November 09, 2013

Prescription

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Kartik 25, 1420 Muharram 4, 1434 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 226

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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2013 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

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Police crack down on BNP Moudud, MK Anwar, Rafiqul Islam Miah arrested; houses of several others raided

Moudud Ahmed

MK Anwar

Sarkar and Mohammad n Kailash Al-Masum Molla Police last night arrested three top leaders of the main opposition BNP and looked for some others yesterday, complicating the already murky political situation in the run-up to the national elections.

The arrests and raids which continued through early hours of today would dash dialogue hopes and fuel the over-

72-hour hartal from Sunday n

Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

After staging two 60-hour nationwide shutdowns in successive weeks, the BNP-led 18-party alliance yesterday announced a 72-hour nationwide hartal from tomorrow, to press home their demand for elections to be held under a non-partisan government.

The countrywide hartal will start at 6am on Sunday and end at 6am on Wednesday. BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made the announcement after a secretary general-level meeting of the BNP-led 18-party alliance at BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office.

On Thursday night, the BNP Standing Committee, the highest policymaking  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Rafiqul Islam Miah heated political front with a third spell of 72-hour hartal beginning tomorrow, political leaders and analysts fear.

BNP policymakers Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar and Rafiqul Islam Miah were detained when they were coming out of the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel around 8pm after attending the founding anniversary programme of Bangla newspaper Prothom Alo. Police also confirmed the arrest of Abdul AwalMintoo, BNP chairperson  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

Police encircle BNP chief's Gulshan office in the capital as security has been tightened after announcement of 72-hour hartal yesterday

Mistrust, suspicion deepen in BNP n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

Apart from antagonistic opinions, mistrust and suspicion of one another have gripped the BNP policymakers resulting in often-unpleasant debate over a political decision necessitating the intervention of its Chief Khaleda Zia. The party that claimed to have championed the cause of multi-party democracy very often finds it difficult to reach a decision democratically at its policymaking body, say party insiders.

In a standing committee meeting on Thursday two senior leaders were locked into an intense debate over who to blame for the attempt of splitting the party.

Dhaka city unit BNP leader Goyeshwar Chandra Roy at the meeting pointing to a standing committee member

blamed some leaders for plotting to split the party and some others for their liaison with the government, said a standing committee member in return for anonymity.

Another Standing Committee member Moudud Ahmed protested his remark saying that they “are not true”.

At this point Goyeshwar raged at Moudud: “You understand better but why do you think that we are just fool.

We at least understand a bit. You became the standing committee member at 42 and me at 62 and without any compromise deal with anybody.”

The party chief then intervened and asked them to keep quiet: “You the senior leaders do not take to the street.

You confine yourself to your house.

Ok, you stay indoors; I will take to the street and if needed will be arrest-

Ministers start submitting resignation letters to PM

Political parties least bothered about hartal casualties

The next Monday is likely to be the last day to for the ministers to submit their resignation letters to the prime minister, as per her directions.

The prime minister may form the all-party polls-time government after getting all resignation letters from the ministers.

Though they have time to submit resignations until Monday, five ministers and state ministers of the present cabinet have already submitted resignation letters. They submitted it after meeting with the prime minister at her office.

According to the officials of their respective ministries, Jute and Textiles Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui, Food Minister Abdur Razzaque, State Minister for Liberation War AB Tazul Islam, State Minister for Local Government Jahangir Kabir Nanak and State Minister for Water Resources Mahbubur Rahman Talukdar have submitted their resignation letters.

However, most of the ministers would submit their resignation letters

by Monday. They would submit them after attending a cabinet meeting, before the prime minister’s departure for a Sri Lanka summit.

The ministers and the state ministers have also started preparing to leave the official residences where they have been staying for the last five years.

Of the five who have reportedly submitted the letters, all but State Minister Tazul Islam denied doing so.

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

n Mohosinul Karim

 PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

They are really good at pouncing on opportunities to gain politically from virtually every death that results from hartal violence.

But, be it the opposition or the ruling party, one thing they are absolutely not good at is looking after the families of the victims, especially those who are killed in clashes.

They alleged that the opposition parties had never taken any step to financially support the hapless family that had just lost its only bread earner Political parties often even stage “stunts” by organising protest rallies and conducting gayebana janazas – mass prayers for the salvation of the deceased souls – branding the hartal casualties as “martyrs.”

Maruf Hossain, 20, was a Dakhil student in a madrasa and worked for a welding workshop in the southwestern district of Magura. He was the only earning member of his family. Every evening he would do the grocery on his way back home for his seven-member family – two brothers, two sisters and his parents.

On October 28, Maruf’s family was waiting for his return as usual. But he never got back home because he was killed in a clash between police and

hartal supporters in the district.

The BNP-led opposition alliance was quick to claim that the deceased was their activist.

Maruf’s family, however, claimed that he had never been involved with any kind of political activity and that he had been forced by the local BNP activists to join a pro-hartal procession.

They alleged that the opposition parties had never taken any step to financially support the hapless family that had just lost its only bread earner.

It has literally become a tradition in the country that every time someone is killed in political violence, both the ruling party and the opposition promptly claim that the deceased belonged to their sides.

In that way they believe that they can draw public emotion in their favour and demean their political rivals.

In recent decades, an increasing number of people have been killed in violence who are either not regular activists of the political parties, or are just innocent passers-by who get caught in the middle of skirmishes accidentally.

According to Rights organisation Ain O Salish Kendra, 2,519 people were killed and around 150,000 injured in political violence in the past 22 years.

Analysts say as the dominant force behind the country’s politics changes from ideological drives to fortune hunting, the so-called regular activists tend to stay back and push the irregular ones forward during street violence.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

ed. I will wage movement alone with the activists.”

She particularly slammed senior leaders for not being present on streets during shutdowns.

In the two-hour-long meeting, senior leaders discussed the dialogue issue, government’s move to hold the polls, diplomacy and action programmes.

After the meeting, Khaleda Zia held a separate meeting with Goyeshwar Chandra Roy and Mirza Abbas and asked them to strengthen the Dhaka city unit BNP. Khaleda Zia repeatedly asked the party leaders to take to the street to mount pressure on the government but almost all of them did not respond to her call.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 6

INSIDE News

3 Ekatturer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee has claimed that 39 people were killed during the rally and sit-in programmes of Hefazat-e-Islam in the capital’s Motijheel area on May 5-6 this year.

News

4 Vice-Chancellor of JU Professor Anwar Hossain received a death threat through a text message in his mobile phone on Thursday night.

Nation

7 The Department of Environment found Coliform Bacteria in the drinking water from 77.5% hotels and restaurants in Barisal metropolitan city.

International

9 The Pakistani Taliban has vowed to orchestrate a wave of revenge attacks against government targets after naming commander Mullah Fazlullah as its new leader.

Sport

13 Ezaj Ahmed’s brilliant century and Afghan recruit Rahmat Shah’s five wickets helped Mohammedan Sporting club to their sixth win in the Walton Dhaka Premier League (DPL) as they defeated Kalabagan KC by 40 runs.

DHAKA TRIBUNE

EC takes initiative to reshuffle officials n Mohammad Zakaria

The Election Commission has taken initiatives to reshuffle government officials working at the Secretariat and field level offices ahead of the upcoming elections.

The reshuffling is likely to be finished before the polls schedules are announced. The commission is collecting information about the regional, district and upazila election officers and government employees across the country, a source said.

A special intelligence team has reportedly submitted the relevant information to the EC regarding the political preferences of the field level election officials.

The election management wing of the EC has sent a note to the manpower wing containing information of all election officials, an EC official has said.

He added that the commission was collecting information regarding names, addresses, designations, areas of posting, joining dates, birth districts, and so on about the field level officials.

EC Secretary Muhammed Sadique said the information was collected so that the right people could be posted in right places and thus they could play neutral roles during the elections.

Another official said if anything objectionable or dubious about any of its official was found, the EC would transfer that official. l

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Ministers ready to leave official residences n Mohosinul Karim Ministers and state ministers are preparing to leave their official residences where they have been living for the last five years.

Most of the ministers have already shifted their necessary and personal home appliances and documents from those residences. They will leave the houses immediately after their resignations come into effect.

The public works department under the public works and housing ministry will be handed over those houses after the ministers leave.

Officials concerned and some of the ministers confirmed the news saying that most of the personal home appliances and documents have already been shifted to their new houses. They are only waiting for officials notice.

Food Minister Abdur Razzaque said most of the ministers took preparation to leave their official residences after October 24, the beginning of the last 90 days of the present parliament.

The preparation was taken as they

were not confirmed exactly when to leave those residences.

He said the ministers having no permanent residences in Dhaka had much earlier begun to look for rented houses.

Even most of them have already decided on their next living places after their resignations.

According to the food ministry officials, Razzaque will back to his Lalmatia residence. He lived in that house before he was made the food minister.

His house has been prepared.

Fisheries and Livestock Minister’s Assistant Personal Secretary Hilton Kumar Saha said the minister had already shifted his necessary personal belongings and documents to his own house in Dhaka.

Water Resources Minister’s Assistant Personal Secretary Partha Kumar Sen said the minister would shift his family to his personal flat in Dhaka. But mainly he would stay in Thakurgaon, the minister’s constituency.

“All of his personal belongings and documents have been taken to his flat.” l

BNP calls hartal in 4 upazilas of Comilla, Noakhali today n Tribune Desk Local BNP has called separate daylong hartals in Companyganj and Kabirhat upazilas of Noakhali and in Homna and Titas of Comilla for today protesting the detention of BNP standing committee members Barrister Moudud Ahmed and MK Anwar.

Detective Branch of police picked up three BNP top leaders – Moudud, MK Anwar and Barrister Rafiqul Islam Miah from the city’s Karwanbazar area as soon as they came out of Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel around 8:15pm, reports UNB.

Protesting the detention of Moudud who comes from Noakhali, local BNP leaders announced the dawn-to-dusk hartal in Companyganj and Kabirhat upazilas of the district for today.

District BNP organizing secretary Abu Naser confirmed the shutdown.

Meanwhile, 10 vehicles were vandalised while a bus was torched in Maizdi soon after the news of the detention of the BNP leaders travelled fast to the district.

In Comilla, local BNP on Friday called another daylong shutdown in Homna and Titas upazilas for today protesting the detention of MK Anwar. l

Police crack down on BNP

Ershad supports Qawmi madrasa bill n Tribune Report Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad yesterday expressed his support for the proposed Qawmi Madrasa Education Authority Bill and called upon the government to take initiative to pass the proposed bill.

In a written statement, the former military dictator said the country’s Qawmi madrasa groups were still being neglected and had been facing discriminations for centuries, which was a shame for the country.

He said the country was being deprived of services from Qawmi madrasas because of not certifying them.

“According to a confidential source, I have been informed that country’s amended Qawmi Madrasa Education Authority Act is on the way of final approval. Local and foreign Islami experts have amended the act and thus, I am expressing solidarity with it,” he said. l

Violent protests follow arrests n Tribune Report

Students sit for a JSC exam, which was rescheduled because of the opposition alliance’s hartal, at the capital’s Motijheel Ideal High School and College FOCUS BANGLA

College-girl dies in city road crash

n Mohammad Jamil Khan

Hartal shelves JSC, JDC examinations again

A student of Motijheel Ideal School and College was killed yesterday, when a bus rammed the rickshaw she was on – near the capital’s Shapla intersection.

The deceased, Kaniz Fatema Tasnim, 17, daughter of Abdul Khalek Hawlader, was returning home after sitting for her college second-year term final examinations.

Witnesses said a bus rammed the rickshaw at around 4:45pm, leaving Kaniz and three others injured.

Kaniz died after she was brought to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Confirming the death to the Dhaka Tribune, DMCH police outpost Inspector Mozammel Haque said the three others who were injured were out of danger.

The police have seized the bus that killed Kaniz, but the driver fled, he added. l

n Mushfique Wadud Education ministry has not come up with any decision yet regarding the Junior School Certificate and Junior Dakhil Certificate examinations scheduled to be held on November 10, November 11 and November 12.

However, sources within the education ministry told the Dhaka Tribune that examinations might be postponed and rescheduled. The BNP-led 18-party alliance has called another fresh spell of 72-hour non-stop countrywide hartal from 6am on Sunday.

The chairman of Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Taslima Begum told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday that they would take the decision over rescheduling the examinations

today upon discussion with the Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid and other senior officials.

However, rescheduling the examinations after the next spate of hartal would be highly difficult as there would be no date left for accommodating the exams in due time, she said. Both JDC and JSC exams are scheduled to end by November 20.

According to the JSC routine, English Second Paper, General science and Islam and Moral Studies examinations are scheduled to be held on November 10, November 11, ,and November 12 respectively.

For JDC, examinations on English First Paper, English Second paper, and Bangla First Paper are to be held on November 10, November 11, and on November 12. l

At least 21 people were killed during the two 60-hour hartals and scores of others, including children, were severely injured in arson attack and crude bomb explosions.

The police took the detained BNP leaders to the Minto Road office of the Detective Branch.

Learning about the arrests, Rafiqul Islam Miah’s wife ShahidaRafique went to the DB office. She alleged that the DB neither allowed her to meet her husband nor explained the reasons of his arrest.

Police, however,received food, clothes and other necessary belongings from the relatives and personal staffs of the arrested leaders. A medical team and an ambulance went to the DB office around 10pm but the reason could not be known.

A few days ago ruling Awami League leaders blamed the opposition for hartal violence across the country in their speeches in and outside parliament, saying the BNP would have to take the responsibilities for the violence.The opposition denied the allegations andblamed the government.

BNP acting secretary general MirzaFakhrul Islam Alamgir met Khaleda at her residence amid the raids and arrests last night.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune after his meeting with the opposition leader,Fakhrul criticisedthe government move and said arresting the opposition leaders

would close the door fora dialogue.

The BNP haslong been demanding that the upcoming election be held under a non-party caretaker government whilethe ruling Awami League has been firm to hold the pollsunder the present governmentaccording to the current constitutional provision.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last month proposed forming an all-party polls-time government in which she wouldhead a 10-member all-party cabinet – fivemembers from the ruling party and five from the opposition.

The BNP, however, rejected the proposal and stuck to its demand for a non-partisan polls-time government.

A telephone conversation between Hasina and Khaleda last month saw the hope of a dialogue wither further as the two leaders did not deviate from their stands.

They, however, never publicly cancelled the scope of holding a dialogue until Thursday.

Fakhrul saidthe arrest of the BNP leaders now was likely to diminish the hope of a dialogue.

He harshly condemned the incident, saying the government had chosen the path of repressing opposition leaders and activists fearing mass upsurge.

“The government is talking about the dialogue but repressing the opposition men. It is contradictory. They have

shunned the path and destroyed the atmosphere for a dialogue,” the BNP spokesperson told the Dhaka Tribune.

He demanded immediate release of the detained leaders.

BNP Joint Secretary GeneralRuhulKabir Rizvi, however, threatened to extend the party’s hartal programme, if needed.

When contacted, Awami League Presidium member Nuh-ul-Alam Leninalleged that it was the opposition party that had already shunned the path ofthe dialogue.

“I donot think these developments will close the door of a dialogue,”he said.

Former bureaucrat and a caretaker government adviser Akbar Ali Khantold the Dhaka Tribune over phone:“The arrests will not help create a congenial atmosphere for holding the dialogue.”

The political analyst also said there were three preconditions to holding the dialogue: the political environment needed improvement, the political leaders would have to change their language attacking each other, and they would have to budge from their rigid stances.

Akbar said he did not see any progress in meeting the conditions.

“The dialogue can be held any time, but the environment has to be improvedand these arrests will rather hamper the process of creating the congenial environment,” he said. l

Khaleda Zia’sadviser, and Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, her special assistant. Both were coming out of the chairperson’s residence when the police picked them up.

Police also arrested Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal’s Vice-President Anwar Hossain Tipu in front of the National Press Club.

Police confirmed the arrest of BNP leaders, but did not cite any specific reasons. State Minister for Home Shamsul HoqueTuku told the Dhaka Tribune last night that the opposition leaders had been arrested based on specific allegations.

He, however, refused to elaborate on the allegations.“You will come to know about the allegations when they [the BNP leaders] will be taken to court,”Tuku said.

“Usually police arrest someone based on specific allegations. Those, who will be arrested in future, will also be arrested based on specific allegations,” he added.

The arrests were greeted with violent protests in the capital city and instant hartal calls in hometowns of Moudud and MK Anwar in Noakhali and Comilla.

Reports of sporadic violence, like removing railway track at Feni, and blocking highway and vandalising vehicles at Sitakunda in Chittagong, were pouring in from different parts of the country.

Police also raided the houses of BNP leaders Mirza Abbas, Goyeshwar Chan-

dra Roy, ZainulAbdinFarroque and Nasiruddin Ahmed Asim.

As rumours spread like a wildfire last night that more BNP leaders might be arrested,many went into hiding. Many of their mobiles were found switched off.

The police increased deployment of forces around the Gulshan residence of BNP Chairperson and Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia. She was inside the house.

The BNP leaders were arrested three and a half hours after the party had announcedthethree-day countrywide hartal from tomorrow. Around 50 police personnel also took position around Khaleda’s Gulshan office and her residence after the leaders had left the office announcing the programme.

Hours before the arrests, while addressing a discussion programme at the National Press Clubin the afternoon,Moudud threatened the government that a “mass curfew” would be enforced, if needed, to materialise their demand for a non-party caretaker government to hold the next parliamentary elections.

The police increased deployment of forces around the Gulshan office of the BNP chairperson in the afternoon but withdrew the force late at night.

A few police officials on condition of anonymity said violence during the opposition alliance’s last hartalswas the reason behind the arrests.

72-hour hartal

Political parties least bothered about hartal casualties

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

body of the party, held a meeting at Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office to analyse the current political situation and to devise their next course of action after the staging of two successive 60-hour nationwide hartals.

At the meeting, party policymakers made a decision in principle to call the third spell of hartal, while the decision was finalised in yesterday’s secretary general-level meeting of the 18-party alliance.

Earlier, the opposition alliance staged two spells of 60-hour shutdowns from November 4 to November 6 and October 27 to October 29. Holding a press briefing at the Gulshan office, Fakhrul said this programme was called to protect the people’s voting rights. “We have repeatedly called for taking positive steps to resolve the crisis but the government did not pay any heed and that is why this programme has been announced,” he said. l

The Dhaka Tribune published a story a few months ago about how non-political people, especially teenagers and young men in their early 20s, were “hired” during hartals to take part in violent street protests.

While the “hiring” is mostly done for monetary payments, local political leaders often intimidate neutral individuals, especially from the lower income groups, to come and join programmes, many of which often take violent turns.

In the turbulent 1960s, 70s and 80s, people used to spontaneously take to streets to press on autocratic regimes.

But in recent decades, people tend to stay inside during hartals mostly because they are scared of violence as they cannot identify themselves with the “loose” motives behind the hartals,

analysts say.

Noted columnist and political analyst Syed Abul Maksud says: “Hartal is a democratic right of political parties.

But overuse has rendered this political weapon blunt.

“Waziullah was the first victim of the historic six-point movement [of 1966]. But does anyone know what has happened to his family? The political parties are responsible for any sort of political violence. The parties exploit the activists for their political benefit, but none of the victims get compensation.”

On the same day Maruf was killed, teenage day labourer Arju was killed in a similar skirmish in Puranbazar area of Chandpur district town.

Readily, the ruling and the opposition parties pounced on the opportunity to claim that Arju belonged to

them. Arju’s parents claimed that their 15-year-old son had not been involved in politics. He used to work for a local spinning mill for a monthly wage of Tk2,000.

Talking to witnesses, our Chandpur correspondent reported that the house Arju lived in with his parents was very close to the place where the violence took place that day.

They said the boy had been on his way to take a bath in a nearby pond when suddenly an opposition protest turned violent and the boy was killed in a stray police bullet.

Later, two local BNP leaders and an Awami League leader reportedly gave Arju’s family Tk10,000 each, although Arju’s family claimed that they had not got any money.

Even Foreign Minister Dipu Moni visited Arju’s family and promised to

provide all kinds of assistance, but anything in line with that promise is still to happen.

These are just two of many other cases. Every time a Maruf or an Arju is killed during hartal, the ruling and opposition blocks waste no time in making sure that the deaths benefit them politically.

In most cases, though, these parties would never care to know what had happened to the families of the deceased.

At least 26 people were killed in violence centring the opposition’s 60-hour countrywide hartals over the last two weeks.

The families of at least five of the deceased have alleged that other than expressing shocks at the deaths, Awami League and BNP leaders had done nothing to ease their predicaments. l

Opposition activists set fire to at least five vehicles and charged several crude bombs in the capital immediately after the arrests, scaring commuters away from streets and prompting police to intensify vigilance at different strategic places.

Police and fire-fighters said at least four buses and a car were torched in the city’s Bijoynagar, Karwanbazar, Mirpur, Pallabi and Arambagh areas.

Besides, several crude bombs were exploded in the capital’s Farmgate, Bijoynagar and Karwanbazar.

In Chittagong, seven vehicles were torched, more than a 100 vandalised and two policemen were injured as 18-party alliance activists agitated on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway last night.

Clashes between police and the protesters were reported from Sitakunda upazila’s Sadar town, Kumira, Sultana Mondir, Kadamrasul, Bara Awlia and other places. Sources said the protesters were breaking up and regrouping to block the highway as police approached them. l

Ministers start  PAGE 1 COLUMN 1

Abdur Razzaque said he was ready to submit his resignation but he may do it on Monday.

Minister without portfolio Suranjit Sengupta, Agriculture Minister Motia Chowdhury, Communication Minister Obaidul Quader, Environment Minister Hasan Mahmud, Water Resources Minister Ramesh Chandra Sen, State Minister for Science and Technology Yafes Osman, State Minister for Land Mustafizur Rahman would submit resignations on Monday after attending the cabinet meeting.

The information was confirmed by some of the ministers and the rest were confirmed by officials of the concerned ministries.

Minister without portfolio Suranjit Sengupta yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune that he was ready to resign. He said he would submit his resignation to the prime minister today.

He was going to his constituency of Sunamganj to meet with the party leaders before resigning. He would return next Sunday.

After returning from his constituency, he would submit his resignation to the PM. All the ministers would submit their resignation letters by Monday, he added. l

Mistrust, suspicion  PAGE 1 COLUMN 4

A number of top leaders of BNP expressed their resentment at what they said the party’s failure to intensify the on-gong movement, offer of unplanned and immature polls-time interim government proposal, poor handling of PM’s invitation.

A senior leader said when the prime minister invited the party had failed to deal the issue smartly.

“By offering an invitation to a dialogue the ruling party has sent a message to people that it came forward for the dialogue but the BNP did not do so and now the responsibility for not holding the dialogue lies with BNP. If we had been to Ganabhaban the responsibility would have definitely go to the government, no matter what the outcome was,” said another senior leader.

