25 Sep, 2016

SECOND EDITION

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

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Ashwin 10, 1423, Zil-Hajj 22, 1437

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Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 148

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www.dhakatribune.com

Syrian govt makes Aleppo advance in major attack n Reuters, Beirut The Syrian army and allied militia seized ground north of Aleppo yesterday, tightening a siege of the city’s rebel-held east as it came under fierce air strikes in a major Russian-backed offensive that has left Washington’s Syria policy in tatters.

The capture of the Handarat camp a few kilometres north of Aleppo marked the first major ground advance of the offensive, which the government announced on Thursday. Residents of the rebel-held half of the city say warplanes have unleashed unprecedented fire-power.

Yesterday’s advance captured the camp for Palestinian refugees on elevated ground overlooking one of the main roads into Aleppo.

Handarat had been in rebel hands for years.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

A boy inspects a damaged site after airstrikes on the rebel held Tariq al-Bab neighbourhood of Aleppo, Syria Friday

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32 pages |

Price: Tk10

Police search for gunman who killed 5 in Washington n Reuters, Washington A manhunt was underway yesterday in northwest Washington state for a gunman who entered a Burlington shopping mall with a rifle the previous evening and killed five people before disappearing under the cover of darkness, the state police force said.

A man walked into the Cascade Mall, around 105km north of Seattle, and began shooting on Friday, Washington State Patrol spokesman Mark Francis said on Twitter. The attack took place in the cosmetics section of a Macy’s department store, Francis told the New York Times.

Four women were initially killed in the rampage, which state police believe was carried out by a lone gunman. Later a man who was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries died, Francis said in a statement early yesterday morning.

REUTERS

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Use of AK22 rifles rising

Formidable Tigers up against Afghanistan n Mazhar Uddin It is pretty much the same team which were beaten by Afghanistan in Fatullah in the Asia Cup back in 2014.

Two years went by and now it’s a totally different team. The scenario has changed drastically as Bangladesh have raised their standard to the next level.

During this time, the Tigers

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Jamil Khan, n Mohammad in Dhaka and FM Mizanur Rahaman, in Chittagong

Bangladesh bowling coach Courtney Walsh shares a light moment with fast bowler Taskin Ahmed during training in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

The law enforcers have noticed that militants are now preferring semi-automatic AK22 rifles, apart from using small arms, but have failed to catch the rackets who bring in these sophisticated weapons from across the border.

Around two dozens of AK22 rifles have been recovered from Chittagong and Dhaka in the last couple of years including three from the Holey Artisan Bakery at Gulshan where Islamist militants killed 23 people, mostly foreigners, on the

night of July 1.

The latest recovery was made at the Narayanganj den of the New JMB, a faction of banned militant outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh responsible for series of attacks since last year, where its alleged main coordinator Tamim Ahmed Chowdhury was killed in a raid on August 27.

Earlier militants used machetes and small arms in attacks alongside hand bombs, grenades and IEDs. But they tend to use AK22 rifles to carry out massacres.

Investigators say terrorists prefer this rifles since they are similar  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

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Formidable Tigers up against Afghanistan qualified for the quarter-finals of the World Cup and followed it up by winning series over Pakistan, India, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

It is no surprise therefore, to see Mashrafe bin Mortaza and his troop growing from strength to strength, especially in the 50-over format, over the last two years.

And when the Tigers face Afghanistan in the first of three day-night ODIs in Mirpur’s Sher-eBangla National Stadium today, the home side will be looking to continue their brilliant run. The match begins at 2:30pm.

Bangladesh’s first hurdle would

be to get into the groove right from the word go as they played their last international game almost six months ago.

However, their task is likely to be made slightly easier as fast bowler Taskin Ahmed got the green signal from the International Cricket Council to bowl again. In the absence of the injured paceman Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin’s addition will no doubt boost the pace bowling department.

Another pacer Shafiul Islam is likely to make a comeback today and with the likes of Mashrafe and spinners Taijul Islam and Shakib

Use of AK22 rifles rising to the AK47 rifles, easily available, handy, cheap and less noisy.

Sources in the DMP’s Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit, the agency investigating militancy issues, say most of these rifles were sent from Dubai and entered Bangladesh through Chittagong and Rajshahi borders with India and Myanmar.

These are meant for carrying out deadly terrorist attacks, not for conducting small crimes, they say.

Monirul Islam, chief of the CTTC unit, told the Dhaka Tribune that they had got some information regarding the suppliers and financiers of these arms, but were yet to make any arrest.

Apparently, the AK22 rifles look similar to the much-known AK47 rifles. The Romania-made AK22 rifles weighing around 3kgs can fire 21-34 bullets at a time. As it is not legally sold in Bangladesh, its price in black market ranges between Tk300,000 and Tk400,000.

According to police sources, the first AK22 rifle was recovered at Raozan, Chittagong on August 11, 2008. Police’s elite force Rapid Ac-

tion Battalion made the recovery.

The second recovery was made on July 10, 2013. Members of the Chittagong Metropolitan Police sized one rifle from Moizzyartek area, but failed to arrest anyone.

On April 29 the following year, an AK22 rifle, magazines and bullets were seized by the police from an abandoned bag at Kamalapur Railway Station. It was sent from Chittagong.

At least 13 AK22 rifles were seized along from Chittagong district last year. Most of those were bought by militant group Shahid Hamza Brigade.

Only one person involved in trading of these rifles was arrested in these incidents.

A high official of the CTTC unit quoting arrested New JMB militants said that the terrorists preferred AK22 rifles due to unavailability of AK47 rifles – used commonly by international militant groups including the Islamic State. These rifles can be easily folded and carried in small backpacks.

Investigators suspect that the New JMB has still got nearly a doz-

al Hasan propping up the bowling department, the Afghan batsmen certainly have their work cut out.

Meanwhile, young batsman Mosaddek Hossain has a bright chance of making it into the starting XI which means opener Imrul Kayes and all-rounder Nasir Hossain might have to sit out the game, alongside pace bowler Rubel Hossain.

Besides Shakib, experienced trio Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim will once again look after the batting duties along with opening batsman Soumya Sarkar and youngster Sabbir Rahman.

Afghanistan, in contrast, will not

en AK22 rifles in their possessions.

Sanowar Hossain, additional deputy commissioner of the CTTC unit, said that the militants might have collected a number of such rifles to conduct attacks. “Drives to arrest the militants and recover the arms are under way,” he added.

“Some Indian insurgent groups and local militant outfits are bringing weapons from the north-eastern states of India,” says a high official of a law enforcement agency, seeking anonymity.

Lt Col Miftah Uddin Ahmed, commanding officer of RAB 7 in Chittagong, told the Dhaka Tribune earlier that an arms dealer named Mozaher Hossain Mia of Satkania, a leader of Hamza Brigade, had been the key supplier of weapons including AK22 rifles.

“Some of those arms were brought for Hamza Brigade,” he said, adding that most of those arms and ammunition had been recovered in drives.

Mozaher collected the arms from a man in Rangamati, who reportedly smuggled those in from India, Myanmar and China. l

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 be short of confidence as they have won 14 out of 23 matches this year.

And ahead of the Bangladesh ODIs, the Afghans underwent a 20-day training camp in India to sharpen their skills.

Asghar Stanikzai and his troop are a fine blend of youth and experience and they have picked three youngsters from the Under-19 side which took part in the 2016 U-19 World Cup. Young leg-spinner Rashid Khan impressed with his variation in their lone practice match against Bangladesh Cricket Board XI, bagging two wickets, and will prove to

Police search for gunman who killed 5 in Washington Authorities offered no information about a possible motive for the attack, which followed a series of violent outbursts at shopping center across the United States, including the stabbing of nine people at a Minnesota centre last weekend.

There was no indication from authorities that the rampage was linked to any previous attack, and none of the victims were identified.

Local and state police officials were not immediately available for further comment but were expected to hold a news conference later yesterday morning.

Francis said on Twitter that police and rescue workers had carefully worked their way through the mall, clearing stores and evacuating shoppers, some of whom locked themselves in dressing rooms.

He also said police were searching the area for the shooter, who was described as a “Hispanic male wearing gray” and was last seen walking toward a nearby interstate

Syrian govt makes Aleppo advance in major attack “Handarat has fallen,” an official with one of the main Aleppo rebel groups told Reuters. An army statement confirming the advance said “large numbers of terrorists” had been killed.

Dozens of people have been reported killed in eastern Aleppo since the army announced the new offensive late on Thursday, burying any remaining hope for reviving a ceasefire that was brokered by the United States and Russia, but which Moscow and its ally President Bashar al-Assad abandoned after a week.

US Secretary of State John Kerry was left pleading this week with Russia to halt air strikes, but was ignored.

The collapse of peacemaking, and Assad’s decision to launch an all-out assault on the last big urban area still in rebel hands, appears to mark a turning point in a conflict that was stalemated for years. Assad and his allies seem more deter-

mined than ever to crush the nearly six-year-old rebellion by force.

Residents say air strikes on eastern Aleppo have been more intense than ever, using more powerful bombs. Rebel officials said heavy air strikes yesterday hit at least four areas of the opposition-held east, and they believe the strikes are mostly being carried out by Russian warplanes. Video of the blast sites show huge craters several metres wide and deep.

Western countries and international aid organisations say they fear for the lives of more than 250,000 people civilians believed to be trapped in the rebel-held zone of Aleppo, Syria’s biggest city, divided into opposition and government sectors for years. The army says it is only targeting militants.

There are planes in the sky now,” Ammar al Selmo, the head of the Civil Defence rescue service in the opposition-held east, told Reuters

from Aleppo yesterday morning.

The group draws on ambulance workers and volunteers who dig survivors and dead bodies out of the rubble, often with their bare hands.

It says several of its own headquarters have been targeted. “Our teams are responding but are not enough to cover this amount of catastrophe.”

Rubble

Damascus and allies including Shi’ite militia from Iran, Iraq and Lebanon have encircled rebel-held areas of Aleppo gradually this year, achieving their long-held objective of fully besieging the area this summer with Russian air support.

A pro-government Iraqi militia commander in the Aleppo area told Reuters the aim was to capture all of Aleppo within a week.

A Western diplomat said on Friday the only way for the government to take the area quickly would be to totally destroy it in

be a handful for the hosts, according to Mosaddek.

Seasoned cricketers like the former skipper Mohammad Nabi, wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Shahzad and Samiullah Shenwari will be expected to chip in with their vital contributions.

As far as the weather is concerned, it rained heavily yesterday.

The pitch was covered and there is expected to be some movement for the faster bowlers.

Keeping that in mind, the toss will be vital and there is every chance that the game will be a curtailed one. l

“such a monstrous atrocity that it would resonate for generations”.

A Syrian military source told Reuters the operation announced late on Thursday was continuing according to plan, but declined to give further details. The source said on Friday the operation could go on for some time.

Asked about the weapons being used, the source said the army was using precise weapons “suitable for the nature of the targets being struck, according to the type of fortifications”, such as tunnels and bunkers, and “specifically command centres”.

A senior official in an Aleppo-based rebel faction, the Levant Front, told Reuters the weapons appeared designed to bring down entire buildings.

Most of the victims are under the rubble because more than half the civil defence has been forced out of service,” he said.

The Syrian Observatory for Hu-

highway.

State police released a grainy photo of the suspect taken by a surveillance camera. It showed a young man who appeared to be in his 20’s with short dark hair and a pale complexion and carrying a rifle.

Local authorities searched throughout the night for the gunman, believed to be armed with a rifle, and warned residents to remain inside.

“Tragedy has struck in Washington tonight. Our hearts are in Burlington,” Governor Jay Inslee said on Twitter.

The shooting comes less than a week after a man stabbed nine people at a mall in the central Minnesota city of St Cloud before being shot dead by an off-duty police officer.

The FBI is investigating that attack as a potential act of terrorism.

“At this time, the FBI has no information to suggest additional attacks planned in WA state,” the Washington State Patrol said on Twitter. l

man Rights, a British-based organisation that reports on the war, said it had documented 72 deaths since Friday, including five children.

Selmo of the Civil Defence said the toll was more than 100.

“The raids are intense and continuous,” Observatory Director Rami Abdulrahman told Reuters.

The Syrian army says it is targeting rebel positions in the city and denies hitting civilians.

“Every missile makes an earthquake we feel regardless of how far off the bombardment is,” one Aleppo resident said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said a revival of a ceasefire in Syria depended on all sides involved and not only on “Russia’s unilateral concessions”.

“One can only speak about the ceasefire revival only on the collective basis,” he said in an interview for the TV news show Vesti yesterday. l

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Parliament goes into session today n UNB The Jatiya Sangsad will go into its 12th session at 5pm today after a 59-day recess.

Before the House goes into the session, the Business Advisory Committee of Parliament will sit in a meeting with Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair at 4pm on the day to fix its duration and businesses, said AM Motaher Hossen, director (PR) of the Parliament Secretariat.

On September 5, President Abdul Hamid convened the session exercising the power bestowed upon him as per Article 72 (1) of the Constitution.

A total of 15 bills will be discussed in the session where four bills are new and 11 bills are old. The four new bills include Bus Rapid Transit Bill 2016, Bangladesh Rural Development Academy Bill 2016 and Bangladesh National Cadet Core Bill 2016.

With passing 16 bills out of the total 27, the budget session of the 10th Jatiya Sangsad (parliament) was prorogued on July 27 as the speaker read out the prorogation order of the president after 32 sittings of the 11th session that began on June 1. l

The picture shows participants of Man’s Wheelchair Basketball Camp 2016 organised at the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed (CRP) in Savar. Despite being physically challenged, these men overcome the obstacles to participate in a game which they love and enjoy DHAKA TRIBUNE

DMP: Akash’s link to Gulshan terror attack not confirmed n Kamrul Hasan

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police chief yesterday said that they were yet to find any evidence that the fugitive Bangladeshi terrorist who was deported by the Malaysian authorities on September 2 had any involvement with the Gulshan cafe attack.

Peyar Ahmed Akash of Feni was wanted in an arms case, “but there is no evidence of his terrorist link,” DMP Commissioner Asaduzzaman Miah told reporters after a programme at Tejgaon in Dhaka.

Akash was first arrested on September 18, 2005 for selling off AK47 rifles stolen from the 10-truck arms seized in Chittagong in 2004. He came out of jail on bail and went to Malaysia – thanks to his brother-inlaw Abu Yusuf, the nayeb-e-ameer of Feni district unit Jamaat-e-Islami.

Malaysian police arrested him on August 19 this year in a crackdown for smuggling weapons for an international terror group and deported to Bangladesh on September 2. The following day, DB police handed him over to Da-

gonbhuiyan police. Jamaat leader Yusuf again managed the police to provide Akash extra facilities while in custody.

number of other like-minded terrorists killed or remain missing studied at that university. Moreover, several top militant leaders are

Malaysian police arrested Akash on August 19 this year in a crackdown for smuggling weapons for an international terror group On September 4, he was shown arrested in the arms case as an absconder and sent to jail through the District Joint Sessions Judge’s Court. The court has so far recorded depositions of 14 out of the 19 witnesses.

Akash was facing Interpol red notice after the Bangladesh government had requested the international organisation for his arrest.

In the last two days, several Malaysian newspapers reported quoting police that Akash had met Gulshan terror attack suspects at his restaurant Rasana Bilash in Kuala Lumpur. One newspaper even named Andaleeb Ahmed, claiming that he used to go to the restaurant.

Andaleeb was a classmate of Gulshan attacker Nibras Islam at Monash University in Malaysia. A

also hiding in Malaysia, detectives say.

At his restaurant, Akash also campaigned against the ongoing war crimes trials in Bangladesh.

“There is no evidence that he is involved in the attack on Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan or any militant activities,” the commissioner told reporters. He said that the Malaysian government had not given them any information about Akash’s militant connection. “But the police will investigate the matter,” he added.

At the event, the DMP chief lauded the role of the police against militants in the recent past. He said that the US was assisting the Bangladesh police with technical supports and training to increase efficiency. l

Law minister bins media reports on Noor Chy n Tribune Report The law minister yesterday termed baseless the media reports that claimed that Canada has scrapped an asylum plea of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s self-confessed killer Noor Chowdhury.

“The Bangladesh High Commission in Canada has confirmed us that the media reports were untrue,” Anisul Huq said, adding that he also spoke to the foreign minister, now in New York, after the news broke in local media.

“The high commissioner [in Canada] also contacted with the Bangladesh desk at the Canadian foreign office as well as the convict’s lawyer to confirm the matter.”

Canada’s constitution does not allow the country to send back any death-row convict to any country where the sentence can be executed, the minister said.

The news of Canada deporting Noor first came in Kolkata’s Anandabazar Patrika, and later carried by several Bangladeshi newspapers.

Lt Col (retd) SHMB Noor had served in Hong Kong, Iran, and Brazil before leaving for Canada on a visit visa in 1996. He left the country as the then Awami League government scrapped the Indemnity Act that prevented the trial of Mujib’s killers.

A Dhaka court on November 8,

1998 sentenced Noor and 14 others to death for the assassination of Bangabandhu and most of his family members on August 15, 1975.

After appeal hearing, the death penalty of 12 was upheld and five of the convicts hanged in 2010.

Noor’s application for refugee status has been rejected a total of four times. His political asylum application was rejected in 2006 and at that time, his appeal against death sentence was pending with the Supreme Court.

Canada also sent his passport to the Bangladesh high commission in Ottowa that year and was positive about his deportation. But the then government took no step to bring him back. He filed another application in mid-2007, which is stated to be pending with the Attorney General’s office.

The law minister said that the Bangladesh’s efforts to bring back the convicted killers would continue. “The government will raise the issue on table whenever two countries hold talks,” he added.

Bangladesh had requested Canada several times to extradite Noor, but the requests were turned down.

During her recent visit to Canada, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina raised the issue during a meeting with her counterpart Justine Trudeau who assured her of finding a way for the deportation of Noor Chowdhury. l

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Businessman found dead in hotel room n Arifur Rahman Rabbi

Police yesterday recovered the body of a manpower businessman from a residential hotel in Motijheel area.

The deceased was identified as a Hamidur Rahman Mujibor, 38, hailing from Mymensingh District.

