Wednesday, February 1, 2017

SECOND EDITION

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

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Magh 19, 1423, Jamadiul Awwal 3, 1438

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Regd No DA 6238, Vol 4, No 275

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www.dhakatribune.com

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24 pages |

Price: Tk10

Judicial body finds police guilty, but fails to identify them › 3

Tarek Sayeed appeals death penalty verdict

Search panel shortlists 20

›3

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

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Dhaka Live Art Biennale kicks off today › 5

Murder of female pir robbery or targeted killing? › 6

‘There is a genocide going on in Rakhine’ › 5

Trump fires top Bangladesh trio lawyer over travel nearly fit for ban defiance › 8 India Test › 18

May’s Brexit plan likely to survive parliamentary assault › 8

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

Editor’s Note

Moving forward A t the Dhaka Tribune we firmly believe that in the 21st century it is imperative for newspapers to continue to reinvent themselves in order to better serve our readers and their changing and evolving requirements, and it is to this end that we have constantly been at the forefront of editorial innovation and creativity.

It was the Dhaka Tribune that in 2015 launched as an easy-toread compact newspaper, more in keeping with our readers’ on-the-go lifestyle, but with the same commitment to in-depth hard news and news analyses.

The compact format has proved a great success, and has helped us to establish our own unique identity in the Bangladesh newspaper market as a progressive, innovative, forward-looking publication.

Today we continue on our creative journey and debut a series of changes that will result in our readers receiving a deeper and richer product.

Instead of a daily 32-page newspaper, from today we will bring out an even more compact and handy 24 pages. But do not think that this means that our readers will be receiving less news from the Dhaka Tribune.

By no means. In fact, quite the opposite.

As editor of the Dhaka Tribune, let me make the following pledge to our readers: We will miss nothing. All major stories will be covered. You can be assured of the fact that you will be fully informed by

reading the newspaper. Not only that, on major stories we will actually provide better, more indepth, and more detailed coverage than our competitors.

Furthermore, Dhaka Tribune will provide a filtering service.

We won’t report on everything.

But we make the promise to our readers that every piece in the newspaper is worth your time.

If it is in the Dhaka Tribune it means it is of import. We screen out dull or uninteresting or irrelevant content. There will be no fillers in a 24-page Dhaka Tribune.

It will be everything you need to know and nothing you don't.

We are mindful of the time pressures of modern day life, and this is a newspaper that is designed fully for your convenience and ease of use.

The all new 24-page Dhaka Tribune will be all the news you want, no more, no less. It is perfect for your busy on-the-go lifestyle, and will ensure that you remain fully informed in as little time as possible.

Have no fear that there will be any compromise on quality. The newspaper will continue to be as hard-hitting and in-depth as before. Don't let the new look fool you! We may be smaller, but we will still pack a wallop, and you will find no more serious paper anywhere on the market.

But the real key to our offerings to our readers in 2017 is what we are adding.

In addition to the daily newspaper, the weekly Weekend Tribune, and the monthly Arts & Letters, we will be offering:

l A weekly Sports Tribune

l A weekly Business Tribune

supplement every Sunday

l A weekly World Tribune

supplement every Monday

l A monthly Climate Tribune

supplement

Climate Tribune

Arts & Letters

TRAFFICKING 8 SEX IN KOLKATA

supplement

l A monthly Tribune In-

depth supplement

As you can see, the Dhaka Tribune is committed to producing unique innovative content.

Not only will our daily newspaper set new standards for major story coverage which you will not find anywhere else, our steady stream of supplements will continually ensure that you will have the very best in-depth news analysis and detailed story-telling at your finger-tips.

We are honoured that our readers have trusted us to bring the news to them, and we make every possible effort to ensure that we live up to the trust and faith that you repose in the Dhaka Tribune.

The new-look Dhaka Tribune will have something for everyone and will be filled with unique content you simply won’t find anywhere else.

We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoy producing it for you. l

Sports Tribune

Business Tribune 5

DITF TO CONTINUE UNTIL FEBRUARY 4

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DATIS, ‘A CHIEF OF GANGARIDAI’

6

DHAKA STOCKS CONTINUE TO FALL

OFFERS ON DOMESTIC ROUTES 7 BIMAN

Tribune In-depth

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TURNING UP HEAT FOR A CLIMATE DEAL

VIGILANTES CHECK

3

l A monthly Tribune Heritage

DHAKA TRIBUNE SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017

6

World Tribune

supplement every Saturday

NOTES ON A TRIP TO ENGLAND

5

NOTES ON A TRIP TO ENGLAND

BANGLADESH 8 DE-RADICALISING

Tribune In-depth

WORLD OF HERITAGE 7 ACULTURAL

Tribune Weekend Heritage Tribune

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News

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

Search panel shortlists 20 Mamun and Tarek n Shohel Mahmud

The search committee for the 11th Election Commission (EC) yesterday initially selected 20 people out of about 125 names that were recommended by several political parties.

The committee will further shortlist the 20 names and submit them to the president by February 8, who, upon receiving the names, will select five people for the posts of a chief election commissioner and four election commissioners.

However, the search panel did not reveal the names.

“The committee will further

verify the recommended people’s eligibility, professional career and acceptance in society,” said Cabinet Secretary Shafiul Alam, coordinator of the search committee.

His comments followed a meeting the six-member search committee, led by Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, held at Supreme Court Judges’ Lounge.

The committee will sit with five more eminent personalities – former chief election commissioner Abu Hena, Barrister Rokon Uddin Mahmud, Dainik Samakal Editor Golam Sarwar, The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam and Security Analyst Major General (retd) Abdur Rashid – at the same venue at 11am today, he also said.

On a separate note, Shafiul said: “The committee has not recommended their own choices yet, though it can do so on its own if it wants.”

Terming all the search body members professional, experienced and respected, Shafiul said they can still recommend any name from their experience.

Twenty-seven political parties including the Awami League (AL) and the BNP submitted names of their favourable candidates to Cabinet Division’s Additional Secretary (administration and law) Abdul Wadud before the meeting yesterday, as per the deadline.

Four parties – Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Gono Forum and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish – did not submit any name to the search panel.

Shortlists by by AL, BNP

Awami League Office Secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap and BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi submitted names on behalf of respective parties, which both parties declined to disclose.

Golap said the list was finalised on Monday at a joint meeting of the party.

Saying that it is not high time the names were revealed, he said the nominees were selected based on their competence, transparency and belief in the spirit of the Liber-

ation War. However, some sources at Cabinet Division and AL, preferring anonymity, hinted that the list includes Prime Minister’s Office’s former secretary Molla Wahiduzzaman, former Inspector General of Police Nur Mohammad, PM’s ex-principal secretary Abdul Karim, ex-information commissioner Sadeka Halim and former secretary Monjur Hossain.

Meanwhile, Rizvi said he had no idea about the names his party recommended.

“Our party high command gave me a sealed envelope [consisting the names],” he claimed, saying the names were chosen following the 13-point preamble given to the president regarding the next general election.

The party and Cabinet Division sources, nevertheless, gave a hint that local government expert Tofail Ahmed, former Bangladesh Bank governor Salehuddin Ahmed, eminent lawyer Shahdeen Maleek, Professor Taskim A Rahman and Asaf Ud Dowla might have been in the

BNP’s shortlist.

Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal, in a press note, said it recommended former Bangladesh Public Service Commission Chairman Sadat Hossain, local government expert Tofail Ahmed, former election commissioner M Sakhawat Hossain, former ambassador Humayun Kabir and Professor Nasim Akhter Hossain.

On January 25, the president formed the panel after holding a series of talks with 31 registered political parties.

The committee was instructed to submit the selected names and recommendation for Election Commission within ten working days while it was also asked to recommend two names against each post of the EC. The panel was also suggested to pick a female election commissioner for the first time in the country’s history, according to the president’s instruction on the EC reformation, with three panel members being empowered to form a quorum to make any decision. l

Judicial body finds police guilty, but fails to identify them n Ashif Islam Shaon A judicial probe body has confirmed police were involved in torching houses of Santals during an eviction drive in Gaibandha last year, but it could not identify the policemen because of their helmets.

The probe body came up with the information in a report it submitted to the High Court yesterday.

Accepting the report prepared

by Gaibandha’s Chief Judicial Magistrate Mohammad Shahidullah, the court fixed February 7 for hearing on the issue.

According to the report, the judicial body sought names of the policemen, who were on the spot during the raid, from the superintendent of police of Gaibandha, but the latter did not provide the names.

The police members, including a member of the Detective Branch, along with other law enforcers and miscreants were present during the torching of the houses, the report said.

When the three policemen were setting fire, some of their colleagues were standing just a few yards away, it added.

The policemen, who were witnessing the incident, neither helped the arsonists nor tried to douse the blaze.

Since the three police members were wearing helmets, as seen in a

While the adults look on in despair, the evicted Santal children still cling to the hope that things will turn around. The photo was taken on November 2016 MEHEDI HASAN video footage of the incident that went viral later on, they could not be specifically identified, the report further said.

Deputy Attorney General Motahar Hossain Sazu, who placed the probe report before the bench of Justice Obaidul Hasan and Justice Krishna Devnath, said the Gaibandha SP could not name the policemen deployed during the in-

cident since a list containing their identities was already sent to another committee that was probing the arson.

Examining the footage, it was found that the homes were being torched after the Santals living in them fled out of fear in the presence of police, RAB members and two men in plain clothes, the probe committee said.

In the footage, two men wearing police jackets, one in a DB jacket and two people in red and white shirts were setting the houses afire in the Champari Beel area.

Meanwhile, some local miscreants torched houses of Santals in the Kuamara, Sahebganj and Horinmari areas, the inquiry committee said.

The faces of the accused law en-

forcers could not be identified as the incident was filmed from afar, the report said.

With the witnesses failing to specify the names and ranks of the lawmen, it was not possible to identify the accused, it added, saying that in this era of modern technology, it is possible to edit any video clip to fabricate the real incident and more investigation is needed to find the actual fact.

However, the magistrate in the report said that the Gaibandha SP wrote to him officially, instead of sending the names of the policemen as sought earlier.

A three-member committee of the district police is now probing the same incident, and will submit its report to police headquarters.

On December 14 last year, the High Court ordered for a judicial probe to verify the involvement of policemen in the arson after the video clip broke the internet, coupled with massive media coverage on the matter.

Thirteen days later, the probe body visited Madarpur and Joypurpara villages and talked to the victims.

Since the November 6 eviction drive, Santals have been alleging that police had torched their houses that very day, when three people of the indigenous minority group were killed in a clash with police and Rangpur Sugar Mills staff over disputed land.l

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

INDICTMENT OF DECEASED WAR CRIMES SUSPECT

ICT asks IGP to explain negligence in duty, summons Mymensingh SP n Ashif Islam Shaon

The International Crimes Tribunal yesterday asked the inspector general of police (IGP) and Mymensingh police superintendent to explain the police’s failure to inform the tribunal about the death of a fugitive war crimes suspect before pressing charges against him.

The tribunal in its order stated that police’s “gross negligence” led the tribunal to indict Wazuddin of Mymensingh’s Fulbaria in a war crimes case.

According to Wazuddin’s family, he died on May 7, 2016 at the age of

70. He was buried at Briddananda village under Fulbaria upazila. They informed local union parisad Kaladoho chairman and the chairman handed over the death certificate to police.

Fulbaria police station OC Rifat Khan Rajib forwarded the death certificate to the district police’s head office.

The ICT asked the Mymensingh SP to appear before the court in person on February 16 while IGP will have to submit his explanation within the same date.

The two-member tribunal led by Justice Shahinur Islam passed the order after the prosecution placed a petition urging it to summon the

Strict measures to stop question paper leaks n Shohel Mamun The government has taken strict measures to stop question paper leaks during the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent exams that are scheduled to begin from tomorrow.

During a media brief, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said: “A total of 1,786,613 students will participate in the SSC and equivalent exams of which 910,501 candidates are male while 876,112 are female.

Our top challenge is to have the exams completed successfully without any leaks.”

Education Ministry has identified three areas where there may be leaks - Bangladesh Government Press, where the papers are sealed; the district administration office, where the papers are received, and exam centres.

“Law enforcers and differ-

ent agencies will monitor the process of printing, sealing and sending questions to districts. If someone is suspected, they will immediately be removed from their duties,” Nahid said.

