11 Sep, 2016 by DhakaTribune

SECOND EDITION

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

Bhadra 27, 1423, Zil-Hajj 8, 1437

Tongi factory blast leaves 24 dead Rahman Rabbi, n Arifur Kamrul Hasan and Raihanul Islam Akand At least 24 people mostly workers were killed while over 50 others sustained injuries after a packaging factory caught fire in Bscic Industrial Area at Tongi, on the outskirts of Dhaka, early yesterday. Several injured workers have been undergoing treatment in critical condition as they suffered severe burns. Fire Service Director Lt Col Mosharraf Hussain said that 25 fire units were deployed at the spot to douse the fire. “We fear that another 10 to 15 others may still be trapped in-

side,” he told the Dhaka Tribune in the evening. The fire, erupted at 6:15am and led to the partial collapse of the three-storey factory of Tampaco Foils Ltd, could not be fully doused until filing of this report at 1:30am today. Primarily, it was reported that the fire erupted because of a boiler explosion. However, Industries Secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan refuted the claim to the Dhaka Tribune. He thinks that that the fire was originated from a gas leak. “The chief inspector of boilers [Abdul Mannan] informed me that he did not  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

One militant dead in Azimpur raid

3 including Major Murad’s wife held

n Kamrul Hasan The Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crimes (CTTC) unit captured three suspected female militants during a raid at a militant den in Dhaka’s Azimpur area last night while another killed himself. The militants were staying at a flat on the first floor of a six-storey building at Pilkhana Road in the area for around a month, said Sahabuddin Ko-

reshi, acting commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Hoque told reporters: “We suspect that one of the injured women is Jebunnahar Shila, wife of New JMB offshoot leader Murad alias Jahangir alias Omar, who was killed during a raid in Mirpur earlier this month.” Police also rescued three  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

INSIDE

Air heavy with grief in Tongi

The air grew heavy with grief in Tongi, Gazipur yesterday as family members of the victims of a factory blast mourned the loss of their loved ones in the accident.  PAGE 3

US-Russia deal on Syria A look at some of the key points in an “arrangement” announced by US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, aimed at halting fighting in Syria.  PAGE 9

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News

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

Lack of accountability leads to Tongi fire n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi Labour rights organisations alleged that a culture of impunity and a lack of accountability has led to yet another industrial disaster in the country yesterday. They alleged a lack of safety inspections, monitoring, the absence of labour rights is responsible for repeated industrial accidents in the country. Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, trade union leaders and worker’s right group said both the government and factory owners are reluctant to follow through and implement labour laws such as inspection and monitoring responsible for incidents like the Tazreen factory fire, Rana Plaza collapse and the Tampa-

co Foils Limited in Tongi yesterday. “This lack of accountability along with the lack of implementation of labour rights is tarnishing the country’s image abroad because we cannot seem to ensure safety and security of factory employees,” said Sirajul Islam Roney president of Bangladesh Garment Workers Employee League.

industrial accidents.” He also said that a lack of coordination among the concerned authorities is another reason behind the frequency of these accidents. Sirajul said: “The government is giving more importance to the export oriented industries especially the apparel sector while the other

‘It has been a tradition in the country that the owners go unpunished and the workers are the ones who bear the brunt and suffer’ Executive Director of Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies (BILS) Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmmed said: “The culture of impunity and the time consuming process of getting justice through the legal system is the main reason behind frequent

sectors are not inspected as closely.” He added that to make the country’s industry safe for workers in both local and export sectors the government has to offer equal facilities and have similar level of monitoring. He urged the government to

allow trade unions in all the factories so they can speak up collectively for their rights. Syed also said that another reason why industrial disasters happen so frequently in the country is because of a lack of awareness about safety amongst the factory employees. The building as well as the boiler were a safety hazard but they did not seem to notice that, he added. “It has been a tradition in the country that the owners go unpunished and the workers are the ones who bear the brunt and suffer,” he said. To ensure justice and to reduce the frequency of similar fatal factory disasters the government ensure timely and prompt justice of the victims and apprehend those responsible, he added. l

Victims’ families to get Tk2 lakh each n Kamrul Hasan The government has announced Tk2 lakh for each of the families who lost their beloved ones in the explosion at a packaging factory in Tongi yesterday morning. State Minister for Labour and Employment Mujibul Haque Chunnu made the announcement in the afternoon. He said: “The families of the deceased will get Tk200,000 each as compensation from the Workers’ Welfare Foundation.” Earlier in the day, Joint Secretary of the Director of Labour SM Ashrafuzzaman, said: “The injured will avail Tk100,000 from the labour welfare fund.” l

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Tongi factory blast leaves 24 dead see fire near the two boilers in that factory until the afternoon,” he said. “The boilers were inspected in last June and no defects were found at that time.” The Office of the Chief Inspector of Boilers under the Industries Ministry is responsible for checking and certifying boilers. When the boiler is first installed, the office carries out a mandatory inspection. However, regular follow-ups are the owner’s responsibility, the secretary said. “The boiler office does not have enough manpower to conduct regular inspections of all the boilers operating in the country,” he admitted. State Minister for Health Zahid Malik said that the government would bear the medical expenses of the injured. Of the deceased, five succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment at hospitals while 19 bodies were recovered from the spot, some charred in the fire. “A medical team was on the spot to give the injured first aid,” he told reporters at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. “Thirty burn victims were rushed to the DMCH and 10 others to Kurmitola Hospital,” said Dr Md Parvez Mia, a resident surgeon of 50-bed Tongi Government Hospital. Dr Abul Kalam Azad, director

Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal visited the spot. He told reporters that the intensity of the fire had increase as there was chemical stored inside the factory. “Our officials will check whether the industry had permission to use chemicals, or else, legal action will be taken against its owner,” he added. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed deep shock at the deaths and injuries.

Compensation

Taking to reporters, the police chief blamed the negligence of the owner for the incident. The police would definitely take legal action. “Although the Industrial Police is the first concern, we will also investigate the matter,” he said. In the evening, Home Minister

Director of Labour (Joint Secretary) SM Ashrafuzzaman told reporters at the DMCH that the families of the dead workers would get Tk2 lakh and the injured a maximum Tk1 lakh as grants from the Labour Welfare Fund. Dhaka Divisional Commissioner Helal Uddin said that the families of the deceased would be given Tk20,000 each for funeral while the injured would get Tk10,000 each from the district administration. Lax safety measures have been attributed to a series of accidents in Bangladesh’s factories over the past years. The devastating fire at Tazreen Fashions at Ashulia killed over 112 workers in 2012. It was followed by the 2013 collapse of Rana Plaza in Savar that killed at least 1,136 people. l

“The other two female militants have been identified as Sharmin and Shahela,”said Sanwar Hossain. “They are in critical condition.” The CTTC officials who were injured in the raid – Mahtab, Jahiruddin, Lablu, Ram Chandra Biswas and Shajahan Ali – have been admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, police said. These were members of the ad-

vance team, which knocked on the den’s door and were attacked soon afterward. The backup team then arrived at the scene and found Karim’s body in one of the rooms and the other women trying to commit suicide. The children, too, were aggressive towards the police, ADC Sanwar said. A search of the flat yielded four pistols and 15 bullets, he added. l

Rescue workers climb the shattered walls of the wrecked Gazipur packaging factory in search of survivors yesterday after an explosion inside killed at least 24 people MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), said that the condition of several injured was critical. About 35 people received first aid at Tongi Hospital. Of the injured, operator Ripon Das, 28, son of Mukundo Das, hailing from Morolganj upazila under

Bagerhat district, was admitted to the DMCH with 90% burns. State Minister for Labour Mujibul Haque Chunnu and local MP Zahid Ahsan Rasel visited the spot around noon. Inspector General of Police Shahidul Hoque went there in the afternoon.

One militant dead in Azimpur raid children from the building who were sent to the Victim Support Centre in Tejgaon, the IGP added. “We have found remarkable similarities between the dead militant and Karim, who rented the flat in Bashundhara Residential Area for the Gulshan attackers,” the IGP told reporters. At an on-spot briefing after the raid, Counterterrorism unit’s ADC

Sanwar Hossain said Abdul Karim killed himself inside the den and the three captured women also attempted suicide. “It is likely they wanted to kill themselves so that we could not interrogate them,” the officer said. The third female fled the house. Law enforcers chased her and caught her some 400 metres away after shooting her in the leg.

A local named Shahubuddin Babu said: “We saw a woman escaping the area around 7:30pm. Later, some police members chased her. During the chase, she yelled that if the police officials tried to capture her, she would attack them with machete. “The law enforcers shot her in her leg and caught her, putting her in the police van with the locals’ help.”

News

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

Tongi air heavy with grief Islam Akand, n Raihanul Gazipur and Arifur Rahman Rabbi The air grew heavy with grief in Tongi, Gazipur yesterday as family members of the victims of a factory blast mourned the loss of their loved ones in the accident. As of 6pm yesterday, 24 people were killed in a fire triggered by an explosion at Tampaco Foils Ltd, a packaging factory in Tongi around 6am yesterday. Of the dead, 19 were killed on the spot and the rest succumbed to their injuries later, the Dhaka Tribune learnt. At least 60 more workers were injured in the accident, said sources on the ground. Officials have yet to determine the nature of the explosion and what caused it. Waiting to hear from the authorities both in front of the factory and the hospitals, many families were seen sobbing for their loss, while some were still in shock. “My brother Rafiq worked at the maintenance department of the factory. He was supposed to come home tomorrow [today] with his wife and five-month-old child to celebrate Eid with the rest of the family. Now I am taking his dead body home,” said Atiqul Islam, one of the bereaved family members. He said his family was from Kak-

A family member of a Gazipur factory explosion victim breaks down in tears in front of Dhaka Medical College Hospital yesterday RAJIB DHAR char village in Trishal upazila, Mymensingh. “When I heard about the accident, I called my brother but could not reach him. I came here [Tongi] and kept looking for him, until I found his body at Tongi Government Hospital,” he told the Dhaka Tribune. Twenty-year-old Rashed was a rickshaw puller who had the misfortune of passing by the factory

with two passengers when the accident occurred, said his sister Bedana Begum. Rashed was crushed under a brick wall, as were his two passengers. “Rashed was the sole breadwinner in our family,” said Bedana, who is from Dolakanda village in Mymensingh. “He had been pulling rickshaws for five years in Tongi. With his meagre income, he was

looking after his wife and threeyear-old son and our family, and paying for the education of our two brothers.” Rashed himself was a student at Open University of Bangladesh and worked hard for his studies, she added. “We were supposed to go home for Eid tomorrow night. But he left us to never return,” said his cousin Sujon, breaking down in tears.

Negligence behind recurrence of factory fires? n Ashif Islam Shaon

No case was filed until last night over the deadly fire incident at a packaging factory in Tongi that killed at least 24 people and injured over 50 others, caused apparently due to negligence of the authorities concerned. The fire fighters were struggling to bring the flames under control while a number of charred bodies feared to be lying inside of the factory building which collapsed like a sandwich. Two committees, one by the Fire Service and another by the local administration, have been formed to find out the reason behind the fire and the persons to blame. The investigation may take some time but the similar experiences in the past showed that negligence of the authorities to ensure workplace safety played a vital role behind the fatalities. The collapse of poorly-built commercial building Rana Plaza on April 24, 2013 killing at least 1,136 people and the Tazreen Fashions factory fire that killed 112 workers on November 24, 2012 are examples of such incidents. The owner of the Tampaco Foils Ltd in Tongi, Syed Mokbul Hossain,

yesterday told reporters that he did not know whether the boiler had been faulty. He also could not say when the boiler machine was last inspected. The flexible and tobacco packaging company has been in operation since 1978. Legal experts say an accident can happen at a factory any time but the owner is legally-bound to take some safety measures to prevent or to minimise the risks of accidents. They can be booked if they fail to take proper measures and fatalities occur. “In the Rana Plaza incident, police initially filed a case of ‘death due to negligence,' accusing 21 people including building owner Sohel Rana. But they later brought charges against 41, accusing all of them of murder,” Jyotirmoy Barua, a Supreme Court lawyer, mentioned as an example. Another case was filed against 13 people, including Rana, with Savar police, charging them with flouting the National Building Code, he said. On the other hand, two cases were filed in connection with the Tazreen fire incident, one accusing 15 staff of negligence leading to murder and another against its

managing director Delwar Hossain and 30 others. The charge sheet was pressed bringing homicide charges against them.

Legal experts say an accident can happen at a factory any time but the owner is legally-bound to take some safety measures to prevent or to minimise the risks of accidents

According to the charges, the building was constructed following a faulty plan and the groundfloor walkway was illegally used as warehouse. The managers and security guards were charged as

they forcefully kept the workers inside the building even after the fire alarms went off and smoke was seen billowing out from the spot that caught fire. “So, in the case of Tampaco Foils Ltd, the owner and his officers can be booked if their acts of negligence are found. It can be any type of negligence regarding ensuring workplace safety. There should be a thorough investigation,” Jyotirmoy said. The lawyer said the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments under the Industries Ministry was supposed to inspect the factories to check the available safety measures. Their duty is to see if workplace safety – including fire safety and welfare of workers – is maintained by the factory authorities. “If the investigation finds their negligence, the officials should also be brought to book,” he said. He alleged that no effective step was taken after the recent incidents to prevent recurrence of such incidents. “Those who were responsible for such incidents remain unpunished,” Jyotirmoy said, adding that trials in the previous incidents were sluggish. l

Shankar Sarker, 25, was a cleaner in the factory, said his uncle Pabitra Majumdar. “He had dropped out of school to support his family. Now he is gone, leaving his family behind,” Pabitra said. Gopal Das, 26, another cleaner, was also the only wage earner in his seven-member family. “His parents were trying to send him abroad with the help from relatives,” said his uncle Brojen Das, who identified his body. Idris Ali, 38, was a machine operator in the factory who lived by himself, said his sister Sabina Akhter. His wife lives in Jordan, and their child lives with his parents in their village home at Manikgaji village in Bhurungamari upazila, Kurigram. “My brother left my house this morning after breakfast, saying he had to work on the 'A' shift. He went to do his shift, and returned as a dead body,” said a crying Sabina. Al Mamun, 40, from Pashchim Fuljhuri village in Mothbaria upazila, Pirojpur, was an operator in the factory for 10 years, said his brother-in-law Sagir Hossain. The sole earning member in his family, he left behind his wife and three children. “He was going to build a house in Tongi. His death has shattered the entire family,” said Sagir. l

A boiler explosion or a gas pipeline blast? Rahman Rabbi and n Arifur Adil Sakhawat Employees of Tampaco Foils Ltd in Tongi, Gazipur claim that the explosion that triggered a fire in the factory early yesterday morning did not occur in the factory boiler, but in the gas pipeline from Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd. Edon Miah, an operator in factory, said he heard a sound in the gas pipeline shortly before the blast took place. Tran Krishna Sarkar, a senior operator who was injured in the accident and is currently undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said: “We informed the factory security officials about a gas leak two days ago as we could smell the gas.” On Friday, security guard Anwar Hossain, who died in the accident yesterday, informed the workers that the factory management had been made aware of the issue, Tran added. Moniruzzaman, general manager of administration at the factory, echoed Edon and Tran's claims. l

News

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

GAZIPUR FACTORY EXPLOSION

3 probe bodies formed n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla The government has formed three separate probe committees to investigate the factory explosion in Tongi yesterday. The committees were formed by Gazipur District Administration, Fire Service and Civil Defence, and Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments. The Gazipur district administration committee, led by additional district magistrate Rahenul Islam was asked to submit the probe report within the next 15 working days. The Fire Service has made its deputy director M Badiuzzaman as the head of the committee, which was asked to submit probe report by next 10 working days. Meanwhile, another probe committee, led by Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments Additional Inspector General Shamsuzzaman Bhuiyan has formed another three member probe committee. The fire erupted at Tampaco Foils Ltd (TFL) a flexible and tobacco packaging company making local packaging for consumer goods. Chairman of TFL Dr Syed Mokbul Hussain said over the phone: “My experts and I are assuming that the fire erupted due to the fluctuating gas supply in the factory.” When asked if a technical failure in the machinery might have caused the fire, he said: “We regularly repair our machines and the older ones are replaced promptly.” He also said his factory did not violate any building codes. “No one was injured or killed when the building collapsed. The accident was due to gas explosion that led to the fire so the rumors

of the building code violation is not true.” he stressed on the fact that the factory had adequate safety measure: “There was adequate safety measures and fire safety equipments in the factory but when fire erupts then the safety consideration were not considered by the workers.” The chairman also a former lawmaker from Sylhet-6 constituency said he visited the factory when he heard about the fire around 9:30am. He said:“There are usually 80-90 workers working in a shift. I think the same number of people were there during the accident.” He said that the factory employees around 475 people. Lechu Miah claimed that around the approximate loss is 600-700 crore taka but denied to say the turnover of the company. TLF produces packaging for companies such as British American Tobacco Bangladesh Ltd, Nestle Bangladesh Ltd, Abul Khair Group, Akij Group, Pran Group, Ispahani Cocola Food Products Ltd, BD Foods Ltd, Essential Drugs Company Ltd, Meridian Foods Ltd, Fu-wang Foods Ltd, Universal Foods Ltd, Abdul Monem Ltd, Bangla-German Latex Co. Ltd, Shah Dairy Foods Ltd, Molla Salt (Triple Refined) Ind. Ltd, Vitalac Dairy & Food Industries Ltd, Prince Foods Ltd, Haque Biscuits & Bread Factory Ltd, Janata Biscuits and Bread Factory Ltd, A.T.N Food & Consumer Products Ltd, Prome Consumers Products Pvt. Ltd, AlKad Laboratories Ltd, Nutrion Foods Ltd, Nur Foods Ltd, Globe Biscuits & Dairy Milk Ltd, Nabisco Biscuit & Bread Factory Ltd, Siddique Food & Agrobase Industries Ltd, Aftab Foods Ltd, The Lalmai Ltd, Al-Amin Sweets & Crackers Ltd. l

Gas companies schedule maintenance over Eid n Aminur Rahman Rasel The production from Jalalabad gas field will be stopped for three days during the Eid holidays. The closing at Bangladesh’s third largest gas field is due to maintenance and will will take place from September 14-17. During this time, gas production from Chevron’s Bibiyana gas field (the largest gas field of the country) and Moulavi Bazar gas field facilities will continue. US energy giant Chevron is operating on these three fields under production sharing contract (PSC) with Petrobangla. “For maintenance work, the Jalalabad gas field will be closed down from 12am September 14 to 8pm September 17,” Communications Manager of Chevron Bangladesh Shaikh Jahidur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday. Chevron usually conducts maintenance work in Bibiana, Jalalabad and Moulavi Bazar during government holidays such as Eid. The lion’s share of Bangladesh’s gas production comes from these three fields. There maintenance work is conducted at one field at a time to maintain gas supply across the country.