Hamidur was a former army man and lived in Shajahanpur with his wife and three children, police said.

Officer-in-Charge of Motijheel police station Omor Faruk told the Dhaka Tribune that a woman has been detained for questioning.

The OC said that on September 23 Hamidur and a woman booked a room together at the Arena Hotel.

Hamidur fell ill on Saturday night and passed away before he could be taken to the hospital.

The police were informed by hotel authorities and they recovered and sent his body to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) morgue for an autopsy.

OC Faruk said Hamidur quit the army almost a decade ago because of heart disease and became an associate of a travel agency starting the manpower business. l

Members of Bangladesh Rabidas Unnayan Parishad form a human chain in front of National Press Club in Dhaka yesterday demanding inclusion of Rabidas community on the list of minor indigenous peoples MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Mosharraf for Ramna Park’s renovation n UNB The government will do everything necessary for the renovation, beautification and preservation of Ramna Park and its heritage and biodiversity, Housing and Public Works Minister Mosharraf Hossain said yesterday.

“It’ll be now easier to beautify and renovate Ramna Park as the people of all sections have come forward to this end. We’ll now refurbish it with experts’ opinions, and plant more saplings that will reflect our tradition,” he said.

The minister came up with the remarks while speaking at a consultation meeting at Ramna Restaurant with experts over enhancing the beauty of Ramna Park and preserving its heritage and biodiversity.

He said they have already banned holding any programme, except Pohela Boishakh celebration, in the Ramna Park.

The minister voiced concern that the beauty of the park and the existence of its

rare trees and other plants have been put at stake with its uncontrolled use.

Mosharraf said the park lakes will be excavated during the dry season and made it attractive with different types of flower plants, including water lily, the national flower.

He also said manpower for gardening, cleaning the park and its toilets will be recruited through outsourcing for getting better services.

The minister thanked the experts for giving their valued opinions to improve the park and assured them of implementing those after proper evaluation.

Mosharraf also said they have also taken a project involving Tk329 crore for the development and beautification of the Suhrawardy Udyan and preserve the historical places relating to the Liberation War in the park.

He said they have already identified the places from where Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mu-

jibur Rahman had delivered the historical March 7 speech in 1971 and where the Pakistan Army surrendered on December 16 so that the new generation can see those.

At the meeting, the experts suggested increasing the greeneries of the Ramna Park, beautifying its lakes, and entrances with flower plants, planting bird-friendly tress in solitary places, putting nameplates on the trees, logging mahogany and other unnecessary trees, replacing those with local spices, intensifying security in the park and ensuring proper waste management in the park.

Meanwhile, a seven-member digital survey committee, headed by the superintending engineer of Public Works circle 1, Dhaka, has been formed for the development of the park and implementation of various long-term plans.

A survey will be conducted to identify the unnecessary trees, while new trees will be planted in open spaces under a specific plan. l

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UK appreciates BD’s fight against terrorism

n UNB British Minister for Asia and the Pacific Alok Sharma has appreciated Bangladesh for the way the present government is dealing with terrorism and violent extremism in the country.

The appreciation came when Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali had a bilateral meeting with Sharma on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday.

The foreign minister stated that the UK is Bangladesh’s important development partner and there is a scope for enhanced British investment in different sectors in Bangladesh, especially in infrastructure.

The two ministers discussed a number of issues of common interest during the meeting, said the Foreign Ministry yesterday.

They touched upon the issues like investment, regional economic integration, migration and implications of Brexit. l

A crowd of people are seen to wait for buses to go home at Dhaka’s Shahbagh yesterday due to shortage of public transport soon after the afternoon rain SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Preliminary study finds Sundarbans free of microplastics n Nure Alam Durjoy

Having weathered human encroachment for years, the Sundarbans is surprisingly still not as polluted with microplastics as it should have been, according to a preliminary study.

However, the biodiversity and ecosystem of the world’s largest mangrove forest is still under threat because of the pollution resulted from the increasing urbanisation and industrialisation of the surrounding areas, the scientists warned.

The study, titled “Investigating microplastics and its effects on the ecosystem of the Sunderbans,” is being conducted by the department of chemistry of Dhaka University in collaboration with Linköping University, Sweden.

Prof Nilufar Nahar, chairperson of the department of chemistry, is supervising the research, which is funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology.

The study aims to determine the level of chemical contamination in

ants,” Shoeb told the Dhaka Tribune.

He led a team of four members to present the preliminary findings at the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Conference, the largest environmental chemistry conference in Asia, held on September 17-19 in Singapore.

In order to get more specific information on microplastic pollution and its impact on the forest’s ecosystem, more time and study covering larger areas is necessary, he told the Dhaka Tribune. “We will need at least three years of research in order to come up with the final findings.”

However, the preliminary study found presence of other pollutants, especially DDT and lead. The researchers said it was most likely due to the human population living in the sample areas.

the forest as no such research has been done before, said Prof Mohammad Shoeb, member of the team conducting the study.

“From what we have found so far, the presence of harmful microplastics is negligible in the Sundarbans,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.

However, the findings are based on very small samples collected from selected areas in the forest, he warned.

Samples were collected in May this year; 15 sediment samples were collected from Karamjal Point, the Rupsha River, Mongla seaport and the areas surrounding the Sundarbans, while 30 water samples were collected from 10 different places and 11 fish samples from the surrounding areas, researchers said.

“We began our investigation on a very small scale for preliminary data. The areas that we studied turned out to be negligibly contaminated, perhaps because the samples were collected during the monsoon and river current was strong, washing away the pollut-

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of the pollution and identify the steps to prevent contamination of the Sundarbans,” she added.

“Development of industrial infrastructure in the areas surrounding the Sundarbans has increased over the years, posing potential threat to this unique ecosystem.

The plastic waste discharged by the industries ends up in the Bay of Bengal, and some of it passes through the Sundarbans, affecting its ecosystem,” said Shoeb. “Precautions must be taken to minimise contamination of this system.” l

What are microplastics?

According to Environment microplastics smaller than 27

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diameter. In the last 40 years, the concentration of microplastics has increased significantly in the surface waters of the ocean.

“We use plastics in everything we use in our day-to-day life, unaware of the serious effects it has on both the environment and humans,” Prof Nilufar Nahar, who is supervising the study, told the Dhaka Tribune.

“This research on the Sundarbans is first of its kind in Bangladesh and very timely and important. It will help us find the extent

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the United Nations Programme (Unep), are plastic particles five milimetres in 25

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Barisal

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:49AM

34.5ºC Kumarkhali

23.8ºC Tetulia

Source: Accuweather/UNB

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Fajr: 5:15am | Zohr: 1:15pm Asr: 4:45pm | Magrib: 6:10pm Esha: 8:00pm Source: Islamic Foundation

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Downpour boosts Ilish netting Ahad Chowdhury n MA Tuhin, Bhola Fish stockists, traders and fishermen of Bhola district are very busy from morning to till night for unloading fishes from the boats and supply the wholesale markets across the country as the netting of the delicious fish boosts due to heavy rain.

Fishermen of the district are pocketing good profits, as Ilish are being netted in abundant number in the Meghna River. A beam of satisfaction is seen in the faces of thousands of fishermen and they are passing busy time with happy mood.

Officials of Fisheries Department of Bhola district claimed that plentiful number of Ilish are being netted in due to heavy downpour of this season. On the other hand, successful implementation of ban on Ilish netting allow proper breeding of Ilish that has boost its production.

Md Rezaul Karim, District Fisheries Officer said: “Earlier

of the year, fishermen did not get enough Ilish due to lack of rain. Now water level of the river has increased due to heavy rain and fishermen are netting huge amount of Ilish.

Netting Ilish is related with the deepness of water level.”

Senior Fisheries Officer Assaduzzaman said: “This year fishermen get bigger size and plenty of Ilish than those of previous years and it has happened due to government’s step to prevent small size Ilish catching.”

Bholar Khal, Nachhir Majhi, Korarhat, Tulatuli, Biswhoraod Fisheryghatof Sadar upazila, Patar Khal of Daulatkhan upazila, Mongal Sikdar, Nazirpur, Lord Hardings Fishery Ghat of Lalmohan upazila, Monpurbazar are the busiest hubs for Ilish trading in the district where traders as well as fishermen remain busy round the clock.

Sellers sources said: “Four Ilish weighing around 1kg are sold for Tk3,000 to Tk3,500 while four Ilish weighing around 600gm to 800gm are sold at Tk1,400 to Tk1,900.” l

Two killed in AL intra-party clash Khoda Sobuj, n Kudrote Kushtia At least two people were killed and 20 others injured in a clash between two groups of Awami League in Sadar upazila on Saturday morning.

The deceased were Iman Ali, 35, of Machhpara village, and Shahabuddin, 42, of Boidyanathpur village.

Jhaudia police camp incharge Dilip Kumar said two groups of AL one led by incumbent union chairman Keramat Ali and another by former chairman Bakhtiar had long been at loggerheads over establishing supremacy in the area.

According to local sources, the clash broke out at Machhpara village in Jhaudia union around 6am. Iman Ali was killed on the spot and Shahabuddin succumbed to his

injuries after he was taken to Kushtia General Hospital.

Of the injured, eight bullet-injured were admitted to Kushtia General Hospital where Shahabuddin succumbed to his injures around 9.45am, said RMO of the hospital Dr Taposh Kumar Sarker.

Locals said the supporters of AL leader and Jhaudia union parishad chairman Keramat Ali, and the Jhaudia union AL president Bakhtiar Hossain earlier had engaged in at least three clashes over the issue.

During yesterday’s clash, 22 houses were vandalised and looted in the village.

Among the victims, Iman Ali reportedly was a supporter of Keramat Ali. Dilip Biswas said the situation had been brought under control. l

Arms trader held in Chittagong Mizanur Rahaman, n FM Chittagong

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested an alleged firearms dealer and recovered five guns and ammo from his possession at Pakua upazila in Cox’s Bazar on Saturday.

The arrested was Md Nur Safi, 32,

son of Ishaq, a resident the upazila, said RAB sources.

“RAB personnel recovered the guns and eight bullets from his possession during the drive”, said Assistant Director (AD) Chandan Debnath of RAB-7 media wing.

The RAB official said acting on tipoff that a group of arms traders were

gathering at local Dhoniakata Bazar area of Pekua for trading firearms, a team of RAB-7 conducted a raid in the area at night.

Later, the RAB officials held Nur with a school bag and searching the bag they found the firearms, said the AD Debnath. Arrested Nur is an accused of a robbery case filed in 2007. l

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Two killed in Rajshahi n Abdullah Al Dulal, Rajshahi Two people were killed in separate incidents in Rajshahi district on Saturday.

Selim Hossain, officer-in-charge of Bagmara police station said Khusi Begum had allegedly extra-marital relation with a person and that was the reason of long-lasting conflict between the couple. As sequel to the conflict Khusi Begum killed her husband Sazzad Hossain, 28, by suffocating him with a pillow.

On information, police recovered the body and sent it to Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH) for autopsy.

Police also arrested Khushi Begum in this connection.

In another incident, Mithu Ali of Shialy village under the upazila killed his wife Tahmina Begum, 38, over a family feud in the morning.

Police also arrested Mithu.

Two separate cases were filed in these connections. l

An artisan seen busy making idols ahead of Durga Puja. The picture was taken yesterday from a temple at Northbrook Hall Road in Bangla Bazar, Dhaka

Nasrul: Rampal project will continue despite Unesco advice n Tribune Desk Construction of the coal-fired power plant in Rampal, Bagerhat will continue despite Unesco’s advice to suspend it, said Nasrul Hamid, state minister for power, energy and mineral resources.

“The Rampal power plant project will continue as no decision has been made by the government to stop it,” he told reporters yesterday after a workshop on the environmental impact of Siddhirganj power plant.

The workshop, titled “Cumulative Impact Assessment of Siddhir-

ganj Power Hub,” was organised by the Power Cell at Bidyut Bhaban in Segunbagicha, Dhaka.

The state minister’s response came after a report by Unesco – United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation – suggested that the government cancel the Rampal project, which was undertaken to build a 1,320MW coal-fired power plant in a location near the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world, considering the probable negative impacts on the forest.

The project is being implemented jointly by Bangladesh and India

despite huge opposition from the local environmental groups. Indian power company BHEL has been given the contract to build the project.

The state minister said the government would respond to the observations and queries of Unesco, following which it would make its decision regarding the future of the project.

“Let’s see what happens in the future. But so far, the government’s decision is to continue the project,” he said.

Nasrul further said the government would conduct environmental impact assessment study for each power hub in the country to

find the right solution to mitigate the impact of power plants on the environment.

He said the government has planned to raise the country’s overall power generation capacity to 40,000MW by 2030 from the current 10,000MW. “We have to conduct studies to determine the impact on environment before taking up any project,” he said at the workshop.

The workshop was also addressed by Energy and Power Research Council Chairman Dr Ahmed Kaikaus and Power Cell Director General Mohammad Hossain. l

Nur Hossain engages in fight with prisoner Hossain, n Tanveer Narayanganj

Narayanganj seven-murder case prime accused Nur Hossain has allegedly engaged in a scuffle with another accused within the court over food dispute.

Nur Hossain and Emdad, another accused of the case engaged into hassle following an argument in Narayanganj District and Session Judge Court yesterday, said court sources.

Court sources said in the morning, police produced sensational seven-murder case prime accused Nur Hossain Nur Hossain, three ex-

RAB officers-Lt Col Tarek Sayeed Mohammad, Major Arif Hossain and Major MM Rana along with 19 others accused before the court to record the deposition of witnesses including Mamunur Rashid Mondal, investigation officer of the case.

In the afternoon, while the court went launch break, police supplied 23 packets of biriyani for the accused. Emdad, ex-habildar of RAB alleged that he did not get food and locked in argument with Nur Hossain. At one stage of argument, they engaged into fight, said the sources.

Inspector of Fatullah Model po-

lice station Shahjalal said: “Nur Hossain and Emdad have engaged into a hassle over food distribution in the noon. Later, police brought the situation under control.”

Earlier in the day, lawyer of three ex-RAB officials interrogated investigation officer Mamunur Rashid Mondal in front 23 accused and District and Sessions Judge Syed Enayet Hossain took the deposition of the investigation officer.

On April 27, 2014, Nazrul Islam, his three associates and driver were abducted from Fatullah area in the city. At the same time, senior lawyer of the Narayanganj District Judge’s Court Chandan Kumar

Sarker and his driver were abducted on their way to Dhaka.

Three days into their abduction, the bodies of six people, including that of Nazrul and Chandan, were recovered from the Shitalakkhya and Dhaleshwari rivers on April 30.

The body of Nazrul’s driver Jahangir was recovered from the Shitalakkhya River on May 1.

Two cases were filed in connection with the murders. Nazrul’s wife Selina Islam Beauty filed a case against six people, including former councillor Nur Hossain, while Chandan’s son-in-law Bijoy Kumar Paul filed the other case against some unknown people. l

RAJIB DHAR

Seven JMB men jailed n Tribune Desk A total of seven activists of Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) were sentenced to different terms of imprisonment in Chapainawabganj and Khagrachhari on Saturday.

The Special Tribunal 2 in Chapainawabganj sentenced Md Abdul Momin, 24, hailing from Kalai Dear village of Gomostapur upazila, and Rabiul Islam, 21, from Moshuribhuja Shonarpara village in Bholahat upazila, to 14 years’ rigorous imprisonment in an arms case.

On the other hand, Md Abdur Rahim, Md Delwar Hossain, Md Yunus Ali, Md Shamsu Mia and Md Shamim Ahmed of Khagrachhari got seven years of rigorous imprisonment in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act 2009.

The convicts in Khagrachhari were also fined Tk2,000 each. In default, they will have to spend two more years in jail.

Momin was arrested with ammunition and radical books from in front of Kharagpur Government Primary School on June 14, 2009,

by Shibganj police, according to the case statements.

Based on his confession, police detained Rabiul with a one-shooter gun, three rounds of bullets, four pipes and bomb-making materials from his bedroom at Moshuribhuja Shonarpara village on June 17.

A case was filed against the duo with Bholahat police that day.

Shamim managed to escape the scene and remained fugitive. l

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SOUTH ASIA

23 dead in Pakistan mountain bus accident At least 23 people were killed when a minibus plunged from a mountain road into a river in a remote area of Pakistan-administered Kashmir late Friday. The accident took place at Nausehri, some 45km north of Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, when the minibus driver lost control. AFP

INDIA

PM Modi: Pakistan a haven for terrorism India’s prime minister said Saturday that he would work to isolate Pakistan internationally, accusing his country’s archrival of trying to destabilise Asia by exporting terrorism. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a nationally televised speech that in the last four months, Indian security forces have killed 110 terrorists who crossed over the cease-fire line in Kashmir from Pakistani territory. AP

CHINA

Chinese premier envisages FTA with Canada

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Friday that his country is willing to open free trade talks with Canada as a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) will benefit both sides.

“Signing an FTA with Canada will be a challenge for China as it will have to bear greater pressure than the developed countries,” Li said at a business forum also attended by his Canadian counterpart, Justin Trudeau. XINHUA

ASIA PACIFIC

North Korea air show thumbs nose at sanctions North Korea put on an unprecedented civilian and military air force display Saturday at the country’s first ever public aviation show. The 2-day Wonsan International Friendship Air Festival was held at the newly refurbished Kalma Airport - completed last year to boost tourism in the area around the eastern port city of Wonsan. AFP

MIDDLE EAST

Militant attack kills 12 in Iraq’s Tikrit Twelve people were killed on Saturday when militants attacked a police checkpoint north of Tikrit and then detonated a car bomb at the entrance to the city. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, the first of its kind since the city, 150km north of Baghdad, was retaken from IS in April 2015. REUTERS

Obama vetoes bill allowing 9/11 victims to sue Saudi n Tribune International Desk President Barack Obama on Friday vetoed legislation allowing families of victims of the September 11 attacks to sue Saudi Arabia, which could prompt Congress to overturn his decision with a rare veto override, the first of his presidency.

Obama said the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act would hurt US national security and harm important alliances, while shifting crucial terrorism-related issues from policy officials into the hands of the courts.

