of digital startups. It will help the startups realise their product and service concepts through networking, marketing and mentorship from

bikroy. This partnership will also help the five startups to manage and optimise their products in a proactive and intelligent way. “We are really looking forward to being a part of GP Accelerator. As a startup ourselves, we always take opportunities to support entrepreneurship and help other like-minded organisations succeed. I know that all of us feel like we not only have a lot to give but a lot to learn as well. We’ve been waiting for an opportunity to work together with SD Asia. Special thanks to GP for being the driving force behind this program.’’ said Misha Ali, Marketing Director of Bikroy. Last week, the startup teams had the chance to meet Martin Malmström, managing director of Bikroy. During the introductory session, he talked about managing an early stage startup and mentioned all the supports that bikroy will offer to the startups.l

20 Editorial

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

TODAY

Why the UK shouldn’t harbour troublemakers When I try to explain that Altaf Hussain is not protected by the British government or the intelligence services, they look at me as if I am just a naïve foreigner PAGE 21

Skills for life Remittances from labour migration form a major pillar of the national economy, despite the fact that the majority of migrants are either unskilled or low-skilled PAGE 22

BIGSTOCK

Putting an end to hunger Revenge of the anti-nerds Survey after survey has shown that the clearest predictor of someone being a Donald Trump voter in the Republican primaries was that he or she did not possess a college degree 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.

rime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s food-aid program for the ultra poor is a bold step towards ending the problem of hunger in Bangladesh. No one will have to starve anymore, the PM has said at the inauguration of the program which would make rice available at a very low price for poor people. Her pledge is a major triumph for human rights, and provides a ray of hope for a country that has been struggling with the problem of starvation for quite some time. Bangladesh currently has a score of 27.3 in the Global Hunger Index, putting us in the “serious” category. However, we have fared much worse in the past, and are poised to perform much better in future years. The nation has dealt with famines before, and not so long ago, death by starvation was quite common during the lean season. We can all take pride in the fact that those days are behind us, and the prime minister’s promise that no one else will now starve to death is a cause for celebration. Over the past few years, we have made strides towards winning the war on hunger. There has been tremendous increase in food productivity, and there is more money in people’s pockets. We are gradually leaving behind the days when a person could not afford a meal. But there is still some way to go, and we are hopeful that the prime minister’s plan will be implemented with the proper oversight, and will have its desired results. In the last century, the whole world has seen vast improvements in food production technology, thus enabling many first world countries to deal with the “problem” of too much food. In such a world, it would indeed be a shame for so many to continue to go hungry. We thank the prime minister for taking the lead in making hunger a thing of the past.

The prime minister’s promise that no one else will now starve to death is a cause for celebration

Opinion

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

Why the UK shouldn’t harbour troublemakers The UK can surely amend terrorism laws to allow for prosecution of people like Altaf Hussain

Pakistan itself has a dubious judicial system

REUTERS

When I try to explain that Altaf Hussain is not protected by the British government or the intelligence services, and the UK legal system does not take kindly to political interference, they look at me as if I am just a naïve foreigner

n Azeem Ibrahim

hen countries harbour terrorists, we usually have recourse against them -- legal or otherwise. When the Taliban government in Afghanistan harboured Osama bin Laden and refused to hand him over, we invaded the country, with broad international support. When terrorists threaten the US and the UK and hide in countries such as Yemen, we simply assassinate them by drone -- with or without the acquiescence of the

government. But what happens when terrorists who threaten the interests of other countries do so while being based in the US or in Britain? What happens is not a lot. From our point of view, our legal system stands above the security concerns of other countries. And so long as the suspected individuals are not accused of any crime under our legal system, the normal legal protection we offer to our citizens and foreign residents against arbitrary detention continues to apply.

Case in point

Altaf Hussain, a leading Pakistani politician who actively encourages his 4 million supporters in his native country to undermine Pakistan’s state apparatus by violent means, is residing in the UK. What is more, the UK government is fully aware of his presence and his activities regarding Pakistan, but seems to have done little about it. Mr Hussain frequently calls on his followers to shut down Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, and the riots that ensue often

result in deaths, not least of law enforcement officers. The most recent such incident happened just last month. We would not have much trouble dealing with such an individual -- except perhaps if they were given refuge by the US, Russia, or China. But Pakistan has been reduced to bringing terrorism charges against Mr Hussain in London. But so far, to no avail. This has led to huge frustrations in Pakistan, not only for the political and military leaders of the country, but for many ordinary Pakistanis. Not least those who keep suffering in Karachi, every time the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM), Mr Hussain’s organisation in Pakistan, flexes its muscles at the behest of their leader headquartered in London.

Breeding hostility

The hostility this breeds in Pakistan against the British government is no less real,

and raw. I never subscribe to conspiracy theories, especially those originating in Pakistan where they are a convenient way of deflecting responsibility for many of their own problems. But on recent trips I took to the country, almost everyone from the leading politicians to the taxi driver will tell you that that Mr Hassan is being protected by the MI6 and that the MQM are doing the bidding of the British government for some geo-political reason or another. When I try to explain that Altaf Hussain is not protected by the British government or the intelligence services, and the UK legal system does not take kindly to political interference, they look at me as if I am just a naïve foreigner. I am not entirely sure I can blame them. We all know that if British or American interests were on the line, we would not be all that sympathetic to the finer points of the legal system of Pakistan, or a similar country. Of course, the counterpoint still stands. The UK is said to have provided safe haven to many legitimate political dissidents who would have been strung up by kangaroo courts in repressive countries, and it is right to have done so. We also have more than enough reason to doubt the judicial process in Pakistan, a country where corruption is rampant, and Western-looking state institutions are merely a front for factional, sectarian, and ethnic power struggles. But surely it cannot be in the interests of the UK that countries like Pakistan can be destabilised by individuals like Mr Hussain, while they live comfortably on British soil. Surely we can amend the terrorism laws to allow for the prosecution of those who are responsible for organised rioting and the death of so many civilians and police officers in countries which are, technically, still our allies in the war on terror. l Azeem Ibrahim is a Research Professor at the Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College and an International Security Lecturer at the University of Chicago. This article first appeared on Al-Arabiya.net.

