Friday, January 27, 2017 by DhakaTribune

SECOND EDITION

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Protesters vow to save Sundarbans › 2 Police turn water-cannons and tear-gas on anti-Rampal protesters at Shahbagh

EC search committee to sit on Saturday › 3

EU to UK: Divorce Playing with first, then trade our children’s deal › 11 future › 22

DNCC market reconstruction stalled › 32

News

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

Protesters vow to save Sundarbans n Nure Alam Durjoy Despite the harsh rain of water cannon spray and clouds of tear gas unleashed by police soon after the dawn yesterday which left many injured, the Rampal protesters said they would protect the Sundarbans by any means. The police action came during an eight-hour hartal in capital Dhaka observed by the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports as part of its seven-year-long protest with international support to scrap the controversial Rampal power plant which is considered a great threat for the Sundarbans. At least 20 demonstrators were reportedly injured. Many of them later treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital with minor injuries, doctors said. Md Solaiman, a DU staff member, claimed his child was also injured when a canister landed inside their house on the Fine Arts Faculty premises. Clashes erupted after police had set up barricades and used water cannons to stop the demonstrators at Shahbagh. Such violence was also reported in many other parts of the city including Mirpur, Paltan, National Press Club, Bahadur Shah Park and Azimpur areas as well. Police were blamed for launching the clash by lobbing dozens of tear gas canisters. Protesters alleged that police charged batons and fired rubber bullets later in the day, but the law enforcers denied the claim. The protesters who were mostly students supporting left-leaning ideology started thronging the Dhaka University (DU) premises and marching towards Shahbagh around 6am. After being obstructed by police near the Fine Arts Faculty half an hour later, they attempted to march again towards Shahbagh. As soon as they reached near the Public Library gate, police began to hurl tear gas shells and use water cannon to disperse them. Since then, the street stretching

from the TSC to Shahbagh turned into a battleground as the police frequently used tear gas and water cannons. Protesters fanned out across the university campus as white clouds of tear gas wafted between the TSC and Shahbagh after 200 tear gas shells were lobbed, ostensibly. Some of the activists were seen pelting bricks to the police during the clash which led to a number of chases and counter-chases. The hartal supporters, aiming to get rid of tear gas and water cannon spray, lit fire on the streets in the area. The situation continued until 2pm although the protesters kept chanting slogans against the coal-fired power plant project for the rest of the day. Bangladesh Students’ Union President Lucky Akter said: “Police attacked our peaceful processions, implying that they do not want to listen to us. “We have been holding protests for seven years to save the mangrove forest and will save it at any cost.”

(Top) Police launch tear gas into a crowd of protesters in Shahbagh area yesterday during the anti-Rampal plant protesters’ eight-hour strike (Right) Members of police are seen beating an elderly Rampal power plant protester in Shahbagh area MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Joy Prakash, a student of drawing and painting at the DU, told reporters that the policemen fired at least six tear gas canisters inside their faculty building, adding that students set fire to escape the gas shells. Five protesters were detained, Shahbagh police Officer-in-Charge Abu Bakar Siddique said. But, they were released later in the evening. With the committee continuing its activities demanding cancel-

lation of the Rampal power plant project, the government, on the contrary, has long been rejecting the demand, the protesters alleged. The committee announced yesterday’s strike – the first of its kind – after a mass rally declaring a seven-point programme. In the wake of yesterday’s clashes, the National Committee which has been protesting the project since 2011, announced fresh

demonstrations across the country this month and in late February. After the shutdown, Progotishil Chhatra Jote, an alliance of left-wing student fronts, declared a fresh student strike in all educational institutions in Dhaka for January 30 protesting the police attack. Besides, processions in support of the strike will be brought out from educational institutions outside Dhaka the same day. l

National Committee announces fresh protest programmes n Nure Alam Durjoy The National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports yesterday announced a series of protest programmes including countrywide sit-in and demonstration to protest the police attack on anti-Rampal demonstrators in Dhaka yesterday. The National Committee will observe a countrywide sit-in on February 25 and demonstra-

tions for January 28. It will also hold a mass rally in Khulna on March 11. At a rally held in front of the National Press Club yesterday during the National Committee’s eight-hour hartal, Professor Anu Muhammad, member secretary of the committee, announced their plans and said their movements will henceforth be more assertive, until the Rampal project is scrapped. “By attacking the protesters,

the government has lost its moral high ground. Most of the countrymen are in support of our programmes, excepting some who have vested interest,” he said. Communist Party Secretary Syed Abu Zafar Ahmed, Gono Shanghati Andolon Coordinator Zonayed Saki, Socialist Party Secretary Khalequzzaman also spoke at the rally, among others. Zonayed Saki said the attack on the demonstrators is a sign of weakness on part of the govern-

ment. This project is intended to please India. The government has been using taxpayers’ money to spread propaganda about the Rampal Coal-fired Power Plant. “We will only be able to force the government to abort the Rampal project by initiating a stronger movement,” he said. Condemning the police attacks, Syed Abu Zafar Ahmed demanded the resignation of the home minister. Khalequzzaman concurred with Abu Zafar Ahmed and also

called for the use of tougher measures in the future. Yesterday, during the eighthour hartal, the activists of the National Committee began their demonstrations at 10:15am with a two-hour sit-in at Purana Paltan, where they chanted slogans. Around noon, they marched towards the National Press Club where they gathered for a rally. Afterwards, they moved to Shahbagh for another demonstration. l

News

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

Warrant issued for arrest of Tarique n Md Sanaul Islam Tipu

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visits the 11th National Rover Moot, the biggest gathering of the Rover Scouts, in Gopalganj town yesterday FOCUS BANGLA

EC search committee to sit on Saturday n Tarek Mahmud The search committee for forming the 11th Election Commission is set to sit for its first meeting at Supreme Court Judges’ Lounge tomorrow. The committee’s convener Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain yesterday morning called the meeting by sending a letter to its members. Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of Bangladesh Masud Ahmed confirmed the matter to the Dhaka Tribune. Masud Ahmed is a member of the newly formed search committee. CAG Masud said: “I have been informed about the meeting, however, I am not aware of the meeting schedule yet.” “Firstly, we will discuss amongst the members and then compile a list of individuals who have honesty, capability and have

acceptance in the society. “We will also cross-examine the professional and personal data of the selected candidates for the 11th Election Commission.” The committee has been instructed to submit the probable names and recommendations for the Election Commission within 10 working days. The committee has been asked to propose two names against each

post of the commission. Another member of the committee, Dr Shirin Akhter said: “The committee members will also discuss about the instructions received from the president.” “As per the president’s instructions, a female election commissioner would be chosen for the first time in the country’s history,” said Shirin, who is also the pro vice-chancellor of Chittagong University. She said: “We will form an acceptable Election Commission under which a free and fair election would be held and we want everyone’s help and participation.” Earlier, the president had formed a six-member search committee on Wednesday led by Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain. Justice Syed Mahmud was also the chief of the search committee for the 10th Election Commission. l

A Dhaka court yesterday cancelled the bail granted to BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman and issued an arrest warrant against him regarding the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case. Judge Md Abu Ahmed Jomadar of Dhaka Special Judges Court-3 passed the order, rejecting a petition submitted by Tarique’s lawyer Md Sanaullah Miah that sought adjournment of the hearing. At the beginning of yesterday hearing, Khaleda’s lawyer Abdur Razzak Khan filed a petition for time, mentioning that the BNP chief could not appear due to the hartal, while Md Sanaullah Miah filed a similar petition on Tarique’s behalf as the defendant was overseas. Following the hearing, the court accepted Khaleda’s petition for time but it rejected Tarique’s plea and issued the warrant for his arrest. The court also fixed January 30 as the date of the next hearing, warning that if Khaleda once again failed to show and defend herself, then her bail may also be cancelled. Defence counsel Md Sanaullah has been representing Tarique in his absence in the graft case, as he went to London for medical treatment in 2008. On January 12, the court had directed all six accused, including Khaleda and Tarique, to appear before the court yesterday as the court was examining them under section 342 of the CrPC. Opposing the defence petitions, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) public Prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain Kajol sought arrest warrants against the duo as he claimed that the defence intentionally filed such petitions on hearing days to delay the trial. Two of the other accused---former BNP lawmaker Kazi Salimul

Haque Kamal and businessman Sharfuddin Ahmed---plead their innocence and demanded justice after the court read out the charges levied against them. In addition, Kazi Salimul gave his statement of defence regarding the graft charges, while Sarfuddin submitted a two-page written statement defending himself. The two remaining accused---Mominur Rahman and Dr Kamaluddin Siddique---are still on the run. Meanwhile, the court fixed February 2 as the new date for recording Khaleda’s defence statement on the Zia Charitable Trust graft case also filed against her, as well as three others, after accepting her petition for more time. Earlier, on different dates, the court completed recording the depositions of prosecution witnesses in both graft cases filed by the ACC. On July 3, 2008, the ACC filed the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case against Khaleda, her son Tarique Rahman and four others for embezzlement of over Tk2.1cr through an allegedly “fake” trust which existed only on paper. In 2011, the anti-graft watchdog filed another case against the former prime minister and three others, alleging that they abused their power to collect Tk6.19cr for the Zia Charitable Trust. l

Muhith: Govt probing ‘Sreetimoy Karmojibon’ by Muhith published Yunus’ institutions n Asif Showkat Kallol Finance Minister AMA Muhith has alleged that Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus had illegally taken tax facilities for his institutions from the government. He made the statement while talking to the reporters after a views-exchange meeting on the possibility of ICT export on Thursday afternoon.

The minister said: “We have already started investigating his firms as he has opened many institutions at the local and international levels. “We will take legal action against Yunus after completing the investigation.” Among others, State Minister for ICT Junaid Ahmed Polok, attended the meeting. l

n Tribune Desk

A new publication by Finance Minister AMA Muhith “Sreetimoy Karmojibon” which translates to “memorable career”, an autobiography was published marking the author’s 84th birthday. The book was launched at a birthday celebration function arranged by publisher Chandrabati Academy in the capital on Wednesday.

It was Muhith’s second autobiography book. The first one was named “Sonali Dinguli”, which translates to “golden days” was on his childhood. Muhith recently completed 84 years of his life and still serving the country as finance minister. “I am still active and agile even at 84,” Muhith said with pleasure while speaking at the publication function. “There is no good quality that Muhith does not possess”,

Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said while recalling the past days at the function. Shamsuzzaman Khan, director general of Bangla Academy, presided over the function while Asaduzzaman Noor, minister of Cultural Affairs, Novelist Selina Hossain, chairman of Bangladesh Shishu Academy, Kamruzzaman Kajal, executive director of Chandrabati Academy were present at the function. l

News

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

Probe extra-marital affair option Mizanur Rahaman, n FM Chittagong The parents of Mahmuda Khanam Mitu, wife of former Superintendent of Police (SP) Babul Akter has requested the investigators to probe into the option of extra-marital relationship, if any, behind the murder which took place on June 5 last year. Nearly eight months after the gruesome murder, the parents made the request while being interrogated by the Investigation Officer (IO) at the Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) Headquarters yesterday. “We just want to know the real motive behind this grisly murder. We also want the masterminds to be found out. Mitu was innocent, said Mosharraf Hossain, father of Mitu to the reporters outside the CMP headquarters. Mitu’s father Mosharraf Hossain and mother Shaheda Mosharraf Nila came to CMP headquarters and went to the Detective Branch (DB)’s Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Mohammed Kamruz-

zaman’s office who is also the IO of the murder case. When asked if Mitu’s mother Shaheda was questioned too, Mosharraf said: “The IO talked to us over different sides of the case. The IO questioned me on how Mitu, her marital life and the children.” “During the meeting, I have told IO that there was no problem in Mitu’s conjugal life and also said that Mitu’s mobile number was found active and I talked with the person who now uses it,” told Shaheda Mosharraf. The mother said: “Being her mother, I want to know why my daughter was murdered and what was behind it. I demand justice for the killing of my daughter.” When asked about the Babul’s cooperation in this case, Shaheda said: “Babul is too busy with his job to cooperate with us.” Mosharraf added: “We asked Babul about the murder and wanted that he find the killers out and deal with the case himself. We have no question about the investigation processes but we want to find the motive and why she was killed. If the probe takes more time then

so be it. But want the truth to be revealed”.

Mitu’s SIM now in CNG driver’s hand

Mitu’s mother said she had found Mitu’s SIM switched on a week ago and a man received the call introducing him as a CNG-driver. “I called her cell number and it was found switched on and a man introduced himself as a CNG autorickshaw driver answered the call”, said she. “The CNG driver told me that he was in Mogbazar-Ambagan area of the capital and that he collected the SIM from Hatirjeel area”, said Shaheda. Shaheda further added that when she informed him that the owner of the cell phone was murdered, the CNG driver kept quiet and then disconnected the phone connection when she asked him to give his address and come to their house. Sometimes the person also gives missed calls to her number, she added. Mosharraf said: “Before meeting the IO today, I called Mitu’s num-

ber and the person received it again but I disconnected the call.” IO of the case Mohammed Kamruzzaman said he called the parents to crosscheck the information he recently got about Mitu’s marital life. “I talked to Mitu’s mother to know how her personal life and marital life was and got some answer from them”, said ADC Kamruzzaman. When asked about extramarital affair issue which was mentioned by Mitu’s father, ADC Kamruzzaman said: “We were also working on this particular option and considered both sides.” Mahmuda Khanam Mitu, mother of two children, was stabbed and shot to death near her house by three motorbike riders in city’s heart in GEC area on June 5, when she went to see off her son Akter Mahmud Maheer until his school bus. Investigators have arrested seven accused in sensational murder case so far, while two of the accused- Anwar and Wasim had given their confessional statement before a court under Section 164 of CrPC. l

Tofail urges BNP not to make same ‘mistake’ n Asif Showkat Kallol Commerce minister Tofail Ahmed has said that if BNP sticks to their position of not backing the EC search committee, they will lose big politically. The minister spoke to reporters after a meeting with Japanese ambassador to Bangladesh Masato Watanabe at his office today. Stressing that BNP should assent the committee, he said: “BNP should not try to stir controversy about the committee. They (BNP) should participate in the next national election in 2019 under the new election commission.”l

RAB members carrying out an anti-adulteration drive at a cosmetic factory at Nayabazar in city yesterday

DHAKA TRIBUNE

BNP to remain silent on EC for now n Manik Miazee

Despite much hype surrounding what BNP reaction to the new Election Commission (EC) search committee would be, it appears that the opposition party is willing to stay silent for the time being. While BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the party was angered as he claimed the selected members of the search committee were partial to the ruling Awami League party, at least two senior BNP leaders

hinted that large scale protests such as hartals would not be announced as yet. BNP Standing Committee Member Lt General (Retd) Mahbubur Rahman yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune: “Till now, I do not know about any programme to protest the search committee, but it may come.” However, press conferences and human chain programs protesting the search committee would continue, party sources said. Over the past month, BNP leaders had repeatedly said that they

would stage a movement against the government if President Abdul Hamid did not form an impartial EC, with BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia recently remarking that neither her party nor the public would accept such a partisan body regulating the upcoming elections. According to party sources, while such major action may be taken in future, BNP will wait until the next chief election commissioner is selected before taking any steps. Furthermore, BNP vice-chairman Shamsuzaman Dudu told the

Dhaka Tribune yesterday that the party is not going to announce any such movement while there are still hopes of discussion with the government. Sources said BNP activists were not interested in holding any large scale protests out of fear of police oppression. Next week, party Chairperson Khaleda Zia will call a standing committee meeting to discuss party’s next course of action and, till then, silence appears to be the order of the day. l

The CWU honours Dr Najma Chowdhury

n Shadma Malik The Central Women’s University (CWU) awarded Professor Emeritus Dr Najma Chowdhury with a Gunijon Shommanona for her contribution toward institutionalising education for women in Bangladesh, yesterday. Prof Najma received the award at a ceremony held at the CWU auditorium in Hatkhola Road, Wari, in Dhaka. She was one of the pioneers in establishing womens’ studies in Bangladesh and has devoted her life to promoting education for women, research on women’s rights and fighting for gender equality. As chairperson of the Political Science department at Dhaka University, she introduced courses relating to women’s empowerment and development and later also co-founded the Women and Gender Studies department at Dhaka University in 2000. During her acceptance speech, Prof Najma stated that pursuing a higher degree is very difficult for women in Bangladesh and universities need to focus on providing equal education opportunities for them. She also urged the establishment of all-women universities to even the playing field for male and female students. AAMS Arefin Siddique, vice chancellor of Dhaka University said: “Not only did Prof Najma Chowdhury’s work solidify education opportunities for women, but it also positively impacted the education system as a whole. ” Dr Perween Hasan, vice chancellor of the CWU and former professor at the Department of Islamic History and Culture of Dhaka University, added that Prof Najma is a strong personality. Aside from being an academic, she has published several books on women. Her research on women has had a huge impact on gender equality policies as well.” l

News

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

Anu Muhammad blasts government action n SM Najmus Sakib The incumbent government has long been trying to fulfill neighboring India’s interest. That’s why they have been trying to foil the anti-Rampal movement since the beginning, as the power plant serves the neighbouring country’s ill interest. Member-secretary of National Committee to Protect Oil-Gas-Mineral Resources-Power and Ports Professor Anu Muhammad made the allegation yesterday to Dhaka Tribune while condemning yesterday’s police assault with tear shells and rubber bullets on a Dhaka University student procession demanding cancellation of Rampal Power Plant project. “As there is no true democracy in Bangladesh at present, the government doesn’t care for people’s support anymore, or meet people’s interest,” he observed. The noted economist said: “The government has no explanation for attacking the peaceful protest procession. They cannot stop our move-

the government is desperate to launche the power plant project. “The government is thoroughly ignoring the concern of national and international concern regarding the Sundarbans,” he alleged.