The proposal the BNP chief unveiled was also immature and impossible to be implemented, he noted Party’s poor diplomatic efforts too were questioned by a section of leaders.

European Union on Thursday night requested Khaleda Zia not to boycott the upcoming polls and not to wage any violent action programmes.

They also said the party hoped the diplomatic pressure would compel the government to realize the opposition’s demand but the scenario was not like that right now. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Saturday, November 9, 2013

3

39 killed in Hefazat clashes on May 5-6 Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee comes up with the figure in its ‘white paper’ n Abu Bakar Siddique Ekatturer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee has claimed that 39 people were killed during the rally and sit-in programmes of Hefazat-e-Islam in the capital’s Motijheel area on May 5-6 this year.

Of them, 24 were killed from morning to 8pm on May 5 in Hefazat activists’ clashes with law enforcers and Awami League activists, the organisation claims in a white paper it published yesterday.

Another nine people got killed on May 6 morning during clashes between Hefazat and Jamaat-e-Islami activists and law enforcers at Kanchpur on Chittagong Road, Madanipur and Narayanganj.

The white paper titled “400 days of Hefazat-Jamaat’s fundamentalist and communal terrorism” says five more people were killed at Hathazari in Chittagong that day while the other one was killed in a clash at Comilla railway station.

Hefazat has so far claimed the

number to be 79 although it has failed to prove the claim.

Odhikar, another human rights organisation, earlier claimed that 61 people had been killed on May 5 night during police action.

While discussing the 1,250-page white paper, Shahriar Kabir, executive president of Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, yesterday said they had determined the number based on “extensive investigation into the matter since mid-May.” “The list of people killed we are providing is the only real list as we have prepared it after verifying all the lists provided by Hefazat, Odhikar and the home ministry,” said Shahriar, a member of the committee’s investigation team.

He said the investigation team had also contacted all the families of the deceased.

Shahriar Kabir demanded punishment to Hefazat chief Shah Ahmed Shafi and Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia as “all the killings and vandalism took place on their direct orders and

Woman gang-raped, killed by husband, friends n Tribune Desk A young housewife was gang-raped and tortured to death by her husband and his three friends in Kachua upazila of Chandpur.

Police recovered the decomposed body of Ruma Akhter, 18, second wife of Fakhrul Islam, 25, of Koroish village under Kachua municipality, from a paddy field at the village on Thursday night, three days after she went missing.

Family sources said Ruma, daughter of M Sultan Ahmed, was married off to Fakhrul barely one year ago. They said Fakhrul had another wife who was infertile. Ruma had been living at her father’s residence since the marriage.

She, however, used to put pressure on Fakhrul to take her to his house.

Under such situation, Ruma went missing from November 4. Her brother filed a case against Fakhurl suspecting

his involvement behind the incident.

Following the arrest of Fakhrul, he confessed to the killing of his wife after gang-raping her along with his three friends. He told police that he decided to kill Ruma after he got furious at the repeated calls of Ruma to take her to his house.

Fakhrul said he along with his friends Sayem, 25, Sharif, 23, and Sakhawat gang-raped the girl and tortured her to death on November 4. Later, they dumped the body in the paddy field.

Following his confession, a team of Kachua police recovered the body of Ruma with numerous marks of torture all over the body from the paddy field around 11:30pm on Thursday. The law enforcers also arrested Sayem and Sharif.

OC Alamgir Hossain Majumder said the body was sent to Chandpur General Hospital morgue for autopsy and the court had sent Fakhrul and his two friends to jail yesterday. l

Family members of the deceased, who died during the May 5-6 Hefazat violence, present at the white paper publishing programme titled ‘400 days of Hefazat-Jamaat’s fundamentalist and communal terrorism’ yesterday NASHIRUL ISLAM provocation.”

He also said Hefazat, BNP and Jamaat would have to take the responsibility of the families of those killed

as those killings had occurred because of their political ambition and power politics.

He blamed the government for

AL LEADER KILLING AT MOTIJHEEL

Jubo League leader mastermind of Khairul’s murder: Family n Mohammad Jamil Khan The leader of the ruling Awami League Khairul Alam Mollah was stabbed to death by some hired killers and the mastermind behind the killing was a Jubo League leader, the victim’s family claimed.

The plot to kill the AL organising secretary of Jatrabari unit was masterminded during the month of Eid-ulAzha when the ruling party leader and general secretary of Bus Owners’ Association of Sayedabad bus terminal won the bid for Bhairab-Kishoreganj route.

Following the win of tender, a conflict arose between Khairul and Jubo League leader Ali Akbar Khan Babul and its 75 No. ward vice-president Taiyab Ali as they also operated bus services on the route.

Earlier on Thursday evening, a gang of young thugs stabbed Khairul to death.

The deceases was once general sec-

retary of Jubo League (south), currently incumbent president of Bangladesh Football Federation’s second division and general secretary of Jatrabari Sports Association.

Abul Kalam, driver of Khairul, told the Dhaka Tribune he went to workers’ association office in Joykail Temple area around 12pm on Sunday.

Later at 2pm, Babul asked Khairul over cellphone to accompany him to the Cooperative Bank office in Motijheel.

Tayeb Ali also appeared there with four unidentified youths with him, the driver said, adding that Khairul asked me to go to the nearby garage of Modhumita cinema hall.

“At 6pm, I received phone call from my boss whom I heard groaning,” said driver Kalam.

“Later, I got a call from my boss’s wife to go to Dhaka Medical College Hospital,” he added.

Shefali Alam, wife of the deceased,

told the Dhaka Tribune he found Khairul absentminded soon after he got the tender of the bus station and he received threats several times from Tayeb Ali in connection with the tender.

She added that conflicts also arose with Sayedabad terminal Bus Owners’ Association President Abul Kalam over the tender of the terminal.

“I suspect that the bus terminal association president Abul Kalam in collusion with Tayeb Ali masterminded the killing and Jubo Leauge leader Babul helped them to do so,” Shefali claimed.

As Babul called him to go to the Motijheel bank office, and at the time of stabbing, he was present on the spot and did not take any action to save him he had a hand in the killing, alleged the wife of the deceased AL leader.

Contacted, Jahangir Alam Matubbar, deputy commissioner of Detective Branch of police, told the Dhaka Tribune they had so far detained eight per-

sons in connection with the murder for interrogation, and investigation was underway.

The police official, however, refused to explain more in the interest of ongoing investigation.

About the CCTV footage of the crime scene, the deputy commissioner said they did not get any important clue from the CCTV footage as it was installed on the first floor while the killing took place in the upper area on the first floor.

Asked about the reason for murder, Jahangir Alam Matubbar said a previous enmity centring political or business interest might lead to the killing of the AL leader.

“We will be able to make clear about it after investigation,” added the deputy commissioner.

Officer-in-Charge BM Forman Ali of Motijheel police station said no case had so far been filed with the police station in connection with the murder. l

1,000 apply for review of medical admission test

IAB demands nonparty polls-time government n Manik Miazee

n Moniruzzaman Uzzal

Islamist party Islami Andolan Bangladesh yesterday demanded a non-partisan polls-time government system to resolve the existing political crisis.

Party Chairman Rezaul Karim urged the president to take initiatives to resolve the political crisis and initiate election time government system.

Awami League government has won in Barguna 2 constituency by-election through a power game and therefore no the election under AL can be fair Addressing a rally at the capital’s Suhrawardi Uddyan, he said the government had created a political crisis by the 15th amendment of the constitution.

He said both the ruling parties wants to rule the power, but no one is thinking about the public, rather they are involved with politics for power game.

“Awami League government has won in Barguna 2 constituency by-election through a power game and therefore no the election under AL can be fair,” he said.

“We are not going to participate in the polls under any party government.

We want an election under an impartial government,” he added. The Islamist leader also demanded the announcement of election schedules before the parliament ends.

The IAB chief termed the Election Commission “controversial and unacceptable” and said no acceptable election could be held under the existing EC. He also said the government was doing politics for the last four years with the Qawmi Madrasa Education Authority Act. He demanded that the government pass the act in the current parliament session.

At the rally, he also said his party would be contesting from all 300 constituencies.

Rezaul also announced a national rally in the capital on December 13. l

having given Hefazat the permission to conduct the May 5-6 rally, especially after the Islamist group’s huge rally in Dhaka on April 6.

Shahriar urged the government to give Tk1m to the families of the victims.

The committee suggests that the government recognise the Qawmi madrasa certificate so that “evil forces” like Hefazat and Jamaat cannot take advantage by using such humble and poor students of these madrasas.

Shahriar Kabir said the white paper aimed at making people aware of all aspects of Hefazat’s May 5-6 anarchy in and around the capital’s Shapla Chattar.

Syed Amirul Islam, chief of the investigation committee, said the government should handle the issue of Jamaat-Hefazat with a strong hand as the organisations were “trying to make the country a mini-Pakistan.”

Ekatturer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee has been engaged in research on Islamist militancy in Bangladesh and its regional and global networks since 2001.

Family members of four of the victims were present at the programme held at the city’s Women’s Voluntary Association auditorium. The committee gave each of the families Tk10,000. l

Activists of CPB-BSD bring out a procession in the city’s Shahbagh yesterday after their rally ended in Suhrawardy Udyan

RAJIB DHAR

CPB, BSD urges AL, BNP to work together to resolve political crisis n Manik Miazee Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) leaders yesterday urged the two major political parties, Awami League and BNP, to take effective steps for resolving the ongoing political crisis and holding a free and fair parliamentary election.

They also demanded highest punishments for the war criminals and ban on religion-based political parties including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami while speaking at a joint-rally organised by CPB and BSD at the capital’s Suhrawardi Uddyan.

The leaders called on the other democratic parties of the country to form a left-leaning alternative political platform.

Speaking at the rally, CPB President Mujahidul Islam Selim said: “Awami League should consider the caretaker

CPB President Mujahidul Islam Selim government issue while BNP should exclude Jamaat-e-Islami from their alliance for the greater interest of the country.”

Ensuring a level playing field for the upcoming national polls is not just an issue for AL and BNP, rather it is an issue for all the citizens of the country, he said.

“If both parties cannot resolve their differences over the polls-time government, the county might face an undemocratic situation like one-eleven again,”

the CPB chief said.

There is a scheme going on to keep people away from election, he said.

Terming Jamaat-Shibir and Hefazat as the biggest threats to the country’s democracy, he said: “If the government cannot control these groups, the country will surely face communal violence.”

“We have jointly finalised 300 nominations for the election, but if any democratic party wants to join us, we would like to form an alliance with them.”

If the government and opposition are sincere in resolving the political crisis, it will take a day only. The government have to initiate steps to resolve the political crisis, BSD general secretary Khalequzzaman addressed to the rally.

With BNP and AL-led governments, there were no democracy at the country, he said.

The rally was followed by a procession that paraded different city roads. l

Around 1,000 students who appeared in the last medical college admission test have applied for re-examination of their test papers.

The recheck requests are handled by the medical education department of the Director General of Health Services (DGHS), which charges a fee of Tk1,000 for the service.

The medical admission tests for this academic year were held on October 4.

Head of the department professor Dr. ABM Abdul Hannan told the Dhaka Tribune that a new committee would be formed soon to re-examine the papers. First the office must find the applicants’ test papers from a total of 66,448 papers.

Then it will be checked by a separate OMR (Optical Mark Recognition) machine which was not used to check the papers before. The re-examination would be held in the third week of November.

Professor Hannan said no changes had been found in re-examinations in the last few years.

“The students and their parents thought we were wrong but it has been proved many times, even in the High Court, that the OMR results are accurate,” he added.

On the other hand the admission timeline in public medical and dental colleges ended on Tuesday. There are 2,812 seats available at the 22 government-run medical colleges and

532 seats in the nine dental colleges and units throughout Bangladesh.

Hundreds of students are on a waiting list, to get admission if any seats remain vacant.

It was learnt that the number of vacant seats in the medical colleges was almost zero this year. But there were a few seats vacant in the dental colleges.

A DGHS official said they did not yet have the information from all colleges, but around 50-60 seats were likely to be vacant in the dental colleges. Last year a total of 247 seats were found vacant in medical and dental colleges after the admission process was completed.

Besides the public colleges, private medical and dental colleges have also started to admit students. They have been giving advertisement of admission in the newspapers. It has been learnt that as per DGHS instructions, they will start to distribute application forms from November 10. The price of application forms have been fixed at Tk1,000 each.

Students have to submit their applications within November 20.

The merit list will be published on November 21. Admission process will begin for the selected students on November 21 and the last date of admission will be December 10. The students who will get at least 120 will be allowed to apply for admission.

Students may apply in the merit and poor quota getting a separate form that is free of cost. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Saturday, November 9, 2013

No compromise on wage issue: Labour leaders

15 get Sher-e-Bangla Gold Medal

n Tribune Desk Fifteen persons have been awarded with the Sher-e-Bangla AK Fazlul Haque Gold Medal as recognition of the achievements in their respected fields.

Endorsed by United Movement on Human Rights, a non-government organisation, the awards were handed over to the recipients by former Justice Amirul Kabir Chowdhury at a programme at Bangladesh Photo Journalists’ Association yesterday, reports UNB. The recipients include Daulat Jahan, vice-chairman of Nilphamari Sadar upazila, M Aminul Islam Badsha, chairman of Jhinaigati upazila in Sherpur and M Ansar Ali, mayor of Kalihati municipality in Tangail.

The award was given in commemoration of the 140th birth anniversary of the legendary leader of the subcontinent, Sher-e-Bangla AK Fazlul Haque.

Speakers at the function remembered the contribution of the great leader in the politics of this region, particularly the crucial role he played in the economic emancipation of the farmers of the then Bengal by forming Rin Salishi Board (loan arbitration board).

Justice Amirul Kabir Chowdhury said recent political turmoil in the country could easily be resolved by learning lessons from the political career of AK Fazlul Haque. l

Photo exhibition on butterflies begins in city n Tribune Desk a photo exhibition titled ‘Chobi Dekhe Shekha- Butterflies of Bangladesh, Inventory Second Phase,’ began at Drik Gallery in Dhanmondi yesterday.

IUCN Bangladesh Country Representative Ishtiaq Uddin Ahmed inaugurated the exhibition. Stephen John Ball, chief financial officer of HSBC Bangladesh, was present as special guest, reports UNB. A butterfly inventory team spent one year (June 2012 to May 2013) for digital recording and data collection to cover eight districts – Gazipur, Narsingdi, Comilla, Manikganj, Kishoreganj, Narayangaj, Panchagarh and Bandarban (only Lama Upazilla).

Speaking at the function, Ishtiaq Uddin said butterflies were the most beautiful creatures of nature and indicated healthiness of environment.

The team comprised Mirza Shamim Ahasan Habib, M Shahtabul Islam, Avra Bhattacharjee, Kazi Farhed Iqbal, M Monowar Mahmud Jewel, Sikder Nizamul Haque, Saifuddin Saif and Maruful Alam Chowdhury.

M Monwar Hossain, a professor of Department of Zoology at Jahangirnagar University, worked with the team to validate the species.

HSBC Bangladesh provided financial support to the effort. A total of 82 frames of 64 species are on display at both the galleries of Drik. The exhibition will remain open for all from November 8-14 from 3 pm to 8 pm daily. l

WEATHER

Weather likely to remain dry n UNB Weather may remain dry with temporary partly cloudy sky over the country until 6pm today.

Night and day temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country, Met Office said.

The sun sets in the capital at 5:15pm today and rises at 6:10am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 32.2 degree Celsius was recorded yesterday at Hatiya and lowest 15.1 degrees at Srimangal.

Highest and lowest temperature recorded in some major cities yesterday were: City

High

Low

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

30.5 29.4 29.6 29.2 31.0 30.5 30.6 31.5

18.5 20.2 18.7 19.0 19.0 18.2 18.2 20.0

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

4:52am 6:08am 11:42am 3:39pm 5:15pm 6:33pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

n Mohammad Atiqur Rahman

Arrays of long-route buses sit idle at the capital’s Mohakhali Bus Terminal yesterday as bus owners observe a strike till noon, protesting the killing of Khairul Alam Mollah, general secretary of the Bus Owners Association at Sayedabad bus terminal RAJIB DHAR

JU teachers call off strike Class, examinations resume today: VC, JUTA president receive death threats structions we are withdrawing the chancellor’s directives. n JU Correspondent Prof Kamrul Ahsan, the secretary of movement unconditionally from now Vice-Chancellor of Jahangirnagar University Professor Anwar Hossain received a death threat through a text message in his mobile phone on Thursday night.

He received the SMS at 9:21pm from an unknown number that threatened of hurling bombs on him and his wife as he had not left the university yet.

On the other hand, Ajit Kumar Mazumder, president of JUTA (Jahangirnagar University Teacher’s Association) received a SMS yesterday afternoon that threatened to chop him into 24 pieces if he did not withdraw the anti-VC movement within 24-hour, informed Ajit Kumar Mazumder.

Both Prof Anwar Hossain and Ajit Kumar Mazumder said police had been informed to take immediate steps in this regard.

Agitating teachers of Jahangirnagar University have withdrawn their antiVC movement unconditionally showing respect to the President Abdul Hamid’s request.

General Teachers’ Forum, a platform of JU teachers, which has been carrying movement demanding the Vice Chancellor’s removal, made the formal announcement at a press conference yesterday.

At the conference, the forum declared: “Showing respect to the honourable president, Chancellor’s in-

and we hope that university authorities would take necessary initiatives to arrange the VC panel election immediately.”

They declared to resume classes and examinations from today.

They gave an ultimatum to the university authority to hold the VC panel election by Sunday.

On Wednesday, President Abdul Hamid, also chancellor of Jahangirnagar University, asked the agitating teachers to withdraw their indefinite strike unconditionally to resume the institution’s academic activities and restore congenial atmosphere on the campus.

The president also said VC Prof Anwar Hossain would take immediate steps to hold the senate elections and select the VC panel through the senate in line with the university act. The VC was also instructed to withdraw the writ petition filed against the agitating teachers, an education ministry press release said.

Both the VC and the teachers waging the anti-VC movement have been asked to take necessary measures to resume the activities of university’s syndicate and academic council, and start first year’s admission test procedures.

However, the agitating teachers said that they would raise voice again if VC did not take initiatives to hold VC panel elections within Sunday following the

General Teachers’ Forum said: “If VC Prof Anwar Hossain does not take effective initiatives according to the directives, teachers would force him to implement those directives from Sunday.”

General Teachers’ Forum and JUTA (Jahangirnagar University Teachers’ Association) jointly enforced a shutdown on campus on Saturday demanding the removal of VC Prof Anwar Hossain.

The agitating teachers confined the VC on Monday at his residence as he denied to answer to their query regarding sending a notice to Ajit Kumar Mazumder, president of JUTA, for allegedly violating the university’s rules and regulations.

VC Prof Anwar Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune: “I am always ready to follow any command of the president.”

“Necessary steps would be taken according to the directives in discussion with other members of authorities,” he added.

In the meantime, the executive body of JUTA, the other body agitating against VC, arranged a meeting yesterday evening to decide their next course of action following the president’s directives to resume academic activities.

Prof Ajit Kumar Mazumder said: “JUTA has proper respect to the president’s order.” l

There would be no compromise on the wage issue, warned leaders of 45 garment workers’ organisations yesterday in a rally held in front of the National Press Club, to press home their demand of a Tk8,000 minimum wage.

“The wage of garment workers is very low compared to other countries.

We will not compromise on the issue,” said labour leader Delwar Hossain Khan, adding that the wages should ensure better living standards for garment workers.

Abul Hossain, a garment workers’ leader, urged apparel manufacturers and exporters to “hand over your properties which you earned from this sector to the prime minister, along with the keys of the factories.” He also urged the prime minister to give workers a “fair wage” before the upcoming national elections.

Another leader, Amirul Haque Amin, echoed Abul and said the drama surrounding the minimum wage should be stopped now.

Speakers at the rally also said the proposed minimum wage of Tk5,300 was a deception.

Activists of garment worker platforms chant slogans in a procession in the capital’s Paltan area yesterday, demanding Tk8,000 of minimum wage MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

RMG workers demand salary hike n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong The readymade garment workers at a protest rally in Chittagong city yesterday demanded to increase their basic salary minimum to eight thousand per month.

They also gave an ultimatum till November 18 to meet their demand otherwise they will go for a tougher movement.

Several hundred workers under the banner of Bangladesh Garment Sramik Songhoti Parishad put this demand at the rally that was held in the port city’s CEPZ intersection around 3:30pm.

After the rally, a protest procession

n Tribune Report The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat of Dhaka celebrated yesterday 100 years of its founding in Bangladesh yesterday.

To mark the occasion, a special programme was organised in at the Ahmadiyya headquarters at Bakshibazar in the older part of the capital.

Mubasher ur Rahman, national ameer (chairman) of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in Bangladesh, presided over the programme.

Mubasher said they had been facing two fold problems in preaching Islam.

“On the one hand, the west is labeling the Muslims as terrorists. We are fighting to eliminate that. Moreover, some Muslims also have misconception about us. We are having to fight against that as well.”

BRSSS honours Rabindra Sangeet singer Ameenah Ahmed at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy yesterday

He urged the Ahmadiyya communities to be qualified in terms of morality and knowledge so that they could rule out all confusions about the community.

He also said the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat was working to spread Islam all over the world.

Some 2,500 members of the community from across the country attended the programme.

The Ahmadiyya community claims to have started its journey in Bangladesh in 1913 after being formally formed as a group in the district of Brahmanbaria. The two day special programme that they call “Jalsha,” ends today. l

paraded the adjoining roads of the area.

Speakers said the salary of the workers was not increased in proportion to the increasing prices of necessary commodities that has caused them immense sufferings.

“Owners bag a huge amount of profit using the labour of workers but they do not provide any facility to the workers,” they also claimed.

Siddiqul Islam, convener of the city unit of Trade Union Federation and Hasan Al Rumi, convener of the city unit of Bangladesh Garment Sramik Songhoti Parishad, spoke in the rally among others. l

TIB condemns attacks on minority communities n Tribune Report

Ahmadiyya Jamaat celebrates 100 years

Mubasher ur Rahman

However, apparel manufacturers and exporters have threatened to shut down factories unless the government reviews within the next 15 days the recommendation of Tk5,300 minimum wage.

The warning came a day after a government-formed wage board proposed the amount, up from the existing Tk3,000 monthly minimum wage.

Atiqul Islam, president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), told a press conference in Dhaka on Tuesday it was a “suicidal proposal, void of reality, unacceptable and irrational.” He said apparel makers were not ready to pay anything over Tk4,250.

He said the garment makers would meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and seek an exit policy from the government, if their recommended salary of Tk4,250 was not finalised.

