14 December 2013

2

Remembrance

6

The power of ideas

DAYS TO GO

Agrahayan 30, 1420 Safar 10, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 260

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2013 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

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Record 109 set to be elected uncontested The chief election commissioner says holding inclusive polls seems difficult andha 5), Shamsul Alam Dudu (Joypurn Mohammad Zakaria hat 1), Mohammad Nasim (Sirajganj 1), For the first time in history, at least 109 candidates nominated by the Awami League and its allies are set to be elected uncontested as there are no contenders in their respective constituencies.

Out of a total of 109 unopposed candidates till filing this report, 95 candidates are from Awami league, 11 from Jatiya Party (Ershad), two from JP-Manju and one from the Workers Party of Bangladesh.

The record of elected uncontested will be broken in the upcoming 10th parliamentary elections. In the controversial February 1996 elections, 49 candidates were elected uncontested.

No candidate from the opposition BNP and its allies submitted their nomination papers for the 10th parliamentary polls.

Those to be declared elected uncontested include Fazle Rabi Miah (Gaib-

Tofail Ahmed (Bhola 1), Abul Hasnat Abdullah (Barisal 1), Amir Hossain Amu (Jhalakathi 2), Abdur Razzak (Tangail 1), Abdul Latif Siddiqui (Tangail 4), Promod Mankin (Mymensingh 1), Syed Ashraful Islam (Kishoreganj 1), Mirza Azam (Jamalpur 3), Qamrul Islam (Dhaka 2), Shamim Osman (Narayanganj 4), Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury (Faridpur 2), Shawkat Ali (Shariatpur 2), AMA Muhith (Sylhet 1), Suranjit Sengupta (Sunamganj 2), Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir (Chandpur 1), Dipu Moni (Chandpur 3), Obaidul Quader (Noakhali 5) of the Awami League.

Unconfirmed sources said Fazle Nur Taposh (Dhaka 10), Rashed Khan Menon (Dhaka 8), Jahangir Kabir Nanak (Dhaka 13), Saber Hossain Chowdhury (Dhaka 9) have also been elected uncontested.

Awami League’s key ally Jatiya Party

Number of uncontested seats raises questions

Molla’s war crimes case The day this year to add new dimension most eventful so far n

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Eminent citizens of the country yesterday expressed concerns over ensuring free and a fair polls with the number of uncontested seats in the 10th parliamentary poll.

“Counting from East Pakistan Provincial Assembly Elections, it would be the highest number of uncontested seats in history. More than 100 uncontested seats in the coming elections will not qualify a free and fair election,” lawyer Shahdeen Malik told the Dhaka Tribune.

Former Election Commissioner M Shakhawat Hossain said the election had already become questionable and the results would be similarly in question as many of the candidates had been elected uncontested.

“By this time we could have organised an inclusive election if we started the negotiation before,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.

Syed Abul Maksud said the politicians had become engaged in a “farce” in the name of democracy, which was unexpected. l

INSIDE News

5 Price of Aman paddy has registered a drastic fall in the markets of the district for the back to back blockade programmes.

International

8 Iran said that a new US measure targeting companies and individuals for supporting its nuclear program violated the spirit of a nuclear deal reached with major powers in Geneva last month.

Sport

14 Arsenal’s lunchtime game at Manchester City today could be a defining one for their Premier League title hopes, even if Arsene Wenger has greeted that idea with a typically Gallic shrug.

NASHIRUL ISLAM

MARTYRED INTELLECTUALS DAY

Julfikar Ali Manik

Tribune Report

Jamaat-Shibir activists go on the rampage in the capital’s Fakirapul and Motijheel area yesterday

For forty two years the nation has observed the Martyred Intellectual Day but it is slightly different this year as the nation for the first time has seen a glimmer of hope because of some developments in a number of cases related to killing of intellectuals.

Some historic developments in the judiciary this year on the trial of war criminals and execution of Quader Molla on Thursday added a new dimension to the observance of the 42nd Martyred Intellectual Day today.

Since 1971 many local and foreign media, books and other publications narrated bits and pieces of barbaric brutal killing of Bangalee intellectuals during the nine-month bloody Liberation War in 1971 but this year, for the first time, the nation has some legitimate views over the issue from the courts of law.