Opinion

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

Skills for life Improved skills mean decent work for all

n Srinivas Reddy

angladeshi youth’s lack of access to relevant, high-quality skills training has resulted in a critical shortfall of skilled workers. Of the 60 million workers in the domestic labour market, only 1% them have completed some vocational skills training. Even those who are trained are not necessarily as qualified as many existing training programs were designed decades ago, and no longer reflect industry requirements or technological advancement. Without skills, workers are only usually able to secure poorlypaid menial jobs in the informal economy. Continuing along the current growth path could lead the country into a “low-skill, lowproductivity” trap. With effective and appropriate vocational education and training, these men and women have the potential to be skilled and productive. An improved skills system would help raise industry productivity and drive industries

the quality of institutions, training, trainers, and assessors. It also reinvigorates alternative routes of learning, such as the apprenticeship system and recognises prior learning based on experience. To support this policy, a National Technical Vocational Quality Framework (NTVQF), which sets market-driven competency standards, is being developed with support from ILO in collaboration with industries to ensure that training meets their skills demand. This framework will raise the standard of training provided and the certification will help workers claim fair pay in line with their qualifications. However, there are 23 ministries engaged in the skills development arena and over 14,500 training institutes, so rolling out and mainstreaming the NTVQF is a challenging, though, necessary task. It requires assessment of skills demand, development of competency standards for identified occupations in demand, and capacity building of training

Without skills, people are stuck in menial jobs

Improving the capacity of training institutes

Remittances from labour migration form a major pillar of the national economy, despite the fact that the majority of migrants are either unskilled or low-skilled

up the value chain, contributing to poverty-reduction and economic growth. The government, with support from the International Labour Organisation and the government of Canada, is working on addressing both the demand and supply sides of the skills equation. The ILO’s approach to skills development is to create systemic changes and reforms within industry and training institutions for decent employment. Key pillars of ILO’s approach to skills, employment, and productivity are policy reform, strengthening training institution capacity, promoting partnerships, and creating demand for skills among workers and employers.

Promoting effective skills development policies

The government’s National Skills Development Policy, which was endorsed in 2012, addresses

institutes, trainers, and assessors. Once established, competency standards and certification will help migrant workers too. Remittances from labour migration form a major pillar of the national economy, despite the fact that the majority of migrants are either unskilled or low-skilled. Improving the skills of migrant workers and providing them with internationally accepted certification could drastically improve both the future growth of remittances and the types of work opportunities (and working conditions) that expatriate workers are able to access abroad. Studies show in overseas jobs, Bangladeshi workers earn less than Indians who earn less than Sri Lankans, who earn less than Filipinos. Improving the skills and certifications of migrant workers will help them secure better pay abroad.

Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions suffer from an acute shortage of adequately trained staff and modern infrastructure. There aren’t sufficient qualified trainers or assessors in the new system. ILO is supporting the government to improve the facilities at several training institutions, to create demonstration models which can be replicated. The government also plans to establish a national centre for skills development centered on two existing institutions, the Vocational Teacher Training Institute and the Technical Teacher Training Centre, to help share good practices and learning within the field. Another challenge is the lack of modern technology and computers at training centres. ILO is encouraging the government to be innovative to overcome this challenge, through initiatives like Public-Private-Partnerships (PPP). A PPP between the Graphics Institute of Bangladesh and a printing company allows students to practice with technology and supplies provided by the company, as well gain practical experience by working there part -time.

Working with employers to understand needs

To strengthen the link between industry needs and skills development, Industry Skills Councils have been formed in eleven industries so far including agro-food processing and information technology. Previously, training was delivered without employment in mind and without knowing the “skills needs” of the employers. This trend is changing. Furthermore, the government is encouraging companies to offer apprenticeships and internships to students who need real experience to get a job. Employers are also being sensitised to include persons with disabilities and women in their work place.

Social marketing to increase demand for skills

Currently, demand for skills training is low among youths. Many potential trainees are socially biased against vocational training for its low image and lack of social acceptance, or unaware of the benefits. Therefore, they would rather opt for a private university degree, regardless of the subsequent job opportunities. To improve the outreach of TVET, ILO assisted National Skills Development Council to develop

MEHEDI HASAN

a social marketing strategy that brings together government and NGOs, development partners, and the media -- to spread a unified and consistent message about the benefits of TVET. Skills development can also contribute to gender equality by empowering women to access skilled occupations in the formal economy with higher salaries and more secure employment conditions. The Department of Technical Education (DTE), with support from ILO, is piloting several training programs for women in non-traditional occupations such as carpentry and air condition repair. For poor people, especially single mothers, skills can help lead to sustained graduation out of poverty. As these measures are set up, monitoring and evaluation systems are being put in place. ILO extended support to the National Skills Development Council to set up a database to track the demand and supply of skilled labour. An improved skill development system will improve the local economy, expand employment opportunities for millions of Bangladeshis, and help contribute in providing decent work for all. l Srinivas Reddy is the Country Director of ILO Bangladesh

Opinion

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

Revenge of the anti-nerds Are we witnessing the dawn of an intellectually bankrupt future?

Education being sneered at is nothing new

BIGSTOCK

n Shafiqur Rahman

hroughout the early 80s and 90s, there was a series of college-comedy movies called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Revenge of the Nerds.â&#x20AC;? The movies showed how a group of brainy college kids ultimately triumphed over their handsome and muscle-bound opponents in winning fame and hot girls. They were passable comedies, somewhat tepid imitation of the mold set by Animal House. The important thing about those movies was how they marked the period as a time when nerd culture transitioned from fringes of ridicule to mainstream appeal to eventual idolisation. People who are now in their 40s or older can see a clear pattern of change in the heroes and idols of popular culture overtime. Brains have become increasingly sexier than brawn, or even good looks. While muscle-bound Stallone and Schwarzenegger were the heroes of the 80s, deeply conflicted and multi-dexterous Jason Bourne was the hero of the noughties. While pretty, youthfilled Friends was the place where young people of the 90s escaped, the youth of today love The Big Bang Theory, filled with distinctly not-handsome but brainy and awkward geeks. The 90s really was the decades when the current wave of globalisation really took off. Since then, movement of goods, services, capital, and people across the globe have ballooned without any precedence. Political economy teaches that whenever a country opens itself to the world, some economic, social, and cultural cleavages begin to

Survey after survey has shown that the clearest predictor of someone being a Donald Trump voter in the Republican primaries was that he or she did not possess a college degree. The same phenomenon replicated in Brexit

entrench and widen among its people. The current wave of globalisation has also generated many fractures in societies throughout the world, but perhaps the obvious and important cleavage is between the highly educated and the not-so-welleducated. More than any other time in history, the current era bestows its riches unreservedly upon the highly-educated. And more than any other time in history, the current era is expressively miserly and unkind to people who could not afford higher education. Until a few decades ago, it was very possible for a hard-working, honest person without higher education to succeed in a career or entrepreneurship and enter the ranks of the middle class. These days, that possibility has shrunk considerably. Higher education became the de facto passport to the Elysium of globalisation because of several reasons, the most important being the conjunction of the rise of knowledge economy with globalised capitalism. Long ago, Karl Marx brilliantly identified that the central impulse of capitalism is to standardise and commoditise every input in the competitive pursuit of profit.