Meanwhile, Paschimanchal Gas Company Limited (PGCL) will conduct maintenance work in its pipelines from September 15-20. A gas crisis might hit at areas like Sirajganj, Pabna, Bogra and Rajshahi due to the maintenance. A press release from PGCL said that gas supply in different areas of those six districts will be closed down in a periodical manner so that residential and commercial customers do not face a crisis. The release however said that under special arrangement, gas supply to the power plants will be continued. On the other hand, gas supply in Ghatail cantonment, Gopalpur, Jamalpur, Sharishabari, Sherpur, Tarakandi and Kishoreganj will remain suspended from September 15-20 for pigging works of gas transmission lines, said a Titas Gas statement. It also said gas supply to Tangail, Mirzapur, Elenga and Chandra may face disruption for the same reason. The statement mentioned Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL) will carry out its cleaning works (on-stream cleaning pigging) in the 115km Ashuganj- Elenga gas transmission line from September 15-20. l

News

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

Dhaka’s slaughterhouses in limbo n Abu Hayat Mahmud The slaughterhouses under the two city corporations of Dhaka are in poor condition as the authorities have little or no initiative to raise their numbers to meet demands or improve services. The standards of the existing slaughterhouses are far from satisfactory. The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) runs two slaughterhouses – one in Hazaribagh and another in Kaptanbazar, while the north corporation (DNCC) operates three at Mohammadpur, Mirpur 11 and Gulshan Kitchen Market. These five houses cannot meet the current demand for slaughtering facilities. Apart from the Mirpur slaughterhouse, the rest are operating with traditional equipment and that is too little to meet the demands of the city dwellers during Eid-ul-Azha. Dhaka north launched the country’s only one modern slaughterhouse in the city’s Mirpur area in 2015. The facilities have the ca-

step in modernising, repairing or increasing the numbers of slaughterhouses in more than a decade. Due to insufficient numbers of slaughterhouses, the corporations have designated 1,000 spots – 496

pacity to manage 100-110 animals every day, said a DNCC official. Butchers from the city’s Kaptanbazar, Hazaribagh and Mohammadpur told the Dhaka Tribune the city corporations have taken no

in the north and 504 in the south for slaughtering sacrificial animals in the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha. More spots may be assigned based on need. There were 208 spots in DNCC

and 285 were in DSCC last year. But the corporations’ plans to contain the slaughtering of sacrificial animals during the last Eidul-Azha failed as city councillors and ruling Awami League leaders, associate organisation leaders and activists slaughtered cattle on city roads, and city dwellers also ignored the mayors’ calls to take their sacrificial cattle to designated spots. Mayors of the two city corporations of Dhaka have requested the cooperation of city dwellers to properly remove waste from sacrificial animals in the capital during Eid-ulAzha on Tuesday. In August, the government fixed 6,233 spots in the 11 city corporations and 53 district towns for slaughtering sacrificial animals during Eid-ul-Azha. Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain said some 35-40 lakh animals would be slaughtered across the country during Eid, 716,940 among those in the city corporations. l

ABT Gazipur chief arrested n Kamrul Hasan

Members of Detective Branch bring in front of media the three Nigerians and five others arrested on Friday from Dhaka’s Baridhara and Mohammadpur on charges of fraud and deceit. The photo was taken yesterday from the DB office at Minto Road DHAKA TRIBUNE

Members of police’s elite force Rapid Action Battalion early yesterday arrested the Gazipur district coordinator of banned outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team and his associate from Chourasta area of the district. Rashedul Islam alias Swapan and his accomplice Biplob Hossain alias Huzaifa were working at a garments, RAB 1 Commanding Officer Lt Col Tuhin Mohammad Masud said at a press briefing. They later became affiliated with Ansarullah through one Abbas, a leader of the outfit’s Dhaka unit. The duo also took oaths to work for al-Qaeda. During primary interrogation,

they admitted to following Tamim Al Adnani, one of the three top leaders of Ansarullah, who left for Malaysia earlier this year, RAB says. They were planning to attack Kashimpur Jail in a bid to free militants, including Ansarullah’s top spiritual leader Jasim Uddin Rahmani. If failed, they had plans to snatch him from prison van. Rashedul was collecting money and arms. They were supposed to get Tk10 lakh from a woman to buy arms from Jessore. Her identity was not disclosed at the briefing. Ansarullah is responsible for more than a dozen attacks on secularists, LGBT rights activists and war crimes trial campaigners since 2013. It was banned on May 25 last year. l

BD, Iceland to cooperate on climate change n UNB Bangladesh and Iceland have agreed to cooperate with each other in overcoming the climate change threat. The two countries also agreed to strengthen collaboration in the areas of mutual interest, particularly fisheries management.

met Icelandic Prime Minister Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson at his office and discussed bilateral cooperation possibilities on fisheries management, geothermal energy and climate change. Minister Ali thanked his Icelandic counterpart for extending cooperation for the development of the fisheries sector in Bangladesh. l

They reached the agreement at a meeting between the foreign ministers of the two nations – AH Mahmood Ali and Lilja Alfredsdóttir – at the Icelandic Foreign Ministry in Reykjavik on Wednesday, according to a joint press statement received from the Foreign Ministry here yesterday. Mahmood Ali Minister Ali also

TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY

RAIN LIKELY SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11

Dhaka

Chittagong

Rajshahi

DHAKA TODAY SUN SETS 6:06PM

Rangpur

Khulna

Barisal

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:44AM

35.8ºC Rajshahi

24.3ºC Comilla

Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES

Sylhet

Cox’s Bazar

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

News

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

16 killed in road accidents in five districts n Tribune Desk

At least 16 people were killed in separates road accidents in five districts of the country yesterday.

In Gazipur

Five people were killed and seven others injured in two separate road accidents on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in the district in the morning, said our sources. Identities of the deceased could not be known immediately. Officer-in-charge of Sreepur Mawna highway police station Hafizur Rahman said a bus collided head-on with a pickup coming from the opposite direction at Rangila Bazar in Sreepur upazila around 7am, leaving one person dead on the spot and two others injured, reports our correspondent.

Besides, a truck hit a human hauler (Leguna) at Bhabanipur (Bagher Bazar) in Sadar upazila in the morning, leaving four of its passengers dead on the spot and five others injured. Later, the injured were taken to local hospitals and clinics, reports UNB The bodies were sent to Gazipur Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy.

In Tangail

Five people, including two women and a child, were killed and fifteen others injured in a collision between a bus and a truck on Tangail-Dhaka highway in Kandiar area of Sadar upazila. Three of the deceased were identified as Birbala, Anjana and Jagadish Pramanik, hailed from Bogra district.

Jahangir Alam, in-charge of Elenga highway police outpost, said the cement-laden truck fell into a roadside ditch after its collision with the Dhaka-bound bus around 12.15am, leaving five people, who were traveling on the truck, dead on the spot. On information, police and fire fighters rushed to the spot and recovered the bodies. The injured were admitted to Tangail Medical College Hospital.

In Cox’s Bazar

Three people were killed as a pickup carrying a consignment of Yaba tablets, cashed off by criminals, slammed into a roadside wall at Chhoto Enani on the Teknaf-Cox’s Bazar Marine Drive Road in Ukhiya upazila in the morning. One of the deceased, one was

Tree-stump is the main essential to chop sacrificial animals meat. People of Rajshahi district are gathering in local markets to buy tree-trunk ahead of Eid. The photo was taken yesterday from Shalbagan market of Rajshahi AZAHAR UDDIN

identified as Ziauddin, 27, son of Siddik Ahmad, a resident of Mankhali village of the upazila. The accident took place when nine criminals on three motorcycles run after a pickup carrying a consignment of Yaba tablets towards Cox’s Bazar from Teknaf around 6:15am, said sub-inspector Arif, incharge of Enani police camp. At one stage, the pickup hit a wall of Mission Lavela Resort as the bandits took over the vehicle, leaving three people inside dead on the spot. The law enforcers also recovered 3,000 pieces of Yaba tablet from the pickup, the SI added.

In Barguna

Two people, including a motorcyclist, were killed in separate road accidents in Khejurtala and Mastaktana areas of Sadar upazila at noon.

Witneses said Mohiuddin, 26, sustained injuries after his motorbike turned turtle on Barguna-Purakata road at Mastaktana around 12pm on the way to Patuakhali. He was taken to Sadar Hospital where doctors declared him dead. Besides, an unidentified sexagenarian man was injured as a speeding motorcycle hit him at Khejurtala on the same road while he was crossing road at noon. He succumbed to his injuries at Sadar Hospital.

In Naraynganj

A man was killed as a passenger bus rammed into an auto rickshaw on the Kanchan-Kuril Road in Rupganj in the evening. The deceased was Kaosar Ahmed, 30. SI Jasimuddin of Rupganj police station confirmed the incident. l

Misappropriation of rice meant for ultra poor

Buyers buying cattle from breeder house

Shaha, n Manoj Gopalganj

Though some 31 cattle markets of Gaibandha district have gained full momentum ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, buyers of the district is used to buy steroid free cattle from farmers houses to avoid extra toll of the market. Village farmers of the district have reared cattle to sell ahead of Eid. These farmers usually sell their cattle from their home and they do not produce their cattle in the markets. So to buy safe and healthy cattle from the farmers buyers of the district have been gathering in farmers house for couple of days as Eid is knocking at the door. Several buyers told to the Dhaka Tribune: “Poor farmers of the district has reared three or four cattle in their home to sell in Eid. To buy these cattle buyers are knocking at farmers doors and tried to buy cattle for Eid sacrifice.” Azam Mia, a cattle breeder of Sadar upazila of the district said: I have been rearing cattle aiming to sale in Eid for last four years. This year I have reared one cow and I sold it by Tk56,000 on Thursday from my home.” Amir Hossain, another cattle rearer of the district said: “I have sold two of my cows from my house.” Shariful Islam, a college teacher hailing from the town said: “Lessees and market organisers have collected three or four times extra toll during Eid market. To avoid this extra toll buyers used to buy cows from farmers home.” Social Worker Ziaul Haque Joni said: “Buyers have preferred to buy home-reared cattle than the market cattle for safety.” l

Agitation spread among the locals of Haridaspur union at Sadar upazila in Gopalganj on Saturday over misappropriation of rice meant for selling at Tk10 per kilogram to ultra poor rural people. Under the programme, one was supposed to get 30 kilograms of rice a month at Tk300, but Dealer Badar Molla of Khagail village was selling two kg less at Tk300 in Khagail Bazar in the morning. Executive Officer of Sadar upazila Md Jalal Uddin rushed to the market on information that agitation had spread over the issue in the locality. The dealer brought eight tons and 700kg rice from the food storehouse in Gopalganj and started selling the rice two kg less in weight at TK300 in presence of Deputy-assistant Agriculture Officer of the union Dinesh Joydhar, said Aminur Rahman Molla, member of ward no 1 of the union. Besides, people of welloff section got fair price cards instead of poor people to avail the privilege, alleged Aminur. Food Ministry for the first time has started distributing rice to ultra poor rural families at Tk10 per

kg under its fair price card programme. Dulal Molla of the village said: “The dealer took TK300 from me for 28kg rice. He did the same with many other people.” Azim Sheikh, member of ward no 7, alleged that former female union parishad member Aklima Begum, her husband Abdul Gani and mother Anwara Begum got the cards. Kader Sheikh and his wife Mini Begum, Yusuf Molla, Araj Ali Khan and his wife Rajia Begum also got the cards though they are solvent, claimed Azim. Badar said the rice supplied from the storehouse was less in weight and that was why he gave less amounts of rice towards the beginning of the sale. The cards would be given to the real needy people after cancelling the cards of solvent people, Badar added. In-charge of Gopalganj food storehouse Joy Krishna said: “The dealer could have informed the UNO, the district food official, union parishad chairman or me, if he got less rice from the storehouse. But, he did not inform anyone.” There are 42 government-appointed dealers for 21 unions in the upazila to run the programme. l

n Md Tazul Islam, Gaibandha

News

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

Rawhide traders worried over price hike of salt n Anwar Husain, Chittagong Rawhide traders in Chittagong are worried due to skyrocketing price of salt ahead Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest festival of Muslim communities. Leather goods traders and tanners have jointly declared the price of cow hide at Tk50 per square foot in Dhaka and Tk40 in the rest of the country, The rawhide traders announced to purchase hides at cheaper rate to balance the cost and recoup the losses. According to Chittagong Rawhide Warehouse Traders’ Cooperative Association Ltd sources, a sack of 74-kg salt was sold at Tk450 last year. But currently the same amount of salt is being sold at Tk 1,400.

The rawhide traders alleged that a syndicate of salt traders were engaged with the brisk business. The salt traders said the present shortage in the market was as the government failed to import salt at the right time. Muslim Uddin, former president of Chittagong Rawhide Warehouse Traders’ Cooperative Association Ltd told the Dhaka Tribune that they would not be able to buy hides of sacrificial animals at prices fixed by the tanners due to the price spike of salt. “We are gravely concerned over the soaring price of salt as we will have to count an additional Tk15Tk20 on an average for salting a square foot of rawhide due to the price hike of salt,” he said. The rawhide traders informed that they had to sprinkle 8-9 kg salt

over a piece of cowhide and half kg salt over a piece of goat hide. The rawhide traders further said they procured around 5.50 lakh rawhide during last Eid-ul-Azha. “We are already in a tight spot as a huge stock to the tune of 1000015000 pieces of salt-treated rawhides is getting damaged in different warehouses of Chittagong,” said Sekander Mia, president of Chittagong Rawhide Warehouse Traders’ Cooperative Association Ltd. Around 200 rawhide warehouses are housed in Chittagong region and 20,000-25,000 people are directly and indirectly involved with the rawhide business. Meanwhile, refuting the allegations of syndicate behind price hike of salt, Rais Uddin, former president of Cox’s Bazar Salt Mill Owners’ Association told the Dha-

ka Tribune that the current shortage in the market was due to fall in salt production in the country triggered by inclement weather. “Salt production is greatly dependent on nature. Sea water is evaporated under the sun to produce salt. A huge number of saltpans in different areas of Cox’s Bazar were badly damaged due to the recent cyclonic storm Roanu,” said Rais Uddin. “We have heard that a letter of credit (LC) was opened on Tuesday to import 1.5 lakh tonne of salt. There would have been no crisis in the market if the LC was opened much earlier,” said the salt mill owner. “The soaring price may come down with the entry of the import consignment. To rein in the escalating price of salt, the government should open another LC for im-

porting 50,000 metric salt,” suggested the alt mill owner. According to the data provided by the salt mill owners, the current market price of 40-kg salt is Tk500 while it was Tk350-Tk 400 during last September. Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation statistics shows that 12 lakh tonnes of raw salt were produced in the country last year against the yearly total demand of 17 lakh tonnes. Salt is produced in some 65,000 acres of land in Cox’s Bazar and around 5,000 acres in the coastal upazila of Banshkhali of Chittagong. It may be mentioned that the government introduced the National Salt Policy in 2011 aiming to reduce import of salt and ensure fair price. l

380,000 Yaba tablets recovered

n Anwar Husain, Chittagong Bangladesh Coast Guard (BCG) members in a drive recovered 380,000 pieces of Yaba worth about TK 19 crore from Sattar Majhir Ghat area under Anowara upazila of the district early yesterday. A team of BCG East Zone raided on an engine boat waiting at Sattar Majhir Ghat area at around 5 am, and recovered three lakh 90 thousand Yaba tablets from the boat, said Zonal Commander M Nuruzzaman Sheikh. “Sensing the presence of BCG members, the smugglers managed to flee leaving the boat”, the BCG commander said adding that the value of the tablets would be about TK19 crore. The tablets recovered, were handed over to the Narcotics Control Department, he added. l

The teachers of mass communication and journalism at Rajshahi University break down in tears at the death of their colleague Akter Jahan Joly, associate professor of the department who committed suicide on Friday AZAHAR UDDIN

Record cattle supply in Rajshahi markets n Tribune Desk

With only two days left for the Eidul-Azha, the second largest festival of Muslim communities, sacrificial animal sale reached peak amid record supply following surplus production in cattle markets of Rajshahi division. The cattle markets have been witnessing plenty supply of locally reared sacrificial animals following remarkable boost in the local animal husbandry sector in recent years. According to market sources, the buyers prefer locally reared healthier and hygienic cattle-heads as sacrificial animals than the arti-

ficially fattened or extremely lower number of imported ones. As a whole, the boosted up native cattle production has been dominating the markets of sacrificial animals. In most of the cattle markets, the buyers were seen opting to purchase native animals. Atiqur Rahman Kalu, Lease Holder of City Hat, said the cattle markets are being witnessed a record supply of sacrificial animals in the adjacent districts following huge boost in the local animal husbandry sector in recent years. He mentioned that the local animal husbandry sector has marked a revolutionary boost in recent years following massive steps taken by

the government and different development organizations. Both in rural and urban areas, the poor and marginalized people including women have achieved tremendous successes in the sector getting various assistances from the government and development partners. Rajshahi City Corporation allowed installation of eight makeshift cattle markets in the city which began to draw huge cattle, including imported ones from India. Traders said there were plenty of supplies of cattle in the markets and their prices were similar to the last Eid-ul-Azha. The price of an ideal sized cow

or buffalo starts from Tk 30,000 to 80,000 and a sheep or goat can be purchased from Tk 5,000 to 25,000 according to size. In addition to the city’s biggest cattle market-City haat, some temporary markets have been set up at Court Bazaar, Shaheb Bazaar Zero point, Railway Station, Court Station, Naodapara Aam Chattar and Kazla. Meanwhile, currency-screening machines were installed in some of the cattle markets in the city and nine upazilas of the district with a view to resisting the use of fake notes on the occasion of holy Eidul-Azha. Shafiqul Islam, Commissioner

of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP), told journalists that all-out security measures were taken to check law and order in and around the cattle markets, reports BSS. “Besides, we have introduced a special traffic management system to ease traffic congestion in and around cattle markets in the city,” he added. RMP installed temporary security camps at every cattle market here. Besides, ‘patrol teams and plainclothes police would also be deployed,’ added RMP chief. Necessary measures were also taken so that the cattle markets are not set up on roads and streets disrupting the vehicles movement. l