Mofijur Rahman Babul, general secretary of Bangladesh National Garments Workers’ Employees Federation, told the Dhaka Tribune that the workers were united and ready to foil all conspiracies against the minimum wage demanded by the workers. l

BANGLARCHOKH

Ameenah Ahmed honoured for patronising Tagore songs n Tribune Report Bangladesh Rabindra Sangeet Shilpi Sangstha (BRSSS) honoured Rabindra Sangeet artiste Ameenah Ahmed yesterday for her outstanding contribution to music at a ceremony held at the Dance and Music auditorium of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in the capital yesterday.

Speaking on the occasion, seasoned Rabindra Sangeet artiste Tapan Mahmud said though there were many Tagore music lovers in the country, very few of them could actually patronise the music the way Ameenah Ahmed had been do-

ing for more than past two decades.

“We have got an artiste and a patroniser together in her,” he said.

Director of Rabirag Sadi Mohammad, who has known the artiste for more than 30 years, said: “She took lessons for many years. I was one of her mentors. But she is more than a student to me, my elder sister indeed.”

Journalist and writer Kazi Rownak Hossain said if all the people of the country were music lovers, there would not be criminals.

In reply to the compliments, artiste Aminah Ahmed said: “I will cherish this honour in my heart. I am a music

lover and will always be. Pray for me.

“I was supposed to be a doctor. I also got admitted to study psychology once. There were possibilities of studying business but God wished me to be a singer.”

Ameenah reminisced her parents’ contribution to making her what she was today.

The singer was greeted with flowers, a celebratory scarf and a crest.

Dhaka Mahanagar committee of the BRSSS convened the programme.

Popular Tagore numbers were performed and a documentary was screened at the event. l

Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB) yesterday condemned the attacks on minority communities across the country and demanded immediate exemplary punishment of perpetrators.

In a press release yesterday, TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman termed the attacks on the minority as being “against the spirit of Bangladesh’s independence and the Liberation War.” “Such attacks cannot be acceptable in Bangladesh where equal rights for every citizen is ensured,” he said, demanding exemplary punishment through a fair and unbiased investigation by a highly qualified judicial committee.

TIB also condemned the vandalism and arson carried out at the places of worship of these communities, including Banagram village of Pabna’s Santhia upazila, Lalmonirhat’s Kaliganj and Patgram upazila, and Majhipara village of Mohendranagar union, Mahalchhari of Khagrachhari, Bhatdi bazar of Faridpur’s Boalmari upazila, and the Rajshahi metropolitan area, the statement said.

“In the past, there have been planned attacks on minorities under the shelter of political and powerful people ahead of elections. Ahead of coming elections, such attacks for spreading fear and destructive politics can never be acceptable,” the TIB chief said.

Iftekharuzzaman said the situation could worsen if the administration, the law enforcement agencies and the political parties did not take preventive steps on an immediate basis.

“We are concerned since the attacks are aimed and planned. These attacks are not only against the minorities, but also the spirit of independent Bangladesh,” he said. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Prescription

5

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Ways to soothe colds in pre-winter The cool weather has been approaching for the last few days. With a drop in temperature comes a drop in humidity, and cold viruses like the dry air and your dry mucus membranes. A rush of colds and coughs then emerges among the public

n Dr Sajol Ashfaq When someone says, “I have a cold,” what he or she means is: “There is something in my body that is causing me to have the set HEALTH FLASH of symptoms that we call a ‘cold.’” The set of symptoms normally includes a runny nose, sneezing, coughing, “chills” and a headache. It does not include a fever – normally, if there is a fever it’s called “the flu.”

There are many different viruses that can cause cold symptoms, but about half of the time a cold is caused by a class of viruses called rhinoviruses. “Rhino” is a Greek term which means nose. Somehow the rhinovirus in the air gets into the nasal cavity and starts copying. It is not cold weather that causes a cold, but the fact that cold weather is favourable for the virus to survive and spread. The virus generally moves from someone else’s hands to your hands (either directly or through some intermediate surface like a door knob), and from your hands into your nose or eyes.

All of us know our body reacts to the presence of the virus with its immune or defence system. In case of a cold, the immune system reacts with the virus and releases some chemical compounds which initiates inflammation. Due to inflammation, blood vessels become swollen and thin, causing a leakage of fluid. Thus it increases mucus secretions into the nose. The end result is sneezing, runny nose, and a stuffy feeling. If the virus spreads to the lungs, then it produces a cough.

Due to inflammation the body temperature rises, enhancing the body de-

fence response. Meanwhile the body counter-attacks with its specialised white blood cells and coats the viruses, making it easier for the white blood cells to identify and destroy them. The symptoms you experience as a cold are actually the body’s natural body defence response.

As the body defence system gears up over several days and fights the virus, the mucus thickens and changes colour with dead cells (a form of pus, really). Eventually, the defence system eliminates the virus completely and the body becomes well again!

What should we do?

Unfortunately, there’s no cure or vac-

cination for cold. Once you are infected, you have to wait for a while. Many people believe the old adage: “Do nothing and your cold will last seven days.

Do everything and it will last a week.”

There’s no treatment for immediate relief, though treating the symptoms may help you feel better.

The common cold is technically a viral respiratory infection, meaningantibiotics won’t get rid of it. To alleviate symptoms, get lots of rest and drink plenty of fluids. Chicken soup isn’t a bad idea, either; its heat, fluid and salt may help you fight the virus.

While vitamin C doesn’t prevent colds, according to the US National Library of Medicine, research shows people

Chili prevents heart attack

Recent research studies have confirmed coriander seeds help to control blood sugar, cholesterol and free radical production. They help stimulate secretion of insulin and lower blood sugar. Coriander also lowers levels of total and LDL (the “bad” cholesterol), while actually increasing levels of HDL (the “good” cholesterol).

Clove is good for teeth

Clove is used for upset stomach and as an expectorant. Expectorants make it easier to cough up phlegm. Clove oil is used for diarrhea, hernia, and bad breath. Clove and clove oil are used for

Safe cold medicines

Take cough suppressants, expectorants, nasal decongestants and fever relievers from the local pharmacy.

Without a prescription you can start to treat your cold, but never take any

n Dr Bazlul Bari Bhuyan

Garlic and onions are both cardio-protective. Turmeric prevents Alzheimer’s disease. Coriander helps to control diabetes. Use of clove for toothaches is well accepted. Chili prevents heart attack and onion prevents cancer. All these items are regularly available in our kitchen. All these kitchen items play a very important role as medicines to protect our body from different illness.

Coriander seeds are good for diabetics

who consume it regularly seem to have slightly shorter colds and milder symptoms.

Protect yourself from getting a cold in the first place by washing your hands frequently and steering clear of sick people who are coughing and sneezing a lot. It’s also not a bad idea to regularly clean surfaces, such as doorknobs, computer keyboards and phone earpieces, with antibacterial wipes.

antibiotics, bronchodilators (drugs that relieve spasm of windpipe) and steroids without a prescription from a registered doctor. Never continue those medicines for more than 10 days.

However, if your symptoms don’t improve after about seven to 10 days, then you may have also developed a bacterial infection, such as a sinus infection, rhinitis and bronchitis or any other infection caused by bacteria. Now it is time to get a prescription from your doctor for complete remission. l Dr Sajol Ashfaq is Associate Professor, ENT Department, Holy Family Red Crescent Medical College Hospital, Dhaka.

How to calculate 8 glasses of water a day Generally it is known that eight glasses of water are needed for an adult to maintain normal functions of the body.

When you are calculating eight glasses of water a day, can you include tea, coffee and other fluids? Yes, your daily fluid intake doesn’t have to come in the form of water. While water is best, milk, juice, tea, coffee, cordial, soft drinks, sports drinks, even ice-blocks, can also provide additional fluids. And don’t forget food. Some foods contain high amounts of fluid; custard, jelly, ice-cream, soup and broth all add to your daily fluid intake. Don’t forget, you need to drink more fluids if it is a hot day, you are doing strenuous activity, or are ill, to prevent dehydration. l

Blank spot in your vision

Medicines in the kitchen cabinet

There’s more to turmeric than spicing up a curry. Research shows it has many benefits and may help ward off dementia and reduce your risk of cancer.

Curcumin – the active ingredient in turmeric – could potentially ward off dementia and prevent cancer. Researchers believe that curcumin’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties may be strong enough to break down the amyloid plaques in the brain that contribute to Alzheimer’s disease.

Natural remedies for period cramps Cramps result from hormonal fluctuations, specifically the action of prostaglandins that cause the muscles in the uterus to tighten. When you feel cramps coming on, go for a walk or swim, as exercise helps to inhibit prostaglandin production and boosts painkilling endorphins. Soaking in a hot bath helps to relax knotted up muscles in the uterus.

You can also tame cramps with ginger tea, which works by inhibiting the production of prostaglandins. Supplementing with calcium and magnesium may also help, as calcium is a natural muscle relaxant and magnesium is a nerve tonic. Essential fatty acids slow down the production of prostaglandins, which cause cramps, so ensure your levels are optimal by taking 1,000-3,000mg evening primrose oil or 1-2 tablespoons of flaxseed oil daily. l

FOOD THERAPY

Turmeric prevents dementia

QUICK TIPS

intestinal gas, nausea, and vomiting.

Clove is applied directly to the gums (used topically) for toothache, for pain control during dental work, and for a complication of tooth extraction called “dry socket.” It is also applied to the skin as a counterirritant for pain and for mouth and throat inflammation.

Capsaicin is the active component of chili peppers. It lowers cholesterol levels and reduces the tendency for blood clots, which also reduces your risk of heart attack. Some people get heartburn from this, so it is best to take this just before eating a meal. Capsaicin also helps you lose weight because it boosts metabolism, which is also an added benefit for a healthy heart

The most common cause of deteriorating eyesight is Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD); AMD is a common eye condition among people LIFELINE aged 50 and older. It causes damage to the macula, a small spot near the centre of the retina and the part of the eye needed for sharp, central vision, which lets us see objects that are straight ahead. The macula is made up of millions of light-sensing cells. It is the most sensitive part of the retina, which is located at the back of the eye.

Science

cur for a long time. In others, the disease progresses faster and may lead to a loss of vision in one or both eyes. If you’re developing AMD, you will find it difficult to see what’s in front of you.

The macula, responsible for central vision, isn’t functioning as it was and you need central vision for reading, driving and TV. It doesn’t cause blindness, though, because it doesn’t affect peripheral or side vision. There is the dry kind, which comes on gradually and is the most common, and the wet, which can be sudden.

AMD is associated with smoking (and the risk is still there, even 15 years after you’ve given up) and having a high BMI.

Tips

Be sure to get lots of monounsaturated fats, especially Omega-3.

Take fish oil supplements if you can’t stand the taste of fish.

Polyunsaturates can help to protect you from AMD.

Warnings

If you think you have AMD, see your eye specialist. It’s important that wet cases are identified as there are treatments that slow its progress. Lifestyle changes, Vitamins C and E, zinc, lutein, Anti-VEGF injection therapy, photodynamic therapy, and laser surgery are the options of treatment according to the stage of the disease. l

Garlic for a good heart

Onion protects from cancer

A clove of garlic taken daily will help lower blood cholesterol levels by about 9%. It can also lower triglycerides and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels. Garlic also makes blood platelets less sticky, so they do not adhere to the walls of your heart’s arteries, forming dangerous blood clots and plaque. It also lowers blood pressure and improves the flow of blood to all organs. To avoid garlic breath, you can take Kyolic, a liquid odorless garlic preparation.

Multiple studies show onions to be a food that provides protection for the heart and blood vessels when consumed in a diet that is rich in other vegetables and fruits – especially flavonoid-containing vegetables and fruits.

The benefits of onions in this overall dietary context extend to prevention of heart attack. Onions can help increase our bone density and may be of special benefit to women of menopausal age who are experiencing loss of bone density. Due to its high sulfur content, onions may provide direct benefits to our connective tissue. Onions have repeatedly been shown to lower our risk of several cancers, even when we consume them in only moderate amounts.

“Moderate” generally means 1-2 times per week, even though in some studies it has been used to mean up to 5-6 times per week. l

| Compiled by: Shirsho Sikder

In some people, AMD advances so slowly that vision loss does not oc-

Dr Bazlul Bai Bhuyan is a Consultant Eye Specialist at Harun Eye Foundation, Dhaka.

Noise inside the ears DID YOU KNOW?

Rocky, a 24-yearold varsity student, seeks medical attention, being worried about his ears. He is noticing a constant buzzing noise in both his ears for the

last 12 hours.

When asked, he reveals that he is a metal music lover and used to hear music on an MP3 player throughout the day. After excluding all other possibilities, the doctor says it is “tinnitus.”

Tinnitus is a constant ringing, buzzing or whistling noise in one or both of your ears, anywhere inside of your head. It is neither related to any psychiatric condition, nor does

it come from any external source as no one else can hear it. It is always there and you will never get a break till it stops.

Most experience this temporarily, perhaps for a few hours after a concert, but it becomes a problem when the noise persists or increases. In rare instances it may become permanent.

Though it is more common in people over the age of 40, it is becoming increasingly prevalent in young people due to their unrestrained use of MP3 players, iPod, and personal stereos.

Anyone can suffer from tinnitus but it is more common in people who suffer from hearing loss. l

Voice rest is the main treatment Change in the voice is a common problem among professional voice users.

Singers, teachers, news readers, and mothers of toddlers are mainly affected. Here, the change in the voice box, or larynx, happens due to overuse or faulty use of one’s voice. If this condition is prolonged for more than a week then it turns into inflammatory condition laryngitis. When we talk, both vocal cords come into close contact and voice is produced. But repeated friction of vocal cords make them inflamed and the voice’s quality deteriorates. Unfortunately, it is an occupational hazard. Initially no medication is needed to restore the voice. The best way to get the voice back is to just be quiet – don’t even whisper because, funnily enough, that can be just as much of a strain on your vocal cords as a shout can. Use a calling bell to call somebody. Communicate with others by sign language or by writing. Take adequate water. Inhale vapour. l

| Compiled by: Dr Kazi Mahbuba Akhtar

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Transport strike causes sufferings to city dwellers The strike largely affected normal city life as government and private sectors scheduled their different programmes yesterday many works remained pending for the n BSS weekend.

Transport strike, enforced by the transport owners and workers association, caused immense sufferings to the city dwellers as well as commuters yesterday.

Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan MalikSramik Oikya Parishad, an association of transport owners and workers, enforced the day-long 12-hour strike from 6am yesterday in protest against killing of Khairul Alam Mollah, the secretary general of Sayedabad Bus Terminal Owners Association and organising secretary of ruling Awami League’s Demra unit.

Miscreants shot and hacked Khairul to death on Tuesday at Samobaoy Bank Bhaban in capital’s Motijheel area.

Despite being weekly holiday, the strike largely affected normal city life as government and private sectors scheduled their different programmes including the examinations of Junior School Certificate (JSC) and tests for other jobs and businesses on yesterday.

Being frustrated, the city dwellers said they were really in a fix what to do as just a day after the 60-hour shutdown, called by BNP-led 18-party alliance, the transports strike multiplied the miseries of the commuters as

31 Bangladeshis arrested while going to India illegally n Our Correspondent, Jessore Members of Border Guard Bangladesh picked up 31 Bangladeshis from Putkhali frontier under Benapole port police station while they were going to India illegally.

Of the arrestees, 13 were female, 17 male and one child.

Taef-ul-Haq, commanding officer, 23 Border Guard Battalion confirmed that the 31 were detained.

Acting on a tip-off, the BGB men nabbed the Bangladeshis from Putkhali frontier while they were going to India illegally around 6am yesterday.

The arrestees were handed over to Benapole port station police.

A case was lodged with the police station in this regard. l

BNP faction protest hartal in Khagrachhari n Our Correspondent, Khagrachhari Leaders of the BNP Khagrachari unit called a press conference yesterday protesting the half-day general strike called by BNP central committee member Shamiran Dewan in the city today.

They said Shamiron had no right to call a hartal as he had been an inactive member of the committee.

Despite holding a membership, Shamiron had never played any role in the anti-government movement led by the unit, alleged Senior Vice President of the unit Prabin Chandra Chakma while reading out the press statement.

“Since the election is nearing, Shamiron is trying to uphold himself as an active member just to get a nomination.

He wants to contest in the poll from Khagrachari constituency,” he added.

He also said Shamiron had never participated in a single programme organised by the central committee of BNP in the district, however, now he was trying to prove himself as an active BNP leader, which is a farce.

He never stood beside the district BNP or its front organisation leaders, who were tortured and harassed by the ruling party men in last five years, continued Prabin.

“How can a floating leader impose half-day long hartal in the district using the banner of BNP?” asked Prabin.

He warned that Shamiron must not use BNP’s name for his narrow interests and that legal actions would be taken against him if he violated party rules.

The leaders convened mass people of the district to oppose the hartal.

District BNP acting Press Secretary Abu Taleb, Organising Secretary Mustafizur Rahman Millat, District unit Chhatra Dal General Secretary Ibrahim Khalil spoke among others.

Shamiran Dewan called the strike yesterday after police restricted him on his way to place a floral wreath on the monument of Ziaur Rahman on the occasion of Jatiyo Biplob o Shanghati Dibosh. l

“Post-hartal transport strike increased our agony .My kid will sit for Junior School Certificate (JSC) examination today at Segun Bagicha High School but there is no transports here,” said Rokeya Jamshed, a mother of a JSC examinee at Rayerbagh bus stand at about 11am.

There were some private vehicles and rickshaws on the street but they were demanding extra fare taking the advantages of bus strike.

Siab Uddin, an empolyee at a private office, said the office failed to function during the three-day hartal, so it was scheduled to be opened yesterday.

“I came out from my Mohammadpur residence for my Motijheel office, I tried to rent a CNG-run three-wheeler, but the driver demanded Taka 350,” he said.

Rickshaws and auto-rickshaws dominated the city streets. However, no long-route bus left Mohakhali, Sayedabad and Gabtoli terminals in the morning.

Meanwhile, the transport owners and workers association reduced the day-long strike by six hours to last it till 12pm in view of the inconveniences of the JSC examinees. l

A group of students ride a rickshaw-van to go to school since bus services were at halt as its owners observed a strike till noon yesterday

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Bangladesh launches country action plan for clean cookstoves

Touchstone statue seized, one held in city

n Aminur Rahman Rasel

n Kailash Sarkar

The power division has launched Country Action Plan for Clean Cookstoves (CAP) to develop and scale-up clean cookstove market in the country aiming to address health hazards and protect the environment.

According to the division, the clean cooking solution programme will completely be achieved in the country by 2030.

The action plan will be implemented by the power division with assistance from three development partners – Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves (GACC), SNV and GIZ. The action plan was launched at the Mukti Hall in the Bidyut Bhaban on Thursday.

Clean cooking solutions are technologies, fuels, equipment, and practices that address the health and environ-

mental impacts associated with traditional cooking stoves.

The government has planned to promote improved cooking stoves, known as Bondhu Chula, as well as the use of bio-gas and bio-mass, three popular clean cooking solutions that are currently used in the country.

Natural gas and Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is also another form of clean cooking solution, but supply of these is not sufficient and they are not cost effective.

At present, the monthly tariffs of natural gas for domestic cooking for a single burner and a double burner stove are Tk400 and Tk450 respectively.

In comparison, average monthly expenditure on domestic cooking by an average family using firewood, kerosene and LPG stood at Tk1500, Tk1700 and Tk1600 respectively.

Kerosene, cow-dung, crop residue

and wood are not means of clean cooking, but are widely used in Bangladesh.

Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, adviser to the Prime Minister, attended the program as the chief guest.

Putting emphasis on the importance of research in this area, he said: “Bangladesh would become a focus country for action not only because of the great need for access to improved cooking stoves and cleaner fuels among its population, but also because of the government’s strong commitment in addressing this issue.”

He then officially unveiled the country action plan of the government.

Secretary of Power Division Monowar Islam and Corinne Hart, program manager, Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves were also present on the occasion as special guests.

“Age old cooking practices in the country are of cause severe health

hazards in women and their family members, who breathe the dangerous smoke. It also has devastating impact on the environment.” Monowar said.

Highlighting the different features of the clean cookstoves campaign, Corinne Hart, said: “It is clear that a market for affordable, accessible, clean and efficient cooking solutions at scale is ready to be unleashed in Bangladesh, and the alliance looks forward to continuing its close work with the national government, NGOs, and private enterprises to enable that market and save and improve the lives and environment of millions of Bangladeshis in the process.”

To provide a better idea on what clean cooking stoves are and how they work serving diverse utilities, different types of clean cooking stoves were put on display at the ceremony. l

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab 2) personnel have seized a touchstone Hindu idol of Krishna, weighing four kilograms, from the capital’s Mohammadpur early yesteray.

Members of the elite force also arrested a person in this connection.

The arrestee is Haiyul Islam, 30, a member of a statue smuggling gang.

Rab 2 Operation Officer Raihan Uddin Khan told the Dhaka Tribune that acting on a tip-off, a team of Rab 2 led by Major Himadri Shekhar seized the statue and arrested Haiyul.

Later, he was handed over to the Mohammadpur police station, said Raihan.

The market value of the touchstone idol was estimated at Tk 3m by the Rab officers. l

Kids hawking tobacco products defying law n UNB

A procession was brought out in the city yesterday, protesting attack on Hindu community people in Pabna

BYLC, DYD sign MoU to work for youth development n Tribune Report Bangladesh Youth Leadership Centre signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Youth Development, Ministry of Youth and Sports, in an effort to collaborate for youth development.

Ejaj Ahmad, president of Bangladesh Youth Leadership Centre (BYLC), and Asit Kumar Mukutmoni, director general, Department of Youth Development (DYD), Ministry of Youth and Sports, signed the agreement in a ceremony held on Thursday in the city, according to a press release.

The MoU, a public-private partner-

ship, aims to amalgamate BYLC’s leadership training experience and DYD’s massive outreach to provide a platform for the youth.

Asit Kumar Mukutmoni said, “The partnership between DYD and BYLC is a promising one as it will bring in fresh and innovative approaches to youth development in Bangladesh.”

Ejaj Ahmad hoped this partnership would prove to be a symbiotic one through which BYLC and DYD could achieve their common goal of making the youth of Bangladesh more competent.

The senior management of BYLC and DYD were also present during the signing ceremony. l

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Fire catches at thread factory in Chittagong n Tribune Desk A massive fire broke out in a thread factory in Balurchhara area of Baizid thana in the port city on Thursday night.

Fire Service sources said the fire originated from electric short circuit in the store room of Ibarahim Cotton Mills, a concern of PHP group, around 10 pm and soon spread to the whole factory.

On information, three firefighting units rushed to the spot and doused the blaze after two hours of frantic efforts. However, none was injured in the blaze.

Preliminary estimate put the loss from fire at about Tk5m – Tk6m. l

Among Dhaka city’s street vendors many are young children. All try to earn money to support their families selling their products in many ways, but it is very shocking to see young children vending cigarettes in front of the Parliament where a law was amended banning the use of children in marketing and distribution of tobacco products.