Capitalism has commoditised material input almost completely by this time, and it has made large strides in standardising and automatising human input in the value chain. All kinds of labour and services that were once hallmarks of individuality and creativity have now been commoditised. All jobs that do not require advanced knowledge are being relentlessly commoditised and therefore devalued in financial compensation. Globalised capitalism not only devalues these manufacturing and service jobs but also shows little regard for local culture and identity. If people of a certain area show reluctance to do these automatised jobs for lesser pay, capitalism either moves jobs and services to a different place or try to encourage people from another culture who are desperate enough to do work for less compensation. Meanwhile, the globalised knowledge economy is awardingly increasing premium to high-level knowledge that can be almost impossible to gain without advanced education. Today, a person who has managed to gain the requisite skills and knowledge can enter the ranks of the global elite in IT, science and engineering,

high finance, or high-level management, with ease -- his cultural background matters little. Social and communication skills, cultural purity, family connections, the attributes elites have been using for hundreds of years as the gatekeepers of prosperity have lost much of their edge. Knowledge-based skills are often things that are solely sufficient. Current globalisation has, therefore, fractured societies in advanced democracies along an ever-widening cleavage by higher education. Numerous survey and studies paint a clear picture: The highlyeducated are more likely to be socially and economically liberal, less religious, less nationalistic, more cosmopolitan, more tolerant to living with people from other cultures, and believe in humanistic morality. They also have late-but-stable marriages and lead healthier lifestyles. The less-educated are likely to be socially conservative, more religious, more nationalistic, more suspicious of people from different cultures, and believe in simple black and white morality. They also have less stable marriages and poor health habits. The highly-educated and the

less-educated not only live in different parts of the country, they also seem to live in totally different cultures. The fragmented world of TV shows is just one small aspect of this yawning cultural divide. Moreover, the popular cultures of the highly-educated in different countries have remarkable commonality. The highlyeducated can find kindred people almost all over the world. Culture of the less-educated, on the other hand, remains bound to unique traditions to a large extent. The higher-education divide is not only due to difference in economic opportunities, it is also due to radical ideological makeover. The few years spent in the diverse and intellectually challenging environment of college and universities change social and political outlook dramatically. Studies have shown that taking one college-level course on economics makes a person significantly more likely to support free trade and globalisation. No wonder that conservatives in the Western world regard universities as dark satanic mills where godless professors brainwash young people on an industrial scale. The education divide is increasingly becoming the most important driver of politics in the advanced democracies. Survey after survey has shown that the clearest predictor of someone being a Donald Trump voter in the Republican primaries was that he or she did not possess a college degree. The same phenomenon replicated in Brexit, where people with higher education overwhelmingly voted to remain while people without voted for the exit. The support base of almost all anti-immigration, far-right parties in continental Europe is built on people who do not have a university degree. The less-educated working-class has been exploited as faithful voting blocs by both the centre-right and centre-left mainstream parties for a long time. Not anymore. They were dissatisfied with the elites for a long time but now they are angry enough to displace the elites and take over the parties themselves. The antinerds are fighting back, and they are now savvy enough to use their democratic strength as main weapon of war. l Shafiqur Rahman is a political scientist.

24 Sport

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

TOP STORIES

Strauss issues Bangladesh deadline England chief Andrew Strauss said Wednesday that players have three days left to decide if they are willing to tour Bangladesh. He made it clear that anyone who opted out ran the risk of losing their international position. PAGE 25

Jose, Pep resume hostilities in derby Friends who became foes, Mourinho and Guardiola represent opposite ends of football’s ideological spectrum and their ongoing grudge match has shaped the game’s recent history. PAGE 26

Sharjeel, Latif star in lone T20I Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif smashed England’s bowlers all round Old Trafford as Pakistan ended their tour in style with a crushing nine-wicket win in Wednesday’s lone Twenty20 international. PAGE 27

Serena holds off Halep, reaches SF World number one Serena Williams fended off spirited Simona Halep on Wednesday, downing the fifth-seeded Romanian 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 to reach the US Open semi-finals. Williams fired 18 aces en route to the triumph. PAGE 28

Walsh a lethal addition to Hathu’s team n Mazhar Uddin

Timing can often get wrong but the appointment of West Indies great Courtney Walsh as Bangladesh’s bowling coach has come at a perfect time for the country. The Tigers have just started on the habit of winning and more importantly, their self-belief have grown a lot. Bangladesh has always been dependent on spinners but things started to change from the last two years when the fast bowlers have improved and are now leading from the front. And now they have Walsh, who could take the pacemen to the next level. It can only mean that Chandika Hathurusingha’s leadership as the head coach will get stronger. The former Sri Lanka batsman has marshalled his troops with great authority ever since he took the charge and transformed a new look Tigers as it was also a huge challenge back in 2014 when he took the job. In the last two years, Bangladesh has emerged as the new threat in international cricket. Hathursingha, who was rewarded as the board renewed his contract till the 2019 World Cup, will now have a major weapon in his coaching arsenal in the form of Walsh. Hathurusingha has created an image of doing the job in his own way. But even he will be delighted to have someone like Walsh in his support staff. He can fully rely on the West Indian great to sharpen his fast bowlers. Walsh is one of the most experienced fast bowlers in history. He has been phenomenal throughout his 17-year career, becoming the first bowler to take 500 Test wickets. He ended his illustrious career picking 519 wickets in 132 Tests while he also picked up 227 scalps in 205 ODI. He has 1807 wickets in 429 first-class matches. All of this is enough to understand what he knows and has done. But Walsh is more than just about the numbers. He has always been hands-on when trying to help younger bowlers. His personality sets him apart, as was seen when he had that lethal partnership with the legendary Curtly Ambrose, forming one of the most successful bowling pair in the history of cricket. Walsh helped Ambrose, who made his Test debut in 1988, in the early stages of his career and the result was evident. When Walsh appeared for his first ma-

Gemcon acquires Khulna BPL franchise n Minhaz Uddin Khan

The BCB has approved Gemcon Group as the new owner of the Khulna franchise while the Rajshahi franchise will be owned by Renaissance Group, board director Sheikh Sohel said yesterday. Sylhet will also have a change in ownership after the previous franchise owner, Alif Group, failed to clear the franchise fee to the BCB and make payments to its players last season. “We are including two more franchises from the next edition of BPL,” Sohel said after a BPL governing council meeting yesterday. “Renaissance Group will take Rajshahi while Gemcon Group will have Khulna. We are also looking for new owners for Sylhet Superstars