Minister Nahid said: “The answer sheets will be provided to students 30 minutes before the exam, so there is no way to physically leak the questions prior to the exam, but we have to remain alert about verbal leaks through social media.”

“Students and teachers will not be allowed to use any mobile phones, but centre secretaries will be allowed to use mobile phones inside halls and adjacent areas,” he added.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) will monitor social media or any other sites to stop any possible leaks. l

Tarek Sayeed appeals death penalty verdict n Ashif Islam Shaon Ex-RAB officer Lt Col Tarek Sayeed Mohammad, a death row convict of the sensational Narayanganj seven-murder case, has filed an appeal with the High Court challenging his sentence.

Tarek’s Lawyer Ahsan Ullah said yesterday that they had submitted two petitions with the High Court office concerned, seeking acquittal from the charges proved

against the sacked RAB official at a trial court.

On January 16, a Narayanganj court sentenced 26 people, including Tarek and 18 other RAB members, to death for the grisly and politically motivated killings of seven people in 2014.

The lower court found that Tarek and his colleagues were hired by local Awami League leader Nur Hossain to kill his political rival, in order to establish supremacy in local politics and business. l

IGP, SP and officer-in-charge of Fulbaria police station.

The prosecution also urged to frame fresh charges in the case.

During the hearing, prosecutor Rana Dasgupta argued before the court that the police showed negligence in discharging their duties.

The SP was informed by Fulbaria police about Wazuddin’s death in August and he was given a reminder again by local police in December. The SP, however, did not inform the matter to the tribunal until January 12.

On January 12, ICT came down heavily on it’s prosecution team and investigation wing as charges

were framed against the dead war crimes suspect. It had asked the prosecution to look into the matter and collect information about the deceased Md Wazuddin.

The order was passed after a news report aired by a private satellite television channel drew their attention.

On December 11, 2016 charges were framed against Wazuddin, showing him absconding and the tribunal asked to start trial appointing a state defence counsel for Wazudin on government’s expense. Another accused in the case Md Reaz Uddin Fakir was already in custody. l

Nakhalpara slum catches fire n Kamrul Hasan A fire broke out at a slum near Bonoful Mor of Dhaka’s Nakhalpara late yesterday night.

However, fire fighters managed to bring the flame under control after 1.5 hours of frantic effort around 12:20am, fire service sources said.

As of 1:15am, no casualties were reported in the fire at the slum near Nakhalpara Railway Station.

Nine units of fire service rushed to spot to douse the flame that originated around 11:05pm, said Fire and Civil Defence control room Duty Officer Palash Chandra Muduk.

The extent of losses could not be ascertained immediately but a portion of the slum was damaged in the incident, sources said.l

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

‘There is a genocide going on in Rakhine’ n Abdul Aziz, Cox’s Bazar The systematic way in which Myanmar security forces are killing Rohingya Muslims in the country’s Rakhine state is nothing short of genocide, said the Rohigya refugees at Kutupalong refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar.

Speaking to the visiting members of Advisory Commission on Rakhine State – also known as Kofi Annan Commission – on Monday, the refugees described the horror of the ongoing military persecution in the Muslim-dominant areas of Rakhine.

The commission members spoke with 40 women, 12 children and 18 men to get the first-hand accounts of the torture being inflicted on Rohingyas by Myanmar security forces, said Abu Siddique, chairman of Kutupalong unregistered refugee camp.

Mohammad Younus, a Rohingya who was born in Kutupalong camp, acted as the interpreter between the refugees and the commission members.

killing. Thousands of bodies of our mothers, sisters are being washed away by the sea. If their husbands protest, then the security forces kill them too.”

“How many people have to die before you will call it a genocide?

Because there is a genocide going on in Rakhine,” said a Rohingya, who fled the crackdown in a new influx of refugees, directing the question to commission chief Kofi Annan.

Listening to the refugees, the visitors asked them to be patient for a few more days and assured them that the stories of their suffering would be relayed to the rest of the world and they would find a solution to the crisis soon.

The Rohingyas also expressed their willingness to return home if the situation improves, camp chief Siddique said.

The commission members – Myanmar National Human Rights Commission Chairman U Win Mra, Core Member and Founder of Religions for Peace in Myanmar U Aye Lwin and former Lebanese

A Rohingya mother, who recently took refuge in Cox’s Bazar’s Kutupalong camp with her children, recounts her terrible experience of the ongoing military crackdown on Rohingyas in Myanmar. The photo was taken recently ABDUL AZIZ “They tell us that the security forces are abducting the women from their houses, taking them to the crop fields and raping them before

“When we speak with our relatives on the other side, every day we hear a new horror story,” he told the commission members.

minister of culture and UN Special Adviser to Secretary-General Ghassan Salame – visited Kutupalong and Balukhali refugee camps in Ukhiya upazila and Leda, Shamlapur and Nayapara camps in Teknaf upazila on Sunday and Monday.

Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs Joint Secretary Md Baki Billah, officials of Cox’s Bazar administration and representatives of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and International Organisation of Migration were a part of the delegation as well.

Headed by former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan, the nine-member Advisory Commission was formed in August 2016 as part of Myanmar’s national initiative to resolve the long-standing issues in Rakhine.

The commission consists of three international and six Myanmar individuals of eminence.

According to UN estimate, at least 66,000 Rohingyas have fled Myanmar and taken refuge in Bangladesh since October 9, 2016. l

D’LAB kicks off today n Nure Alam Durjoy The Dhaka Live Art Biennale, a performance-based art international art exhibition, raises its curtains today on the Dhaka University campus. It will run until Friday.

D’LAB, as the biennale bills itself, brings together 50 practising performance artists from here and around the world under the theme – “How The Body Traces Language and Culture: Profiles of Performativity.”

The event’s organisers, Back Art – a group of young visual artists in Dhaka, works on interdisciplinary and contemporary art languages focused on Bangladesh. Live art includes performance art, voice art and theatre.

They are organising D’LAB for the first time in Bangladesh.

The event is expected to be a major step for the Bangladeshi contemporary art movement towards a future where art would be in proximity with the people as well as global trends, the organisers said.

Back ART was founded in 2013 as a conduit for contrarian art pro-

jects with the ambition to establish more non-conventional institutions and artists groups.

The group’s founder, Shubho Saha, said the biennale would give Dhaka’s residents an opportunity to experience a major gathering of performance artists at work.

The three-day live art exhibition was inaugurated at a seminar yesterday at Dhaka University’s Munir Chowdhury Seminar Hall.

Playwright, stage director and Dhaka University theatre and performance studies assistant professor Shahman Moishan presented a paper – The socio-aesthetic genesis of performance art – at the inauguration attended by co-founder and trustee of Britto Art Trust Mahbubur Rahaman, editor of Depart Magazine Mustafa Zaman and local art aficionados.

Participants Preema Nazia Andaleeb, director and creative editor at Bangladesh Brand Forum and Rokko Juhasz from the Slovak Republic also spoke at the inaugural programme.

Back ART has previously organised more than eight national and international art projects. l

TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY

DRY WEATHER LIKELY

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1

Dhaka

29

15

Chittagong

28

D’LAB SCHEDULE DAY February 1, Wednesday February 2, Thursday

February 3, Friday

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Rajshahi

DHAKA TODAY SUN SETS 5:45PM

EVENT

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TIME AND VENUE

1st Working Session

10am to 1pm | Swimming Pool, Dhaka University

2nd Working Session

3pm to 6pm | Faculty of Fine Arts, Dhaka University

1st Working Session

10pm to 1pm | Curzon Hall, Dhaka University

2nd Working Session

3pm to 6pm | Swimming Pool, Dhaka University

Long Walk

7:30pm to 9pm | Dhaka University campus

1st Working Session

10pm to 1pm | Faculty of Fine Arts, Dhaka University

2nd Working Session

3pm to 6pm | Suhrawardy Udyan, Dhaka University

Long Walk

7:30pm to 9pm | Dhaka University campus

Rangpur

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13

Khulna

30

14

Barisal

YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW

TOMORROW SUN RISES 6:39AM

28.0ºC Patuakhali

10.4ºC Rajshahi

Source: Accuweather/UNB

29

16

PRAYER TIMES

Sylhet

28

11

Cox’s Bazar

29

19

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

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

Murder of female pir robbery or targeted killing? n Kamrul Hasan

The murder of alleged female “pir” during the early hours of Sunday continues to puzzle investigators.

Nurjahan Begum, 72, was locally known as “Kheta Pagli” or “Ma” and was visited by people from all walks of life and all religions for guidance, which she provided in the form of realistic advice for their problems, rather than prayers or spiritual counsel. Her followers paid her with food or gifts, usually jewellery.

She was found at her residence with her throat slit and all of her jewellery missing. According to some of her followers, at the time of her death, she had around six or seven gold bangles on each hand, seven or eight gold rings on her fin-

gers, and a necklace made of precious stones, all of which amounted to around Tk6 lakh.

Though police think that the murder of was an unfortunate end to a robbery gone awry, there is some suspicion among her followers that her pir status might have made her a target for the old Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

Darus Salam police station Inspector (Investigation) Faruqul Alam, however, refused to call her a female pir, since police believe that she did not perform any of the usual activities a spiritual leader. In fact, police were entirely unaware that Nurjahan had apparently been living in her small, squalid quarters at the east corner of the Buddhijibi graveyard for the past eight years,

within a mile of their station.

Nurjahan’s room had no furniture and was sparsely decorated with a single bulb, a blanket and

Over the past three years, the banned militant outfit JMB killed at least eight religious personalities, four pirs and four followers some trash. Though the door appeared closed from the outside, it was actually open. There was also a newly made hole in the eastern wall of the room, but it was not big enough for a person to fit through.

Police said up until Friday afternoon, it had not existed. They also stated that Nurjahan had two associates – Shafura and Gingir – who lived close by, but have been missing since her murder.

Investigating officer Sub-Inspector (SI) AB Siddique said that police suspect robbery as the primary motive, but had yet to uncover any clues supporting that theory.

“Though police have a working theory, we are looking into all possibilities,” said OC Salimozzaman.

Over the past three years, the banned militant outfit JMB killed at least eight religious personalities, four pirs and four followers, including Khijir Khan and Lutfor Rahman, targeting them for participating in what they called anti-Islamic activities. The last known

targeted killing occurred in August last year.

One of Nurjahan’s followers, choosing to remain anonymous, put forward the idea that her death could be a targeted JMB killing. He based his theory on the fact that the City Colony Jame Mosque, which was located within 100 metres of Nurjahan’s room, had recently been upgraded and renovated, but locals were unable to determine where they had received the funds for such a change. He added that though 20 or 30 people frequently visited the mosque, they rarely left to preach like people did at other mosques.

When questioned, SI Siddique said police had found no evidence to think of this as a targeted killing, but would look into it. l

All eyes on capability of committee to protect rivers n Shohel Mamun The government has undertaken several initiatives to protect the rivers surrounding Dhaka and Chittagong from pollution, with most plans going in vain in the past.

As a result, the rivers including Buriganga, Turag, Balu, Shitalakkhya, Dhaleshwari, Bangshi and Karnaphuli are facing pollution every day.

Despite such failure, the government is now going to begin its efforts afresh to make the rivers pollution-free.

Hence, the government, in this regard, has formed a high-power committee with Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain as its chairman.

Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan and Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud are his deputies in the committee comprising the navy chief, Dhaka north and south city corporation mayors, secretaries of home, fishing, housing, local government, environment and forest, and shipping ministries, divisional commissioners of Dhaka and Chittagong, BIWTA chairman, deputy commissioners of Dhaka, Gazipur and Narayangonj also member of the committee.

It will also adopt a master plan within a short time to execute the initiatives properly, sources said.

But, the effectiveness of the committee remains in question whether it will succeed in doing such a tough job.

To get clearer idea on the matter, one will have to wait until February 2 when the committee holds its maiden meeting.

“We love our rivers. So, we will sincerely prepare a master plan to protect those,” said Shajahan.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Chairman Commodore Mohammad Mozammel Haque expressed his hope over the committee, saying that it will do something better for the rivers.

“Hopefully, some of important directives will come in the meeting,” said Mozammel, also a member of the committee.