Some 20-30 very young vendors are seen selling cigarettes and bidi every day at Manik Mia Avenue and around Jatiya Sangsad area, which is illegal according to the Smoking and Use of Tobacco (Control) Amendment) Act 2013, passed on May 2 last.

Not only Manik Mia Avenue, but also Chandrima Udyan, Suhrawardy Udyan, Shahbagh Intersection, Ramna Park, Dhaka University campus, and many other places of this densely populated mega city where children vend cigarette and bidi as authorities concerned give a blind eye to it.

Cigarette stall owners also care little about the provision that restricts selling tobacco products to children.

As per the clause 6(a) of the amended act, selling tobacco products to the persons less than 18 years and to use such young persons in marketing and distributing the tobacco products are punishable offences.

If anyone violates the provision, s/ he will be fined maximum Tk5,000.

And in case of repeated violation, the fine will be increased double for each repetition.

Some of these little vendors said they were engaged forcefully in the sale of tobacco products by their parents or guardians to support their poor families.

Russell, 9, who hails from Mymensingh and vends in Manik Mia Avenue says his father engaged him in cigarette vending against his will.

Manik, 11, also from Mymensingh, and Aman, 12, from Gaibanda are also among

the children who vend cigarette at Manik Miah Avenue. They say their daily transaction is Tk1,000-1,500 each a day.

Unaware about the law, Manik says no one, not even the police, tell them that what they are doing is wrong.

Pintu, 12, who vends cigarette and candy at Suhrawardy Udyan, says his mother has asked him to do so he has nothing to do without this.

Sajal, 12, who vends cigarettes and bidi in front of the National Museum, says his paternal uncle, Sijeel, employed him in the business.

Sijeel, who lives in city’s Chankharpool area, says he has no knowledge that the use of children in the marketing is illegal. “We earn money with labour, why it should be illegal!” he wonders.

Aminul Ahsan, project manager of the National Tobacco Control Cell under the Health Ministry, told UNB that employing children in selling tobacco products is not only illegal as per the tobacco control act, but it is also unlawful as per the children law.

As using children in the marketing or distributing tobacco product is cognizable offence, law-enforcement officials, including police, have the authority to arrest any such offender.

Taifur Rahman, advocacy and media coordinator (Bangladesh) at Campaign for ‘Tobacco-free Kids’, said the sale of tobacco products by children vendors is absolutely illegal.

“In no way the offence should be allowed to go on. Many children are now tobacco vendors. The authorities concerned should concentrate on curbing the offence right now. Otherwise, the number of child vendors will increase in the coming days,” he said.

The punishment for the cognizable offense is maximum Tk100,000 fine or three month’s jail term, he noted.

Tobacco companies also look least bothered about abiding by the law as they concentrate more on boosting their sales. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Derailment halt train service for three hours in Mymensingh n Our Correspondent, Mymensingh Train communication from Mymensingh to other parts of the country was disrupted for around three hours as the engine of a Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (Demu) commuter train derailed near the outer signal of Mymensingh railway station yesterday morning.

Railway sources said the engine of the Mymensingh-bound Demu train got derailed when it was coming from Kewatkhali Locomotive shed around 9:30am.

The train was scheduled to go to Joydevpur in Gazipur from Mymensingh.

Following the accident, train communication on Dhaka- Mymensingh, Mymensingh-Bhairab in Kishoreganj and Mymensingh-Netrokona got disrupted for three hours, causing people’s suffering.

On information, a relief train went to the spot and recovered the derailed engine around 12:30pm, Abu Taher, superintendent at Mymensingh Railway Station, said.

A good number of people were seen waiting for the train at different railway stations of the district. l

7

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Three held with stolen car in Jhenaidah n Our Correspondent, Jhenaidah

Goods-laden trucks are stranded in a long tailback created in Mirsharai on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway yesterday. A heavy rush of vehicles after back-to-back hartal is the main reason for the traffic jam DHAKA TRIBUNE

Three members of an inter-district car theft gang were arrested along with a stolen car by Rapid Action Battalion in the early hours of yesterday from Kotchandpur, Jhenaidah.

The law enforcers also recovered Tk366,000 cash and seized five cellular phone sets from their possessions.

The arrested were Badal Hawlader, son of Samsul Alam Hawlader of Uttar Katadia under Bakerganj in Barisal, Ratan Das, son of Mantu Das of Fatepur under Brahmanbaria, and Fazlur Rahman, son of late Afsar Mandal of Molladanga village in Kaliganj upazila of Jhenaidah.

Squadron Leader Niaz Mohammad Faisal, Jhenaidah Rab camp commander, said acting on a tip-off, Rab officials had challenged a private car near Seikhhati village under Kotchandpur upazila of the district.

The three arrestees initially did not admit to the theft of the car and tried to motivate the officials but at one stage they had admitted that the car was stolen from Dhaka on October 20, the camp commander added.

A case was filed with Kotchandpur police station in this connection. l

Coliform in Barisal hotels’ drinking water Three pirates killed in Noakhali ‘shootout’

DoE finds Coliform Bacteria in the drinking water from 77.5% hotels and restaurants “Testing for bacteria is the only re- tube wells, and preserve them in plasoffice of the DoE, said they n Anisur Rahman Swapan, Barisal regional n Tribune Desk started serving notices to the hotels liable way to learn if the water you are tic containers. And now DoE is claiming The department of environment (DoE), in a recent drive found Coliform Bacteria in the drinking water from 77.5% hotels and restaurants in Barisal metropolitan city.

Mahmud Hasan, research analyst at the department’s Barisal office said they examined samples of drinking water from 120 hotels and restaurants of the city in last six months and presence of coliform bacteria was seen in 97 of them.

After the completion of the test on October 31, DoE found that only 23 out of the 120 hotels and restaurants had presence of coliform bacteria at a tolerable limit, he said.

Sukumar Biswas, director, Barisal

and restaurants in Barisal city to ensure safe drinking water after the bacteria was found in their water sample.

Under the Environment Conservation Act 1995 (amended in 2013), one could be sentenced to a year in prison and fined Tk200,000 while Environment Conservation Rules 1997 sanctioned two years imprisonment and Tk1m in monetary penalty for supplying polluted drinking water to the customers of hotels and restaurants, Sukumar Biswas said.

“When presence of coliforms are detected, repairs or modifications of the water system is required thus we have instructed the hotels and restaurants to do so as early as possible,” he said.

using is safe. You cannot say by the look, taste, or smell of the water if disease-causing organisms are in it”, said Dr Prodip Kumar Banik, pathologist of Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital (SBMCH).

“If coliform bacteria is present in your drinking water, your risk of contracting a waterborne illnesses increase,” said Dr Mizanur Rahman, former resident medical officer of Barisal General Hospital.

Sudam Ghosh, one of the leaders of hotel-restaurant owners’ association in the city, said: “Supply of safe drinking water was the duty of the City Corporation. But as the supply is mostly insufficient, we usually collect water from

they are contaminated with coliform bacteria.”

Md Motaleb, Barisal City Corporation executive engineer acknowledged that at present they could only meet only 40-50% demand of water in the city due to lack of infrastructure.”

However, once the ongoing work of two surface water treatment plants to supply refined water from the Kirtankhola River is complete, BCC could fulfil the demand, he said.

Dr Amitav Sarkar, medicine specialist of SBMCH suggested boiling the water until disinfection after receiving from any supply source. A defective well can often be the cause of the presence of coliform bacteria, he said. l

Three suspected pirates, including their ringleader, were killed in a ‘shootout’ with police in Char Majid area of Surbarnachar upazila in Noakhali early yesterday.

Five police personnel were also injured in the gun fight.

The deceased were identified as Kalu, 42, ringleader of notorious pirate gang ‘Kalu Bahini’, and his two cohorts Ripon, 35, and Rubel, 37.

Superintendent of Police of the district Anisur Rahman said they had come to know that a gang of pirates had been taking preparation to commit robbery in Char Majid area of Surbarnachar, reports UNB. On the basis of the information, a

Vegetables cultivation makes 30,000 families self-reliant n Tribune Desk

A man extract juice from a date palm tree at Saltha upazila in Faridpur

Examinee jailed for question paper leakage n UNB A mobile court yesterday sentenced an examinee of primary school teachers’ recruitment test to two years jail for his involvement in the question paper leakage.

The convict was GM Ajmir Hossain, 28, of Jetua village in Tala upazila. He was an examinee at the Satkhira Women College centre.

College sources said Executive Magistrate Pintu Bepari detained Ajmir along with prepared answer paper for the examination to recruit primary school teachers across the country.

After being certain of question paper leakage through scrutiny, the executive magistrate handed down the verdict against Ajmir. Police later sent him to jail. l

FOCUS BANGLA

Over 30,000 poor families of 250 villages in five districts of Rangpur division have achieved self-reliance through vegetables cultivation.

Most of them were in abject poverty in the remote and sandy chars in Rangpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Nilphamari, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon and Panchagarh districts before taking up vegetables farming as the means of their subsistence.

Now they are leading a better life with three-time meals in a day, sanitary facilities and their children going to schools and NGO-run informal educational institutions and dreaming for a better life in the desired developed Bangladesh.

Public representatives and officials in the district and upazila administrations said those, who were extremely poor five years ago, are now leading, somewhat, a solvent life only because of the vegetables farming both in their crop lands and homesteads.

DAE officials said vegetables are being cultivated on more than 156,000 hectares of land including the vast tracts

of sandy-barren char areas now with the total acreage increasing every year.

Besides, homestead vegetables gardening in recent years in the vast char areas by the women with the assistances of the Chars Livelihoods Programme has also brought a revolutionary change in the economy of char life and women empowerment there.

With the help of NGOs and other organisations, huge quantities of vegetables are being produced in 45 char-village of the Teesta basin under Gangachara, Pirgachha and Kawnia upazilas in Rangpur, changing the lives of over 18,000 families so far.

“Farmers are selling around 20,000 tonnes of vegetables every year alone in Aditmari upazila of Lalmonirhat district and our total income will be higher if we get proper marketing and preservation facilities,” said farmer Parvez Alam.

“I earn Tk350,000 every year by cultivating snake gourd on my land and farming of this variety of vegetable has brought happiness in my family, he said.

Abdul Kuddus of Komlabari village is now well known as `Chichinga (snake

gourd) Kuddus’ and Abdul Matin as `Korola (bitter gourd) Matin’ as both the farmers brought about a revolutionary change in their lives by producing these two varieties of vegetables at initial stages.

The villagers grow vegetables like bitter gourd, snake gourd, string beans, pointed gourd, stuffed teasel gourd, gourd, brinjal, cauliflower, chilly, onion and garlic.

Agriculture and Environment Coordinator of RDRS Bangladesh Mamunur Rashid said vegetables farming had brought about a revolutionary change in the rural economy in these areas.

“The growers do not always get better prices of their produces as the middlemen vegetable traders are generally being found to be the main beneficiaries due to the lack of adequate marketing and preservation facilities in the area,” he said.

Executive Director of Northbengal Institute of Development Studies Dr Syed Samsuzzaman called for setting up agro-based industries and processing plants for better preservation and processing facilities to make vegetables farming even more profitable. l

Seven killed, 55 injured in separate accidents n Tribune Report

A total of seven people were killed and 55 injured in separate incidents around the country yesterday.

In Narail, a man was killed and another left critically injured in a road accident in Kalnaghat area at Lohagora upazila in the evening, reports our correspondent.

The dead Waliur Rahman Sheikh, 60, succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

Police said a motorcycle collided head-on with a mini-truck around 5:30pm. Locals took them to Lohagora Upazila Health Complex, where Waliur succumbed to his injuries.

In Comilla, two people were killed after a covered-van rammed into a motorcycle on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway at Harialpara in Burichang upazila, reports UNB.

One of the deceased was identified as Tahmina, 24, an examinee of primary teachers’ recruitment.

Mashiur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Maynamati Highway police station, said the accident took place around 9:30am and had left the two people on the motorcycle spot dead. Police recovered the bodies and sent them to a hospital morgue for autopsy, he added.

In Gopalganj, a minor girl was killed in a road accident near Bedhgram on the Dhaka-Khulna Highway, reports BSS. The dead Sima Khanam, 7, was daughter of Iskandar Kazi.

Officer-in-Charge of Gopalganj Sadar police station Zakir Hossain Mollah said Sima Khanam was seriously injured when a mechanised vehicle locally known as Mahendra hit her while she was crossing the highway to go to home.

She was declared dead by the on duty doctors at Gopalganj Sadar Hos-

pital after she was taken there by the locals.

Police seized the vehicle, however, the driver managed the escape. A case was filed in this connection with Gopalganj Sadar police station.

In Chapainawabganj, a woman was killed and four others were injured after a truck collided head-on with a human-hauler on the Chapainawabganj-Sonamasjid Highway near Saharatala under Shibganj upazila, reports BSS. The deceased was identified as Piara Begum, 43.

Police sources said the accident had occurred around 9am, leaving five persons injured.

The injured were sent to Shibganj Upazila Health Complex where Piara succumbed to her injuries.

In Gaibandha, two children, cousins, were killed after being hit by an inter-city train in the afternoon at the

outer signal point in Trimohini Rail Junction area in the sadar upazila.

The dead were Zahid Miah, 12, and Sheela, aged about 12 months.

Locals said Zahid and Sheela, who came to attend a function at their relative’s house, went out to see the railway track near their house around noon and were playing over it. A Dhaka-bound Lalmoni Express train from Lalmonirhat reached the area around 2pm and ran over the two, leaving Sheela spot dead.

Zahid, in critical condition, was taken to Gaibandha Sadar Hospital, where the duty doctor declared him dead.

Meanwhile in Natore, at least 50 people were left injured after two buses collided head-on on the Natore-Rajshahi Highway near Takia area of the sadar upazila, reports UNB. The injured were admitted to Natore Sadar, Puthia and Rajshahi Medical College hospitals. l

team of police conducted a drive in the area at 12 noon.

Sensing the presence of police, the pirates opened fire on the law enforcers forcing them to fire back, triggering a gunfight, leaving Kalu and his two associates dead on the spot.

Later, police recovered the bodies and sent those to Noakhali Medical College Hospital morgue for post-mortem examination.

The gunfight also left five policemen injured.

Kalu was wanted in several cases, including for murder, kidnap and extortion, said police sources.

A shooter gun, two rounds of bullet, three cartridges, one rocket launcher and three sharp weapons were recovered from the scene. l

NEWS IN BRIEF Tk1.2m looted from Jhenaidah house Robbers looted money from a businessman’s house at Mohila College Para in Kaliganj upazila on Thursday.

Witnesses said Liton withdraw Tk1.2m from the National Bank Kaliganj branch for business purpose in the afternoon. A gang of robbers, consisting of 3-4 members, probably informed from a secret source, stormed the house of Liton and looted the money after taking the house inmates hostage at gunpoint around 9pm. Law enforcers from Kaliganj police station visited the spot. – UNB

Abducted fishermen rescued from Sundarban

Bangladesh Coast Guard (CG) West Zone rescued three fishermen in a drive at Sapkhali Canal area under Koyra upazila, Khulna yesterday. The robbers kidnapped the fishermen a week ago for ransom, said a Coast Guard press release issued by Lt. Emdad Ullah of Coast Guard West Zone. Acting on a tip off, they raided a den of forest robber Aminur, chief of “Aminur Bahinee” at Sapmari canal area in the morning.

Sensing the presence of law enforcers, the robbers fled the scene, leaving three abducted fishermen. They are Helal, 20, Nuruzzaman, 22, and Noor Mohammad, 23, all from Napitkhali village under Shyamnagar upazila in Satkhira. They were handed over to their family members after getting first aid at Koyra Coast Guard Station, the releases said. – UNB

Robbery at expat’s house in Narayanganj A gang of robbers looted valuables, including 45 tolas of gold jewellery, worth Tk2.4m from the house of an Italian expatriate Ferdous Al Arafat in Masdair Sher-e-Bangla Road area of Fatullah early yesterday. Arafat’s father Abul Bashar said about 8-10 masked dacoits stormed into his house around 3am by breaking open the locks of the collapsible gate. The dacoits looted 45 tolas of gold jewellery, Tk150,000 in cash and other valuables from the house, keeping all the family members hostage at gun point. Akter Hossain, officer-in-charge of Fatullah Model police station, said they were trying to arrest the alleged robbers and to recover the valuables. – UNB

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Palestinians say Israel ‘only suspect’ in Arafat death n AFP, Ramallah Palestinian investigators accused Israel of being the “only suspect” in Yasser Arafat’s death on Friday, a day after Swiss laboratory experts said tests suggested he was killed by polonium poisoning.

The Palestinian president died in Paris in 2004, and the Palestinian government in Ramallah demanded France send it the results of a probe launched there over a year ago as soon as possible.

“We say that Israel is the one and only suspect in the case of Yasser Arafat’s assassination, and we will continue to carry out a thorough investigation to find out and confirm all the details and all elements of the case,” said Tawfiq Tirawi, the head of the Palestinian Authority’s inquiry into the death.

Tirawi said Palestinian investigators had studied the findings of Swiss scientists released this week which “moderately” supported the notion that Arafat had been poisoned.

“This is the crime of the 21st century,” Tirawi told a news conference in Ramallah. “The fundamental (goal) is to find out who is behind the liquidation of Yasser Arafat.”

Since Arafat’s death, Palestinian society has long given currency to the rumour that he was murdered, with Israel the party most often blamed.

But there has never been any proof.

Following Tirawi’s allegations, Israel once again firmly denied killing Arafat.

“I will state this as simply and clearly as I can: Israel did not kill Arafat, period. And that’s all there is to it,” foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor told AFP. “The Palestinians should stop levelling all these groundless accusations at Israel without the slightest proof.

Israel did not do it,” he said. “Enough is enough.”

Arafat died in France on November 11, 2004 at the age of 75 after falling sick a month earlier, but doctors were unable to specify the cause of death and no post-mortem was carried out at the time.

In November 2012, his remains were exhumed and samples taken, partly to investigate whether he had been poisoned with polonium – a suspicion that grew after the assassination in that manner of Russian ex-spy and Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko in London in 2006.

Speaking to reporters in Lausanne on Thursday, the Swiss team said the test results neither confirmed nor denied polonium was the actual cause of his death, although they provided “moderate” backing for the idea he was poisoned by the rare and highly radioactive element.

‘France knows the truth’ They said the quantity of the deadly substance found on his remains pointed to the involvement of a third party.

“We can’t say that polonium was the source of his death... nor can we rule it out,” said Professor Francois Bochud of the Lausanne Institute of Applied Radiophysics.

Bochud’s lab measured levels of polonium up to 20 times higher than it is used to detecting.

Palestinian justice minister Ali Mhanna at Friday’s news conference urged France to send findings from its investigation.

“We’ve so far received no response from the French side. We’ve sent a letter to the French demanding they accelerate the sending of results, and we’re still waiting,” said Mhanna.

“From the beginning the French have told us they can’t send the results until there’s Franco-Palestinian judicial cooperation.”

Tirawi declared that “France knows the whole truth and details of the martyrdom of Yasser Arafat.”

Some 60 samples were taken from Arafat’s remains in November 2012 and divided between Swiss and Russian investigators and a French team carrying out a probe at his widow’s request.

So far, there has been no word on the French or the Russian test results.

North Korea warns of ‘merciless’ action to stop kidnapping

n AFP, Seoul North Korea on Friday warned of “merciless” action to stop the alleged abduction of its citizens by South Korean spy agents and activists.

The North singled out South Korea’s spy agency chief Nam Jae-Joon as the first target of its action.

“The puppet group’s plot... is a virtual declaration of war against us,” the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea said in a statement.

Stern and merciless action will be taken immediately “to physically remove hideous criminals and dirty people,” it said.

The committee accused the South of using North Korean defectors for an espionage mission, or to slander Pyongyang, it said.

The statement, carried by the North’s official news agency, accused South Korea’s spy agency of conspiring with Christian and other activists to kidnap North Koreans.

The North insists many of its citizens have been lured away from their homeland by South Korean government-sponsored human traffickers posing as religious activists.

The statement came a day after the North said a South Korean spy was captured recently while trying to use “dishonest elements” for a mission to destablise its social system.

The North said the spy had been engaged in “plot-breeding activities” in a third country bordering the North while disguising himself as a religionist.

The South’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) rejected the North’s claim as “absurd and totally groundless.” l

Palestinian officials on Thursday demanded an international inquiry into Arafat’s “killing.”

“The results prove Arafat was poisoned by polonium,” said senior Pal-

estine Liberation Organisation official Wasel Abu Yusef.

“This substance is owned by states, not people, meaning that the crime was committed by a state,” he told AFP,

AP

calling for an “international committee” to probe the killing along the lines of the one that investigated the 2005 murder of Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri.l

US, Israel lose UNESCO voting right in dispute

Tajik president reelected in landslide victory n AP, Dushanbe Tajikistan’s president has won a fourth term in an election that has been criticized by Western observers and extends his more than 20-year rule in the ex-Soviet Central Asian nation.

The Central Election Commission said Thursday that Emomali Rakhmon won 83.6 percent of the vote, but monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the top trans-Atlantic security and rights group, criticized the previous day’s vote.

They say that state media had been dominated by coverage of Rakhmon’s campaign and that registration requirements were designed to limit competition.

“While quiet and peaceful, this was an election without a real choice,” Gerdana Comic, Special Coordinator for the OSCE mission, said in a news conference in Dushanbe.

The Tajik government long has drawn criticism for its crackdown on dissent and its tight grip on the media.

Authorities in the impoverished Sunni Muslim nation of 8 million have sought to exploit public fears of a replay of a bloody civil war of the 1990s, casting the opposition as a threat to the country’s stability. l

A poster of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in the West Bank city of Ramallah

n AP, Paris

Myanmar’s Princess Hteik Su Phaya Gyi showing oil paintings

Myanmar’s forgotten royals n AFP, Yangon In a modest Yangon apartment, the granddaughter of Myanmar’s last king lives poor and unrecognised by her neighbours – a far cry from the power and riches of her ancestor. Princess Hteik Su Phaya Gyi said the childhood days when her family had a bevy of servants and retained some of its royal status were now a distant memory.

The British colonial regime dethroned her grandfather King Thibaw in 1885 and later the military junta, which ruled the country for decades, kept the family out of the public eye. “They didn’t want us to be somebody,” said the silver-haired princess, swathed in a shimmering purple shawl worn especially for the rare interview.

“I have lived as an ordinary person for 60 years,” she told AFP. “Of course I repent a little over the

AFP

glorious times that we had when we were young,” she said, displaying a lively wit undimmed by her 90 years. The demolition of the monarchy, at the end of the third and final war that brought the nation firmly under the colonial yoke, smashed centuries of royal rule in the country then called Burma.

Thibaw and his wife, Queen Supayalat, were swiftly and unceremoniously removed from Myanmar and deposited in the small Indian seaside town of Ratnagiri.

Thibaw died in India aged 56 in 1916, shortly after suffering a heart attack, and the family eventually fractured.