Songhoti Andolon and also a pro-Sundarbans activist, told the Dhaka Tribune: “Unleashing police violence on the peaceful an unarmed peaceful hartal procession, the autocratic government proved that they have already lost their morality. The government now is repeating its misinterpretation about Rampal project through media and state-facilities.” He observed that the event (hartal) although supported by public demand didn’t receive due importance in newspapers and TV medias as the country’s media at present is facing tremendous pressure from the autocratic government. “But educational institutions and ordinary people came out in favour of the hartal. Only 20% private vehicles were on road, markets were shut, and public bus services got shortage which means that the hartal was a success,” Saki claimed. Khalequzzaman, general secretary of Socialist Part of Bangladesh (SPB), echoed the same observing that to favour land-grabbers and party men of Awami League,

ment to save Sundarbans in this way. By such heinous attack on a democratic movement, the government clearly lost its moral ground.” “Such impatient approach from the government towards a peaceful demonstration has proved that the ruling party provides false information about Rampal ignoring scientific data and researches, and lie to the country’s people.” Claiming that at least 8 injured activists from the spot, he demanded immediate release of the activists and compensation for the injured people. Earlier in the morning, police carried out a series of attacks from 6:40am to 1:30pm in front of Fine Arts Institute on Dhaka University premises on a student procession that time and time tried to break away the law enforcers’ barricade to reach Shahbagh intersection. Police used tear shell, rubber bullet, water cannon, hot water spray, and button-charge to foil one after another attempt of the procession, leaving around 50 oilgas committee activists injured. Zonayed Saki, a leader of Gano

“Government is in panic”

Meanwhile, Dhaka Tribune talked several injured activists of anti-Rampal movement yesterday afternoon who termed the police assault a sign of panic on part of the government. “The government has become panicky due to our continuous protest programmes which triggered them to fire tear-shell, rubber bullet and water canon to stop us,” said Umme Habiba Benojir, president of Dhaka University unit of Bangladesh Chatra Federation, who got critically injured by a tearshell at around 10.30 am yesterday. She was rushed to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital after falling down to the street being hit by the shell. Umme Habiba told the Dhaka Tribune: “What the government

has done is the worst example of brutality in the country’s history where the law enforcers fired tearshells and rubber bullets at peaceful protesters.” Vowing that they would continue their protests, she said, “We protested earlier also, but this time the number of tear-shells police fired was the highest. At one moment, their stock of tear-shells was finished,” She added. Another injured activist Kakon Biswas who had been shot by rubber bullet at his leg was admitted to Community Hospital at Moghbazar. While talking to this reporter over phone from the patient bed, he said, “We protested in a peaceful manner to enforce our hartal, we did not vandalise any vehicle or harassed the public.” “The government is now destroying the people’s right to talk. When the general students from different educational institutes were trying to bring out a procession to Save Sundarbans, police without any reason started firing water canon, tearshells and rubber bullets at them.” l

Probe committee formed over journalist assault during anti-Rampal strike n Arifur Rahman Rabbi Two journalists of private television channel ATN News were brutally thrashed by the police inside Shahbagh police during the hartal yesterday. The victims were identified as photojournalist Abdul Alim and reporter Kazi Ehsan Bin Didar. Police started beating up Alim when he was taking photograph of activists detained by the law enforcers from a procession at Shahbagh. They also beat up Ehsan when he interfered to save his colleague from the torture. Activists of National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports brought out the procession in the morning yesterday to enforce the half-day hartal demanding cancellation of Rampal power plant. Sarwar Hossain, news editor of ATN News, said: “We have decided to lodge a case against the policemen involved in the torture of the two journalists.” Meanwhile, police’s Ramna zone Deputy Commissioner Maruf Hossain

Protesters set a tyre afire at Shahbagh during a eight-hour strike against Rampal coal-fired power plant near the Sundarbans

Sarder told the Dhaka tribune that one ASI Ershad had been suspended after primarily found involved in the incident. “Four have been primarily found involved while nine others are suspected to be involved in the assault. All of them were officials from Police Management Order,” he said. “Letters have been sent to concerned deputy commissioners to investigate into the allegation and take legal action against the policemen involved,” he added. He said police have formed a three-member probe committee, headed by Dhaka Metropolitan Police Assistant Deputy Commissioner (admin) Nabid Kamal, to investigate into the alleged assault. The committee has been asked to submit its report within next two working days, he added. The left-leaning National Committee enforced the half-day general strike in Dhaka demanding cancellation of the 1,320MW coal-fired power plant and other industrial projects near the Sundarbans in Rampal of Bagerhat. l

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY

DRY WEATHER FRIDAY, JANUARY 27

Dhaka

Chittagong

Rajshahi

DHAKA TODAY SUN SETS 6:41PM

Rangpur

Khulna

Barisal

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:41AM

30.1ºC Chittagong

12.8ºC Barisal

Source: Accuweather/UNB

PRAYER TIMES

Sylhet

Cox’s Bazar

Fajr: 6:10am | Jumma: 1:15pm Asr: 4:30pm | Magrib: 5:50pm Esha: 7:45pm Source: Islamic Foundation

News

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

5 food storages sealed off in Rangpur n Liakot Ali Badol

Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has sealed off five food storages of Rangpur Sadar Upazila Food Department on the accusation of embezzling massive amount of rice from the government storage. Deputy director of ACC Rangpur region Mozahar Ali told the Dhaka Tribune on Thursday: “Five food storages in city’s Station Road area have been sealed off over the allegation of illegally selling around 200 metric tonnes of rice.” “ACC officials have started measuring the amount of rice available in the storage. Legal actions will be taken as soon as the allegation is proven,” he added. Acting food controller of Rangpur district Abdul Matin confirmed that the ACC officials started measuring rice inside the storages. He, however, refused to make any further comment. l

Hearing against Ragib, his son on February 1 Serajul Islam, n Mohammed Sylhet The hearing of signature forgery case against industrialist Ragib Ali and his son Abdul Hye filed by Land Ministry has been fixed on February 1. District and Session’s Judge Mahbubur Rahman fixed the day yesterday. On Wednesday the court led by Judge Monir Hossain Patwari rejected the bail pleas of Ragib and his son in two cases filed over grabbing endowment property of Tarapur Tea Estate. M Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Ershadul Haque, Mainul Islam and Muhammad Tajuddin argued for Rahib and his son while public prosecutor Misbah Uddin Siraj represented the state. On December 4, a court here

framed charges against industrialist Ragib Ali in the cases. The court also rejected the discharge petition of Ragib’s son Abdul Hye and Sebayet Pankaj Kumar Gupta. Earlier on November 24, Indian immigration police arrested Ragib Ali from Karimganj district of Assam for illegal stay and a court sent him to jail after he was handed over to Bangladesh authority. On August 10, a court issued warrants for the arrest of six people, including Ragib and three of his family members, in two cases filed over grabbing land of an endowment property. The other accused are Pankaj Kumar Gupta, current caretaker of Tarapur Tea Estate, Ragib’s son Abdul Hye, his son-in-law Abdul Quadir and daughter Rozina Qaudir and Dewan Moshtaque Majid. Ragib Ali and his family mem-

bers fled to India hours after the arrest warrants were issued against them. Police submitted the chargesheets in the two cases to Sylhet Metropolitan Magistrate Court on July 10 last. On August 25, 1999, the authorities concerned of the then parliamentary watchdog on land affairs found that Tarapur Tea Estate captured a vast area of an endowment property and set up several establishments on the land illegally. Later, the subcommittee of the parliamentary watchdog recommended taking legal action against illegal occupants. SM Abdul Hye, land commissioner of Sylhet Sadar, filed two cases against six people, including Ragib Ali, with Sylhet Kotwali Police Station on September 27, 2005. l

Ex-Ansar man kills two of a family n Syful Islam, Moulvibazar

A former Ansar man allegedly hacked two persons of a family to death at Ghargaon village under Rajnagar upazila of the district yesterday. The deceased were Nazrun Begum, 55, wife of Abdul Hannan and Saira Begum, 45, wife of Shamsul Haque. According to local sources, Ansar man Shafique Mian, uncle of Shamsul entered his home with a knife and hacked his five family members indiscriminately leaving them critically injured. Later, they were sent to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College where on duty doctors declared Nazrun and Saira dead. Shipon Mian, nephew of Shafique, said his uncle was mentally challenged. Shaymal Banik, officer-in-charge of Rajnagar police station, said police had arrested Shafique. l

News

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

PM visits ancestral home-turned-AL office n BSS Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday visited Bangabandhu’s ancestral home in Gopalgonj town, now being used as the district unit office of Awami League. “After her oath in office this is her first visit to Bangabandhu’s ancestral home at Bank Para in Gopalgonj town which Bangabandhu’s father Sheikh Lutfor Rahman purchased in fifties and used as residence,” a relative and leader of the local Awami League said. People in the neighbiurhood said during the Liberation War Pakistani occupation forces burnt down the home forcing Bangabandhu to purchase another piece of land beside his ancestral home while the original one was left unattended for a long time after his brutal death in 1975. Later, Sheikh Hasina renovated the home and allowed the Awami

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina pays tribute to Bangabandhu by placing wreath at his grave yesterday League to use it as party office. As the prime minister arrived at the office, president of Gopalgonj dis-

trict unit Awami League Chowdhury Emdadul Haque and General Secretary Mahbub Alam Khan welcomed

Kibria murder: After 12 years family yet to get justice

n Md Noor Uddin, Habiganj The 12th death anniversary of former finance minister and Awami League leader Shah AMS Kibria will be observed today but the family members of the slain politician are still waiting for justice. Habiganj Awami League, Kibria Smriti Sangsad and different political and socio-cultural organisations along with the family have chalked out different programmes to observe the death anniversary staging prayers, laying wreaths at his murder site as well as the grave. Though the case’s jurisdiction is running, family members and local politicians told the Dhaka Tribune that they are still waiting for justice. Fazor Ali, son of Siddique Ali, who was killed in the attack, said: “If we do not get justice in this government’s period then we will never get the justice.” He urged authorities concerned to finish the trial within very short time. Habiganj 3 constituency lawmaker Md Abu Zahir, who was wounded during the attack, said: “The trial of sensational murder case was delayed

due to tardiness of witnesses’ depositions.” The plaintiff of the case Abdul Mozid Khan, however, hoped that the trial of Kibria and four others would be finished within very short time. The then opposition lawmaker and Awami League leader Kibria and four others, including his nephew Shah Manzur Huda, were killed in a grenade attack on a rally in Habiganj on January 27, 2005. After the incident, Awami League leader Abdul Mozid Khan filed two cases - one for murder and another under the Explosives Substances Act - with Habiganj Police Station on the day. After filing the cases, different organisations, including several foreign organisations, investigated the cases but the investigation works were hampered by the then BNP government. Assistant Superintendent of CID Munshi Atique submitted a charge sheet against 10 BNP leaders and activists, on March 20, 2005. On May 3, 2006, the plaintiff disagreed with the charge sheet and filed a disagreed petition but court rejected his petition. May 14, 2006, he moved the High Court, which issued a rule, asking why the incident should not be investigated further. On May 18, 2006, the then BNP government moved the Appellate Division for a hearing on the High Court order but the appeal was turned down. However, the CID’s Senior Assistant Superintendent Rafiqul Islam was asked to probe further during the Fakhruddin Ahmed-led caretaker

regime. Rafiqul Islam submitted a supplementary charge sheet on June 20, 2011, incorporating the names of 24 more people, including former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar and Mufti Hannan. But on June 28, 2011, Kibria’s wife Asma Kibria filed an objection to the charge sheet at the Habiganj court. Kibria murder case was transferred to the Speedy Trial Tribunal from Habiganj Chief Judicial Magistrate Court on June 11 for its quick disposal. On Jan 5, the following year, the Speedy Trial Tribunal accepted the objection and ASP Meherunnesa Parul was made the third investigation officer to conduct further investigation. After nearly nine and half years of the killing she submitted the 3rd charge sheet against 35 people on November 13, 2014. She added 11 new names in the charge sheet including BNP leader Harris Chowdhury, Ariful Haque, Golam Kibria Gaus and others. She also recommended dropping three of the accused, as two of them had no address and the other had died. The case was transferred to Sylhet Speedy Trial Tribunal from the Speedy Trial Tribunal on June 2, 20115, for quick disposal. After that the jurisdiction of the case was started. The court recorded depositions of 43 people yet. Amid witnesses’ depositions the court on January 4, 2017, granted bail for prime accused in the murder case, suspended Sylhet city mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury and suspended Habiganj Municipality mayor Golam Kibria Gaus. l

FOCUS BANGLA

her at the office. They introduced the other party leaders with the premier, who

moved around the home to recollect her memories. Presidium members of Awami League and local parliament members among Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Religious Affairs Secretary of Awami League Sheikh Abdullah and central Awami League leader SM Kamal Hossain were present, while prime minister visit Bangabandhu’s ancestral house. In a short views-exchanging meeting with party leaders, the prime minister expressed her profound delight for having the opportunity to visit the house which carries the memories of Bangabandhu. She also urged them to strengthen the party at all levels and monitor the projects being implemented in their areas. Sheikh Hasina arrived in Gopalganj yesterday morning on a twoday visit to open the 11th National Rover Moot. l

CDA act to be revised with provision of tougher punishment n Anwar Hussain, Chittagong After a long gap of 57 years, the Chittagong Development Authority Act is going to be revised with provisions of tougher punishment by raising both jail term and fine for violation of the law. The cabinet on January 2 of this year approved the draft of Chittagong Development Authority Act, 2016. Hailing the proposed act, the city planners called for addressing the existing manpower shortage of the CDA without delay. The city dwellers could reap maximum benefit if the act comes into effect fully, said the city planners. To turn Chittagong into a modern city, Chittagong Development Authority Ordinance was formulated back in 1959. However, the act was not revised in the last 57 years. As per the draft law, the chairman will be the head of the CDA to be appointed by the government. The draft proposed stringent action against its chairman, members and officials for their involvement in any business with the development authority during their tenure. An incumbent chairman, member or official may face two years of imprisonment or fine of Tk10 lakh or both instead of facing more liberal action under section 168 of the Penal Code. Terming the draft act as a

time-befitting one, Abdus Salam, chairman of Chittagong Development Authority (CDA), said: “The draft law was proposed revising the existing Chittagong Development Authority Ordinance, 1959. At present, the CDA is implementing some mammoth projects. The draft act will help develop the premier port city. From now on, the CDA will be

CDA Ordinance was formulated back in 1959. However, the act was not revised in the last 57 years able to serve the city dwellers better after the revision of the act.” Prof Engineer M Ali Ashraf, chairperson of Department of Civil Engineering, Southern University said the revision of the law was a long overdue one. “Although the jurisdiction and the purview of the CDA have expanded in the last 57 years, the necessary amendments were not made. The proposed act will empower the CDA more. The opinion of all stakeholders should be taken into consideration before finalising the draft act,” said the city planner. l

8 World

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

SOUTH ASIA

'Repression of freedom of expression in Myanmar' Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported on Wednesday an escalation in the repression of opposition critics by the Myanmar authorities, and urged the government to take steps to protect freedom of expression. According to HRW, the government has used “particularly aggressive” defamation laws, which can carry sentences of up to 3 years in prison, with at least 40 cases in the first eight months in power, compared to just 7 in the previous two years. EFE

INDIA

Avalanches kill 10 Indian soldiers in Kashmir Avalanches killed 10 Indian soldiers in Kashmir after cascading onto an army post and a patrol along the de facto border that divides the disputed territory with Pakistan, the military said Thursday. A total of seven soldiers in the patrol, that was approaching a border post when it was hit, were killed. AFP

CHINA

China to develop new longrange air-to-air missile China may be testing a new, longrange air-to-air missile that could take out early warning aircraft and aerial refuelling aircraft, a staterun newspaper said on Thursday, after pictures of the new missile surfaced online. President Xi Jinping is overseeing an ambitious military modernisation programme that includes stealth jets and aircraft carriers. REUTERS

ASIA PACIFIC

Thailand presses Laos over royal insult suspects Thailand’s top security officer will go to neighbouring Laos to push for the extradition of critics of the Thai monarchy, Thailand’s defence minister said on Thursday. Insulting the monarchy carries a jail term of up to 15 years for each offence in Thailand and prosecutions have risen since the death last October of the revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej. REUTERS

MIDDLE EAST

Syrians ride first train across Aleppo in years Hundreds of Syrians took a train through battle-scarred east Aleppo on Thursday as services resumed for the first time after four years of fighting, a local photographer said. Men, women and children peered out the windows as they rode across eastern districts after regime forces recaptured them from rebels in December. AFP

FACTBOX

Key points of Trump executive orders on immigration US President Donald Trump signed two executive orders Wednesday aimed at launching the construction of a wall on the Mexican border and restricting illegal immigration, moving aggressively in his first week in office to fulfil major campaign promises. Here are key points of both orders, one entitled “Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements,” and the other on “Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States.”