In September 2016, the shipping ministry took some initiatives including the formulation of a task-force to protect the rivers.

Such measures were taken by the government earlier as well, but most of which did not see a proper end.

Water resources expert Mostafa Ali said maximum plans failed due to improper execution.

“We must stop the source of pollution first, then clean up the rivers and make them free from encroachment. The pollution will continue, otherwise.”l

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

‘Kunio died from bullet wounds’ n Liakat Ali Badal, Rangpur

Members of medical board, formed for autopsy of Japanese national Kunio Hoshi, claimed that Kunio died from bullets.

Members of the board came with their claims during a testimony hearing before a Rangpur court yesterday.

Judge Narayan Chandra Sarkar of Rangpur Special Court recorded the testimonies of the members

of medical board and three others witnesses of the case.

According to the court sources, Professor Rafiqul Islam, head of the medical board, members Dr Horendra Gosshawmi, Narayan Chandra Sha and Rabi Shankar gave their testimonies about Kunio autopsy in the noon.

During their testimonies all four doctors claimed that Kunio Hoshi died due to excessive blood-letting caused by bullets. They also

claimed that they had found bullet injury marks on neck and hands of the body, said sources.

Later, three witnesses also gave the testimonies before the court.

The court recorded testimonies of 40 people so far regarded in this case. The court also fixed February 2 and 5 as next dates of hearing of witnesses.

Earlier, Japanese farmer Hoshi was gunned down at Kaunia in Rangpur on Oct 3, five days after

the murder of Italian charity worker Cesare Tavella at Dhaka’s diplomatic zone.

Police and witnesses said there were three assailants in both the murders and they fled on motorcycle.

Radical group Islamic State has reportedly claimed responsibilities of both the murders - but the government denies.

Hoshi lived in a house at Rangpur City’s Munshiparha. l

LALDIGHI MASSACRE

Victims’ mother and brother testify Mizanur Rahaman, n FM Chittagong A Chittagong court yesterday recorded deposition of the family members of two victims, who were shot dead by police during a procession led by the then Awami League (AL) president Sheikh Hasina in city’s Laldighi area on January 24, 1988.

Chittagong Divisional Special Judge Mir Ruhul Amin recorded the deposition of Hasna Banu, mother of victim Hasan Murad, and Asok Kumar, elder brother of another victim Swapan Kumar, said Public Prosecutor (PP) Advocate Mezbah Uddin Ahmed.

“During recording of the testimony, Hasna Banu burst into tears before the court. She also demanded justice for her son,” said PP advocate Mezbah.

Victim Hasan Murad was the student of class VIII at AS Municipal Corporation High School.

The mother also told the court that she had witnessed marks of bullets on Murad’s body, said the PP. In the deposition, another victim Swapan Kumar Biswas’s elder brother told the court that his brother was killed, as police opened fire on the rally.

“After a frantic effort, the body was found at a hospital. Later, it was handed over to us after a post-mortem examination”, the PP quoted Asok Kumar as saying.

Defence lawyer advocate Ahsanul Haque Hena cross-examined them during recording of the deposition.

“The court fixed March 15 for the next hearing while 43 persons so far testified in this case”, told the PP advocate Mezbah to the Dhaka Tribune.

Twenty-four people were killed in police firing during a procession on January 24, 1988. On October 14, 1999, CID submitted a supplementary charge sheet accusing 8 people.l

Members of Border Guard Bangladesh and prison police exchange words during an altercation over land-related disputes.

The photo was taken in the Rajshahi Central Jail area yesterday AZHAR UDDIN

SP WIFE KILLING

Court rejects bail of firearms supplier Mizanur Rahaman, n FM Chittagong A court in Chittagong yesterday rejected the bail plea of Ehteshamul Haque Bhola alias Bholaia in a case filed in connection with the killing of Mahmuda Khanam Mitu, wife of former Superintendent of Police Babul Akter.

Investigators said Bhola provided the firearms to the killers of Mitu who was shot dead near her house in city’s GEC area on June 5 last year.

Chittagong Metropolitan Session’s Judge Md Shahe Nur rejected the plea of Bhola after his lawyer sought bail before the court in the morning, said Public Prosecutor (PP) Advocate Fakhruddin Chowdhury.

“As the bail plea was rejected in the magistrate court, he again placed his bail prayer to the judge court,” said the PP. Police had submitted the charge-sheet in the case filed with

Bakalia police station implicating Bhola and his associate Monir.

The investigators arrested seven accused of the 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. Mahmuda Khanam Mitu, mother of two children, was stabbed and shot dead near her house by three motorbike riders in city’s heart, GEC area on June 5 while she was going to drop her two grader son Akter Mahmud Maheer at a school bus.

After the murder in a dramatic move on June 25, Babul Akter was picked up from his father-in-law’s house in Dhaka and quizzed in the police custody in connection with his wife murder case.

During the quizzing, rumor was cooked up that Babul was arrested for his alleged connection with Mitu murder. l

DT

7

News

Gaibandha school arson accused on remand n Tazul Islam Reza, Gaibandha The main accused of the arson case of Kunderpara Gono Unnayan Academy in Gaibandha was placed on a three day remand.

Gaibandha Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate court’s Judge Moinul Hassan Yusub granted this remand yesterday afternoon.

The accused Ronju is the son of Md Mojibur Rahman from Kunderpara in Kamarjani upazila.

The court police General Recording Officer Shah Alam informed that after arresting Ronju, the police had initially made a seven day remand plea. However, after the hearing of the case, the court granted a three day remand.

The Gaibandha police Officer in Charge (OC) AKM Mehedi Hassan also confirmed the same.

Ronju was arrested on Sunday from his residence in Kunderpara village in Gaibandha for being accused of arson to the local non-government school, Kunderpara Gono Unnayan Academy.

Seven classrooms, Secondary School Certificate exam admit cards of students, registration cards, certifictes, garde sheets, furniture and educational materials were burnt in this fire set by the miscreants.

The school principal Asaduzzaman Asad filed a case with the Gaibandha police station on Friday. l

DT

8 World

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

Trump fires top lawyer over travel ban defiance n AFP, Washington, DC An embattled Donald Trump fired his government’s chief lawyer for refusing to defend his controversial immigration orders late Monday, deepening a political crisis engulfing his presidency.

In a caustic statement, Trump’s White House said acting attorney general Sally Yates “betrayed” the Department of Justice in defying the president and had been relieved of her duties with immediate effect.

Yates – a career prosecutor promoted by president Barack Obama and held over by Trump pending confirmation of his own nominee, Senator Jeff Sessions – had refused to defend Trump’s ban on immigration from seven Muslim nations.

In a memo to Department of Justice staff, she expressed doubts about the legality and morality of Trump’s decree.

“My responsibility is to ensure that the position of the Department of Justice is not only legally defensible, but is informed by our best view of what the law is,” Yates wrote.

“I am not convinced that the defence of the executive order is consistent with these responsibilities

ugees indefinitely and bars citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days.

Several federal judges have since filed temporary stays against the decree’s implementation.

On Sunday, attorneys general from 16 US states, including California and New York, condemned Trump’s directive as “unconstitutional” and vowed to fight it.

‘Monday night massacre’

US Deputy Attorney General Sally Quillian Yates nor am I convinced that the executive order is lawful,” she added.

“For as long as I am the acting attorney general, the Department of Justice will not present arguments in defense of the executive order, unless and until I become convinced that it is appropriate to do so.”

In the end, her tenure lasted only a few more hours.

The White House snapped back, accusing Yates of being “weak on

REUTERS

borders and very weak on illegal immigration.”

Trump has replaced Yates with Federal prosecutor Dana Boente as he awaits the Senate confirmation of Sessions.

Boente said he would defend Trump’s directive, stating that it was “both lawful on its face and properly drafted.”

Trump’s executive order suspends the arrival of all refugees for a minimum of 120 days, Syrian ref-

Trump’s furious response may have lasting political repercussions, not least complicating Sessions’s confirmation.

He faces a vote Tuesday on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and then has to be confirmed by the full Senate before taking up the post.

Congress’s top Democrat, Senator Chuck Schumer said Yates’s firing underscored how important “it is to have an Attorney General who’ll stand up to the White House when they violate the law.”

The firing came as Trump said he would announce late Tuesday his pick to fill a Supreme Court opening. The unveiling was originally scheduled for Thursday.

Democratic lawmakers have vo-

ciferously opposed Trump’s immigration order and Republicans are privately seething over the way his White House has handled the issue.

In a separate decision announced without explanation by Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, Trump also replaced acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement director Daniel Ragsdale.

The two dismissals in one night has echoes of President Richard Nixon’s 1973 “Saturday night massacre” during the Watergate scandal.

Then, Nixon fired the special prosecutor investigating him, prompting the departures of his attorney general and deputy attorney general.

The events catalyzed Nixon’s impeachment.

House Democrat John Conyers, Jr said that Trump’s conduct “is Nixonian in its design and execution,” and threatens the justice department’s independence.

“If dedicated government officials deem his directives to be unlawful and unconstitutional, he will simply fire them as if government is a reality show,” Conyers said in a statement. l

Trump to announce Supreme Court pick

May’s Brexit plan likely to survive parliamentary assault

n AFP, Washington, DC

n Reuters, London

US President Donald Trump will unveil his Supreme Court nominee on Tuesday, seeking to tilt the bench to conservatives on long divisive issues including abortion and gun control.

Trump’s choice intends to fill a vacancy left by the sudden death of conservative justice Antonin Scalia in February 2016, which left the highest US court with four conservative and four liberal justices.

The Democrats, who are in a minority in both chambers of Congress, are still smarting from the Republicans’ refusal to consider – much less vote on – former president Barack Obama’s nominee for the same Supreme Court seat.

And although Republicans hold 52 seats in the Senate they need 60 to confirm a nominee, which means Trump’s choice must be someone capable of winning some Democratic votes.

Abortion, gay marriage and gun control are just some of the controversial issues on which

the Supreme Court is the final arbiter.

Its members are confirmed by the Senate and serve life terms.

Given the advanced age of several sitting justices, Trump could potentially make several appointments during his term, shaping the court’s direction for a generation.

Once confirmed, however, justices enjoy independence and some have proved politically unpredictable, which sharply raises the stakes of the Senate confirmation process.

Frontrunners for the post include Neil Gorsuch, 49, an appellate court judge who is considered an ideological match to Scalia and takes a broad view of religious freedom; William Pryor, 54, an appellate court judge and former Alabama attorney general seen as an abortion rights opponent; Thomas Hardiman, 51, an appellate court judge with a record as a defender of gun rights, police powers and the rights of local governments to display the Ten Commandments. l

Prime Minister Theresa May’s plan to leave the European Union is expected to survive weeks of intense parliamentary scrutiny starting on Tuesday, despite pro-EU lawmakers’ attempts to force the government to rethink its strategy.

May’s government is seeking approval for a new law giving her the right to trigger Article 50 - the legal process for leaving the bloc - after the Supreme Court ruled last week that she could not take that decision unilaterally.

Some lawmakers will try to use the legislative process to press her to reveal closely-guarded details of her negotiating strategy, give parliament and devolved governments more say over the exit talks, or even block Brexit entirely.

But Conservative leader May’s majority in parliament means her plan to start Brexit negotiations by the end of March is currently expected to pass through parliament’s legislative process relatively unchanged and on time.

“I suspect at the moment there isn’t going to be enough for a majority for any amendment,” a source

British Prime Minister Theresa May close to cross-party discussions on the legislation told Reuters.

“The bottom line is that there is very, very, very little appetite for Conservative MPs (Members of Parliament) to back any amendments.”

“Hard Brexit”?

The second largest party, Labour, is expected to call for more parliamentary scrutiny of the Brexit process, but has said it will not ultimately try to thwart it. Several La-

AFP

bour MPs disagree with this stance and will oppose the law.

For more on the amendment process, see here: For more on the legislative process, see here: Lawmakers who disagree with the government’s plan to leave the EU’s single market and negotiate a free trade deal with the bloc - a strategy described by some as a ‘hard Brexit’ - are gearing up for a fight. l

9

DT

World

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

Islamists protest after Pakistan holds Mumbai attacks suspect n AFP, Lahore A militant group held protests in Pakistan’s major cities Tuesday after its leader, one of the alleged masterminds of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, was put under house arrest following years of foreign pressure.