Some settled in India while others made their lives in Myanmar, which remained part of the British empire until 1948 and came under junta rule in 1962.

A cloak of silence was thrown over the monarchy by successive Myanmar regimes that viewed it as a potential rival. l

American influence in culture, science and education around the world took a high-profile blow Friday after the US automatically lost voting rights at UNESCO, after missing a crucial deadline to repay its debt to the world’s cultural agency.

The US hasn’t paid its dues to the Paris-based UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in protest over the decision by world governments to make Palestine a UNESCO member in 2011. Israel suspend-

Egypt polls in February or March: ministry

n AFP, Rome

Egypt is to hold parliamentary elections in February or March, two months after the country votes on a new constitution, a foreign ministry official said on Friday.

The official said the schedule, in line with a timetable set out by the country’s interim president, was on track.

Preparations for presidential elections will start within two months after the end of the legislative vote, he told AFP. The roadmap for elections was adopted by the interim government shortly after the military overthrew president Mohamed Morsi in July and suspended the constitution. l

Italian police have arrested a 24-year-old Somali man accused of being a trafficker involved with the migrant boat that sank last month in a tragedy that claimed 366 lives, a spokeswoman said on Friday.

The man was arrested on the island of Lampedusa where the shipwreck took place and “was one of the organisers,” a spokeswoman for police in Palermo in Sicily, which handled the operation, told AFP. She declined to say whether the man was among the 155 survivors of the disaster who were plucked from

n AP, Tokyo

Taro Yamamoto delivers a speech during his campaign rally for the upcoming upper house election in Tokyo AP sue, nearly 70 years after Akihito’s father, Emperor Hirohito, renounced his divinity following Japan’s defeat in World War II and became a symbol of the state.

Many conservatives still consider the emperor and his family divine (“the people above the clouds”) and believe a commoner shouldn’t even talk to him. Decades ago, commoners were not even allowed to directly look at the emperor, but today Akihito does meet with ordinary people, including

such as Holocaust education and tsunami research over the past two years.

It has worried many in Washington that the US is on track to becoming a toothless UNESCO member with a weakened voice in international programs fighting extremism through education, and promoting gender equality and press freedoms.

Some fear that a weaker US presence will lead to growing anti-Israeli sentiment within UNESCO, where Arab-led criticism of Israel for territorial reasons has long been an issue. l

Somali arrested for Italy shipwreck tragedy

Letter handed to emperor causes uproar in Japan A novice Japanese lawmaker who wanted to draw attention to the Fukushima nuclear crisis has caused an uproar by doing something taboo: handing a letter to the emperor.

The ruckus began at an annual autumn Imperial Palace garden party last week. As Emperor Akihito and his wife, Michiko, greeted a line of guests, outspoken actor-turned-lawmaker Taro Yamamoto gave the emperor the letter — a gesture considered both impolite and inappropriate.

Video of the encounter, repeatedly aired on television, shows the 79-yearold emperor calmly taking the letter, written on a folded “washi” paper with ink and brush, and briefly talking with Yamamoto. An apparently wary Empress Michiko gently pulled her husband’s elbow from behind. The chief steward, who was standing next to Akihito, grabbed the letter the instant the emperor turned to him.

Yamamoto’s action drew criticism from both ends of the ideological spectrum and left many Japanese baffled by what they consider to be a major breach of protocol: reaching out to the emperor in an unscripted act.

The controversy shows how the role of Japan’s emperor remains a sensitive is-

ed its dues at the same time and also lost voting rights on Friday.

Under UNESCO rules, the US had until Friday morning to resume funding or explain itself, or it automatically loses its vote. A UNESCO official, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the issue, said nothing was received from either the US or Israel.

The suspension of US contributions, which account for $80 million a year — 22 percent of UNESCO’s overall budget — brought the agency to the brink of a financial crisis and forced it to cut or scale back American-led initiatives

those in disaster-hit areas in northern Japan.

There is no specific law, but people are not supposed to talk freely to the emperor, touch him or hand him something without permission. Taking a cellphone picture of the emperor or his family also is considered impolite.

Yamamoto, an anti-nuclear activist, said he wanted to make an appeal to the emperor about the crisis in Fukushima. l

the waters on October 3 after the fishing boat caught fire, capsized and sank near the shore. Italian media reported that the man was identified by the migrants in interviews with prosecutors and that he is also accused of sexual assaults.

Another man, the boat’s 35-yearold Tunisian captain Khaled Bensalam, was detained immediately after the tragedy on charges of manslaughter.

More details were due to be released later on Friday by anti-mafia prosecutors who have handled the investigation into the trafficking ring. l

n AFP, Cairo

WORLD WATCH US high school asked to abandon Arab mascot

At one high school in the California desert, you may be surprised to see belly dancers performing at halftime of a football game.

Fans who come out to root for the football team known as the Coachella Valley Arabs will also find a snarling, black-bearded mascot wearing a headscarf egging them on. The mascot in this town east of Palm Springs that has existed for nearly a century has now drawn the ire of an anti-discrimination group that deems the caricature offensive and stereotypical. The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee recently sent a letter to officials at the Coachella Valley Unified School District asking them to get rid of the mascot. “By allowing continued use of the term and imagery, you are commending and enforcing the negative stereotypes of an entire ethnic group. “ Abed Ayoub, the group’s director of legal and policy affairs, wrote in the letter.

British marine guilty of murdering Afghan captive

A British commando was found guilty Friday of murdering an injured Afghan insurgent.

The Royal Marine, was found guilty of murdering the unknown Afghan national in 2011.

As the victim convulsed and died in front of him, Marine A quoted a William Shakespeare phrase. “There you are. Shuffle off this mortal coil, you cunt. It’s nothing you wouldn’t do to us,” Marine A told the insurgent after shooting the man in the chest from close range with a nine-millimetre pistol. He faces life imprisonment.

Croatia to hold gay marriage referendum on December 1

Croatian lawmakers voted on Friday to hold a referendum on December 1 that would rule out same-sex marriage in the Roman Catholic country, despite strong objections from gay rights activists. The referendum on whether to amend the country’s constitution to define marriage as a “union between a woman and a man” was called after 700,000 people signed a petition launched by a conservative group seeking such a nation-wide vote. A total of 104 MPs in the 151-seat assembly backed holding of the referendum compared with 13 who voted against.

European Jews report rise in anti-Semitism

A poll of European Jews has found that more than three-quarters of those questioned believe anti-Semitism is on the rise in their home countries and close to one-third have considered emigrating because they don’t feel safe. The survey was conducted by the European Union’s Agency for Fundamental Rights. Its release Friday was timed to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the Kristallnacht pogroms in Nazi Germany. Among the findings: 34 percent of poll respondents in Sweden and 29 percent in France said they never wear a Star of David or anything else that could signal their religion. The Agency for Fundamental Rights said 5,847 self-identified Jews were surveyed in eight Western European countries.

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

9

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Pakistani Taliban warns of revenge attacks but promises to spare civillians n Agencies The Pakistani Taliban has vowed to orchestrate a wave of revenge attacks against government targets after naming commander Mullah Fazlullah as its new leader.

The threat on Friday came a week after Hakimullah Mehsud, the previous leader of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), was killed in a US drone strike.

“We will target security forces, government installations, political leaders and police,” Asmatullah Shaheen, head of the Taliban shura, or leadership council, told Reuters by telephone from an undisclosed location.

He said the Taliban’s main target included army and government installations in Punjab province, the political stronghold of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

“We have a plan. But I want to make one thing clear. We will not target civilians, bazaars or public places. People do not need to be afraid,” Shaheen added.

The TTP, an umbrella organisation grouping numerous armed factions, has killed tens of thousands of soldiers, police and civilians in its campaign against the Pakistani state since it was first established in 2007.

The killing of Mehsud on Friday came as government representatives

prepared to meet the TTP with a view to opening peace talks.

But a spokesman of the group said Fazlullah’s appointment meant that negotiations were now off the table.

“Holding of peace talks is not even an issue to discuss - this government has no authority, it is not a sovereign government, it is a slave, a slave of America. Holding peace talks is a waste of time,” spokesman Shahidullah Shahid said on Thursday.

Fazlullah led the Taliban’s brutal two-year rule in Pakistan’s northwestern valley of Swat from 2007 to 2009, before a military operation retook the area.

During his rule in Swat, the Taliban enforced a rigorous interpretation of Islamic law, publicly beheading and flogging wrongdoers and burning schools.

He gained publicity for running an anti-government radio station, coming to be known as “Mullah Radio” in the valley and beyond.

Following an increasingly bloody campaign to take control of the valley, the Pakistani government finally ceded control of the Swat Valley and allowed the implementation of Sharia law through an agreement in 2009.

That agreement also immediately broke down, however, when the Taliban attempted to expand the areas under their control, and Fazlullah was ousted after a violent military cam-

paign that killed hundreds and displaced millions.

Since then, Fazlullah’s TTP had been operating from outside the Swat Valley, carrying out a series of targeted attacks against those who opposed them, including peace committee leaders and rights activists.

Three dead as super typhoon whips Philippines n AFP, Manila One of the most intense typhoons on record whipped the Philippines Friday, killing at least three people and terrifying millions as monster winds tore apart homes.

Super Typhoon Haiyan smashed into coastal communities on the central island of Samar, about 600 kilometres (370 miles) southeast of Manila, before dawn on Friday with maximum sustained winds of about 315 kilometres (195 miles) an hour.

“It was frightening. The wind was so strong, it was so loud, like a screaming woman. I could see trees being toppled down,” said Liwayway Sabuco, a saleswoman from Catbalogan, a major city on Samar.

The government said three people had been confirmed killed and another man was missing after he fell off a gangplank in the central port of Cebu.

But the death toll was expected to rise, with authorities unable to immediately contact the worst affected areas and Haiyan only expected to leave the Philippines in the evening.

An average of 20 major storms or typhoons, many of them deadly, batter the Philippines each year.

The developing country is particularly vulnerable because it is often the first major landmass for the storms after they build over the Pacific Ocean.

The Philippines suffered the world’s strongest storm of 2012, when Typhoon Bopha left about 2,000 people dead or missing on the southern island of Mindanao.

But Haiyan’s wind strength made it one of the four most powerful typhoons ever recorded in the world, and the most intense to have made landfall, according to Jeff Masters, the director of meteorology at US-based Weather Underground.

Haiyan generated wind gusts of 379 kilometres an hour on Friday morning, according to the US Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center.

Masters said the previous record for the strongest typhoon to make landfall was Hurricane Camille, which hit Mississippi in the United States with sustained winds of 190 miles an hour in 1969.

In Tacloban, a city of more than

200,000 people close to where Haiyan made landfall, corrugated iron sheets were ripped off roofs and floated with the wind before crashing into buildings, according to video footage taken by a resident.

Flash floods also turned Tacloban’s streets into rivers, while a photo from an ABS-CBN television reporter showed six bamboo houses washed away along a beach more than 200 kilometres to the south.

Authorities expressed initial confidence that the death toll from Haiyan would not climb dramatically, citing a massive effort starting two days before the typhoon hit to evacuate those in vulnerable areas and make other preparations. More than 718,000 people had sought shelter in evacuation centres, 3,000 ferries had been locked down at ports and hundreds of flights were cancelled, according to the national disaster management council’s spokesmen, Reynaldo Balido.

“In terms of damage, we cannot avoid that... but the silver lining here is that the casualties are only three as of now,” he said in Manila. l

His group was also responsible for the attempt on schoolgirl activist Malala Yousafzai’s life in 2012.

Local Pakistani authorities say that Fazlullah has been operating over the past year from the Afghan province of Kunar, along the border with Pakistan. l

Sri Lanka bars rights experts ahead of Commonwealth summit

Second oil tanker hijacked off Malaysia in a month: IMB n AFP, Kuala Lumpur

n AFP, Colombo

An oil tanker has become the second such vessel to be hijacked in Malaysian waters in four weeks, the International Maritime Bureau said Friday, adding it marked rising piracy in the region.

A Panamanian-flagged vessel was on Thursday boarded by 10 armed pirates, who emptied it of the oil it was carrying into another ship before disembarking. In early October a Thaiflagged oil tanker went missing for two days after a hijacking before being released without its cargo.

The IMB said there had been an increase in the number of attacks on Malaysia’s coast recently but added it could not be sure if the two most recent attacks were by the same group.

“This is the third attack in two months, with the last two using the same modus operandi to steal the gas oil,” said Noel Choong, head of IMB’s Kuala Lumpur-based piracy reporting centre.

An earlier attack occurred in September when eight armed pirates boarded a supply ship and stole the ship’s properties and personal belongings of the crew, he said.

Choong added that the centre had notified Malaysian maritime authorities that “attacks are going up and they should put a stop to it before it gets out of control.”

Sri Lanka, which faces international censure over alleged war crimes, has revoked visas of human rights experts for a meeting coinciding with a Commonwealth summit, the International Bar Association said Friday.

The London-based IBA’s team of experts had their visas withdrawn ahead of their planned attendance at a seminar next week in Colombo, where the 53-member Commonwealth bloc also holds its summit – an event that takes place every two years.

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka said the government’s decision to block their foreign guest speakers amounted to a “clear assault” on freedom of speech and association.

The International Bar Association’s

Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) was due to attend a seminar titled: “Making Commonwealth Values a Reality: the Rule of Law and the Independence of the Legal Profession.”

IBAHRI said Sri Lankan authorities revoked the visas on Wednesday, saying they were unable to “facilitate any visits” during an “embargoed period from October 20 to November 20.”

The visas had been issued in August.

“By denying entry to the IBAHRI delegation, the government of Sri Lanka is demonstrating to the world its determination to block freedom of speech and independent discussion in the country,” IBAHRI co-chair Sternford Moyo said in a statement.

He said Sri Lanka was trying to leave Commonwealth heads “cocooned and isolated.”l

Almost 500 protected turtles found in Thai airport bags n

A house is engulfed by the storm surge brought about by powerful typhoon Haiyan that hit Legazpi city

AP

AFP, Bangkok

Thai customs have found over a thousand turtles and tortoises in airport luggage in a week, including a haul of 470 creatures Friday as conservationists warn of “skyrocketing” smuggling for the pet trade.

Officials at Suvarnabhumi Airport said a 25-year-old Pakistani man had been arrested on suspicion of wildlife trafficking after four suitcases on a flight from Lahore were found to contain the protected black pond turtles.

The discovery came after authorities found 423 protected tortoises and 52 black pond turtles stashed in unclaimed bags on a carousal on Wednesday after arriving on a flight from Bangladesh.

On Sunday, customs at the same airport found 80 more protected turtles on luggage also from Bangladesh.

“It does seem that the number of

turtles and tortoises coming out of South Asia is skyrocketing, especially with regards to the black pond turtle,” said Chris Shepherd of Wildlife trade protection group Traffic.

The rare black pond turtle originates in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Nepal. International trade of the creatures is forbidden.

Shepherd said Thailand was a “globally significant trade hub” for turtles and tortoises and urged authorities to do more to find and prosecute high level smugglers.

“Few, if any, significant traders or kingpins in the tortoise and turtle racket have been penalised,” he told AFP. Thailand, seen as a hub for traffickers of many endangered species, came under pressure over the rampant smuggling of ivory through its territory during Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) talks in Bangkok this year. l

‘This is the third attack in two months, with the last two using the same modus operandi to steal the gas oil’ Pirate attacks in the region, home to the Straits of Malacca, a key shipping route connecting east Asia with Europe and Africa, have dropped in recent years following stepped up patrols and co-operation with neighbouring countries to secure waterways.

But pirate attacks have surged this year, with the Southeast Asian region reporting the highest number of incidences (57) in the first half of 2013, according to the IMB. l

Police detain man over bombings in north China city Singapore bans Ashley n Reuters, Beijing Chinese police have detained a man suspected of setting off several small bombs in front of a Communist Party building in the northern Chinese city of Taiyuan this week because he wanted “revenge on society,” state media reported on Friday.

The suspect is Taiyuan native Feng Zhijun, 41, who had previously spent nine years in prison for theft, according to state media.

“Police found home-made explosive devices at his residence, and a large amount of evidence of his crimes,” state television said. “Feng

Zhijun fully confessed to the evidence of his crimes.”

Feng “admitted to wanting to get revenge on society,” it added, without elaborating.

Police caught him early on Friday and also seized a vehicle that they believe was used during the attacks, media said.

The central government sent a deputy minister of public security to lead the search, along with DNA and other experts, the report added, underscoring the government’s sensitivity about any form of unrest.

Wednesday’s bombings killed one person and wounded eight, according to state media reports.

Such incidents are not uncommon in China and underscore the government’s worries about stability in the world’s second-largest economy, with a widening gap between rich and poor and growing anger at corruption and environmental problems.

Feng ‘admitted to wanting to get revenge on society’ The government blamed Islamists for an attack in Beijing last week when a car ploughed through bystanders on the edge of Tiananmen Square and

burst into flames, killing three people in the car and two bystanders.

The incidents come as China ramps up security before top leaders gather on Saturday for a plenum meeting in Beijing to discuss reforms.

In 2011, a farmer bombed three government buildings in Fuzhou city in Jiangxi province after failing to get redress over seizure of his land. Two people and the farmer were killed.

A 42-year-old farmer with terminal lung cancer detonated a home-made device aboard a bus in Fujian province in 2005, wounding 31 and killing himself, possibly to protest against prohibitive healthcare costs. l

Madison adultery website n AFP, Singapore Singapore’s government on Friday banned the extramarital dating website Ashley Madison ahead of an expected launch in the conservative city-state, saying it goes against “family values and public morality.”

The international site – which facilitates “married dating, discreet encounters and extramarital affairs” – had opened up the www.ashleymadison.sg domain for Singapore residents to express their interest in its services

before a presumed official launch later this month.

But on Friday evening, the portal was no longer accessible.

“It is against the public interest to allow Ashley Madison to promote its website in flagrant disregard of our family values and public morality,” the state regulator Media Development Authority (MDA) said in a statement.

“We will therefore not allow Ashley Madison to operate in Singapore and have worked with Internet Service Providers to block access to the site,” it said.l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

BNP ‘ready for unconditional talks’

Female directors vow to stop GB law

Patently wise

November 2

B

angladesh has passed a law titled the Geographical Indicative Products Act 2013 to protect our claim on our traditional and indigenous products. This is a wise move from the Industries Ministry as it will not only safeguard truly Bangladeshi goods from foreign claimants, but will also enhance Bangladesh as a brand for the rest of the world.

The products protected by this patent act are those that are instantly recognisable as being indigenous to Bangladesh. These include: hilsa fish, Jamdani saris, nakshi kantha and Fazli mangoes.

The Department of Patents, The image and Designs and Trademarks reputation of says it may take another Bangladesh relies “three or four” months to heavily on things that implement this act. are unique to us Unfortunately, India has already laid claims to Jamdani saris, nakshi kantha and Fazli mangoes through their Geographical Indications Registry. However, since these products are also indigenous to Bangladesh, they can still be registered here under different nomenclature. For example, India’s claim on Uppada Jamdani does not preclude Bangladesh from patenting our local product under the name Dhakai Jamdani.

The image and reputation of Bangladesh relies heavily on things that are unique to us. This includes our absolute advantage in the production of certain goods and services, as no other country in the world, with the exception of complicated examples like India, can produce our inimitable creations like Jamdani.

There are many intangible factors at play when it comes to improving our national brand. Protecting our economically viable commodities through patent laws is a tangible and necessary one.

Every human deserves rights and respect

S

ex workers have legal rights both as citizens and via constitutional protections for their right to work.

These rights are not being properly upheld as sex workers are frequently being denied police protection from harassment and violence.

The nature of their profession means sex workers in all countries live with stigma. This should not be used as an excuse for discrimination and inhumane treatment.

Not only are sex workers constantly mistreated and shamed but there is plenty of evidence that many are being denied access to basic necessities like healthcare and education.

This has particularly unfair consequences for the children of sex workers, who are often denied their right Marginalising people to a proper education. For and discriminating them the stigma becomes against them because hereditary and they are of the nature of their cruelly ostracised by others. profession is never This makes it extremely difjustified and is an ficult for the children of sex affront to human workers to get jobs in any other field, as those willing dignity and able to do other jobs are discriminated against.

The government has a responsibility to defend their rights and ensure their protection. This is a vulnerable group that is liable to be taken advantage of, which makes it all the more important to provide protection and freedom from exploitation.

Marginalising people and discriminating against them because of the nature of their profession is never justified and is an affront to human dignity.

Society needs to recognise that mistreating sex workers and their families makes them even more vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Their rights should be properly respected and defended by the government, when needed.

What is stopping the Grameen Bank from taking this matter to the court? The present government has shown how it has managed to bring calamity to the state-owned banks by allowing theft in the thousands of crores from those banks. This argument is sufficient to disqualify the government from taking control of GB. There must other company laws which can prevent the impending disaster.

Nantu Lal

Bangladesh better place to live than India? looks at four key areas of individual countries, a total of 136, in terms of their women’s health (life expectancy), access to education, economic participation (salaries, job type and seniority) and political engagement. Iceland has been named the country with the narrowest gender gap in the world, for the fifth consecutive year, by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

The annual gender gap index places Iceland in first place with Finland following as second. Norway, Sweden and the Philippines take third, fourth and fifth place, respectively. Pakistan (135th) and Yemen (136th) come out at the very bottom. Bangladesh performed best in South Asia in political engagement of women, scoring an astonishingly better position (7th) only lagging behind Ireland (6th). I was a bit surprised not to find any news report on it, if I’m not wrong. sirajul_islam_1 And that is why Bangladeshis are trying to leave Bangladesh and get into India? cfix

LETTER OF THE WEEK

Honourable prime minister, please let us live in peace

Show me one politician who is poor and I will sell you the Brooklyn bridge!!!

Syed Hashemi

November 4

I demand exemplary punishment of those responsible and expect that the media will highlight that too.

Probir The employer should be punished in the same way as she tortured the little girl. May Allah cure the girl.

Amrin Afroz Oh my god!

Siam Ashraful

Petition filed over disclosure of phone conversation November 3

Yes, we need our own homegrown Snowden, don’t we? A scapegoat to take media attention away from the fact that our supposed leaders couldn’t agree on a decent conversation on the future of a sovereign nation. More polao pictures quickly, as that’ll do the trick. But remember that we’re not a nation entirely of fools as you and your counterpart believe.

Ditio Syed-Haq

November 4

I have become unable to write on any other subject except the political situation of our country; all other things have become insignificant. The future seems ominous and only one person can make all the difference, and that person is none other than Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. She can change the darkness into light, despair into hope, and anarchy to security, everything negative into positive.