Renaissance Group will take Rajshahi while Gemcon Group will have Khulna. We are also looking for new owners for Sylhet as we had to cut off our agreement with the previous owners due to their failure to pay

jor press conference in Dhaka, he wished to bring out another Ambrose from Bangladesh, something any Bangladeshi fast bowler would dream of. Undoubtedly BCB will be more than happy to get the service of this legendary cricketer as the fast bowling mentor for the Tigers till the 2019 World Cup. Bangladesh pace bowling department will have enough time to adapt with

the 53-year old. From bowling techniques to mental toughness, Walsh has everything to offer for the Bangladeshi bowlers though it will be his first coaching experience but as Mashrafe said soon after his appointment. It will be enough for the cricketers to share the dressing room with such a legend and get to know about his on-field experiences.l

as we had to cut off our agreement with the previous owners due to their failure to pay.” The BCB president Nazmul Hasan said earlier this year that they will take legal steps against Alif Group, the Sylhet franchise owners. It is understood that the BPL GC is in talks with one of the leading corporate house of the country regarding the new ownership of the Sylhet franchise. The tournament as a result is likely to have at least eight teams, rising from the six that participated in the 2015 edition. Both Rajshahi and Khulna will make a return into the tournament after missing the previous edition. The first two season Rajshahi were owned by Digital Autos while Khulna was owned by Orion Group till 2013. The six other franchises are Dhaka, Chittagong, reigning champions Comilla, Barisal, Sylhet and Rangpur. l

Sport

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

Strauss issues Bangladesh deadline to England players n AFP, Manchester

Bangladesh bowlers Taskin Ahmed (R) and Afafat Sunny pose after their ICC biomechanics bowling action review at Brisbane yesterday

FACEBOOK/TWITTER

India: Two-tier test scheme should have been shot down early n Reuters, Mumbai India played a key role in sinking a proposal for a two-tier structure in tests but it should never have been up for discussion at the International Cricket Council’s meeting, according to Indian cricket board president Anurag Thakur. The ICC shelved the proposal after opposition from India and other full members at a two-day meeting at the world governing body’s headquarters. The proposal had the top seven ICC-ranked test sides competing in the first tier and the remaining three full members in a pool with Afghanistan and Ireland, the leading two teams among the ICC’s associate members. The scheme was intended to provide more context to bilateral test series and allow the associate nations a chance to compete in the five-day format which is struggling to stave off dwindling popularity across the globe. “It is off the table,” BCCI president Anurag Thakur told Reuters on Thursday. “This should have been shot down at the proposal stage itself as it is not in the interest of all na-

tions.” The BCCI, richest among the ICC’s member boards, believed the division would be financially detrimental to the lower-ranked test sides and might not be the right answer to the longest format’s falling television viewership. Thakur, 41, said India had been supported by the boards of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in shooting down the proposal at the

ICC meeting which concluded on Wednesday. “West Indies also didn’t want the two-tier system while we were confident we could convince topranked Pakistan in supporting us,” Thakur, a member of parliament representing India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, said by phone. The ICC said its members had made progress on how to take all three of cricket’s formats forward

and popularise the game but provided no details. “There are some complexities, not least because of scheduling and existing structures, but we envisage the changes being implemented for 2019,” ICC CEO David Richardson said in a statememt. “Members will now revert to their boards to share the details of the proposed revised structures and principles.” l

THE PROS AND CONS OF THE PROPOSED TWO-TIER SYSTEM BENEFITS The system would have given each Test series a context greater than just the bilateral trophy. Teams would have been encouraged to strive for the best possible result to improve their standing in the tier. Increased opportunities for Associates to play long-form cricket and grow in competitiveness. Ireland and Afghanistan were to be the first Associate teams in the second tier, but there would have been the chance for the others to break into the second tier through a promotion and relegation system. Better competitiveness in Test with

closer-matched teams playing each other, making it a more interesting contest for fans. For example, West Indies at No. 8 in the rankings would be able to play third-placed Australia only if they became competitive enough to climb into the top tier.

DRAWBACKS A danger of widening the gulf between the top and bottom sides. Without playing higher-ranked teams, there was the chance the Full Members in the bottom tier would struggle to improve their Test cricket. Also, without the incentive of playing the best opponents, players might have increasingly been lost to

the T20 circuit. A concern the rich would become richer and the poor would become poorer. Without India, England and Australia (currently in the top tier) playing the bottom ranked teams, there was a danger that those boards would suffer financially. If there was to be a system of compensation to make up for a loss of TV earnings, it was not detailed in public. Since the top-tier teams were meant to be obliged to play the bottom-tier teams occasionally, there would have been a danger of extremely lopsided contests, and the possibility of skewed records.l

England chief Andrew Strauss said Wednesday that players have three days left to decide if they are willing to tour Bangladesh amid ongoing security concerns surrounding the country. And the former England captain made it clear that anyone who opted out ran the risk of losing their international position if a stand-in did well in their absence. All-rounders Moeen Ali and Chris Jordan have both said they are unequivocally available to tour and Alastair Cook, England’s Test captain, is believed to have given a private assurance to the same effect. However, limited overs captain Eoin Morgan has yet to commit to a tour whose future was called into question after an attack on a Dhaka cafe in July that saw 20 hostages killed. “I think as captain, you want to be there in the mix with everybody but ultimately you have to feel comfortable enough to be able to concentrate on cricket and be able to benefit the team,” said Morgan following England’s nine-wicket defeat by Pakistan in Wednesday’s Twenty20 at Old Trafford. “Ultimately it comes down to how comfortable I feel to go.” Following the July attack, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) decided to send an inspection team to Bangladesh led by their long-serving security chief Reg Dickason. After he reported back, the board confirmed last month that the tour, which includes three one-day international and two Test match fixtures in October and November, would go ahead as planned. ECB director Strauss will meet with England’s contracted players -- who will form the bulk of the touring party -- at England’s National Cricket Academy in Loughborough on September 9 and 10 for their annual appraisal. During those meetings, the former England opener will seek a definitive answer on players’ willingness to tour, with the squad due to be named publicly on September 16. Strauss, speaking at Old Trafford before the T20, England’s final home international of the season, told reporters: “Would I like both our captains to be on that tour? Absolutely, definitely.” However, Strauss added: “We have to recognise that, although we have two captains who have wider responsibilities than just themselves, they are still human beings at the end of the day and still subject to all the same thoughts and concerns as anyone else. l