Firebrand cleric Hafiz Saeed, who

heads the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) group and has a $10 million bounty on his head, was placed under “preventative detention”, according to an order from the interior ministry.

Police took Saeed away from a mosque in Lahore late Monday and escorted him to his residence, hours after Interior Minister Chaudhry

Nisar had hinted action against him was imminent. But India on Tuesday expressed scepticism at the move.

JuD, listed as a terror outfit by the United Nations, is considered by the US and India to be a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the militant group blamed for the attack on India’s financial capital which killed

more than 160 people.

Protests by the group’s followers broke out in some major cities on Tuesday afternoon.

Some 300 JuD activists staged a demonstration in Islamabad, burning the flags of India and the United States, while a similar number protested in the central city of Multan.

In Pakistani Kashmir, the group staged a joint rally with the Hizbul Mujahideen militant group.

“Kashmiris see Hafiz Saeed as their messiah and they will continue his mission. The government of Pakistan should behave and release him immediately,” said Abdul Aziz Alvi, a local JuD leader. l

DT

10 Business

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

CAPITAL MARKET SNAPSHOT: TUESDAY 5,421.2 -1.4% ▼ Index DSE Broad Index CSE All Share Index 16,785.1 -3.5% ▼ 30 Index

1,260.1 14,684.8

-1.2% -3.3%

▼ ▼

30 Index Selected Index

1,978.5 10,182.6

-1.2% -3.5%

▼ ▼

Turnover in Mn Tk Turnover in Mn Tk

10,745.2 718.0

-5.5% -0.9%

▼ ▼

Turnover in Mn Vol Turnover in Mn Vol

325.4 31.6

3.6% 34.3%

▲ ▲

RMG makers apprehensive of $50bn export target n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi

FBCCI holds press conference in Dhaka yesterday on new monetary policy statement, investment situation and Indian duty on Bangladeshi products and customs and VAT in budget FBCCI

MPS private sector friendly n Tribune Business Desk Bangladesh’s top trade body described the new monetary policy statement as “pro-private sector.”

“However, it lacks policy guideline on recovering non-performing loans and controlling money laundering,” said FBCCI President Abdul Matlub Ahmad at a press conference in Dhaka yesterday.

He said the Bangladesh Bank kept 16.50% private sector credit growth target unchanged.

“But it should be 17% as the import of capital machinery increased, which indicated that the investment in coming months will go up.”

“New monetary policy statement didn’t disclose any specific policy measures for the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which is very im-

portant for the development of the country,” said Matlub Ahmad.

FBCCI also urged the government to set 7% value-added tax instead of 15% for retail business.

It also made a call to Bangladesh Bank to take steps to reduce non-performing loans (NPLs) and curb money laundering to boost investment in the country.

Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry President Abdul Matlub Ahmed came up with the call at a press conference yesterday which was held to give its reaction to the new Monetary Policy Statement.

“We want implementation of the VAT online system under the new law but we demand VAT rate be set at 7% from July this year,” said Matlub Ahmed.

“Reduction of VAT rate will encourage traders pay VAT, helping

the NBR collect more revenue,” he said.

Talking about the country’s investment situation, Matlub Ahmad said the non-performing loans in banking sector have been rising steadily. “Immediate steps are needed to solve the problem.

Otherwise it will not be possible to speed up investment in the country.”

FBCCI First Vice-President Md Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin said they had met NBR 10 times with seven-point demands. He said the NBT always assured them of taking business-friendly decisions.

He said Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday also assured of solving problems “as early as possible” to build up a meaningful and effective partnership between government bodies and businesses, Mohiuddin said. l

BGMEA: Don’t blame whole industry for a few people n Ibrahim Hossain Ovi

Bangladesh’s garment industry owners’ association urged the revenue authorities to take legal actions against those who are misusing duty-free import facility of raw materials.

“Figure out who are misusing the facility and bring them to book.

But don’t make any stereotyped comment about the whole sector,” BGMEA President Siddiqur Rahman told a press conference yesterday.

His remarks came in response to a recent media report which said that some of garment factory owners ceased manufacturing business but continued to import raw mate-

rials.

The report said the raw materials were imported under the duty-free facility and sold in local market instead of using them in the garment manufacturing industry.

The facility allows manufacturers to import raw materials without duty for using in export-oriented industry and export them as finished products. But selling the imported raw materials in local market is not permitted.

NBR chief’s recent comment that the garment industry owners “do not bring home the earnings from export and keep them abroad” also disappointed the BGMEA president.

About the wages of workers, he

said rules were being framed and the government will look into the issue.

“We are giving an annual increment of 5% to the worker as per the law,” he said.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association called the press conference to brief about the present status of the garment industry in Bangladesh.

“It hurts us if a man like NBR chairman who is an important government official makes a generalised comment on the industry,” Siddiqur Rahman said.

He said the BGMEA respects of rules and regulations and do not indulge in any irregularity. l

RMG manufacturers are worried over the fall of product price and negative growth in major export destinations as it would hit the $50 billion export target by 2021.

Bangladesh has set the target, the driving force of which is the apparel industry, when the country will celebrate the golden jubilee of independence.

petitiveness gradually in the global market,” said the BGMEA president.

Meanwhile, the apex trade body of the clothing industry urged the government to establish industrial zones near Dhaka and Chittagong on priority basis to relocate factories or allocate some Kashland (government property) to small RMG factories going through cash crunch.

According to the BGMEA data in 2015, prices of clothing products in US saw a 3.81% fall which is 0.76% in EU countries Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) president Md Siddiqur Rahman vented his feelings at an emergency press conference at his office in the capital yesterday.

The conference was held to brief reporters on the present status of RMG sector.

“The global economy is going through an unsteady situation.

Bangladesh’s exports to major destinations see a decline. Currently, the sector witnesses an adverse situation at home and abroad,” said Siddiqur.

According to the BGMEA data in 2015, prices of clothing products in US saw a 3.81% fall which is 0.76% in EU countries.

In 2016, prices of Bangladeshi clothing products have seen over 1% fall in US market, while in the EU countries, it was 3.19%.

In the last two years, production cost went up by 17% due to gas crisis, devaluation of Euro and price fall in EU and US market, centering the US election and Brexit.

“As a result, we are losing com-

Bangladeshi Taka has become stronger against the US dollar while Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Turkey and Vietnam have seen depreciation of their currencies.

“This made our competitors much stronger in the global market.”

Besides, the Indian government has announced package for its RMG industry, which would leave Bangladesh in tougher competition, said the BGMEA leader.

In July-December period of current fiscal year, Bangladesh’s export to US has seen a 9.11% decline to $2.56 billion, which was $2.81 billion while export earnings from the United Kingdom declined by 5.19% to $1.53 billion compared to $1.62 billion a year ago.

The BGMEA boss urged the central bank to increase private sector credit growth and increase private sector investment.

In its monetary policy, Bangladesh Bank set the private sector credit growth to 16.5% while in the last six months it achieved 15%, the highest in last three years. l

DT

11

Business

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

It is time to level the playing field for ICT public tender BASIS president Mostafa Jabbar tells Dhaka Tribune in an exclusive interview etc. If we can utilise this opportun Ishtiaq Husain nity, the country will definitely go It is high time the government created a level playing field for local software developers to participate in public tender for the development of ICT, said BASIS president Mostafa Jabbar.

He added that despite having enough skills and attributes, local companies fail to take part in tender-bidding process due to some terms and conditions set forth in the bid.

The seasoned IT specialist talked to the Dhaka Tribune recently to share his view on the ICT’s scope, opportunities and challenges facing the sector.

Dhaka Tribune: What are the challenges facing the IT sector now?

Mostafa Jabber: As ICT is an emerging sector, it is a must that we will face challenges and address them. Bangladesh ICT sector is

BASIS President Mostafa Jabbar speaks at a press conference yesterday COURTESY much bigger than that of the European market size. With a total of 170m people, the country needs a huge digitisation project whereas

Europe does not need that.

There is an urgent need to digitalise different types of organisation including banks, insurance,

BASIS Softexpo begins today n Tribune Business Desk BASIS Softexpo 2017 – the country’s largest private sector expo – will kick off today with the slogan – Future in Motion.

Jatiya Sangshad Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury will inaugurate the four-day fair at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC).

Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS), leading trade body of the sector, will host the event.

BASIS president Mustafa Jabbar came up with the disclosure at a press conference held at its office recently.

The organiser said over 500,000 visitors are expected to visit this year’s Softexpo which will be a congregation of ICT companies, personalities, key policymakers, industry leaders and other ICT stakeholders including national and international exhib-

itors, business leaders, students, print and media representatives and general visitors.

To address the ICT-related different issues, more than 10 technical sessions will be held on the sidelines of the expo.

BASIS senior vice-president Russell T Ahmed and BASIS SOFTEXPO convener Syed Almas Kabir and Director of BASIS SOFTEXPO Sonia Bashir Kabir also spoke at the conference.

Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal and State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak will be present at the inaugural event as special guest.

Since 2002, BASIS has been organising the largest private sector showcase – BASIS SOFTEXPO – with a view to stimulating the industry growth through promotion and development, invention and research of IT and Information Technology Enabled Services (ITES) products and services in Bangladesh. l

Tonic touches over 2m lives n Tribune Business Desk Tonic, Grameenphone and Telenor Health’s digital health service, has recently surpassed the mark of 2m subscribers.

“This is a remarkable feat given that Tonic has started its journey less than a year ago to create awareness regarding healthy living and provide health benefits to the people of Bangladesh,” said a Grameenphone press release yesterday.

According to the release, December 2016 was Tonic’s best month for growth, with over 639,000 GP subscribers enrolled as new members. This can be credited, in part, to the significant push by Tonic to engage with the people of Bangladesh in everyday wellness through its month-long “Let’s Move Bangladesh!” campaign in November. “Let’s Move

Bangladesh!” leveraged Tonic’s unique digital and mobile channels to raise awareness – and action – regarding the role of healthy lifestyles in preventing disease.

Interestingly, the growth in Tonic has gone beyond the traditional “early adopter” segments in urban areas like Dhaka to reach across the country. For example, 19% of Tonic members are from Bogra and 14% of Tonic members hail from Rajshahi, reads the press release.

Sajid Rahman, CEO of Telenor Health, is excited by the strong demand for Tonic from consumers in Bangladesh. He said: “Bangladeshis have proven to be enthusiastic early adopters of digital and mobile services and we are particularly impressed by how open people have been to leveraging technology to access health and wellness service.” l

ahead. We live in import-based culture which is very unfortunate.

DT: How can we dominate our domestic software market?

We need to focus on our own product so that the country can use the home products. Giving an example, he said we made banking software, but unfortunately, this market is occupied by the foreign companies. We have to dominate our own market.

DT: What will be your priority job?

In many cases, local companies could not participate in public tender due to different conditions. BASIS wants to meet these challenges.

The previous body also worked on this issue and addressed some. We want to make sure that local companies participate in the coming years in public ICT tender and it will create a huge business scope

for local software developers. It is necessary to address the challenges immediately.

DT: What is our main strength?

Human resource is our main strength. If we want to lead the world, we need to form a time-befitting course curriculum and teaching method. Moreover, it is important to get the students, teachers and guardians to introduce with the disitised system. If we can do it, we would be able to export human resources, services and software to the whole world and BASIS will lead the mission.

We need to stop software import which would save a huge amount of money.

After Rana plaza tragedy, many people apprehended that Bangladesh will lose RMG sector market in Europe and America, but we witnessed that the scenario was the opposite. Our export increased automatically. l

DT

12 Editorial

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

TODAY

The pulse of the market As an emerging economy, Bangladesh needs foreign capital because of the technical know-how it can bring. This would automatically raise the bar PAGE 13

The real shocker They’re not used to a politician who not only means what he said on the campaign trail, but also is not dissuaded by the usual recalcitrant Washington bureaucracy, media nitpickers and congressional back-scratchers PAGE 14

BIGSTOCK

Banking made easy A legacy not to be forgotten The state of the economy that Obama inherited was catastrophic, but he has left behind a healthy economy and employment opportunities for almost all people PAGE 15

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.

W

ith over 40 million registered users, mobile banking has been revolutionary in increasing the financial participation of those who have long been excluded from conventional banking.