8 World

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

SOUTH ASIA

Nepal failing to curb child marriage Nepal is not doing enough to end child marriage, with more than one in three girls married before they reach the age of 18, Human Rights Watch said. Child marriage is illegal in Nepal, but the law is rarely enforced and a government pledge to end the practice by 2020 was recently delayed to 2030. AFP

INDIA

Two killed, 100 injuredd in fresh Kashmir clashes Two people died and at least 25 others were injured Saturday as government forces fired tear gas and clashed with protesters demanding freedom from Indian control in Kashmir. A prolonged curfew, communication blackouts and a tightening crackdown have failed to stop some of the largest protests in Kashmir against Indian rule in recent years, triggered by a rebel commander’s killing on July 8. AP

CHINA

US urges China to pressure North Korea The United States called on China to put pressure on North Korea to end its nuclear programme after Pongyang conducted its fifth and biggest nuclear test on Friday. US Defence Secretary Ash Carter, on a visit to Norway, also reaffirmed an iron-clad commitment to defend South Korea and condemned the North Korean test as a direct challenge to the entire international community. REUTERS

ASIA PACIFIC

Thailand, Malaysia consider border wall The leaders of Thailand and Malaysia agreed on Friday to boost security cooperation and consider building a border wall to combat transnational crime and smuggling. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said both sides had discussed the construction and extension of a border wall but details remained to be worked out. REUTERS

MIDDLE EAST

IS bombings near Baghdad kill 13 Two bomb blasts outside a shopping mall in central Baghdad claimed by the IS killed at least 13 people on Saturday. The bombings were the latest in a series of deadly attacks at Baghdad shopping centres this year that have been claimed by IS, including one that killed more than 300 people in early July. AFP

EXPLAINER

India’s inter-state water war n Tribune International Desk

Most parts of Karnataka, especially Bengaluru and Mysuru, shut down on Friday in response to the State-wide bandh called in protest against the Supreme Court order to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. According to latest reports, thousands have been stranded at the city’s international airport. The bandh has, especially, hit Bengaluru with the state government extending its tacit support to the protesters. Though chief minister Siddaramaiah said that the government will brook no violence by protesters, city police sources admitted the force is weary given the consecutive protests and festival duty deployment. “The state government has resolved not to oppose the bandh. Schools and colleges will be closed and almost all government offices are likely to shut down as attendance is expected to be thin,” Siddaramaiah told reporters on Thursday . Around 5,000 protesters took to the streets of Bangalore, some burning tyres and effigies of Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister Jayalalitha Jayaram. The key opposition parties - BJP and JD(S) - have backed the bandh call. Here’s what you need to know about the ongoing dispute:

Core of the issue

Karnataka claims that the British-era agreement was not correct as it did not get its due share of water. On the other hand, Tamil Nadu believes that it needs the water to sustain extensive farming that has increased because of Karnataka’s commitment to providing sufficient water. Karnataka wants to triple its water share from the river, that originates from Kodagu and flows through Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kerala, which means there Tamil Nadu’s portion will reduce.

History of the dispute

Historically, the dispute over sharing Cauvery waters dates back to the British era. The dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over sharing Cauvery neared a solution when the two warring sides, Mysore princely state and Madras Presidency reached an agreement in 1924. Mysore was permitted to build a dam at Kannambadi village to trap 44.8 thousand million cubic feet of water. The agreement was to be valid for 50 years and a review there-

People stage a demonstration against releasing of Cauvery river water to Tamil Nadu on the Supreme Court’s directive to the Karnataka government in Bengaluru IANS

TIMELINE: WATER ROW BETWEEN KARNATAKA AND TAMIL NADU February 5, 2007: After 16 years, Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal holds as valid the two agreements of 1892 and 1924 executed between the governments of Madras and Mysore on the apportionment of water to Tamil Nadu. All states file clarificatory petitions in SC seeking greater clarity on tribunal award. September 19, 2012: At the seventh meeting of the CRA, Manmohan Singh directs Karnataka to release 9,000 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu at Biligundlu. Both the CMs — Jayalalithaa and Jagadish Shettar — term it “unacceptable”. This is the first CRA meet since the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) came to power at the Centre in 2004. September 28, 2012: The Supreme Court slams the Karnataka government for not complying with the PM’s direction. February 29, 2013: The Centre notifies the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT). The Central government was mandated to constitute the Cauvery Management Board (CMB) simultaneously with the gazette notification of the final award

after was part of the agreement. Not willing to accept the agreement, the two states took the dispute to the Supreme Court after Independence on several occasions but the matter could not be resolved.

Arbitration attempts

Mysore, named Karnataka after independence, asked Tamil Nadu seeking permission to make changes to various clauses after 12 years of independence. But Tamil Nadu refused to do so, saying they can be addressed only when the agreement runs out in 1974. In the 1970s, Cauvery Fact Finding Committee found that Tamil

of the Tribunal dated February 19.

the Cauvery Supervisory Committee.

March 10, 2013: The Tamil Nadu chief minister says she will work for the formation of the Cauvery Water Board during a felicitation ceremony organised in Thanjavur for her efforts to get the final award notified in the Union gazette.

June 26, 2013: Contending that the setting up of a supervisory committee had become a futile exercise, Tamil Nadu moves SC for constitution of the Cauvery Management Board.

May 28, 2013: Tamil Nadu moves Supreme Court, seeking Rs2,480 crore in damages from Karnataka for not following the orders of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal. June 2, 2013: Water cannot be released as and when TN demands, says Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah. June 6, 2013: Karnataka says it cannot release 134 tmcft of water to Tamil Nadu between June and September. June 12, 2013: The Cauvery Supervisory Committee terms as not “feasible” Tamil Nadu’s plea for direction to Karnataka for release of Cauvery water. June 14, 2013: Tamil Nadu decides to file contempt plea against Karnataka for its stand on

Nadu’s irrigated lands had grown from an area of 1,440,000 acres to 2,580,000 acres while Karnataka’s irrigated area stood at 680,000 acres, resulting in an increased demand of water for Tamil Nadu. A study conducted by the central government in 1972 said the utilisation of water from Cauvery in Tamil Nadu was 489tmcft (thousand million cubic feet) against Karnataka’s 177tmcft.

Cauvery Water Tribunal

As both states refused to agree through talks, the Centre constituted the Cauvery Water Tribunal in 1990. After hearing both sides for years, the tribunal in its final

June 28, 2013: Tamil Nadu files contempt petition in the Supreme Court against Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah for his defiant stand against the Supervisory Committee July 15, 2013: Karnataka and Tamil Nadu clash during the third meeting of the Cauvery Supervisory Committee over the latter’s share of the river water. While Tamil Nadu sought 34tmcft in July and 50tmcft in August to save the Samba crop, Karnataka says that it had already released 34tmcft between June and July 13. August 2016: Tamil Nadu asks the Supreme Court to direct Karnataka to release water to Tamil Nadu after Siddaramiah says there is no water in the reservoirs. September 6, 2016: SC directs Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs a day till Sept 15. Protests break out in Karnataka. l award in 2007 gave 419tmcft for Tamil Nadu and 270tmcft for Karnataka. Kerala was awarded 30tmcft and Pondicherry 7tmcft. Both governments challenged the decision in the Supreme Court.

Present agitation

The dispute escalates when monsoon fails, as there is lesser water to share. And this year, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have received less than normal rainfall during the monsoon. Karnataka says it cannot release water to TN for agriculture as it needs it for drinking water purposes. l

Source: HINDUSTAN TIMES

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

Key points of US-Russia deal on Syria n Tribune International Desk A look at some of the key points in an “arrangement” announced by US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, aimed at halting fighting in Syria and moving toward a political transition after 5-1/2 years of combat between President Bashar Assad’s forces and opposition rebels:

What the arrangement says

A nationwide cease-fire by Assad’s forces and the US-backed opposition is set to begin across Syria at sundown Monday. That sets off a seven-day period that will allow for humanitarian aid and civilian traffic into Aleppo, Syria’s largest city and commercial capital, which has faced a recent onslaught. Fighting forces are to also pull back from the Castello Road, a key thoroughfare and access route into Aleppo, and create a “demilitarised zone” around it. Also Monday, the United States and Russia will begin preparations for the creation of a Joint Implementation Centre that will involve information sharing needed to define areas controlled by the al-Qaeda-linked group Fath al-Sham, previously known

as the Nusra Front, and other opposition groups in areas “of active hostilities.” The centre is expected to be established a week later, and is to launch a broader effort toward delineating other territories in control of various groups. As part of the arrangement, Russia is expected to keep Syrian air force planes from bombing areas controlled by the opposition. The United States has committed to help weaken Fath al-Sham, the extremist group that has intermingled with the US-backed opposition in places. A resumption of political dialogue between the government and opposition under UN mediation, which was halted amid an upsurge in fighting in April, will be sought over the longer term.

The stakes

Syria’s civil war has killed as many as 500,000 people and sent millions fleeing their homes within Syria and into exile. Kerry said this “new equation” offers an opportunity to find a peaceful solution and reverse the current trend of “creating more terrorists” and more destruction.

Who’s on board

Kerry said the US-supported op-

Hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars are spent each year on the country’s public schools. The US has record-high graduation rates, 82%, but also stubborn achievement gaps and dismally lagging math and reading scores compared with other countries. And university degrees are leaving millions mired in debt. Few issues touch the lives of families like the state of education, reports The Associated Press.

Where they stand

Hillary Clinton has made the soaring costs of college her primary education focus. She has proposed free tuition at in-state public colleges and universities for working families with incomes up to $125,000. Of course, that’s only free for student and families, not for taxpayers. To counter the crush of student debt, she also wants to implement a three-month moratorium on loan payments for all federal borrowers. During that time, borrowers would be able to consolidate their

loans or enroll in other plans that could help cut costs. Donald Trump has railed against the Common Core academic standards that have been adopted in more than 40 states, calling them a “total disaster.” He’s pledged to do away with them if elected, even though the standards were created and adopted by states, not the federal government.

Why it matters

Just look at the numbers. About 100,000 public schools opened their doors to some 50 million students in kindergarten through high school in the new school year. The bill for taxpayers: $582bn, or about $11,670 per pupil each year, on average, to teach those students and set them on a path toward college or careers. About 10% of that money comes from the federal government. The rest is from states and local districts, facing ever-tight budgets. The Obama administration and others before it - both Republican and Democratic - have preached the importance of a quality education that opens the door to opportunity and success. Yet the cost of college is rising, leaving students saddled with debt. And some who

USA

US makes note of global threats Ahead of Sunday’s 15th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, the State Department is reminding US citizens about threats around the world and urging Americans to be vigilant about their personal security. The department’s latest worldwide caution says current information suggests that terrorist groups continue to plan attacks in multiple regions. REUTERS

THE AMERICAS US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov look toward one another during a press conference following their meeting in Geneva, Switzerland REUTERS position and other fighters will be called upon to set themselves apart from the radical Islamic State group and the Nusra Front. Lavrov said through a translator, “The Syrian government has been informed of these arrangements and is ready to fulfill them.”

How the arrangement came together

The Geneva negotiating session lasted more than 13 hours and capped a flurry of meetings between the two diplomats in recent days. Kerry and Lavrov met four times since a previous Geneva meeting on August 26, and Presidents Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin discussed the matter at a summit in China.

What makes this deal different

The United States and Russia, ultimately, are to find themselves fighting together against the Islamic State group and Nusra, and embarking on unprecedented information-sharing - aimed at dispelling long-standing mistrust between the two powers over the Syria conflict. Kerry acknowledged “confusion” between Nusra and “legitimate opposition groups” that had led to a “fraying” of a cease-fire that was shepherded earlier this year by the US and Russia and brought a badly-needed, if temporary, respite to Syrian civilians for several weeks. l

Source: AP

Education: Why it matters in 2016 US election n Tribune International Desk

World

have attended for-profit schools have seen their degrees rendered virtually worthless, with the government picking up the tab for discharging their student loans. There’s no doubt that better educated students more often get better paying jobs. The median annual earnings for someone age 25 to 34 with no high school diploma is $40,000. For those with a bachelor’s degree or higher, it’s $52,000.

The good news

High school graduation rates are up sharply and drop-out rates are down.

The bad news

Progress for the nation’s schoolkids isn’t nearly on pace with other countries. This has implications well beyond bragging rights. A country that’s trailing others in education will lag in international competitiveness and that will contribute to economic hardship. And within the US, there are challenging gaps by race and wealth, for achievement and more. Globally, American schoolchildren trail their counterparts in Japan, Korea, Canada, Germany, France and more. Education remains primarily the

Cuba launches new campaign against US embargo US sanctions cost Cuba $4.6bn last financial year and called on US President Barack Obama to do more to ease the pressure in the spirit of improved relations between the two countries. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez made the comments at the launch of an annual campaign for a UN resolution condemning the US trade embargo put in place after Cuba’s 1959 revolution. AFP

UK PM rides into row over school selection British Prime Minister Theresa May set out bold plans on Friday for more selection in schools, raising a deeply divisive issue two months into a premiership that has so far been defined by Brexit. She announced the end of a two-decade ban on new grammar schools, which only accept the brightest pupils, as part of a package of reforms intended to build a truly meritocratic Britain. REUTERS

EUROPE

Dozens held as teachers protest in Turkey

Algebra II books sit lined up in a high school math class at Flower Mound High School in Flower Mound, Texas AP responsibility of the states, even though the federal government can use its pocketbook to influence policies and practices. The Obama administration issued waivers and grants through programs like Race to the Top to get its say on academic standards and other issues. A law enacted last year with bipartisan support has vastly diminished the powers of the federal government in how the county’s schools are run and their performance judged, but the Education Department still plays an oversight role. While the current administration has started putting the law into place, it will be up to the next president to finish the process. l

Turkish police detained dozens of people and used water cannon on Friday to disperse several hundred teachers demonstrating against their suspension from classrooms in the largely Kurdish city of Diyarbakir. Crowds chanting shoulder to shoulder against fascism after Turkish authorities suspended more than 11,000 teachers on Thursday over alleged links with the Kurdish militants. REUTERS

AFRICA

Morocco commits to Western Sahara truce Morocco’s envoy to the UN has said Rabat is committed to a ceasefire in Western Sahara after the UN voiced fears of renewed hostilities in the disputed territory. A 1991 UN-brokered truce ended 16 years of conflict between Morocco, which maintains that Western Sahara is an integral part of its kingdom and the Algiers-backed Polisario Front independence movement. AFP

World

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

The catastrophic legacy of 9/11

Few options, little progress

When the Obama administration began in January 2009, it had very few options. Having not been in favour of the war while he served as a state senator, Barrack Obama inherited a mess. Withdrawing immediately was not a realistic option and thus the choice for how long to remain was difficult. US troops did eventually leave in December of 2011, but the Iraq they departed was far from stable and democratic. The Iraqi military was incredibly weak (as it is today); the government was corrupt and sectarian. The vacuum created by the Iraq war also allowed the war in Syria to heat up after the peaceful 2011 uprising against Assad turned into a violent crackdown. Since then, more than 470,000 people have

THE SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 ATTACKS ON THE US

Arlington

Washington Monument Po to ma c

Arlington - Pentagon

New York - World Trade Center

Defence ministry The 1st plane crashes, striking the building between the 93rd and 99th floors

Air Force

2,979 killed

Pentagon

2,750 in New York

The north tower collapses

Army

Corridor 5

Corridor 4 Marines Heliport entrance

New York

The 3rd plane ploughs into the western side

As the 15th anniversary of the September 11 attacks comes around, the world seems no safer than it was when US President George W. Bush launched his war on terror. In fact, the legacy of violence and conflict has had repercussions more serious than even the pessimists could have imagined. The September 11, 2001 attacks were the work of al-Qaeda and its then-leader, Osama bin Laden. Al-Qaeda terrorists who trained as pilots in the US hijacked four commercial planes; they crashed two of them into the World Trade Centre towers in New York City and another into a section of the Pentagon in Washington, DC. A fourth plane, the fabled United 93, crashed in rural Pennsylvania after passengers tried to overwhelm the hijackers. All in all, the attacks killed about 3,000 people and injured more than 6,000. Bush’s tenure was ultimately defined by its response to 9/11 – a litany of disastrous mistakes and missed opportunities. At the end of 2001, the world was ready to come together to denounce acts of extremist terrorism. It wouldn’t have been difficult to create a strong, persuasive counter-narrative to al-Qaeda’s by working jointly with American and international Muslims to forge a common strategy against radical Islamist terrorism. Instead, the response from the Bush administration was immediate and belligerent: the US would invade Afghanistan and go after al-Qaeda, where the terrorist group had established a safe haven. The US would also attack al-Qaeda’s host, the extremist Taliban regime. With the help of the UK, some of the Nato countries, Australia and some other allies, the US invaded on October 7, 2001 under the banner of Operation Enduring Freedom. The invasion toppled the Taliban and seriously disrupted al-Qaeda’s networks; by 2003, al-Qaeda had been drastically weakened. But the US didn’t stop there. On March 20, 2003, driven by several neo-conservative thinkers including Paul Wolfowitz and Donald Rumsfeld, the US invaded Iraq on the grounds that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction and was supporting terrorist groups. With the exception of the British government, few of the US’s allies supported this decision. In spite of this, the US’s invasion of Iraq was to be the jewel in the Bush presidency’s crown. Instead, it proved to be an outright catastrophe. Estimates of the body count in Iraq vary considerably. Conservative estimates claim that 251,000 have died in the Iraq conflict, in-

cluding as many as 180,000 civilians. Other studies argue that the death count from 2003-2011 is closer to 500,000. Bush tried to portray the project in Iraq as a humanitarian venture to liberate Iraq from oppression, in an endeavour that would quickly pay for itself. Neo-conservatives predicted the war could be won cheaply and quickly. Instead, the US spent over US$800bn and stayed in Iraq for almost a decade. Offered with a new calling to fight a holy war in Iraq, al-Qaeda came back with a vengeance and spawned the even more brutal al-Qaeda in Iraq, which in turn gave birth to the Islamic State. A civil war that broke out made stable government all but impossible, and Iraq turned back into a near-dictatorship under the leadership of Nouri al-Maliki. Though the invasion of Afghanistan had much more international support than the invasion of Iraq, it nonetheless incurred huge costs. It’s been estimated that around 21,000 civilians have died since the invasion. Failing to learn the lessons of countless other invaders before it, the US-led invasion in Afghanistan did not yield a functioning state. Afghanistan can only function with foreign aid. It is still unstable, unsafe, corrupt and incredibly poor. The Taliban is still wreaking havoc in Afghanistan, and the Taliban faction in Pakistan is stronger than ever. Al-Qaeda was still relatively weak, and could have been entirely eliminated by stemming its recruitment, cutting off funding and taking a harsher stance on countries that offered it financial support, such as Saudi Arabia. Instead, the US’s response was to invade several countries, leaving a trail of death, destruction and anger. Under Bush, the US operated as a global superpower – but it drastically overextended and isolated itself.