The bill passed the Senate and House of Representatives in reaction to long-running suspicions, denied by Saudi Arabia, that hijackers of the four US jetliners that attacked the United States in 2001 were backed by the Saudi government.

Fifteen of the 19 hijackers were Saudi nationals.

Obama said other countries could use the law, known as JASTA, as an excuse to sue US diplomats, members of the military or companies - even for actions of foreign organizations that had received US aid, equipment or training.

“Removing sovereign immunity in US courts from foreign governments that are not designated as state sponsors of terrorism, based solely on allegations that such foreign governments’ actions abroad had a connection to terrorism-related injuries on US soil, threatens to undermine these long-standing principles that protect the United States, our forces, and our personnel,” Obama said in a statement.

Senator Chuck Schumer, who co-wrote the legislation and has championed it, immediately made clear how difficult it will be for Obama to sustain the veto.

Schumer, the number 3 Democrat in the Senate, issued a statement within moments of receiving the veto, promising that it would be “swiftly and soundly overturned.” He represents New York, home of most of the September 11 victims.

Both the Democratic and Republican candidates for president, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, said they would have signed the bill into law if they were in the White House.

Some doubts

If two-thirds of the lawmakers in both the Senate and House vote to override, the law would stand, the first such override since he became president in 2009, and possibly the last.

Protesters and family members of 9/11 victims protest in front of the White House regarding President Barack Obama’s threatened veto of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) in Washington, DC on September 20 REUTERS Obama leaves office in January.

Friday’s veto was the twelfth of his presidency.

An override has been expected, despite some lawmakers saying they had doubts about the measure.

In a letter seen by Reuters on Friday, Republican Representative Mac Thornberry, chairman of the powerful House Armed Services Committee, said he would oppose the override.

House Speaker Paul Ryan said Wednesday he thought there were enough votes to override a veto, but had concerns. “I worry about trial lawyers trying to get rich off of this. And I do worry about the precedent,” he told reporters.

The “9/11 Families & Survivors United for Justice Against Terrorism” group, which has pressed Congress to uphold the legislation, called Obama’s veto explanation “unconvincing and unsupportable.”

The Saudi government has lobbied heavily to stop the bill, the European Union has formally opposed it and Gulf States have condemned it.

Major US corporations such as General Electric and Dow Chemical have also pressed lawmakers to reconsider.

“The bill is not balanced, sets a dangerous precedent, and has real potential to destabilize vital bilateral relationships and the global economy,” GE Chief Executive Jeffrey Immelt said in a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who supports the bill.

Sovereign immunity

The US-Saudi relationship had already been strained by Obama’s engagement with Saudi’s Shia foe Iran and the July release of a secret report on Saudi involvement in the attacks.

The White House insists Obama did not veto because of concerns over ties with Saudi Arabia, saying it is worried the bill would set a dangerous legal precedent, undermining the principle of sovereign immunity.

The European Union and a host of countries have expressed similar concerns.

But that technical legal argument will struggle to be heard over emotive accusations that Obama is putting relations with Saudi Arabia before 9/11 victims.

The White House will now hold out hope that the override could be delayed until after the November 8 election, when the politics may be less toxic and minds may be changed.

Congressional sources said White House appeals to security-minded senators like Dianne Feinstein may yet be enough to avoid the rebuke.

Lawmakers vow to override the veto

Democrats and Republicans are vowing to decisively override President Barack Obama’s veto of the bill to allow families of September 11 victims to sue the government of Saudi Arabia for the kingdom’s alleged backing of the terrorists who killed nearly 3,000 people.

Obama rejected the bill Friday, warning of a host of unintended

and severe consequences if it were enacted. The legislation, according to Obama, could leave American troops and diplomats overseas vulnerable to lawsuits in foreign courts from people seeking redress for actions taken by armed groups that are backed or trained by the United States.

The bill’s proponents disputed Obama’s rationale, arguing the measure is narrowly tailored and applies only to acts of terrorism that occur on US soil.

“This is a disappointing decision that will be swiftly and soundly overturned in Congress,” said Senator Chuck Schumer, D-NY, who sponsored the bill. “If the Saudis did nothing wrong, they should not fear this legislation. If they were culpable in 9/11, they should be held accountable.”

In a letter Friday to his GOP colleagues, Representative Mac Thornberry of Texas, the Republican chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, amplified the military’s concerns and urged Republicans to study the bill’s consequences. He said he opposes the legislation.

“The risks of discovery or trial in foreign courts, including the questioning of government employees under oath, will disclose sensitive information and subject Americans to legal jeopardy of various kinds,” Thornberry said.

But Senator Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said he is confident Congress will overwhelmingly override Obama’s veto. l

Sources: REUTERS, AFP, AP

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Winning over women will be key in Trump/Clinton face-off on Monday n Reuters, Washington, DC When Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton face off in their first presidential debate together on Monday, they will have their best chance yet to win over the roughly 27m Americans who have yet to decide who to vote for.

In some ways, this group looks like a typical Trump supporter: they are mainly white, without college degrees, older, and frustrated by the status quo.

With polls showing a close fight between Trump and Hillary, this is a group that could decide the election.

Katie Packer, a Republican strategist who served as a top aide to Mitt Romney in 2012 said polls show that many undecided women have been put off by Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric, while others see Clinton, the first female presidential candidate from a major US party, as dishonest.

Roughly 20% of America’s likely voters are still on the fence, compared to just 12% at the same time in the 2012 election, underscoring the unpopularity of both Trump and Clinton.

Some 77% of them think the

the two candidates has narrowed with six weeks left before the November 8 election.

saying Fox News host Megyn Kelly had “blood coming out of her wherever,” a comment many interpreted as referring to her menstruating, although he insisted that was not what he meant.

He has also called television personality Rosie O’Donnell a “fat pig” and made fun of former presidential rival and ex-Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina’s face, saying, “Would anyone vote for that?”

Clinton’s campaign has seized on the vulnerability. This week it launched an ad titled “Mirrors” that shows images of girls looking in mirrors while recordings of Trump comment on women’s weight and breast size, calling them “slob,” “pig,” and “fat.”

Torn

Clinton has her own troubles

TRUMP V CLINTON: THE FIRST TV DEBATE A head-to-head in the race for the White House 3 themes 90 minutes

no ad breaks

“I understand it’s a contact sport”

USA

Hofstra Univeristy Hempstead (New York) Monday Sept 26 9:00pm local time

America’s direction

“If she treats me with respect, I will treat her with respect” Achieving

Securing America

prosperity

Moderator Lester Holt (NBC Nightly News)

Hillary

Donald Informal briefings Age: 70 Authenticity Visceral, vulnerable on fine detail Retransmission Next A record audience? debates Major TV networks October YouTube 100 million 9 and 19 Twitter possible Facebook live viewers 66.4 67.2 80.6 1960 Kennedy-Nixon 2012 Obama-Romney 1980 Carter-Reagan Sources: Commission on Presidential Debates, media

Clinton Age: 68

preparation Dry run with a Trump stand-in Mastery of the issues qualities Little charisma, cerebral

country is on the “wrong track,” which puts them more in line with Trump supporters than Clinton backers. They are also similar in age to many Trump backers: some 54% are at least 55 years old.

And 67% never earned a college degree, compared with 71% for Trump supporters and 56 percent for Clinton supporters.

Gender-wise, they track more closely with Clinton’s base. Some 60% are women. Trump’s base is made up of about 48% women, compared with 52% for Clinton.

The most recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found Clinton leading Trump by 4 percentage points in a twoway race. The Democratic nominee has mostly led Trump in the poll this year, but the gap between

Trump

With neither candidate a clear favourite on issues like creating jobs or keeping the nation safe, nearly a third of uncommitted voters said they may be more likely to vote for a third-party candidate than for either Clinton or Trump.

Women have been a lingering problem for Trump, whose unfiltered speaking style and fiery rhetoric on immigration and security have put many off. He has also gotten into trouble for some remarks he has made about women.

He was widely criticised for

Multiple polls show that her use of a private email server without approval while secretary of state has deepened voters’ mistrust of her even though she has since acknowledged it was a mistake. Trump frequently calls her “Crooked Hillary.”

FBI director James Comey recommended in July that no criminal charges be brought against Clinton for her handling of classified information while she was secretary of state, but he called her use of the server “extremely careless.” l

FACTBOX

Re-elected UK Labour leader Corbyn’s key policy Veteran left-winger Jeremy Corbyn was re-elected leader of Britain’s opposition Labour Party on Saturday after being challenged for the role by one of his lawmakers.

Following are some of Corbyn’s main policy views, many of which have fired up a new generation of left-wing activists:

Brexit Corbyn, who critics have accused of being a lacklustre campaigner for Britain’s EU membership during this year’s referendum campaign, has rejected calls for a second referendum and said the vote to leave must be respected.

He has said Labour will be pressing for Britain to have full access to the EU’s single market, but without requirements to liberalise and privatise public services. It will also call for protections for social, employment and environmental rights to be maintained in the Brexit deal.

Corbyn has said falling back on World Trade Organization terms with the EU could risk significant job losses and would be damaging to Brit-

ain’s public finances.

Economy Corbyn opposes the Conservative government’s spending cuts and has pledged to create a National Investment Bank and network of regional investment banks to invest £500bn pounds over 10 years into infrastructure and high-tech industries.

Under his leadership, Labour has set out a “fiscal credibility rule”, which would require it to balance day-to-day spending with money raised through taxes, only allowing borrowing for investment.

He believes in government intervention to support supply chains and new industries, and has pledged to renationalise Britain’s railways. He has also said he will hold a review on the idea of introducing a universal basic income.

Corbyn wants to strengthen employment and trade union rights, and has called for measures to allow workers to take ownership of companies when there is a change of ownership or a threat of closure.

Foreign Corbyn has previously criticised the United States for putting pressure on Britain to boost its military expenditure and has said the long-term impact of US foreign policy will be to divide the world.

The Labour leader has said he regrets describing members of the Palestinian group Hamas and Lebanon’s

USA

Ted Cruz endorses Trump US Senator Ted Cruz endorsed Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Friday, saying he is the only candidate who can stop Democrat Hillary Clinton from winning the White House on November 8. Cruz, a senator from Texas, was one of Trump’s last challengers for the Republican presidential nomination to drop out of the race. REUTERS

THE AMERICAS

Landmark deal to curb airline emissions expected in Montreal The world’s first deal to curb pollution from commercial flights is expected after UN-led talks kick off next week in Montreal. The agreement, backed by the US, China and the UAE, aims to limit rising airline pollution to 2020 levels after it takes effect in 2021, but has been watered down by being made voluntary for the first 5 years. REUTERS

UK

Anti-Brexit group lodges challange over Article 50 disclosure A group opposed to Britain’s exit from the EU has accused the government of refusing to allow it to make public the official justification for triggering Article 50 to start the Brexit process without a parliamentary vote. The People’s Challenge, which is financed by a crowd-funding campaign, said it had planned to make public the government’s written legal defence of its position on triggering Article 50. REUTERS

EUROPE

Sharp rise in attacks on refugee shelters in Austria

Defence A long-time pacifist, Corbyn favours scrapping Britain’s nuclear weapons. He defied official Labour Party policy and put himself at odds with many of his lawmakers by opposing renewing the Scottish-based nuclear-armed Trident submarines at a parliamentary vote in July.

Corbyn, who has said he will create a minister for peace and a minister for disarmament if he were in government, would also like to see Britain pull out of the Nato military alliance.

A vocal opponent of the 2003 Iraq war, Corbyn last year voted against Britain joining the US-led coalition conducting airstrikes against Islamic State in Syria.

DT

World

Attacks on centres for asylum seekers in Austria are on course to double this year, according to government figures released on Saturday. Twenty-four were recorded in the first half of 2016, compared with 25 for the whole of 2015, Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka said in reply to a parliamentary enquiry. AFP Britain’s opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn REUTERS Hezbollah as friends. Hamas and the military wing of Hezbollah are both officially designated as terrorist organisations by Britain.

He has a history of political sympathy for Gerry Adams, the leader of Sinn Fein, the former political wing of the Irish Republican Army which ran a 30year armed campaign against British rule in Northern Ireland. l

Source: REUTERS

AFRICA

Clashes in central Congo kill at least 13 At least 13 people have died in two days of clashes in a city in central Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday that pitted security forces against militia fighters seeking to avenge the death of their leader. Fighters loyal to a traditional chief named Kamwina Nsapu, who was killed in a clash with police last month, first entered the city of Kananga on Thursday morning. REUTERS

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Efforts to try IS detainees for war crimes stumble n Tribune International Desk War crimes investigators collecting evidence of the Islamic State group’s elaborate operation to kidnap thousands of women as sex slaves say they have a case to try IS leaders with crimes against humanity but cannot get the global backing to bring current detainees before an international tribunal, reports The Associated Press.

Two years after the IS onslaught in northern Iraq, the investigators, as well as US diplomats, say the Obama administration has done little to pursue prosecution of the crimes that Secretary of State John Kerry has called genocide. Current and former State Department officials say that an attempt in late 2014 to have a legal finding of genocide was blocked by the Defence Department, setting back efforts to prosecute IS members suspected of committing war crimes.

“The West looks to the United States for leadership in the Middle East, and the focus of this administration has been elsewhere — in every respect,” Bill Wiley, the head of the independent investigative group, the Commission for International Justice and Accountability, said.

Based in Brussels, the commission was formed in 2012.

The war crimes commission’s file, painstakingly and often perilously gathered since 2014, is ready for a court that does not yet exist.

The private organisation has pored over hard drives, leaked documents, phone records and interviews with captured Islamic State fighters — in addition to monitoring the Islamic State group’s own voluminous propaganda.

But whether the courts of Iraqi Kurdistan, where most IS prisoners

are kept, are ready for the complexities of international criminal law is an open question. US officials worry that backing a special court in Iraqi Kurdistan raises sticky questions of sovereignty with the Iraqi central government in Baghdad, which is suspicious of Kurdish independence efforts.

Officials in Washington say that the Defence Department and ultimately the administration were concerned that court trials would distract from the military campaign.

But the diplomats say that justice is essential in a region whose religious minorities have been terrorised. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the issue.

The US has no legal obligation to take on the genocide of the Yazidis, but President Barack Obama has said that “preventing mass atrocities and genocide is a core national security interest and a core moral responsibility of the United States of America.”

‘US should have acted early’

Stephen Rapp, who stepped down as the administration’s ambassador at large for war crimes last year, says the administration should have moved early to help secure evidence of IS atrocities and push for the creation of special Iraqi courts to try war crimes.

Rapp is now the chairman of the advisory board of the commission, whose investigators in Iraq work with the Kurdish regional government to formally document the IS group’s crimes, including those against the Yazidi minority group. They have built a case implicating the entire IS command structure in a plot to kidnap Yazidi women and girls and establish a sex-slave market.

The plan was executed by an organised bureaucracy at every step along the way, from the temporary sorting facilities — including a prison, schools and a curtained ballroom where the Yazidis were divided by age and willingness to convert to Islam — to the waiting buses that would haul them by the dozens across the border to Raqqa.

The Islamic State group’s Shariah courts soon stepped in, to settle contract disputes and ensure that its finance hierarchy got its cut of the sex slaves proceeds.

Though there are at least dozens of Islamic State extremists in custody in Iraq, there have been no prosecutions for the crimes against humanity that the US — among many others — insist have taken place. On Tuesday, the Obama administration’s envoy for the coalition to counter Islamic State, Brett McGurk, tweeted that he “pledged full accountability” for Islamic State crimes against the Yazidis, whom IS militants consider infidels because of their religion.

In 2012, Obama stood at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum to announce what he called a comprehensive strategy to prevent and respond to war crimes with the establishment of an atrocities prevention board, noting that “as president I’ve done my utmost to back up those words with deeds.”

But in fact, though the US has backed limited efforts to secure evidence of Islamic State atrocities in Iraq, there have been few tangible steps toward prosecution. In a recent investigation the AP found that even in territories liberated from IS militants by Kurdish forces, dozens of mass graves have been left unsecured.

“It’s a tragedy that we are not get-

IRAQ’S YAZIDI SECTOR At least twenty thousand Yazidis have fled from the Sinjar Mountain region amid reports of killings by Islamic State The Yazidis are ethnically Kurdish group that follows a pre-Islamic religion with links to Zoroastrianism.

Some 500,000 Yazidis reside in northern Iraq, according to the US State Department.

An estimated 200,000 Yazidi civilians were displaced according to the UN. The US airdropped aid for the Yazidis and authorized airstrikes against IS.

SINJAR MOUNTAIN is a single ridge of mountains 90km long in Nineveh Governorate in northwestern Iraq. It is situated near the city of Sinjar.

Infographics: Mohammad Razon/Dhaka Tribune

WAR CRIMES BY ISLAMIC STATE Exploding into western media with the fall of the Iraqi city of Mosul in June 2014, the self-proclaimed Islamic State has since shocked the world with its ongoing display of methodical brutality.

From hordes of Christian, Shia and Yazidi refugees fleeing systematic persecution and death, to the filmed executions of journalists and aid workers such as James Foley, Steven Sotloff and David Haines, the United Nations has declared the highest level of emergency in Iraq and Syria. The Islamic State or (ISIS,ISIL) has been charged with an array of crimes against humanity.

The group has proven itself to be strategic, toppling key cities, oil fields, dams and villages.

With a sophisticated social media campaign, recruits from over 72 countries and extensive financial resources, the Islamic State or (ISIS,ISIL) demonstrates how modern terrorism has evolved.

ting in there and securing these sites where we can and doing things like collecting DNA evidence,” said Rapp.

$6.6m needed to start trials

A measure by the House that calls on the US to fund precisely the kind of court envisioned by the investigators is unlikely to advance anytime soon in an election year. With full international backing, the war crimes commission says it would need about $6.6m and about six months to get the trials going.

The State Department said the US was promoting accountability, and spokesman Mark Toner specified that the administration is “supporting ongoing efforts to collect, document, preserve and analyse evidence of atrocities for transitional justice processes.” He provided no specifics.

Rapp and other critics say that the commission is the only organisation that has built the kind of legal case necessary for a genuine tribunal, but the group said none of its work in Iraq is funded by the US Neither the US nor Iraq is a party to the International Criminal Court in the Hague, which is a court of last resort when national judicial efforts have failed.