The rapid increase in the number of users of mobile financial services illustrates the efficiency with which technology can be used to reach people in remote and rural areas -- all through the initiative of the private sector.

Because of the high overhead costs of operating conventional banks, it is usually not feasible for traditional banks to accommodate the poor and underprivileged, who often it hard to maintain the minimum balance required to make maintaining an account worthwhile for a private bank.

The obvious solution to this problem, as the numbers show, is mobile banking -- mobile banking does not require a physical location or large savings.

It is feasible for MFS to cater to people who would not be considered attractive customers by conventional banks from a profit-making viewpoint.

For many years, financial inclusion has been used as an excuse to prop up loss-making and inefficient state-owned banks.

But paying for these SOBs hurts the economy, and is not the long-term solution when there is the alternative for using digital technology to enable cheap, fast transactions via mobile phones.

Right now, countries all around the world are adapting to mobile banking as an easy mode of banking. Bangladesh, which its vast mobile-banking user base, has the chance to be a pioneer in this area.

Most Bangladeshis own a mobile phone now -- using this technology for banking is clearly the right way to go.

Most Bangladeshis own a mobile phone now -- using this technology for banking is clearly the right way to go

DT

13

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

The pulse of the market What is the future of our capital market?

The lack of manipulation in the stock market has been a good thing

n Mamun Rashid

T

he satisfying factor of the stock market in 2016 was that we did not have to encounter any severe collapse or inexplicable “bull run.”

Moreover, considering the riskadjusted return from July 2007 to June 2016, the stock market has given us more than 200% return, which means, year-over-year growth has been more than 16% -- quite extraordinary compared to other peer countries.

It would have been even better if we could engage some new companies to join the capital market. The supply side constraint still exists. The market capital-to-GDP ratio is quite low in Bangladesh. We have not been able to bring telecommunication giants like Robi and Banglalink in this market as we don’t have conviction in the changes necessary in the rules and regulations to attract such giants.

When it comes to positive reforms in the capital market in 2016, demutualisation has been the name of the game.

In 2016, one of the major issues was bringing in strategic investors to both the bourses.

Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) has previously provided a timeline to the stock exchanges for this.

As the prescribed time is over, without much progress, BSEC might have to extend the timeline further. Since we will be bringing in strategic investors to the stock exchanges, the valuation analysis of the exchanges should have been done properly.

We need to be clear about the actual worth of the stock exchanges and the percentages of shares which will be offered to the strategic investors. We also need to be clear about of our own roles and responsibilities regarding the day-

to-day management, automation, and success transfer. In 2016, another positive aspect has been lack of manipulation in the stock market. BSEC’s strict monitoring along with demutualisation and increased activities of international investors were the reasons behind this stability.

REUTERS

Any improvement in primary market would automatically transfer to the secondary market.

And on the operational aspect of it, the process of entering and leaving the market can be made easier. Apart from such factors, we must admit that there has been improvement in the process

investors.

Even though the chairman of BSEC has given a heads-up to the small investors multiple times regarding making any sort of investment, due to the lack of guideline and pressure, the small investors are not really paying any heed. Also, the government

As an emerging economy, Bangladesh needs foreign capital because of the technical know-how it can bring. This would automatically raise the bar The portfolio investment in Bangladesh bourses has increased around 7% in 2016. The best part of portfolio investment was that it has always served the purpose of technical know-how transfer. As an emerging economy, Bangladesh needs foreign capital because of the technical know-how it can bring. This would automatically raise the bar. In addition to that, we also try to ensure that investments made would be effective and meaningful.

Some of our development partners continued to raise the issue of Financial Reporting Act (FRA), since the Financial Reporting Council has not been formed yet. We look up to the regulators to help establish an effective organogram of the Financial Reporting Council and assign the respective members in the respective places.

The government has done some impressive work such as improving the BSEC Corporate Governance Guideline, Foreign Investment guideline, and demutualisation of the bourses.

Another bright side was Bangladesh Bank modifying the guidelines on the equity investment in the primary market.

of international contracts. The procedures of cross border financing, cross border funds management, and cross border funds investment have become flexible as well.

could not improve the capacity of the regulators even though they decided to do so. As a result, the stock market is still a gamble place for many.

Major hurdles in 2016

There has been an increase in foreign portfolio investment; however we did not notice any significant shift in foreign fund participation.

In 2016, the curtain fell on Swiss Pro Bangladesh Fund, which was the only UCITS listed fund of Bangladesh in Luxembourg. On the secondary market, there are more than 20 foreign funds operating directly or indirectly. Most of them are frontier market based or South Asia region-based international funds.

A major hurdle was the unpredictability in the market as well as lack of deep-dive research.

There is no adequate data available about the performance of this sector and background research capacity has not developed yet.

Another hurdle was the lack of improvement amongst corporate organisations and those who are working in the capital market. The capital market is heavily dependent on the small investors. Unfortunately, the small investors have never been able to play a crucial role in the market development anywhere. As a result, Bangladesh has remained a quasi-frontier market and failed to become a hardcore frontier market.

Despite an impressive task carried out by our regulators, they have failed to project or establish a strong global image. I think our regulators should focus on building a strong image among

Foreign fund participation

Expectations for 2017

We want strategic investors to come to the Dhaka and Chittagong Exchanges through proper valuation of the exchanges and due diligence. We anticipate that demutualisation will work effectively. Besides, we would expect BSEC to review the licensed merchant banks and asset management companies’ activities and necessary actions to be taken for those who could not make

any contribution in the market until now. This would encourage better performers. We would also like to see improvement in institutional investment and derivatives market, and would expect the introduction of the Shariah Stock Exchange. There have been discussions about Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) and Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) as well, but we could not make any dent here.

We could educate small investors to invest through the AMCs. This can, on one hand, protect the small investors who lack sufficient understanding of the market fundamentals, and on the other hand, make the AMCs more impactful. But to action such an idea, the AMCs need be effective, accountable, and have transparent management system in place. Trust has to be established between the small and institutional investors. Currently the mutual fund industry is trading at a very low price-to-NAV ratio, which reflects the lack of trust in the industry. A framework of accountability can significantly change this.

Evolving challenges

We should invite large corporations to participate in the stock market for transferring their technical know-how and ensure success transfer. There is no alternative to listing large issues in the market if we wish to increase the market capital-to-GDP ratio from the current level.

Although there has been a noticeable improvement on supervisory side, international engagements will act as a catalyst in making further developments and building up more capacity such as surveillance monitoring and price discovery. l Mamun Rashid is an economic analyst.

DT

14

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

The real shocker Trump is a politician who actually delivers on his promises

n Michael Walsh

H

ere we are, barely a week into the Trump administration, and half of the country that opposed him during the election is quivering with rage. He’s building the wall! He’s banning immigration from some Muslim countries!

He’s wrecking Obamacare!

He’s sacking top officials at the State Department! He’s threatening sanctuary cities! What’s going on here?

It’s called: Keeping his campaign promises.

The answer is simple: We’ve become so inured to politicians lying to us to get elected that we find it hard to believe that the new man in the White House actually meant what he said -- and can’t wait to get on with it.

Not since the heyday of Ronald Reagan have the Democrats been in such shock and disarray. First, they -- and their “never Trump” collaborators on the right -- said he’d never get the nomination.

When he did, they assured themselves there was no way he could beat the Hillary Clinton juggernaut so beloved of the media, the insulated super-rich, and the dependent class.

Whoops!

That all changed on November 8. Of course, they’ve reacted to the upending of their fantasy world with petulance, threats, marches, actual violence, and lawfare. Indeed, a few deadenders calling themselves the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed suit last week charging the nation’s First Businessman with violations of the emoluments clause in the Constitution, which forbids US office-holders from accepting things of value from foreigners.

Never mind that with that provision the founders were trying to prevent officials from profiting from high office via bribes or blandishments; or that Trump has relinquished control of his real-estate businesses; and that his income prior to becoming president had nothing whatsoever do with the presidency. If it’s emoluments you’re seeking, check out the Clinton Foundation.

Even for some conservatives, the vigorous pace at which Trump is taking action is disorienting.

George HW Bush squandered the fruits of the Reagan revolution and the end of the Cold War in his pursuit of a “new world order” and a duel with Saddam Hussein.

His son talked a good game

What do you mean Trump can’t do what he actually promised? about immigration and terrorism but finished neither the fence Congress explicitly authorised in 2006 nor the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Even Reagan never abolished the education or energy departments, as he promised.

While Trump’s actions so far are mainly symbolic -- he still has to flesh out his Cabinet, push Congress to appropriate monies to begin construction, and hire the diggers and masons for the wall -- he’s already given his supporters hope that this time, things just might be different.

And that’s what has everyone in the country in such an uproar.

After 65 years of government by the congressional Permanent Bipartisan Fusion Party, Americans now confront the brave new world of a president who will cut through the red tape and make change happen.

Half of America -- the coasts and the big cities -- is apparently shocked by Trump’s eagerness to start delivering on the promises that got him elected in the first place. They’re not used to a politician who not only means what he said on the campaign trail, but also is not dissuaded by

REUTERS

They’re not used to a politician who not only means what he said on the campaign trail, but also is not dissuaded by the usual recalcitrant Washington bureaucracy, media nitpickers and congressional backscratchers

the usual recalcitrant Washington bureaucracy, media nitpickers, and congressional back-scratchers.

Doesn’t he know how the game is played? That the rule is to wink at the rubes who make up your base, then quickly join the insider’s game? After all, Republicans like the horse-trading majority leader Mitch McConnell and Senator John McCain have fashioned entire careers out of promising their constituents one thing and delivering their big donors something altogether different. Surely, DC will corrupt Trump the way it has almost everybody else.

Worst of all, they can’t believe the other half of America is actually cheering Trump on as, on one hot-button issue after another,

he’s giving them exactly what they voted for, at warp speed.

First signs are they like it.

Decisiveness has always been a prized quality; a recent Rasmussen poll put Trump’s approval rating at 59% and rising (although others have him as low as 36). The cries of “You can’t do that!” are beginning to abate as Americans realise that, in fact, yes we can.

So what’s next? Look for the new Pentagon chief to quickly begin hitting IS harder. Look for a humane but effective evaluation of Obama’s permissive policy toward “Dreamers” -- children of illegal aliens whose sob stories have passed their sell-by date. Look for sanctuary cities to come to heel as Trump’s threats to cut federal funds start to bite. On Wednesday,

Miami-Dade’s mayor announced a new policy of cooperation with Homeland Security regarding socalled “detainer” requests, which the county up until now had been refusing for financial reasons.

Look for more house-cleaning at State and elsewhere as the swamp drains and the number of undersecretaries dwindles.

And maybe, just maybe, look for a new attitude from the media if it wants to stay relevant: Tough but fair.

What do you mean, he can’t do that? l Michael Walsh is an author, screenwriter, and contributing editor at PJ Media. His most recent book is The Devil’s Pleasure Palace. This article was previously published in the NY Post.

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Opinion

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

Obama: A legacy not to be forgotten Eight years of intellectually distinguished leadership is what America got

What has he left behind?

The state of the economy that Obama inherited was catastrophic, but he has left behind a healthy economy and employment opportunities for almost all people

n Selina Mohsin

O

n January 20, 2009, standing tall, slim, and straight, Barak Obama took his inaugural oath as the first black president of the United States. The huge attendance set a record for any event held in Washington DC. Besides his extraordinary oratorical skills, Obama symbolised the youthful energy and strength needed to face a range of massive and urgent challenges: An acute financial crisis threatening world depression, the disastrous situations left by his predecessor in Afghanistan and Iraq, plus the wider “War on Terror” since 9/11.

The expectations of his supporters were high, unrealistically high. But on that cold January day, millions of people around the world were impressed and hopeful too.

Obama’s presidency was made still more difficult by negative Republican majorities in the Congress and later, also, in the Senate. In foreign affairs, Obama focussed on US leadership in negotiating a deal with Iran to restrain its development of a nuclear weapon capacity.

He fully agreed with the strong demand of the US public for military withdrawal from the mayhem in Afghanistan and Iraq, but realised that achieving so is more complex than what the public and, perhaps, he

BIGSTOCK

had expected -- it was certainly immensely more difficult and complex than the military exercises of Bush’s administration to counter Taliban and overthrow Saddam Hussein.