Sport

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

Coming right after a vibrant but sometimes tricky Olympics, the Paralympics present one more challenge for Rio in a period of deep recession and political instability. Blind, missing limbs, or partially paralysed, more than 4,300 of the world’s toughest and most competitive disabled paraded ahead of 11 days of contests. Fireworks erupt during the 2016 Rio Paralympics opening ceremony at Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Wednesday REUTERS

Bale: La Liga is Real’s top target this season n Reuters, Barcelona Gareth Bale said Real Madrid are determined to wrest back the Spanish league title from Barcelona this season after going four years without tasting La Liga success. Bale has won the Champions League twice and the King’s Cup since joining the Bernabeu club in 2013, but the league title has proved elusive. They continue their campaign at home to Osasuna on Saturday. “It’s important we win the league this year because it’s been a long time since we last won it,” Bale said on Wednesday “That’s our focus this year although we want to win every trophy, including La Liga. I’m excited about our game with Osasuna, they will make things difficult for us but it’ll be fantastic because we’ll have our full team available.” Real boast more La Liga triumphs than any other team in Spain with 32 titles but arch rivals Barcelona have claimed six of the last eight, while neighbours Atletico Madrid have won the league more recently than Real, lifting the trophy in 2014. l

Jose and Pep resume hostilities in derby duel n AFP, Manchester

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho and his Manchester City adversary Pep Guardiola rekindle a rivalry 20 years in the making in this weekend’s hotly anticipated Manchester derby. Friends who became foes, Mourinho and Guardiola represent opposite ends of football’s ideological spectrum and their ongoing grudge match has shaped the game’s recent history. It is three years since they last shared a touchline and Saturday’s clash at Old Trafford marks the resumption of a duel that could determine the outcome of the Premier League title race. Though renowned for their different demeanours, the pragmatic Mourinho, 53, and the idealistic Guardiola, 45, have both shown a capacity for ruthlessness in their early days in Manchester. Mourinho has sidelined experienced German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, while Guardiola’s benching of Joe Hart forced the popular goalkeeper to leave City for Torino. Both men have also delivered impressive initial results, leaving their clubs neck-and-neck on nine points -- along with Chelsea -- after

the first three games of the season. It is two decades since their paths first crossed at Barcelona in the mid-1990s, when Guardiola was captain and Mourinho worked as an assistant to Bobby Robson and Louis van Gaal. The pair became close, but they found themselves in opposition at Camp Nou in 2008 when Barcelona went in search of a successor to Frank Rijkaard as manager. Despite Mourinho’s stellar achievements with Porto and Chelsea, he was overlooked in favour of

the inexperienced Guardiola. The Portuguese exacted sweet revenge two years later when Inter Milan knocked defending champions Barca out of the Champions League. In an iconic image, Mourinho raced across the Camp Nou pitch in celebration, his right hand provocatively raised in the air. Mourinho’s appointment by Real Madrid that year brought him into regular confrontation with Guardiola. Mourinho’s first Clasico ended

in a humiliating 5-0 defeat and during a sequence of four encounters in two weeks later that season, the rivalry between the men turned ugly. In the build-up to their Champions League semi-final, Mourinho’s acerbic comments prompted an angry, foul-mouthed response from the usually placid Guardiola. That year’s Spanish Super Cup witnessed a new low in the relationship between the clubs as Mourinho poked Guardiola’s assistant Tito Vilanova in the eye during a touchline shoving match. They last met in 2013 when Guardiola’s Bayern Munich edged Mourinho’s Chelsea on penalties in the UEFA Super Cup. Ahead of the current campaign, both managers were at pains to play down the significance of their rivalry. “In the Premier League, if I focus on him and Manchester City, and he on me and Manchester United, someone else is going to win the league,” Mourinho said. Guardiola said managers like Mourinho pushed him to “reach another level”. But the gloves will come off when the referee’s whistle sounds at Old Trafford on Saturday, if not in the pair’s pre-match press conferences the day before.l

Sport

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

QUICK BYTES Bangladesh-Ireland first women’s ODI abandoned The first one-day international between visitors Bangladesh women and hosts Ireland women was rain abandoned without a ball bowled at Bready yesterday. The two sides are scheduled to locks horns in the second and final game of the series at the same venue tomorrow. Meanwhile, Bangladesh women lost the two-match Twenty20 series 1-0 after the second game at Brady got abandoned due to rain. Bangladesh had started their tour with a defeat losing the first Twenty20 by a narrow six run chasing 55 runs in 10 overs. –TRIBUNE REPORT

Crystal Palace sign midfielder Flamini Crystal Palace have signed midfielder Mathieu Flamini on a one-year contract, the Premier League club announced on Thursday. The 32-year-old, who joined Palace on a free transfer, has made over 200 appearances in two spells with Arsenal. He was without a club since leaving the Gunners at the end of last season. Palace visit Middlesbrough on Saturday. –REUTERS

Pakistan’s Sharjeel Khan hits a six against England during their NatWest International T20 match at Emirates Old Trafford on Wednesday

DAY’S WATCH FOOTBALL STAR SPORTS 2 12:15AM Bundesliga 2016/17 Bliga Schalke v Bayern Munich

TEN 3 12:05AM French Ligue 1 2016/17 PSG v Saint- Etienne 12:45AM Sky Bet EFL 2016/17 Reading v Ipswich Town

SONY ESPN 12:30AM Spanish La Liga Real Sociedad v Espanyol

Sharjeel, Latif star as Pakistan thrash England n AFP, Manchester Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif smashed England’s bowlers all round Old Trafford as Pakistan ended their tour in style with a crushing nine-wicket win in Wednesday’s lone Twenty20 international. Left-hander Sharjeel made 59 and fellow opener Latif 59 not out as Pakistan, set just 136 to win, finished on 139 for one with 31 balls to spare to the delight of thousands of their fans at a packed Old Trafford. Sharjeel faced 36 balls with sev-

en fours and three sixes as he put on 107 in just 69 deliveries for the first wicket with Latif. Right-hander Latif was in for 36 balls, featuring seven fours and three sixes, against an England team fielding the same side beaten in a last-over thriller by the West Indies in the World Twenty20 final in Kolkata in April. Victory saw Sarfraz Ahmed win his first match as Twenty20 captain but England took the overall Super Series 16-12 after the four-Test series was shared 2-2 and the hosts

won the one-dayers 4-1. Pakistan’s win under the Old Trafford floodlights was set up by a disciplined display in the field after England were well-placed at 56 without loss. Left-arm spinner Imad Wasim removed both England openers Jason Roy and Alex Hales on his way to a fine return of two for 17 in his maximum four overs without conceding either a four or a six. Man-of-the-match Wahab Riaz, a left-arm quick, followed up with three for 18 as Pakistan cleverly mixed up their deliveries.