DONALD TRUMP, IMMIGRATION AND REFUGEES Draft executive order, entitled “Protecting the nation from terrorist attacks by foreign nationals” Halt visa requests from 7 Muslimmajority countries seen as terrorist threats for 30 days

Indefinitely ban all refugees from war-torn Syria

Cut the number of refugees to be admitted in 2017 from 110,000* to 50,000

Donald Trump

Suspend the US Refugee Admissions Program for 120 days

SYRIA

Recalcitrance, transparency IRAN

Executive order, Jan 25: Build US-Mexico border wall LIBYA

IRAQ

MEXICO

Build the Wall Trump’s go-to campaign declaration is at the heart of his border security order, which calls on the Department of Homeland Security “to immediately plan, design, and construct a physical wall along the southern border” with Mexico. Authorities are also ordered to “allocate all sources of federal funds” for the wall. Trump has promised that Mexico would eventually be made to reimburse its cost.

Facilitate deportations Trump wants to intensify efforts to

offense,” not just those who have been convicted; have fraudulently received public benefits; have misrepresented themselves to a government agency; or who otherwise are deemed by an immigration officer to “pose a risk to public safety or national security.”

YEMEN

SUDAN

SOMALIA

stop new arrivals as they cross into US territory, and speed the repatriation of those who recently entered. The orders call for the hiring of 5,000 additional US Border Patrol agents. Amid a backlog of cases, immigration judges are to be “immediately” assigned to detention facilities for the purpose of speeding judicial determi-

nations about new arrivals and whether they should be allowed to stay as asylum seekers.

Remove undocumented Trump wants to deport those who have committed crimes. But the orders also prioritise the expulsion of those who have been “charged with any criminal

The Homeland Security and State departments are ordered to base their diplomacy and negotiations with countries in part on whether those nations accept back their citizens who are deported from the US. Those that do not are to be designated “recalcitrant countries,” and slapped with punishments that include restrictions on US immigrant and non-immigrant visas. Trump, who made several campaign speeches in the presence of relatives of Americans killed by undocumented immigrants, has ordered the creation of the Office for Victims of Crimes Committed by Removable Aliens. l

Source: AFP

INSIGHT

Immigrants, drug traffickers may still be able to cross Trump’s wall n EFE, Tucson The “great wall” that the new president of the US wants to build along the border with Mexico may be crossed over with just a simple and cheap wooden staircase. Whether it is a concrete wall, a steel fence or a simple fence, the “beautiful” and costly wall was a key pledge of Donald Trump’s campaign and on Wednesday made news headlines after he signed an order to begin construction in a matter of “months”. Along the border between the US and Mexico, which covers California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, there is currently a 569km wall, as well as a 481km barrier to prevent the crossing of vehicles and people. However, undocumented immigrants and drug trafficking continue to cross the wall. During the 2016 fiscal year between October 11, 2015 and September 30, 2016, the Border Patrol arrested 415,816 undocumented

A Border Patrol vehicle sits along the US Mexico border wall on January 25 in San Ysidro, California immigrants along the border with Mexico, an increase on the 337,117 people arrested in the previous year. In the same fiscal year, 1.29m pounds of marijuana and 5,473 pounds of cocaine were seized, mostly from Mexico, the southern neighbour that Trump wants to make “100%” responsible for the cost of such a wall. The idea of building a wall on

the border with Mexico, under the argument of “national security”, is not a new one. In fact, as early as 1994, the Clinton administration approved the construction of fences in the so-called Operation Gatekeeper measure. In 2006, the concept regained momentum with then-President George W Bush, who gave the green light to the construction of a large wall across parts of the border.

AFP

When examining the enterprising methods that drug traffickers use, doubts about the true benefits of a wall increase. Traffickers have used catapults placed on the Mexican side to launch drug packages through the air to the American side. They have also placed improvised ramps where cars cross the wall, used ultra-light aircraft and even drilled holes in the existing barriers to pass drugs and people. l

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

Q&A

USA

Trump’s ‘great wall’: How much will it cost? Who’s paying? US President Donald Trump’s promise to erect a wall along the US-Mexico border was a crowd pleaser at his rallies on the campaign trail, its mention prompting cheers for him to “build that wall!” Now the wall is set to become a reality as Trump pledges to begin construction as part of his larger plan to crack down on illegal immigration. But how realistic is his vision? How much will it cost? And who will pay what he has described as a “great wall?”

THE US-MEXICO BORDER Los Angeles San Diego

NEW MEXICO

ARIZONA

Tijuana

El Paso

BAJA CALIFORNIA Gulf of California

Existing fence main sections

What does the border look like?

At present, fencing has been erected along 1,049km of the border that runs in total 3,200km. Tall steel fences can be found in

3,142km long 56 border posts Daily border crossings 1 million people 300,000 cars 70,000 lorries

UNITED STATES

Phoenix

CALIFORNIA

Ciudad Juarez

SONORA

Hermosillo

COAHUILA

MEXICO

NUEVO LEON

Monterrey

200 km

heavily populated areas and lower corrugated metal barriers have been placed in less dense regions. There are no obstructions in areas where natural barriers, such as the Rio Grande river or high mountain ranges, exist.

How much will it cost?

Trump estimated that the wall will cost about $8bn US, a figure many suggest might be too low.

San Antonio

Big Bend

Chihuahua

PACIFIC OCEAN

Dallas

TEXAS

CHIHUAHUA

Why did Trump want to build?

Trump first called for the building of a wall in October 2014, saying the US needed a better way to stop IS at the border. He later mentioned his plan to build a wall when he announced his candidacy in June 2015. His controversial speech criticized Mexico and suggested that the US had become a “dumping ground” for the wrong kind of people.

A 2016 report from Bernstein, an investment research firm, suggests the cost would likely be much higher, ringing in somewhere between $15-$25bn.

Will Mexico actually pay?

Despite Trump’s assertions, Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto has said repeatedly his country will not pay for the wall. Former Mexican president Vicente Fox

Gulf of Mexico

Rio Grande valley

went a little further. Trump’s team has also suggested that they would make Mexico pay for the wall through indirect means, including trade tariffs and higher fees on border crossing. He also suggested he would withhold remittances Mexican nationals attempt to send to their families. l

Source: CBC

EXPLAINER

What are the ‘sanctuary cities’ that Trump opposes? US President Donald Trump on Wednesday vowed that his administration would crack down on “sanctuary cities” in the US that protect undocumented immigrants. Some 300 such cities, counties or states – from New York to Los Angeles – exist throughout the United States, and many of them have vowed since Trump’s election to protect the estimated 11 million undocumented migrants living in the country.

What is a ‘sanctuary city’? The term refers to Americans cities, counties or states – such as New York or California – that protect undocumented immigrants from deportation by refusing to assist or cooperate with federal immigration officials. Such cities normally do not allow local police to inquire about the immigration status of people with whom they interact. They also refuse to detain people brought to them by immigration authorities or to keep suspected undocumented immigrants in jail beyond their scheduled release date. Los Angeles became one of the first

World

sanctuary cities in 1979 after numerous faith communities began offering shelter to refugees fleeing conflict in Central America and who could not get asylum. According to the Centre for Immigration Studies (CIS), a nonprofit group, some 300 sanctuary cities exist across the country.

What do these cities now face? The decree signed by Trump on Wednesday threatens to withhold federal funds from cities that refuse to cooperate with immigration officials. Such funds can represent a considerable chunk of a city’s budget. According to CNN, New York alone stands to lose $10.4bn in federal funds for social services and other programs. A showdown is expected between the Trump administration and local governments with sanctuary cities, which have been digging in for a fight. Los Angeles last month pledged $10m to provide legal assistance to immigrants facing deportation. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has also created a legal protection fund.

SANCTUARY CITIES Funding – perhaps millions of dollars – could be cut if cities fail to hand over undocumented migrants to federal authorities Aurora Chicago Amherst Aberdeen Boston Springfield Hartford New York Princeton

Las Vegas San Francisco

Norristown

Los Angeles

Baltimore

Tucson Approximate extent of U.S.-Mexico border wall

Arguments on both sides Advocates say sanctuary cities offer needed protection to millions of undocumented migrants who work and pay taxes in the United States and who could be targeted and deported. They also insist that the sanctuary policy encourages undocumented immigrants to report crimes and cooperate with police in investigations – knowing that to do so will not call unwanted attention to their legal status. Under the US Constitution, state and local governments have every right to refuse to help enforce federal

Tuskegee

Washington DC © GRAPHIC NEWS

law, said Michael Kagan, who heads the Immigration Clinic at the University of Nevada. Detractors of sanctuary cities say these policies run counter to federal law and that such cities end up harbouring criminals and endangering the public. The debate on sanctuary policies intensified after the 2015 killing of Kathryn Steinle in San Francisco by a Mexican national with a criminal record who had been deported several times. l

Source: AFP

Trump: Waterboarding absolutely works Donald Trump claims senior intelligence officials have told him torture works, and that he would absolutely bring back banned interrogation methods like water-boarding. The President said his administration was reviewing how the US conducts itself in the fight against militant organisations around the world. INDEPENDENT

THE AMERICAS

Six people killed by Chile wildfires Six people, among them four fire-fighters and two police, have now been killed battling vast forest fires in central Chile, officials said Wednesday. “I can now say officially that there are two more fatalities, two Chilean police who were found in the Maule River,” said Interior Minister Mario Fernandez, raising the total death toll to six. AFP

Theresa May condemned for excessive secrecy Theresa May has been criticised for excessive secrecy in a report accusing her former department of thwarting freedom of information (FoI) laws. The Home Office blocked no fewer than 40% of FoI requests in her last year as Home Secretary, the third highest tally in Whitehall. That figure was also a huge increase on the 25% of FoI requests thrown out in the year before the future Prime Minister took over the Home Office in 2010. INDEPENDENT

EUROPE

Germany abolishes law that bans insulting foreign leaders Germany has decided to scrap a law that defends the honour of foreign leaders. International leaders will now not be able to ask the German government to take legal action against people deemed to have offended them. Ministers in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet agreed to scrap the relevant passage in the penal code, which was all but forgotten until Jan Boehmermann went on television to declaim the verses linking Erdogan. REUTERS

AFRICA

Congo to extradite 186 alleged Burundian rebels Congo is to extradite nearly 200 suspected Burundian rebels, raising concerns by rights groups that they could be tortured or killed on their return to Burundi. The 186 alleged rebels were captured near the two countries’ border in 2015 and early 2016 amid violence that broke out after Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza announced plans to seek a third term. REUTERS

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

EU to UK: Divorce first, then trade deal n Reuters, Brussels Since Prime Minister Theresa May set out her Brexit goals last week, interest in Britain has focused on the future trade deals she may one day strike with the US and other powers, as well as with the EU. In diplomatic language, the European Commission’s spokesman Margaritis Schinas told a news conference this week: “First, one needs to agree on the terms for an orderly separation and then, on the basis of this, build a future new, good relationship.” EU negotiators reckon Britain has a weak hand to play; May must accept a two-year guillotine on talks that she hopes will end with a deal to keep “maximum” British access to EU markets while pulling Britain out of the single market and its obligations.

Your bill: €60bn

May insists Britain wants to remain a friend and constructive partner for the EU. It would hardly enhance Britain’s reputation among future global trade partners to flee with bills unpaid.

British PM Theresa May, left, answers a question during the weekly Prime Minister's Questions session in the House of Commons in London on January 25 AFP The other EU member states want it to pay its share of the spending commitments that were agreed when it was a member, stretching out some years, as well as possibly funds to cover the pensions of British EU staff. There will, however, be differences over the size of the bill, estimated informally by EU officials at very roughly €60bn – more than Britain spends on defence each year. EU officials have prepared arguments to counter suggestions that Britain should be credited with a

share of EU assets – buildings, say – to offset what it will owe Brussels on leaving. The bloc’s negotiators will argue that Britain was not asked to pay extra for a share of existing EU assets when it joined in 1973, so it has no right to demand repayment of any share now. Filling the hole left by the bloc’s second biggest economy in the EU budget is already causing jitters as the remaining 27 brace for the seven-yearly blood ritual of financial planning. l

World

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

UK publishes draft bill on triggering Brexit n AFP, London Britain’s government on Thursday published a draft law that would authorise Prime Minister Theresa May to begin the procedure for leaving the European Union in an important milestone towards Brexit. “The British people have made the decision to leave the EU... so today we have introduced a bill in parliament which will allow us to formally trigger Article 50 by the end of March,” said Brexit minister David Davis. The two clause “European Union Notification of Withdrawal Bill” asks parliament to give May authority to start the formal mechanism by which Britain will leave the bloc. The government said MPs would get their first chance to debate and vote on it on Tuesday and Wednesday next week. May’s government was forced to go to parliament following a landmark Supreme Court ruling this week that rejected its argument that executive powers allowed it to proceed.

The ruling Conservatives have a small majority in the House of Commons and the bill is expected to get the go-ahead from MPs, although opposition parties have said they plan put forward amendments that could slow it down. Davis said he hoped that parliament would “respect the decision taken by the British people and pass the legislation quickly,” arguing that MPs had supported holding the referendum in the first place. House of Commons leader David Lidington told parliament that the bill’s third and final reading in the House of Commons – followed by a final vote by MPs – would be on February 8. The bill will then pass to the upper House of Lords, where progress is less certain as the government has no majority there and no control over the timing. If approved by the House of Lords, the bill would then have to be signed off by Queen Elizabeth II before May can trigger Article 50 of the EU’s Lisbon Treaty – the formal process for leaving the bloc. l

Facing jihadist attack, Syrian rebels join bigger faction n Reuters, Beirut

Syrian Islamist rebel group Ahrar al-Sham said on Thursday six other rebel factions had joined its ranks in north-western Syria in order to fend off a major assault by a powerful jihadist group. The hardline Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, once allied with al-Qaeda and formerly known as the Nusra Front, attacked Free Syrian Army (FSA) groups west of Aleppo this week, accusing them of conspiring against it at peace talks in Kazakhstan this week. Ahrar al-Sham, which presents itself as a mainstream Sunni Islamist group, sided with the FSA groups and said Fateh al-Sham had rejected mediation attempts. The Ahrar statement said that any

attack on its members of was tantamount to a “declaration of war”, and it would not hesitate to confront it. Rebel factions Alwiyat Suqour al-Sham, Fastaqim, Jaish al-Islam’s Idlib branch, Jaish al-Mujahideen and al-Jabha al-Shamiya’s west Aleppo branch said in a statement they had joined Ahrar al-Sham. The Ahrar al-Sham statement also mentioned a sixth group, the Sham Revolutionary Brigades. Ahrar al-Sham is considered a terrorist group by Moscow and did not attend the Russian-backed Astana peace talks. But it said it would support FSA factions that took part if they secured a favourable outcome for the opposition. Internationally viewed as a terrorist group, Fateh al-Sham has

been excluded from all diplomatic efforts to end the Syrian conflict, including the recent truce brokered by Russia and Turkey.