The war crimes commission is best known for collecting evidence against Syrian President Bashar Assad but quietly branched out to document atrocities committed

by IS and other extremist groups.

The office, based in Europe, has changed cities four times since it was founded in 2012, and security is paramount: No sign on the door, no Wi-Fi, no website.

The commission has a staff of 20 in Iraq split into three teams, collecting court-ready evidence analysed at the group’s main offices.

RESTRICTION OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOM Freedom of religious belief, expression, assembly and association are forbidden, and due process/fair trial standards are disrespected MASS EXECUTION Systematic murder of religious and ethnic groups without due process.

Estimated casualties; 9,347+ killed and 17,386+ wounded SEXUAL SLAVERY Yazidi and Christian women and children sold in street markets TARGETING MINORITIES Kurdish Yazidis, Shia Muslims and ancient Christian communities killed and forced to flee to neighbouring nations CHILD SOLDIERS Active recruitment and training of children aged 10 to 16, to control areas

It says its legal file is the answer to multiple calls for Islamic State extremists to face justice beyond coalition airstrikes, which Wiley said is the sole focus of questioning.

“The intelligence gathering is geared almost entirely toward targeting,” he said.

A Kurdish security official, speaking on condition of anonymity to release sensitive information, knew of dozens of detainees directly linked to Islamic State militants.

At least some, Wiley said, could be prosecuted as soon as a court could be up and running.

But the Kurdish government is bankrupt and riven by internal struggles. The Erbil-based Ministry of Martyrs and Anfal Affairs, which is named in memory of Saddam Hussein’s devastating 1988 campaign against the Kurds, has taken up the cause to try extremists.

“Because we believe in the rule of law and in human rights, and we think these people must be tried properly, following international standards, under international supervision, not just in a security court,” said Mahmud Haji Salih, head of the ministry.

The word “symbolic” arises frequently when Wiley and his colleagues discuss possible prosecutions. No one harbors any expectation that the Islamic State group’s leadership will ever face a judge.

But he thinks the charges of crimes against humanity would serve a tangible purpose, even beyond jailing those responsible for the horror against the Yazidi people.

“You have to show that the guys dying for IS, they may think they’re dying for Mohammad but they’re not,” Wiley said. “They’re definitely not.” l

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EU drops Myanmar rights resolution, citing progress under Suu Kyi n Reuters, United Nations The European Union praised Myanmar’s progress on human rights under the leadership of Aung San Suu Kyi on Friday and said that it would not be introducing a resolution at the United Nations condemning the country’s record for the first time in 15 years.

Addressing the Partnership Group on Myanmar at the United Nations General Assembly, EU Foreign Policy chief Federica Mogherini called Suu Kyi’s progress from political prisoner to government “powerful testimony to the incredible change Myanmar is going through.”

“The government has taken bold

measures to improve human rights and re-invigorate the peace process. Political prisoners have been released,” she said. Mogherini said steps had also “been taken against those who incite hatred” and a commission established under former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to address violence between majority

Buddhists and Muslim Rohingyas in Myanmar’s state of Rakhine.

In recognition of the progress, for the first time in fifteen years, the European Union would not table a human rights resolution on Myanmar at the UN assembly, she said.

Addressing Suu Kyi, Mogherini said: “Fifteen years is the measure

of the incredible distance Myanmar has walked, the measure of how much your country has changed.”

Mogherini said the European Union understood the “complexity” of the situation in Rakhine and told Suu Kyi: “I know that you area working hard to find a sustainable solution for both communities.” l

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TOP STORIES One House One Farm project likely to cease this year Although a committee concerned recommended continuing operations of both the One House One Farm project and the Palli Sanchay Bank till 2020, finance minister decided not to go in that direction, official sources said. PAGE 13

Central banks play with monetary absurdity Monetary policy has become a form of drama, and Haruhiko Kuroda is the latest would-be star.

The governor of the Bank of Japan has adopted a style especially suitable to these post-truth times.

Call it theatre of the monetary absurd. PAGE 14

EU looks beyond Obama to clinch free trade deal A last-gasp push to seal a landmark free trade deal between the European Union and the United States before the end of Barack Obama’s presidency has failed, EU ministers agreed on Friday. PAGE 15

Capital market snapshot: Saturday DSE Broad Index

4,680.3

0.3% ▲

Index

1,122.0

0.1% ▲

30 Index

1,771.9

0.0% ▲

Turnover in Mn Tk

5,227.0

-5.9% ▼

Turnover in Mn Vol

177.6

12.3% ▲

All Share Index 14,393.0

0.4% ▲

30 Index

13,046.3

0.4% ▲

8,764.8

0.4% ▲

CSE

Selected Index Turnover in Mn Tk Turnover in Mn Vol

333.5 -18.7% ▼ 13.0

7.0% ▲

Urban poverty a big challenge towards middle-income goal n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi Poverty in urban areas is a big challenge for Bangladesh towards achieving middle-income nation status and meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), say economists and researchers at an international conference yesterday.

“Urban poverty is a big challenge in the way of achieving the status of middle income country as 34% of urban people are poor,” said Hossain Zillur Rahman, executive chairman of Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC) at the “International Conference on Urban Poverty: Challenges of Perspectives and Action” held at LGED auditorium in Dhaka yesterday.

He said: “Bangladesh is witnessing rapid urbanisation with big challenges with different characteristics. If we can mainstreaming the challenges with cooperation from all corner, it would help to attain

middle income country status.”

Prof Wahiduddin Mahmud, a noted economist, said poverty is spilling over from rural to urban areas due to migration, natural disasters and river erosion.

Urban population in Bangladesh will rise to between 91m and 102m by 2050, which will be 44% of total population He said in some of the non-income aspects, there are extreme and worst forms of human deprivation in terms of education, health and sanitation in urban areas needed to be addressed.

Prof Mahmud said if Bangladesh wants to achieve the SDGs, it will

have to look into the urban poverty.

He suggested social safety for the rural people, so that they can enjoy the facilities of urbanisation.

Planning Minister A H M Mustafa Kamal attended the event through a video conference. “The city cannot bear the flow of so many migrant people. That is why we are working to provide facilities to the rural areas,” he said.

“We have have to ensure better education, health and job opportunity so the people do not need to come to the cities.”

The conference will conclude today. A book “The Urban Spectrum: Metropolitan to Mofussil”, edited by Hossain Zillur Rahman, was launched on the opening day.

The book states that the urbanisation is a compelling and growing reality, and predicted that urban population in Bangladesh will rise to between 91m and 102m by 2050, which will be 44% of total population.

According to the research findings, the average monthly income for the lowest income class across the urban spectrum is below Tk8,000. The lower middle class’s monthly income - between Tk10,000 and 25,000 - constitutes the majority of the population in all urban centres: 47% in Dhaka, 56% in Chittagong and 49% in pourashavas.

The findings showed that monthly income of 7.8% of Chittagong City Corporation area people is below Tk10,000. The below Tk10,000 income group is 28% in pourashavas and 11.3% in Dhaka. The lowest monthly average income is Tk7,444 in Dhaka, Tk8,027 in Chittagong and Tk7,717 in pourashavas.

The research was conducted at six city corporation areas including Dhaka and Chittagong and 14 pourashavas in 2016. The information on Dhaka City corporation is basd on 2012. l

Muhith: Walton to help Import rises 8% in Aug implement digital vision n Tribune Business Desk

n Tribune Business Desk Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Thursday said manufacturing laptop locally by Walton will help materialise the digital Bangladesh vision.

The minister came up with the remarks in his address at the launching ceremony of Walton brand laptops as the chief guest in the capital.

Walton, a local manufacturer of electronics and home appliances, had officially kicked off the marketing of its new product 6th Generation Intel Processor-based Laptops for the domestic market.

The initiative of manufacturing the device by Walton has not only started a new era in the country’s high growth potential ICT sector but also moved Bangladesh one step ahead towards its digital revolution, said the minister.

“Somewhat it is surprising. I thought it would be possible by 2021, but the digitisation process has taken hold earlier,” Muhit said, commenting on Walton laptop manufacturing.

The prime objective of manufacturing laptop is to provide the students with IT products at an affordable price to make them technically

sound and crate skilled manpower, according to Walton Group Managing Director SM Shamsul Alam.

“We will provide it for the students at 5% less price and they will also be able to buy through a minimal installment.”

State Minister for ICT Ministry Zunaid Ahmed Palak urged the government to ease public procurement system so that local manufacturers can play their part for the country.

He also said Bangladesh will earn $5 billion from the IT export and for this the government policy support is a must.

Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) president Mustafa Jabbar called upon the government to provide incentives for exporting software.

He stressed the need for lowering duty on the import of raw materials for the IT products to encourage manufacturing.

In association with the USbased two giant brands Intel and Microsoft, Bangladeshi Bijoy Bangla and Walton started marketing laptops in the local market.

Walton has launched 20 models of laptops under four series like WaxJambu, Karonda, Tamarind and Passion, of which prices are ranging from Tk29,500 to Tk95,500. l

Import expenditures in terms of LC (Letter of Credit) settlement rose by 8.32% in August compared to the same month of the last year thanks to expansion in business activities.

The LC value stood at US$3.43 billion at the end of August compared to $3.17 billion in the same month of the last year, according to the Bangladesh Bank data released recently.

Rise in capital machinery import mainly contributed to higher import growth, said a senior executive of Bangladesh Bank.

He said: “More business expansion needs more capital machinery import. Private sector credit growth is now growing fast for the last several months, which gives us a signal that businesses are now

expanding causing higher import expenditures.”

According to the central bank data, private sector credit growth picked up to 16.78% in June, the highest in the last several months.

The growth trend slightly slowed in July by reaching at 15.97% over the same period of the last year, Low cost loan offering by commercial banks amid excess liquidity in the market attracted borrowers, said a senior executive of a private bank. The weighted average lending rate is 10.22% as of July this year.

The LC value against capital machinery import was $246 million as of August compared to $224 million in the same period of the last year.

The LC value in terms of LC opening rose by 10.59% to $3.8 billion in August compared to $3.44 billion in the same period of the last year. l

Stocks edge up n Tribune Business Desk

Stocks closed marginally higher yesterday after a profit-booking flat session in previous day.

The trading began on positive note in the morning and saw a steady gain till close of the session.

The benchmark index of Dhaka Stock Exchange, DSEX, rose 14 points or 0.4% to 4,680.

The DS30 index, comprising blue chips, witnessed a fractional rise of 0.8 points up to 1,771.

The DSE Shariah Index, DSES, was up 1.5 points to 1,122.

However, the Chittagong Stock Exchange Selective Category Index CSCX moved up over 40 points to 8,768. The bullish sentiment, however, subdued on the day as the trading activities declined to 6% to Tk522 crore on the DSE. In its second trading day, new comer Yeakin Polymer gained 16% to Tk37 a share, adding to its first trading day’s jump of 218% on its offer value. Non-banking financial institutions sector posted the highest gain of over 1.5%, followed by telecommunications 1%.

Banks and pharmaceuticals sectors rose 0.5% and 0.2% respectively.

Power sector remained flat in green.

Engineering and food & allied sectors lost 0.5% and 0.3% respectively.

Mutual Funds got a boost due to 12 straight session’s upward move of the market.

However, the gainers took a strong lead over losers as out of a total 325 companies traded, 184 ended up, 104 down while 37 remained unchanged. l

Eurozone economic growth has slowed to its weakest pace since January 2015, a closely watched survey showed Friday.

Data monitoring company IHS Markit said its September report was “disappointing,” with the underlying performance sluggish and the authorities needing to do more to bolster activity.

IHS Markit said its preliminary September Composite Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for the eurozone fell to 52.6 points from 52.9 points in August.

The PMI measures companies’ readiness to spend on their business and so gives a good idea of how the underlying economy is performing.

Any reading above 50 points indicates the economy

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

One House One Farm project likely to cease this year

Oxfam urges caution as World Bank arm enters capital markets Muhith disagrees with the committee’s proposal to continue n AFP, Washington Oxfam International on Friday called for prudence following the the project till 2020 along with Palli Sanchay Bank World Bank’s announcement that it registered with the Department of would tap capital markets for funds n Asif Showkat Kallol Cooperatives. to support development work in Although a committee concerned recommended continuing operations of both the One House One Farm project and the Palli Sanchay Bank till 2020, finance minister decided not to go in that direction, official sources said.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith rejected such a proposal from the Coordination and Development Committee of the project and the bank.

He thinks keeping the project alive will require amendment of the Palli Sanchay Act 2014, which can be a lengthy process.

The committee has recently come up with a number of proposals regarding the development of the Palli Sanchay Bank and One House One Farm project at a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office.

The proposals included keeping the project alive along with the bank for four more years. Principal Secretary to PM Md Abul Kamal Azad presided over the meeting.

“It’s not possible to go with the One House One Farm project and the Palli Sanchay Bank together,” finance minister said in response to the committee’s proposal as official records show.

A total of 485 branches of Palli Sanchay Bank will open by December He said the One House One Farm project will cease to operate by the end of the year 2016.

According to the committee’s proposal, however, a duel management can be created between the farm project and the project associations if the associations are

Eurozone growth slows to 20-month low n AFP, Brussels

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is expanding.

Broken down, the September services sector PMI came in at 52.1 points, down from 52.8 in August and hitting a 21-month low.

The service sector typically accounts for around twothirds of economic activity in a developed economy.

In contrast, the manufacturing PMI in September rose to 52.6 points from 51.7 in August to hit a 3-month high.

Senior IHS Markit Economist Rob Dobson said the report showed the “eurozone economy ended the third quarter on a disappointing note.”

Underlying growth was sluggish at about 0.3% for the quarter, Dobson said, and “it remains clear that the economic upturn is still fragile and failing to achieve any real traction.”

With inflation low, “the

door remains open for policymakers to provide further policy support later in the year if they see economic conditions moderate further,” he said.

The 19-nation eurozone economy grew 0.3% in the three months to June, down sharply from 0.6 percent in the first quarter.

The eurozone economy has been bumping along for years in a subdued recovery from the 2008 global crash and ensuing debt crisis.

Governments adopted tough austerity policies to ease debt but that dampened growth, prompting the European Central Bank to step into the breach with massive stimulus programmes.

The results so far have been disappointing, with the ECB under pressure to do more. l

A total of 485 branches of Palli Sanchay Bank will open by December, according to the coordination committee’s decision.

Last year Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated specialised bank for rural poor Palli Sanchay Bank. In 2014 the Parliament enacted the law to launch it as a specialised bank for the rural poor like the Grameen Bank.

The government holds 51% of the bank’s ownership and the remaining 49% go to the 17,300 cooperative societies of the One House One Farm project.

According to the Palli Sanchay Bank law, the bank’s authorised capital is Tk1,000 crore and paidup capital Tk200 crore. The cooperative societies’ total fund of Tk1,342 crore is going to be transferred to the new bank.

The bank’s board of directors consist of 18 members, with the chairman to be selected by the government from the board members.

Of the total, seven directors are selected from the shareholders from the division level associations of the One House One Farm project, each represented by individuals. l

the world’s poorest countries.

The International Development Association, a World Bank arm which offers concessional loans and grants to support poverty alleviation in 77 countries, has received its first credit rating and will soon borrow on capital markets, according to a World Bank announcement on Thursday.

That would be a break from its traditional reliance only on funding from World Bank member countries.

“The Bank also needs to walk with extreme caution if it is going to start using IDA funds to back private sector investments which come with their own set of risks,” Nadia Daar, head of Oxfam International’s Washington office, told AFP in an email.

“It must ensure that pro-poor development impacts are prioritized above financial returns as investment choices are made.”

The IDA is currently negotiating its latest three-year package of donor cash contributions and World Bank officials say that issuing bonds could add as much as 50% to the resources available to support clean water and energy development as well as poverty alleviation. l

Business

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Oil slumps 4% as no output deal expected for OPEC n Reuters

A businessman walks past the Bank of Japan (BOJ) building in Tokyo

Central banks play with monetary absurdity n Edward Hadas Monetary policy has become a form of drama, and Haruhiko Kuroda is the latest would-be star. The governor of the Bank of Japan has adopted a style especially suitable to these post-truth times. Call it theatre of the monetary absurd.

Central bankers today deliberate about official interest rates, money printing techniques and regulatory pressures, as they have done for decades. But policymakers’ speeches, promises and body language are now considered key tools in the seemingly endless play of economic stimulation – performed under the looming shadow of financial collapse.

The business is global, but the styles vary. The subtle act of Janet Yellen, the chair of the US Federal Reserve, reflects a painful conflict.

As a liberal labour economist, she has a strong but probably vain desire to use monetary policy to help create good jobs. That leads her to soft words and stimulatory policies. But as a veteran of the 2008 financial crisis, she is anxious to bring rates up enough to discourage financial excess. So she promises to be tougher – soon, but not today.

Mario Draghi deserves a prize for his ability to punctuate Italian commedia dell’arte with a hint of German angst. In 2012, the president of the European Central Bank used fine words to to sneak around wary but foolish politicians. They were overwhelmed by his promise to do “whatever it takes” to preserve the euro.

But Kuroda, whose personal manner is restrained, is the star of the moment. Last week he promised to buy, buy, buy government debt until the inflation rate

reached – no, exceeded and stayed above – the targeted 2%. The yield on 10-year debt, currently slightly negative, would not be allowed to rise above zero until then. This deliberate commitment to monetary madness was worthy of the traditional and highly stylised Japanese Noh theatre.

For the cognoscenti, reading the rhetorical runes can be as fun as a night at the theatre. But as far as policy goes, there is a big problem.

All these subtle words and extravagant commitments are unlikely to have much economic effect.

Throughout the developed world, inflation and GDP growth are held back by poorly understood forces. The list includes too much debt, economic fear and competition from low-wage producers.

Stagnant or shrinking workforces are also a serious drag. One thing that all these factors have in common is their immunity to the standard practices – and words – of monetary policy-makers. Interest rates and the supply of money are almost irrelevant, and comments about future interest rates and money supply are irrelevance-squared.

Kuroda’s dilemma is especially tragic-comic. He almost certainly cannot prevail against Japan’s especially disinflationary demography.