The large-scale killing of intellectuals and professionals in 1971 has “terribly shaken the conscience of mankind and the Bangalee nation”, the judges of International Crimes Tribunal 2 observed in their judgment in the case

against convicted war criminal and Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed.

In the court’s view the event of selected intellectuals killing was a planned and calculated “large scale killing”, the Tribunal 2 comprising

drew conclusion on the issue.

“Al-Badr, the fascist body of Jamaat-e-Islami, committed such untold butchery, said the tribunal judgment. ”It stands proved beyond reasonable doubt that the Al-Badar men were the perpetrators of the horrific and untold pattern of intellectuals killing.”

It is impossible to forget the grief of the gruesome killings of 1971 but this time we at least have the consolation that we could ensure justice

three judges viewed: “Intent to kill the listed intelligentsia was to cripple the Bangalee nation.”

The judges said it is “proved that about 200 leading intellectuals, doctors, professors and scientists, including such eminent personalities were brutally murdered.”

About the responsibilities of killing intellectuals were cited in the history from the views of the writers and their findings but now the court judgment

This tribunal also deals another case regarding intellectual killing and delivered verdict sentencing Chowdhury Mueen Uddin and Ashrafuzzaman to death for killing intellectuals.

In this case the verdict termed the intellectual killing “elitocide” – a systematic killing of a community’s political and economic leadership so that it could not regenerate.

“It is impossible to forget the grief of the gruesome killings of 1971 but this time we at least have the consolation  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

n Julfikar Ali Manik The case of war criminal Abdul Quader Molla has been the most eventful yet among more than a dozen war crimes cases.

Sometimes it was nerve racking and tearful for the justice seekers and victims while being jubilant for Molla and his supporters. Some moments were triumphant for the nation in overcoming hurdles to ensuring justice while being defeating for Molla.

Molla flashed the victory sign after a tribunal sentenced him to life on February 5 although the nation had expected the capital punishment. This irked millions of justice seekers, prompting them to unite in an unprecedented peaceful but massive movement at Shahbagh and elsewhere in the country in demand for the highest punishment.

The movement, spearheaded by bloggers and online activists, also demanded a ban on the politics of the Jamaat-e-eIslami and Islami Chhatra Shibir, putting the parties – along with business organisations run by them – in

Seven killed as Jamaat-Shibir men run riot

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AL, BNP now discuss issues to create atmosphere for dialogue

n Ashif Islam Shaon

At least seven people including a child were killed and more than 150 vehicles were torched as Jamaat-Shibir activists went on the rampage across the country yesterday protesting the execution of Abdul Quader Mollah.

Three were killed in Satkhira including a 10-year-old child, two in Noakhali and one in Pirojpur and Jessore each.

85 vehicles were burnt in Bogra, 21 in the capital and the rest in different districts.

Assistant secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami Quader Molla who was well-known as “Mirpurer Koshai” (Butcher of Mirpur) for his heinous crimes against humanity against the pro-liberation people in 1971 was hanged Thursday at 10:01pm after his review petition against death sentence was rejected.

Two Awami League leaders – Azizur Rahman, 40, and Judge Ali, 35 – along with a minor boy Riad Hossain, 10 were killed in Satkhira, a chatpati vendor died during a clash between law enforcers and Jamaat activists at Begumganj in Noakhali, a Shibir activist died under the wheels of a fleeing truck when they were torching vehicles at Jessore and a BNP activist was killed in Pirojpur.

a serious crisis of existence.

It prompted the government to amend International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973 to ensure the right of the state to appeal on behalf of the war crimes victims of 1971. Before the February 17 amendment, the state could appeal only against an acquittal.

The state and the defence appealed against the tribunal verdict in March.

Molla’s lawyers challenged the amendments but could not win.

Meantime, Jamaat, with the help of the main opposition BNP and fundamentalist organisation Hefazat-e-Islam, came down hard on the Shahbagh protesters, labelling them as “atheists.”

A group of religious fanatics campaigning against the Shahbagh movement also killed blogger Rajib, one of the organisers of the movement.