Turkey sees Nusra Front as terrorist group

Turkey designates both Islamic State and the Nusra Front, now known as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, as terrorist groups and acts in line with that policy, a Turkish foreign ministry source said on Thursday. Jabhat Fateh al-Sham launched an attack on a number of FSA rebel groups in northwestern Syria on Tuesday, threatening to deal a critical blow to the more moderate wing of the Syrian rebellion backed by Turkey and to derail Russian-backed peace talks. The attacks may have been moti-

A rebel fighter from the Ahrar al-Sham Islamic Movement reacts as they fire grad rockets from Idlib countryside on April 25, 2015 REUTERS vated by Jabhat Fateh al-Sham’s desire to prevent a political solution to the Syrian conflict, the source said. The source also said Turkey was not aware of any constitutional

draft presented by Russia during the peace talks this week in the Kazakh capital Astana that included autonomy for Syria’s Kurds, the source also said. l

12 Business

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

CAPITAL MARKET SNAPSHOT: THURSDAY 5,618.6 -0.0% ▼ Index DSE Broad Index CSE All Share Index 17,398.3 -0.2% ▼ 30 Index

1,292.5 15,183.1

0.4% 0.5%

Biman signs deal with Etihad to rescue cargo business n Ishtiaq Husain Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the national flag carrier, has signed a code-sharing agreement with Etihad Airways to transport cargoes. The management of the airlines signed the agreement recently while the national flag carrier undergoes a ban on direct air shipment to London. Shakil Meraj, general manager (PR) of Biman, told the Dhaka Tribune that the agreement would help carry cargo to European destinations as the UK government has imposed a ban on direct air cargo shipment from Dhaka to London. Sources said Biman would carry the cargo to Abudhabi on its regular flight. After that Etihad would shift them to 13 different European destinations including London. According to the agreement, Biman would be able to transport 48,500kg cargo in a week. The national carrier would share its revenue with Etihad, reads the agreement. Industry insiders said Biman Bangladesh Airlines had no other alternative but to sign agreement with the two airlines as it could not carry cargo due to the imposition of ban. If Biman failed to sign this agreement, most of Biman clients would choose other airlines for cargo shipment which would incur a huge loss for Biman. The Biman authorities, however, singed another agreement with Etihad which would give the national carrier a scope to transport cargo shipment from Hong Kong to Dhaka. Biman would be able to trans-

port a total of 15-tonne cargo in a week on the Hong Kong-Dhaka flight of Etihad. On March 8 last year, the UK government imposed the temporary ban on direct air cargo shipment from Dhaka to London, citing security concern while Australia came up with the same move in December 2015.

As per the deal, Biman can transport 48,500 kg cargo a week and will share its revenue with Etihad Biman transported on average 25 tonnes of cargo to the UK on each flight before the imposition of ban while it earned a total of Tk315 crore by carrying 40,911 tonnes of cargoes to different destinations in FY15-16. To lift the ban, the government appointed British company, Redline Assured Security, to improve the overall security of the cargo complex at Shahjalal Airport in March last year. Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon urged the UK to lift the temporary ban on direct freight from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Later on May 5, Australia relaxed its ban as it was satisfied with the security improvement report of Shahjalal International Airport. Now, the cargo flight can land in Australia after rescreening through any third country. l

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30 Index Selected Index

2,038.5 10,549.0

0.5% -0.2%

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Turnover in Mn Tk Turnover in Mn Tk

12,696.1 724.3

-16.7% -13.7%

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Turnover in Mn Vol Turnover in Mn Vol

359.7 23.5

-26.6% -26.5%

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Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Economic Affairs Adviser to PM Mashiur Rahman and NBR Chairman Nojibur Rahman, among others, seen at a function organised by NBR in Dhaka yesterday marking International Customs Day 2017 MEHEDI HASAN

World Customs awards given to FBCCI, 19 others n Tribune Business Desk National Board of Revenue (NBR) has awarded 20 individuals and stakeholder organisations, including Bangladesh’s top trade body FBCCI, for their outstanding performance in customs affairs. Finance Minister AMA Muhith handed over the World Customs Organisation’s Certificate of Merit awards to the recipients at a function in Dhaka yesterday. NBR Chairman Md Nojibur Rahman presided over the function organised marking the International Customs Day. The day was observed in 179 member countries of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) including Bangladesh. The NBR for the first time awarded seven stakeholder agencies with WCO Certificate of Merit. Apart from FBCCI, other

recipient organisations include Office of the Attorney General, Bangladesh Border Guard, Rapid Action Battalion, Bangladesh Coast Guard, Bangladesh Land Port Authority and Chittagong Port Authority. The individual recipient are NBR Chairman Md Nojibur Rahman and other 12 officials of different wings and offices of the revenue authorities. Addressing the function as the chief guest, Finance Minister AMA Muhith said there was a time when people were afraid of tax officials fearing harassment, but the situation has changed in last one decade. He said taxpayers now face no harassment in tax payment, rather feel proud to be part of the country’s development process. Industries Minister Amir Hos-

sain Amu, Finance Adviser to PM Moshiur Rahman, Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance Ministry M Abdur Razzaq and FBCCI President Abdul Matlub Ahmad also spoke on the occasion. Earlier in the day, NBR organised another function marking the International Customs Day. NBR Chairman Nojibur Rahman, FBCCI President Abdul Matlub Ahmad, film actor Ilias Kanchan and former Bangladesh cricket team captain Khaled Masud Pilot, among others, attended the function. Addressing the function, NBR chief expressed the board’s commitment to ensure better service in tax collection process. FBCCI President Abdul Matlub Ahmad, film actor Ilias Kanchan and former Bangladesh cricket team captain Khaled Masud Pilot also attended. l

ICT firms to get funds from EEF again n Asif Showkat Kallol Finance Minister AMA Muhith said the Bank Division will take initiative to resume the operation of Bangladesh Bank Equity Entrepreneurship Fund (EEF) for the country’s ICT firms. He said they will discuss with other ministries concerned about cash incentive for local ICT export firms. The remarks came as Muhith attended a views exchange meet-

ing with the ICT sector people in Dhaka yesterday. State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak and BASIS President Mustafa Jabbar were also present. They discussed about potential barriers in the exports of ICT products. “We hope the country’s ICT sector export will cross $2bn by 2018. The sector needs 20% cash incentive to help export growth,” said Palak. He said the ICT sector also needs

tax exemption on earnings from hardware, software and training to help it flourish. Export Promotion Bureau said Bangladesh’s exports from computer services totalled $152m in fiscal year 2015-16. However, Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) said 382 of its members earned $594m from exports in FY2014-15 though the local revenue remained relatively low. l

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

Gulshan attack didn’t change minds of Japanese tourists Ishtiaq Husain

That Bangladesh has grown into an undaunting tourist hub becomes vivid when it comes to a clear-cut expression by a group of Japanese tourists who paid a recent visit here and feel like visiting again. The Holy Artisan attack in Gulshan that killed seven Japanese and Kunio Hoshi killing in Rangpur did not deter the tour-loving nationals from willing to tour Bangladesh. “I have visited many countries in the world to see historical places and world heritage sites, but I have never seen such dream as people of Bangladesh dream,” said Kaoru Kurosaka, a Japanese tourist and physician. “The dream of people here in Bangladesh overwhelms me.” Kaoru was sharing his experience at a farewell dinner held at Hotel Abakash on Monday in the city for Japanese tourists who came to Dhaka on January 20. “I will go back to Japan and tell our people if you want to see people’s smiling face, go to Bangladesh,” the tourist expressed his reaction. Yatsushi Iwashita, leader of the visiting team, said just after Gulshan terrorist attack, he took a decision that he visited the country 30 years ago and he would come here again. “I do not believe that Bangladeshi people can commit such heinous attack. I came here within a month after Gulshan attack.” “I have never seen this type of hospitality that I got here. Besides, combined family life is available in

COURTESY

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon seen among a group of Japanese tourists in Bangladesh recently Bangladesh which is rare in Japan,” said Keiko Iwashita, wife of Yatsushi. Kimie Ueda, a nurse by profession, said she will come again in Bangladesh as now she considers the country a safe place for foreign tourists. “Next time, I will stay here at least two months.” After Gulshan terror attack at the Holy Artisans in July 2016, a group of Japanese tourists comprised of 18 members visited Bangladesh recently. This is the first group tour by the Japanese tourists following the attack. Bengal Tours organised the trip with the cooperation of Bangladesh

Parjatan Corporation (BPC) and Bangladesh Tourism Board (BTB). The tour operator organised the farewell where the visiting Japanese individuals shared their recent experience. They arrived here on January 20 and spent two days at a village in Manikganj and visited school. They also spent night with seven families in the villages. Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon was present on the occasion as the chief guest while BPC Chairman Dr Aparup Chowdhury as special guest. The Japanese tourists were overwhelmed with the hospitality of Bangladeshi people. They said the

senior citizens in the villages are the source of inspiration for any senior citizens of developed countries, especially for Japan, as the age-old Bangladeshi citizens know how to live a dream still to this stage of life. The tourists said they would suggest their fellow people to visit Bangladesh. Menon urged the Japanese tourists to convey the message that Bangladesh is a safer place for foreigners. Requesting to visit Bangladesh again, the tourism minister said Gulshan terrorist attack does not define Bangladesh. The real Bangladesh is full of hospitality and friendship. “If Bangladesh gets your support, the country will go ahead.” l

Tripartite MoU signed for gas connection to EZ

Stocks end flat on profit booking

n Tribune Business Desk

n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi

A tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority, Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd (TGTDCL) and seven private economic zones for construction of infrastructure for natural gas connection to private economic zones. Titas will provide gas connections for five economic zones within a stipulated time, according to the agreement signed at a city hotel on Wednesday. The economic zones are Aman Economic Zone at Narayanganj, Akij Economic Zone in Mymensingh, Aarisha Economic Zone in Basila (Dhaka), Bay Economic Zone in Gazipur, Meghna Economic Zone

in Narayanganj, Sonargaon Economic Zone in Narayanganj and Meghna Industrial Economic Zone in Narayanganj. Addressing the signing ceremony, BEZA Executive Chairman Paban Chowdhury said Titas will provide gas connections to economic zones and it will also provide LNG gas to the zones on priority basis when LNG supply would come into effect. Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry Secretary Nazimuddin Chowdhury said the supply of gas to economic zones is a priority of the government which would help reduce system loss. The Energy Division acting Secretary, Ahmad Kaikaus, said the government has already taken up plan to provide continuous power supply to the economic zones. l

Dhaka stocks ended flat as investors went on selling spree to book profits taking the opportunity of upward rally prevailing in the market over the last couple of weeks. The benchmark index of Dhaka Stock Exchange went down by 3 points to close at 5,619 points. The blue chip index, DS30, gained 11 points or 51% to finish the session at 2,038 points while the Shariah-based index, DSES, added 5 points ending at 1,292.5 points. Among the traded issues, 108 advanced, 193 declined, while 27 remained unchanged. “The prime bourse ended in flat yesterday after passing a volatile session. The risk-averse investors stimulated to take capital gain

Business

while fluctuations in buyers’ attention in stock positioning were also apparent ahead of quarter-end earnings disclosure,” International leasing Securities commented in its market analysis. Meanwhile, activity from the market participants has slashed by 17% over the last session as some investors remained watchful on the ongoing market scenario, the stock broker said. The buyers attention was attracted mostly by issues from bank, pharmaceuticals and engineering sector while general insurance, mutual fund and IT sector witnessed sell-off, it added. Activities shrank yesterday with the total turnover reaching Tk1,269.6 crore. Bank maintained its leadership in turnover. l

Japan satisfied with Bangladesh security n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Masato Watanabe yesterday expressed satisfaction with safety and security for their citizens engaged in jobs and business here. The envoy came up with the remark after a meeting with Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed at his secretariat in the capital. “In the meeting we talked on terrorist attack on Holey Artisan in July and reviewed recent development. I expressed gratitude to the Bangladesh government especially police and law enforcement agencies providing safety and security to Japanese business,” said Masato Watanabe. “But we are still vigilant and cautious in this matter. We still feel there is growing interest among the Japanese business community for strengthening business activities with Bangladesh.” Kunio Hoshi, a Japanese national, was killed by assailants in October 2016, while another seven Japanese citizens were killed in terrorist attack at Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan in July last year. “I expressed satisfaction with the steady increase in relationship in terms of trade and other indicators. We would like to maintain positive development,” said the Japanese envoy. The safety and security concern centring the terrorist attack on Gulshan Holey Artisan and Sholakia is over as the government has tackled them successfully, said Tofail Ahmed. Japanese citizens are working here for Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), he said, adding that Bangladesh is now more peaceful than any other time in the past. Seeking foreign investment in Bangladesh, the minister said the Japanese investors will get a Special Economic Zone from 100 zones to invest here as they showed keen interest in investment. According to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data, the July-December period of current fiscal year, Bangladesh earned $507 million, exporting goods to Japan. In the last fiscal year, Bangladesh export earnings from Japan was $1.08 billion, which was $915 million a year ago while the import from Japan was $1.60 billion. Currently, Bangladesh exports woven garments, knitwear, shrimps, leather and leather footwear, jute good, camera pads, jute yarn and twine to Japan under the duty-free market access facilities while it imports iron and steel, vehicles, machinery, copper, electrical and electronic equipment. l

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

Business

A clerk counts Chinese yuan and US dollar banknotes at a branch of Bank of China

REUTERS

China’s hopes of globalising currency hit snag n AFP, Shanghai China’s renminbi slipped a notch to become the sixth most-used global currency over the course of last year, hit by depreciation and government capital controls, a report said yesterday. Analysts said the drop was a setback for Beijing’s ambitious plans to dramatically increase the use of its currency abroad and make it a mainstay for international payments on par with the dollar or euro. China is viewed as having made progress over the years in gradually internationalising the unit, but new challenges have emerged recently in the form of slowing growth, a strong dollar and a surge in capital leaving the country in search of more profitable investments overseas. The renminbi’s share of international payments fell from 2.31% in December 2015 to 1.68% last month, global in-

terbank network SWIFT said in a report titled “RMB internationalisation stalls in 2016”. It also said “the payments value for the RMB decreased by as much as 29.5% in 2016”, but it did not provide corresponding overall figures. China has taken a number of steps over the years to increase the global use of the renminbi, also called the yuan, including currency-swap arrangements with other countries and increased linkages between its financial markets and payments systems with the outside world. But the renminbi was pummelled last year as the dollar spiked. Investors moved huge sums of money offshore due to concern over China’s slowing economy and the currency’s future, which put further pressure on it. The renminbi’s falling global usage “may be attributed to a convergence of several events: the slowdown of the Chinese econ-

omy, the volatility of the RMB exchange rate and regulatory measures on capital outflows”, Michael Moon, SWIFT’s head of payments markets for the Asia-Pacific, said in the report.

‘Wait and see’

China has in recent months announced a series of new measures to stem capital flight and slow the currency’s descent. SWIFT’s report said improvements in the global payments system and other factors will have a long-term “positive impact on the continued internationalisation of the currency”. But the renminbi’s share of global transactions looks unlikely to significantly rise as long as China limits capital flows and the yuan stays weak, both of which curb its attractiveness, said Julian Evans-Pritchard, China economist with Capital Economics in Singapore. l

Sri Lanka stuck in ‘gigantic debt trap’ n AFP, Colombo Sri Lanka yesterday said it was stuck in a “gigantic debt trap” and that paying off foreign loans would hit a record $2.41bn this year, up from $1.82bn last year. The Finance Ministry said the cash-strapped country’s debt servicing cost this year was estimated at about half of its foreign currency reserves, while repayments were expected to worsen to $4bn in two years.

The main reason was loans taken by the previous administration for white elephant projects such as an airport and a deep sea port, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said in a statement, with both continuing to incur heavy losses. “Sri Lanka is embroiled in a gigantic debt trap,” he said. “The infrastructure development (of the former government) has not brought any returns on its investments.” Earlier this month the

government announced it would raise $1.5bn through a domestic bond sale to rebuild its foreign exchange reserves. The move to borrow locally came weeks after the International Monetary Fund warned the country’s foreign reserves were “below comfortable levels”. Last June the government, which came to power in January 2015, received a $1.5bn IMF bailout after facing a balance of payments crisis. l

Consumers drive UK economy, defying expected Brexit vote hit n Reuters

Britain’s free-spending consumers again confounded warnings that June’s Brexit vote would cause an immediate slowdown in the country’s economy, driving robust growth in the final three months of 2016, data showed yesterday. Gross domestic product rose at a quarterly pace of 0.6% between October and December, keeping up the same above-average pace seen in the initial three months after the referendum decision to leave the European Union. A Reuters poll of economists had forecast a slight slowdown to growth of 0.5%. Sterling, which lost as much as 20% against the dollar last year after the shock vote, hit a six-week high against the dollar and British 10-year government bond yields rose to their highest since mid-December as some investors believed the Bank of England might soon start to move towards an interest rate hike. “What the figures today show is that the UK economy continues to be resilient and continues to confound the sceptics,” finance minister Philip Hammond said. Though most economists expect higher inflation this

year to squeeze consumers and see longer-term damage to trade from Brexit - Hammond said the economy’s resilience meant Britain could be optimistic about the Brexit talks that lie ahead. “Clearly, life goes on, despite the Brexit vote,” Scotiabank economist Alan Clarke said. The Office for National Statistics said services, which are most sensitive to consumer spending, were the biggest gainers, growing by 0.8%. Industrial output was flat and construction only edged up slightly.