The country’s working-age population is shrinking by about 0.5% annually, while the number of lower-spending over-65s is increasing at close to a 3% rate. Indeed, in this environment there is a tragic hubris in negative interest rates. They are less likely to encourage young people’s spending and investing than to spur the old and the soon-to-beold to save more.

Then again, Kuroda’s flourishes amount to a lively fencing match

REUTERS

with no opponent. It is hard to see what aggressive monetary policy is supposed to achieve in an economy that is already fully advanced and fairly well functioning. The output per Japanese worker continues to advance steadily, the unemployment rate is low, the current account is pretty much in balance and prices have been stable for more than two decades.

It is easy enough to mock the economic confusion which pervades the central bankers’ verbal dramas. But there is something alarming about these supposedly powerful men and women relying on what professionals soberly call forward guidance. The problem is not merely the declining credibility of promises which are not kept, but absurdly high expectations.

Today’s central banks cannot cancel debts, improve workers’ skills or cut job-discouraging taxes and rules. Indeed, as eight years of ultra-low interest rates have made clear, they cannot even do much to pump up spending or investment.

The Bank of England’s Mark Carney has set a realistic precedent.

Although he offered great drama in his bleary-eyed appearance early in the morning after the British vote to leave the European Union in June, he was clear that the central bank could do relatively little to mitigate the long-term damage this separation would do the national economy.

Other central bankers would do well to try out similar lines.

Performers who exaggerate their powers often end up just looking ridiculous. l Edward Hadas is economics editor at Reuters Breakingviews. The article was initially published at Reuters.

Oil prices tumbled 4% on Friday on signs Saudi Arabia and arch rival Iran were making little progress in achieving preliminary agreement ahead of talks by major crude exporters next week aimed at freezing production.

Also weighing on sentiment was data showing the United States was on track to add the most number of oil rigs in a quarter since the crude price crash began two years ago.

Lower equity prices on Wall Street and other world stock markets was another bearish factor.

Brent crude futures LCOc1 settled down $1.76, or 3.7%, at $45.89 a barrel. For the week, it rose 0.3%, accounting for gains in the past two sessions. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 fell $1.84, or 4%, to settle at $44.48. On the week, WTI gained 3%.

Crude futures slumped after sources said Saudi Arabia did not expect a decision in Algeria where the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other big oil producers were to convene for Sept 26-28 talks.

“The Algeria meeting is not a

decision making meeting. It is for consultations,” a source familiar with Saudi oil officials’ thinking told Reuters. Earlier in the day, the market rallied when Reuters reported that Saudi Arabia had offered to reduce production if Iran caps its own output this year.

Oil prices are typically volatile before OPEC talks and Friday’s session was tempered with caution despite market sentiment on a high this week after the US government reported on Wednesday a third straight weekly drop in crude stockpiles.

“A ‘No Deal’ result in our definition will be one where OPEC not only failed to get an explicit deal out of the meetings, but also failed to develop a forward plan,” Macquarie Capital said in a note, referring to the Algeria talks. “This would be another epic fail by OPEC.” The Alegria talks are OPEC’s second attempt for an agreement on production curbs, after a failed effort in May. The market has been skeptical of OPEC’s commitment, though, as key members of the group, led by Saudi Arabia and Iran have been pumping at optimum levels to protect market share. l

CORPORATE NEWS

City Bank has recently signed an e-commerce agreement with Malindo Air, said a press release. The bank’s AMD and CCO, Mashrur Arefin and Philip Phang, MD, GSA, Malindo Air in Bangladesh have signed the agreement

Syed Shahriyar Ahsan has recently joined Sadharan Bima Corporation as its managing director, said a press release. Ahsan has been working in the insurance industry for 30 years

Sarder Nurul Amin has recently joined as deputy managing director of Sonali Bank Limited, said a press release. In prior to his new designation, Amin was the bank’s general manager at its head office. He started his banking career as senior officer on probation in Sonali Bank in 1984

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

EU looks beyond Obama to clinch free trade deal n AFP A last-gasp push to seal a landmark free trade deal between the European Union and the United States before the end of Barack Obama’s presidency has failed, EU ministers agreed on Friday.

“It is not realistic to reach the final agreement by the end of the Obama administration,” said Peter Ziga, the trade minister of Slovakia which currently holds the EU’s sixmonth rotating presidency.

The decision puts the fate of the accord on the US side in the hands of Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, who are both running their presidential campaigns on anti-trade deal platforms.

The highly ambitious Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (or TTIP) would create

the world’s biggest market of 850 million consumers stretching from Hawaii to Lithuania.

But with talks dragging on since 2013, opposition has grown, most dangerously in key member states France and Germany amid fears that TTIP will undermine European standards on health and the environment.

EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem, who leads the talks with the US, said it takes five or six months for a new American administration to be fully in place and that effectively puts the negotiations on hold.

“When we can restart, (that) is a bit too early to speculate until we know what the administration would look like,” she said after EU trade ministers met in the Slovak capital.

The ministers met hoping to

patch up deep differences after tens of thousands of demonstrators thronged European cities in recent days demanding the EU walk away from the deal.

“From our point of view, the (TTIP) talks are effectively suspended because meaningful negotiations are no longer taking place,” said Reinhold Mitterlehner, the economy minister from Austria where opposition to the deal is fierce.

“It would be wise to put on mute something that is perceived so negatively,” he added, confirming a position Austria shares with France.

‘Restart’ TTIP

Critics complain that the US side has failed to offer any serious proposals, especially on sensitive issues such as protecting geographical labelling for renowned farm

products such as Champagne or Roquefort cheese.

“I am convinced that we must restart on totally new grounds,” said French Trade Minister Matthias Fekl, one of TTIP’s loudest critics, adding that more and more member states were coming round to his view.

In Germany, TTIP has split the ruling coalition, with Chancellor Angela Merkel still its biggest backer but her socialist partners, led by Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, dead set against it.

Hopes were strong meanwhile for CETA, a similar deal with Canada that has already been negotiated but which had to overcome unexpected hurdles in Austria and Germany.

Fears of a failure of CETA have waned since Gabriel’s socialists narrowly backed the deal at a party conference last week.

Last-minute opposition also flared up in Austria and Belgium but the ministers now expect to approve the agreement next month so that it can be signed with Canadian Premier Justin Trudeau at an EU-Canada summit on October 27.

CETA would then go on for ratification in national and regional parliaments across the EU, a tricky and time consuming process, though most of the terms will be able to be implemented provisionally.

Opponents believe CETA is an attempt to set a dangerous precedent before completing the much bigger accord with the US. More than 160,000 demonstrators thronged major cities across Germany yesterday in opposition to both trade deals. Thousands more protested outside EU headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday. l

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Career

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Douse that fire 5 steps to diffusing conflict

It’s not personal

Stay in charge...of your emotions

n Sabrina Fatma Ahmad Stuck together all day, every day for most of the week, your colleagues become like your family. And any family, no matter how close, will have its share of fights and disagreements. Here are ways to channel everyday friction into positive energy instead of building resentment.

If you’ve bothered to listen to the airplane safety instructions, you’ll notice they always tell you that in an emergency, you need to tend to yourself first before helping others. The same is true of office situations, particularly conflict. If there’s a crisis at hand and it’s making you angry, take a breather, cool down first before you charge head on to solve things. If you find yourself getting worked up, step away from the situation and get back into it when you’re calmer. While anger is natural, and a great motivator, you don’t want it to get the better of you.

This one’s easier said than done, particularly if you’re friends with your co-workers – and increasingly, as workplace cultures evolve, this is the case. Whether it’s a difference of creative vision, or a performance evaluation, focus on the job at hand, and try not to take any criticism personally, even if it feels like it is.

It is important to use language that reflects this, putting emphasis on actions taken (or not taken) as opposed to the person who’s being criticised.

Walk a mile in their shoes

Again, with any conflict situation, the best way to resolve things in a manner where everyone comes out satisfied, is to see things from a perspective other than your own. Everyone has a private battle they’re fighting, and it is important to recognise that and factor it into the situation. Is the new intern underperforming because he’s lazy, or because he’s juggling school and the job? Is the part-timer chronically late out of a lack of responsibility, or because the commute is crazy and she doesn’t have access to transport?

Understanding these underlying issues should help make it easier to brainstorm viable solutions to the problems instead of leading to fights.

Don’t sweep it under the rug

Listen up

This holds true for just about any conflict, in or out of office. As tempting as it is to get your two taka’s worth of say, if all parties are talking at once, all that’s generated is a lot of hot air. So take some time to let the other person(s) have their say, before you speak. Ask for clarification if necessary. This way, you don’t end up saying something you regret.

The other mistake some people make is to avoid the confrontation altogether. Sometimes you just have to go there and hash out a solution. Ignoring a problem does not make it go away; instead, it festers and breeds resentment. After everyone has had a chance to cool down a little, approach the issue head on and have a level-headed discussion on how to move forward. l

Excelling at your internship

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Internship

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Photo: Bigstock

On every stage of the process

n Baizid Haque Joarder You have encountered a potential internship offer which seems as if it was particularly tailored according to your likes and interests. Before you decide to go ahead and apply for it, keep these simple tips in mind and you will surely rock your next internship.

While applying for the internship:

There is always something you can help out with

Apply common sense One of the most fundamental mistakes that you can make is attaching your resume with and sending a blank mail to your potential employer. A brief, professional message with an upbeat tone which expresses interest in the body of the email can go a long way. It is more than likely that the HR department of your favourite organisation receives tonnes of resumes, and you have to make sure that your one doesn’t get lost in the pile. You don’t want to risk it for the biscuit.

Prepare yourself It is vital that you do some

research regarding the organisation you are applying to. A lot of interviews tend to start with the simple question, “What do you know about our organisation?” or “What made you apply to our organisation?”

Smart responses to such questions show that you have taken some time to learn about the organisation, or the type of work you are likely to encounter there.

Having some general knowledge about the industry itself might come in handy as well.

During the interview: Bring your A game to the interview Dress smartly, be punctual and intently listen to what your interviewer has to say. Be confident when you are answering questions and if there is one you are unsure about, tell them and apologise. It is fine if you fail to answer a question as long as you don’t try to cover up your lapse.

Also, never hesitate to ask questions. When you ask questions, your interviewer will know that you take interest

and are a professional. Make sure you ask wise ones to avoid embarrassment.

Follow up Right after the interview, preferably within the next 24 hours. This is often deemed as a professional courtesy by various head-hunters around the globe.

Sending a sincere, “thank you” email to your potential employer will make you stand out among the other applicants.

During the internship Take initiative Bored at work? Not a chance.

Even though you have already completed the tasks handed over to you, stay around and ask if you can help out your superior or other colleagues. There is always something you can help out with.

If there is absolutely nothing for you to do, observe how other people around you are working, their duties and be informed about whatever that is happening around you (preferably without becoming the office creep!). This showcases your qualities as a team player and

your eagerness to help.

Meet deadlines It doesn’t really matter whether you are a great co-worker to have at work, if you have a tendency miss deadlines often, no one can help you. Potential doesn’t mean anything unless it is backed by results.

Feed on feedback Constantly ask your supervisor to keep you updated on your progress. Good or bad, receiving feedback and acting on it will go miles with your boss. It is also vital that you keep them updated with your side of the story, as well. This way, you are exhibiting that you are always committed to do better in the future.l

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

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Travel

Elevated and exalted beauty Visiting the American Cemetery and Memorial in Manila

n Eliza Binte Elahi The American Cemetery and Memorial Manila , 152 acres in area, is located on a prominent plateau, visible at a distance from the east, south and west. With a total of 17,206 graves, it has the largest number of graves of any cemetery for U.S. personnel killed during World War II and holds war dead from the Philippines and other allied nations.

The Memorial is maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission. It is the largest site administered by the Commission in the number of graves and

fitting tribute to those who have lost their lives during the war.

The headstones are made of marble which are aligned in eleven plots forming a generally circular pattern, set among a wide variety of tropical trees and shrubbery.

The Manila American Cemetery and Memorial is not only the resting place of U.S. personnel who fought in the Pacific during World War II. Interred among the remains of heroic American soldiers are their equally courageous allies in combat such as the Australian soldiers, English soldiers, Canadian soldiers, and of course, the Philippine Scouts. However,

of those missing whose names are recorded on the walls of the memorial.

Upon entering its gates, I was immediately struck by the tranquility and sublime beauty of the place. The pristine plaza with its circular fountain, the long central mall leading to the memorial, the lush greenery, and the distinct chapel were simply breathtaking. Truly, its architect left no stone unturned to create a

it is the stories behind the names written on the 17,206 headstones and on the immaculate marble walls of the Memorial that truly inspire and leave a lot of lessons.

Also listed on the Memorial’s fine walls are the names of the Missing - those who served during the war in the Pacific whose bodies remain unidentified or lost. The Memorial’s hemi-cycle also has map rooms that display maps made of colorful mosaic

that showcase important military campaigns and battles in the Pacific Islands during the second World War. I highly recommend that those who intend to visit the Memorial spend a good time looking at and reading information on the maps to have a better understanding of what happened during WWII. The Memorial’s focal point is the chapel, with a tower decorated by sculptures in relief.

The sculptures represent, among other things, liberty, justice, and country. The chapel’s doors were made of bronze while its walls were made of blue mosaic with texts set in gold.

Also in the chapel is a carillon, which rings every hour and half hour, between 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. we were fortunate enough to hear its melodic toll during the tour, and we were told that at the end of the day, at around 5 pm., the carillon plays the National Anthems of the Philippines and the United States.

With the unrest and violence happening in the world, a visit to this memorial is a good way

of reminding us of the beauty of peace and the consequences of war. It was both an enlightening and a poignant exploration of the largest American cemetery in the Pacific. l The author is Faculty & Coordinator, School of Business, University of South Asia

| ceremony |

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

| education |

Fresher reception and prize giving ceremony at Banophool Adibashi Green Heart College

A colourful fresher reception and prize giving ceremony of the annual sports and cultural competitions was held at Banophool Adibashi Green Heart College on September 24, Saturday. Founder and chairman of the college governing body, Ven. Prajnananda Mahathera presided over the colourful program. Secretary to the Ministry of Chittagong Hill

19

DT

Biz Info

Tracts Affairs and the Chairman of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board Naba Bikram Kishore Tripura was present in the ceremony as chief guest.

Rector of the Banophool Adibashi Green Heart College Professor Tarun Kanti Barua delivered the welcome address, General Secretary of the Banophool Adibashi foundation trust Prosenjit Chakma delivered the

greetings speech and the acting principal of the college Sudip Kumar Mandal delivered the closing speech at the ceremony.

Departmental heads, teachers and a large number of students, guardians attended the arrangements. Later, crests and prizes were presented to the winners.l

Orientation program of fall semester-2016 held at Southeast University The Fresher’s Reception and Orientation Program of Fall Semester-2016 was held at Southeast University (SEU) on September 24, 2016 at its permanent campus in Tejgaon, Dhaka.

Registrar of SEU Maj Gen Kazi Fakhruddin Ahmed, SPP, PSC (Retd) welcomed newly enrolled students, while vice chancellor of SEU Prof.

Dr AFM Mafizul Islam chaired the session. He mentioned that the SEU authorities would be monitoring their students properly. He told

commanders of their own fate. Pro vice chancellor of SEU Prof Dr Md Humayun Kabir Chowdhury urged teachers, students and guardians to work together against militancy and terrorism.

Dean (acting) of School of Science & Engineering Prof Syed Fakhrul Hassan and Dean (acting) School of Arts & Social Sciences Prof Dr Md Abdul Hakim introduced their respective schools to the students.

At the end of the program, Vice Chancellor of SEU Prof Dr AFM

the newly admitted students not to get involved with militancy and terrorism. He advised them to keep themselves away from drugs.

The program was attended by the Director General of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Benazir Ahmed, BPM (Bar) as Chief Guest.

Benazir Ahmed told the students that they should contribute in the advancement of the family, country and community. They are the

Mafizul Islam said students should work together as a team and help each other. Among others, chief coordinator of BOT, SEU Trust Wing Commander AHM Mostafa Morshed (Retd), chairs of different departments, distinguished guests, senior academicians, faculty members, officials of SEU, newly enrolled students and their guardians were present at the program. l

| contract |

United Commercial Bank signs Microsoft Enterprise Agreement

United Commercial Bank (UCB) Limited has signed an agreement with Tech One Global (Pvt.) Ltd for Microsoft Enterprise Agreement on September 20, 2016 at the UCB corporate office.

Through this agreement, Tech One Global (Pvt.) Ltd will provide the best value that will give UCB the flexibility to buy original software licenses. Tech One Global will also offer topnotch solutions to UCB to further develop their IT infrastructure with cutting edge technologies, which will boost UCB’s performance and efficiency.

The outcome of this agreement will assist UCB in quickly responding to the rapidly changing technological sector as the company will have seamless access to the latest technologies

of Microsoft. License management can be easily streamlined with this single organisation-wide agreement with the help of Tech One Global, which has been an award winning technology company for the last five years.

Muhammed Ali, managing director of UCB, Wasantha Weerakoone, chief operating officer of Tech One Global, Lahiru Munindradasa, country general manager of Tech One Global, and Sonia Bashir Kabir, managing director of Microsoft Bangladesh Limited, were present at the signing ceremony along with other senior officials of the three companies.

At the ceremony, Wasantha Weerakoone said, “Our team at Tech One Global always strives

to provide the best solutions to our customers and we are willing to go an extra mile to bring in efficient solutions, with the help of Microsoft products along with our very own company solutions, in order to match Bangladesh’s aim for technological advancement.”

Muhammed Ali added, “United Commercial Bank Limited is always keen to ensure skills along with best customer service with the implementation of state of the art IT system so the bank stays on top in the constantly changing banking arena.”

Sonia Bashir Kabir said, “Many factors have come into play due to the advancement of technologies around the world and we aim to be one step ahead to help companies reach maximum efficiency levels. Since technology plays a critical role in realising the full potential of a company our drive is to help companies reach the pinnacle of proficiency. With the government’s vision to take the country’s IT sector to the next level of advancement, we, at Microsoft Bangladesh Limited continue to be committed to building an interactive and booming local IT ecosystem by encouraging and supporting partners like Tech One.”l

| festivities |

The Westin Dhaka presents Wedding Festival 2016 The Westin Dhaka in association with event management agency “Festivity” proudly presents Wedding Festival 2016. The glamorous 2-day event will take place on October 21 at the Grand Ballroom of The Westin Dhaka.