England managed just one boundary in the last 10 overs of their innings, whereas Pakistan sprinted to 36 for none courtesy of nine fours. “I probably got the toss wrong,” said Morgan. l

BRIEF SCORES ENGLAND 135 for 7 (Hales 37, Roy 21, Wahab 3-18) by nine wickets PAKISTAN 139 for 1 (Sharjeel 59, Latif 59*, Rashid 1-29) Pakistan win by 9 wickets

Ronaldinho set to retire n Agencies

CRICKET TEN 3 7:30PM Australia Tour of Sri Lanka 2nd T20

TENNIS TEN 1 US Open 2016 10:00PM Final Mixed Doubles 1:00AM SFs Men’s Singles

UFC SONY ESPN 2:00AM Andrei Arlovski v Josh Barnett

REUTERS

Ronaldinho poses on the observation deck after pulling the switch to light the Empire State Building in honor of FC Barcelona’s 10-year global partnership with UNICEF in New York on Wednesday AFP

Former Brazil, Barcelona and Milan star Ronaldinho has revealed he will soon be ending his professional football career, after 18 years starring in Europe and South America. Having struggled to settle at any single club since leaving Atletico Mineiro in 2014, he believes it is time to call it a day. “I am an old man now, I am 36,” he told reporters at a press conference in New York. “I am no longer 26 like I once was, and I am looking at what I can do to mark an end to my career. The plan is to play one more year.” l

Sport

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

Simeone committed to lead Atletico into next season n Reuters, Barcelona Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has reaffirmed his commitment to the club by saying he wants to lead them into their new stadium in 2017. Simeone is under contract with Atletico until 2020 but he cast doubt on his future in May, immediately after the team’s defeat to Real Madrid on penalties in the Champions League final. The Argentine coach has since stated he made those comments in the heat of the moment, although talk of his future has resurfaced following the team’s disappointing start to the season. Atletico have drawn their first two games of the La Liga campaign, held by promoted Alaves and Leganes, and are already four points adrift of favourites Barcelona and Real Madrid. Simeone, however, reiterated his commitment to the club, who are set to move from their Vicente Calderon ground to a new 67,000-seater stadium on the outskirts of the Spanish capital in August next year. “We have a beautiful stadium we’re moving into next year and I hope to be here for that,” Simeone said on Wednesday at the launch of his autobiography, titled ‘Believe’. “When I came here I was very optimistic about the club’s fortunes and I still am, and that’s why I’m here. I’m still transparent and we hope to work hard and improve on the start we made to the season, but apart from that I’m happy.” Simeone is the longest-serving coach in La Liga, having taken over Atletico in December 2011. He lead them to their first La Liga title in 18 years in 2014 and has also won the King’s Cup and the Europa League. l

Serena Williams of the United States hits a forehand against Simona Halep of Romania (not pictured) on day ten of the 2016 US Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Wednesday

Serena holds off Halep to reach last four n AFP, New York

World number one Serena Williams fended off spirited Simona Halep on Wednesday, downing the fifth-seeded Romanian 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 to reach the US Open semi-finals. Williams, seeking a record seventh US Open title and 23rd Grand Slam crown, fired 18 aces en route to the triumph, which set up a Thursday evening meeting with first-time Grand Slam semi-finalist Karolina Pliskova for a place in Saturday’s championship match. But she made her task against

2014 French Open finalist Halep harder with 43 unforced errors and Halep, firing on all cylinders from the baseline took advantage. The Romanian became the first player in the tournament to break Williams’s serve, and the first to take a set off the top seed. After failing to convert any of a dozen break points in the 65-minute second set, Williams regained control in the third with a break for 3-1 and steamed home from there. “I’m glad I got tested,” said Williams, who saw seven break point opportunities go by in the second

game of the second set. She had five more chances in the final game of the set, which went to deuce eight times before Halep closed it out on her fifth set point when Williams fired a backhand long. Williams’s semi-final against Pliskova promises more fireworks. The 10th-seeded Czech leads the WTA tour in aces this year. After surviving a match point en route to a fourth-round victory over Venus Williams, Pliskova beat 18-year-old Croatian Ana Konjuh 6-2, 6-2. “I’m so excited to be in my first

Nishikori stuns Murray, faces Wawrinka in semi-final n AFP, New York Kei Nishikori stunned Andy Murray to reach the US Open semi-finals, holding his nerve in a gripping final set to move two wins away from becoming the first Asian man to capture a Grand Slam singles title. Japanese star Nishikori clinched a dramatic 1-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 comeback triumph in a shade under four hours against the Wimbledon and Olympics winner and 2012 US Open champion. In Friday’s semi-final, the 26-year-

old will take on Swiss third seed Stan Wawrinka who defeated tearful Juan Martin del Potro, the 2009 champion, 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Wawrinka, who had to save a match point in his third round clash with Dan Evans, will be playing in a third US Open semi-final in four years. The other semi-final on Friday will see defending champion Novak Djokovic take on 10th seeded Frenchman Gael Monfils. “It was one of my toughest matches mentally and physically.

Juan Martin’s an incredible player,” said Wawrinka. In a match which featured 17 breaks of serve, Nishikori prevailed for only his second win in nine matches against world number two Murray. His win came just three weeks after losing to Murray in the Olympic semi-finals. “It was a really difficult match. I didn’t start well. I felt it was really quick and I was missing too much,” said Nishikori after reaching only his second Slam semi-final after his runner-up spot in New York in 2014.l

semi-final,” said the 24-year-old Pliskova, who had failed to make it out of the third round in 17 prior Grand Slam appearances. Having broken through to the quarters Pliskova didn’t waste her opportunity. With a quick break under her belt in the opening game she was able to swing freely and needed just 57 minutes to subdue Konjuh, who upset fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska in the fourth round. “I think it was the serve,” said Pliskova, who finished off the match with two of her three aces. “My serve was very good today.”l

Bilic: Payet ready to start n Reuters Attacking midfielder Dimitri Payet is likely to make his first Premier League start of the season for West Ham United in Saturday’s clash with Watford, manager Slaven Bilic said on Thursday. The 29-year-old, who has suffered niggling injuries, last featured for West Ham as a substitute in their opening league game against Chelsea last month, but made an appearance in France’s World Cup qualifier against Belarus on Tuesday. Payet scored 12 goals in all competitions last season after joining from Olympique Marseille in June last year.l

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Mark left by injury (4) 5 Sleeveless garment (4) 10 Summit (4) 11 Regret (3) 12 Jokes (5) 13 Sick (3) 14 Of punishment (5) 16 Duty list (6) 18 Hollow place (6) 21 Cosy retreats (5) 23 Passing craze (3) 24 Speak (5) 26 Consumed (3) 27 Gratis (4) 28 Tear (4) 29 Deserve (4)