As the PM of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina is in charge of the welfare of the country and its 16 crore people. We are praying to Almighty Allah to make her realise it, to discard the path of animosity, and follow the path of peace and righteousness Nur Jahan, Chittagong

Be Heard

Write to us at: Dhaka Tribune FR Tower, 8/C Panthapath Sukrabad, Dhaka-1207 Email us at: letters@dhakatribune.com Send us your Op-Ed articles: opinion@dhakatribune.com Visit our website: www.dhakatribune.com Come join our Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/DhakaTribune

CALVIN AND HOBBES

PEANUTS

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU ACROSS 1 Stylish (6) 4 Perfect score (3) 7 Ooze out (5) 8 Baby (6) 11 Sporting item (3) 12 Exploit (4) 13 Muslim leader (4) 15 Camping equipment (5) 16 Title of respect (5) 20 Female horse (4) 23 Back of the neck (4) 24 In favour of (3) 25 Steering device (6) 26 Assumed name (5) 27 Colour (3) 28 Continent (6)

It’s interesting since the disclosure came through the FBCCI, not any senior BNP leader!

P Sarker

Aduri wants punishment for her torturer

November 2

The Guardian Data Blog published another important report titled Gender Gap Index Ranking 2013 on October 25, wherein they reported that Bangladesh ranked 75th amongst 136 countries.

In terms of women’s economic participation and opportunity rank, Bangladesh’s position is 121st, and in terms of girl’s educational attainment, Bangladesh’s position is 115th. The study said that Bangladeshi women ranked 124th in terms of their health and survival.

The most striking ranking Bangladeshi women have achieved is that their position is 7th among 136 countries for political empowerment, which is only less important than Ireland (6th), Nicaragua (5th), Sweden (4th), Norway (3rd), Finland (2nd) and Iceland who topped in this category. Bangladesh finished first in South Asia whose nearest contender is Bhutan, whose position is 93rd, and India 101st.

The report presented at the World Economic Forum compares countries on the “narrowest gender gap in the world” to the “widest gender gap in the world” and countries in between. The index

November 4

DOWN 1 Impulse (5) 2 Break (7) 3 Abominable Snowman (4) 4 Musical instrument (4) 5 Dutch cheese (4) 6 Fish trap (3) 9 Born (3) 10 Devoted follower (3) 14 Wander aimlessly (7) 17 Father (3) 18 Monkey (3) 19 Unite (5) 20 Burrowing animal (4) 21 Dry (4) 22 Celtic language (4) 24 Distant (3)

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS Crossword

How to solve Sudoku: 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.

Code-Cracker

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Leadership and America’s crisis n Mohammad Ali Sattar

T

A threat to us all B

n Hasan Kamrul

angladesh’s annual greenhouse gas emission of 41.61 million Mtons is barely 0.2% of the total global emission of 21.43 billion Mtons. It is the lowest in the world at 0.27 Mtons per capita.

Compare that to the global average of 4.6 Mtons per capita. And yet, Bangladesh is in the most vulnerable position in the world when it comes to the adverse effects of climate change.

Although Bangladesh is not really worth mentioning when it comes to its contribution towards mounting carbon levels, we have to face the harshest effects of climate change. Why? Is this called civilisation? While some countries are becoming wealthier by using carbon, others, like, Bangladesh, suffer.

In Bangladesh, the government has to spend half of its annual budget to repair roads, culverts, and bridges which have been damaged by seasonal floods. Every five years, it gets devastated by floods which inundate 60% of our land.

We are a cyclone-prone country.

Natural calamities are allied with the people’s fates. However, climate change causes anxiety to the people of Bangladesh more because of our low-lying condition. Bangladesh has a thousand-year culture and history which is now facing the dangers of climate change.

Geographically, Bangladesh is considered a place of great biodiversity.

There is a wide selection of flora and

fauna here. But our ecosystem is also threatened by global warming.

As a lower riparian, the height of the sea level is near the surface table. Our sea level rises and creates a threat for the environment. The UNDF environmental group recently predicted that if there was a 1.5m rise in the sea level, 30% of low-lying areas of Bangladesh would go under seawater and 30m people would have to be relocated from coastal areas to other safe zones.

of Bangladesh will be badly affected by climate change. These areas, mostly endangered districts, are prone to be affected by the sea level rising. For instance, the coastal districts of Cox’s Bazar, Patuakhali, Bhola, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Khulna etc are the ones most vulnerable.

Most parts of these districts will be submerged in seawater; the saline water intrusions will spoil farmlands while contaminating ground water res-

Although Bangladesh is not really worth mentioning when it comes to its contribution towards mounting carbon levels, we have to face the harshest effects of climate change. Why?

Scientists forecast that if Himalayan snow started to melt, the height of the sea level would increase by several metres and deal serious damage to life and property. Bangladesh especially faces an uninhabitable environment for its low-lying nature, and 70% of the total lands are considered low land areas.

Research shows that if the current temperature rises by 2 to 3 degree Centigrade, snow will start to liquefy and the resultant water will travel down via the Ganges–Brahmaputra delta.

Bangladesh would be affected dangerously because it covers the major part of the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta.

Topographically, 17 coastal districts

ervoirs. People would have to struggle with a scarcity of food and fresh water.

Bangladesh is a country known for various seasons such as spring, winter, summer etc, but nowadays the country does not follow every season in a timely fashion, mostly because of the way the climate is changing.

For example, recent summers have experienced unbeatable temperatures, rain is rare even during the monsoon but common during the off-spring periods. The temperature goes down unexpectedly during winters and so forth. This disorder in nature signals an uncertain future.

Geologically, 20,000 years ago the Earth had passed its second ice age,

when the ice broke down and the Earth’s surface was covered by it.

The evolutionary history of Earth suggests that ice starts to crack because of global warming, which wreaks havoc on biodiversity.

Ultraviolet rays are frequently coming into contact with the Earth’s surface, shrinking the ion layer.

Industrialisation causes the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) because of the carbon trading in developed nations, indulged in for their economical growth.

From carbons stem chemical hazards such as lead, cadmium, zinc, thorium etc, which severely damages air, water and soil. These toxic chemicals are also the source of diseases such as cancer, and birth-defects which are now pretty common.

To reduce the risk of climate change, developed nations must cut down their carbon emissions. Renewable energy should be introduced to preserve nature from any anomalous situations. Planting trees can also play a beneficial role, as trees work as absorbers in maintaining a limit to the extent that global warming can occur.

A “climate fund” should also be considered and allocated to the more vulnerable countries, insuring proper distribution to mitigate risk.

The introduction of environment-friendly technology is the key to maintaining industrialisation, which will considerably lower the risk of climate change. l Hasan Kamrul is a geologist.

How did the 16-day shutdown affect the economy and society? The closure cost billions to the economy. But all is not right, as yet

For those who understand and for those who it matters, this is a serious issue that must be dealt with, with a vision. The president has been very sensitive about this, especially as it came in this time of his tenure. Obama specified three areas where his Democrats and Republicans can work together to bring about tangible progress in all sectors of the country.

He pointed to economic growth, fiscal responsibility, immigration reform to get millions of undocumented foreigners out of the underground economy and paying taxes, and a farm

REUTERS

SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

he American economy recently experienced a new situation.

The crisis was such that the whole government disbursement apparatus was stopped by the opposition. It demanded the passing of legislation with some amendments.

During the period, the government departments had to be shut down and the crisis went on leaping. Fear and apprehension rose to new heights.

There was no money in the government’s coffers to pay its employees!

However, the hold on the bill was momentary. But it was not supposed to ensue in the first place, according to senior US politicians and social policy makers. They categorically said this was not a fair stance and the challenge to halt the government did not speak of good intent.

Many now believe that this sort of crisis is likely to emerge again in future. This sort of crisis shall leave a stain in the US political record. It is a blemish. The world will learn an appalling lesson, and might apply it to their system. The entire move was to create a predicament. So it’s not acceptable in any case.

Republicans thought they have the right to use a democratic weapon. At the same time they did realise and submit that the American crisis would mean exposing its weakness. To keep the image strong and clean, the US should act clean and strong, they later submitted.

Obama was naturally upset and expressed his dismay over the 16-day

sapped. Other sectors were hugely affected as there was no spending or buyers from whom money would spin in the market. A great part of the economy was not moving.

But all is not right, as yet. The bill, which has been passed off mainly as a compromise, has provisions of funding only until January 15, and extends US borrowing authority until February 7.

Therefore it is clear that some more crises might be in the offing. Running out of cash, or a screeching halt to funding, may surface sooner than later.

shutdown. He felt that Congress, by creating the obstacle for the treasury to borrow money, had little to be proud of. He was right when he observed that when the US economy needed more growth and more jobs, the manufactured crises of these last few weeks harmed jobs and growth.

The president was right.

America cannot afford any more financial crises of any sort. Be it banking, financial institutions or the government itself. How did the 16-day shutdown affect the economy and society? The closure cost billions to the economy as laid off workers had to cut back on spending and tourism was

bill to help rural communities.

The president, who faces a crisis situation, called upon members of both parties to work as partners in progress.

If it were any other president, the utterances would have been similar.

Obama believes that instead of creating artificial crises one should try and help the people of the country to live their lives peacefully. He realises that there is now a huge deficiency of leaders who believe in responsible governance. l Mohammad Ali Sattar is chair, Peace Bangladesh Foundation, and a political analyst.

Dude, where’s my Bangla? n Sabrina Fatma Ahmad

B

angla is a difficult language to learn. This isn’t another blonde moment from an English-medium elitist who can’t tell the difference between the three “sho” sounds and the two “ro” sounds and so on, although the hat certainly fits.

Put those stakes and effigies down and really listen for a minute. From politicians going “chudurbudur” inside the parliament, to blockbuster silver screen celebs talking about their “poti din er routine,” to badly transliterated or “Benglish” Facebook status messages, it is a little sad that for a country with Bangla in our name, we can barely scrape by with something that sounds somewhat like it.

professional Bangla, and that is where the speakers, irrespective of their medium of education, start to crumble.

An examination of how the language is taught in schools may shed some light on the problem. The curriculum and books for Bangla at the middle and high school level are set by the national board under the Ministry of Education.

These are the same “Amar Boi” series that pretty much all schools study, and in recent years, these have evolved to include more comprehensive glossaries, summaries for poems, etc. The selection is eclectic, with samples taken from must-know poets and writers, profiles of Bir Sreshto honorees and more. Admirable, but is it enough?

But there is also a need for formal, academic and professional Bangla, and that is where the speakers, irrespective of their medium of education, start to crumble

Sure, there is a place for colloquialism, for dialects and casual talk. But there is also a need for formal, academic and

The long-standing criticism of the Bangla medium system remains the same: its emphasis on rote systems,

as opposed to a practical application of skills. The stories about students memorising entire essays have long become legend. With a decline in the number of bookstores and libraries, and the reading habit as a whole, this problem is no longer offset by students supplementing their learning on their own initiative.

English medium students have it even harder. For the purpose of keeping things simple, we won’t even go into the topic of the quality of instruction, or how dry the teaching methods are, in comparison to other language courses.

The recent shift from the London to the Cambridge board for O’ and A’ levels has changed the syllabus to put a greater emphasis on Bangla grammar. Students now need to learn more idioms, learn how to split and unite portmanteau words, as well as bone up on their vocabulary the way they would for the SAT verbal test.

This might be a good thing, but a case of too little, too late, because all of this is only introduced in the eighth or ninth grade, around the time they start preparing for their O’ levels.

To make matters worse, with only two courses per academic year – Bang-

la Language and Bangla Literature – and all other subjects being taught in English, the students are missing out on the immersion necessary to pick up the language.

The faulty education system may be part of the problem, but perhaps a bigger share of the blame belongs to forces beyond the classroom. Have you noticed that hardly anyone speaks the same Bangla that the students study at school?

It used to be, even a decade ago, that the television shows, films and advertisements featured spoken Bangla that was close to the “shuddho” Bangla that the schools are trying to teach. Even the regional dialects used were pure, the characters speaking in the dialect sticking to form.

The current norm, however, is to use a bastardised form of spoken Bangla that mashes up several dialects with urban slang, colloquialisms, and “Benglish” terms.

Made popular by the telefilms

by Mostofa Sarwar Farooki and the hugely successful youth campaigns by the telecom companies, this mongrel patois is everywhere – in our serials, in our ads, up on the billboards, blaring at us over the radio. And this is how everyone is speaking.

If schools want to build on the positive steps they’ve already taken to improve the Bangla proficiency of their students, they should encourage more public speaking and debate competitions in the language, and assign fun reading lists to supplement their curricula.

It used to be, even a decade ago, that the television shows, films and advertisements featured spoken Bangla that was close to the ‘shuddho’ Bangla that the schools are trying to teach

Parents can chime in by trying to instill in their children an appreciation for the arts – Satyajit Ray’s films, or Sukumar Ray’s poems, or Humayun Ahmed’s plays, to name just a few that our incredibly rich heritage has to offer.

Once a demand for purer Bangla is generated, the corporations and media have no recourse but to adapt. And then, maybe we can actually put the “Bangla” in Bangladesh. l Sabrina Fatma Ahmad is editor, TMAG and Treehouse, at the Dhaka Tribune.

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Saturday, November 9, 2013

An evening of Rabindra Sangeet at IGCC today

DHAKA COMICON 2013 BIGGER AND BETTER

n Entertainment Desk

Today is the last day of Dhaka Comicon 2013 Bigger & Better being held at Jamuna Future Park (Level 5) D Zone from 11am to 8pm. A single-day pass for the event is priced at Tk150 and will be available for purchase at the venue and will also be accessible for pre purchase online (www.boxoffice.com.bd). The programme features showcasing of comic books, science fiction, fantasy, films, toys, collectible card games, video games and other related popular arts, as well as other events and activities SADIA MARIUM

Apon Apon Khela airs on Channel 9

TODAY IN DHAKA Exhibition

Kinetic Photography Exhibition Gazi Nafis Ahmed Time: 10am – 8pm EMK Center, H-5, Road- 27(old) Dhanmondi Exotic Jute II Time: 3pm – 8pm Alliance Francaise de Dhaka, Dhanmondi Nishobdo Solo Exhibition

By Shabekun Nahar Time: 3pm - 9pm Alliance Francaise de Dhaka, Dhanmondi When Silence Eats Sound Group Exhibition Time: 12pm – 8pm Bengal Art Lounge 60 Gulshan Avenue

n Entertainment Desk Drama series Apon Apon Khela airs on Channel 9 today at 6:30pm. Written and directed by Saiful Islam Mamun, the drama series features popular actors, such as Abul Hayat, Trisha, Kumkum Hasan, Ielias Kanchan, Azizul Hakim, Toukir Ahmed, Saberi Alam, Mita Nur, Bonnya Mirza, Shams Sumon, Alif, Nisho, Naim, Mashiayat and many more.

The plot of the drama revolves around Rahmat Ali’s family, who plays a wealthy man with three sons and two daughters. His family does not enjoy

the love and harmony that is expected from the affluent lifestyle. All the members of the family are different from each other in nature.

Rahmat Ali’s youngest son is a straightforward man who likes to live a simple life, his eldest son inherited his business instincts and he disowned his second son and threw him out as he was selfish and spoiled. His eldest daughter is short tempered and cares less when someone is hurt by her harsh tongue.

His younger daughter is a widow and is dependent on her father. The story moves forward with his children plotting against him in acquiring his property. l

Festival

Urban Youth Festival II Time: 11am – 8pm Goethe Institut Bangladesh Road 9 (new), House 10, Dhanmondi R/A

Film

Planes in 3D Riddick Purno dhorgho prem kahini Monsters University in 3D Titanic (3D) Bullet to the Head Udhao Level 8, Bashundhara City, Panthapath

Himadri Shekhor Talukder will present songs by Tagore at the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre (IGCC) in Gulshan today at 6:30pm. The event is organised by the IGCC in association with Asian Paints, IRCON and Marico Bangladesh.

The event is open for all and entry is free.

Talukder’s devotion and love for Tagore’s songs enabled him to complete his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Music with specialisation in Rabindra Sangeet from the Viswa Bharati University in Shantiniketan. Since then, he has performed at prominent musical concerts both in India and Bangladesh such as the Kolkata Bangla Music Festival, Tagore Birth Anniversary celebrations at Rabindrasadan in Kolkata, Rabindra Sangeet Sammelan Utsav in Pondicherry, Bishshe Bangalee - A Musical Soiree as part of the 150th Birth Anniversary celebrations at Birla Sadan in Kolkata and many more.

Talukder has also been selected as a representative artist from Bangladesh for the year-long joint celebrations of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore between India and Bangladesh.

He is a regular performer for some

Bangladesh TV and Radio, and also for private television channels. He has released two solo and two duet CDs, the first being - Bhule Thake Tomar Gane by HMV- Saregama, Kolkata.

Talukder is a part time lecturer at the Department of Music (Rabindra Sangeet) at the Shanto Marium University of Creative Technology in Dhaka. l

Arabian food festival on at the Westin n Limana Solaiman Man’s love for exquisite food can be observed in all cultures, especially in the Arabian regions, where luxury and indulgence in all that is good, is the norm in every aspect of life. Arabia’s cultural heredity lie deep in antiquity. Although isolated from the centers of ancient civilizations, its people had a diversity of acquaintances with Egypt, Syria, Iraq and with the Roman and Byzantine empires.

To introduce the flavours and diversity of the Arabian cuisine to the foodies and food connoisseurs of Dhaka, the Westin is holding an Arabian food festival titled Aroma of Arabia at the Seasonal Tastes restaurant of the hotel. Guest chefs from Egypt are flown in to preside over the kitchen of the signature restaurant for the duration of the festival, to maintain the authenticity and flavours of the dishes.

Food lovers are in for a treat as they will get to taste the popular middle-eastern rice dish Kabasa, that is served with whole roasted lamb, tender and delectably aromatic, the flavour of dried leamon and other fragrant spices can be tasted in the dish.

A variety of Arabian kebab made of chicken, lamb and beef is being served at the festival. What sets them apart from other kebab dish is that Arabian kebabs are infused with special condiments and the distinct flavour of the coal that is unique to that region only.

Traditional Middle Eastern dishes such as chicken shawarma, sayadiah sea food, an array of lamb dish, chicken with freaka and many more make up the carte du jour of the festival. Another special addition to the event is that, seven different menus will be served in the seven-day long festival that will run till November 14.

Today’s main items include an array of Egyptian dishes

such as, Egyptian moussaka, Egyptian style macaroni gratin, duck with freaka, sea bass with felafel and lamb okra.

The festival was inaugurated on November 7 at the

Silver Room of the hotel. Etihad airways is the airline partner and Dhaka Tribune is the media partner of the event. l

ON TV MOVIE 5:30pmStar Movies Ted

9:30pm HBO

Rise Of The Guardians

COMEDY 12:30pm Star World

Two And A Half Men

9:30pm Comedy Central Saturday Night Live

MISC 12:30pm FTV Models

9:30pm TLC Epic Pools

Thor: The Dark World continues to gather strength n Entertainment Desk

Prachyanat stages Mayer Mukh today n Shadma Malik

The leading theatre troupe Prachyanat will be staging Mayer Mukh today at 7pm at the Studio Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. The production is an adaption of the dramatist British Arnold Wesker’s Four Portraits of Mothers.

The story of Mayer Mukh consists of four monologues on the theme of motherhood. Directed by Kazi Toufikul Islam Emon, the cast features Lucy Tripti Gomes as Ruth, Reetu Sattar as Naomi, Tomalika Karmaker as Miriam and Sadika Parvin Swarna as Deborah.

The story opens with Ruth, an unmarried mother with a young daughter.

The drama portrays the harsh reality faced by a woman who dares to break

the norm and embarks into something that is considered as taboo in society.

The woman Naomi in the story, is 75 year old, who does not have any children. She tried to fill the void of motherhood left by her barrenness, by taking care of her niece. But time and again she is reminded that her niece is not her biological daughter and she feels the emptiness inside her.

The character of Miriam is quite complex, she considers herself as a failure as a mother. She blames her husband for her disappointment and laments the fact that she could not be a proper mother to her children.

Other than these three characters, Deborah, the fourth one is a successful mother. She is happy with her children and their development. Deborah be-

lieves that a woman has the power to make things happen and the ability to do things as they are expected.

About the play, the director said: “The play is quite unusual in its own right. It portrays that, the suffering of women is a common phenomena that is not confined within Bangladesh only.

The pain, sorrow, joy and all the emotions that comes with being a mother is emphasised in the play. An array of different situations are highlighted and portraying such diverse characters all at once was quite challenging.”

He also adds: “These actors come from different troupes, therefore, it was a learning and sharing experience for the entire production troupe.” l

Marvel Studios and Disney’s 3D tentpole Thor: The Dark World continues to gather strength as it prepares to open Thursday night at the domestic box office, where it now has a shot at eclipsing the $88.4m opening of James Bond film Skyfall on the same weekend a year ago.

Based on initial prerelease tracking, box-office observers were expecting Thor 2 - returning Chris Hemsworth in the title role - to gross a healthy $75m in its domestic launch, easily exceeding the $65.7m opening of the original Thor in May 2011.

But with the film’s mammoth showing overseas - it’s earned $133.4m in less than a week - and the rising interest in North America, tracking now suggests Thor 2 will open notably higher. Thor 2’s performance also will be boosted by a last-minute decision to carry the film in roughly 305 Imax locations in the US and Canada (it wills share space with Ender’s Game).

The movie will be playing in 3,841

North American theaters as of 8pm Thursday, including more than 3,100 3D venues. Overseas, the movie should continue to rack up substantial grosses this weekend, including in China,

where it opens Friday. Don’t be surprised if Thor 2’s global gross is well north of $300m by Sunday. As a way of comparison, the first Thor took in a total of $449.3m globally. l

Did you know?

Erik Lamela has scored his first Tottenham goal after 561 minutes of football in all competitions

Sport

Saturday, November 9, 2013

14 Record-setting Defoe fires Spurs into Knockout stage

14 Lethal Bale, Ronaldo pairing begins to click

DHAKA TRIBUNE

13

15 Shami sets up thumping Indian win

Mohammedan join leaders n Mazhar Uddin Ezaj Ahmed’s brilliant century and Afghan recruit Rahmat Shah’s five wickets helped Mohammedan Sporting club to their sixth win in the Walton Dhaka Premier League (DPL) as they defeated Kalabagan KC by 40 runs at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National stadium yesterday.

After been put in to bat, Mohammedan lost Rajin Saleh (1) and national cricketer Shamsur Rahman (0) early but opener Ezaj Ahmed and Habibur Rahman stood firm to repair the early damage.

The pair put on 165 runs before Habibur fell to the bowling of Usman Afzal for an 85-ball 64 (two fours, three sixes). Ezaj however continued on to his century and made 109 from 120 balls (five fours, six sixes) before being caught and bowled by paceman Shahadat Hossain.

Dhiman Ghosh (30) and Rahmat Shah (42) made quick runs at the end to see Mohammedan to 305.

For the bowling side, Sri Lankan Jehan Mubarak took three wickets, while national discard Shahadat Hossain and Rakibul Hasan took two each.