Right before the wedding season, the wedding festival will showcase all the premium wedding related brands under one roof during the spectacular exhibition.

Guests will be able to come and know about various wedding related products starting from designer wedding wear to 5-star catering options. Guests will also be able to get expert opinions from renowned consultants on wedding planning, wedding makeovers, menu selection, venue options,

photography, videography and on many other wedding related topics exclusively at the event.

From wedding ensemble to jewelry, the exhibition will offer something for everyone as designers and brands from all over the country flock in to showcase their artistry.

Throughout the event, the guests will also be able to enjoy fashion shows, live music, DJ sessions, raffle draw and many other surprise attractions. During the festival, The Westin Dhaka will offer exclusive discounts for spot reservations on venue, menu and on many other wedding related services.

Interested parties can find more information about sponsorship options and stall booking by calling +8801944445533.l

DT

20 Editorial

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

TODAY

In the land of sand and money Many have to work very hard for three to four years, and if they want to come to Bangladesh to see their family, they have to wait about four to five years PAGE 21

The billion ton problem Bangladesh has produced roughly 2.8 billion metric tons of e-waste. Most of this waste is dumped in open landfills, arable land, and on riverbeds PAGE 22

Assistance programs to Pakistan have always been transactional in both a positive and a negative sense PAGE 23

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.

Loss-making state-owned banks should be privatised

T

Bye bye American pie?

Be heard

BIGSTOCK

he latest Bangladesh Bank data reveals an alarming trend: The number of loss-making branches of six state-owned banks has doubled at the end of the 2015-2016 fiscal year from the same time in the previous year.

The loss-makers -- Sonali Bank, Rupali Bank, Agrani Bank, Janata Bank, BASIC Bank, and Bangladesh Development Bank -- increased their expenditure but earned less in the past year. Four of them opened up many new branches while making massive losses.

This is unacceptable: The coddling of state-owned banks needs to stop.

It has been seen repeatedly that the central bank has been unable to properly manage the state-owned banks and rein in their losses.

SOBs have inadequate capital to manage their losses on bad loads, but continue to flout rules that guard against undue risks. Their loan approval processes are often fraught with major irregularities. There are records of a particular SOB breaching the law restricting the loaning of more than 25% of the bank’s capital to a single group or individual.

It is high time that alternatives were considered in order to stop propping up these highly inefficient institutions while wasting money from the public coffers. There are many better ways to spend tax-payer money, like education and health, rather than help banks with proven track records of failure.

Private banks have demonstrated greater efficiency, and are also free from the political influence and corruption that plague state banks.

State banks, on the other hand, have not shown the ability or the willingness to reform.

It is time to cut the cord and privatise these state-owned banks.

It is high time that alternatives were considered in order to stop propping up these highly inefficient institutions while wasting money from the public coffers

DT

21

Opinion

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

In the land of sand and money Saudia Arabia lifting its ban on Bangladeshi workers is good news, but it is only the beginning

We need to improve the lives of Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia

REUTERS

Many have to work very hard for three to four years, and if they want to come to Bangladesh to see their family, they have to wait about four to five years, as the process involves a lot of palms being greased

n Abdul Baten

I

t is very good news that Saudi Arabia is lifting its ban on hiring workers from Bangladesh. This has the potential to open up further doors for a good number of skilled and unskilled individuals to go to this Persian gulf country and earn more foreign remittance for Bangladesh.

Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia officially established diplomatic relationships in 1975-76. In the late 70s, a good number Bangladeshi workers started to go to Saudi Arabia for employment.

Currently, Saudi Arabia employs about 1.3 million Bangladeshi migrant workers, who bring in approximately $3.7 billion a year in remittances.

Saudi Arabia increasingly became dependent on foreign labour with the oil price boom in 1973. Although a good number of Bangladeshis remain employed

in technical fields, most are now working in construction, cleaning, domestic services, and agriculture.

Unfortunately, there have been complaints about Bangladeshi workers from Saudi employers: A Saudi restaurant owner, Abdul Ruhman Shuqair, hired two Bangladeshi workers who caused trouble with food inspectors of that municipality. After that incident, Mr Shuqair said he would never hire Bangladeshi workers again.

A construction-business owner named Ahmed Nabil laid off all of his Bangladeshi employees because they were inefficient and slow -- some of them were also stealing construction material, apparently.

The director of HR of a private Saudi company said a Bangladeshi driver was fired from his company because he had been using the car for personal affairs.

Eight Bangladeshi nationals were publicly beheaded in 2011 for

robbing a warehouse and killing a security guard. These are some of the reasons Saudi Arabia put a ban on Bangladeshi labour in the first place.

On the flip-side, Bangladeshi employees continue to get exploited, deprived of human rights, and treated like garbage in Saudi Arabia.

A good amount of Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia are not being paid their dues, and the less said about benefits the better.

For food and other expenses, an individual needs at least 500 Saudi Riyal per month, but most Bangladeshi workers are paid about 600, not leaving much to send back home.

To recoup all the associated costs of making the “worker’s pilgrimage,” many of them have to work very hard for three to four years, and if they want to come to Bangladesh to see their family, they have to wait about four to five years, as the process involves a lot of palms being greased and a lot of groveling at employers’ feet.

Away from home and family for a long time, some of them get both physically and mentally exhausted and frustrated. In some cases, financial crisis and exploitation at the hands of employers drive them into a life of crime.

We need to get to the root of this matter.

The Labour Ministry and the High Commission of Bangladesh need to work together with Saudi Arabia’s relevant administration in order to increase the salaries and benefits for Bangladeshi workers and improve the employeeemployer relationship through awareness and training.

The incumbent government has already taken certain steps to improve our nation’s relationship with Saudi Arabia, and some positive results are starting to pour in. Our labour force there should create their own demand through marketable skills, proper workplace etiquette, and, regrettably, some adjustment to their attitudes. They should always have a positive and “can do” attitude, and remember they are representatives of their country.

If they can impress their employers through productivity and good behaviour, in return they stand to earn raises, benefits, and vacations for themselves.

In Bangladesh, there is a severe lack of training institutions which can train our labour force for foreign labour markets. We need to realise that there are no substitutes for training and education. l Abdul Baten is Assistant Professor, School of Business at ULAB.

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Opinion

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

The billion ton problem Where do electrical and electronic goods go when they die?

n Rifat Mahbub

L

et me begin by confessing that until September 17, I had not heard of the term “e-waste.� I assume many people, in particular young people studying technology, must have heard of it.

I have come to learn of the term through a newspaper article.

The article, based on a report of a recent research on e-waste and its health hazard in Bangladesh, tells me that e-waste, or electronic waste, is used to describe the end-of-life of everyday electronic and electrical goods such as televisions, refrigerators, mobile phones, laptops and computers, energy-saving bulbs, etc which are discarded and disposed of by users.

This definition tells me that, unsurprisingly as the report claims, Bangladesh is at a high risk because of the unchecked increase of e-waste without an adequate system of processing.

The report made me reflect on the number of unused mobile phone sets, computer motherboards, bulbs, and even laptops I have in my house.

Electronic goods are now cheaper than before, and they are easily available. Without even engaging in any serious research, it can be said that many households in Dhaka city have more mobile phones than the number of family members it holds -- most houses have more than one television, and now (multiple) fridges and freezers have become a necessity.

What do we do with the electronic goods we no longer use?

I often find street-vendors asking for old and useless electronic goods that we can sell.

I have never given his business

dumped indiscriminately, thus the radiation emitting from these products cause health hazard.

Since I did not have any idea of e-waste and its relevance in Bangladesh, after reading the newspaper report, I used Google to get a broader idea about this issue.

Importantly, I found that there was a full-length research study on the condition of e-waste in Bangladesh, conducted in 2010 by the Environment and Social Science Organisation (ESSO). The study provides a lot of useful information about e-waste in general and its present condition in Bangladesh, which, to say the least, is extremely alarming.

The study -- which mainly concentrated on Dhaka and Chittagong -- has established that, in its study year (2009-2010), Bangladesh has produced roughly 2.8 billion metric tons of e-waste.

But most of this waste is dumped in open landfills, arable land, and on riverbeds, thus exposing hundreds and thousands of people to life-threatening diseases such as asthma, cancer, hearing problems, etc, which of course, are the most-commonly suffered diseases in Bangladesh now.

The study only makes us think that if this was the case five years ago, where do we stand now with our spiralling level of consumption of electronic goods?

Regrettably, of course, had some of the recommendations proposed by the study, such as developing large inventories of e-waste in big cities and/or developing an effective guideline to collect, recycle, and reuse e-waste uniformly, would have been made effective in these five years, we could have seen some results.

When throwing away your broken laptop, use caution

Bangladesh has produced roughly 2.8 billion metric tons of e-waste.

Most of this waste is dumped in open landfills, arable lands, and on riverbeds, thus exposing hundreds and thousands of people to lifethreatening diseases any thought -- where does he take these unused products, who buys them, and to what end? Are they reused like old newspapers, or they are just dumped in landfills?

One of the main issues of this e-waste is that, even when they are re-used, they are not wholly used. Many internal bits and bobs are left unused, and perhaps are

But heaps of e-waste are on the rise and hardly any effective measure has been taken to tackle the situation. Since e-waste has turned into a new and real cause for concern for all of us, we should not be waiting for someone else to pick up and clear our mess.

We must buy, use, and discard electrical goods responsibly, and

with some caution.

I remember how, when I was studying at a foreign university, I wanted to discard my old laptop, but I did not know where to dump it. Then I was told by my departmental secretary that I should give the laptop away to my department, and it would be handed in to the Administration

of Information Technology. Now I understand why I had to go through this process, although back then I did not appreciate the lengthy process.

Our universities can also play some role in introducing a one-stop centre where students, faculty, and administrative staff can submit their unused electrical goods to be properly recycled at a central point.

I believe there must be some way through which we all can, and we all should, contribute in tackling this new threat called e-waste. l Rifat Mahbub is Assistant Professor, Department of English and Humanities, BRAC University.

BIGSTOCK

DT

23

Opinion

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Bye bye American pie?

Has the US-Pakistan relationship gone from being strategic to transactional?

n William Milam

M

y editor suggested I take a look at the state of Pakistan-US bilateral relations (perhaps I have been spending too much time on Donald Trump), so I have perused various articles in other publications in the past few days to see what is drawing attention to this careworn question.

Interestingly enough, all the articles I found looked at the Pakistan-US bilateral relationship through the prism of resource transfers.

Now, we know that bilateral relationships involve much more than resource transfers -- ideologies, religious affinities, assumptions about law and government structure, and many other intangible things. But we can count resource transfers, so that is where we start when judging the relationship.

The first article that elicited my attention reported a recent State Department public document laying out the arguments for the USG maintaining healthy, robust economic and military assistance programs to Pakistan.

Congress appears to be poised to cut both sides of US assistance programs in the annual budget bill.

Majorities in both parties are clearly suspicious of Pakistan as a completely trustworthy ally, worthy of continuing to receive very generous amounts of such assistance, and have their budget scalpels out on the Pakistan bill.

There were several articles which pointed out that the relationship between the two countries had evolved from the “strategic partnership” envisioned by the Kerry-Lugar legislation of five to six years ago, into a transactional relationship.

They seemed to imply that was a worrisome thing. Another article that drew my attention was by Ishrat Husain, a Pakistani colleague at the Wilson Centre.

He began his article by viewing the Pakistan-US relationship through the resource transfer prism, and wasn’t at all horrified to report that the US Aid budget for Pakistan was being cut substantially.

Pakistan needs, he wrote, to wean itself off aid dependence.

He then switched to measuring it in the context of the dwindling number of Pakistani students coming to the US for graduate school training in the sciences or

mathematics.

I agree with him as to the detrimental effect this will have on Pakistan, if it continues, but I doubt whether this decrease in number of students is a function of bilateral relationships of any kind (and if so, why does the US get over 100,000 such students from China, in contrast to about 6,000 from Pakistan). I suspect the primary reason for this low number is probably the huge deficiencies in Pakistan’s primary, secondary, and tertiary education systems.

But it is the assertion that the relationship was something other than transactional in earlier years that I think needs exploration. In perfect transactional relationships, for every quid there is a quo -- and while the values may differ, they are considered by the parties to be equivalent.

Foreign relations and diplomacy

Where will things go after Obama leaves office?

Assistance programs to Pakistan have always been transactional in both a positive and a negative sense. Either the US wanted the Pakistanis to do something or to stop doing something

are far too complicated and subtle for bilateral relationships between countries to be strictly transactional. But, in a sense, most are largely transactional in a complicated way.

Except, I think, for some of the Scandinavian countries, most Western countries give foreign assistance, not just to contribute to the development and growth of the recipient, but also to give them access and leverage on such things as UN votes.

And in any case, if the recipient country becomes more prosperous and developed, surely more democratic, because of that assistance, most democratic aidgiving countries would consider that quo to be in their long term interests.

As cynics have noted for many decades, aid-giving countries often give assistance to countries to do things that are in the recipients’ interest. Often, the recipient would not be able to afford the level of resources for more rapid development (and also sadly too often the leaders of the recipient country would want the resources required for their own uses).

And there is a negative

transactional sense in bilateral relations involving resource transfers. Aid-giving countries use their programs sometimes to demonstrate disapproval of a recipient country’s policies. In the US-Pakistan case, this has happened overtly at least twice.

In 1965, the Johnson administration stopped most military assistance to Pakistan at the beginning of the 1965 war with India.

The second example is the cut-off of almost all assistance programs under the Pressler Amendment because of Pakistan’s insistence on continuing to develop nuclear weapons.

An aside here is that nondemocratic, authoritarian countries also provide development aid, or so they call it, and provide other kinds of resource transfers through investment that can benefit a recipient. They clearly use some of their assistance to advocate the “benefits” of the authoritarian system of governance.

Assistance programs to Pakistan have always been transactional in both a positive and a negative sense. Either the US wanted the Pakistanis to do something or to

stop doing something. In the 1950s and early 1960s, the assistance programs were aimed at improving the development of Pakistan, a country which was aligned with the US against the Soviets.

The more massive assistance of the 1980s was the quid to help a country which was helping the US in the final phases of the Cold War and the quo was Pakistan’s assistance in the proxy fight in Afghanistan against the Soviets.

And since 2001, US assistance has been to secure Pakistan’s cooperation in the so-called War on Terror.

The present attack on Pakistan’s foreign and military assistance programs is surely primarily Congress’s message to Pakistan (and the ISI) over continued smoozing with the Haqqani network.

Despite the arguments that the assistance programs for Pakistan continue to be in US vital interests, this will continue to be a sore spot affecting Pakistan-US relations that many will seize upon to make a point.

I want to end with one other thought, and that is to go back to my Wilson Centre colleague.

There is an argument, made

REUTERS

brilliantly in a paper earlier this year, that Pakistan has been able to live beyond its means for almost 40 years because of its strategic geopolitical position.

Generous resource transfers when relations were good, and Pakistan was involved in political efforts which benefited both the US and Pakistan.

Generous financial flows from the international financial institutions when political relations were not so good and resource transfers had dwindled were another important part.

In the latter instance, clearly the US and some other Western powers are complicit as they, in reality, are very influential in the IFIs. One thing they could not countenance, even when cutting assistance programs to make a point, was the possibility of a Pakistan gone bust and in danger of political failure. Pakistan was always bailed out.

It was, and probably still is, too geo-strategically important to fail.

It is all about resource mobilisation. In 1985, Pakistan’s revenue/GDP ratio was 14%. Now it is below 9%.

Wouldn’t it be ironic, however, if the US winding down its assistance is the act of tough love Pakistan needs to start getting its economic house in order? l William Milam is a Senior Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Centre in Washington, DC, and former US Ambassador to Pakistan and Bangladesh. This article previously appeared in The Friday Times.

DT

24 Sport

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Mashrafe targeting aggressive cricket

TOP STORIES

n Minhaz Uddin Khan Bangladesh edge India in nail-biter Bangladesh began their Boys’ Under-18 Asia Cup Hockey campaign with a nail-biting 5-4 victory over favourites India in the inaugural day of the tournament at Maulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium yesterday. PAGE 25

We’ll do our best to win, says Stanikzai Afghanistan captain Asghar Stanikzai is happy to play against a Test-playing nation and said they will try to capitalise the opportunity. The skipper shared his thoughts during a presser in Mirpur yesterday. PAGE 26

Bangladesh cricketers Nasir Hossain (L) and Mosaddek Hossain take shelter from rain in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Wasim leads Pakistan’s rout of WI Imad Wasim took a career best five for 14 to help Pakistan defeat world Twenty20 champions West Indies by nine wickets in the first match in Dubai on Friday. Wasim’s spin assault routed the West Indies for a low score of 115. PAGE 27

Dominating United thrash Leicester Manchester United dismantled Premier League champions Leicester in a ruthless 20-minute burst as Jose Mourinho’s decision to drop Wayne Rooney was rewarded with a 4-1 win at the Theatre of Dreams, Old Trafford yesterday. PAGE 28

Bangladesh will be confident when they take on Afghanistan in the first of the three-match one-day international series in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium today.

Tigers limited-over captain Mashrafe bin Mortaza said this in the pre-match press conference yesterday.

Mashrafe also informed that his team would like to start from where they had left off in their last ODI series nearly a year ago, against Zimbabwe at home.

But then again, he said they will have to play according to the merit of the situation and the conditions.

“We want to play aggressive cricket and start from where we had left off in our last ODI. There are times when we have to play defensive. This series is very important for us given that we have not played this format for around a year. At the same time, Afghanistan are also coming up well as a team,” Mashrafe told the media.

Bearing in mind that Afghanistan are an ICC Associate side, majority have termed the series as part of Bangladesh’s preparation for their upcoming bilateral series at home against England.

Mashrafe however, thinks otherwise.

“There is no reason for us to think that the series will be easy. Rather, we should go in the middle treating this as one of the toughest series. The start will be crucial and we are looking forward to that,” said Mashrafe.