DOWN 2 Throws (5) 3 Liable (3) 4 Treat with consideration (7) 6 Operatic air (4) 7 Young hen (6) 8 Snakelike fish (3) 9 Partly open (4) 15 Obliteration (7) 17 Much ornamented (6) 19 Bury (5) 20 Measure of length (4) 22 Biblical growth (4) 23 Distant (3) 25 Beverage (3)

Downtime

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 23 represents H so fill H every time the figure 23 appears. You have two letters in the control grid to start you off. Enter them in the appropriate squares in the main grid, then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters go in the missing squares. Some letters of the alphabet may not be used. As you get the letters, fill in the other squares with the same number in the main grid, and the control grid. Check off the list of alphabetical letters as you identify them. ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

CALVIN AND HOBBES

SUDOKU How to solve: Fill in the blank spaces with the numbers 1 – 9. Every row, column and 3 x 3 box must contain all nine digits with no number repeating.

PEANUTS

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

DILBERT

SUDOKU

Showtime

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

Opportunity cost of Hrithik Roshan younger brother before he passed it on in favour of substantial roles. Rang De Basanti

Impressive music, catchy storyline and tons of bromance. What’s not to love? Apparently quite a lot, for Hrithik refused to have anything to do with the film and Saif Ali Khan was eventually called on to step into his place. Swades

n Farhan Shahriar Blockbuster movies? One of the all-time favourites, trending star actor of Bollywood Hrithik Roshan didn’t always go with the first choice blockbuster. The thing is, we can’t all do different things at the same time. Sometimes we just have to let go of something for the slot of another to come in. Given Hrithik Roshan’s filmy lineage, you’d have thought that he could recognise a good script when it was handed to him. However, the Roshan splice stunned us all by rejecting these seven big-ticket offers:

always resisted the temptation of working in Hollywood despite his global looks, killer figure and breath-taking dance moves. No wonder when the role of Vicente was offered to Hrithik in the second installment of The Pink Panther franchise, Roshan didn’t take long to turn it down.

Word has it the script for this cult classic passed through Hrithik’s hands before landing in his reject pile. While one set of reports claim that this was because he was very busy shooting for Krrish, another set claims that he was craving for DJ’s role instead, which had already been assigned to Aamir Khan. Dil Chahta Hai

Main Hoon Na Apparently, the movie was set to feature Hrithik as Shah Rukh’s

The film was produced and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. It stars Shah Rukh Khan and Gayatri Joshi in her first and only film. Following the immense success of Lagaan, Ashutosh Gowarikar wanted to work with Hrithik Roshan for his next project Swades. Hrithik Roshan however turned down the offer and Ashutosh Gowariker later offered the role to Shah Rukh Khan. The Pink Panther 2 The Greek God of Bollywood has

Bunty Aur Babli If Dhoom 2 is anything to go by, Hrithik sure doesn’t have any doubts in donning shades of grey but for reasons unknown, he passed on the role of the nifty burglar in YashRaj’s 2005 hit Bunty Aur Babli. Honorary mention: The multicrore endorsement deal While the steep endorsement deal offered to Hrithik by a phone company doesn’t strictly fall under the Bollywood banner, it still deserves a mention exclusively because it had Hrithik barefacedly turning down 22 crores on account of creative disagreements. l

DIU launched Green Freedom Short Film Competition and Cleaning Festival 2016 n Hasan Dabir Uddin To create awareness on environment issues, engage young groups in development work and ensure safety of environment, Deffodil International University (DIU) and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) of Germany jointly launched Green Freedom Short Film Competition and Cleaning Festival 2016. The announcement of the program was made at a press conference on Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at the Conference Room, National Press Club. Noted filmmaker Morshedul Islam, Dr SM Mahbub ul Islam Majumder, pro-vice chancellor

(acting) of DIU, Professor Dr AMM Hamid Rahman, dean of faculty of humanities and social science of DIU, Dr Eng AKM Fazlul Hoque, Registrar of DIU, Dr Najmul Hossain, country representative of FNF at Bangladesh and Saed Mizanur Rahaman, director of students affairs of DIU were present at the conference. Morshedul Islam announced the inauguration of the competition and unveiled the logo. The program includes two events, a short film competition in which students from any university or college can participate with their short film and a cleaning campaign. Morshedul Islam said, “This type of initiative should be taken more often with sincerity. For the betterment of the society, we can

certainly use film as a tool. This competition surely would inspire the youth to stay on the right track.” Dr Najmul Hossian, the country director of FNF said, “We are satisfied to work for society. We want to work with young people. Our foundation is open for the energetic youth.” Dr SM Mahbub Ul Haque Majumder, pro–vice Chancellor (acting) of DIU said, “If we are not giving more attention to

the environment, the world could be endangered. It’s our responsibility to work for the new generation.” The deadline to submit a short film is on September 30, 2016, while the award giving ceremony will take place on November 05, 2016 at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. Best three short films will be awarded with handsome prize money. More information regarding the events is available on its Facebook page. l

WHAT TO WATCH

Ong Bak HBO 9:31am When the head of a statue sacred to a village is stolen, a young martial artist goes to the big city and finds himself taking on the underworld to retrieve it. Cast: Tony Jaa, Petchtai Wongkamlao, Pumwaree Yodkamol, Suchao Pongwilai, Chumphorn Thepphithak

Van Helsing Movies Now 1:55pm The notorious monster hunter is sent to Transylvania to stop Count Dracula who is using Dr. Frankenstein’s research and a werewolf for some sinister purpose. Cast: Hugh Jackman, Kate Beckinsale, Richard Roxburgh, David Wenham, Shuler Hensley Batman Star Movies 7:31pm The Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime with his first major enemy being the clownishly homicidal Joker. Cast: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl, Pat Hingle, Billy Dee Williams Final Destination 5 WB 7:18pm Survivors of a suspensionbridge collapse learn there’s no way you can cheat Death. Cast: Nicholas D’Agosto, Emma Bell, Arlen Escarpeta, Miles Fisher, Ellen Wroe Wall E Zee Studio 3:30pm In the distant future, a small waste-collecting robot inadvertently embarks on a space journey that will ultimately decide the fate of mankind. Voices: Ben Burtt (WALL·E / M-O), Elissa Knight (EVE), Jeff Garlin (Captain McCrea), Fred Willard (Shelby Forthright BnL CEO), MacInTalk (AUTO l

Who is SRK’s leading lady? n Showtime Desk The story begins with Shah Rukh Khan’s new film that will be released in 2018. And it seems that one of three leading ladies might star alongside SRK. First, it was heard that Kangana Ranaout would be SRK’s heroine. Then Deepika Padukone, followed by Katrina Kaif. Deepika Padukone and Katrina Kaif, professionally, have been at loggerheads, which was maybe a little too bitter for Ms Padukone to digest. Earlier, it was rumoured Katrina beat Kangana into bagging a film opposite Shah Rukh Khan.