Leading the pack, for now

Growth in 2016 as a whole slowed only slightly to 2% from 2.2% in 2015, but this was mostly due to weak growth in the first three months of the year, before the referendum. Many economists had expected Britain to flirt with recession after the Brexit vote. But it was probably one of 2016’s fastest-growing major rich economies. Its year-onyear growth exceeded Germany’s 1.9% last year. The BoE raised its forecast for growth in 2017 to 1.4% in November and it may well raise it again in a quarterly update next Thursday after the run of strong economic data. l

CORPORATE NEWS

Chairperson of Bangladesh Association of Banks, Md Nazrul Islam Mazumder has recently greeted Finance Minister AMA Muhith on his 84th birthday programme in Dhaka

Pubali Bank Limited has recently held its first conference for its managers in Dhaka, said a press release. The bank’s managing director, Md Abdul Halim Chowdhury was present at the conference as chief guest

Business

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

Health

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

Hormone, hair and muscle two hormones in varying amounts accounts for the key similarities and differences between the two sexes There are a few myths and misconceptions surrounding the way our sex hormones work.

Hair:

Myth: Hair loss is inherited from the mother’s side. Fact: Not true. Hair loss is a trait that is collectively inherited from both parents.

Myth: Hair loss is lessened as one steps into his/her early 30s. Fact: Hair loss keeps getting worse with age. Myth: Over-shampooing can make you lose your hair.

Fact: Over-shampooing may

cause the hair to become dry which may or may not be the reason behind hair loss.

Myth: Hair grows back thicker PHOTO: BIGSTOCK

n Adila Hoque The sex hormones - testosterone and oestrogen are present in

varying amounts in both the sexes; testosterone being the dominating hormone in men and oestrogen in women. The combination of these

after shaving.

Fact: False. Shaving off hair may

cause the ends to become blunt which causes the hair strands to feel coarse but it has absolutely no effect on the hair follicles.

Myth: Brushing or massaging the

scalp reduces hair loss. Fact: There is no evidence to support this theory.

Muscle:

Some men try extremely hard to gain just a little muscle and achieve well-defined abs. On the other hand, some women have a natural athletic build. The primary reason behind this is the hormone testosterone. Testosterone helps build muscle and torch fat. This explains why women have a greater fat to muscle ratio in their body than their male counterparts. It is often said that intense exercises stimulate the formation of the male hormone in our bodies – and this is what gives those female marathon runners their muscular arms and legs, and those broad shoulders. While it is true that proteins are crucial for muscle development, there is no evidence to prove that they help men with lower testosterone levels to grow hard muscles. The steroid hormone, on the other hand, does have a significant relationship with them. Taking supplementary steroids will undoubtedly aid in muscle growth, but it also comes with a price.

Hormone:

You are probably aware by now that this chemical has a widespread effect on your body. What you didn’t know is the extent to which it expresses itself in you. • It can shrink your potbelly. Men with higher levels of testosterone are more likely to lose that spare tire around their waist. • It boosts your self-esteem. Giving supplementary hormones to men who have low levels of testosterone can improve their mood, selfesteem and vitality. • While low levels of the hormone cause mood disturbances and depression, too much of it can cause a man to become suicidal. • Testosterone makes the skin thicker and darker, whereas its sister hormone – oestrogen causes the skin to become more supple by depositing more fatty tissue underneath. • Women with higher levels of this hormone have a narrower pelvis, and broader shoulders. • Perhaps, most importantly, extreme high doses of this magic potion may kill brain cells. l

Not another toothpaste ad Maintaining oral health

n Shah Nahian Remember the days when people wouldn’t brush their teeth while fasting? But that’s not a distant reality though is it? Encountering people with foul breath unfortunately is a part of everyday life. Well, it might only appear as a nuisance on the surface, however, bad breath is one of the more evident signs that he or she isn’t maintaining proper oral hygiene. When it comes to oral health, bad breath is not the most serious thing that can happen to a person. Poor oral health can lead to mouth and facial pain, oral and throat cancer, among many other oral disorders. Also there are disorders that limit an individual’s capacity in biting, chewing, smiling, speaking, and psychosocial wellbeing.

Its been researched

A report published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) states, that globally, 60–90% of school

children and nearly 100% of adults have dental cavities, severe gum disease, which may result in tooth loss, is found in 15–20% of middle-aged (35-44 years) adults and about 30% of people aged 6574 have no natural teeth. In other words, failing to maintain healthy oral habits will lead to developing cavities in your mouth if you aren’t suffering from it already, and your teeth will start falling off as soon as you break out from your teenage years and into adulthood. However, all can be avoided by sticking to a couple of simple healthy habits that won’t take up any more than a couple of minutes every day.

Brushing habits

Brushing at least twice a day is the minimum requirement for getting rid of the plaque and the remnants of food and drink from your teeth and gums. Flossing once a day is an essential practice to avoid gum disease and preventing tooth decay. It is also important to go to

a dentist for occasional checkups. Plaque accumulation inside the mouth results in formation of toxins that irritate the gums and cause the gum tissue to break down. If you don’t do a good job of removing plaque from your teeth by brushing and flossing, it can spread below the gums and damage the bone that supports your teeth. With time, the plaque also hardens into a substance called tartar.

Replacing that toothbrush

It’s also important to change your toothbrush regularly. A great rule of thumb can be changing it every three to four months, but the best rule would be to change it as soon as it starts showing signs of wear. And if you’re struggling to maintain fresh breath, one of the most effective methods is to just clean your tongue. l PHOTO: BIGSTOCK

Feature

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

Biggest education UK fair in Bangladesh raises curtains the UK. Therefore, we encourage everyone to come and explore the options, and take those important first steps in the journey towards a quality education.” Professor Abdul Mannan, the chief guest at the program, said, “Bangladesh boasts a highly talented pool of youth with the potential to become productive members of our economy. The education system in Bangladesh has been continuously improving over the years, but it is also true that more of our youth visiting abroad to receive knowledge and skills under some of the best education systems in the world and coming back to serve their nation would add immense value to our economy and society as

n Features Desk The 19 annual Education UK Exhibition commenced yesterday at the British Council, Dhaka University Campus office at Fuller Road for individuals who want to find out how an education experience in the UK will prepare them for an exciting career and give them a competitive edge in the global marketplace. The two-day exhibition will end today, January, 27. 21 globally renowned British universities have participated

in the biggest UK education exhibition in Bangladesh. Students who have missed yesterday’s exhibition are encouraged to come with photocopies of their academic documents by today. Visitors are advised to pre-register before they visit from the link bit.ly/fairDHk17 to avoid any delay. Professor Abdul Mannan, chairman, University Grants Commission of Bangladesh inaugurated the event as the chief guest. Alison Blake, the British High Commissioner to

Bangladesh, graced the event as the special guest. Barbara Wickham, director, British Council Bangladesh, was also present during the inauguration. Speaking about the event, Barbara Wickham said, “The exhibition will help students and their parents learn about study opportunities in the UK. Students and visitors will have the opportunity to seek advice on undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses, scholarship prospects and to get insights on what it is like to live and study in

well.” Also available at the Exhibition was information about the UK visa application process, other opportunities offered by the British Council to learn English, and complete internationally recognised qualifications in the UK. The fair was open from 12pm to 6pm yesterday and it is open from 11am to 6pm today. The event will also take place in Chittagong at The Peninsula, Chittagong on January 29 and on February 1 in Sylhet at Rose View Hotel. Students in Chittagong are advised to pre–register at this link bit.ly/FaircTg17 and those in Sylhet are advised to pre–register at this link bit.ly/FairsYl17.l

PHOTOS: COURTESY

Cleanliness is the key Maintaining oral health

Saudia Afrin

A room is supposed to be clean not only in terms of being organised but also in terms of odour management. However, everyday activities such as eating in our beds, trashing the corners, and pet odours can make the room smell really bad, which isn’t congenial at all. Here’s a comprehensive guide for you to stay clean.

Dens of odour

The couch, rug and curtains; sniffing the entire room and finding the key locations is the first priority. Once you find out where the odour is coming from, it’s time to clean that spot.

Germ master

The trash bin” can be considered a natural mine for odours. Here, it’s

paramount to clean the trash bin at least once a week or so, because germs from rotten food or other discarded stuff can cause sickness. As an added safety measure, make sure you spread a bit of ammonia or bleach to the bottom of the trash bin after you’re done cleaning.

is any remaining odour. Don’t forget to mop the floors, wipe the counters and clean the bathroom regularly since it falls in the must-clean list.

Pet love

Though it would definitely be a good idea to keep the air clean and fresh using an air freshener, always try to leave the windows open at least for a small but certain amount of time. This will leave the house smelling decent and fresh. l

Since you can’t give your pet a bath too regularly, get pet wipes for them. Also, don’t forget to wash their blankets on a regular basis. In spite of cleaning your carpet after your pet or a toddler pees/spills a drink, you ought to clean it with a vacuum cleaner at least twice a month. In case of a spillage, clean it right away. Opt for any kind of an enzymatic cleaner or ammonia. Either that or you can use a wet sponge to remove the stains. Use baking soda if there

Air freshening

PHOTO: BIGSTOCK

Feature

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

SD Asia – What's been happening? n Nahid Farzana It’s probably been a long time we haven’t really talked about ourselves. I mean it’s not bad to talk about yourself once in a while, right? What are we doing at SD Asia? What have we done so far? So here I go! It all started three years ago with the crowd funded documentary Startup Dhaka premiered at EMK center, to an audience of 100 which included founders, sponsors, and startup community members. The aim was really simple - Building up a startup community in Bangladesh. Wouldn’t you agree that we did a great job there? Startup Dhaka took the initiative to form and grow the startup ecosystem here. From Startup Dhaka to SD Asia - the rebranding was a result of extensive scopes that we saw in the sub-continent. SD Asia site and Facebook page continually provide regional tech and startup news and contents to keep the community informed and connected. Not just as a content site, SD Asia is proud to have hosted several events like Innovation Xtreme 2016, Innovation Xtreme 2014, Startupbashbd, GIST Bootcamp Digibuzz, Echelon top 100 qualifiers in Bangladesh, etc. Back in early 2015, SD Asia started a 12 Week Bootcamp & Demo Day to recognise the need of local startups in terms of formal curriculum and lesson plan. The program was focused on sharing

PHOTOS: COURTESY

experience with the upcoming local startups. Soon after this boot camp SD Asia, in partnership with Grameenphone, launched a full-fledged accelerator program GP Accelerator. This is currently the leading accelerator program in the country. So far we have successfully launched 10 startups

in two batches. The program is designed to provide seed funding of more than Tk11 lack each, in addition to a co-working space, logistical support and mentorship to participating startups through four months. Each batch concluded with a Demo Day where investors and other stakeholders heard the pitches from the team.

So what is SD Asia’s role in this program? In short - SD Asia handles the overall operations of the program. To let you know broadly about our role in the program, a few things need to be pointed out• In the selection round, using different channels SD Asia promote the platform to attract prospective participants, take applications, hold multi-stage evaluation round, and select the top five teams. • As a part of the promotional drive, SD Asia holds several information session on GP Accelerator to create awareness and scout talents. • SD Asia leverage its vast network to invite local and global industry experts to be a part of the mentor-ship program. • We design the educational components with support from the mentors. • We help teams connect with investors both locally and globally. • Having insights into the ecosystem, SD Asia’s in-house mentors provide guidance to the selected five teams on structuring their companies which are at their early stage. • We help teams set metrics to

•

• •

•

monitor the progress, set goals, and follow up with them after assigning certain tasks. Startups are provided guidance with troubleshooting their legal issues, to strike the right balance in the teams, to develop MVP and eventually create a fully-fledged product. We help with the content development and design needs of their pitch decks. Throughout the program teams are constantly provided support to prepare their final presentation to investors on the demo day. We provide constant support to the GP Accelerator’s alumni community so that they can reach out to our in-house mentors for advice and counselling l

This articls has been published under special arrangement with SD Asia

Biz Info

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

| launch |

Mahindra Powerol in Bangladesh Rangs Motors Limited is one of the top leading brands in the trade sector of Bangladesh. They have been supporting the market for commercial vehicles dominantly, for the last two decades. Considering the need for fuel and energy in the trade sector of Bangladesh, Rangs Motors Limited proudly introduced Mahindra Powertrain Division’s Mahindra Powerol, DG of the best quality, available in the market. In this auspicious event, a product launching has been organised in the Tejgaon Mahindra showroom of Rangs Motors Limited, on Thursday, January 26. According to Sanjay Jadhav (VP and head of International Operations – AFS South Asia), Mahindra and Mahindra Limited, Mahindra Powerol DG is environment friendly, fuel efficient, and of state of the art longevity and quality full generator. This will help the overall trade of telecom, construction, service, manufacturing, and industries,

PHOTO: COURTESY

in providing optimum energy required for their day to day activities. Mahindra Powerol is the generator with the least vibrations and sound pollution, and also runs longer with less stress on the engine.

Rangs Motors Limited ensures the proper supply of Mahindra Powerol in the market, all over Bangladesh. The service and spare parts of this generator will be available in all their showrooms and workshops.

Sanjay Jadhav, vice president and head of International Operations – AFS (South Asia), Mahindra and Mahindra Limited, Dileep Banerjee, CEO Rangs Motors Limited, and Robin Kumar Das, country head Bangladesh,

Mahindra and Mahindra Limited, were present at the event as chief guests with other office staff as well. l

| seminar |

| festival |

ULAB arranges seminar on Nanophotonics inspired by Biomimetics

Chinese Spring Festival at Le Méridien Dhaka

PHOTO: COURTESY

A seminar titled Optical Biomimetics: Harnessing nature’s solution to design and fabricate multi-functional optical surfaces, was held at University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) in the city, on January 24. It was jointly organised by the Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) department and IEEE Electron Device Society (EDS) Bangladesh chapter. The honourable speaker was Dr Radwanul Hasan Siddique, a postdoctoral scholar of California Institute of Technology (Caltech), well-known for managing the Jet

Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for NASA. The talk included various intriguing nanoscalephotonic structures observed in the wings of butterflies, beetles, and the feathers of birds or marine animals. The talk also focused on several design and fabrication strategies to imitate the structures in an industrial scale. Vice chancellor of ULAB Professor Imran Rahman; vice chair of IEEE EDS Bangladesh chapter Dr Zunaid Baten, and head of EEE, ULAB Prof S M Mahbubur Rahman were present in the event. l

PHOTO: COURTESY

Le Méridien Dhaka will be celebrating the Chinese New Year with a three day-long festival at Latest Recipe from January 28 to 30. At the Chinese Spring Festival, guests can experience the taste of authentic Chinese food from different parts of China. In order to celebrate the Chinese New Year, Le Méridien Dhaka will introduce their Chinese master

chef, Zujin Lei to its international culinary team, Chefs of the World. Guests can enjoy the taste of dumpling noodles, Beijing roast ducks, sweet and sour fish, Chinese fried rice and many other dishes, along with regular buffet dinner at their multi cuisine restaurant, Latest Recipes. Dining will be open from 6.30pm to 11.30pm and anyone

can avail this offer at Tk3,600++ per person. The eventful festival will provide a three-day food-filled wonderland of Chinese cuisine for its guests. The Chinese culture has long established itself within the diverse and vibrant city of Dhaka and plays a prominent role in this cultural exchange as Chinese cuisine has long been very popular in Bangladesh. l

20 Editorial

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

TODAY

Response to Dhaka Tribune We wish to reiterate that Microsoft is deeply committed to building trust in technology PAGE 23

Playing with our childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future When our leaders talk about education, science, and technology -- often promptly quoting advanced nations as examples, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re merely paying lip service PAGE 23

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

For a peaceful protest In search of a fair EC Neutrality of an institution in a politically charged environment is difficult, and it is impossible where an institution is expected to deliver the wishes of the authority it serves PAGE 21

Be heard Write to Dhaka Tribune FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath, Shukrabad, Dhaka-1207 Send us your Op-Ed articles: opinion.dt@dhakatribune.com www.dhakatribune.com Join our Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/ DhakaTribune. The views expressed in opinion articles are those of the authors alone and they are not the official view of Dhaka Tribune or its publisher.

he right to assemble peacefully in protest is one of the true cornerstones of liberty. This newspaper, then, strongly denounces the heavy-handed actions of the police on citizens peacefully protesting the Rampal power plant. If there was any doubt that our law enforcement personnel have gotten out of hand, their actions in Mirpur and Shahbagh on protesters should make it clear that they need to be reined in and brought to book. The actions of the police speak for themselves: They used water cannons, fired tear gas, and in one instance even ordered a bus to drive straight into a peaceful procession. There can be no defending the police force for this kind of brutality. To top it off, a number of journalists were assaulted by law enforcement officials trying to cover the event. These incidents were shameful, disgraceful. Even more regrettable is that this happens just days after the police made the unjust demand to the prime minister to repeal a law banning torture. Citizens of Bangladesh have every right to assemble in public spaces in peaceful protest to make their voices heard, without fear of physical injury, or worse. Protesters deserve to be heard, and the government should be at the service of the very citizens they are hurting on the streets, through uniformed officials. This is not the first time we have seen police heavy-handedness on protesters. This latest incident shows just how far this culture of violence has gone, where police think they can hurt people with impunity. We have no doubt that this is not condoned by the government, and we urge the PM to act decisively to end this culture.