Hefazat and some other Islamist organisations took to the streets, demanding introduction of anti-blasphemy law. They also launched a propaganda against eminent writers and intellectuals, using the social media,

Hossain Shaikh and n Emran Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

On Shahjalal University of Science and Technology campus in Sylhet

Awami League and BNP leaders shooting conditions and counter-conditions at each other resulted in fading hopes for a dialogue as the leaders of the two parties sat for third round of talks, still remaining rigid over the polls-time government issue.

Party insiders said the conditions set by the two sides were apparently tough for either of them because for having to accept them, they would have to deviate from the stances.

The BNP placed conditions of release of its detained leaders and activists, freeing the party’s Nayapaltan office, lifting ban on political programmes, stopping repression of opposition men and suspending the election schedule.

The party is now focusing on forcing the government to suspend the election schedule and proposing of holding elections after 90 days of January 24, said a party insider.

The BNP delegation said the congenial atmosphere necessary for the

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11-year old schoolboy Shanto lies on the road after receiving splinter injuries during a clash between Jamaat-Shibir activists and police in the capital’s Fakirapool yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE Apart from these incidents Jamaat-Shibir men vandalised, torched and looted around 50 houses and busi-

ness establishments of Awami League supporters in Satkhira, Cox’s Bazar, Laxmipur and Pabna.

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Saturday, December 14, 2013

WAR CRIMES

Delay in disposal of appeals creates uncertainty n Nazmus Sakib As the appeals in war crimes cases are pouring in the Appellate Division, delay in the proceedings for disposal has made justice seekers concerned.

Observers said several issues includeing long vacation, lack of special bench and no mandatory timeframe were leading to the delays.

Main opposition BNP and its ally Jamaat-e-Islami have been questioning the war crims tribunal since its inception in 2010. An adviser to the BNP chief recently threatened to try those involved in the trial process if the party assumed power.

In the war crimes cases, the government represents the victims.

The war crimes tribunals have already delivered verdicts in eight cases since January. But only one appeal filed against a verdict has been disposed of.

So far, five of the eight verdicts given by the tribunal have been challenged.

The International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973 states that the government and the defence can appeal with the Appellate Division within 30 days of the verdict.

Among the five appeals, the apex court gave judgement in the case against Quader Molla, sentencing him to death overturning the life term given by the tribunal. War criminal Molla has

already been executed.

Of the four pending cases, hearing in the Delawar Hossain Sayedee's one began on September 24, about six months after filing of the appeal. Hearings in the three other appeals will begin after the Sayedee case is disposed of.

Death row Jamaat leader Muhammad Kamaruzzaman appealed against the tribunal verdict on June 6. Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed filed appeal on August 11 against the capital punishment handed down to him.

Former Jamaat chief Ghulam Azam was given 90 years’ imprisonment considering his old age and heath though the tribunal judges said he deserved death sentence. The convict filed appeal on August 5 for acquittal while the government also filed an appeal a week later seeking death penalty.

Convicted Abul Kalam Azad alias Bachchu Razakar, a former Jamaat member, did not appeal against the death sentence because he had been absconding.

Counsels of two other cases involving Salauddin Quader Chowdhury appealed in October and Abdul Alim appealed in November.

Meanwhile, verdict in the case against alleged al-Badr leaders Chowdhury Mueen Uddin and Ashrafuzzaman Khan is pending at the tribunal. The trial was held in their absence as they had not

appeared before the tribunal to defend charges of killing intellectuals.

Justice seekers expect speedier disposal of the appeals considering an amendment to the ICT Act that gives 60 days to dispose of an appeal. But their expectation diminished after the law minister made it clear that it was merely a directive, not mandatory.

Shyamoli Nasrin Chowdhury, widow of martyred intellectual Dr Abdul Alim Chowdhury, told the Dhaka Tribune: "Now I think it will take time to get justice as most of the appeals have remained pending with the Appellate Division for months.”

She also expressed concern over the fate of the war crimes cases if the opposition BNP came to power “All the condemned prisoners of war crimes cases may be released, the same way BNP’s founder Gen Ziaur Rahman freed all the 1971 collaborators.”

It is alleged that the appeals in Bangabandhu murder case faced deadlock at the Appellate Division after the BNP-Jamaat alliance government assumed power in 2001.