But a leading tabloid has just stated that it was Deepika whom the director was keen on bringing onboard, but she cited date issues and declined the offer.

Apparently, L Rai was baffled by her statement of having wrapped up her Hollywood commitments. Since he was unaware of her schedule, and didn’t want to cast Kangana, Rai went ahead with casting Katrina Kaif. It seems now the XXX: The Return of Xander Cage actress will have everyone know that it

was a project that she rejected that Katrina Kaif landed. As soon as reports of Katrina being locked for this project started doing the rounds, Deepika instantly started making frantic calls and demanded not being asked again, as she wrapped up her Hollywood projects. “Kangana is invested in a film beyond her own responsibility. She likes to collaborate on the script, costume and other departments. And Aanand had become uncomfortable with that even in Tanu Weds Manu Returns. He appreciates that she wants to be involved every step of the way, but he doesn’t want to risk casting two headstrong personalities like Shah Rukh Khan and Kangana in the same film,” said an insider about Rai’s feelings. So it is confirmed that Kat will be the queen again standing next to King Khan for the new film. l

Showtime

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

Back Page

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2016

BIMAN TO LEASE 2 AIRCRAFT FOR HAJJ FLIGHTS PAGE 12

WALSH A LETHAL ADDITION TO HATHU’S TEAM PAGE 24

WHO IS SRK’S LEADING LADY? PAGE 31

PM: Teach children ethics, values n Tribune Desk

Terming teachers as the makers of “Shonar Manush” (enlightened human being), Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged them to build each and every child as an ideal citizen of the country through instilling ethics and values into their minds and hearts. “It is your (teachers) duty to impart the knowledge of good and bad, justice and injustice, and brotherhood to students and thus build such a generation which would be fit for leading the country towards greater prosperity,” she added. The prime minister said this while speaking at the opening ceremony of a programme, marking the International Literacy Day 2016 with Primary and Mass Education Minister Mostafizur Rahman Fizar in the chair at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital yesterday, reports UNB. She also called upon all to take initiatives so that Bangladesh could be declared an illiteracy-free country soon on this very day with the global theme “Education for the 21st Century.” Apart from the global theme,

the day in Bangladesh is being celebrated with its own theme “Reading the Past, Writing the Future.” Reminding the students that the country has gained its independence through the Liberation War, she said the students would have to learn the real history of the Liberation War and the huge sacrifices made by millions of martyrs. She advised them to learn their lessons with due attention. “Books are not only meant for showcasing…those will have to be gone through with a deep attention so that all students can lead a better life in future and take the country ahead.” Hasina said her government had declared education a right and now the nation was on its way towards enlightenment from the darkness of illiteracy. The premier said the country had now achieved around 71% literacy rate and her government had been implementing various programmes to raise the rate further. She blasted the BNP-Jamaat government, as the literacy rate came down to 44 per cent from 65 per cent during their rule in 2001-2006. Hasina said her government in

2013 had nationalised some 26,193 private primary schools and the jobs of some 1,08,200 teachers. She says the enrollment rate at the primary level in December 2015 was 97.94 per cent while the dropout now stands at 20.04%. “There is a target to further reduce the dropout rate,” she added. Hasina renewed her call for the people of all classes, including the well-off section, to arrange midday meals in the schools which remained out of the midday meal initiatives to reduce the dropout rates. Listing various steps of her government for flourishing education, Hasina said some 193 crore free textbooks were distributed among students up to secondary level over the last seven years, while students are also receiving stipends, easing financial burden on their guardians. She reiterated that residential schools will be built in hilly and haor areas to facilitate academic activities there. Acting Secretary of Primary and Mass Education Ministry Md Asifuz-Zaman delivered the welcome speech at the function, jointly organised by the ministry and the Bureau of Non-Formal Education. l

Online cattle trade gaining popularity n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi

While traditional cattle markets have their own charm and attract most people before Eid-ul-Azha, online outlets selling Eid cattle have gained popularity in recent years as well. There are a number of websites and apps that cater to the urban, tech-savvy buyers, taking advantage of the widespread use of the internet in smartphones, tablets and personal computers, said several experts and retailers. According to a source at Bikroy. com, a popular advertisement website, queries on sacrificial animals and the number of advertise-

ment posted on the website has increased fivefold compared to what it was on Eid-ul-Azha last year. In addition, social media websites such as Facebook play a vital role as the marketing platform for these stores, said both traders and customers. “I look forward to the finding and buying a healthy cow for Eidul-Azha every year. I enjoy doing it,” said Asif Iqbal, a businessman who bought a sacrificial animal from Meghdubi Agro, a cattle farm. “I discovered Meghdubi Agro on Facebook. I found their page where they had photos of sacrificial cattle on display. They mentioned all the details and where the cattle were

reared. “Seeing the photos, I visited the farm and found that they posted correct information, so I bought a cow from them,” he told the Dhaka Tribune. “We collect cattle from several places and rear them under the supervision of a veterinary surgeon for six months to a year. Everything – from food and medications – is prescribed by the doctor, so there is nothing harmful about the cattle’s diet and medicines,” said Mohammad Ali Shaheen, owner of Meghdubi Agro. “When I started, the sale was limited within our relatives only. But last year, I sold about 60 cat-

tle. This year, I am hoping to sell at least 200,” he added. Facebook and online market places such as Bikroy.com have been vital in marketing his cattle, Shaheed told the Dhaka Tribune. While some places collect cattles from several farms, others engage in contract farming to supply cattle to the consumers. In contract farming, consumers need to place their order four-five days before when they want the cattle to be delivered. Sadequa Hassan Sejuti, managing director of e-commerce solution provider Future Solution for Business, said: “We collect cattle from Narshingdi, Tangail,

Rangpur and many other districts. Buyers can choose the colour, weight, height and price range and place an order on our website accordingly.” In most cases, the farmers deliver the cattle to the customers. “This way, cattle farmers are empowered and are more likely to get a fair price,” Sejuti said. The growth of online cattle trade is a positive sign for the country’s e-commerce industry, said Rajib Ahmed, president of E-Commerce Association of Bangladesh (ECAB). “The market is growing fast, and customers have realised that this system is reliable,” he told the Dhaka Tribune. l

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