Kalabagan began their chase well as openers Mithun Ali and Usman Afzal put on a fifty runs before Usman was dismissed by left arm spinner Saqlain

Sajib for 17. Mithun fell awhile later for 41, caught and bowled by Afghan leg spinner Rahmat Shah.

National cricketer Naeem Islam and English player Bilal Shafayat continued to keep the match alive before Shafayat was dismissed by Habibur Rahman for 43. Naeem continued to fight but wickets continued to tumble at the other end as the required run rate kept climbing.

BRIEF SCORE

Mohammedan SC 305/10 in 49.5 over Ezaj Ahmed 109, Habibur Rahman 64, Rahmat Shah 42, Jehan Mubarak 3/61, Shahadat Hossain 2/30 Kalabagan KC 265/10 in 49.3 over Naeem Islam 82, Bilal Shafayat 43, Mithun Ali 41, Rahmat Shah 5/50, Delwar Hossain 2/34 Mohammedan won by 40 runs

Naeem eventually fell for 82 from 83 balls (six fours) to leg spinner Rahmat Shah and with his dismissal, Kalabagan’s chase was effectively ended.

They were eventually bowled out for 265 in the 49th over.

The win moves Mohammedan to joint first place in the table, along with Gazi Tank cricketers and Prime Doleswar SC, with all three teams having won six out of nine matches.

Gazi remains in first place on net run rate with Doleswar second and Mohammedan third. l

Mohammedan batsman Ezaj Ahmed celebrates his century during their Walton Dhaka Premier League match against Kalabagan KC at SBNS yesterday

Faruk likely next chief selector n Mazhar Uddin Since Akram Khan’s resigned from the chief selector’s post after being elected as a board director, two other selectors - Minhazul Abedin and Habibul Bashar - have been working as selectors, while the chief selectors post remains vacant. The vacancy may not last much longer as it was learnt that former national captain and chief selector Faruk Ahmed is likely to take up the position.

Faruk, who played seven ODIs for Bangladesh, was the chief selector when Bangladesh beat India and South Africa in the T20 World Cup in 2007 and it was Faruk who picked Tamim

Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib al Hasan at that time.

The Bangladesh team achieved a number of successes under Faruk’s initial tenure as chief selector and after six years, the 49-year old may once again take up the position. “I heard something about it. I was the chief selector earlier and everyone knows what I have done and how the team performed than and if I get the chance, I will try to work much better,” said Faruk.

He went on to say that the current Bangladesh side is in much better shape than it was before and the approach of the cricketers was positive,

“There are lot of difference from the current Bangladesh team with the side three years back. This team is much matured and the boys carry a very aggressive attitude towards the game and they are hungry for win, which is a positive sign,” he added.

Other candidates for the chief selectors post include current selector Minhazul Abedin and former selector Rafiqul Alam.

Inside sources however claimed that Faruk is the strongest contender and will likely receive the support of a number of board directors to take up the post ahead of the Sri Lanka series next January. l

Titu impressed with Dutch pair n Raihan Mahmood The two Surinam born Dutch footballers - forward Sevela and attacking midfielder Molvik - who came to Dhaka to try for Mohammedan, returned home yesterday.

Saiful Bari Titu, the coach of Mohammedan said both the players returned to Holland as they have to play their matches there. “They were scheduled to return on Friday to play in the 2nd division league. The players are I would say are quite good and they have confirmed it. If they fulfil their requirement, they will feature for Mohammedan in the upcoming Bangladesh Premier League,” said Titu.

Titu said he would be flying to Malaysia on November 12 to attend a five day instructor refreshers course organised by AFC. “If I perform well there, the AFC may assign me as an international instructor. At the moment, I don’t get any foreign assignments as the AFC instructor. Subject to the successful completion of the course, I may get international assignments” said the former national coach. Titu conducted a 13 day course for the local women’s coaches at the Bangladesh Football Federation last month and 13 among them earned the C license for coaching. l

International Badminton event next month n Raihan Mahmood

Yonex-Sunrise 2nd Bangladesh International Open Badminton will begin on December 3 in Dhaka.

Shuttlers from 12 countries are expected to participate in the 2nd edition of the tournament.

The first edition was held back in 2011. India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Taiwan and Vietnam have already confirmed their participation in the 15 thousand US Dollar meet.

To prepare, the national shuttlers from the Bangladesh Badminton Federation have already started a training camp under former Malaysian national player Farzad Shah. National champion Enamul Haque, Bangladesh Games champion Aiman ibne Zaman, Ahsan Habib Parash, Mohammed Javed, Ohidus Salam amongst those at the camp. National women’s champion Shapla Akhter and a number of other women players are also training with Farzad Shah.

The tournament will see the shuttlers play for the supremacy of men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles. The singles champions of both the sections are set to win a purse of US Dollars 1125. The other three sections winners will get 1185 Dollars each. l

MUMIT M

Siddikur takes 2-shot lead at Indian Open n Asian Tour S i d d i k u r tightened his grip at the weatherinterrupted Hero Indian Open with a second round sixunder-par 66 yesterday to put himself on course to win at the Delhi Golf Club.

The Bangladeshi opened with an eagle and putted 20-foot birdie on the last hole for to leave himself with a total 12-under-par 132, two shots ahead of Chapchai Nirat of Thailand, who posted a 68 at the US$1.25 million Asian Tour event. Multiple Asian Tour winners Angelo Que (68) of the Philippines and SSP Chowrasia (68) of India were a further five shots behind the leader.

The start of the second day’s play was delayed for more than an hour delayed due to darkness and heavy fog. A total of 26 players will return at 7.15am Saturday to complete the round.

Siddikur, the first Bangladeshi to play and win on the Asian Tour in 2010, took advantage of his straight hitting game and a hot putter, making 27 putts at the venerable Delhi Golf Club.

“I played aggressively again and I’m

really enjoying this new style of play. I didn’t do anything exceptional in my game but I’m just enjoying the way I’m playing now. My game was excellent thanks largely to my short game,” smiled Siddikur.

LEADERBOARD, DAY 2 132 134 137 138

139 140

Siddikur (BAN) 66-66 Nirat (THA) 66-68 Que (PHI) 69-68, Chowrasia(IND) 69-68 Plaphol (THA) 70-68, Junhasavasdikul (THA) 66-72, Seuk-hyun (KOR) 69-69, lahiri (IND) 71-67, Kumar (IND) 70-68 Mamat (SIN) 66-73 Colomo (ESP) 69-71, Shamim (IND) 68-72, Tannin (THA) 70-70

The 29-year-old, who has enjoyed solid results at the Delhi Golf Club but has yet to win a title at the challenging course. He finished second at the 2011 SAIL Open and was runner-up again at the 2012 Panasonic Open India.

“This course is like my home course.

I have good memories here. With the way I’m playing, I think it is time to win. I won’t do anything special but I will continue to play aggressively,” he said.l

Corporate T20 commences n Shishir Hoque

Chevron players celebrate a wicket during their Marcel T20 Corporate tournament against the Dhaka Tribune at the Bangladesh Military Museum ground yesterday MUMIT M

DBL Group, Beximco Pharma, Computer Source, Confidence Group, ICDDRB, Anowara Group, Apollo Hospital and Dhaka Tribune started their Marcel 3rd T20 Corporate Cricket campaign with victories at four venues across the city yesterday.

Dhaka Tribune registered a comfortable six-wicket victory over Chevron at the Bangladesh Military Museum ground. Batting first, Chevron

were bowled out on 99 with Mazhar Uddin and Atiqur Rahman taking four wickets each. In reply, the Tribune reached their targets for the loss of four wickets. Opening batsman Syed Noor Anwar was named man-of-the-match for his unbeaten half-century.

In the day’s other matches, DBL (170/5) crushed EBL (174/2) by eight wickets with man-of-the-match Sultan Aminur Rashid scoring 95. Syed Adil Ahammed slammed a brilliant 102 as Beximco (214/7) handed Energypac (84/10) a 130 run defeat.

Computer Source (154/7) beat Square Group (84/10) comfortably by

70 runs. Man-of-the-match Rakibul Hasan made 51 for the winnings side. Confidence Group (175/7) edged Reliance Insurance (170/7) by five runs.

Rezanul, who made 73, was named man-of-the-match.

ICDDRB (87/1) outplayed Philip Morris (86/10), Anowara Group defeated Bangla Cat and Apollo Hospital (132/5) thrashed Bando Design (131) by five wickets.

Earlier, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Nazmul Hasan Papon inaugurated the tournament as chief guest at the Residential Model School and College ground.l

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Defoe fires Spurs into KO stage n AFP, Paris Jermain Defoe broke Tottenham’s European goal-scoring record on Thursday as he steered his side into the knockout phase of the Europa League with a tough 2-1 victory over Moldova’s Sheriff Tiraspol.

Spurs join Valencia, Salzburg, Esbjerg, Fiorentina and Dninpro in the last-32 who all booked their places with two matches still remaining in the group phase.

Defoe’s clinical 67th minute penalty, which not only makes him the competition’s top scorer with five goals from four matches, also gave him 23 European goals, one more than former England international Martin Chivers.

Chivers, who scored 13 goals in 24 matches for England, helped the side win the same competition in 1972 when it was known as the UEFA Cup. “Some things are written, I couldn’t get a lot of space in the first-half but I just tried to stay patient and top of the list now, I’m delighted,” said England striker Defoe.

“I saw Martin (Chivers) at half-time, he’s a legend and he just told me to get it so it’s special for me.”

Valencia, who won the tournament in 2004 and were twice beaten Champions League finalists, are also into the next round after a Sergio Canales’ goal

five minutes from time gave them a 3-2 victory at Swiss side St Gallen.

Premier League club Swansea blew a victory chance against Kuban Krasnodar for the second time when they conceded a last-gasp equaliser but need only avoid defeat when they play St Gallen in their final game or beat Valencia at home in their next to ensure their passage to the knock-out stages.

Despite playing the last quarter of an hour with 10-men following defender Xandao’s red card at the Kuban Stadium, the Russians netted two minutes into injury time through Ibrahima Balde to earn a 1-1 draw. Ivory Coast forward Wilfried Bony had given the Welsh visitors an early lead but just as Djibril Cisse’s penalty at the Liberty Stadium had cost them a win last month, so too this time Senegal forward Balde’s clever lofted finish broke Swans’ hearts.

Fiorentina, who lost the 1990 final against Serie A rivals Juventus, continued their progress by making it four wins out of four with two goals in the last four minutes from Ryder Matos and Borja Valero which gave them a 2-1 win at Romanians Pandurii Targu-Jiu. Austria Vienna also cruised into next year’s knockout phase, despite a 2-2 home draw against Belgian club Genk.

Wigan remained second after Belgium’s Zulte-Waregem won 1-0 at NK Maribor of Slovenia. l

Results Kuban (RUS) 1-1 Swansea (ENG) Saint-Gallen (SUI) 2-3 Valencia (ESP) Ludogorets (BUL) 1-1 Odessa (UKR) PSV (NED) 2-0 Zagreb (CRO) Esbjerg (DEN) 1-0 Elfsborg (SWE) Liege (BEL) 1-3 Salzburg (AUT) Kazan (RUS) 1-0 Wigan (ENG) Maribor (SLO) 0-1 Waregem (BEL) Dnipro (UKR) 2-0 De Ferreira (POR) Pandurii (ROM) 1-2 Fiorentina (ITA) APOEL (CYP) 2-1 Bordeaux (FRA) Maccabi (ISR) 4-2 Frankfurt (GER) Vienna (AUT) 2-2 RC Genk (BEL) Thun (SUI) 0-2 Kiev (UKR) Sevilla (ESP) 1-1 Liberec (CZE) Estoril (POR) 0-0 Freiburg (GER) Rijeka (CRO) 1-1 Lyon (FRA) Guimaraes (POR) 0-1 Betis (ESP) Warszaw (POL) 0-2 Trabzonspor (TUR) Lazio (ITA) 2-1 Limassol (CYP) Tromso (NOR) 0-1 Anzhi (RUS) Tottenham (ENG) 2-1 Sheriff (MDA) AZ Alkmaar (NED) 1-0 Karagandy (KAZ)

RECORD-SETTER

Tottenham Hotspur's Jermain Defoe celebrates scoring against Sheriff Tiraspol during their Europa League match at White Hart Lane in London on Thursday REUTERS

Bayern set to better 30-year old Bundesliga record n AFP, Berlin

Bayern Munich can claim their second milestone of the week today at home to Augsburg with the Bundesliga’s 30-year-old record for the longest unbeaten run set to fall.

The European champions can claim a new record of 37 matches if they win or draw at home to Bavarian neighbours Augsburg, who are 13th in the league, at Munich’s Allianz Arena.

“You don’t start playing football to break records but once the opportunity is there, you’re obviously going to try and take it,” said Bayern captain Philipp Lahm.

“We’ve put in a lot of hard work to get to this point and if you look at the history of the Bundesliga, going so many games without losing is something that just doesn’t really happen.”

Bayern matched Hamburg’s record of 36 matches without defeat, set in January 1983, when they won 2-1 at Hoffenheim last Saturday.

But while Hamburg won 20 of their 36 games, Bayern have claimed 30 victories in the same number of matches scoring 95 goals to Hamburg’s 88 and leaking just

Costa called-up for Spanish friendlies n AFP, Madrid

Brazilian-born striker Diego Costa has been called-up to Vicente del Bosque’s Spain squad for the friendly matches against Equatorial Guinea and South Africa later this month.

The Atletico Madrid man declared his intention to play for Spain, for whom he qualifies on residency grounds, and rejected a call-up from Brazil boss Luiz Felipe Scolari last week.

Costa has scored 16 times in as many games this season, including on Wednesday night as Los Rojiblancos secured their place in the last 16 of the Champions League with a 4-0 thrashing of Austria Vienna.

“Every player offers distinct things.

Diego fulfils all the criteria to play for Spain as he is in great form,” said Del Bosque. “We still have seven months until the World Cup and he is another option that we wanted to try in these two friendlies.”

Del Bosque had previously been quoted as saying that should he call on Costa he would be “almost obliged” to take him to the World Cup. However, he insists that he will be judged just like any other player. l

21, compared to Hamburg’s 38.

Augsburg won just one of their last five league games when they beat Mainz last weekend and it would take a shock result to spoil Bayern’s party.

Should a new record be set, it will be as much down to ex-Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes, who handed over a 25-match unbeaten run to his successor Pep Guardiola.

Fixtures Bayern Munich Schalke 04 Bayer Leverkusen VfL Wolfsburg Hoffenheim M'gladbach

v v v v v v

Augsburg Werder Bremen Hamburg Borussia Dortmund Hertha Berlin Nuremberg

Bayern were last beaten in October 2012 at Bayer Leverkusen and Augsburg are not expected to put up much resistance. Bayern’s first landmark this week was when they equalled Barcelona’s record from the 2002/03 season of nine consecutive Champions League wins when they beat Viktoria Pilsen 1-0 on Tuesday to confirm their place in the knock-out phase.

“It seems that it’s a season when

every record can be challenged or beaten,” beamed Bayern chairman KarlHeinz Rummenigge, who was an active player when Hamburg set the 30-yearold record.

“At the time, I congratulated (Hamburg full-back) Manni Kaltz and (centre forward) Horst Hrubesch on a record I thought would stand for eternity.

Guardiola can also set a new personal record of 12 games unbeaten, the best Bundesliga start by a coach at a new club.

Breaking records is nothing remarkable for Bayern these days, though, as they set or equalled 25 league records under Heynckes last season.

If Augsburg were looking for a fillip to encourage them, it wasn’t coming in the news that Arjen Robben could feature for the champions on the right wing following a groin strain.

Guardiola’s main decision will be over who to start up front. He picked attacking midfielder Mario Goetze as a lone forward at Pilsen but substitute Mario Mandzukic, the Croatia striker, came on to score the winning goal.

Second-placed Borussia Dortmund wil hope to bounce back from their Champions League mid-week home defeat to Arsenal with a trip to resurgent Wolfsburg.l

Rodgers urges Liverpool to maintain momentum n AFP, Liverpool Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes that his team will be close to delivering Champions League football if they can continue their form from the opening weeks of the season.

The Anfield club, who host Fulham in the Premier League on Saturday, were beaten for the second time in the league this season when they lost 2-0 at leaders Arsenal last weekend.

But with no European football or League Cup action to contend with, they currently reside in third place with 20 points from their first 10 games of the season. And Rodgers feels that maintaining that pace will be enough to avoid extending their exile from the Champions League into a fifth season.

Ahead of the visit of the Cottagers, Rodgers has been boosted by the availability of Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho, who came off the bench at the Emirates Stadium following a shoulder injury, as well as Glen Johnson, who missed that game through illness.

The four teams below them are all within a point, but Rodgers feels his side are on the right track.

As well as Coutinho and Johnson,

Spanish left-back Jose Enrique may return from a knee problem, but forward Iago Aspas and defender Sebastian Coates are long-term absentees.

Fulham manager Martin Jol has faced speculation about his future in light of his side’s difficult start to the season, but Rodgers feels the Dutchman has done a good job.

The signs looked bleak for Jol last weekend when he found himself the

Fixtures Aston Villa Chelsea Crystal Palace Liverpool Norwich City Southampton

v v v v v v

Cardiff City West Brom Everton Fulham West Ham United Hull City

target of boos after his side conceded three first-half goals against Manchester United at Craven Cottage. However, Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea host West Bromwich Albion at Stamford Bridge.

Mourinho has declared that Eden Hazard will return to his squad after the Belgian attacking midfielder was left out for Chelsea’s 3-0 win over Schalke in mid-week after reportedly missing a training session.l

Bale, Ronaldo pairing begins to click n AFP, Madrid Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale is looking to build on by far his best week since arriving in the Spanish capital when Carlo Ancelotti’s side host Real Sociedad this weekend.

The Welshman opened his Champions League account for the club he joined for a reported 91 million euros ($122.8 million, £76.4 million) in September with a wonderful strike in Madrid’s 2-2 draw with Juventus on Wednesday that all but secured the Spanish side’s place in the last 16.

Bale also scored twice and provided four assists in Real’s previous two games against Sevilla and Rayo Vallecano as he, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema begin to forge a deadly combination up front.

Ronaldo was also on target in Turin to take his tally for Madrid to an incredible 222 goals in just 215 games and he believes Bale is beginning to find his feet.

“He is very important for us and I think he is going to help us a lot. Things are going well for him at the minute,” Ronaldo said.

Ronaldo has already found the net 21 times in 16 games this season but insists his personal statistics will mean nothing

if Madrid end up empty-handed again come the end of the campaign.

And with Los Blancos already trailing Barcelona by six points at the top of La Liga, he knows there is little room for error against their Basque visitors on Saturday.

“Personally, I am very happy, I am in

Fixtures Real Madrid Getafe Athletic Bilbao Celta Vigo

v v v v

Real Sociedad Elche Levante Rayo Vallecano

a very good moment in my career. All my teammates and the fans are supporting me. I try to do my best every year and I need to demonstrate that I am a great player and give my best.

“Records don’t excite me. What excites me is that I want to win things, I want a future that is better than the present.”

Ronaldo, Bale and Benzema are expected to start once more up front, and Sergio Ramos is Ancelotti’s only major absentee as he is suspended so Dani Carvajal or Alvaro Arbeloa will return at right-back. Real can provisionally close to within three points of Barca and two of Atletico Madrid with a win as neither of the top two are in action until Sunday. l

Haifa (ISR) 0-0 PAOK (GRE)

Schweinsteiger to undergo more surgery n Reuters, Berlin Bayern Munich’s Bastian Schweinsteiger will undergo further ankle surgery and will miss Germany’s friendlies against England and Italy this month after problems arose following the first operation in June, the Bundesliga club said yesterday.

It was not clear how long the 29-year-old would be out of action for, but Bayern said the key midfielder would be operated on “soon” after attempts to treat the problem without surgery failed.

“The last few weeks have been very painful,” Schweinsteiger said in a club statement. “I tried but I have reached a point when renewed surgery is unavoidable. I hope to be able to play without any pain after the surgery.”

The Germany international, who will now miss the games in Milan and London on Nov. 15 and 19 respectively, was ruled out for much of pre-season training after needing surgery following their treble-winning campaign last season.

He had only recently returned to top form and the setback is another blow for Pep Guardiola’s injury-hit team, which had just welcomed back fellow holding midfielder Javi Martinez after two months out.l

PSG look to keep distance from Lille, Monaco n AFP, Paris

After criticising his team for a flat performance in the Champions League in midweek, Paris Saint-Germain coach Laurent Blanc will be expecting much better when Nice visit the Parc des Princes today.

PSG missed out on the chance to seal qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League after drawing 1-1 with Anderlecht on Tuesday, but the result did ensure that they remain unbeaten in all competitions this season and now they will look to maintain a gap down to Lille and Monaco at the top of the Ligue 1 standings.

It is nearly a year since the club from the capital lost a home game, and they should on paper have enough to beat mid-table Nice, who have lost three of their last four matches.l

Fixtures PSG Bastia Guingamp Lorient Toulouse Valenciennes

v v v v v v

Nice Rennes Lille Reims Ajaccio Montpellier

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Shami sets up thumping Indian win

Quick Bytes

Mohammedan consolidate lead Reigning champion Dhaka Mohammedan Sporting Club Ltd. consolidated their lead at the top of the table with 12 match points at the end of the 7th round of the Rupahali Sarees Premier Division Chess League at the Bangladesh Chess Federation hall-room yesterday. In the 7th round, Dhaka Mohammedan beat Titas Club 3.5-0.5, with GM Sergey Volkov, GM Ziaur Rahman and GM Niaz Murshed winning their respective games against FM Syed Mahfuzur Rahman Emon, Abul Kashem Bhuiyan and Md. Sharif Hossain, while GM Amonatov Farrukh drew with Titas’ IM Abu Sufian Shakil Bangladesh Navy Chess Team and Leonine Chess Club were in joint second position with 10 points. Bangladesh Navy beat Access Group Chess Club 4-0 points with FM Taibur Rahman, GM Reefat Bin-Sattar, GM Abdulla AlRakib and GM Enamul Hossain defeating Uten, Aminul Islam Polash, Saimon Siddiqur Rahman and Mohammed Hafizul Islam Chapal respectively. Leonine Chess Club beat Pritam-Prism Chess Club, Narayanganj4-0 also, while in the other match of the day, Gopalganj Chess Club drew with Sreejan Chess Club 2-2.

– RM

Bangladesh U-16 edge ahead after first day Madhya Pradesh CA Under-16 side scored 204/8 on the first day of the three-day match against Bangladesh U-16 at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium yesterday. Visiting Madhya Pradesh skipper Siddharth Patidar won the toss and elected to bat. Opener Akarsh Singh top scored for the visitors with 68 (eight fours), but his dismissal

by Naeem Hasan led to Madhya losing their way and they kept losing wickets at regular intervals thereafter. Abhinav Singh (3*) and Sagar Sharma (0*) were at the wicket at the end of the day’s 95 overs. Naeem Hasan picked up three wickets for Bangladesh, while skipper Shafiul Hayat Ridoy claimed two.