The 2nd plane strikes between the 77th and 85th floors

Hudso

n Tribune International Desk

MANHATTAN

WTC BROOKLYN 2 km

Hotel Marriott

WES T STR EET

American Airlines 11 Boston - Los Angeles

The south tower collapses

United Airlines 175 Boston - Los Angeles

Boeing 767

2 pilots 9 crew

81 passengers (including 5 hijackers)

New York

Boston

Pennsylvania

New York 200 km

The 4th plane crashes into a field after passengers fight back against hijackers

56 passengers (including 5 hijackers)

New York Pennsylvania 200 km

Boston

Arlington

United Airlines 93 Newark - San Francisco

Boeing 757

2 pilots 4 crew

58 passengers (including 5 highjackers)

200 km

Pennsylvania

2 pilots 5 crew

37 passengers (including 4 hijackers) 200 km

Pentagon

Virginia

New York Pennsylvania Newark

Dulles New York

Shanksville

American Airlines 77 Washington - Los Angeles

Boeing 767

2 pilots 7 crew

New York

USA

Shanksville

Source: 9/11 Commission

been killed in Syria, and millions have been displaced. Regrets about the invasion of Iraq left the West highly wary of military ventures overseas, and left it unwilling to do much – if anything – about the brewing conflict in Syria. The world watched on as a humanitarian disaster unfolded. No world leader has had a coherent plan of action to resolve the conflict. All the while, the landscape of radical terrorism has changed too. There have been successful masscasualty terror attacks on US soil since 9/11 (the 2013 Boston marathon bombing, for instance), but they have been “lone wolf” attacks rather than tightly co-ordinated offensives by militant groups. That is something to be thankful for – but around the world, the picture is far from encouraging. Deaths attributed to terrorism increased by 80% in 2014, though it decreased slightly in 2015. More and more countries are afflicted by terrorist acts: in 2013, only five countries counted over 500 lives claimed by terrorism, but in 2014, that number rose to 11. While countries such Iraq, Syria, Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan still bear the brunt of most terrorist attacks, Europe also remains on high alert and France in particular has been in an official state of emergency since the Islamic State-sanctioned Paris attacks of November 2015. The world

also seems incredibly divided, with Islamophobic attacks at an all-time high.

The road ahead

Clearly, the world is in need of great leaders who can both take risks and work hard to bridge cultural and political gaps – all without polarising people even further. This year’s US presidential election, however, offers one less than inspiring candidate and another who’s nothing less than a disaster-in-waiting. Judging by her track record as secretary of state, Hillary Clinton does not seem to have a trans-formative vision of what US foreign policy is for. Whatever pre-existing plans Obama and his team have put in place regarding Islamist terrorism, Syria and Iraq will not be scrapped and rewritten wholesale. Clinton voted to invade Iraq when serving as a senator from New York, and while she has repeatedly expressed regret for that vote, she has never fully shaken off her association with the disaster that ensued. It’s much harder to predict what a Donald Trump presidency would entail. After all, he admitted that he didn’t know the difference between Shias and Sunnis, and said he would learn the distinction between Hamas and Hezbollah “when it’s appropriate”. And however empty and confused his current platform may be, it’s clear that stability and

The World Trade Center south tower, left, is engulfed in flames after being struck by a hijacked plane as the north tower burns REUTERS peace are not his priorities. But whoever takes the reins, 9/11 and its fallout will continue to shape their presidency and America’s global role more than 15 years on. Neither the US nor the world will ever be quite the way they were before the morning of September 11, 2001. l

[This is an excerpt of a The Conversation article, which can be found at http://bit. ly/2bXBzNT]

World

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

Two-thirds of UK weapons sold to Middle East n Tribune International Desk Britain is now the second biggest arms dealer in the world, official government figures show – with most of the weapons fuelling deadly conflicts in the Middle East, reports The Independent. Since 2010 Britain has also sold arms to 39 of the 51 countries ranked “not free” on the Freedom House “Freedom in the world” report, and 22 of the 30 countries on the UK Government’s own human rights watch list. A full two-thirds of UK weapons over this period were sold to Middle Eastern countries, where instability has fed into increased risk of terror threats to Britain and across the West. Meanwhile statistics collated by UK Trade and Investment, a gov-

ernment body that promotes British exports abroad, show the UK has sold more arms than Russia, China, or France on average over the last 10 years. Only the United States is a bigger exporter. But the Government has also ignored calls to stop selling weapons to repressive regimes, including Saudi Arabia, which has been accused by UN bodies of potentially committing war crimes in its military operation in Yemen against Houthi rebels. Both the European Parliament and the House of Commons International Development Committee have called for exports to the autocracy to stop, but the Government says it has not seen evidence of Saudi war crimes. The Saudi-led coalition has bombed multiple international hos-

pitals run by the charity Medecins Sans Frontieres, as well as schools and wedding parties. Food factories have also been hit, as Yemen faces severe food shortages. Human rights groups say there is evidence civilian targets are being deliberately hit. The coalition has opened investigations into a number of incidents and has repeatedly claimed in statements that the coalition “is committed to full respect for international humanitarian law in the conduct of our operations in Yemen”. A joint analysis conducted by the Independent and Campaign Against the Arms Trade found £10bn in arms licences were issued 2010-2015 to regimes designated “unfree” by Freedom House, including China, Oman, Turkmenistan and UAE. Meanwhile £7.9bn worth of arms

were sold to countries on the “human rights priority countries” list, which is maintained by the Foreign Office and includes countries judged by the FCO to have “the worst, or greatest number of, human rights violations”. Customers on this list included Saudi Arabia, which was sold bombs, missiles, and fighter jets, Israel, which was sold drone components and targeting equipment, and Bahrain, which was sold machine guns. Assault rifles and pistols were sent to the Maldives, while Turkmenistan was sold guns and ammunition. The Government takes its arms export control responsibilities very seriously and operates one of the most robust regimes in the world. We rigorously examine every bro-

Saudi Arabia, which is leading a coalition conducting a bombing campaign in Yemen, has been sold fighter jets and missiles by Britain REUTERS kering application on a pre-licensing case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. l

12 Business

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

TOP STORIES

Price hike of Eid essentials hits middle-class people n Tribune Business Desk

Race into commodities risks stalling Flows into commodity investments have hit their highest levels since the global financial crisis as negative interest rates boost the appeal of real assets, but they risk reversing as rallies falter in metals and oil. PAGE 13

Will US rate increase expose emerging markets’ sucker’s rally?

Investors rekindled their love affair with emerging markets this year, pouring billions of dollars into their stocks and bonds, but the prospect of the Federal Reserve raising US interest rates threatens to cool the relationship once again. PAGE 14

US tells consumers to stop using fire-prone Samsung phones A US government safety agency on Friday urged all consumers to stop using Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones, which are prone to catch fire, and top airlines globally banned their use during flights. PAGE 15

Capital market snapshot: Past Week DSE Broad Index

4,601.1

1.1% ▲

Index

1,108.7

0.5% ▲

30 Index

1,759.7

0.9% ▲

Turnover in Mn Tk

23,614.7

6.2% ▲

Turnover in Mn Vol

598.3

6.7% ▲

All Share Index 14,154.2

1.3% ▲

30 Index

1.0% ▲

CSE 12,802.3

Selected Index

8,617.2

1.3% ▲

Turnover in Mn Tk

1,326.7

19.5% ▲

Turnover in Mn Vol

41.8

13.0% ▲

With the holy Eid ul-Adha approaching, middle-class family take the brunt of hike in essentials prices. Unlike vegetables, fish and meat prices, spice and salad items see a sharp rise in their prices. Among Eid commodities, one has to spend more on spices as their costs of buying have gone up in the last week of Eid. A middle-class small family consisting of five members will have to budget around Tk2,000 for only Eid essentials since prices of some specific items used in meat recipe are on the rise ahead of Eid. Ahmedur Reza, a banker by profession, shared his recent experience of kitchen market with the Dhaka Tribune yesterday. “I came to Karwan Bazar with a list of items including cumin, ginger, garlic, cardamom, onion, chilli powder, clove, cinnamon, saffron, soybean, etc. I saw a hike in prices mostly of cumin, ginger and cardamom, while that of other spices remained almost unchanged or slightly hike in some cases.” On his shopping list, other commodities included fine rice, sugar, tomato, green chilli, carrot, cucumber, capsicum, salt etc, of which prices of salad items mostly increased. The five-member family man, Reza, however, managed to complete his Eid shopping in the

Essentials prices are on the rise ahead of Eid ul-Adha kitchen market with Tk2,000 to celebrate the ensuing festival. The price of cardamom mostly used in cooking meat to add flavour saw a sharp rise to Tk1,800 per kg last week from Tk1,400. Likewise, Cumin, another vital spice for meat recipe, witnessed a moderate price hike to Tk360 per kg from Tk340 last week. The cumin’s price was stable at Tk340 over the last months, but went up from the beginning of the

current month ahead of Eid. The price of imported ginger was hiked to Tk120 a kg yesterday from Tk100 a week ago. Its price was ranging between Tk50 and Tk60 per kg at the beginning of August which started to go up from the second week of the month with a rise to Tk90. Last week it was selling at Tk120. Imported garlic, one vital spice for meat recipe, kept rising by Tk8 to Tk10 in almost every week from

DHAKA TRIBUNE

the last month. In the first week of August, it was hovering between Tk170 and Tk180 per kg on Saturday. Of the salad items, tomato was selling at Tk100 a kg yesterday from Tk80 in the last week while cucumber at Tk50 from Tk40. The prices of another important salad items, carrot and capsicum, remained stable at Tk40 and Tk200 per kg respectively ahead of Eid. l

Stocks closed on happy note before Eid n Tribune Business Desk

Stock markets registered higher in the past week—the final week before nine-day Eid vacation—breaking two weeks of marginal losses. During the week that ended Thursday, the benchmark index of Dhaka Stock Exchange, DSEX was up over 52 points or 1% to end the week at 4,601. It gained after losing 35 points in the past two weeks. The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, rose over 15 points or 0.9% to 1,759. The DSE Shariah Index, moved up only 5 points or 0.5% to 1,108. The Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index CSCX advanced 115 points or 1.4% to 8,617. During the week, banks remained favourite of investors, helping the key index to end higher.

The trading on stock exchanges will remain closed for nine days on September 9-17. LankaBangla Securities said: “The upward movement in the market, which started from the week before, continued last week as well, resulting in 52 points increase in benchmark index DSEX.” It said the list of top ten turnovers was dominated mostly by large-cap stocks, whereas financial sector occupied majority of the positions in the list of weekly top gainers. The week’s daily average turnover stood at Tk472 crore, registering an increase of over 6% over the previous week’s average of Tk445 crore. “Engineering, fuel and power and pharmaceuticals sectors dominated the turnover board as they

pulled approximately half of the total turnover for the week,” said UCB Capital Management. Royal Capital said: “The market was dominated by mainly buyers. The market behaved positively because of some investment potentials.”

Shahjibazar Power Company dominated the week’s turnover chart for the two consecutive weeks with shares worth Tk15 crore changing hands, followed by Lafarge Surma Cement, Doreen Power, MJL Bangladesh and Singer Bangladesh. l

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

Race into commodities risks stalling n Reuters, London Flows into commodity investments have hit their highest levels since the global financial crisis as negative interest rates boost the appeal of real assets, but they risk reversing as rallies falter in metals and oil. The threat of investors liquidating their commodity stakes has climbed in recent years as speculative funds have become dominant and longer-term investors increasingly shun the sector. Some $51bn has moved into commodities investments in the first seven months of the year, the most since 2009, according to Barclays, which tracks the flows. Investors scrambled to take advantage of this year’s rebound in many markets after the 19 commodity Thomson Reuters/Core Commodity CRB Index had more than halved since 2011. Commodity prices had been sliding for several years as growth faltered in top consumer China while at the same time oversupply hit oil, metals and other products. The price index peaked this year in June up 11%, but has since shed much of those gains. Last year it slid 23%. “Much of the demand for commodities this year has been tactical and, unless the asset class continues to generate strong returns in the second half, which we think unlikely, then outflows could resume,” said Kevin Norrish, head of commodities research at Barclays. Part of the concern is that the surge of cash has come more from investors happy to move in and out of markets rather than pension portfolio managers looking for

Gold bars from the vault of a bank and Swiss one franc coins are seen in this illustration picture taken in Zurich REUTERS long-term placements. “There’s been a general paring back in longer term strategic positioning by many of the large pension funds and other longer-term investors,” Norrish added. Last year, the sector won investment inflows of $39.5bn in the first half, only to shed $45.9 billion in the second half to end the year with $6.3bn in net outflows. “September should be a time for seasonal weakness in commodity markets,” said Aakash Doshi at Citi, which also tracks commodity investment flows. “With commodity prices likely to trade sideways or even a bit weaker short term, ongoing passive index outflows... might be in play for September,” he said in a note.

The price of Brent crude has surged over 80% since touching a 12-year low in late January, but has struggled to reach fresh highs recently.

Investor shift

The type of investors putting cash into commodities has shifted since the boom years when the sector was touted as a way to diversify long-term portfolios, adding an inflation hedge and gaining exposure to high-growth emerging markets. At the time, pension funds and other long-term investors rushed to buy exposure to the sector through swaps on commodity indexes, covering oil, agriculture and metals in one stroke. Many of them became disen-

Business chanted when the sector not only underperformed but also started moving in tandem with other sectors after the global financial crisis. Only now, after years of central bank efforts to revive modest inflation by pushing debt yields to negligible or even negative levels, is the investment dynamic starting to change.”I’ve observed a resurgence of interest in all kinds of real assets as opposed to financial assets,” said Frances Hudson, Global Thematic Strategist of Multi Asset Investing at Standard Life Investments. “The renewed interest in commodities has some of the same drivers. Interest rates lower for longer or even negative reduces the opportunity cost of holding commodities.” Standard Life prefers infrastructure, real estate and private equity over commodities, but Hudson regards the sector as “a good shortterm parking space” for many investors. A breakdown of the Barclays data shows how in recent years money deserted index swaps, favoured by longer-term investors, and shifted to exchange traded funds (ETFs), largely used by shorter-term speculators and retail investors. Investors who move in and out of commodity markets find ETPs more flexible, offering individual products such as Brent crude and gold as well as the ability to take bearish positions with short ETPs. From 2010 to 2012, index swaps had $119.6bn of inflows with ETPs lagging at $31bn. But that has flipped: since 2014, there have been $26.8bn of outflows from index swaps while ETPs drew in $37.9bn. l

BGMEA: 100% RMG factories pay Eid bonus n Tribune Business Desk Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association yesterday said about 100% of readymade garment factories have paid festival allowance to their workers. On the other hand 91% of August wages had been paid till Friday. BGMEA leaders claimed this at a press conference on labour situation in the export-oriented RMG industry in the city. They said the apex trade body of apparel sector monitored a total of 928 factories and found problems related to wages and allowance in 18 of them. “We have solved the factory problems, and hopefully, all factories will pay wages to their workers by Sunday,” said BGMEA president Md Siddiqur Rahman. Siddiqur thanked the bank authorities as the latters extended their support to provide wages and allowance for RMG workers of some factories. Labour leaders, however, ran counter to the BGMEA claim, saying still, there are problems in some factories, despite the fact that most factories have paid wages and allowance. Amirul Haque Amin, president of National Garment Workers Federation, said 95% of ready-made garment factories have so far paid festival allowances while 90% of them paid wages to their workers. A few factories were not willing to pay festival allowances and some provided partial wages for the month of August, he added. l

Eurozone chief: Times are changing, pay your taxes n Reuters

Effective English Development Program (EEDP) completed a month long ‘Business Communication Corporate Training’ for East Coast Group on Thursday. A participant is seen receiving certificate at a function attended by EEDP chairperson Reshma Mohsen and East Coast Group director (corporate planning) Dilruba Chowdhury, among others

Multinationals should refrain from tax avoidance practices and pay their fair share of taxes, the head of euro zone finance ministers said yesterday, in a new endorsement to the European Union fight against tax dodging. In the wake of the ‘Panama Papers’ revelations of widespread tax avoidance practices, Brussels has toughened up its drive for tax fairness by tightening controls and adopting stricter rules. The recent shock multi-billion euro tax demand on Apple was part of that trend. “My message to those companies is you are fighting the wrong battle. You have to move on. Times are changing,” the head of the eurogroup and Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem told report-

ers on his arrival to a meeting of EU finance ministers in Bratislava, which will discuss tax policies. “You need to pay your taxes in a fair way. Part of that would be in the US, part of that would be in Europe. So get ready to do that,” Dijsselbloem added. The Commission, which is in charge of protecting market competition in Europe, is investigating multinationals’ tax arrangements in several EU countries to assess whether, by lowering corporations’ tax bills, illegal state aid may have been given. Online retailer Amazon.com Inc and hamburger group McDonald’s Corp face European Commission’s probes over taxes in Luxembourg, while coffee chain StarbucksCorp (SBUX.O) has been ordered to pay up to 30m euros ($33m) in back-taxes to the Dutch state. l

Business

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

Will US rate increase expose emerging markets’ sucker’s rally? n Reuters Investors rekindled their love affair with emerging markets this year, pouring billions of dollars into their stocks and bonds, but the prospect of the Federal Reserve raising US interest rates threatens to cool the relationship once again. Higher US rates and bond yields tend to make emerging market assets relatively less attractive and push up the dollar, inflating the amount of dollar-denominated debt held by emerging market borrowers. Recent history suggests the smallest increase - or even a whiff of an increase - can be unnerving for emerging markets, where borrowers hold more than $3tn of US currency-based debt and where investors have built up their exposure recently. In May 2013, Ben Bernanke, then the Fed chairman, prompted the so-called “taper tantrum” when he indicated that rates were about to rise. The subsequent volatility across emerging markets saw bond yields rise, spreads widen and the MSCI emerging market equity index slump 15% over the next month. And when it became clear that the Fed would deliver its first rate hike in a decade last December, emerging markets again wobbled. The MSCI index fell 20% from November to January. Futures markets are now tilting towards the Fed moving again by December, albeit tentatively. Several Fed officials have said in recent weeks that this is on the cards, although investors have yet to be fully persuaded. San Francisco Fed President John Williams said on Tuesday that he favoured raising rates “sooner rather than later”. His comments were particularly hawkish, considering figures earlier in the day showed the biggest slowdown in US service sector growth since 2008.