If that were not enough, Obama soon faced further new challenges.

The 2011 Arab Spring turned into “Arab Winter,” with the Egyptian and Tunisian governments overthrown and peaceful protests in Syria turning into bitter and confused civil war. Obama reluctantly joined the French and UK’s efforts to overthrow Gaddafi, but Libya then also descended into chaos.

In 2014, Putin instigated revolt in east Ukraine and seized Crimea, followed later by Russian military intervention in Syria. Meanwhile, China continued its rapid economic growth and developed a challenging and assertive policy in the South and East China Seas.

Despite Republican opposition in Congress, Obama did manage a substantial range of achievements in both domestic and foreign policy. In response to the risk of global financial chaos and a repeat of the 1929 financial depression,

he rescued two major automobile industries and backed the Federal Reserve’s huge financial stimulus.

The 2010 Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act imposed new fiscal regulations, student loans were reformed, and Obamacare gave an extra 20 million Americans their first affordable health care insurance.

The list goes on -- but reform of the vast tax code, with its numerous exemptions favouring the very rich, has not been possible. Most of the economic re-growth since 2008 has only recently started to be reflected in average wages due to Obama’s efforts.

In foreign and security affairs, an Arms Control Treaty with Russia reduced the number of long range weapons held by both countries before relations were soured by Putin over Ukraine. More recently, Obama strengthened coordination with NATO and Pacific allies to constrain Putin and China.

He encouraged reform in Myanmar and restored relations with Cuba. The US accepted Paris conference climate change commitments -- although Congress opposed it -- but Obama did so by the use of executive orders.

Meeting the clear and strong demand of public and Congressional opinion regarding the end of the highly costly US military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan proved to be very difficult. Obama is particularly criticised for accepting the refusal of the Shia Iraqi government to allow a much-reduced US force to remain after his successful “surge” reinforcement had defeated alQaeda’s dominance over the Sunni tribes.

The US departure, leaving only al-Maliki’s rotten and sectarian governance, led swiftly to the rise of IS and creation of its Sunni extremist “Caliphate” across Iraq and Syria.

Even before that disaster, slow recovery from the financial crisis and the loss of manufacturing jobs had cost the Democrats six Senate seats and 10 governorships in the 2010 US mid-term elections.

It is worth noting that of the five million US manufacturing jobs lost in the decade from 2000, some 85% was lost to technological changes, including robotisation, rather than from disastrous trade deals as is now alleged.

Many traditional supporters also criticised the failure to close Guantanamo as pledged and the

lack of progress towards an Israel/ Palestine “two state” solution.

Syria slid further into the savagery of a wider sectarian regional conflict headed by Saudi Arabia and Qatar on one side and Iran on the other. Despite US aid in rebuilding the Iraq army, Obama’s abandonment of the “red line” use of chemical weapons, followed

by Putin’s military intervention turning the tide for the collapsing Assad regime, seemed to indicate an abdication of US leadership in the region.

It is not too early to know how historians will judge the complex balance of Obama’s presidency.

It is remarkable that after two terms he still retained a personal popularity of over 60%. He was surely right to accept that US military power could not, by itself, install liberal values and institutions in conservative states long ruled by dictators. Equally, his personal popularity as the first black president could not translate into progress in reducing racial prejudice and discrimination.

Black Lives Matter demonstrations against police shootings have to be balanced against much white racialism and opposition to immigration.

The US is a polarised nation, with many strategic powers held at states level, and even a president can only seek to influence much deeper economic and social trends. The state of the economy that Obama inherited was catastrophic, but he has left behind a healthy economy and employment opportunities for almost all people.

Now as a new, brash president seeks to reverse much of Obama’s legacy in so many fields -- climate change, free trade agreements, health care, and the stability of post World War II international institutions -- we can acknowledge some of Obama’s failures, including the intellectuals’ distaste for Congressional bargaining and inability to give new leadership a chance at the grass roots of the Democratic Party.

But we can be grateful that after the utterly rash triumphalism of George W Bush, and before the new challenge of President Trump’s “America First,” we have had eight years of many positive initiatives and graceful, morally serious, and intellectually distinguished leadership in the White House -- and that will remain as Obama’s legacy. l Selina Mohsin is a former High Commissioner to the Maldives.

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16

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Cicatrix (4) 5 Season's yield (4) 10 Not closed (4) 11 Metal-bearing rock (3) 12 Mean dwelling (5) 13 Light below (3) 14 Brilliance of success (5) 16 Worked by hand (6) 18 Majestic (6) 21 Skin openings (5) 23 Border (3) 24 Reverse of a coin (5) 26 Land measure (3) 27 Narrate (4) 28 Look after (4) 29 Emit fumes (4)

DOWN 2 Gathering of witches (5) 3 Monkey (3) 4 Set free (7) 6 Round of duty (4) 7 Public speaker (6) 8 Vigour (3) 9 Counterfeit (4) 15 Bunch (7) 17 Electrical unit (6) 19 Banishment (5) 20 Employer (4) 22 Presage (4) 23 Headwear (3) 25 Drink (3)

Downtime CODE-CRACKER How to solve: Each number in our CODE-CRACKER grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. For example, today 23 represents H so fill H every time the figure 23 appears.

You have two letters in the control grid to start you off. Enter them in the appropriate squares in the main grid, then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters go in the missing squares.

Some letters of the alphabet may not be used.

As you get the letters, fill in the other squares with the same number in the main grid, and the control grid. Check off the list of alphabetical letters as you identify them.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

CALVIN AND HOBBES

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

PEANUTS

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS CODE-CRACKER

CROSSWORD

DILBERT

SUDOKU

17

DT

Feature

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

Tea: A cup of good health 8 health benefits of drinking tea and epicatechins, which help lower diabetes, and possibly cardiovascular disease. So, put down those saucer cups and get chugging — tea is officially awesome for your health.

are often the reason for heart attacks and strokes. A few reviews have even found that dark tea consumers were at a 70% lower risk of having a lethal heart attack.

Tea contains antioxidants

You don’t have to put milk in your tea for it to help out your bones. Studies have demonstrated that general tea consumers have stronger bones than those of non tea consumers. Researchers have guessed it might be an advantage of the phytochemicals in tea.

Antioxidants can help slow down ageing and recover and repair damaged cells. Tea contains high levels of antioxidant polyphenols that can help keep your body more healthy. Some studies suggest tea can even ward off some cancers.

Tea has less caffeine than coffee

While there are some potential health advantages to consuming moderate amounts of caffeine, drinking heaps of it may not be good for your heart and different organs. Tea can provide the stimulation of espresso but without the abnormal amounts of caffeine making you unsteady and helping you get the opportunity to rest when you need.

Tea keeps you hydrated

PHOTO: BIGSTOCK

n Tasfia Huda You definitely realise that tea can enhance your skin and help keep you fit and trim. However, did you realise that it also does astounding things for your health?

Tea has been around for thousands of years. The Chinese have drunk it for everything – starting from hangover prevention to weight control and common cold reduction. Now, modern scientific research has given us a

much better insight into how tea can improve our health.

Tea contains substances linked to a lower risk for heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. The main health-promoting substances in tea are polyphenols, catechins

The customary way of thinking shows that drinks with caffeine really dehydrate you more than they hydrate you. Recent research has shown, however, that caffeine doesn’t have any kind of effect unless you consume more than 5 to 6 glasses at once. Tea has been shown to actually be more healthy for you than water alone in some cases, because it hydrates while providing antioxidants.

Tea may reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke

Tea prevents the development of dangerous blood clots, which

Tea helps protect your bones

Tea can help bring down cholesterol

A recent study in China has demonstrated that the mix of a low-fat diet and tea created an average of 16% drop in the level of bad cholesterol over 12 weeks, when compared with a group of people who were simply on a lowfat diet. In case you’re attempting to get your cholesterol under control, have a go at adding tea to your eating regimen to check whether it makes a difference.

Tea can help lower blood pressure

Drinking only half a cup of green or oolong tea a day could reduce your risk of high blood pressure by half and those that drink more can even further reduce their risk, even if they have additional risk factors.

Tea aids in digestion

Tea has been used in China for thousands of years as an aftermeal digestive aid, and it can help you as well due to the high levels of tannins it contains. l

| conference |

KK Tea’s 100% organic blends “The organic tea from Panchagarh won people over in Sylhet,” said Asma Ul Roksana, General Manager, operations at Kazi & Kazi Tea Estate Ltd. Roksana spoke at a conference on January 29 at Hotel Noorjahan Grand in Sylhet.

Kazi & Kazi Tea has been producing 100 percent organic tea since 2007 and Roksana said it hopes to continue to produce quality products in the future. l PHOTO: COURTESY

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18 Sports

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

Mukund back in India squad n Reuters, Mumbai

Opening batsman Abhinav Mukund was recalled to India's Test squad for next week's one-off match against Bangladesh, more than five years after playing his last match for the side.

The 27-year-old left-hander played the last of his five Tests for India against England in 2011 and has been rewarded for scoring heavily in the domestic season.

Regular wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha also returned to the 16-man squad after missing the last three Tests of the five-match series against England. Parthiv Patel, who stepped in for Saha, was dropped.

Batsman Ajinkya Rahane and all-rounders Jayant Yadav and Hardik Pandya also returned to the squad after suffering injuries during the series against England.

SQUAD

Bangladesh’s Imrul Kayes and Mominul Haque talk with each other during training in Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday

MD MANIK

Virat Kohli, Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Karun Nair, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Amit Mishra, Abhinav Mukund and Hardik Pandya l

Injured Bangladesh trio nearly fit for India Test n Tribune Report Bangladesh Test captain Mushfiqur Rahim, opener Imrul Kayes and top-order batsman Mominul Haque have almost recovered from their injuries as the national selection panel is all set to announced the Bangladesh squad for the tour of India today.

Mushfiq, Imrul and Mominul underwent a fitness test yesterday where the trio came out unscathed. The trio, who are key to Bangladesh's Test batting line-up, had batting sessions in the nets, followed by Imrul and Mominul undergoing fielding sessions.

Mushfiq, meanwhile, was seen keeping wickets. The cricketers are set to undertake two more tests today morning before the national selectors make the final call in the evening.

There is speculation doing the rounds regarding Imrul's probable inclusion for the short tour of India where the Tigers will play a Test match against the host from February 9. Imrul suffered a Grade One tear on his left thigh that can reappear if not properly rested. Thinking of the long term and given that the Tigers will also tour Sri Lanka in late February for a full series, it

would be wise to keep him out of the solitary India five-dayer.

However, the Bangladesh trio, who picked up injuries during the New Zealand tour earlier this month, are not suffering from

pain, informed Bangladesh fielding coach Richard Halsall.

“Mushfiq kept (wickets) [yesterday] and was pain-free. The team physio (Dean Conway) has put quite a firm plaster around his

Mushfiqur Rahim shares a light moment with trainer Mario Villavarayen

injured part and he came through it well. It was fairly low-key what we did [yesterday] but yes, he was pain-free,” Halsall told the media in Mirpur's Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

MD MANIK

“Imrul and Mominul also came through pain-free following rigorous fielding sessions. We will see them [today] morning as well.

They will have a batting session [today] and a slightly more rigorous fielding session as well. They didn’t have to do any diving too,” he added.

While talking of Bangladesh’s poor show in the fielding department against the Kiwis, Halsall expressed disappointment. Bangladesh dropped more than 20 catches, especially in the slip cordon, to worsen the side's fortunes.

“Fielding was very disappointing. Sixteen-seventeen catches going down, you don’t expect that from our group. We have been excellent in the last two years, so this is a concern. We have to work on this,” he said.

“We will look at them individually. We will look at how many we caught during practice, where we managed to take those catches during practice and all that. It was never really that cold.

“In fact, the New Zealanders were as mystified as us regarding why they dropped so many catches. They were as concerned as us regarding the number of catches going down,” he concluded. l

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Sports

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

UIU, Eastern reach ULAB Fair Play Cup Super Eights n Tribune Report

United International University and Eastern University progressed to the Super Eight phase of the ongoing 10th ULAB Fair Play Cup Inter-Private University T20 Cricket Tournament after winning their respective group stage matches yesterday in the capital’s Mohammadpur.