Citizens of Bangladesh have every right to assemble in public spaces in peaceful protest to make their voices heard, without fear of physical injury, or worse

Rejoinder

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

Response to Dhaka Tribune

n Sonia Bashir Kabir

e refer to the opinion story “Don’t Let Microsoft exploit Bangladesh’s IT Talent” by Zeeshan Hasan, published in the Dhaka Tribune on January 24, 2017. The story contains a number of factual inaccuracies, wrong assumptions, and misunderstandings about the Microsoft Government Security Program (GSP) and its Transparency Centre initiative which we strongly object to. We wish to correct the following inaccuracies in the article: 1. The article states on paragraph 2 that: “On January 6, Dhaka Tribune printed a long interview with Keshav Dhakad of Microsoft. The interview was notable for saying that Dhaka was discussing giving access to Microsoft code for security review by government programmers through its Transparency Centre in Singapore.” And on paragraph 3: “Apparently, this is an arrangement which Microsoft has been making with various governments; especially since the Edward Snowden revelations of security backdoors in Microsoft Windows, which apparently allow US intelligence agencies to spy on other governments through Windows computers.” • These statements are inaccurate. The Transparency Centre initiative is a cornerstone of Microsoft’s Government Security Program (GSP), which allows participating national governments and international organisations around the world to be able to work at a deeper level with Microsoft on cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities, and to review and assess the source code of certain Microsoft products in a secure and controlled manner. • The GSP was set up back in late 2002 to help Microsoft

address the unique security requirements of governments and to demonstrate our commitment to transparency. • Governments have had transparency and secure access into the source code for many Microsoft products since 2003, helping to drive a culture of trust and understanding of Microsoft products. • Microsoft has never worked with any government to spy on any individuals or organisations, and never would as it upholds security and privacy of customer data as its supreme commitment.

• These assumptions are untrue. The Government Security Program and Transparency Centres are open to participating national governments and international organisations worldwide, regardless of whether or not they have any valid commercial agreements with Microsoft. • The issue of software piracy is separate from access to the GSP and Transparency Centre. • It is a proven fact that pirated and counterfeit software places the safety and security of computer users at high risk, including a higher risk of malware infections, loss

Microsoft would expect that Bangladesh pay for licenses to get the privilege of fixing bugs and security holes. This is a completely unfair arrangement.” “The fact is that if the Bangladesh government engages programmers to fix code, that code should then be the property of the Bangladesh government. That is the only situation where it makes sense to perform such a quality control exercise.” “However, Microsoft is never going to give the government any kind of ownership of Microsoft code. So this seems like an impasse.”

We wish to reiterate that Microsoft is deeply committed to building trust in technology

• Through the GSP and Transparency Centre, Microsoft allows participating governments to review the source code from key enterprise products, to confirm for themselves that the products are secure. • Microsoft has been working hard to increase privacy protections for customers, which has included opposing theUS government’s attempts to seek customer data, and has recently won a case in Federal Appeals Court in New York, USA. 2. The article states on paragraphs 4 and 5: “Naturally, we can expect that in return for this access, Microsoft would request that the government stop piracy of Microsoft software and pay for licenses of Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office on all government computers. After all, no one can expect access to Microsoft source code without paying for lots of Microsoft software licenses.”

of personal data, corruption of files, poor computer performance, malfunction, etc. • Thus, Microsoft remains committed to protecting our customers from the risks of non-genuine software and we are heavily invested in bringing world class built-in security into our mainstream products and services to provide a secure computing experience for our customers. 3. On paragraphs 9 – 12, the article states that: “However, if the government is going to employ a team of programmers to review Microsoft code for bugs, that is a quality assurance activity which has an economic value, and is in fact increasing the value of Microsoft software by identifying and correcting bugs and security holes in it -- it would be appropriate for Microsoft to pay Bangladesh for that code review by Bangladeshi programmers.” “However, far from Microsoft paying Bangladeshi programmers to uncover bugs in their software,

• The above assumptions are baseless and misleading. • To be clear, Microsoft prohibits the use of the GSP for any purpose other than information assurance and cyber-security, and tightly control and monitor access to source code for participants in the GSP. • Participating subscribers review the source code and run tools against the source code to enable static and dynamic analysis only for the purpose of assessing its integrity. • GSP participants with access to the source code of Microsoft products are not reviewing the code of our products to identify and correct bugs and security holes. • Microsoft does not permit participants in the GSP to use any Microsoft information for any purpose other than protecting its systems, and those of its citizens. • Microsoft has internal teams that are continuously assessing and ensuring the security update of our services and

products. • Since 2004, Microsoft products and services have been designed and built with security and privacy in mind using Microsoft’s Security Development Lifecycle -- a software development process that helps our developers reduce the number and severity of vulnerabilities in Microsoft software and increase the cost of exploitation. • To help protect against Internet-based security threats and continuously assess and enhance the security of Microsoft services, Microsoft utilises Operational Security Assurance (OSA) in our OSA is a framework that incorporates the knowledge gained through a variety of capabilities that are unique to Microsoft, including the Microsoft Security Development Lifecycle (SDL), the Microsoft Security Response Centre program, and deep awareness of the cybersecurity threat landscape. 4. The article concluded by making a case for open-source software. “The above rational solution requires the government to make an important decision at this point; namely, to start replacing pirated Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office with free/open-source software like Ubuntu Linux (www. ubuntu.com/desktop), LibreOffice, and Thunderbird e-mail.” • As part of our eﬀorts to protect customers and the general public against the risks of non-genuine software, we would like to reiterate that pirated and counterfeit software substantially increase the chances for computer vulnerabilities, malware infections and cyberattacks. • Microsoft is also embracing openness and flexibility by helping developers work across platforms and use the tools of their choice by offering open source and cross platform solutions for creating native Android, iOS and Windows experiences powered by Linux or Windows Server. In conclusion, we wish to reiterate that Microsoft is deeply committed to building trust in technology and Security, Privacy, Transparency and Compliance, are our top priorities to ensure that our partners, customers and users get to experience the best of IT to achieve their full potential. l Sonia Bashir Kabir is Managing Director, Microsoft Bangladesh Pvt Ltd.

Opinion

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

Playing with our children’s future We need to hold our textbooks to a higher standard

What we read shapes who we are

n Nur E Emroz Alam Tonoy

s school education makes a comeback on the public debate agenda for all the wrong reasons -- and none but the Islamic fundamentalists have come out to defend the government -– here’s a message for the Awami League policy-makers: Open your eyes, stop accommodating BNP-Jamaat, act like the secular centre-left party it was meant to be, show some leadership, and do not play opportunistic games with our children’s future for political greed. It might be in the interest of a few, but in the long run, the social and economic consequences of such selfish practices will be severe, and you will be judged for that, even long after you’re gone. Apart from sexism, poor quality, and spelling mistakes, one serious concern baffling the academics experts and an overwhelming majority of parents -- predominantly secular AL faithful -- since the introduction of the new textbooks is that the books are designed as demanded by the fundamentalist political outfits to segregate pupils based on religion, contributing to a clear violation of one of the central tenets of the forging principles of Bangladesh. Credit goes to AL leaders when they argue that a 21st century education system focusing on modern democratic values, science, technology, and the best utilisation of our most precious

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

assets -- our children -- is the only way forward for this nation. But, under their watch, when Deobandi clerics -- who have a principle position of opposing modern education and values -- dictate the course of school education curricula, it certainly jeopardises the outcome of that great vision.

religion must not play any role in it, even if that means loss of political capital for some, say the Republicans. In Lemon vs Kurtzman, the US Supreme Court devised a test in accordance with the 1st Amendment of the US constitution which prohibits the government from making any law or taking any

blossoming: Indian scientists are now in many aspects leading the world of science and technology, allowing the government to claim India as a global superpower. These textbooks are a violation of Bangladesh’s international obligation under the Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, according to which

When our leaders talk about education, science, and technology -- often promptly quoting advanced nations as examples, they’re merely paying lip service The problem is when our leaders talk about education, science, and technology -- often promptly quoting advanced nations as examples -- they’re merely paying lip service as they have no understanding about the technologies that create such systems. Separation of religion from practical affairs of the state, such as education and the legal justice system, has long been claimed as the holy grail of success by economically and socially advanced nations. Even in countries, for example the US, where the religious lobby holds a formidable grip over the political process, policy-makers from all sides have agreed upon one principle: The nation’s education policy to be entirely a matter for expert opinion, and

action including education policy that unduly favours one religion over another. The Lemon Test instructs that in order for a public school program to proceed, it must have a secular purpose, the principal or primary effect of it must not advance nor inhibit religious practice, it must not result in an “excessive government entanglement” with religious affairs. In Australia, the Victorian law states: “Education in government schools must be secular and shall not promote any particular religious practice, denomination or sect.” In neighbouring India, where BJP’s Hindurva movement is a political factor, national school education curricula remains secular, and see how they are

parents have the right to have their children educated in a way that is consistent with their religious beliefs. To be honest, I personally think that teaching some aspects of religion, if it is done in a manner that does not indoctrinate children to a specific belief, or does not conflict with science, can be productive, as it may create tolerance and understanding towards each other. And that’s what a secular education system is all about. It’s a system where we educate our kids together and teach them the value of unity, humanity, and multiculturalism. They’ll be taught subjects based on science, arts, history, critical thinking, as well as different religious views. Not just one. The fun fact is: In a bid to

ensure equal opportunities for underprivileged madrasa students, for years the academics have been asking the government to reform the madrasa education system for good, which means the introduction of subjects based on science, technology, and business into the curricula that are necessary to join the modern workforce. And look what has just happened, instead. The madrasa-based religious lobby changed the curricula of our secular, somewhat progressive, school education system. How hard it is for AL leaders to understand that religious fundamentalism is a chronic illness -- wherever it spreads, oppression and injustice follow. They should not be allowed to get a grip on our education system under any circumstances. Apparently, for Bangladeshi politicians, secularism in the constitution has just become a socially acceptable slogan, and because of the collapse of political conviction, religion has now become, even for the secularist AL, a form of ideological value -- a tool to deceive people, which is harmful for the existence and welfare of the both the state and religion. While Bangladesh is the loser, the ultimate beneficiary of this will be the fundamentalist outfits, as they are now gaining access into the minds of our kids. l Nur E Emroz Alam Tonoy is a blogger.

Opinion

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

In search of a fair EC The EC must be empowered to operate free from political pressures

Voting in a free and fair election is our democratic right

BIGSTOCK

Neutrality of an institution in a politically charged environment is difficult, and it is impossible where an institution is expected to deliver the wishes of the authority it serves. A bureaucracy that serves its master cannot work against it

n Ziauddin Choudhury

n a few weeks, the country will have a new election commission with a new chief who will have the not-tooenviable task of holding another general election in less than two years. We all know the history and travails of those who held these offices in the past, in particular the last 10 years. The job of the election commission and of its chief in particular, is laden with great peril in our country where the officeholder is eyed with suspicion of colluding with the powers that be, even though the office is assumed to be above any political bias. In fact, the plague of political bias has haunted several past commissions, though neither the head of the commission nor its members had any open or known political leaning. This happened because the office-holders were appointees of the government in power that time, and therefore, the opponents of the government assumed that

the appointees were politically blessed by the party in power. This assumption would lead to other conclusions on apprehensions of unfair elections and lack of trust in the august body. Was this a fair apprehension? The Election Commission in Bangladesh, like such other institutions in the neighbouring countries, is a constitutionally upheld institution that has the supreme trust of holding and ensuring free and fair elections to various elected offices including president, members of parliament, and other local government officials. The constitution confers on this institution the paramount role to allow all citizens to elect their representatives in a free and fair manner. This is why countries that have such institutions want them to be free from any political bias, and immune to political pressure either from the government or from other participants in the election process. The independence of the

commission and its arm’s length relationship with the government in conduct of elections provide the citizenry the necessary confidence in the fairness of elections. When the people find the process fair, they also view the results to be fair. There are no fights over the election results because the institution that conducted the elections was itself fair and above reproach. Unfortunately, our experience with holding “free and fair” elections has been rather dubious and murky despite our constitutionally mandated obligation to do so with an independent institution. This has happened not so much because we did not have the right people to hold the elections in a free and fair manner, but because we lacked the mindset at the political level to operate a truly impartial body. The people who ran the Election Commission in Bangladesh came from distinguished professions in the country and comprised people held in high esteem. They were selected because of their proven capabilities in the areas they worked and for their “assumed” political neutrality. But as their selection process was not always transparent, their appointments have often led to suspicion by the opposition parties of their political neutrality. These suspicions resulted in the opposition’s lack of trust in the

commission to hold fair elections including boycott of the elections in many cases. We have witnessed some dire results of such boycott in last several years. The Election Commission has been ineffective in stemming these negative perceptions. Neutrality of an institution in a politically charged environment is difficult, and it is impossible where an institution is expected to deliver the wishes of the authority it serves. A bureaucracy that serves its master cannot work against it. But a constitutionally instituted agency to conduct free and fair elections should not be a part of bureaucracy, and it should not operate that way. Unfortunately, a large part of the ineffectiveness of the Election Commission emanates from a public perception of the commission as being part of the government bureaucracy. There are several factors that have contributed to this perception of weakness in the Election Commission. First is the historic unwillingness of our political leaders to agree on forming and preserving a truly neutral Election Commission. Second, as stated earlier, is the opaque and nonconsultative selection process of the members of the commission. Last but not the least is guarantee of protection of independence of the commission and its members by the government in its conduct of elections. A politically neutral and impartial institution cannot grow without support and active help of the government. The Election Commission is independent to the extent it gets government support. But to be fully effective it also needs to have support and cooperation of the political parties that are active in the election process. The government may make all efforts to install a new commission, and may put forward some of the best names to run the institution. They all could be free from any political bias, but they will still find themselves to be operating in a cage unless the government that installs them also empowers them to operate an institution that is free from political pressures. l Ziauddin Choudhury has worked in the higher civil service of Bangladesh early in his career, and later for the World Bank in the US.