Investors speak in front of a screen displaying stock information at the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange “The collapse in US real rates is probably the single most important event of this year for emerging markets,” said Bhanu Baweja, a strategist at UBS, citing one of the main reasons emerging market assets have performed so well. “If it’s a dovish hike, EM could be seen as a buying opportunity. But if the Fed indicates a fairly conventional ‘normalisation’ path for rates and inflation expectations pick up, there’s no doubt EM will take a hit,” he added.

Bipolar

Several measures of emerging market flows and investment trends this year tell the same story: a large influx of cash has turbo-charged equity, fixed income, credit and commodity markets, reducing bond yields and spreads. This has been partly down to the steep selloff in EM assets in the preceding 18 months, which coincided with the dollar’s 27% surge in 2014 and 2015. That was the green-

CORPORATE NEWS

back’s biggest two-year rally since the mid-1980s. It’s also partly because EM assets offer much higher returns than developed markets, where yields have never been lower and are even negative across Japan and much of Europe. Emerging market portfolio inflows this year are approaching $80bn, according to the Institute of International Finance, around three quarters of which has gone into equities and a quarter into bonds. Much of that was in the last three months, making it a sizzling summer for emerging markets. Developed equity, bond and currency markets lacked clearer direction. Figures from Bank of America Merrill Lynch show record-breaking inflows into emerging market equity mutual funds of almost $24bn over the last 10 weeks. Similarly, emerging market debt funds have attracted the biggest ever inflows over the past 10 weeks, according to BAML. Those

flows may be poised to reverse. “EM is a bipolar asset class – you either love it or you hate it, and you can love it and hate it in the same year,” said Timothy Ash, managing director and senior CEEMEA desk strategist at Nomura. HSBC’s asset allocation team last week slashed emerging market debt’s share of its global portfolio by 17% percentage points to just 4 percent, and the EM equity holdings, too. Not everyone agrees that emerging markets are so vulnerable. Alexis De Mones, head of fixed income at Ashmore, believes they are far more resilient to rising U.S. rates now than they were at the time of the ‘taper tantrum’. As De Mones points out, the average EM current account deficit then was 2.1% of economic output, meaning the countries were on average net debtors. Today, EM national accounts are broadly in balance, making these countries “much more resilient” to higher dollar borrowing costs. l

Trade minister: UK business is too fat and lazy n AFP, London

A workshop was recently held on Fab Lab sub-project proposal at UGC (University Grants Commission of Bangladesh) auditorium, said a press release. UGC chairperson, Professor Abdul Mannan was present on the function as chief guest

REUTERS

The British minister charged with boosting international trade post-Brexit has slammed the country’s businesses as being too “fat and lazy” to capitalise on the opportunity, the Times newspaper reported yesterday. “This country is not the free-trading nation that it once was,” Secretary of State for International Trade Liam Fox told a reception for Conservative activists in the House of Commons on Thursday. “We have become too lazy, and

too fat on our successes in previous generations,” he added, saying executive were more interested in “playing golf” than striking deals. Fox will play a key role in establishing Britain’s role on the world stage as it leaves the European Union, but his comments are likely to cause outrage among the business community that he represents. The trade minister warned that the arduous task of negotiating trade deals with international partners in the wake of Brexit would be a waste of time “if we don’t have the exporters to fill those markets”. l

Asia’s oldest stock exchange BSE files for longawaited IPO n Reuters, Mumbai BSE Ltd, India’s second-biggest stock exchange, on Friday filed for a long-awaited initial public offering (IPO), seeking to list its shares on larger rival National Stock Exchange (NSE). Shareholders including Singapore Exchange will be selling up to 29.96 million shares, or a 27.9% stake, in the IPO, according to a draft prospectus. Banking sources had previously said the IPO of Asia’s oldest exchange was likely to raise about $150m for its long-time investors, some of whom are looking to cash out. Stronger stock markets in India have sparked a boom in IPOs this year. Financial sector listings especially have been lapped up by investors, with stocks such as RBL Bank and Ujjivan Financial Services surging after their debuts. ICICI Bank, the second-biggest Indian lender by assets, said on Thursday it was seeking to raise as much as $909m by selling shares in its insurance arm ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, in what will be the biggest local IPO since 2010. Founded in 1875, BSE, whose first venue for broker meetings was under a banyan tree in India’s financial capital Mumbai, has long been considering an IPO. However, lack of clarity on rules for the listing of stock exchanges had delayed the process. Of the 107.35 million shares in BSE, trading members hold about 52.3 million shares, or 48.7% with the rest held by Deutsche Boerse AG, Singapore Exchange and a group of foreign portfolio investors, insurance firms and individuals. Singapore Exchange plans to sell its entire stake in BSE in the IPO, the prospectus showed. BSE, formerly known as the Bombay Stock Exchange, boasts the most listings in the world with more than 5,900 listed companies but it has been dwarfed by rival NSE in trading volumes, especially since the introduction of derivatives that have increased liquidity in large caps. For the quarter to the end of June, BSE reported total income of 1.65bn rupees ($24.7m) and net profit of 527m rupees. Rival NSE said in June it would will file for a domestic initial public offering (IPO) by January, and would also pursue one abroad. For the BSE IPO, Axis, Edelweiss, Jefferies and Nomura are the joint global coordinators, while Motilal Oswal, SBI Capital Markets, SMC Capitals and Spark Capital are among the other bookrunners. l

Business

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

US tells consumers to stop using fire-prone Samsung phones n Reuters A US government safety agency on Friday urged all consumers to stop using Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones, which are prone to catch fire, and top airlines globally banned their use during flights. Following reports that the

phonesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; batteries have combusted during charging and normal use, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission said it was working on an official recall of the devices and that users should turn them off in the meantime. Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said it was working with the agency and

asked customers to immediately turn in their Note 7 phones. It voluntarily issued a recall last week for 10 markets, including South Korea and the United States, and it said it was expediting shipments of replacement phones to customers in the United States. The US government action her-

alds more fallout for the South Korean manufacturer, which may take a financial hit from the recall and lose customers who are concerned about the quality of its flagship phones. Some analysts say the recall could cost Samsung nearly $5bn in revenue, after accounting for ex-

penses from the recall process. For Samsung, which prides itself on manufacturing prowess, the scale of the recall is expected to be unprecedented. Some 2.5 million of the premium devices have been sold worldwide, the company has said. Its shares closed down 3.9% on Friday. l

Tech

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

Keys to create engaging content for more customers industry, and answer questions online to gain credibility. Answering questions on Quora or any online sites will not only get you high traffic but it will also increase credibility. Since people upvote the answers, this will bring credibility to other visitors. Press attention and influencers interview will allow you to gain further credibility. People will trust your blog and thus visit more.

Utilize social media.

n Nahid Farzana Currently, content marketing is one of the most exciting fields for startups. This is a very efficient way to spread the word about your business and thus gain popularity. Though it basically started with a typical blog, but companies now use different forms of content marketing to drive more traffic. This form of marketing is not

easy to master as lots of verticals are involved. It’s also difficult to find the right source of valid information. Here are the basics required to create engaging content to get more customers.

Develop a strategy

Content marketing requires some basic structure and base. While you create a blog, you need to have a strategy that will focus

on your goals. Your focus should be to utilise your blog to create a voice around sales, marketing and customer acquisition. If you can ensure this, there is high chance your blog will get a very good number of visitors per month. To develop your strategy you can get help from the Google Suggested Search Hacks. You can know a lot about search terms which focuses on how-to

questions, comparisons, and questions.

Gain credibility

After you have the right foundation for your content strategy, you need a plan how to create the content to execute on that strategy. You need to gain credibility and there are quite some ways to establish it. You can get press attention, interview the influencers in the

The best way to share your contents is through social media. Social media is all about engagement, though many companies fail to understand that. There is no point of just posting on social media if you can’t connect to your users. The return on investment of social media quite high as it is there to compliment all your works and efforts and will boost your confidence. Though content marketing may not show immediate results or returns, it is a must in today’s world of online marketing. By growing your blog or starting a podcast, you’ll see long term growth and gains that you wouldn’t have imagined possible. You could be invited to speak at major events or write for major publications, but if you don’t start now, who knows where your content could lead you. l

Use Snapchat to build up your brand n Nahid Farzana Snapchat is the new trend! Currently, it has over 150 million daily users which is more than Twitter’s daily usage and very close to the number of views on Instagram or Facebook. You can take advantage of this new trend for your brand and make an amazing impression to your customers. Here are some ways you could use snapchat in order to build your brand.

Showcasing product/ services

One of the prime benefits of using Snapchat could be easy showcasing of your product or service. Videos or snaps could be the best way to deliver the story of your product and service to the customers. Customers will easily connect and if you can deliver your stories in a fun way you will definitely get more views. This will not only easily advertise your brand, but will improve the chances of buying.

Customer satisfaction

One of the best ways to increase customer satisfaction is through interaction. Through Snapchat you can send direct and customized snaps to customers. Customers can also send their queries through snapchat and you will be able to answer them. This will definitely increase customer satisfaction. Recently Bangladeshi clothing brand Noir did something amazing through Snapchat. They made some snap-pics up for grab. All the customers had to do is take screenshots. Screenshots notifications are auto-delivered so Noir knew who took screenshots of which items. Then they randomly selected customers to give the items for free. Noir managed to achieve lots of interaction through this. Such type of promotional offer can be very useful.

Back stories

This is a fun activity that can be done and the relevant content is easy to find. After all, it’s a way of being transparent.

Another way to keep your customers interested and get their attention is to let them know what’s happening in the company. Through Snapchat, you can easily let your customers know what goes on behind the curtains. You can snap your workplace design, birthday celebrations, festivals, work demo, and other fun activities. This will show your transparency and give the customer’s a feeling of belonging.

Pre-launch teasers

This is something that you should try out for your brand. It is preferable for the product-related companies. You can snap for the teasers and broadcast that for customers. This will help to create excitement about the products. If you are following Kylie Jenner of Snapchat, you must already know how efficient this is! She is always putting up snaps about

her next product. Last week 3 new shades of Kylie lipstick came out and we all were looking up to it for quite long! Thanks to her Snapchat.

Live coverage

Snapchat is probably a better way for live coverage of events than other mediums. People are too busy to find time to attend events. Using snapchat it is possible to perfectly cover live events and give ideas about what’s going on even when they are unable to be

there in person. So many sports and concerts have been covered by snapchat live. Leagues like NFL had their games covered. Even the Oscar ceremony had live coverage through snapchat. l

Articles reprinted under special arrangement with SDAsia.com

Feature

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

Interning at startups:

Reasons why you should consider small startups

Photo: Bigstock

n Baizid Haque Joarder When choosing between internship opportunities, it is easy to settle for big and established organisations. Well, who wouldn’t want heavyweight names like Nestle, Unilever and British American Tobacco on their resumes? While big names can do wonders for your career, working for smaller organisations like start-ups can be immensely rewarding as well. When you are interning for a promising startup, you are likely to be in for a host of real-life experience that is otherwise, hard to come by in any other industry. With the startup scene in Bangladesh progressing at break-neck speed, interning at one makes a lot more sense now.

Real responsibilities

Working at an early-stage startup means every member of the team is crucial to the organisation which also includes interns. Time

is an important factor during this stage, meaning everyone needs to be hands-on-matters since working on projects can have a direct impact on stakeholders of the start-up. Completing your first project or publishing your first post can be nerve-racking. But once you get past your fears and start taking on more responsibilities, you will start to show ownership of important projects, which is critical in landing you a permanent job. Not only that, you will surely gain a lot of confidence now that you know you are capable of running a project.

Acquiring insight

Interning for a big organisation would often see you end up with limited exposure to different business facets and the industry, apart from the small portion that you are directly working on. With a large number of employees, you are less likely to have exposure to most of the aspects of the business.

However, it is impossible not to if you are working at a start-up with a relatively smaller team. Here, you are likely to get a better knowledge about the inner workings of your organisation, as well as the industry.

Opportunities to try out different paths

If you are still unsure about the field you want to specialise on after graduating, the cross-team experience from start-ups can help you identify other avenues which might interest you. Start-up internships may find you working for communications, marketing, finance and almost everything you are capable of. You can definitely choose the ones that interest you and ask your superior to hand you more work concerning that particular field. Small teams at start-ups also mean that you would be able to interact more with professionals from different departments, which would enable you to

understanding their roles better. Even if you do not pursue their path, knowing different roles of the organisation will help you as you move forward in your career.

Build important contacts

One great thing about small start-ups is that, you will be able to make more contacts, both in-house as well as different stakeholders outside, whom you will have to meet and work with over the course of your internship. Having an arsenal of great contacts in your pockets can benefit you throughout the entirety of your career. While most early-stage startups in Bangladesh are run on a tight budget, chances are that you will not be offered too much for your efforts. However, if your start-up is a success, the sky is the limit. So update your resume and hand it in at a startup that interests you. Wouldn’t it be nice to mention some “real” experience on your internship report? l

While big names can do wonders for your career, working for smaller organisations like start-ups can be immensely rewarding as well

Want to send in internship articles? Email us at featuresdt@gmail.com

Feature

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

Excelling at Excelerious 2016 Finale of the MS Excel competition held at EMK Center

n Features Desk Excelerious 2016 is a program of Enliven Bangladesh, which aims to motivate thousands of students and young professionals to utilise Microsoft Excel as a real professional tool. With the participation of 200 people, the final prize giving ceremony of Excelerious 2016 was observed on 6 September, 2016 at EMK Center. Among 1000+ applicants, 200 qualified for the first round. 50 competitors made it to the second round, which consisted of a two-day boot camp at Eastern University on 26 and 27 August, 2016. Through three workshops, two seminars and a two-day boot camp, Md Rakibul Hasan Raihan from East West University secured the first place. He won the Championship award, as well as Tk 50,000 as prize money from Excelerious. Mohammed Tariqul Islam, head of Group HR & Corporate Communications of Confidence Group, was the main guest of the award giving ceremony and handed over the championship trophy. To be the winner of Excelerious 2016 was a dream for Raihan when he started his journey in Excelerious 2016, but it eventually became the reality. Among the other guests, Mohammed Ibrahim [Head of HR,

TIB], Md Shumsud Doha [Assistant Director, CDC, DIU] and Ibrahim Khalil [Coordinator, CDC, DIU] were present. First runner up and second runner up position were secured by Md Mahirul Quddus and Md Golam Shaon, both from University of Dhaka. Excelerious 2016, a signature competition program based on MS Excel, is the biggest of its kind in Bangladesh, and it has partnered with 5+ academic partners, 10+ media partners and 5+ corporate partners. Confidence Group, Unicap Securties Ltd, Green Lab Environments and D-net partnered in order to support the top scorer of the competition with professional grooming and internship opportunities. The top ten participants of the competition have been offered internship opportunities. The Excelerious is a platform for curious minds, and has gained its reputation among the participants due to the first and second round workshop content designed by Sonchoy Saha, CFA. Excelerious aims to equip these curious minds with some of the fundamental skills that they will find indispensable in coming days. Md Maswud Ul Hassan, lead consultant of Excelerious project, believes that the project has just started to create a movement for a macro sustainable development

in the human capital sector of Bangladesh. Enliven Bangladesh, the host and organiser of this initiative, has been working from 2010 with a vision to develop skills and capacity of the youth. Since then, Enliven is developing a movement to build a sustainable development platform for the youth, especially through creating a marketplace where young people will get the opportunity to participate and showcase their skills, products and services. EMK Center, a non-partisan platform created in 2012 through a partnership between the Liberation War Museum and the

American Center of U.S. Embassy Dhaka, was one of the sponsors of Excelerious 2016. From ‘Soft War of Software’ to today’s Excelerious 2016, the programme advanced through learning and experimenting with enormous support from EMK Center. Among the other partners, Aatosh, a corporate visual solution startup led by Faisal, Rakeeb, Asir and Razib, contributed as the visual partner of Excelerious 2016. Four specialists from different sectors came together and ensured the best possible outcome at Excelerious 2016, including Adnan Kabir, founder of Enliven Bangladesh and Asif Yeasin

Kabir, Project Coordinator of Enliven Bangladesh. Asif Kabir acknowledged the efforts of his management team in running the promotional campaign for the last three months, and thanked the campus ambassador team and general members of the youth platform team on stage. A promotional video of Excelerious 2017 was also screened before announcing the winner of this year. The ending Excelerious 2016 also came with the promise of a bigger, better and greater vision for Excelerious 2017. For updated information about Excelerious 2017 and to sign up, visit www. excelerious.com. l

Biz Info

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

| recognition |

| meals |

UGC chairman receives ‘Professor Mobassher Ali Gold Medal 2016’

Seafood treasure on grill at Le Méridien Dhaka

Distribution ceremony of the ‘Professor Mobassher Ali Gold Medal 2016’ was held on Thursday, September 8, 2016 at the campus premises of World University of Bangladesh. Dr Mashiur Rahman, Economic affairs advisor to the Prime Minister, was present on

the occasion as chief guest. Professor Dr Abdul Mannan Chowdhury, vice-chancellor of World University of Bangladesh, presided over the function. UGC chairman Professor Abdul Mannan and Professor Emeritus of Dhaka University Dr Anisuzzaman received

| fashion |

Style & Design by Marium Mir

‘Professor Mobassher Ali Gold Medal 2016’ for their outstanding contribution to higher education. Professor Dr Yasmin Ara Lekha, pro-vice chancellor, Uttara University, and Dr Abdul Wahab, former director of Bangla Academy, were present on the occasion as guests of honour. l

To celebrate this Eid and also give you a break from the overload of meat on your menus, Le Méridien Dhaka has arranged for you to enjoy selective seafood dishes when you choose to dine there. This cuisine is rooted in Mediterranean traditions but with a fresh reinterpretation to instill the global flavours, and is inspired by Le Méridien Dhaka chefs at its Mediterranean rooftop-terrace restaurant Olea. Guests can enjoy a seafood buffet dinner at Olea prepared in this modern Mediterranean culinary style, which includes favourites such as the Spanish seafood paella, Egyptian fish kofta, Lebanese red snapper tahini, French bouillabaisse and many more dishes.