Bangladesh are currently placed seventh in the ODI rankings with 98 points and a 3-0 whitewash over the Afghans and a 2-1 series win against England will help them move to sixth position, ahead of Sri Lanka, on decimal points.

Mashrafe though refused to look too far ahead, saying, “I have not thought about ranking to be honest. A year and a half ago, we never thought of being in the position that we are in right now (No 7) in the ranking table. For me, it is not a subject to think about.” l

‘Taskin will benefit any team’ n Minhaz Uddin Khan

Bangladesh head coach Chandika Hathurusingha believes skill is not a concern for his side as they prepare to return to the 50-over cricket after around a year through the first one-day international against Afghanistan in Mirpur’s Sher-eBangla National Stadium today.

For Chandika, it is all about the mentality of his players in the middle. The former Sri Lanka cricketer informed that his side will treat Afghanistan the same they have planned for England.

Below are the excerpts from his pre-match press conference held yesterday at the home of cricket.

Will the main focus be getting over the first match?

Not the main focus. The main focus is to win three ODIs against another national team. As you said, not playing for a long time is a bit of an achilles heel for us. That is what we are trying to get over,

that uncertainty. The first match is very vital for us. The first hour is vital for us. It is important that we start well, so the focus is all about winning the first game.

Will this series serve as good preparation before England’s arrival?

We take this as a really important series, not as practice or anything like that. Afghanistan are a strong team. They have upset many good teams on the world stage. We take them very seriously, we prepare for them as we would prepare for any other team.

The ranking is the outcome of what we do day by day. We are not thinking of the ranking. We are thinking of a six-match series; three with Afghanistan, three with England. So that is how we are going to approach it. Like I said, it is important to break it down into one match at a time then break it down into the first hour of the first match.

Will this series give any message to England?

I would like to think so, but no.

We just have to get into a winning mood, we want to win every match.

Will you elaborate on Al Amin Hossain’s exclusion?

Just because Al-Amin is not here does not mean he is finished. If we were playing a different team it would have been a different scenario. We are giving the captain the best form of attack, different variety. He has done well in the past, and when Shafiul [Islam] is fit, he is as good as anyone as well.

We are giving Shafiul two games to see what he can do.

What is your take on Taskin Ahmed’s return to the national team?

Definitely, the quality of Taskin’s skill will benefit any team in world cricket. He is one of our best bowlers, so he is coming and we are

very relieved to have this ban off from him.

Taijul Islam has been included while Arafat Sunny, who is not in the side, recently got his bowling action cleared. What are your plans with the duo?

Taijul didn’t play in the past because of Sunny doing well and now he has got the opportunity, not that he is less good than anyone else.

Whenever he has played he has done the job for us. So I am hoping that Taijul does the job for us as good as Arafat or better. Arafat is different to Taskin; he has had to change his action a lot more than Taskin.

We want him to play first-class cricket and get used to his new action and we will assess his performance in domestic cricket. At the same time, if someone takes the opportunity with both hands – someone like Taijul – then he will have to bide his time. l

25

DT

Sport

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

BOYS’ UNDER-18 ASIA CUP HOCKEY

Bangladesh edge India in nail-biter n Tribune Report Bangladesh began their Boys’ Under-18 Asia Cup Hockey campaign with a nail-biting 5-4 victory over favourites India in the inaugural day of the tournament at Maulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium yesterday.

Drag-and-flick specialist Ashraful Islam netted four goals, including a brilliant hattrick, while Fazle Hossain Rabby added the other to enable the boys in red and green salvage three vital points in the competition where they are taking part after one and a half decade.

It has been 15 years since Bangladesh last took part in the event. They didn’t participate in the next two editions in 2009 and 2011.

This is the first time in history that a Bangladesh U-18 team beat an India U-18 side in any international tournament. The last time an age-level Bangladesh side beat an Indian team was back in 2004 in the U-21 Challenge Cup Hockey in Dhaka.

The home side earned their first penalty corner with

only four minutes into the clock through Arshad Hossain but Ashraful’s final shot missed the back of the net.

Four minutes later, Raju Ahmed’s shot on a Safiul Alam minus was blocked by an opposition defender.

Ashraful then put Bangladesh ahead from a penalty corner in the 16th minute after Fazle’s push and Naim Uddin’s stop allowed him to take the shot that deflected off a defender before bouncing inside the post.

India got their first penalty corner in the 20th minute but Silpreet Singh’s shot didn’t trouble the Bangladesh defence.

India though equalised just a minute later when Dharminder Singh calmly sent the ball into the net from a penalty stroke.

Konjengbam Singh netted a lovely goal in the 25th minute to give the visitors the lead when the Indian forward flicked home on a Dharminder shot.

Bangladesh earned another penalty corner in the 29th minute and Ashraful converted it to restore parity on

the second effort after the initial one was thwarted by the Indian defence. Raju pushed the ball forward, Naim stopped it before Ashraful fired home with a grounder.

The home side got another penalty corner just before the first half whistle - their fourth in the game against India’s one – and Ashraful completed his hattrick.

Hardin Singh equalised the margin in the 48th minute but the delight barely lasted as Fazle gave the hosts the lead just two minutes later with a magnificent strike following an Arshad minus from the right side.

Dilpreet Singh made it 4-4 in the 53rd minute before Ashraful scored his fourth of the day from another penalty corner to seal victory.

Bangladesh will face Oman in their second match this Tuesday at the same venue while India will be up against the same opposition today.

Meanwhile in the day’s other matches, China outplayed Hong Kong 6-0 in the inaugural match while Pakistan thrashed Chinese Taipei 6-1 in the second match. l

A Bangladesh player celebrates one of their five goals against India in the Boys’ Under-18 Asia Cup Hockey at Maulana Bhasani National Stadium yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Ashraful, Bangladesh’s new drag-flick hero n Shishir Hoque Ashraful Islam made his entrance to the country’s hockey scenario at a very early age and didn’t take much time to prove himself as one of the best penalty corner specialists.

However, it was anything but an easy ride as he had to compete against renowned drag-andflick specialist Mamunur Rahman Chayan.

Former national captain Chayan had been taking drag-flick shots for quite a long time before Ashraful threatened his place in the last South Asian Games in Guwahati where he netted against Sri Lanka to open his international account.

Ashraful continued to improve immensely in the last couple of years but his performance in yesterday’s game against India in the Under-18 Asia Cup Hockey was undoubtedly a milestone in the

18-year-old’s career. He bagged four goals, all from penalty corners.

“This victory gives us a huge boost to increase our confidence level. Hopefully we will continue playing like this and do well in the next matches,” said an elated Ashraful after the 5-4 win against India.

Hailing from BKSP, Ashraful made his senior team debut in 2014 in the second round of the Hockey World League at the age of only 16.

But this year, he took himself to a new level.

He scored eight goals in the Premier Division Hockey League this season for Mariner Young’s Club, who emerged as champions for the first time in history.

Following their victory over favourites India, the boys in red and green are in a comfortable position to move through to the final.

And ahead of their second match against Oman, scheduled

for this Tuesday at the same venue, Ashraful said, “Our only aim is to become champions. We have been working hard, giving our best in training in the last one month.

We have prepared ourselves for the championship.

“During the training camp, the coach gave me extra time, besides daily training, and practised drag and flicks. I tried to score from as many chances as possible and I’m happy that I did it.” l

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

We’ll do our best to win, says Stanikzai n Ali Shahriyar Bappa Afghanistan captain Asghar Stanikzai is happy to play against a Test-playing nation and said they will try to capitalise the opportunity.

The visiting skipper shared his thoughts during a press conference in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium yesterday.

This is the first bilateral series between the Tigers and the Afghans and Stanikzai thanked Bangladesh for providing them the chance to contest the three-ODI series.

The 29-year old remembered their famous 32-run win against the Tigers in the 2014 Asia Cup. But Stanikzai thinks Bangladesh are a more tougher opponent now while he is also of the opinion that the Afghans have gained a lot of experience in the last two years.

“Our expectation from our team is to give our best. Two years ago, we remember that we beat Bangladesh. Our team have played more cricket against Test-playing nations. We were less experienced back then but now we have also played World Cup and the Asia Cup. I hope my team will play better than last time,” Stanikzai told the media.

He admitted that they will start as underdogs against a Test-playing nation like Bangladesh. But he confirmed that they will play for a win.

He also demanded more matches against the Test nations in the future.

“Everybody is coming here for a win. We will try our best against the Full Member nations. We will get a lot of experience playing against them, and we want to play a lot of matches against these Full Member nations,” he added.

Experienced all-rounder Mo-

hammad Nabi batted at No 9 in their sole practice match and Stanikzai stated that the conditions will dictate the position where the former will come out to bat.

“It was a practice match and we have played some more in India as well. Most of the players had opportunity in these matches, so we tried to provide batting chances to those players who didn’t get that in the previous matches. We will look at the conditions and situations before deciding where Nabi will bat,” said Stanikzai.

On the other hand, Afghanistan coach Lalchand Rajput said their 66-run victory against the Bangladesh Cricket Board XI in the practice match will boost their confidence level.

He hoped their bowling unit will produce the same result against the experienced Bangladesh batting line-up.

“We have a very well-balanced team. We have good medium-pacers and spinners, who will get assistance in Bangladesh. We have a young guy who just came from the U19s. He really impressed us in the camp in India. We have experience and youth. It will be great if the boys can perform in such a platform,” said Rajput.

There are two leg-spinners – Rashid Khan and Rahmat Shah - in the Afghan squad. They performed impressively against several teams in the recent past. But Rajput said the spinners will be tested against Bangladesh as the Tigers batsmen are good against spin bowling.

“We have seen in other tournaments that leg-spin plays an important part. We have two very good leg-spinners, so hopefully we will see how they do against players who do well against spin. We have got the ammunition so let’s see if they can surprise the Bangladesh batsmen,” he added.l

PLAYERS TO WATCH

SHAKIB AL HASAN

All eyes will be on the champion cricketer when the Tigers face Afghanistan in the first ODI of the year as Shakib is on the verge of yet another milestone. The left-arm spinner is two wickets away from becoming the highest wicket-taker in ODIs. Abdur Razzak is currently at the top of the list with 207 wickets. Shakib is already the leading wicket-taker for the Tigers in the other two formats and the 29-year old is pretty much expected to make the record his own in the Afghanistan ODIs.

RASHID KHAN

Afghanistan put the finishing touch to their preparation yesterday ahead of their first ODI against Bangladesh today in Mirpur MAINOOR ISLAM MANIK

Among the three leg-spinners in the Afghan line-up, Rashid has already earned a lot of plaudits through his impressive performances. The 18-year old has a variety of deliveries up his sleeve and possesses the ability to bowl in the right areas consistently. Rashid picked up two wickets in the only practice match against Bangladesh Cricket Board XI and will play an important role for his side against the Tigers.

India in charge after Kiwi meltdown Ashraful returns to NCL n Reuters, Kanpur Spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin made the most of a turning pitch in Kanpur to rip through New Zealand as India racked up a commanding 215-run lead on day three of the first Test yesterday.

Jadeja claimed his fifth five-wicket haul in Tests and Ashwin dismissed four frontline batsmen as New Zealand squandered a strong start, losing their last five wickets for seven runs to be all out for 262 and concede a 56-run firstinnings lead.

India scored freely to consol-

idate their position in the first match of the three-Test series, reaching 159 for one at stumps with Murali Vijay (64) and Cheteshwar Pujara (50) at the crease.

Opener Lokesh Rahul (38) fell to Ish Sodhi just before tea, but Vijay and Pujara registered their second individual fifties of the match.

1ST TEST, DAY 3 New Zealand first innings 262 all out (Williamson 75, Latham 58, Jadeja 5-73, Ashwin 4-93) India second innings 159 for 1 (Vijay 64*, Pujara 50*) India lead by 215 runs

The pair added 107 runs for the second wicket and never looked in trouble against New Zealand’s three-pronged spin attack, cutting with control and pulling with panache.

Home captain Virat Kohli opted for spin from both ends to start the third day and New Zealand were soon robbed of the slight advantage they held after resuming on 152 for one in reply to India’s 318.

Off-spinner Ashwin provided the breakthrough by drifting one into Tom Latham’s (58) front pad for an lbw decision to end the left-hander’s 124-run partnership with his captain Kane Williamson. l

n Tribune Report Mohammad Ashraful is set to return to competitive cricket when the 18th Walton National Cricket League begins today.

Ashraful, who will play for Dhaka Metropolis in the country’s premier first-class tournament, will be back to the field having served his three-year ban for match fixing in the second edition of the Bangladesh Premier League Twenty20 in 2013.

Dhaka Metro, who will face Dhaka division in a tier one game in Bogra’s Shaheed Chandu Stadium, are yet to set their playing XI,

according to the team members.

There were slight confusions in the tent last night with two cricketers of the team - Saikat Ali and Mehrab Hossain Jr - joining the camp but sources said Ashraful is well on track to make his comeback.

In the second tier one game, Khulna division will take on Barisal division at Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna.

In tier two, Rangpur division will face Chittagong division at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium while in the other game, Rajshahi division will lock horns with Sylhet division at Sheikh Kamal Stadium in Rajshahi. l

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Wasim leads Pakistan’s rout of WI n AFP, Dubai

Left-arm spinner Imad Wasim took a career best five for 14 to help Pakistan defeat world Twenty20 champions West Indies by nine wickets in the first match in Dubai on Friday.

Wasim’s spin assault routed the West Indies for a low score of 115 in 19.5 overs which Pakistan surpassed in 14.2 overs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Dwayne Bravo hit a gritty halfcentury to avoid a total disaster, adding a new world record T20 stand of 66 runs for the ninth wicket with Jerome Taylor who made 21.

Pakistan had lost opener Sharjeel Khan for 22 in the fourth over but Babar Zaman (55 not out) and Khalid Latif (34 not out) ensured the target was chased down comfortably.

Babar hit two consecutive fours

to bring up the victory, hitting two sixes and six boundaries overall in his 37-ball knock.

“I bowl wicket to wicket and this brought me wickets,” said Wasim who was declared man of the match. “I try to give my hundred percent every time.”

BRIEF SCORE WEST INDIES 115 (Bravo 55, Taylor 21, Wasim 5-14) PAKISTAN 116 for 1 (Azam 55*, Latif 34*) Pakistan won by nine wickets West Indian skipper Carlos Brathwaite blamed his batsmen.

“We didn’t have a good start, so we need to change things quickly because there are back to back matches,” said Brathwaite.

Earlier, Bravo scored a 54-ball 55 for his fourth half-century and lifted the world champions from a precar-

ious 48-8 in 11.3 overs before being bowled off the penultimate ball.

Wasim made his career milestone in his four destructive overs - the third best figures for Pakistan in all T20 cricket - after Sarfraz Ahmed won the toss and opted to bowl on a slow turner at Dubai stadium.

Bravo smashed paceman Wahab Riaz for a six to reach his half-century and led the recovery from a poor start which saw the West Indies struggling at 46-5 in the first ten overs, in danger of falling for under a 100 total.

West Indies had lost opener Evin Lewis to Wasim off the fifth ball of the innings for one, holing out at deep mid-wicket off a lofted sweep.

The victory gave Pakistan’s new T20 captain Sarfraz Ahmed two in two after taking over in his team’s nine wicket win over England at Manchester earlier this month. l

DAY’S WATCH CRICKET GTV 2:30PM Bangladesh v Afghanistan 1st ODI

STAR SPORTS 1 10:00AM New Zealand Tour of India 1st Test, Day 4

FOOTBALL SONY SIX Spanish La Liga 4:00PM Leganes v Valencia 8:10PM Atletico Madrid v Deportivo La Coruna 10:30PM Villarreal v Osasuna 12:40AM Espanyol v Celta Vigo

STAR SPORTS 4 9:00PM English Premier League West Ham v Southampton

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Mourinho stands by axed Rooney n AFP, Manchester

Manchester United’s Paul Pogba heads to score against Leicester City during their Premier League match at Old Trafford yesterday

United thrash Foxes n AFP, London

Manchester United thrashed Premier League champions Leicester 4-1 to vindicate manager Jose Mourinho’s decision to drop Wayne Rooney while Manchester City maintained their perfect start with a 3-1 win at Swansea yesterday.

United scored four goals, as Chris Smalling, Juan Mata, Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba with his first goal since his return from Juventus, all found the back of the net.

Elsewhere, Sergio Aguero marked his return from a threegame ban as City won away to Swansea.

At Anfield, Liverpool overpow-

ered Hull 5-1 after the Tigers spent much of the match a man down, with the Reds 3-0 up inside 36 minutes.

Adam Lallana put Liverpool ahead in the 17th minute. Hull then found themselves down a man when Ahmed Elmohamady was sent off after blocking Philippe Coutinho’s goal-bound shot with his arm.

James Milner scored from the resulting penalty and Sadio Mane then made it 3-0.

David Meyler pulled a goal back before Coutinho restored Liverpool’s three-goal lead with a brilliant 25-yard strike. Milner scored his second penalty of the match after Daniel Sturridge was tripped

by Andrew Robertson.

South Korea’s Son Heung-Min scored twice as Tottenham Hotspur won 2-1 away to Middlesbrough.

Bournemouth ended Everton’s unbeaten start to the season with a 1-0 home win.

At the Stadium of Light, Crystal Palace came from 2-0 down to beat Sunderland 3-2.

Tony Pulis was unable to mark his 1,000th game as a manager with a win as his West Brom drew 1-1 away to former club Stoke.

In yesterday’s late kick-off, Arsenal overpowered Chelsea 3-0 at Emirates Stadium with Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott and Mesut Oezil getting their names on the scoresheet. l

REUTERS

RESULTS Bournemouth

1-0

Everton

Stanislas 23

Liverpool

5-1

Hull

Lallana 17, Milner 30-P, 71-P, Mane 36, Coutinho 52

Meyler 51

4-1

Leicester

Smalling 22, Mata 37, Rashford 40, Pogba 42

Gray 59

1-2

Tottenham

Man United

Middlesbrough Gibson 65

Stoke Allen 73

Sunderland Defoe 39, 60

Swansea Llorente 13

Arsenal

Son 7, 23

1-1

West Brom Rondon 90+1

2-3

Crystal Palace

1-3

Manchester City

3-0

Chelsea

Ledley 61, McArthur 76, Benteke 90+4

Aguero 9, 65-P, Sterling 77

Sanchez 11, Walcott 14, Oezil 40

Jose Mourinho insists Wayne Rooney can still be a key figure for Manchester United despite dropping the England striker for yesterday’s 4-1 win against Leicester.