24 Sport

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

TOP STORIES

Bolt loses gold after Carter tests positive Jamaica’s Usain Bolt has lost one of his nine Olympic golds and his perfect triple treble of Games victories after team mate Nesta Carter was found guilty of doping at the 2008 Olympics. PAGE 25

Real crash out, Atletico advance Real Madrid crashed out of the King’s Cup quarters 4-3 on aggregate after being held to a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo in another major setback for the stuttering European champions. PAGE 26

Serena, Venus set up dream Aussie final Serena Williams zeroed in on a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title yesterday by setting up an Australian Open final against her older sister Venus, as the siblings’ dream came true. PAGE 28

Fedex edges Stan thriller to reach final Roger Federer edged a five-set thriller against his fellow Swiss and close friend Stan Wawrinka at the Australian Open on Thursday to become the oldest Grand Slam finalist in 43 years. PAGE 28

Bangladesh’s Taskin Ahmed makes his way out of the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport amid security blanket following their arrival from New Zealand last Wednesday night MD MANIK

Tamim vows better preparation for India Test n Tribune Report Bangladesh opening batsman Tamim Iqbal expressed hope that they would rectify their mistakes from the recently concluded tour of New Zealand before their next international assignment. The men in red and green were swept aside in three ODIs, three T20Is and two Test matches and are scheduled to travel to India for the lone Test against the host. The Tigers will then fly off to Sri Lanka in March for a full series against the home side. The 45-day long tour of New Zealand was a frustrating one for Bangladesh, not only because of defeats in all the eight international matches but also due to the letting go of numerous opportunities throughout the tour. Batting failures and butter fingers of the fielders also made Bangladesh suffer dramatically. “We did not have a good time in New Zealand. We could not bring home a single win. But we cannot hold onto that. Rather, it is important to work and get ready for the game we have (solitary

Test against India) in two weeks' time,” said Tamim, who along with the rest of the team returned to Dhaka last Wednesday night. “After India, we have a full series against Sri Lanka on their turf. We will have to work on our mistakes before the India Test,” added Tamim, who emerged as the ninth Bangladesh Test captain when he stood in for the injured Mushfiqur Rahim in the second Test against the Kiwis at Hagley

Tamim Iqbal addresses the local media

Oval Park in Christchurch. Tamim blamed Bangladesh’s failure to play to their ability for poor shows against the Kiwis. “We did not play well and that is why we did not have results in our favour. There will be no results if you are not doing the job properly. As I mentioned before, we need to find out our mistakes in New Zealand, work on those and try not to repeat those,” said the left-handed batsman. l

MD MANIK

Pujara taking Bangladesh seriously n Agencies

Bangladesh cricket team’s most awaited Test match against India is knocking at the door and lots of speculations with immense hype have been created ahead of the match. Players are also feeling the vibe and they have started to talk about this upcoming series too. Team India’s one of the finest batsmen in Test cricket, Cheteshwar Pujara recently said the only Test against Tigers won’t be an easy task and India has to fight very well to win against them. Bangladesh have emerged as a better team in the recent days and they can win against any team in any format now. Pujara said, “Bangladesh are a good team. They do well in Asia. So we can’t take them lightly.” The middle order batsman knows the way to beat Bangladesh in a test match and he thinks bowlers have to bowl in the same way they bowled against England. Pujara added, “Our bowlers have been bowling very well. Our fast bowlers, our spinners and our lower-middle order contributions. If we continue playing the same way we should be able to beat them (Bangladesh).” l

Sport

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

Dravid turns down honorary doctorate

Bolt loses relay gold after Jamaica's Carter tests positive

U-16 girls begin Japan tour with win

Rahul Dravid has been called the most selfless batsman in the world. So he offers yet another reason to call him the same, thus depriving himself of receiving a milestone. Former India skipper and batting great Rahul Dravid had been chosen by the Bangalore University for an honorary doctorate at its annual convocation, scheduled to be held today. The university was happy to award Dravid with the honour because of his contribution towards the game of cricket. However, “The Wall” believes he does not deserve it, yet. He does not believe his contribution is anything that significant to get him a degree of such repute. Instead of receiving an honorary doctorate, he would prefer to earn it. The university stated in a press release last Wednesday that Dravid has humbly turned down the doctorate and expressed his wish to earn it, if he can someday, by conducting a form of academic research on the field of sport. With his rejection of the degree, Dravid deserves more respect now. A doctorate would have been nice, but Dravid’s act of modesty will certainly earn him much more! l

Jamaica's Usain Bolt has lost one of his nine Olympic gold medals and his perfect triple treble of Games' sprint victories after team mate Nesta Carter was found guilty of doping at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Carter was found in re-tests of his sample to have taken the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine, the International Olympic Committee said on Wednesday, meaning Jamaica's 4x100 metres relay team must give back their gold medals. Carter's lawyer, Stuart Stimpson, said the sprinter would be lodge an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport. "Mr. Carter will be taking his appeal to CAS," Stimpson told Reuters by telephone on Wednesday. Bolt is considered the greatest sprinter of all time, having won an unprecedented treble of consecutive golds in the 100m, 200m and 4x100 relay in three straight Olympics. He is also credited with being a key factor in maintaining a global interest in athletics at a time when the sport has been ravaged by doping scandals and a drop in popularity.

Bangladesh U-16 women’s football team began their preparation camp in Japan on a winning note as they defeated Osaka Sakai Academy 2-1 yesterday. Sirat Jahan Shopna gave her side the lead in the 24th minute before Osaka brought parity 10 minutes later. Mishrat Jahan Mousumi netted the winner in the 35th minute. The women in red and green are currently in Japan for a camp ahead of the 2017 AFC Women’s Championship, slated for Thailand. Before that though, Bangladesh will take part in the J Green Sakai Tournament, scheduled to get underway tomorrow. They will play as many as three matches on the opening day of the tournament before playing their final game a day later. A total of 20 teams, including one each from Bangladesh and Thailand, split into four groups, will be playing 40-minute length group matches before playing against the opponents of the three other groups on the basis of group standing. Prior to departing for the land of the rising sun, head coach Golam Rabbani Choton said, “This tour will be a learning experience for us.” l

Morgan, Root help England eclipse India

Australia seal series after record opening stand

n Reuters, Kanpur

n Reuters

Skipper Eoin Morgan and batting mainstay Joe Root engineered England's easy chase to secure their seven-wicket victory against India in the first Twenty20 International yesterday. Beaten in the preceding test and one-day series, England showed

An insatiable David Warner blasted a career-best 179 and dominated Australia's highest ever one-day partnership with fellow centurion Travis Head to help secure their 57-run victory in the fifth and final match against hapless Pakistan yesterday. Babar Azam (100) and Sharjeel Khan (79) kept alive Pakistan's hopes of chasing down a 370-run

n Farhat Alam Brishty

BRIEF SCORE

INDIA 147 for 7 (Dhoni 36*, Raina 34, Moeen 2-21) ENGLAND 148 for 3 (Morgan 51, Root 46*; Chahal 2-27)

n Reuters

Bolt was sleeping after a training session and unavailable to comment on Wednesday but in June, when sources familiar with the case told Reuters that Carter had failed a doping test, he was philosophical about the prospect of losing a gold medal. "It's heartbreaking (the positive test) because over the years you've worked hard to accumulate gold medals and work hard to be a champion...but it's just one of those things," Bolt had told Reuters. "Things happen in life, so when it's confirmed or whatever, if I need to give back my gold medal I'd have to give it back, it's not a problem for me."

victory target but they collapsed for 312 in the final over as Australia wrapped up the series 4-1. Warner went into the match with five centuries in his last 10 one-day innings and the diminutive left-hander brought up his sixth of the season in just 78 balls. The 30-year-old set the tempo in the record 284-run stand with stop-gap opening partner Head, who went on to make 128, his maiden one-day century. l

AUSVPAK, 5TH ODI AUSTRALIA

Warner c Babar b Junaid Head c Azhar b Hasan Smith c Wahab b Junaid Maxwell c Hafeez b Amir Wade c Malik b Hasan Handscomb c Hafeez b Wahab Faulkner not out Starc run out Cummins not out Extras (b1, lb 4, w6)

179 128 4 13 8 1 18 6 1 11

128 137 2 7 6 2 12 5 1

Total (for 7 wickets, 50 overs)

369

Did not bat Zampa, Hazlewood Bowling Amir 10-0-71-1 (1w), Junaid 10-0-61-2 (2w), Hasan 9-0-100-2 (1w), Hafeez 7-0-43-0, Wahab 10-0-62-1 (2w), Malik 4-0-27-0 PAKISTAN

England won by seven wickets discipline with the ball to stifle India's vaunted batting order, restricting them to a modest 147-7 at Kanpur's Green Park Stadium. The visitors then returned to overhaul their opponents' target with 11 balls to spare, with Morgan hitting a fluent 51 and Root producing a run-a-ball 46 not out. After Morgan won the toss and opted to field, his bowlers stuck to impeccable line and length, rarely allowing the home batsmen to free their arms, with only one lone six being hit in the entire Indian innings. Captain Virat Kohli made 29. l

Trinidad and Tobago are set to be promoted to gold in the Beijing 4x100, in which Jamaica set a then world record, with Japan moving up to silver and Brazil earning bronze. The IOC also stripped Russian Tatiana Lebedeva of her long jump and triple jump silver medals from the Beijing Games after she tested positive for a steroid. A reallocation of medals is subject to any further results from the IOC anti-doping re-testing programme. The international athletics' federation is responsible for modifying race results and sanctioning athletes. l

Australia's David Warner plays a shot during their fifth ODI against Pakistan at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide yesterday AFP

Azhar lbw Starc Sharjeel c Wade b Starc Babar c Head b Hazlewood Hafeez c Smith b Starc Shoaib retired hurt Umar c Wade b Cummins Rizwan c Starc b Cummins Amir c Maxwell b Faulkner Wahab b Starc Hasan st Wade b Zampa Junaid not out Extras (lb2, w13)

6 79 100 3 10 46 6 17 17 13 0 15

8 69 109 6 13 40 6 14 20 10 0

Total (for 9 wickets, 49.1 overs)

312

Bowling Starc 9.1-1-42-4 (3w), Hazlewood 10-0-741 (5w), Cummins 10-0-60-2 (2w), Faulkner 9-0-60-1 (1w), Zampa 9-0-61-1 (1w), Head 2-0-13-0 Australia won series 4-1

n Tribune Report

ULAB reach Fair Play Cup Super 8s n Tribune Report

Riding on fifities by player of the match Hasanuzzaman and Noman, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh registered their second consecutive win in the ongoing 10th ULAB Fair Play Cup T20 Cricket Tournament. ULAB defeated Independent University Bangladesh by 28 runs yesterday. With the win, ULAB confirmed a spot in the Super Eight round. Batting first, ULAB made 192 runs for eight wickets in 20 overs. Noman scored 64 from 43 balls while Hasanuzzaman blasted 57 from 31 balls. In reply, IUB posted 164 runs losing six wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Basit of IUB scored 41 off 24 balls. Earlier in the first game of the day at the same venue, State University Bangladesh defeated United International University by 60 runs. Taking first guard, SUB registered 148 runs for five wickets in 20 overs. Mahi of SUB scored a 38-ball 58. In reply, UIU scored 88 runs before losing all of their wickets in 18 overs. Ansary of UIU made 31 runs from 37 balls while Mahi bagged three wickets for SUB. l

Sport

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

Juve hang on against 10-man Milan n Reuters, Milan

Holders Juventus struck twice in the first half hour but nearly let the game slip against 10 men in the second half as they hung on for a 2-1 win over AC Milan in their Coppa Italia quarter-final on Wednesday. Juve, who had failed to beat Milan in two previous meetings this season, raced to a two-goal lead as Paulo Dybala volleyed home after 10 minutes from an unmarked position, then Miralem Pjanic curled in a free kick in the 21st minute. Sami Khedira had another effort disallowed as Juventus threatened to overwhelm their opponents. But Milan came back strongly after halftime and Carlos Bacca reduced the arrears with a brilliant volleyed effort eight minutes after the re-start. Despite having Manuel Locatelli sent off for a second bookable offence one minute later, Milan continued to throw themselves forward and Juventus goalkeeper Norberto Neto had to make a difficult save from Juraj Kucka's free kick. Substitute Gerard Deulofeu also tested Neto as Juventus held out to earn a semi-final tie against Napoli. l

Real Madrid’s Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo vies with Celta Vigo’s goalkeeper Sergio Alvarez and defender Facundo Roncaglia (R) during their Spanish Copa del Rey (King’s Cup) quarter-final second leg match on Wednesday AFP

Evra seals Real crash out of King's Cup, Atletico advance Marseille move n Reuters, Barcelona RESULTS AFP, Paris n

Veteran French international defender Patrice Evra signed for Marseille on Wednesday on a free transfer from Juventus on an 18-month contract, the Ligue 1 club announced. The 35-year-old left-back, who had been linked with a return to Manchester United, underwent a medical after being released from the last six months of his contract at Italian champions Juventus. Evra left French football in 2006 to move from Monaco to Manchester United, before making the move to Juventus. l

Real Madrid crashed out of the King's Cup quarter-finals 4-3 on aggregate after being held to a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo on Wednesday in another major setback for the stuttering European champions. Real twice fought back to equalise on a rainswept evening in Galicia but it was not enough to save them from being eliminated in a knockout competition for the first time under Zidane who oversaw a Spanish record 40-game unbeaten run before successive defeats this month. An own goal from Brazilian defender Danilo put Celta ahead in

the 44th minute but Cristiano Ronaldo levelled for Real by lashing in a free kick from 28 metres in the 62nd. Danish international Daniel Wass sealed Celta's place in the semi-finals with a shot from the edge of the area in the 85th minute before Real substitute Lucas Vazquez ensured a nervy finish by equalising with a diving header. Real captain Sergio Ramos almost sent the tie into extra-time when he headed Toni Kroos's whipped free kick inches wide of the near post but Celta hung on. Real have now failed to reach the Cup semi-finals for the last three years, losing to Atletico Madrid in

Eibar

2-2

Atletico Madrid

Enrich 73, Gimenez 49, Leon 80 Juanfran 85 Atletico won 5-2 on aggregate

Celta Vigo

2-2

Real Madrid

Danilo 44-og, Ronaldo 62, Wass 85 Vazquez 90 Celta won 4-3 on aggregate

the last 16 in 2015 and suffering a humiliating expulsion from last year's competition for fielding an ineligible player. Celta, who have reached three King's Cup finals but never lifted the trophy, made the last four for the second year running and are targeting a first appearance in the

final since 2001. Earlier on Wednesday, Atletico Madrid reached the semi-finals for the first time in three years after coming from behind to draw 2-2 at Eibar, advancing to the last four 5-2 on aggregate. Jose Gimenez headed home from a corner in the 49th minute to put Atletico four goals up on aggregate following last week's 3-0 win at the Vicente Calderon but Sergi Enrich levelled in the 73rd minute on the rebound after Pedro Leon had hit the post. Atletico and Celta joined Alaves in the last four after the Basque side beat Second Division side Alcorcon 2-0 on aggregate on Tuesday. l

Southampton stun Liverpool n Reuters, London

Southampton forward Shane Long shoots to score the winning goal against Liverpool during their EFL Cup semi-final second leg at Anfield on Wednesday REUTERS

Shane Long struck a stoppage-time winner as Southampton upset Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield on Wednesday to become the first side to reach the League Cup final without conceding after expertly manning the barricades in their last-four second leg clash. Liverpool laid siege to Southampton's goal in the second half having been outplayed in the opening 45 minutes, but the visitors were doggedly determined to keep the hosts at bay and poached

a winner at the death to seal a 2-0 aggregate victory. Southampton had chances to put the tie to bed in the first half, with Dusan Tadic and Steven Davis guilty of poor finishing, but after the break it was all Liverpool and Daniel Sturridge wasted two superb chances. Southampton, who have sold millions of pounds worth of players to Liverpool in recent seasons, will face either Manchester United or Hull City in the final. United will take a 2-0 lead into the semi-final second leg at Hull today. l

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

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Sport

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

Serena, Venus set up dream Aussie final n AFP, Melbourne

Venus Williams of the US celebrates her victory against Coco Vandeweghe of the US AFP

Unstoppable Serena Williams zeroed in on a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title yesterday by setting up an Australian Open final against her older sister Venus, as the siblings' dream came true. The ruthless world number two proved one step too far for unseeded Croat Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, whose fairytale tournament was finally ended in a crushing 6-2, 6-1 defeat in just 50 minutes. In swatting aside the 34-yearold, in their first meeting since 1998, Serena, 35, stayed on track for a seventh Australian title which would take her past Steffi Graf's Open-era record of 22 major wins. She has refused to talk about the possibility of finally surpassing the German, but now has a golden chance of further cementing her place in history. Winning the title would also mean a return to world number one, snatching the title back after Angelique Kerber deposed her last year. Only Venus stands in the way after the elder Williams rolled back the years to beat fellow American Coco Vandeweghe 6-7 (3/7), 6-2, 6-3 in the other semi-final. It opened another chapter in their eventful family history as they meet for their ninth Grand Slam final tomorrow, eight years after the last at Wimbledon in 2009. Serena won that one and holds a

6-2 advantage. "I didn't watch (Venus). Obviously I was really proud, she's an inspiration, my big sister," said Serena. "She's my world, my life, she means everything to me. I couldn't be happier for us both to be in the final. It's the biggest dream come true for us." Williams added that seeing Venus reach the final had put her under extra pressure - not that it showed. "It felt really good because I felt like it was in my hands to force this Williams final," she said. "Believe it or not, I was feeling a little bit of pressure about that, but it felt really good to get that win." She also paid tribute to Lucic-Baroni, a former teenage prodigy when the Williams sisters were emerging in the 1990s before her career was derailed by personal problems. "Mirjana is an inspiration, she deserves all the credit today. To get this far, after everything she has gone through, that just inspires me." Despite her serve not being up to scratch in Melbourne until now, Williams has so many other weapons in her armoury that her opponents have been unable to cope. Lucic-Baroni was no different. The Croat's left thigh was again heavily strapped and the problem put her at an immediate disadvantage, restricting her movement

against a player known for her pounding forehand winners. It was one-way traffic from start to finish, as Serena asserted her authority to move into her 29th Grand Slam final. Her sister was equally impressive against the dangerous Vendeweghe. She was calm and focused, drawing on her vast experience to tame her supremely confident opponent, picking her shots well and conserving energy to bounce back after losing a first set tiebreaker. In making the decider, she becomes the Australian Open's oldest finalist in the Open era. It is also her first final at a major since Wimbledon in 2009 - which was her 14th, winning seven and losing seven so far. "At the end of the day, my main goal will be to execute my game," she said of the showdown with Serena. "I've had to do that in the first round. I had to do it in this round. In the final, too. If I can achieve that, that's more or less what I'll be thinking of, not necessarily that it's the final." While trying to treat it as just another match, Venus also knows it will be special as the sisters write another chapter in the history books. "It's like I know that it won't be easy. This opponent is your sister, and she's super-awesome. It's wonderful." l

Federer edges Wawrinka thriller to reach final n AFP, Melbourne

Roger Federer edged a five-set thriller against his fellow Swiss and close friend Stan Wawrinka at the Australian Open yesterday to become the oldest Grand Slam finalist in 43 years. The 17-time Grand Slam champion saw off the world number four 7-5, 6-3, 1-6, 4-6, 6-3 in three hours and five minutes and will face either Rafael Nadal or Grigor Dimitrov in Sunday's final. In an enthralling contest, Federer won the opening two sets before Wawrinka clawed back to take the semi-final into a fifth, only for Federer to prevail with a service break in the sixth game. Wawrinka was bidding to reach his fourth Grand Slam final and his second in Melbourne. The match turned quickly for Wawrinka as Federer raced to a two sets lead after holding three set points. Wawrinka left the court for a medical timeout and returned to the court with tape around his right knee. But Wawrinka hit back with two breaks to take the third set in

just 26 minutes as Federer became loose, giving his Swiss friend the chance to play his way back into the contest. Wawrinka broke again in the opening game of the fourth set with a beautiful backhand return

winner, but Federer broke straight back. Wawrinka earned three break points in the ninth game with some splendid groundstrokes and on his third break point he rifled a forehand cross-court winner to break, and then served out for a fifth set.