The buffet will also introduce chef special recipes such as Moroccan calamari and shrimp tagine with dried apricots, Italian style king prawn in saffron sauce, Tunisian harissa of whole-grilled fish and the likes. Additionally, guests will have the opportunity to choose catch of the day at live-kitchen stations to make their dining experience more memorable with fresh alternatives. Guests may enjoy this buffet offer at BDT 3,200++ per person every evening from 15 to 17 September 2016 at 19:00- 23:00. Buy 01 get 01 free special offers for Robi subscribers and Prime Bank Customers are available. To book a table at Olea, contact +8801990900900. l

| offer |

Eid Ul Azha special discount on diamonds at Sananda Jewelers

Marium Mir, fashion stylist and LA based designer, now based in Dhaka has a special Eid collection ready for purchase. She can be reached at +8801756424303 for business enquiries. Designer : Style & Design by Mir Marium Model: Mili Makeup hair & coordinator: Pony Photographer: Nirjon l

The festive occasion of Eid Ul Azha, the largest religious festival of Muslims, causes the sales of jewellery products in the capital Dhaka and across the country to go up tremendously. Considering this great festival, Sananda Jewelers is offering 30 per cent discount on diamond jewellery for an entire month to attract customers.

The company has offered this discount to provide a cushion to the customers, and allow them to indulge in a beautiful diamond gift this festive season. This offer will remain valid on Eid day in all the company shops across the country. Different diamond jewellery like necklace sets, finger rings, ear rings, nose pins, diamond lockets and more will be available at discounted rates. Sananda Jewelers’ outlets are: 49-51 Baitul Mukarram (Gr. Floor), Dhaka-1000. Ph: 9555847, 9554274 234-235 Dhaka New Market, Dhaka-1000. Ph: 9664409, 8626094 l

20 Editorial

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

TODAY

Your money is no good here There will be a lot of threads to start unraveling in the coming days, and anticounterfeit operatives will have their hands full PAGE 21

The dignity of our nation Zulfikar Ali Bhutto threatened that if Bangladesh carried out the trial of 195 POWs, Pakistan would also hold similar tribunals against Bangladeshis trapped in Pakistan PAGE 22

NASHIRUL ISLAM

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t risk lives on the waterways A square peg in a round hole? Is it possible for a religion as unabashedly politicised and expansionary as Islam to co-exist with liberal values? And where does that leave Bangladesh -- a country trying so desperately to prove itself to the world? 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.

he rush of people going home for the Eid holidays using water routes is a safety concern which the authorities must take seriously. It is estimated that over 1 million people will be leaving Dhaka for Eid-ulAzha, while stormy weather makes the Padma River waters quite dangerous, and our old and rickety water transport lacks adequate safety and security measures. Unfortunately, while the desperation of holiday-makers leaves them with no alternative than to get on these dangerous vessels, experience tells us that these launches are accidents waiting to happen. This year, dangers are exacerbated by the fact that strong currents and erosion in Padma River are making it difficult for ferries on Daulatdia-Paturia and ShimuliaKewrakandi to transport passengers on schedule. Small launches are at great risk of capsizing in these conditions. It is imperative that launches be equipped with life jackets, buoys, and firefighting equipment, as well as GPS systems and echo sounders. While larger vessels do have these things on board, the smaller launches do not, making night time journeys extra-hazardous. We urge the BIWTA to help ensure safe and hassle-free travels on the waterways this Eid season. The government has already taken a few laudable steps, including the deployment of mobile teams on the ground to ensure launches do not carry passengers on their roofs, and installing CCTV cameras at terminals. Let us not repeat the tragedies of the past. Needless deaths occur in launch disasters every year, deaths that could be avoided with up-to-date safety measures and stringent regulation. In the past, passenger limits and weight limits have been recklessly breached, and launch companies have continued to operate with impunity even after accidents that have cost lives. Let us treat the lives of these passengers as precious and do all we can to avoid repeating past mistakes. Eid-ul-Azha is one of the two most festive occasions of the Muslim calendar. Let us not mar it with unnecessary tragedy.

Let us not repeat the tragedies of the past. Needless deaths occur in launch disasters every year, deaths that could be avoided with up-todate safety measures and stringent regulation

Opinion

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

Your money is no good here Our criminals are getting better at faking it

A quick glance won’t tell you the difference between a real and a fake

n Abak Hussain

rom time to time, we all wish we could just print our own money instead of having to haul ourselves to work to earn an honest wage. But it takes a special kind of dishonourable person, a true pest among humans, to turn to the crime of counterfeiting money. It seems like one of those extra lazy, unimaginative things to do. In a country flooded with fake everything -- fake vegetables, fake fish (at least concerning the freshness of it), fake eggs, fake cosmetics, fake buildings, fake degrees, and fake accomplishments, the roaring trade of fake money is one of those bottom of the barrel scummy practices that really suck the creativity out of doing even a proper con job. Money counterfeiting is, then, a trade where crooked Bangladeshis will feel right at home. Look, there’s something doubly fake about fake cash. First of all, cash lacks any kind of intrinsic value in the first place. You can’t eat it (as much as it may make you salivate), and you can’t drive it around town -- cash means something only so far as society, your government, and your central bank have agreed that it is legal tender, thereby giving you rights over other things.

Even then, the value of your money is not something stable and unchanging. Hyperinflation can make the worth of your banknote go kaput. Just ask the Russian who reportedly took a sack full of money to the bank, which he left in his parked car, and returned to find his sack gone while worthless rubles were flying all around. Cash is just paper, which makes the social and legal contract that it rests on all the more sacred.

Fake money, real problem

Take out a large banknote from your pocket, and rub it with wet or sweaty fingers. If the colours are coming off, you are dealing with a fake. The fake notes being made today are pretty high quality -- they are printed on imported paper, and it is nearly impossible to tell the difference just by looking, which is why you need the dampness test. Both the watermark and the long thread found in genuine banknotes are present. Indeed, these syndicates are going to great lengths to make fake money instead of rightfully earning it. So, it was quite delightful to hear that RAB busted a major counterfeiting gang on Thursday and made five arrests. They were caught with over Tk1 crore of counterfeit.

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

There will be a lot of threads to start unraveling in the coming days, and anti-counterfeit operatives will have their hands full. Abdur Rashid, arrested in Thursday’s raid, might prove a very useful starting point though With Eid coming up, everyone is expected to be spending. From activities at cattle markets to shops and plazas to tipping and Eid bonuses, a staggering amount of money changes hands in the holiday seasons -- the perfect time for this funny money to circulate widely without being noticed. The syndicates, of course, have long tentacles, enabling them to get not just equipment and other supplies from abroad, but also the expertise. Their consultants include bank officials, and shady Pakistani, Indian, Thai, Filipino, and African professionals to give “tech support.” Counterfeiting activities, law enforcement says, might also be backed up by foreign intelligence agencies. There will be a lot of threads to start unraveling in the coming days, and anti-counterfeit operatives will have their hands full. Abdur Rashid, arrested in Thursday’s raid, might prove a very useful starting point though. Hired by Agrani Bank as a clerk

in 1996, this dubious fellow later became a junior officer. After being sacked and imprisoned for two years for appropriating money, he had a change of heart about his career. Inspired by his meeting with veteran counterfeiter Nuruzzaman, Rashid set up a printing press in Kataban where he forged documents for people. In 2000, he got into the money counterfeiting business. Now that he has been arrested again, let’s hope his luck runs out. But even with a handful of dodgy counterfeiters behind bars, the overall problem remains daunting. Obviously, both short term and long term measures will need to be taken. In the short term, the government can equip banks with quick ways of detecting fakes, and amp up police and intelligence efforts during the holiday season. Educate the people -- a PSA on how to detect forgery and what to do or where to go when you find one could go a long way in helping

the hapless public. Long term steps include getting foreign expertise to update our banknotes. Put more security features in our notes so that they are harder to forge. With an organised and thorough investigation, cut off the local and international support for our counterfeiters, identify and root out the main players, and bring down this operation for good. The life of any ordinary citizen, yours or mine, could be gravely inconvenienced by the fake notes that are flowing through our economy right now. An individual has every reason to be personally offended by the circulation of fake money. The crime of counterfeiting is an affront to one of the most basic legal agreements we have, one that makes the economy work. Violators need to be brought to book and shown no mercy. l Abak Hussain is Op-Ed Editor, Dhaka Tribune.

Opinion

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

The dignity of our nation The war crimes trials are not about vengeance, but something much more important. This is the first part of a two-part long form

Pakistan’s criticism of the ICT trials smacks of hypocrisy

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

n Emraan Azad

t has become a common and notorious practice on part of the Pakistan government to condemn the execution of war criminals in Bangladesh. The recent claim made by Pakistan that Bangladesh has violated the India-PakistanBangladesh tripartite agreement, commonly known as the Delhi Agreement of 1973, by executing war criminals, is not justifiable under international law. According to the principle of “universal jurisdiction” followed in international criminal law, no embargo can be imposed upon the trial of international crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, etc. It means the trial for the accused of these crimes can take place any time by any country having competent jurisdiction. In line with that, Bangladesh in a post-war society enacted the International Crimes (Tribunal) Act in 1973. Though Bangladesh has only recently initiated the trial of the local collaborators after four decades of its independence, it is very unfortunate that we are yet to commence the trial of the Pakistani military officials.

I want to question the role of both the state machinery and the global community in failing to punish the primary perpetrators

Among other factors, many countries that were historically burdened with potential accusations of committing international crimes are quite eager to turn a blind eye and forego consideration of trying the Pakistani forces. This poses a question: Why is it that whenever genocide or acts of brutality occur in the West, we see world leaders flying in to attend memorial services, and find expressions of solidarity pouring in from all over the world, but the issue of millions of Bengalis who were the victims of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in 1971 get considered “normal”? I am not trying to underestimate the gravity of genocidal acts which have happened or are happening now in any part of the world. Rather, I want to question the role of both the state machinery

and the global community in failing to punish the primary perpetrators such as the Pakistani military forces. Arguably, the war crimes trials are not only about punishing local collaborators over holding those Pakistani officials accountable. To quote Dr MA Hasan, convener of the War Crimes Facts Finding Committee: “The trial is never a question of vengeance but of restoring the dignity of a nation.” How far have we been successful in this respect? It remains unanswered. Why the trial of Pakistani officials did not take place for many years has been eloquently elucidated in the book The Bangladesh Military Coup and the CIA Link, written by BZ Khasru, in which the author sketches a political portrait of Pakistan-US alliance and diplomatic geo-strategy concerning Bangladesh’s Liberation War during and after 1971.

Four months into his presidency, as the fact is shown in the book, Pakistan’s then President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto wrote to US President Richard Nixon requesting him to influence Bangladesh not to put Pakistani soldiers on trial on charges of atrocities committed during 1971. However, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was determined to try Pakistani POWs. But, at one point of history, we witnessed those POWs getting repatriated to Pakistan. Initially, the issue of recognising Bangladesh as an independent state by Pakistan was subject to Bangabandhu’s holding off the war crimes trials in Bangladesh. Moreover, Pakistan was creating pressure on Bangladesh with the support of its allies to free the majority of the Pakistani POWs. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto threatened that if Bangladesh carried out the trial of 195 POWs, Pakistan would

also hold similar tribunals against Bangladeshis trapped in Pakistan. In an interview on May 27, 1973, Bhutto said: “There will be specific charges [against Bengalis held in Pakistan now]. How many will be tried, I cannot say.” To prove that it was not just an empty threat, around 203 Bengalis were immediately detained as “virtual hostages” by the Pakistan government for 195 POWs. Fearing for the fate of the thousands of Bengalis held in Pakistan, and to gain the much-needed access to the UN, Bangladesh was finally required to accept Pakistan’s proposal. In this connection, 195 POWs accused of genocide and war crimes were repatriated to Pakistan under the Delhi Agreement, and in exchange, Pakistan promised that it would hold the trial of 195 POWs on its own soil. Relying on Pakistan’s promise, Bangladesh then withdrew its demand for trying the Pakistani soldiers in Dhaka. l The concluding part of this long form will be published tomorrow. Emraan Azad is a Lecturer of Law, the University of Asia Pacific.

Opinion

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

A square peg in a round hole? Is Islam incompatible with liberal values? the book” if you’re a Christian, or delegitimise your claim to the faith if you’re a Muslim moderate. To them, anyone outside the walls of their little closed-garden version of Islam deserves nothing less than contempt, and any attempt at reason or compromise will be considered an affront to their faith. As far as the uncles are concerned, Islam isn’t a religion, it is the religion. You’re either in, or you’re in sin. So, what exactly is the point I’m trying to make here? The point is, as a religion, Islam has always sought one thing above all: Power. The evidence lies both in its history and in the conduct of its more egregious followers now. Bearing that in mind, the question then becomes: Is it possible for a religion as unabashedly politicised and expansionary as Islam to co-exist with liberal values? And where does that leave Bangladesh -- a country trying ever so desperately to prove itself to the world? You’ll never believe what the answers are! But first, an intermission. ***

A clash of competing worldviews

BIGSTOCK

Is it possible for a religion as unabashedly politicised and expansionary as Islam to co-exist with liberal values? And where does that leave Bangladesh -- a country trying ever so desperately to prove itself to the world?

n Rubaiyat Kabir

hink back to your childhood: You’re sitting comfortably in your living room, a bowl of snackables kept snug on your lap, you’re eagerly waiting for your evening cartoons to start, when suddenly the doorbell rings. It’s your uncle, come for a visit. That one uncle who’s never seen without his skullcap on or his pathetic excuse for a beard. He imposes himself beside you on the couch, interrupting your one hour of entertainment before homework, and starts to go on

about all the fun you’re depriving yourself by watching cartoons instead of studying the Qur’an. It might not have went exactly like that for you, but to me, this little anecdote is representative of Islam -- at least in the Bangladeshi context -- more than anything. Regardless of whether Islam truly is our “state religion” or not, it becomes a moot point when you consider the teeming masses that make up the Muslim majority here in our dense little country. Most of Bangladesh’s population is comprised of hardworking, (mostly) honest, bluecollar folk who want nothing more

than a square meal for themselves and their 17 children. To them, the only entity that can make it or break it is their creator. No, not their parents. This majority cares little for social progress, and phrases such as “minority rights” or “women empowerment” or, God forbid, “sexual orientation,” don’t mean anything to them. Conversely, they care little for concepts such as “Sharia law” or “Caliphate.” They are all Muslims, but moderately so. Because religion, to them, is simply a way of expressing hope. Hope for a better life. It’s hard not to sympathise with that. But what about those uncles? Well, thankfully, they’re still the minority, a vocal minority, but a minority nonetheless. However, as I’d said earlier, they are the ones who actually represent Islam for what it is, in all its imperialistic and expansionist glory. They are the ones who are quick to call you a “pagan” if you’re a Hindu, or dehumanise you as being one of the “people of

Much ballyhoo has been made of our country’s imminent economic progress, but not enough is ever said about the woeful lack of any tangible social progress. Pockets of ethnic and religious minorities dot the entire map, and it’s only a matter of time until they follow the women, and are introduced into the mainstream economy. Contrary to popular belief, economic progress relies quite a bit on social progress. What does that say about the future, then? Will these minorities be required to assimilate to the “state religion” if they wish to progress in their careers? No, a more realistic, but equally depressing scenario is that they would be discriminated against. Not because of the colour of their skin, or different facial features, but discriminated against because of their faith, or rather lack thereof. Then again, same difference, if we go by the word of the uncles. So, can Islam ever become compatible with liberal values? Unfortunately, the answer remains a firm “no” in the here and now. Unless, of course, the Islamic world dared make an attempt at reform. l Rubaiyat Kabir is a Sub-Editor at the Dhaka Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @moreanik.