– MU

Moly, Runu win in Chennai Mahmuda Hoque Chowdhury Moly and Jahanar Haque Runu have 2 points each at the end of the 3rd round of the Women Grandmasters Chess Tournament in Chennai yesterday, while WIM Rani Hamid, WFM Zakia Sultana and Masuda Begum have 1.5 points each. In the 3rd round, Moly beat Smrithika of India and Runu beat Tejaswini Sagar, Rani Hamid drew with Vantika Agrawal Zakia drew with Priyanka and Masuda drew with Tulsi.

– RM

Hazlewood joins injured Aussie pace brigade Rising fast-bowler Josh Hazlewood is set to miss several weeks cricket with a shin injury, dealing another blow to Australia’s pace stocks for the Ashes before a ball is bowled. Hazlewood was one of eight bowlers in the mix to face England in the coming five-Test series, but now it seems the New South Wales quick will not be available for selection until at least the third Test in Perth next month.

Australia’s fast bowling depth has already been seriously tested with injuries to top line pacemen James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Jackson Bird, Pat Cummins and now Hazlewood has joined them. Hazlewood first experienced the shin soreness in last week’s Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania. He was withdrawn from his team’s current game against Victoria at the request of Cricket Australia as part of its rotation policy. But the shin soreness that will now rule him out of Sydney club cricket this weekend and for the next few weeks of Shield and potentially Test cricket, only flared up after the board’s announcement.

– RM

Day’s Watch Satr Sports 4 English Premier League 9:00PM Chelsea v West Bromwich 11:30AM Norwich City v West Ham 02:00AM Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, London Star Sports HD 2 9:00PM English Premier League Liverpool v Fulham 3:00AM La Liga 2013/14 Celta de Vigo v Rayo Vallecano Ten Action 5:30PM MotoGP 2013, Valencia Qualifying French Ligue 1 2013/14 11:00PM PSG v Nice 1:00AM Toulouse v AC Ajaccio

15

Saturday, November 9, 2013

n Agencies SCORECARD West Indies 1st innings: 234 all out Samuels 65, Shami 4/71 India 1st innings RG Sharma lbw b Permaul 177 R Ashwin b Shillingford 124 B Kumar c Gayle b Shillingford 12 Shami st Ramdin b Permaul 1 PP Ojha not out 2 Extras (b 4, lb 8, w 1, nb 3) 16 Total (all out; 129.4 overs) 453 Bowling Best 17-0-71-1, Cottrell 18-3-72-1, Shillingford 55-9-167-6, Permaul 23.4-2-67-2, Sammy 12-1-52-0, Samuels 4-0-12-0 West Indies 2nd innings CH Gayle c Kohli b Kumar 33 KOA Powell lbw b Ashwin 36 DM Bravo c Sharma b Ashwin 37 MN Samuels lbw b Shami 4 S Chanderpaul not out 31 D Ramdin c Vijay b Shami 1 DJG Sammy b Mohammed Shami 8 S Shillingford b Shami 0 V Permaul run out (Dhoni) 0 TL Best c Ojha b Ashwin 3 SS Cottrell b Shami 5 Extras (lb 10) 10 Total (all out; 54.1 overs) 168 Bowling Kumar 6-1-20-1, Shami 13.1-0-47-5, Ashwin 19-2-46-3, Ojha 13-3-27-0, Tendulkar 3-0-18-0 India won by an innings and 51 runs Player of the match RG Sharma (India)

Mohammed Shami jumps high to celebrate a wicket during the third day of first Test against West Indies in Kolkata yesterday

Debutant Mohammed Shami produced a devastating spell of reverse swing to return with a dream match haul of nine wickets as India spanked the West Indies by an innings and 51 runs in the first Test and took a 1-0 lead in the twomatch series here on Friday.

Ravichandran Ashwin also made it a memorable day by cracking his second Test century and then chipped in with three wickets as the hosts bundled out the visitors for a paltry 168 in the second innings to clinch the match with two days to spare.

Rohit Sharma, too, made his Test debut special, cracking a magnificent 177 in the first match of the series which is also retiring legend Sachin Tendulkar’s last outing in international cricket.

Apart from Rohit, the star of the match was undoubtedly Shami who claimed 5/47 in the second innings and returned impressive match figures of 9 for 118 at the Eden Gardens.

Shami’s effort is the second best by an Indian on debut after Narendra Hirwani’s 16/136 against the same opponents in Chennai way back in 1988.

Earlier, Rohit missed out on a double century on debut by 23 runs while Ashwin slammed his second Test ton in a record 280-run stand for the seventh wicket as India extended their lead to a mammoth 219 runs before being bowled out for 453.

Starting their second innings with a huge deficit, the West Indies were bundled out for just 168, with off-spinner Ashwin (3/46) providing Shami the support at the other end.

Rohit slammed an exquisite 177 off 301 balls with the help of 23 fours and a six, while Ashwin made his runs off 210 balls, hitting 11 fours.

Making his debut at his home ground, Bengal pacer Shami, who took 4/71 in the first innings, utilised the conditions to maximum effect as he rocked the West Indies batting line-up with his lethal reverse swinging deliveries that skidded in sharply.

It was India’s fifth Test victory in a row after their 4-0 rout of Australia as the victory also snapped the West Indies’ six-match winning streak.

After Ashwin broke the secondwicket 68-run partnership, Shami got into the rhythm as the Indies lost two wickets in two overs before tea to brighten India’s hope of wrapping up the match on the third day itself.

After a fine spell of 7-0-18-2 that continued post tea, Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni made the Bengal pacer bowl from the High Court end and it turned out to be another good move from the ‘Captain Cool’.

Shami had a two-wicket burst with his lethal in-cutters and the third came through Dhoni’s smart work while running out Veerasammy Permaul as the 49th over opened the gates for the Indians. The visitors, at that stage, were on the verge of defeat at 152/8.

Shami first uprooted Darren Sammy’s middle stump and with the fourth ball, he unsettled Shane Shillingford’s offstump en route to his fourth wicket.

Ashwin joined in the party when he had Tino Best and it was a formality from thereon. l

Blake’s late 3-pointer lifts Tough nut Djokovic resists Lakers over Houston Del Potro, hope for Federer n AFP, Houston

Steve Blake’s three-pointer with 1.3 seconds remaining lifted the Los Angeles Lakers to a 99-98 NBA victory Thursday over Houston and former Laker Dwight Howard.

Howard, who never seemed to settle in with the Lakers last season and inked a four-year, $88 million deal with the Rockets in July, had 15 points and 14 rebounds. But he made just 5-of-16 from the free throw line, including two crucial misses with 53.8 seconds left and the Rockets leading 98-96.

“The free throws were terrible,” Howard said. “I’ve got to keep working ... I’ve just got to get back in the gym and keep working -- they’re going to fall.”

Howard said the defeat -- after Houston had battled back to take the lead after trailing by as many as 19 points -was hard to swallow, regardless of the opponent.

“Nobody likes to lose,” he said. “So it’s very upsetting that we lost the way we did.”

James Harden led the Rockets with 35 points. But when he missed a jump shot with 12 seconds left, Los Angeles’ Pau Gasol grabbed the rebound and called a timeout with 10.9 seconds to play.

n Reuters, London

The Lakers’ Jodie Meeks then threw away an inbound pass, but Wes Johnson tracked down the loose ball to keep it in the Lakers’ hands with less than four seconds to play — setting the stage for Blake.

Coming off a double screen, Blake got a wide open look from the left and lofted a shot over Howard’s outstretched arms.

Los Angeles, playing without superstar Kobe Bryant as he continues his recovery from a ruptured Achilles tendon, notched their first road win of the young NBA season.l

The hardest nut in men’s tennis again proved resistant to the heaviest of sledgehammers as Novak Djokovic absorbed the brute force of Juan Martin del Potro to book his place in the last four of the ATP World Tour Finals on Thursday.

Djokovic’s elastic limbs propelled the Serb to a 6-3 3-6 6-3 Group B victory that leaves Del Potro to fight it out with Roger Federer for runner-up spot.

Federer, beaten by defending champion Djokovic in straight sets on Tuesday, got back on track with a morale-boosting 6-4 6-3 victory over Frenchman Richard Gasquet who can no longer reach the semi-finals even if he beats Djokovic on Saturday.

The six-times former champion lost the opening six points and needed six match points to finish off Gasquet but looked more like his old majestic self as he produced some champagne moments for his legion of fans - one topspin lob to avert a break in the second set the shot of the day.

“I guess those are the kind of matches I need right now. You know, straight sets against a good player. It clearly came at the right time right now,” Federer, who

has only one title this year but scooped the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year award, as well as the ATP fans’ favourite and Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship awards this week, told reporters.

“There was pressure after losing my first one. It was a big win for me and I hope now to keep it up against Juan Martin.”

He had better strap on some heavy armour when he meets Del Potro on Saturday because the Argentine world number five was striking forehands and serves with fearsome force against Djokovic, even if he did blow himself out in the end.

It would have overwhelmed almost any other player in the world but only rarely did he manage to blast through Djokovic’s defences as he took the second set of a high-octane duel.

The last time Djokovic and Del Potro locked horns in London back in July they produced the longest Wimbledon semi-final ever - a near five-hour match of relentless baseline savagery.

They were at it again at the o2 on Thursday and although Djokovic won for the 11th time in their 14 encounters there was plenty of evidence to suggest Del Potro will be pushing the Serb and

Results Federer bt Gasquet Djokovic bt Del Potro

6-4, 6-3 6-3, 3-6, 6-3

world number one Rafael Nadal for the majors in 2014. For the moment, however, it is all about Djokovic, who has won 19 consecutive matches since the U.S. Open, and Nadal who got the better of him that day in New York. l

Afghanistan target third world T20 place

Anand seeks sixth title as World Chess Championship begins today

n AFP, Dubai

n Agencies

Aussies roast England over ‘fussy’ diet demands n AFP, Sydney

Afghanistan skipper Mohammad Nabi believes his team can comfortably reach a third successive World Twenty20 and complete a memorable year which also saw the war-hit nation break through to a maiden World Cup. Nabi, 28, has already led the Asian minnows to the 2015 World Cup, to be held in Australia and New Zealand, and later this month will hope to see Afghanistan make it out of qualifying to reach the 2014 World Twenty20 in Bangladesh.

Having twice qualified for the 2010 and 2012 World Twenty20 events, Nabi feels that qualification for next year’s finals is a given “purely because of the quality of my team”.

“Qualification this time around is very important for us as a team, for our cricket and for our nation. We will try very hard to make it to the Bangladesh event like we did to the 2010 and 2012 events. It will be a big moment for me as a captain,” said Nabi.l

Billed as the most high-profile clash in chess history in more than 40 years between defending champion Viswanathan Anand and challenger Magnus Carlsen of Norway, the World Chess Championship match begins in Chennai on Saturday with the experts divided over who will walk away with the coveted title.

The hype surrounding the match between the ageing five-time champion Anand and 22-year-old world number one Carlsen, comparable to the historic clash between Bobby Fischer and Boris Spassky in 1972, will come to an end when the two rivals take on each other in the opening game at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Saturday.

Carlsen has the advantage of playing white in the opener but that may not count much as both players get six white and black games in this 12-games November 9-28 contest.

Anand has seen similar situations before while Carlsen is playing his first match in a World Championship. So,

Australia’s newspapers teased England mercilessly Friday over their “fussy” dietary demands for the Ashes tour after an extravagant, 82-page document was leaked to media.

Media went to town on the detailed requirements for Test venues, setting out almost 200 items of food and drink and rules for when and where should be provided to England’s players.

Among the 194 dishes and drinks obtained by the newspapers are “piripiri breaded tofu with tomato salsa”, a “quinoa and cranberry breakfast bar”, “mungbean curry with spinach”, and “pistachio and ginger biscotti”.

In the build-up to the November 21 first Test in Brisbane, and in the absence of any play in England’s rain-hit tour match in Hobart, Australia’s press had a field day.

“If you thought your three-year-old was fussy, check out the English cricket team’s 82-page list of dietary demands for the upcoming Ashes series,” said The Daily Telegraph.l

Norwegian chess player Magnus Carlsen (R) and Indian world chess champion Viswanathan Anand shake hands at a press conference in Chennai on Thursday while the Norwegian enjoys the tag of a favourite, his mannerisms thus far have suggested that he is gullible like any other youngster in a certain sense.

Twirling in his chair, scratching his

head while answering questions during the first press conference in Chennai on Thursday, Carlsen gave the impression of someone tense but exuded confidence once the tête-à-tête was over.l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Saturday, November 9, 2013

World’s top diplomats to join Iran nuclear talks n AP, Geneva Four world powers are dispatching their top diplomats to Geneva on Friday to add their weight to negotiations aimed at putting initial limits on Iran’s ability to make atomic weapons.

French, British and German foreign ministers are joining U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Geneva, who will be coming “to help narrow differences in negotiations,” according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information.

Their decision to fly to Geneva comes after signs that global powers and Iran were close to a first-stage deal that would cap some of Iran’s suspected nuclear programs in exchange for limited relief from economic sanctions.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov did not plan to attend.

There was no word from Beijing on any plans by the Chinese foreign minister to join his colleagues.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, the first to arrive, spoke of progress, but told reporters “nothing is hard and fast yet.”

“I’ve come to Geneva to take part in the negotiations because the talks are difficult but important for regional and international security,” he said. “We are working to reach an accord which completes the first step to respond to Iran’s nuclear program.”

There has been no confirmation that an accord is within reach or details of possible elements of such a pact. But Israel is strongly critical of any deal that stops short of totally disabling Iran from making nuclear arms, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he “utterly rejects” the “bad deal” he said was in the making. l

Pinak bins US notion that Jamaat moderate Islamic party n Tribune Desk

have been very encouraging for governments. If these bands are allocated without proper valuation and auction, it would result in significant value loss for the government which otherwise would have been possible [to prevent] through setting up a realistic base price and allowing mobile operators to participate.”

The letter signed by Chairman Michael Kuehner and Secretary General TIM Nurul Kabir said the government decision might disrupt the level-playing field in the industry.

Two WiMax operators also expressed their concerns about the new licence and may join the mobile operators in resisting the licencing and spectrum allocation process, sources in the industry said.

In 2008 BIEL participated in an auction for WiMax licencing but they came out fifth and pulled back when BTRC offered a licence. It even withdrew its earnest money deposited for the auction. l

Terming the US notion that Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami is a moderate Islamic party flawed, former Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty has said this argument only helps Jamaat gain leverage.

“The US believes that the Jamaat is a moderate Islamic party ... The US argument is flawed ... it only helps the Jamaat gain leverage,” he told a roundtable in New Delhi on Thursday, says a UNB report.

The daily hartals (shutdowns) by the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-Jamaat alliance to push for a caretaker government have been hurting the economy and the common man in the nation of 155 million people.

On Thursday, Bangladesh’s Election Commission declared the Jamaaat-e-Islami ineligible for the coming polls in line with a court order.

Pinak Chakravarty, who retired recently as secretary in the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, said there is “convergence” between US, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in their leaning towards Zia, and consequently the Jamaat, which is riding piggyback on the BNP, reports ZeeNews on Friday.

“The Jamaat has intimate relations with its namesake in Pakistan and is close to Saudi Arabia, and getting funds,” he said, adding that the Islamist party, which advocates that women be in purdah and remain indoors and targets minorities, has lost none of its “obscurantist” ideology.

He said both Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP chief and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia are to blame for not fostering faith among people in the institutions of democracy.

He also said that while the “shadow of the army looms in the background”, the “open calls by opposition parties for it to take over are severely undermining democracy”. Bangladesh has seen several coups, including the one on Aug 15, 1975 that saw the assassination of the country’s founder-president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

A political “storm” is brewing in Bangladesh ahead of next year’s elections with the opposition BNP and its Islamist partner Jamaat-e-Islaami indulging in daily shutdowns and violence, experts in New Delhi warned and noted that the US, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have shown a “convergence” in their support for the BNP-Jamaat combine.

Addressing the daylong roundtable on ‘Bangladesh: Prospects of Democratic Consolidation’ at the India International Centre in New Delhi on Thursday, government officials who have dealt with Bangladesh and knowledgeable experts also said that Bangladesh’s sound economic growth, its social and human development indicators -- which are better than India’s, and its democracy are, at the same time, a reassuring factor for India on its eastern border.

Former foreign secretary Shyam Saran, addressing the roundtable, said: “India is facing a difficult situation on its western border, but on the eastern border (with Bangladesh) there is a sense of assurance,” Saran, chairperson of the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB). l

playing in the school playground. However, her friend Sathi said: “We feel secured because of the police presence.”

Beauty Das, headmistress of the school, also echoed Sathi’s sentiments and said regular burglaries of school furniture stopped since the outpost was set up. She however admitted that the students were growing up in an unusual environment.

“There are around 600 students in the school and we are very much short of space. So the outpost should be moved from here,” added the headmistress.

Parul Akhter, a teacher of the school, said regular lessons were hampered as students had to be crammed into classrooms, adding that: “Sometimes, students have to stand during the lessons.”

Mehedi Hasan, a class four student, said he could not even sit down with ease as six to seven students shared each bench.

Liton Das, owner of a shop adjoining the school, said a police outpost in a primary school looked very peculiar.

“Continuation of law enforcement activities in front of the children impacts negatively on their mind and their growing up is being hindered,” said Syed Md Sajjad Kabir, assistant professor of psychology department at

Chittagong University.

“It results in the children becoming doubtful about the surroundings, which impacts their future life and this is detrimental to the society,” he said.

Policemen also claimed of facing problems for having to conduct activities in the school building.

Sub-Inspector Rajib Das, in-charge of North Kattali police outpost, said there was an acute water crisis and power shortage. The noise made by the students during the day also hindered the duties, he claimed.

The SI also said: “We wanted to move from here, but we have not been able to find any proper land till now.”

Faruq Ahmed, a member of the school’s standing committee, said Pahartali police initially applied for using half of the building for only three months in 2007, but they were yet to move out after five years.

“We have already informed the matter to the ward commissioner requesting him to move the outpost from here and he conveyed it to the officer-in-charge of Pahartali police station,” he added.

Admitting the matter, Pahartali OC AKM Azizur Rahman said: “We are looking for land. If we get any allocation, then we will shift from the school forthwith.” l

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid distributes relief funded by Anjuman Al Islah UK among the victims of Rana Plaza yesterday in a programme organised at the National Press Club RAJIB DHAR

‘Shahara signed Ollo papers without looking’

Zawahiri disbands main Qaeda faction Telecos moving against spectrum allocation for Ollo, propose open auction for 2600 band in Syria: Jazeera talking to us. She said she would talk voice and data services, making it the secretary and the BTRC chairman on n Muhammad Zahidul Islam about the issue with the secretary of most influential operator in the coun- Sunday, saying: “Globally, the specAFP, Dubai n try, although it is spending much less trum values for 2600MHz and 700MHz Mobile operators in the country have the ministry.”

Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri has ordered the disbanding of the main jihadist faction in Syria, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, in an audio message aired on al-Jazeera yesterday.

The tape confirmed a letter put out by al-Jazeera in June, claimed to have been written by Zawahiri and addressed to the leaders of al-Qaeda factions in both countries.

The head of al-Qaeda also stressed that the Al-Nusra Front was the branch of the global jihadist group in Syria.

“The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) is to be abolished, while the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) remains functioning,” he said.

Zawahiri said the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, “has made a mistake by establishing the Islamic state of Iraq and the Levant without asking for our permission, or even informing us.”

It was not immediately clear when he made the remarks. l

been pushing strongly against the multi-billion taka spectrum allocation process for Ollo for only Tk2.46bn.

Telecommunications Minister Shahara Khatun approved a WiMax license with LTE to the brand Ollo on Monday evening and sent the approval to Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) on Tuesday.

The Dhaka Tribune came to learn that top representatives of the operators met the telecom minister on Thursday to urge for a revision of the decision.

Shahara reportedly told the representatives that she had, in fact, no idea about Ollo or Bangladesh Internet Exchange Limited’s licence or spectrum allocation process or the earlier situation.

“I have done what the ministry officials suggested to me,” Shahara Khatun told the telecom top bosses in reply to their requests.

A senior executive of a telecom company requesting anonymity said: “The minister looked helpless when she was

The representatives suggested to Shahara that an open auction for all operators could be arranged for the high valued spectrum of 2600 bands, and it would ensure that the government is not deprived of proper fees.

They also said the minister may be implicated in a corruption case like former Indian telecom minister A Raza as only she had signed the file on Ollo.

Contacted, the telecom minister admitted to the meeting between her and the operators but refused to share any of the details.

CEO of Grameenphone Vivek Sood, CEO of Banglalink Ziad Shatara, acting CEO of Robi Matiul Islam Nowshad, Secretary General of Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (Amtob) TIM Nurul Kabir and other high officials from the companies were in the meeting.

The LTE (long-term evolution, a fourth generation telephone and mobile broadband communication standard) will enable Ollo to handle both

than other operators.

Ollo is a co-brand of BIEL and the New Generation Graphics Limited (NGGL) – both now owned by the Russian company Multinet, had applied for the WiMax licence in April this year.

The NGGL had already got 20MHz spectrum free of cost on 800 bands in 2011, which should cost more than Tk30bn.

Experts in the industry said the 20MHz spectrum Ollo had gotten should have cost at least Tk34.29bn, if compared to prices at the latest auction

by BTRC on September 8.

Already BTRC has sent letters to BIEL to deposit their money and collect licence and spectrum allocation papers. However, the operator has been importing and setting up LTE equipment at different sites even before obtaining the licence.

The mobile operators’ organisation Amtob is going to hold a press conference about this issue to share their concerns.

Amtob sent a letter to the telecom

Police camp, school share same building n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

A three-storied building at Chittagong’s North Kattali is a strange sight for new-

comers in the area, as the building hosts a strange mix of two different worlds of innocence and crime.

A nameplate in front of the build-

ing identifies it to be Peyari Mohan Sen Registered Primary School, while another signboard in a corner reads: “North Kattali police outpost under

Pahartali police station of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP).”

The building serves two very different purposes, with the ground floor and half of the first floor being used as a primary school, while the rest of the first floor and the entire second floor is used as a police camp.

The Dhaka Tribune found that the police used a room on the first floor as their office, while all rooms on the second floor were being used as a barrack where 19 police officials were living.

Sources at the CMP said the police outpost had been operating in the building since 2007.

The primary school was established in 1995-96 and became a government registered primary school from January this year, said school sources.

Many of the students alleged that the school had become a frightening experience as they were exposed to the police outpost’s activities, which included bringing in criminals for primary interrogation.

Shantunu Bishwash, a class one student, said he was frightened to see the police with arms when he first came to the school. “I get scared when I see that police bring people with handcuffs here,” he also said.

Yasmin Akhter, a class two student, said some police rebuked her several times for

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