Mourinho left Rooney on the bench after a series of underwhelming performances from the United captain and he wasn’t missed as the Premier League champions were crushed at Old Trafford.

Juan Mata, who stepped into Rooney’s number 10 role, was among the scorers, but United manager Mourinho is adamant his axed star remains an important member of the team and is not sulking about the decision to leave him out.

“Wayne Rooney is a big player for me, United and this country. He is my man, I trust him completely.

He is happy,” Mourinho told Sky Sports after Rooney was limited to a seven-minute substitute appearance at the end of the second half.

After United were beaten in their previous two league games, Mourinho couldn’t afford his Rooney gamble to backfire and he delighted with the way his team blitzed Leicester with a four-goal first half.

“It was a very good performance and result. It is not easy against them and not easy to win in the style that we did,” Mourinho said.

“Today we had intensity, movement and dynamism. To be back home and beat the champions is good. Last season we couldn’t beat them and this season we have beaten them twice already.

“We have lost six points in the Premier League. We have four victories which is really important.

“Today it is about the security and the happiness of the fans, I don’t know when the last time that they had such a scoreline at half time.” l

Messi-less Barca top of Liga n AFP, Madrid

Barcelona shrugged off the absence of Lionel Messi to move to the top of La Liga as Luis Suarez and Neymar were on target in a 5-0 thrashing of Sporting Gijon.

The hosts enjoyed the better of the opening half-hour, but were hit by a two-goal Barca burst in three minutes as Suarez rounded Ivan Cuellar to slot home the opener before Rafinha headed home a second.

Sporting were reduced to 10 men 16 minutes from time when Alberto Lora saw a second yellow card and Barca made their man advantage count as a Neymar double and Arda Turan rounded off the

scoring in the final 10 minutes.

Real Madrid can regain a threepoint lead over Barca with victory when they travel to Las Palmas later yesterday.

Barca coach Luis Enrique made five changes to the side that started Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid as Andres Iniesta, Ivan Rakitic, Javier Mascherano and Jordi Alba joined the injured Messi in dropping out.

The champions looked unsettled in the early stages and goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen was lucky to escape further punishment when he gave away a freekick for handling outside his area with the score still level at 0-0.

However, one moment of Su-

arez magic turned the game in Barca’s favour as he raced onto Turan’s through ball and flicked the ball past the onrushing Cuellar before slotting into an empty net.

A fine team goal put the game beyond Sporting moments later as Neymar freed Sergi Roberto down the right and Rafinha met his cross with a powerful near-post header.

Barca appeared to have eased up in the second half ahead of Wednesday’s visit to Borussia Moenchengladbach in the Champions League as Sergio Busquets and Suarez were replaced by Denis Suarez and Paco Alcacer.

However, the goals flowed after Lora dived in on Roberto to leave his side a man light. l

Barcelona forward Neymar vies with Sporting Gijon defender Lillo Castellano during their Spanish league match at El Molinon Stadium in Gijon yesterday AFP

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Scrutinise (4) 4 Bends over (5) 8 Incentive (6) 9 Close (4) 11 Tree (5) 12 Employs (4) 14 Mature (3) 15 National song (6) 19 Dwell (6) 21 Copy (3) 22 Ribbon (4) 24 Sports enclosure (5) 27 Hurried (4) 29 Cookery instructions (6) 30 Make effort (5) 31 Break suddenly (4)

DOWN 1 Distress call (3) 2 Entertains (6) 3 Musical sound (4) 4 Trivial falsehood (3) 5 Not concealed (5) 6 Sheltered side 7 Plot (6) 10 Immense (4) 13 Sorrowful (3) 14 Shopping centre (6) 16 Fish trap (3) 17 Occur (6) 18 Duelling sword (4) 20 Interior (5) 23 Serpents (4) 25 Before (3) 26 Part of a play (3) 28 Immerse (3)

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Downtime

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 16 represents D so fill D every time the figure 16 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

MONDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

DILBERT

SUDOKU

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

Showtime

Video to film stars n Showtime Desk From the late 90s to now, Bollywood has seen so many celebrities who started their careers in music videos. Who can forget the popular song of Sonu Nigam “Tu Kab Ye Manegi,” and the ravishing girl with dimples, Bipasha Basu? Or Milind Soman?

He was introduced to digital media by pop singer Alisha Chinai’s “Made in India,” which set the nation’s collective pulse soaring.

The bestselling album was noteworthy for reasons other than the money it raked in and its anthem-esque tunes.

Let’s take a trip down memory lane by recalling Bollywood celebrities’ memorable appearances in music videos.

Malaika Arora

“Gur Naal Ishq Mitha” continues to be a popular song played at weddings when it’s time to hit the dance floor. Part of the video’s charm came from its lead actors, Malaika Arora and Jas Arora. Malaika, who is married to Arbaaz Khan, was a popular VJ, now a reality show judge, host, model and dancer as well.

Ayesha Takia

Falguni Pathak introduced Ayesha Takia to the audience through her hit song, “Meri Chunnar Udd Udd Jaye.”

The song also featured South Indian actress Trisha Krishnan, whose role added an element of fantasy to the video. The soulful song was picturised on two lovers, one of them played by Takia.

Milind Soman

Long before he became the country’s Ironman and poster boy for fitness, Milind Soman was noticed during his appearance in the title song of singer Alisha Chinai’s “Made in India.” The album, and Soman, went on to become a huge hit, putting both the singer and the model on the map.

The video saw a chiseled Soman, who played a prince from India, emerge from a box to woo Chinai. There were scores of women who wished they were in Chinai’s shoes.

Dia Mirza

John Abraham

When ghazal maestro Pankaj Udhas wasn’t too busy writing haunting melodies, he sang another number, “Chupke Chupke,” starring a little-known model John Abraham, with cute dimples and long, floppy hair.

Bipasha Basu

As an established model, Bipasha garnered much attention when she starred in Sonu Nigam’s “Tu Kab Ye Janegi.” The pop singer was at the peak of his career. She made her Bollywood debut in Ajnabee in 2001 in a supporting role. What followed were a spate of some good and some cringe-worthy movies. But one can’t deny that the Bengali beauty has climbed the ladder quite well.

Celina Jaitley

The song “Zara Nazron Se Kehdo,” originally sung by Hemant Kumar, also tasted such success when it was remixed by Bombay Vikings, starring a relatively unknown Celina Jaitley.

The model and actress impressed viewers with her cute-girl-meets-sultry siren looks and dance moves. She also starred in Jazzy B’s music video, “Oh Kehri” in 2001. In the year 2003, she landed a role in Janasheen, which failed at the box-office.

Actors and actresses rarely get the chance to star in a music video that features the versatile and legendary Asha Bhosle, before their big Bollywood break.

Actress and model Dia Mirza is among the lucky few. Long before the movies, advertisements and international titles, Mirza starred in Asha Bhonsle’s melodious track, “Na Marte Hum” in 2001.

Mirza and television actor Aashish Chaudhary starred as lead characters in the song. The song rose up the popularity charts and was even featured regularly on radio and television programs. Mirza, who is half-German, also acted in the title song of the album, “Khoya Khoya Chand,” before she landed the lead role in her debut Hindi movie, Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein in the year 2001.

Deepika Padukone

The actress was a force to reckon with in the world of modelling, stunning everyone with her stellar looks and poise on ramp.

But her appearance in Himesh Reshammiya’s music video in 2006, “Naam Hai Tera,” got Bollywood to sit up and take notice.

Reshammiya, himself a rage at the time, saw the video turn into the perfect launchpad for the actress. A dream debut with Shah Rukh Khan in Om Shanti Om (2007) followed and the rest, as they say, is history.

Riya Sen

Singer Falguni Pathak sang her way into the hearts of listeners with her 1998 song, “Yaad Piya Ki Aane Lagi.”

The song gained cult status and fetched Pathak her status as ‘Dandiya Queen’.

The song also launched actress Riya Sen, who went on to act in Hindi as well as regional films.

Shahid Kapoor

Before bowling us over with his performances in Haider and Kaminey, Shahid was seen as a scrawny, love-struck teenager in the song, “Aankhon Mein Tera Hi Chehra” by the band Aryans.

Kapoor went on to wow audiences with his dancing prowess on stage and acting in praise-worthy movies. l

Trip to the White House ABC takes a crack at another Oval Office thrilling drama There’s this sudden urge to compare Sutherland’s character to House of Cards’ Frank Underwood played by the brilliant Kevin Spacey. There’s a huge contrast between the latter and Kirkman.

Both politicians find themselves in the presidential hot seat during a crisis. However, that’s where the similarities stop.

Kirkman is a straight shooter,

n Mahmood Hossain We’ve seen a lot of political thrillers in our day. Some were gripping and nail-biters, while others may have just put you to sleep out of predictable boredom. ABC takes another crack at a political thriller in the show Designated Survivor, which Netflix bought the rights to for international distribution. So if you’re watching this on Netflix, it really isn’t a Netflix original.

However, we can commend the streaming giants for providing us with such a great show. When the show originally airs in the States, Netflix will provide the streaming

The drama Shakuntala has been performed at National Shilpakala Academy auditorium, which is directed by renowned Manipuri dancer, and co-founder of Bhabna (dance company), Samina Husain Prema. The drama was staged under the auspicious story and play Abhighyan Shakuntalam, by the great poet, Kalidasa, who extracted it from the Aadiparba and Padmapuran chapters of the Mahabharata. Although Kalidasa adapted the play, he kept his own signature in his version. The prime inspiration for the drama is

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

unlike the ruthless Underwood.

And watching someone like Sutherland, who has played an antagonist a few times before, the audience will find themselves pleasantly surprised how convincing he is as an incorruptible president of the free world.

The biggest difference between this presidential tenure is that Kirkman takes the role of the most powerful man on earth because of a tragedy, and not through scandal and intrigue. What makes this portrayal challenging is how this low-level Cabinet member will defend the country from a mysterious terrorist attack. This is a true political thriller from

the perspective of both the Oval Office and on the field by the FBI agent Hannah Wells played by the stunning Maggie Q. Alongside Sutherland, there’s a very impressive supporting cast that includes the talented and beautiful Natascha McElhone (Californication), Maggie Q (Nikita), Kal Penn (Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle) and many more. That’s only a hint to how wonderful the performances are from the actors so far. This will keep the audience wanting more week after week, you can bet on that. There are plenty of episodes to come so only time will tell if this show has enough steam to last for the entire season. l

the day after.

We’ve also seen actor Kiefer Sutherland take on a variety of roles through his film and television career. From being a super agent on the show 24 to now being the President of the United States in Designated Survivor. The term itself refers to an individual who takes over as the president when the current reigning cabinet is no longer able to run the country. Now, Tom Kirkman (Sutherland) is next in the line of succession. The odds of this happening real life are quite slim.

But of course, we’re talking about a fictional story here, and what an entertaining one at that.

Shakuntala stages at National Shilpakala Academy

n Hasan Dabir Uddin

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Showtime

mortality and love.

“The entire story is being depicted through a number of Kazi Nazrul Islam’s songs, which have been precisely picked to portray the narrative accurately,” said Samina Husain Prema, director and leading performer of this drama.

Before performing the dancedrama, Asaduzzaman Noor, Minister of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and journalist, cultural activist Kamal Lohani said, “We want more programs of this kind to be held. Our ministry will support this type of initiative for reducing destabilising situations.

We work towards a peaceful and secular country.”

Kamal Lohani said, “I give thanks to Bhabna for this arrangement. Shakuntala is one of the oldest dramas, which depicts love and malevolence. At the moment, It’s very relevant.”

The script was crafted by Alomoy Biswas, and Jayanto Chattopadhyay is the key narrator of the drama. The music is directed and composed by Sumon Sarkar from Kolkata.

Celebrated artists Khairul Anam Shakil and Priyanka Gope sang for the lead roles, while a group of young and talented singers from Bangladesh voiced the chorus under the lead duos’ guidance. The classical portions were sung by two Indian singers, Sumon Sarkar and Sirsho Roy. Notable artists Dalia Ahmed, Shimul Mustapha, Tamanna Tithi, Debashish Chakrabortty and Jayonta Das have narrated the dialogues for the drama. The set and props were designed by Hadi Mirza and light design was prepared by Reaz Mahmud. l

WHAT TO WATCH Connolly, Jeremy Piven

Spy Star Movies 9:30pm A desk-bound CIA analyst volunteers to go undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, and prevent diabolical global disaster.

Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Jude Law Entourage (2015) HBO 7:20 pm Movie star Vincent Chase, together with his boys Eric, Turtle, and Johnny, are back and back in business with super agent-turned-studio head Ari Gold on a risky project that will serve as Vince’s directorial debut.

Cast: Adrian Grenier, Kevin

The Animal WB 5:45pm After receiving organ transplants from various animal donors, a man finds himself taking on the traits of those animals.

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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2016

IMPORT RISES 8% IN AUG PAGE 12

‘TASKIN WILL BENEFIT ANY TEAM’ PAGE 24

TRIP TO THE WHITE HOUSE PAGE 31

Titas: Excess gas usage caused Tampaco fire Islam Akand, n Raihanul Gazipur In its report over the deadly fire at Tampaco Foils Ltd in Tongi, Titas Gas has mentioned that the packaging factory was using double the amount of gas it was permitted.

Titas General Manager (marketing, Dhaka north) Rana Kabir, who headed the investigation committee, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday that they had submitted their findings to the government on Thursday.

Titas says the gas connections

to the factory were severed within 10 minutes of the fire. No fault was found in the gas lines, and that those were not damaged in the incident.

Meanwhile, another body was recovered from the collapsed factory building yesterday, raising the death toll from the September 10 fire to 36, Gazipur Fire Service Deputy Director Akhtaruzzaman said.

Eleven others have still remained missing. At least 40 people, mostly workers, were injured in the fire that erupted after a loud explosion. Initially it was reported that a

boiler explosion had triggered the fire but government officials were quick to shoot down the claim.

So far, the authorities have identified 29 of the dead and collected DNA samples of family members of 11 missing persons.

Led by the Bangladesh Army, the local city corporation and Fire Service members were carrying out salvage operations at the scene yesterday. Removing the debris from the site may take two more weeks, officials say.

After primary investigation it

was found that the factory had stored huge quantity of chemicals for which the fire could not be doused easily.

The Tampaco factory fire is Bangladesh’s worst industrial disaster since the 2013 Rana Plaza collapse that left more than 1,136 people dead. Earlier, more than 110 workers were killed in a fire at Tazreen Fashions in Ashulia area.

Meanwhile, the police have not arrested any of the 10 persons including factory owner and former MP Syed Mokbul Hossain Lechu

Mia sued in two cases – one filed by the father of a dead worker and the other by police.

Ministers and government highups have warned that they would take action against the owner for negligence in ensuring workers’ safety at the factory.

Several separate investigation committees have been formed to look into the incident.

Moreover, a high-powered committee would also be formed with representatives from several ministries for further probe. l

Hajj flights bag huge revenues for Biman Bangladesh n Ishtiaq Husain

A road in Dhaka’s Dholaikhal area next to the Hanif Flyover remains in dilapidated condition round the year creating sufferings for the people who use the road. The photo was taken yesterday MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Five people killed in road crash in Chittagong Mizanur Rahaman, n FM Chittagong

Five people including the manager of Karnaphuli Paper Mills (KPM) was killed in a road accident in Chittagong, yesterday morning.

The accident occurred when a speeding van hit a parked passenger bus on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway at Mirsarai upazila in Chittagong early morning yesterday.

The deceased were identified as Sayedur Rahman, 50, Md Suhwara-

di, 60, Susmit, 21, Mizanur Rahaman, 35, and Shahida Akhter, 25, said Highway police.

When the bus broke down it was parked on the side of the road and a speeding van rammed into it from behind making it topple over around the passengers from the bus who were trying to flag down another bus to take them to Chittagong city, said the police.

Sub-Inspector (SI) Farid Uddin and In-Charge (IC) of Joararganj Highway Police Outpost to the

Dhaka Tribune SI Farid Uddin said “four men and one woman were killed in the accident. The men all died on the spot while woman Shahida succumbed to her injuries on the way to hospital after being crushed by the bus.

“The driver and assistant of the speeding van managed to flee from the spot”, said the IC adding that police have both the vehicles in their custody.

SI Farid said police were trying to arrest the driver and the bodies of the

victims will be handed over to their family after legislative formalities.

Amongst the victims, Sayedur Rahman was the manager of KMP and Md Suhrawardi was the former manager of KMP. Susmit was a first year student of mechanical engineering at Chittagong University of Engineering Technology (CUET).

Mizan was the supervisor of Saymoli Paribahan.

“A case was filed in connection,” said the IC. l

National flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines earned Tk2,028 crore operating Hajj flights between Dhaka and Jeddah in the last four years.

During this time, Biman carried 207,520 pilgrims.

Biman Chairman Air Marshal Enamul Bari said: “Successful completion of the Hajj flight operations is our commitment to the nation. It has a commercial aspect too.”

He further said: “We have no other option but to earn revenues as the government will not provide us with any subsidy. Biman’s revenue falls whenever the management has to lease any aircraft,” Enamul told the Dhaka Tribune.

According to Biman statistics, it earned a total of TK597.29 crore carrying 54,845 pilgrims in 2015 and Tk504.57 crore transporting 29,938 pilgrims the previous year.

The revenue for the year 2013 was TK654.78 crore by carrying 39,861 pilgrims and Tk271.7 crore transporting 17,117 pilgrims in 2012.

The handsome earning from the Hajj flight operations helps Biman manage other operational costs.

Enamul said it is very much possible to complete Hajj operations without leasing any aircraft if no aircraft is grounded due to technical glitch. “All the aircrafts were fly-worthy during the pre-Hajj flight operation which helped us transport the pilgrims without any hassle.” l

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