24 Sport

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

TOP STORIES

ULAB make dream Campus Cricket final University of Liberal Arts, Bangladesh, have scrapped together one of the upsets of the Red Bull Campus Cricket competition’s history – their spirited spinners sucking the air from University of Central Punjab innings. PAGE 25

Djokovic faces Wawrinka in final Novak Djokovic’s strange US Open path took another odd turn Friday as the defending champion defied stultifying humidity and the controversial tactics of Gael Monfils to book a title showdown with Stan Wawrinka.. PAGE 26

Dembele hat-trick as Celtic rout Rangers Former Fulham striker Moussa Dembele of France bagged a hattrick to lead Glasgow Celtic to a crushing 5-1 win over arch-rivals Rangers yesterday in Scotland’s first top-flight Old Firm derby since 2012. PAGE 27

Ronaldo nets five minutes into return Cristiano Ronaldo took just five minutes to score on his return from a three-month injury layoff as Real Madrid continued their 100 percent start to the season with a 5-2 rout of Osasuna yesterday. PAGE 28

Manchester City’s Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne scores the opening goal past Manchester United’s Spanish goalkeeper David de Gea during their English Premier League match at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England yesterday AFP

First blood to Guardiola n AFP, Manchester Pep Guardiola enjoyed victory over his old nemesis Jose Mourinho as his Manchester City side won 2-1 at Manchester United in yesterday’s eagerly anticipated derby at Old Trafford. First-half goals by Kevin De Bruyne and Kelechi Iheanacho put City in control and despite new goalkeeper Claudio Bravo’s gaffe allowing Zlatan Ibrahimovic to hit back for United, City held firm. It was the first encounter between Guardiola and Mourinho, former El Clasico sparring partners, since 2013 and gave the former Barcelona coach an eighth win in 17 encounters with the ex-Real Madrid manager. City’s win, their 50th in competitive derby matches, saw them end United’s perfect start to the season. It left Guardiola’s side and Chelsea, who visit Swansea City today, as the only teams in the Premier League with 100 percent records. But Mourinho will have been angered by referee Mark Clattenburg’s decision not to award the home side a penalty after Bravo caught Wayne Rooney with a wild challenge inside the City area. The United manager made two

surprising changes to his team, awarding Henrikh Mkhitaryan his full debut and bringing in Jesse Lingard in place of Anthony Martial and Juan Mata. But it was a move that backfired as City immediately took a grip on the game and went ahead in the 15th minute. Aleksandar Kolarov’s high ball was flicked on by Iheanacho - in for the suspended Sergio Aguero - and De Bruyne beat Daley Blind to the ball before clinically wrong-footing David de Gea. United had barely had a kick and Rooney’s frustration showed as he grappled with Guardiola for the ball at a throw-in before catching Fernandinho late. There was worse to come for the United skipper as City made it 2-0, Iheanacho tapping in from six yards after De Bruyne’s low curler struck the base of the lefthand post. Mourinho wore a face of thunder on the touchline, but Bravo gifted his side a lifeline three minutes before half-time. The Chilean allowed Rooney’s deep free-kick to slip from his grasp and Ibrahimovic produced an athletic volley to spear the loose ball into the net. It was an unexpected foothold for the hosts and they finished the first half strongly.

Rooney crossed for Ibrahimovic to head at Bravo and the Swedish striker then saw an effort blocked by John Stones after the City goalkeeper failed to field a stray ball. Mourinho repaired his error at half-time, introducing Ander Herrera and terrace darling Marcus Rashford for Mkhitaryan and Lingard. Bravo’s jitteriness gave the home fans renewed belief and he was extremely fortunate to avoid conceding a penalty in the 56th minute. In turning away from Ibrahimovic, he overran the ball and launched himself into a lunging challenge on Rooney. Rooney was left writhing in pain, but Clattenburg waved play on, apparently deeming Bravo to have won the ball cleanly. Guardiola responded to Mourinho’s changes by bolstering his own midfield, with Fernando and debutant Leroy Sane coming on and De Bruyne taking up a central forward role. A beautifully poised game swung from end to end thereafter. United had a goal disallowed when Rashford’s shot clipped Ibrahimovic, who was standing in an offside position, and beat Bravo.l

RESULTS

Manchester United 1-2 Manchester City Arsenal

2-1

Southampton

Bournemouth

1-0

West Brom

Burnley

1-1

Hull

Middlesbrough

1-2

Crystal Palace

Stoke

0-4

Tottenham

West Ham

2-4

Watford

United manager Jose Mourinho and City manager Pep Guardiola shake hands after the match REUTERS

Sport

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

Spotlight on four rookies n Minhaz Uddin Khan Much of the focus will be on the four uncapped cricketers when the 20-member Bangladesh pool start training on September 18 for the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan which begins on September 25. Middle-order batsman Mosaddek Hossain, former Under-19 captain Mehedi Hasan Miraz, pace bowling all-rounder Alauddin Babu and paceman Subashish Roy are the ones with the opportunity to make their ODI debuts during this series. They have performed the best among the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s High Performance players in the last few months and caught attention of the selectors to make way into the national camp. Given the Afghanistan series will be preparation for the Tigers before they take on England in October, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Bangladesh think-tank trying out these newcomers. This also means that established players will have to make way for the fresh

faces. Dhaka Tribune takes a look at the four uncapped players, and what they bring to the table.

Mosaddek Hossain

Playing role: Middle-order batsman Age: 20 Mosaddek is perhaps the most deserving contender in the pool. He was in brilliant form in last season’s Dhaka Premier League. The right handed middle-order batsman, who also bowls occasional offbreak, was hot for eventual champions Abahani Limited, scoring 622 runs at an average of 77.75 with five half centuries. Mosaddek played a solitary Twenty20 international for Bangladesh against Zimbabwe in January this year. He could be

in the ODIs against Afghanistan in place of Nasir Hossain, who last played for Bangladesh in November 2015 in the home series against Zimbabwe.

Subashish Roy

Alauddin Babu

Mehedi Hasan

Playing role: All-rounder Age: 18 Mehedi made his mark with both his performance and captaincy as Bangladesh U-19 moved to the semi-finals of the U-19 World Cup for the first time earlier this year. Though he had a mediocre performance for relegated side Kalabagan Cricket Academy in the DPL, the national selectors picked Mehedi for his off-spin which can be a good option if they are looking beyond Shuvagata Hom.

Playing role: Pace bowler Age: 27 Subashish has emerged as a reputed paceman in domestic cricket but his luck has been slender in making it big and walk into the national dressing room. He had a decent season for Mohammedan Sporting Club with 18 wickets from 14 matches but the fact which puts him ahead is his domestic experience. Bangladesh in the recent times have counted on their pacers who have a big reason behind the successes, and with key bowlers including the likes of Mustafizur Rahman suffering shoulder injury and Taskin Ahmed still an uncertain prospect given his reassessment has just been completed,

ULAB make dream Red Bull Campus Cricket final n Andrew Fidel Fernando University of Liberal Arts, Bangladesh, have scrapped together one of the upsets of the Red Bull Campus Cricket competition’s history – their spirited spinners sucking the air from University of Central Punjab innings through the middle overs, before their lower order cracked crucial late boundaries to complete a fraught chase of 153, in the semi-final. Unfancied at the beginning of this campaign, with only two victories across the previous two incarnations of this event, ULAB – a Dhaka-based university – has now surged into today’s final. This last-over victory against a hitherto unbeaten side is extraordinary enough, but ULAB had already sneaked a last-ball win over South Africa in the group stages to enter the knockouts phase. With tailenders at the crease, the finish was dramatic, as ULAB’s coach and captain were seen in heated debate in the dugout. ULAB

required three to win off the final over, but had Maraj Niloy given out lbw first ball, after Niloy had resurrected the chase, virtually on his own. No 10 batsman Morsalin Mortaza, brother of Bangladesh

Subashish is most likely to make his way in at least the 14-member squad for Afghanistan series.

limited-overs captain Mashrafe, squeezed the next ball towards cover and scampered to the other end. The cover fielder attempted to run him out, but managed only to hit Mortaza’s bat – the ball skid-

ding away to the long on boundary to provide the winning runs. When the umpire signalled that boundary, jubilation erupted: the batsmen raising their arms, as teammates charged the field. l

University of Liberal Arts, Bangladesh players are all smiles following their two-wicket win over University of Central Punjab, Lahore in the Red Bull Campus Cricket in Galle yesterday COURTESY

Playing role: Pace bowling all-rounder Age: 24 Chosen for his all-round ability, Alauddin ended the DPL for Legends of Rupganj with 17 wickets in 13 innings and made decent contributions with the bat. Alauddin was picked because the selectors were looking for a fast bowling all-rounder. He also did well in the matches played by the HP squad recently. At the moment his role can fit to limited-over captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza and this might make Babu wait longer for his ODI debut.l

BPL 4 kicks off Nov 4, player draft Sep 30 n Tribune Report The fourth edition of the BPL T20 is set to kick off on November 4, 2016. The BPL’s governing council has decided to hold the player draft of the event on September 30, 2016. There will be seven teams in this season’s BPL. Khulna and Rajshahi have returned as franchises to join Comilla Victorians, Barisal Bulls, Rangpur Riders, Dhaka Dynamites and Chittagong Vikings. Sylhet Superstars will not be a part of the BPL fourth edition after their contract was terminated for breaching the franchise agreement terms and conditions. The BCB had invited expression of interest for the franchise rights of Rajshahi and Khulna and four organisations – Gemcon Group, Mango Entertainment, Tanveer Food and Labaid Group - have been shortlisted.l

Sport

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

Djokovic beats Monfils, faces Wawrinka in final n AFP, New York Novak Djokovic’s strange US Open path took another odd turn Friday as the defending champion defied stultifying humidity and the controversial tactics of Gael Monfils to book a title showdown with Stan Wawrinka. World number one and defending champion Djokovic prevailed 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 in a bizarre semi-final that saw 10th-seeded Monfils roundly booed and accused of not trying. Third-seeded Wawrinka withstood an early onslaught from sixth-seeded Kei Nishikori of Japan, asserting himself in the later stages to claim a 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-2 victory. Although Djokovic holds a 19-4 record over Wawrinka, including two victories since the Swiss player shocked him the French Open final last year, Wawrinka welcomed the chance to take him on again. “To play Novak again it will be very special,” he said. Djokovic admitted he was “completely caught off guard” when Monfils, down 0-5 in the first in 15 minutes, stood lackadaisically in the court and began chipping the ball back. The strategy paid off as Monfils reeled off three games in a row. “If I would get to the net he would go for the passing shot and hit some impossible gets and balls. But that’s Gael,” Djokovic said. It was Djokovic who emerged with the set, however, and as the Serbian star raced through the second Monfils’s interest again appeared to wane. By the sixth game the 30-yearold had won just nine points, which he managed to nudge into double figures by the end of it. Monfils, playing in only his second Grand Slam semi-final after making the last-four at the 2008

Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns a shot to Gael Monfils of France during their men’s singles semi-final on day 12 of the 2016 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre in the Flushing neighbourhood of the Queens borough of New York City on Friday AFP French Open, theatrically hobbled off the court and was jeered. He was booed again by sections of the 20,000-strong crowd as he dropped the first game of the third set. Monfils said his tactics were a deliberate attempt “to get inside his head”. A more orthodox approach saw Monfils break back for 2-2 and again for 4-2 in a third set that saw Djokovic receive treatment on his

Clijsters, Roddick in Hall of Fame contention n

AFP, New York

Former world number ones Kim Clijsters of Belgium and Andy Roddick of the United States were among nominees announced Thursday for 2017 induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Voting will take place later this year with inductees announced early next year and enshrinement set for July of 2017 at the Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. Clijsters, 33, spent 19 weeks atop the rankings. She won the US Open in 2005, 2009 and 2010 and the 2011 Australian Open. She won 41

career singles titles. “I’m incredibly honored to be considered for the Hall of Fame,” said Roddick, the 2003 US Open champion. “I put my all into our sport for many years and I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to compete with some of the best athletes tennis has ever known, many of whom were idols I looked up to all my life.” Roddick, 34, spent 13 weeks atop the world rankings, including as the 2003 year-end world number one. He won 32 career singles titles and helped the Americans win the 2007 Davis Cup title. l

left shoulder. Although Djokovic saved one set point, and gave himself three break chances in the ninth game, Monfils was able to extend the match, marking the moment with a mighty roar to which Djokovic responded by ripping off his shirt. “I think I should not have allowed him to come back to the match after two sets to love up and 2-love in the third,” Djokovic said.

“He started believing in himself. I think the crowd disliked his efforts towards the end of the second set. I think he felt like he needs to step it up and start to play better, which he did.” After giving back an early break in the fourth Djokovic had treatment on his right shoulder, but he broke twice more to close out the win. Djokovic arrived at the semi-finals having played just two

complete matches in five prior rounds after a walkover from one opponent and the mid-match retirements of two others. Wawrinka’s arduous path to the title match included saving a match point in the third round. He’s spent 17 hours and 54 minutes on court. Wawrinka, who was in the US Open semis for the third time in four years, was delighted to finally make it to the final.l

Nishikori runs out of gas n AFP, New York Kei Nishikori did the hard work by knocking world number two Andy Murray out of the US Open but blunting the free swinging backhand of Wawrinka was a step too far. The Japanese star took the first set off the third-seeded Swiss but in Friday’s crushing humidity and heat, he simply ran out of gas in the semi-final, losing 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-2. “I went a little too much to his backhand. He started using the backhand down the line. He can hit angles really well with topspin. Yeah, definitely I was struggling with his backhand,” said the 26-year-old. Nishikori had reached the final

in New York in 2014 where he lost to Marin Cilic. After enjoying a fiveset win over Wimbledon champion Murray in the fourth round, he was tipped to return to the final this year. But the efforts of beating Murray proved too much. “It’s not easy when you have to play No. 2, No. 3, and, you know, Novak Djokovic was waiting in the finals,” said Nishikori. “It wasn’t easy but if I could have won the last few matches a little easier I could have had more chance today and maybe reach the final.” Despite the loss, Nishikori said “it was a good summer” after finishing runner-up at the Toronto Masters and winning a bronze medal at the Olympics. l

Sport

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

Hull’s Phelan picks up manager of the month award

n Reuters, London Hull City manager Mike Phelan has been named the Premier League manager of the month for August after guiding the promoted club to an impressive start in England’s top flight. Hull began the season with wins over Leicester and Swansea before losing 1-0 to Manchester United. l

DAY’S WATCH FOOTBALL STAR SPORTS 2 English Premier League 9:00PM Swansea City v Chelsea

TEN 2 French Ligue 1 9:00PM Stade Rennais v Caen 12:35AM Nice v Olympic Marseille

TEN 3 Sky Bet EFL 6:15PM Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest

SONY SIX Spanish La Liga 4:00PM Sporting Gijon v Leganes 10:00PM Granada v Eibar 12:30AM Deportivo La Coruna v Athletic Bilbao FIFA Futsal World Cup 3:00AM Mozambique v Australia 5:00AM Ukraine v Brazil 7:00AM Paraguay v Italy

SONY ESPN Italian Serie A 4:30PM Bologna v Cagliari 7:00PM Roma v Sampdoria 12:30AM Pescara v Inter Milan 5:00AM FIFA Futsal World Cup 2016 Guatemala v Vietnam

TEN 1 French Ligue 1 7:00PM Nantes v De Metz

TENNIS TEN 1 US Open 2016 10:00PM Final: Women’s Doubles 2:00AM Final Men’s Singles

MOTO GP TEN 2 2:00PM Race : San Marino GP

Sri Lanka’s Tillakaratne Dilshan acknowledges the crowd at the end of the last match of his career, a Twenty20 cricket match against Australia at the R. Premadasa Cricket Stadium in Colombo on Friday AFP

Dilshan heads into the sunset content with achievements n Reuters, Colombo Moving up to open the innings for Sri Lanka changed his career but it was a decision he should have taken two years earlier, Tillakaratne Dilshan said after retiring from international cricket following Friday’s Twenty20 loss against Australia. Inventor of the famous “Dilscoop” ramp shot, Dilshan played the last of his 87 Tests in 2013 before quitting the longer format with 5,492 runs and 39 wickets to his name. The 39-year-old signed off from the shorter formats with over 10,000 runs and 22 centuries in 330 one-day internationals and 80

T20 matches. He is one of only six men to have scored a hundred in all three formats of the game. “I think I should have taken the decision to move up to open earlier,” Dilshan said before Friday’s match.

the side as an opener. From 2009 to 2016 I scored 21 hundreds in one-dayers. That was a position I really enjoyed. “That change in position changed my career and I think I helped the side there a lot as well.”

TILLAKARATNE DILSHAN Mat

Inns

Runs

Ave

100

Tests

145

5492

193

40.98

65.54

ODIs

330

303

10290

161*

39.27

86.23

T20Is

1889

104*

28.19

120.54

“I made that decision in 2009 but I should have made that a couple of years (before) to (break) more records,” he added. “I realised that I can do more for

Dilshan, who made his one-day debut against Zimbabwe in 1999, was also a wily off-spinner and one of the most agile Sri Lankan fielders even at the age of 39.

He took over 100 wickets in ODIs and made life difficult with the ball for his opponents even in his last match. He gave away eight runs and claimed two wickets in two overs in his last spell in international cricket. “I’m really happy with what I’ve done for 17 years for my country and my team,” he said. “I didn’t look to break records. A few days back, I went back and looked at what I had done for 17 years. “I have broken a lot of records, I’m really happy. I never played for the record, I always played for the team and country,” he added. “Now is time to enjoy myself with the kids and the family, they have sacrificed a lot for the last 15-20 years.” l

Dembele hat-trick leads Celtic rout of Rangers n Reuters, London Moussa Dembele bagged a hat-trick to lead Celtic to a crushing 5-1 win over arch-rivals Rangers yesterday in Scotland’s first top-flight Old Firm derby since 2012. Rangers’ spiral into financial chaos and demotion to the lower divisions left the Scottish Premiership bereft of its standout fixture and it returned with a bang at a rocking Celtic Park.