In the first match of the day, UIU beat International University of Business Agriculture and Technology by 35 runs while in the second game, EU defeated South East University by six wickets.

Batting first, UIU posted 96 runs before losing all of their wickets with eight deliveries still remaining. Tanvir made 24 runs from 19 balls. In reply, IUBAT were dismissed for 61 in 18.2 overs with player of the match Ansati picking up three wickets.

In the other match, SEU took first guard and scored 99 runs for the loss of all wickets in 19.3 overs. Alif top-scored with a 38ball 34 while Showmik registered a five-wicket haul, conceding three runs in as many overs.

EU chased down the target with six wickets and an over to spare.

Player of the match Rifat made 52 off 55 balls.

The Super Eight, that will be held tomorrow and the day after, will be contested by EU, UIU, host University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh, Independent University Bangladesh, University of Asia Pacific, State University, Green University of Bangladesh and Stamford University Bangladesh.

TOMORROW SU v UIU, 9:30am ULAB v EU, 1:30pm

FRIDAY GUB v IUB, 9:30am SUB v UAP, 1:30pm

Bangladesh women’s cricket team head coach David Capel briefs his charges during training in Mirpur yesterday

MD MANIK

Curtains rise on Bangladesh Open today n Tribune Report Local golfing sensation Siddikur Rahman is hopeful of putting up a better display than the previous two years as the third edition of the Bashundhara Bangladesh Open tees off in the capital's Kurmitola Golf Club today.

Let alone being in the top 10, Siddikur, the two-time Asian Tour winner, failed to emerge as the best local player in the last two editions. He was placed jointly at 38th position in the opening edition two years ago and finished 35th last year.

Siddikur believes winning the Asian Tour title at home would be his career's biggest ever achievement thus far. “Winning my National Open would be the best thing that can happen in my career. I haven’t been able to play my best in the last two years but I always get very strong home support. I know they have high expectations of me. I hope I won’t disappoint them this time around,” said Siddikur yesterday.

Siddikur however, expects a tough challenge from the opponents.

“Like the previous two years,

Winning my National Open would be the best thing that can happen in my career some great players will be playing in the event. The tournament will get more exciting, more challenging, more fun. I prepared myself

well for the tournament. Hopefully I will give my best and keep the title at home,” he said.

A total of 132 golfers from 19 countries around the world will be taking part in the $300,000 event, including 33 rising professional golfers and six amateurs from host Bangladesh.

Among other local participants, Shakhawat Sohel, who was the country's top performer in the last edition, and Zamal Hossain Molla, who was placed seventh last year, will be looking forward to improved displays. l

North, South Zones share spoils n Tribune Report The second and final first-round game of the ongoing 5th Bangladesh Cricket League between South Zone and North Zone ended in a draw after the latter took a first-innings lead in Sylhet.

Fazle Mahmud was dismissed after scoring 147 runs off 311 balls, with 14 fours and three sixes, in his eight-hour stay at the wicket while Ziaur Rahman and Mosaddek Hossain struck fifties for South Zone before they were all out for 448.

Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam picked up five wickets while Shafiul Islam took two for the bowling side.

North Zone scored 69/2 in the second innings after posting 492/9 in the first innings, riding on Naeem Islam’s 185-run knock.

Earlier on the third and penultimate day, veteran left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak bagged five wickets to pick up his 450th first-class wicket in his 100th game. He is now the leading wicket-taker in the history of Bangladesh’s domestic firstclass cricket. l

5TH BCL, 1ST RD, DAY 4 NORTH ZONE 492/9 and 69/2 in 25 overs (Naeem 185, Razzak 5/185) drew with SOUTH ZONE 448 in 129.2 overs (Fazle 147, Taijul 5/136)

POINTS TABLE Teams

Mat Won Lost Draw Pts

East

1

1

0

0

6

North

1

0

0

1

3

South

1

0

0

1

1

Central

1

0

1

0

0

Bangladesh golfer Siddikur Rahman practises on the eve of the 3rd Bashundhara Bangladesh Open COURTESY

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20

Sports

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

Finch to lead Australia in T20 series against Sri Lanka n Reuters, Melbourne

Opening batsman Aaron Finch will lead Australia in the absence of regular captain Steve Smith in next month's three-match Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka, the country's cricket board said yesterday.

Finch, who was Australia's T20 captain before Smith was handed the reins in all three formats last year, will take charge of an inexperienced side shorn of players named in the squad for the fourTest series in India.

Smith, David Warner, Glenn Maxwell, Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Matthew Wade are all unavailable for selection as they continue preparations for the challenging tour of the South Asian Country.

"It's very exciting to be back and leading the side in Steve's absence," the 30-year-old said.

Sri Lanka recently won a threematch T20 series 2-1 in South Africa and will face Australia in the first match in Melbourne on Feb. 17. l

DAY’S WATCH FOOTBALL NEO PRIME French Cup 2017 11:00PM Auxerre v Asse 2:00AM Rennes v PSG

NEO SPORTS 11:00PM Chambly v Monaco 1:30AM Coppa Italia TIM Cup 2017 Roma v Cesena

SONY SIX 1:40AM Serie A TIM 2016/17 Pescara v Fiorentina

TEN 1 1:45AM Sky Bet EFL 2016/17 Newcastle v QPR Premier League 2016/17 1:45AM

STAR SPORTS SELECT HD 2 Manchester United v Hull

STAR SPORTS HD 4 Stoke v Everton

STAR SPORTS SELECT HD 1 West Ham v Manchester City

CRICKET TEN 3 5:30PM Sri Lanka Tour of South Africa 2016/17 2nd ODI

STAR SPORTS 1 7:20PM England Tour of India 2016/17 3rd T20I

A man takes a selfie with Switzerland's Roger Federer as he holds his Australian Open trophy upon his arrival at Zurich airport yesterday

REUTERS

Fernandinho return can fortify City High-flying Manchester United take on Hull

n AFP, London Kevin de Bruyne believes Fernandinho's return from suspension will provide the foundation for Manchester City to get their spluttering Premier League campaign back on track at West Ham United today.

Pep Guardiola's side have dropped out of the top four and trail leaders Chelsea by 12 points after winning just one of their last four league games.

Guardiola wrote off City's titles hopes during that unexpected slump, but a comfortable 3-0 victory at Crystal Palace in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday was a much needed tonic and De Bruyne anticipates the return of Brazil midfielder Fernandinho will be even more significant.

Fernandinho has served a fourmatch ban after receiving his third red card in six games in a win against Burnley on January 2.

During Fernandinho's absence, City looked alarmingly vulnerable and were thrashed 4-0 at Everton in Guardiola's heaviest league defeat as a manager.

But the 31-year-old is expected to return to the starting line-up at the London Stadium, with De Bruyne predicting an upturn in City's fortunes.

De Bruyne is confident City can put together a long winning streak as they face Swansea City, Bourne-

La Liga to try video refs from 2018 n Reuters, Madrid Video referees are expected to be used in Spanish football by the 2018-19 season when they are fully approved by Fifa, La Liga president Javier Tebas has said.

Tebas was speaking after Sunday's 1-1 draw between Barcelona and Real Betis, a game in which champions Barca appeared to have been denied a clear goal.

Video replays showed that after Betis' Cristiano Piccini diverted Aleix Vidal's pass towards goal the ball crossed the line by around a metre before defender Aissi Mandi slid in and scrambled the it away.

"The tests are already underway.

We have been working on video referees for the last eight months," Tebas told El Pais.

"We will be testing it from next season in La Liga," he added.

"If Fifa finally approve it, we will start using it from July 2018."

Football's law-making body IFAB approved last March a twoyear trial of the video assistant referee (VAR) system with access to replays to help match officials review key decisions.

Unlike other top leagues in Europe, La Liga does not have goalline technology available because it is considered too expensive to be

put in place.

Barcelona coach Luis Enrique believes the officials need assistance.

"The referees need help, whether it's with cameras or whatever, for decisions that favour us or go against us," he said. "The technology can help us. I've already said that before." Not everyone, however, is in favour of the technology.

"I'm against video refereeing because it would break the essence of what football is," Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo told Marca. "Referees make mistakes and get it right. I don't see a problem with this." l

mouth, Sunderland and Stoke City after the Hammers clash.

City return to east London less than a month after thrashing West Ham 5-0 in the FA Cup third round.

That chastening experience should ensure West Ham are fully motivated to make amends in their first match since the sale of midfielder Dimitri Payet. Payet returned to former club Marseille after weeks of rancour over his attempt to engineer the transfer. l

Pato latest to land megabucks China move n AFP, Madrid Former Brazilian international Alexandre Pato is the latest high-profile player to be tempted by the riches of China's Super League after joining Tianjin Quanjian from La Liga side Villarreal.

Pato, 27, will be coached by Italian World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro and joins Belgian international Axel Witsel at Tianjin after he sealed a big-money move from Zenit Saint Petersburg earlier this month. l

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

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22

Showtime

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

Pedro Almodovar named the next Cannes jury president n Showtime Desk Spanish auteur Pedro Almodóvar has been named the next president of the jury for the 70th Cannes Film Festival, which begins on May 17 and will run through May 28, 2017.

The film maker said, “I am grateful, honoured and a bit overwhelmed. I am aware of the responsibility that entails being the president of the jury and I hope to be up to the job. I can only tell that I’ll devote myself, body and soul, to this task, that it is both a privilege and a pleasure.”

The iconic film maker has

Mandana Karimi Vs Lopamudra n Showtime Desk

an illustrious career that spans across 35 years and his 20 films range from From Pepi, Luci, Born to La Mancha to last year’s Julieta. Almodovar has worked with a range of actors including Penélope Cruz, Marisa Paredes, Antonio Banderas, Rossy de Palma, Javier Bardem, and Javier Cámara. Five of Almodovar films – All About My Mother, Volver, Broken Embraces, The Skin I Live In, and Julieta – have been selected “In Competition” in Cannes. The festival in 2004, opened with his Bad Education while the director himself featured on the poster of the 60th festival.

PHOTO: NICO BUSTOS

In a statement, Cannes executives Pierre Lescure and Thierry Frémaux said, “For its 70th edition, the Festival de Cannes is delighted to welcome a unique and hugely popular artist. His works have already carved out an eternal niche in the history of film. A long and loyal friendship binds Pedro Almodóvar to the festival, where he was a member of the Jury under the presidency of Gérard Depardieu.”

The official selection and members of the jury will be announced in mid-April. l

Ben Affleck no longer directing Batman solo movie n Showtime Desk Ben Affleck, who was set to star in and direct a planned standalone Batman movie for Warner Bros, has decided not to helm the project after all.

However, the Argo director still plans to play the caped crusader,

besides producing the film.

In a statement via Warner Bros, Affleck shared his views on the decision, “There are certain characters who hold a special place in the hearts of millions. Performing this role demands focus, passion and the very best performance I can

PHOTO: REUTERS

give. It has become clear that I cannot do both jobs to the level they require. Together with the studio, I have decided to find a partner in a director who will collaborate with me on this massive film. I am still in this, and we are making it, but we are currently looking for a director.

I remain extremely committed to this project, and look forward to bringing this to life for fans around the world.”

The film, which will star Joe Manganiello as the villain Deathstroke, has not confimed its release date yet. Apparently, the film has been seen as a key part of Warner Bros’ DC strategy, so much so that it had been prioritised over a Justice League sequel.

So far, Affleck has played the Dark Knight in last year’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and a cameo in Suicide Squad. He will appear in November’s DC superhero team-up movie, Justice League. l

by the time you will be reading this story, the winner of Bigg Boss season 10 has already been declared. Manveer is the winner of the season and Bani J became the first runners up.

But how can we forget about Mandana Karimi’s interaction with Lopamudra Raut.

Lopamudra Raut and Mandana Karimi didn’t really start off on a good note. Though Mandana has praised Bani J and Manveer Gurjar, she is not very fond of Manu Punjabi and Lopa. Mandana just tweeted a couple of posts expressing her dislike towards Lopa and showing her support for Bani.

The actress also took a dig at

Manu Punjabi in one of her tweets. While Lopa never had a problem with Mandana, she lost her cool when Mandana compared her to the evicted Bigg Boss 10 contestants - Om Swami and Priyanka Jagga. She also told Lopa how childishly she behaved when Bigg Boss had accused her of ruining a nominations task.