But Wawrinka cracked with a poor service game and a double-fault on double break point gave Federer a crucial 4-2 advantage. Federer held his two remaining service games to win on the first of his three match points. l

Switzerland’s Roger Federer hits a return against Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka during their men’s singles semi-final match on day 11 of the Australian Open in Melbourne yesterday AFP

Serena Williams of the US celebrates her victory against Croatia’s Mirjana Lucic-Baroni AFP

Bring on Rafa, says Federer, n Reuters, Melbourne

Roger Federer reached his first Australian Open final in seven years yesterday and then made it as clear as he politely could that he would welcome the chance to renew his epic rivalry with Rafa Nadal as he chases his 18th grand slam title. "It's real, I can really actually talk about a final, I've been dodging that bullet for the last few days," Federer said. "Rafa's given me the most problems in the game...I'm probably Rafa's number one fan, I think his game is just tremendous. He's an incredible competitor. "I'm happy that we've had some epic battles over the years and of course it would be unreal to play him here." "(Dimitrov)'s got a very complete game. He can mix it up really well. He's very confident and you never want to play confident players, but it's him or Rafa," said Federer, laughing. "It's going to be tough either way." l

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Disengage (6) 5 Bow-shaped form (3) 7 Mature (3) 8 Mock (6) 11 Poor actor (3) 12 Tantalise (5) 14 Long detailed story (4) 16 Concise (5) 18 Single entities (5) 20 Prison room (4) 21 Himalayan kingdom (5) 23 Farm animal (3) 24 Charm (6) 27 Lyric poem (3) 28 Do wrong (3) 29 Flocks of geese in flight (6)

DOWN 1 Failure (Coll) (3) 2 Dark-coloured viscid product (3) 3 Stir violently (7) 4 Yield (4) 5 Stick (6) 6 Bring about by force (6) 9 Dash (4) 10 Consume (3) 13 Keep apart (7) 14 Flexible (6) 15 Tawny colour (6) 17 Blackthorn (4) 19 Mineral spring (3) 22 Frenzied (4) 25 Hawaiian garland (3) 26 Australian state (abb) (3)

Downtime

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 18 represents M so fill M every time the figure 18 appears. You have two letters in the control grid to start you off. Enter them in the appropriate squares in the main grid, then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters go in the missing squares. Some letters of the alphabet may not be used. As you get the letters, fill in the other squares with the same number in the main grid, and the control grid. Check off the list of alphabetical letters as you identify them. ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

CALVIN AND HOBBES

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

PEANUTS

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

DILBERT

SUDOKU

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

Showtime

Shia LaBeouf arrested at anti-Trump art installation n Showtime Desk American actor Shia LaBeouf has been arrested in New York early Thursday morning, after he allegedly pushed a man outside of the site of his new permanent protest against new President Donald Trump. The American Honey actor, who has had a series of run-ins with the law in the past, has been appearing in a live video stream called “He Will Not Divide Us” since Trump’s inauguration last Friday. In Thursday morning, a 25 year-old man reportedly walked in and said something that LaBeouf politically did not agree with. In the commotion, LaBeouf allegedly ripped a 25-year-old male’s scarf off, scraping that person’s neck before shoving him to the ground, police said. The

police responded and arrested LaBeouf without incident. The 30-year-old actor was charged with misdemeanour assault and later released. LaBeouf’s part protest, part performance art installation went up on Friday and invites people to stand before a camera and repeat the phrase “He Will Not Divide Us.” The camera will be live streaming 24 hours a day for the duration of Trump’s presidency in and around-theclock protest against the newly elected commander-in-chief. He and his two partners said it will be kept going continuously for four years, throughout Trump’s presidency. LaBeouf recently wrapped shooting Janus Metz Pedersen’s Borg/McEnroe, where he plays legendary tennis player John McEnroe. l

Scarlett Jo’s separation rumour n Showtime Desk American media outlet People reported Wednesday afternoon that American actress Scarlett Johansson and her French husband Romain Dauriac have called it quits after two years of their marriage. The media outlet came to know of the breakup through confirmed source that the couple has been separated since the summer. However, the Daily Mail from UK reported that the actress put in a joint appearance with her French partner at an exhibition in New York City on Wednesday night, hitting out at the allegations of separation. Daily Mail stated the allegations were made when the actress was pictured without her wedding ring. Reps for Johansson have yet to comment on the matter. Johansson and the French journalist first went public with their relationship in November 2012. Nearly a year later the couple were engaged. The couple, who are private in nature, and parents of two-year-old daughter Rose, secretly tied the knot at the Ranch at Rock Creek in Philipsburg, Montana, in October 2014. After their engagement, the Captain America: Civil War actress told People that she fell for Dauriac’s charm and intellect. She said, “I love his brain more than anything. He does all the sweet gestures for me. He’s a gentleman.” Johansson was previously married to Ryan Reynolds from 2008 to 2011. l

Paris claims MJ’s death was a murder n Showtime Desk Paris Jackson has claimed her father, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson was murdered. The 18-year-old suggested Michael’s death was a “set-up” and “all arrows” back up her belief that he was murdered, reports independent.co.uk. Paris was just 11 when Jackson died on June 25, 2009. She told Rolling Stone she still wore an African bracelet her nanny had retrieved from his body that day. Since the interview was published on Tuesday, Paris has taken to social media to ask for privacy. Paris said her father would hint people were after him and at one point, even feared they might end up killing him. Paris also revealed she had been sexually assaulted by a “complete stranger” as a teenager, and spoke openly about depression and her 2013 suicide attempt. Paris also revealed she tried to kill herself multiple times and spoke about the traumatic experience of being sexually assaulted by a “complete stranger” who was much older than her when she was just 14. She said she did not want to go into detail about the claim but

explained it had been a difficult experience. The youngster recently hit headlines for complaining about a Sky Arts comedy drama series, in which her father was played by white actor Joseph Fiennes. Michael went into cardiac arrest after overdosing on sedatives. He died in June 2009. His personal physician Conrad Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in November 2011 and sentenced to four years in prison. l

Bhalobasha Emoni Hoy releases today

Not “ex” only friend

Showtime

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

WHAT TO WATCH Resident Evil Star Movies 4:15pm A special military unit fights a powerful, out-ofcontrol supercomputer and hundreds of scientists who have mutated into flesh-eating creatures after a laboratory accident. Cast: Milla Jovovich, Michelle Rodriguez, Ryan McCluskey Kung Fu Panda 2 HBO 7:44pm Po and his friends fight to stop a peacock villain from conquering China with a deadly new weapon, but first the Dragon Warrior must come to terms with his past. Cast: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan

n Showtime Desk

n Showtime Desk Directorial debut from celebrated actress Tania Ahmed, Bhalobasha Emoni Hoy (That’s How Love Is), releases today in theatres. Bidya Sinha Mim and Irfan Sajjad co-star in the film set to release in more than 60 theatres across the country. Produced by Impress Telefilm Ltd, the film

was shot entirely in London. The filming of it began back in 2014. Other than Mim and Sazzad, Mishu Sabbir, Tanzika Amin, Robert Young, Sohail Khan, Tariq Anam, among others acted in the film. The story and dialogue are written by Raihan Khan. Tania Ahmed wrote the screenplay and choreographed the dances, in addition to directing the film. l

The Slumdog Millionaire star Dev Patel is having quite a ball of a time, garnering nominations for his role in the movie Lion, the biggest being the Academy Award. Directed by Garth Davis, Lion is about an Indian boy, adopted by a couple, who goes searching for his biological family in India. Although they have broken up for some time, Dev Patel and Freida Pinto have always maintained that they are good friends even after the split. Both are busy with their Hollywood careers and we are not sure that they even

get time to interact with each other like before. But they only have respect and kind words to say about each other, whenever they are prodded to reveal about their past relationship. Dev Patel became the first actor of proper Indian origin to get an Oscar nomination; Freida Pinto has not forgotten to wish her first co-star, and later boyfriend, on her Instagram account. She wrote, “So proud of you, Dev! A fine example of what hard work, focus, humility and crazy amazing talent rewards one with. Long time coming, so well deserved!" l

Agnila’s Love story n Showtime Desk Agnila Iqbal is a very popular name in the Entertainment Industry of Bangladesh. She happens to be a very talented actress. Her first performance was in the TV drama serial Biprotip in 1999. It was directed by an eminent director whose name is Giasuddin Selim. The serial was telecast in Ekushe Television in 2000, and a second episode of the serial was released later. She has acted in another drama of Giasuddin Selim’s, named Shopno Shokt. She joined one of the most prestigious universities in the world in University of Toronto, in 2006, and she

studied Political Science there. She is a social worker, as well as being attached to the cultural arena of Canada. She comes to Bangladesh often and when she is available, she spends her time working in the deshi media. She was recently seen in a TVC where she plays the role of a blind girl who meets her soul mate in a dramatic fashion. It’s a sweet story directed by Ice-Cream director Redwan Rony. On the occasion of Valentine’s Day, this TVC has been made to attract audiences to share their love stories. An up-and-coming actor of this generation AK Azad also took part in the TVC. l

The Dictator WB 5:08pm The heroic story of a dictator who risked his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed. Cast: Sacha Baron Cohen, Anna Faris, John C Reilly The BFG Zee Studio 1:00pm

A girl named Sophie encounters the Big Friendly Giant who, despite his intimidating appearance, turns out to be a kind-hearted soul who is considered an outcast by the other giants because, unlike them, he refuses to eat children. Cast: Mark Rylance, Ruby Barnhill, Penelope Wilton The World Is Not Enough Movies Now 1:50pm

James Bond uncovers a nuclear plot when he protects an oil heiress from her former kidnapper, an international terrorist who can’t feel pain. Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Sophie Marceau, Robert Carlyle l

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

Back Page

BIMAN SIGNS DEAL WITH ETIHAD TO RESCUE CARGO BUSINESS PAGE 12

SHIA LABEOUF ARRESTED AT ANTI-TRUMP ART INSTALLATION PAGE 30

DNCC market reconstruction stalled n Abu Hayat Mahmud Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) authorities have yet to start rebuilding Gulshan 1 DNCC market as they are waiting for the reports of three investigations into the fire that gutted parts of the market earlier this month. DNCC sources said the city authorities would plan the construction of new buildings for both the kitchen market and the supermarket after they received the final reports. “Mayor Annisul Huq is also trying to mediate a compromise between the shop owners of the market and Metro Group, the company that was given the contract to build a multistorey building on the market premises years ago,” a DNCC official told the Dhaka Tribune, requesting not to be named. Meanwhile, the DNCC authorities have allowed the shop owners affected by the fire to set up 291 temporary stalls on the market premises after cleaning up the debris from the fire. A massive fire broke out in Gulshan 1 DNCC markets around 2:30am on January 3 which completely destroyed the kitchen market and damaged the supermarket building severely. There were no casualties in the incident, but it caused losses worth hundreds of crores of taka for traders in the market. Shop owners accused the DNCC authorities and the Metro Group of deliberately setting fire to the market so they would be forced to leave. But DNCC Mayor Annisul refuted the allegations. He also assured

Protester slam Trump’s antiimmigration plan

n AFP, New York

The wreckage of a part of the Gulshan 1 DNCC market as it came crashing down after the fire the affected shop owners that they would be alloted space in the new building on a priority basis. Police and Fire Service officials failed to confirm what caused the fire during initial investigation, and whether it was an accident or an arson. A seven-member investigation team of Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence and a five-member team of Dhaka Metropolitan Police are separately investigating the incident to find out the cause of fire. In addition, another three-member team of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology

(Buet) are running tests to see if the damaged building could be restored or would need complete reconstruction. When the Dhaka Tribune contacted Annisul, he said the market reconstruction would not be possible if the shop owners’ maintained their antagonism toward the developers. “The city corporation does not have enough fund to rebuild the market on a short notice,” he said. Asked when the new building would be built, the mayor said it was difficult to say right now. Officials of the Metro Group did not respond to the Dhaka Tribune’s request for a comment.

RAJIB DHAR

The plan to build a multistorey building on the premises of Gulshan 1 DNCC market was adopted by former Dhaka City Corporation mayor Sadek Hossain Khoka in 2003. The then city authorities floated an invitation tender on January 27, 2003 for building an 18 or 20-storey shopping complex-commercial building as a public-private partnership project. The contract was awarded to Amin Associates Overseas Company, a sister concern of Metro Group, who was the second highest bidder after the top bidder backed out from the deal. l

More than a thousand people took to New York streets Wednesday to condemn President Donald Trump’s border wall and immigration plans. The US leader ordered officials to start designing and building a physical wall along the southern border earlier in the day. He is also said to be floating the idea of a ban on refugees from Muslim-majority countries, including Syria. Demonstrators of all stripes turned out to rally after 2200 GMT in Manhattan’s Washington Square Park. “No ban, no wall, New York is for all,” demonstrators chanted. Many of their signs called for the defence of Muslims’ rights and the continued reception of refugees from Syria and other Muslim countries in conflict. “It’s really scary,” said Thariha Choudbury, a Muslim from Bangladesh. “Since he (Trump) was elected, I really feel that Islamophobia has increased, and it can only continue because it has given power to racists in this country.” The president earlier in the day promised to cut funding to jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with the federal government on its policies. “I am married to an immigrant, my friends are immigrants... We are a city of immigrants and we must defend our communities,” another protestor, Austin Guillem, stressed at the rally. l

BCMCL MD dismissed High Court to deliver verdict n on Indian channels Jan 29 Aminur Rahman Rasel

Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Ltd (BCMCL) Managing Director SM Nurul Aurangajeb was finally stand released for allegedly forcing his subordinates to take oath on religious books in a bid to stop them from bringing graft charges against him. He was attached to Petrobangla chairman’s office, according to a government order issued yesterday. “He was stand released to help verify a news report published at the Dhaka Tribune of late. He was transferred since an investigation cannot go on with an accused in the chair, where he made irregular-

ities,” said Mostafa Kamal, director (admin) of Petrobangla. Asked about Aurangajeb’s replacement, the Petrobangla official said the state-run BCMCL’s general manager (marketing) Engineer Habib Uddin Ahmed was appointed to the post as an acting MD. On January 23, the Dhaka Tribune published a report titled “Barapukuria staff face off against MD”. An official, requesting anonymity, said Aurangajeb took the initiative since he learnt that the BCMCL staff, highlighting some of his anomalies, on January 19, wrote to the prime minister, who is in charge of power and energy ministry. l

n Ashif Islam Shaon Telecast of three Indian television channels – Star Jalsha, Star Plus and Z Bangla – could be halted after the High Court (HC) delivers its verdict on January 29 in a writ petition that challenged the legality of airing these channels. The HC bench of Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice JBM Hassan concluded the hearing in the case and fixed the date on Wednesday.

Lawyer Syeda Shaheen Ara Laily filed the petition in October 2014, looking for a directive from the HC to stop airing the specific channels in Bangladesh. The court that year had issued a rule asking the government why steps should not be taken to stop broadcasting the channels. During the hearing on Wednesday, the writ petitioner’s lawyer Eklas Uddin Bhuiyan argued that airing child deaths, quarrels among spouses and

murders have a negative impact on viewers. In the petition, Syeda said the programmes have an unfavourable effect on social and life and hampers the education of minors. These channels have been telecast in Bangladesh, violating broadcasting laws. The Indian channels are seen as a threat to Bangladeshi culture and local shows are losing out to their foreign counterparts in terms of popularity. l

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