Champions Celtic dominated possession in the early stages and took the lead after 33 minutes when Dembele headed home Scott Sinclair’s corner powerfully. Dembele doubled the lead with a precise shot three minutes before halftime but Rangers hit back just before the interval, Joe Garner heading in from close range at the far post. Rangers’ hopes of a fightback ended in the 73rd minute when Philippe Senderos was sent off. l

Celtic’s Moussa Dembele in action with Rangers’ Philippe Senderos during their Scottish Premiership match at Celtic Park yesterday REUTERS

Sport

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

Lewandowski fires Bayern past Schalke n AFP, Berlin Robert Lewandowski and Joshua Kimmich struck late goals in Bayern Munich’s 2-0 win at Schalke in the Bundesliga on Friday as teenage Portugal star Renato Sanches made his debut for the Bavarian giants. Dutch forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar rattled the crossbar for Schalke early in the second half as the hosts frustrated the reigning champions for much of the evening in Gelsenkirchen. But Lewandowski struck his fourth goal in two games nine minutes from the end to put Bayern ahead, before setting up Kimmich in stoppage time to wrap up a second victory in as many matches for Carlo Ancelotti’s side. The Italian handed Sanches, 19, his first Bayern start following his return to fitness from a thigh injury initially sustained during Portugal’s triumphant Euro 2016 campaign. l

Real Madrid’s Portuguese talisman Cristiano Ronaldo scores during the match against Osasuna at Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain yesterday

REUTERS

Ronaldo nets five minutes into return n AFP, Madrid

Cristiano Ronaldo took just five minutes to score on his return from a three-month injury layoff as Real Madrid continued their 100 percent start to the season with a 5-2 rout of Osasuna yesterday. Antoine Griezmann kick-started Atletico Madrid’s La Liga campaign with two goals and an assist as a 4-0 hammering of Celta Vigo gave them a much-needed first win of the season. Champions Barcelona will attempt to join Real at the top of the table on nine points at home to

Alaves later. Ronaldo was making his first appearance since limping off in tears during the Euro 2016 final, but was handed the perfect return on a plate by Gareth Bale as the Welshman squared for Ronaldo to tap into an unguarded net. Despite failing to hit top gear Real comfortably matched a club record of 15 straight La Liga wins as Danilo’s low drive and a towering header from Sergio Ramos extended the lead before half-time at the Bernabeu. Osasuna goalkeeper Nauzet Perez meekly turned Pepe’s header into

his own net for Real’s fourth before Luka Modric’s fiercely struck shot from outside the box made it 5-0. Ronaldo was withdrawn to a standing ovation to make way for Karim Benzema with one eye on Wednesday’s clash with his first club, Sporting Lisbon, in the Champions League. However, Real’s defensive deficiencies were exposed in the second-half as Oriol Riera and David Garcia cut Osasuna’s deficit, whilst Roberto Torres saw a penalty saved by Kiko Casilla. Earlier, Griezmann handed Atletico a much-needed boost after

being held by promoted Alaves and Leganes in their opening two league games. Koke met Griezmann’s fine cross eight minutes into the second-half in Vigo to give the visitors the lead before Euro 2016’s top scorer Griezmann headed home his first two goals of the season in the final 20 minutes. Angel Correa added a fourth two minutes from time. In an uncharacteristic outburst, Griezmann had claimed after the 0-0 stalemate at Leganes two weeks ago that Atletico would be “fighting against relegation” rather than chal-

lenging Barca and Madrid for the title if they did not improve fast. However, he apologised for those comments after coming alive in the second-half against Celta Vigo. “We needed a game like this,” Griezmann told BeIN Sports Spain. “I apologise, I shouldn’t have said what I did publicly. It was in the heat of the moment, but I am very happy with what we did as a team today. “I am still getting back into my rhythm (after the Euros) and still have a way to go, but I am giving my all and I’m very happy to get the goals and the assist.” l

Three new additions in Championship League

Women win again in Chess Olympiad

n Tribune Report

Kawran Bazar Pragati Sangha, Chittagong Mohammedan Sporting Club and Saif Sporting Club Limited are the three new additions in the upcoming Bangladesh Championship League season 2015-16. A meeting of the Bangladesh Football Federation’s executive committee took place at the BFF House yesterday afternoon where the decisions were made. Out of the three new clubs, only Kawran Bazar played in the last edition of the first division football league which didn’t take place this year. Kawran Bazar finished fourth

in the previous edition but were promoted because third-placed Jatrabari Club didn’t show interest while T & T Club Fakirarpul YMC are already in the second tier. Chittagong Mohammedan are one of the oldest clubs in the history of Bangladesh football and the port city outfit were a regular side in the top-flight football until 2011 before being relegated. They however, didn’t take part in the last edition of the first division but will play in the Championship League because of their “past” and being a club outside the capital. The most interesting addition

is that of Saif Sporting Club, who were only formed officially last month. The owner of the club is Saif Powertec Limited as well as its managing director Tarafder Ruhul Amin, who is also the football committee chairman of rising powerhouse Chittagong Abahani. “They [Saif Sporting Club] have financial strength and back-up. They also have good administration. They are planning big in football for the future. It’s good for the country’s football if more of such clubs come forward,” said BFF general secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag yesterday.l

Bangladesh women’s chess team registered their second consecutive victory in the 42nd World Chess Olympiad as they defeated Jordan by 3-1 points in the seventh round in Baku, Azerbaijan on Friday. In the women’s section, Sharmin Sultana Shirin beat Women’s Fide Master Boshra Alshaeby, WFM Nazrana Khan Eva beat Women’s International Master Fuad Kamal Jamaliah, WIM Rani Hamid beat Razan Alshaeby while WIM Shamima Akter Liza lost to WFM Alattar Ghayda. Meanwhile, the men’s team con-

ceded their second straight defeat and this time, they lost to a strong Serbia team by 3-1 points in the seventh round of the open section. Only Grandmaster Enamul Hossain Razib (rating 2431) won against higher ranked Serbian GM Ivanisevic Ivan (rating 2650). GM Ziaur Rahman lost to GM Markus Robert, IM Mohammad Minhaz Uddin lost to GM Indjic Aleksandar and GM Niaz Murshed lost to GM Markovic Miroslav. Following the seventh round, Bangladesh women earned eight match points and 16 game points while the men collected seven match points and 16 game points. l

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Roman garment (4) 5 Fruit (5) 8 Counting frame (6) 9 Thin fog (4) 10 Horseplay (3) 12 Steal livestock (6) 13 Method (6) 15 Superficial show (6) 18 Fall into disuse (6) 20 Anger (3) 21 Stiff hair (4) 23 Seemingly mocked by fate (6) 24 Tenth part (5) 25 To let stand! (4)

DOWN 1 Stops up (5) 2 Kimono sash (3) 3 Catches the breath (5) 4 Perform (3) 5 Take for granted (7) 6 Separate (4) 7 Border (4) 11 Drug-yielding plant (4) 12 Daydream (7) 14 Period of time (4) 16 Happening (5) 17 Respond (5) 18 Rhythmic swing (4) 19 Raw hide (4) 21 Distress call (3) 22 Neckwear (3)

Downtime

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 20 represents L so fill L every time the figure 20 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

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

Bollywood’s global search for heroines

Chinese actress Zhu Zhu

n Showtime Desk Actresses from abroad who make inroads into Bollywood are not few in numbers nowadays. There is Remo D’Souza who casts Nathan Jones in a pivotal role in A Flying Jatt or Gauri Shinde who employs French actor Mehdi Nebbou in English Vinglish. The strikingly successful Brit-import Katrina Kaif, who claims an Indian connection, seems to have started the influx - she has been followed by several foreign beauties, amongst whom Jacqueline Fernandes, Giselli Monterio, Barbara Mori, Kalki Koechlin, Amy Jackson and Lauren Gottlieb have succeeded in creating waves in Bollywood. Now, three major forthcoming films starring a trio of megastars - Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgn - will each have foreign heroines playing the romantic leads. Most bright-eyed Bollywood

starlets would have given an arm to be cast opposite Salman Khan in his 2017 Eid release, Tubelight. But the actress who has bagged the plum role is not Indian but internationally acclaimed film and television Chinese actress Zhu Zhu. The actress has formerly been seen in the Hollywood production Cloud Atlas, the Netflix’s original series Marco Polo and is also a pop star and VJ in her homeland, China. Director Kabir Khan is confident that, “Salman and she will make an interesting on screen couple.”

The trailer for Ajay Devgn’s Diwali 2016 release, Shivaay, is grabbing attention not only because of his daredevil stunts, but also because of the pretty European girl who plays his love interest. She is Erika Kaar from Poland. The actress reveals that’s she was auditioned in Warsaw and the fact that she learnt a couple of lines in Hindi too helped her bag the role. Erika says about Ajay: “It took months to break the ice. He is a very modest, hard-working and an intelligent person. When he enters the room, you know someone important has entered.” Shah Rukh Khan plays a local don in the Gujarat of the 1990s in the Rahul Dholakia directed Raees, scheduled to be released on Republic Day, 2017. And cast opposite him is not one of the A-list brigade from Bollyood but Pakistani actress Mahira Khan. While actresses like Meera and Sara Loren from across the border have tried their luck in Bollywood in the past, Mahira has bagged a biggie which might turn the tables in her favour. With three foreign heroines making their debut in the coming months, looks like India’s becoming a part of the global village and actors from different countries are showing interest in Bollywood. l Source: Hollywood gossips

Erika Kaar from Poland

New face on the mini screen Foysal Ahad

n Showtime Desk Foysal Ahad a talented actor of the small screen has already created a buzz by showing his skill in portraying versatile characters. Nowadays, he is busy acting in a number of shows, which are being broadcasted on

different channels. Akdin Bristite Bikel E directed by Khalid Hossain Somrat on Channel i, Noashal directed by Salah Mir Sabbir on RTV and Relation, directed by Pallab Biswas are mentionable among his notable performances. Having an academic background in acting, Foysal Ahad aspired to be an actor since his childhood, and his family supported him thoroughly to make the dream come true. He debuted in the drama serial titled FnF, directed by Redwan Roni aired on NTV, and instantly grabbed the attention of viewers. Foysal, who wants to be a character artist, got the chance to work in another play titled “Din Jai,” where he played an exceptional role. He calls it the “turning point” of his career. The play was based on the story of the Liberation War, where Foysal was seen opposite Tisa. l

Pakistani actress Mahira Khan

Two generations meet at Anandamela

n Showtime Desk The longstanding Eid programme by BTV is being produced in a new format for the upcoming Eid-ulAdha. The programme will be anchored by actor Al Mansur and singer Parshi, who will represent cultural elements of their own respective generations. Al Mansur will represent the older generation and Parshi will represent the current generation. This is the first time Parshi will be working as a TV programme presenter. Our culture has a golden past in

all the different sectors including drama, cinema, and music. The artists from the past enriched our culture by their contributions and the current generation artists are doing the same. This episode of Anandamela intent to showcase these examples. The programme will feature songs by Kumar Biswajit, Parshi, a special song about the Padma Bridge featuring vocals by S. S. Rana, Sabbir of Close-Up One fame, Rajib, Rashed, and Shera Kantha Star Ripon. The Anandamela theme song has been recorded by

Bappa Majumdar and Konal. Actor Mamunur Rashid will play the role of Nawab Sirajuddawla. Cricket star Ashraful will appear in a special segment about ‘danguli and cricket’. There will be also a segment on ‘Sujonshokhi’ and ‘Monpura’, two films representing two different time. A.T.M Shamsujjaman will appear in the role of ‘grandpa’. Humaira Himu will act in a small drama where her character travels back in time from 2080 to look for her younger brother. The classical dancer Rekha will perform a dance piece accompanied by a group of modern tap dancers. Anandamela is produced by Mahfuza Akhtar and coordinated by M.S. Rana. “Our past led us where we are now and the present will similarly lead to a golden future. That is the central theme of the programme and that’s what we wanted to convey,” Al Mansur said. “This is my first time presenting a TV prgramme. It was a wonderful experience,” Parshi said. l

New releases at Star Cineplex

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

Eastwood’s latest hits theatres n Showtime Desk This Friday, a new film titled Sully hit American theatres. Directed by the legendary Clint Eastwood and starring Tom Hanks in the title role, the film is expected to do well in the box office. It is based on a true story about a veteran pilot, Captain Chesley Sullenberger, and his heroic act which saved the lives of 155 people. Before the movie premiered in

n Showtime Desk After being closed temporarily, STAR Cineplex is now ready to entertain audiences like before. In fact, Cineplex has already come back with two latest releases starting Friday September 9, 2016 – Hollywood crime thriller Mechanic: Resurrection and Disney’s remake of the children’s fantasy flick Pete’s Dragon. Mechanic: Resurrection is a story about master assassin Arthur Bishop (Jason Statham), who is

living under cover in Brazil, until he springs back into action after an old enemy (Sam Hazeldine) kidnaps the woman (Jessica Alba) he loves. To save her life, Bishop must kill an imprisoned African warlord, a human trafficker (Toby Eddington) and an arms dealer (Tommy Lee Jones), all while making the deaths look like accidents. When things don’t go exactly as planned, Bishop turns the tables on the people who forced him out of retirement. In Pete’s Dragon, woodcarver

Music therapy for Swift n Showtime Desk Taylor Swift, 26, had reportedly been taking a hiatus from writing and recording music, but after two shocking breakups in the last six months, what’s a girl to do but write? Making music is like therapy to the “Bad Blood” singer, and she could certainly use it right now, after her recent split with Hollywood heartthrob Tom Hiddleston. “Taylor is handling things well and she is working on music and writing lyrics down all the time, especially since she has been involved in so many recent high profile news stories with Tom Hiddleston or Kanye West, and even the Super Bowl speculation,” a source said. “She has a lot of material to work off.” In fact, rumours suggest there could be a full tour on the way. A new album is “still a work in progress because when she puts something out, she wants to fully support it with a tour and television appearances,” the source continued. “She is enjoying

theatres, the Captain himself made an appearance on the Late Night Show with Stephen Colbert. “I never thought that I’d be on this show or have Tom Hanks and Clint Eastwood involved in telling my story,” he said. Given the A-Listers involved and the trailers released, it might be a great contender for this year’s Oscars. So far, most critics have given the movie a positive review. l

Mr. Meacham (Robert Redford) delights local children with stories of a mysterious dragon that lives deep in the woods of the Pacific Northwest. His daughter Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard) believes these are just tall tales, until she meets Pete (Oakes Fegley), a 10-year-old orphan who says he lives in the woods with a giant, friendly dragon. With help from a young girl named Natalie (Oona Laurence), Grace sets out to investigate if this fantastic claim can be true.l

WHAT TO WATCH Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance HBO 3:42pm As Johnny Blaze hides out in Eastern Europe, he is called upon to stop the devil, who is trying to take human form. Cast: Nicolas Cage, Fergus Riordan, Ciarán Hinds, Violante Placido, Idris Elba The Chronicles of Narnia Zee Studio 4:30pm Four kids travel through a wardrobe to the land of Narnia and learn of their destiny to free it with the guidance of a mystical lion. Cast: Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Tilda Swinton

a little break so there is still some time for all of that.” l Source: Hollywood Gossip

Showtime

G.I. Joe: Retaliation Zee Studio 7:20pm The G.I. Joes have been set up to take the fall for a crime they didn’t commit and must now retaliate back. Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Bruce

Willis, D.J. Cotrona, Byunghun Lee, Adrianne Palicki Never Back Down 2: The Beatdown WB 9:00pm Four fighters with different backgrounds come together to train under an ex-MMA rising star and then ultimately have to fight each other. Cast: Evan Peters, Dean Geyer, Alex Meraz, Todd Duffee, Scottie Epstein Ant-Man Star Movies 9:30pm Armed with a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, cat burglar Scott Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, plan and pull off a heist that will save the world. Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Pena, Anthony Mackie

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016

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United States, Russia clinch Syria deal n Reuters, Geneva The United States and Russia hailed a breakthrough deal on Saturday to put Syria’s peace process back on track, including a nationwide truce effective from sundown on Monday, improved humanitarian aid access and joint military targeting of banned Islamist groups. “Today, Sergei Lavrov and I, on behalf of our presidents and our countries, call on every Syrian stakeholder to support the plan that the United States and Russia have reached, to ... bring this catastrophic conflict to the quickest possible end through a political process,” US Secretary of State John Kerry told a news conference after marathon talks in the Swiss city. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that despite continuing mistrust, the two sides had developed five documents that would revive a failed truce agreed in February and enable military coordination between the US and Russia against militant groups in Syria. Both sides agreed not to release the documents publicly. “This all creates the necessary conditions for resumption of the political process, which has been stalling for a long time,” Lavrov told a news conference. The deal followed talks that stretched late into Friday night and several failed attempts to hammer out a deal over the past two weeks. The announcement on Friday was delayed as Kerry and US negotiators consulted with officials in Washington. “The Obama administration, the United States, is going the extra mile here because we believe that Russia, and my colleague (Lavrov), have the ability to press the Assad regime to stop this conflict and to come to the table and make peace,” he said. Previous efforts to forge agreements to stop the fighting and deliver humanitarian aid to besieged communities in Syria have crumbled within weeks, with the United States accusing Assad’s forces of attacking opposition groups and civilians. Kerry said the “bedrock” of the new deal was an agreement that the Syrian government would not fly combat missions in an agreed area on the pretext of hunting fighters from the banned Nusra Front, an al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria. “That should put an end to the barrel bombs, and an end to the

indiscriminate bombing, and it has the potential to change the nature of the conflict.” Under the agreement, Russian-backed government forces and opposition groups, supported by the United States and Gulf States, would halt fighting for a while as a confidence building measure. During this time, opposition fighters will have the chance to separate from militant groups in areas, such as Aleppo, where they have become intermingled. “We must go after these terrorists,” If the truce holds from Monday, Russia and the United States will begin seven days of preparatory work to set up a “joint implementation centre”, where they will share information to delineate territory controlled by Nusra and opposition groups. Both warring sides would pull back from the strategic Castello Road in Aleppo to create a demilitarized zone, while opposition and government groups would both have to provide safe and unhindered access via Ramouseh in the south of the city. “We must go after these terrorists,” Kerry said. “Not indiscriminately, but in a strategic, precise and judicious manner so they cannot continue to use the regime’s indiscriminate bombing to rally people to their hateful crimes.” All sides in the conflict would need to adhere to the nationwide truce, Kerry added, cautioning opposition fighters that if they did not separate from Nusra they would not be spared from air attacks. “This requires halting all attacks, including aerial bombardments, and any attempts to gain additional territory at the expense of the parties to the cessation. It requires unimpeded and sustained humanitarian access to all of the besieged and hardto-reach areas including Aleppo.”

Pentagon and US intelligence officials have spoken out against the idea of closer military cooperation with Russia, in particular the sharing of locations of opposition groups that have fought to topple Assad. US Defence Secretary Ash Carter, who only days ago delivered a forceful speech in England criticising Russia, has long been sceptical of Moscow’s intentions in Syria. The Pentagon said in a statement

it would carefully monitor the “preliminary understanding” agreed on Friday and cautioned the Assad regime and its backer, Russia, to stick to deal requirements. “Those commitments must be fully met before any potential military cooperation can occur,” Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said. “We will be watching closely the implementation of this understanding in the days ahead.” The United States and Russia

have backed opposite sides in Syria’s civil war, with few signs of an end in sight to more than five years of conflict, which killed more than 400,000 people and drove tens of thousands of refugees into Europe. The United Nations said on Friday the Syrian government had effectively stopped aid convoys this month and the besieged city of Aleppo was close to running out of fuel, making the talks even more urgent. l

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