She called Manu’s friendships in the house calculative and Bani’s real.

Though Mandana had come to Bigg Boss 10 with Gautam Gulati once before, she never went inside the house to meet the contestants then. Mandana commented on the contestants during that particular “Weekend Ka Vaar” episode.

But when she entered the house to meet the finalists, she ensured that she doesn’t leave without giving the contestants a piece of her mind.

In the next episode, Lopa said, it never mattered what people like Mandana think of her, and it’s a very small part of the population who think like that. l

Young filmmakers awarded at Children’s Film Festival

n Showtime Desk The Puppet Show, a joint directorial venture of local filmmaker Riad Sun and Nahid Parvez, bagged the best film honour at the International Children’s Film Festival. The 10th edition of International Children’s Film Festival ended on Monday at Shawkat Osman Auditorium of Central Public Library with prize giving ceremony and screening of award winning films.

Shovvota injured in road accident

PHOTO: FACEBOOK/ SHOVVOTA

n Showtime Desk Singer and lyricist Shovvota was severely injured in a road accident on Monday. Younger daughter of late musician Khoda Boksh Sanu and sister of actress-singer Zinat Sanu Swagata and musician Khayam Sanu Sandhi, Shovvota broke two bones in her leg in the accident.

Primarily treated with a cast, Sovvota will have to undergo surgery later, her brother Sandhi informs.

Shovvota is popular among the young generation as a singer and lyricist. l

PHOTO: COURTESY Bakshobondi, another joint directorial venture of local filmmaker Nabid Hasnat and Shifatul Apurbo, scooped up the second best film award while animated film Alan Kurdi From Heaven, a directorial venture of Sayedul Abrar, got the third best film award. Sumaita Sham’s Enmesed Boredom and Tariqul Hasan’s Inner Parallelism were honoured with special mention award.

Bishwo Shahitto Kendro chairman Professor Abdullah

Abu Sayeed graced the event as the chief guest while artist Mustafa Monwar, the advising committee chairman of the festival, Children’s Film Society president professor Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, Munira Morshed Munni, its secretary, filmmaker and founder of Children’s Film Society Morshedul Islam and Abir Ferdous, the festival director, among others, were present.

In another category, dedicated to filmmakers only aged between

18 to 25, Hemanta Sadeeq’s A Letter To God got the best film honour while Mahadi Hasan Akash’s stop motion animation Khelaghor which focuses on climate change and environment was honoured with the best film award in social film section.

German film At Eye Level, a collaboration work by Evi Goldbrunner and Joachim Dollhopf, won the best film award in Best Feature Film (International) section, while Bulgarian film maker Hristo Simeonov won the best director award for his film The Son. Swiss director Christian Frei’s short film Heidi at the Foley Artist won the best short film award. For their film In Memory, Australian directors Aston Brown and George Pople jointly won the best director award in Best Child Director (international) section.

The week-long festival began on January 24 and it featured more than 200 films from 54 countries at 11 venues in Dhaka, Rajshahi and Rangpur. Besides screening of films, the festival also featured workshops, seminars and celebrity sessions.l

It’s ‘Tiger Time’ again n Showtime Desk Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, Tiger Zinda Hai is a sequel to Ek Tha Tiger which was released way back in 2012, and was helmed by Kabir Khan. The story will start off from where it ended the last time around.

However, the sequel promises to have a lot more action than Ek Tha Tiger. In fact, Katrina will also be seen in a stronger image this time around, as she fights it out with a lot of people in the movie. Both Salman and Katrina are training very hard for their roles in Tiger Zinda Hai. While Katrina is adding some muscle, Salman has gone on a diet to get leaner.

This film is not only creating hype already, it's also making news every day. Earlier, the film actors’ relationships have been seen to get sour over film clashes. In fact, earlier in 2016, filmmaker Karan Johar and actor Ajay Devgan’s war got ugly over the clash of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil and Shivaay.

Even this year, Hrithik Roshan and Shah Rukh Khan are reportedly not on good terms over the clash of their respective films, Kaabil and Raees, at the box office.

It must be noted that Ranbir Kapoor went on to date Salman’s ex-girlfriend. Even then there was no love lost between bhai and the Kapoor

scion. Salman would go on to act in cameos in Ranbir’s films like Saawariya and Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahaani, which, by the way, starred Katrina.

It remains to be seen if both films, indeed, release on December 22, or if Salman Khan or Ranbir Kapoor decide to postpone the release dates of their individual films.

Anyways, shooting for Tiger Zinda Hai in March this year, and according to a report, they will kick-off the next schedule of the film in Austria. The report further states that the shoot schedule will begin from March 15. l

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

WHAT TO WATCH The Social Network Star Movies, 9:30pm On a fall night in 2003, Harvard undergrad and computer programming genius Mark Zuckerberg sits down at his computer and heatedly begins working on a new idea. In a fury of blogging and programming, what begins in his dorm room soon becomes a global social network and a revolution in communication.

Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Brenda Song

Batman Begins HBO, 11:24pm Bruce Wayne is all of eight years when he falls into a cave full of bats. He develops a fear for the creature. While watching an opera with his parents, he urges them to leave the theatre as the show features bat-like creatures.

Outside the theatre, both Bruce’s parents are killed by a mugger.

Bruce blames himself for his parents’ death. A mysterious instructor by the name Henri Ducard takes Bruce into hand and trains him to become a ninja.

Later, the adult Bruce returns to Gotham City, his native town, planning to end the mob rule there.

Cast: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Gary Oldman, Katie Holmes Angels & Demons Zee Studio, 11:25pm Leonardo Vetra is a physicist who is murdered. His daughter Vittoria and symbolist Robert Langdon go on a quest following this. Some clues from the secret brotherhood, The Illuminati, leads the two of them all around The Vatican, including the four altars of science, namely the Earth, Air, Fire and Water. An assassin, who works for the brotherhood, captures four cardinals and murders each one of them in gruesome ways.

Cast: Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer, Stellan Skarsgardl

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2017

CURTAINS RISE ON BANGLADESH OPEN PAGE 19

PEDRO ALMODOVAR NAMED NEXT CANNES JURY PRESIDENT PAGE 22

‘Palestine wants to invest in Bangladesh’ Yousef SY Ramadan, head of the Palestinian mission in Dhaka, spoke to the Dhaka Tribune’s Syed Zainul Abedin Eiffel ahead of President Mahmoud Abbas’ visit to Bangladesh

Different issues will be discussed.

First of all, the main purpose of this visit is to enhance the relation that has existed between our countries and our peoples since 1971. This is the most important issue. There are other issues too. The prime minister and the president and of Bangladesh will be informed about the present situation – what is going on in Palestine and in the region as a whole. The second issue is how can we develop this relation, not just politically but to extend investment in agriculture and other sectors. Regional issues will also be discussed. Last year, the two countries signed a MoU related to fuel oil, edible oil and such. We are able to supply these for Bangladesh.

We would also like to invest in the Bangladeshi energy sector by inviting some Palestinian companies because we know that Bangladesh is very keen to develop the sector.

Ekushey Book Fair begins today

n Syed Samiul Basher Anik The month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair 2017 begins today at the Bangla Academy and the Suhrawardy Udyan premises.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the book fair at 3pm today.

Government sponsored publications have set up their stalls at Bangla Academy premises while private publications are at the park area of Suhrawardy Udyan.

A total of 663 stalls have been allocated to 409 publishing houses.

Writers from Austria, Germany, Malaysia, Russia, China and India would attend a four day literary conference at Bangla Academy.

The book fair would remain open from 3pm to 8:30pm every day and from 11am to 8:30pm on holidays.

PM's new book to hit fair Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s new book “Nirbachita Prabandha,” a collection of 13 articles will be available at Agami Prokashoni stall. l

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

What is the first and foremost issue to be discussed with the Bangladesh government during the visit of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas?

Where does the MoU stand now?

The MoU was signed last year on December 11 between the Foreign Minister of Palestine Riad NA Malki and the Power and Energy Minister Nasrul Hamid. We would like to implement this agreement as soon as possible. So there will be a discussion on this issue. Later our experts will also come here to discuss it in detail.

Do you hope that it will be effective by this year?

We hope and we believe it will defi-

nitely be so.

With Donald Trump in power, what do you think are the new challenges you may face in the future?

Whoever comes to power in the United States, whoever enters the White House, they will continue to have a special, strategic and strong relation and support Israel for many reasons. And that has been going on since 1948, since Israel occupied Palestine and established a state. So whoever comes to pow-

er, will continue to do the same. So for us, Trump, or anyone else are almost the same. Never, ever has any American administration acted in a just manner with Palestine.

And that is why the peace process has made no progress. So we want them to be fair, to stop Israel from building settlements, from confiscating more lands from Palestine and from killing innocent Palestinians. And I feel that these are fair and humanitarian demands.

What role are OIC and NAM playing in resolving this situation?

OIC and NAM are supporting Palestine. But how powerful are they?

Are they capable of resolving the issue? But their support is very important. The world's support is important. The issue is not in the hands of OIC. Unfortunately the issue is in the hands of a country’s administration that is not acting fairly. But the most important part is the unity of the Muslim countries. Because from united countries, we can get good, practical support that can be important to

resolve this issue.

Is the BDS (Boycott, Disinvest and Sanction) movement against Israel helping Palestine?

It is getting very effective. Especially last year, the movement resulted in many students from the United States, Great Britain and many other European countries boycotting Israeli universities. All products made in the settlements have been labeled to avoid buying them. Such a movement, even it is not a gentleman’s activity, is very effective. Because, it is the people, the consumer – who make the decision, not the leaders.

What else do you want to tell us about the visit of Mahmoud Abbas?

This visit will be extraordinary. The government has an extraordinary preparation regarding this visit. The president is very keen to enhance bilateral ties, which are already strong and fruitful. It will not be his last visit. He will continue to visit Bangladesh in the future. We are very happy and hopeful for a successful visit. l

‘Books hurting religious sentiment not allowed’ n Adil Sakhawat Police will take actions against any books that hurt 'religious sentiments' during the Ekushy Book Fair as a “security measures.”

While this may come as a shock to many who believe in freedom of speech is a fundamental and constitutional right, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia yesterday cited penal code section 295A and the controversial ICT Act supporting the law enforcement agency’s move.

“According to the penal code if one’s speech or activities attack others’ religious beliefs and leads to communal violence, then he or she cannot be considered a freethinker. Our Information and Communication Technology Act does not permit such activities either.”

Urging the Bangla Academy to take the lead in scrutinising books for such content, Asaduzzaman said: “Bangla Academy and the association of authors and publishers at the book fair should take the lead in looking for books on sale that contain comments that might

Workers at a book stall busy finishing last minute preparations as this year’s Amar Ekushey Book Fair starts today DHAKA TRIBUNE hurt the religious sentiments of people, question their basic rights, and trigger communal violence.”

The fair is set to start at Bangla Academy on Wednesday, and DMP has set up multi-layer security measures in and around the venue.

The DMP commissioner said they have set up three control rooms and brought the area under blanket surveillance through CCTVs.

Apart from the main venue, stalls have been set up at Suhrawardy Udyan which has already been fenced off, where security personnel will be present undercover and in uniforms.

To enter the venues, visitors will have to undergo a four-tier security check at entry points in TSC, Shahbagh, Doyel Chattar and Nilkhet areas.

There will be a patrol team in the area to avert unwanted incidents, the

official said, adding: “Separate entry and exit gates have been made counter sexual harassment of women.”

In December last year, Bangla Academy banned five publishing houses from the fair for two years and reduced the stall size for 15 others for alleged breach of guidelines.

Shraban Prakashani was banned from the fair for protesting the closure of Ba-Dwip Prakashan stall and the arrest of Ba-Dwip proprietor Shamsuzoha Manik for selling a book titled “Islam Bitarka” (The Islam Debate), originally published in 2013, that allegedly hurt religious sentiments.

Science writer and Mukto-Mona blog founder Avijit Roy was killed and his wife Rafida Ahmed Bonya critically injured in a machete attack by Ansarullah men at TSC intersection when they were returning from the book fair on February 26, 2015. The couple came to Dhaka few days back to take part in the book fair.

On October 31, 2015 two teams of the outfit carried out simultaneous attacks on Avijit’s publishers in Dhaka. l

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