The long vacation of the court is also delaying the appeal process. The Appellate Division went on vacation from Friday. The court will resume activities on January2. There was long vacations in different spell in last four months. l

A Rab member stands in front of the Baitul Mokarram National Mosque during yesterday’s Jumma prayers as security was tightened in the capital following the execution of war crimes convict Quader Molla RAJIB DHAR

Quader Molla buried n Our Correspondent, Faridpur

The Body of war criminal Abdul Quader Molla was buried at his family graveyard at Amirabad under Sadarpur upazila of Faridpur early Friday.

Around five hundred people attended the funeral held in the front yard of his home about 4:15am.

Record 109 set to be elected uncontested  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

has announced not to participate in the polls and asked its candidates to withdraw their candidature. Jatiya Party Chief HM Ershad has formally requested the Election Commission not to allocate the party’s electoral symbol plough to anyone for the January 5 elections.

According to an Election Commission report, a number Jatiya Party candidates had not withdrawn their candidature, violating their party chief’s instruction.

EC sources said the returning officer did not accept the withdrawal applications of the Jatiya Party candidates, including Ershad. However, in the con-

stituencies which the Awami league left to the 14-party alliance candidates, the returning officer accepted the Awami League candidates’ nominations.

As of Friday, a total of 101 parliamentary constituencies got lone candidates, EC data showed.

In sixth parliamentary elections held on February 15 in 1996, 49 BNP candidates were elected uncontested as they were the lone candidates after EC scrutiny of their nomination papers.

BNP won 279 seats out of 290. Elections to 10 parliamentary constituencies were not held due to unavoidable circumstances.

Apart from BNP, all other major political parties, including the Awami

League, boycotted the sixth parliamentary polls.

However, after the resumption of parliamentary democracy in 1991, there was no uncontested candidate in any of the elections except for 1996.

In the fourth parliamentary polls in 1988, 18 candidates were elected uncontested. 1,192 candidates from eight political parties participated in the polls.

Meanwhile, the Awami League has sent a letter to the Election Commission asking for allocation of the boat symbol to 10 of the nominated candidates from the 14-party alliance.

Of the 10, four are from the Workers Party of Bangladesh, four from the Jati-

ya Samajtantrik Dal and two from Tarikat Federation.

In another development, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad yesterday said ensuring participation of all political parties in the upcoming 10th parliamentary elections was going to be difficult.

“But there are always scopes. If all reach a logical decision regarding the polls, they will have to tell the commission how to step forward,” he told reporters.

On allocating plough as the symbol for Jatiya Party candidates, the CEC said it was the responsibility of the returning officers to allocate symbols as per the electoral laws. l

In a clash between Shibir and Chhatra League men in Sonaimuri upazila of the district, a Shibir activist Hafez Mohammad Jobair was killed yesterday evening.

At Senbagh, Shibir men hacked union-level Awami League leader Abdul Hai after performing gayebana janaza for Quader Molla.

In another development, miscreants hurled a Molotov cocktail and a crude bomb at the village home of Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim, a judge of International Crimes Tribunal.

In Bogra, Jamaat-Shibir men torched 85 vehicles and vandalised 22. They also set fire to the Akij Group office.

Jamaat-Shibir men also blocked the Rangpur-Dhaka and Bogra-Naogaon highways by felling trees. Rail links

through Bogra were snapped as the Jamaat-Shibir men took out more than 650 panel chips at Kahaloo, Panchpir and Narua Mel area of the town. They also dug a three-feet hole under the rail tracks.

In Gazipur, a woman sustained burn injuries as Jamaat-Shibir activists hurled patrol bombs at the Joydebpur Rail Station.

In Chandpur, five people were injured when the Shibir men blockaded the Chandpur-Comilla highway with tree logs in Kachua and vandalised five vehicles.

In Pabna, Jamaat-Shibir men torched five vehicles. They locked in clash with police with sharp weapons.

In Jhenaidah, they torched and vandalised 42 houses and business establishments of Awami League leaders and supporters in Moheshpur upazila yesterday. l

Seven killed as Jamaat-Shibir  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

Shibir activist vandalised the Chetona-71, a sculpture of liberation war from a procession.

Police and witnesses said in Kalaroa upazila of Satkhira Jamaat-Shibir men in masks broke open the house of Azizur and stabbed him with sharp weapons to death.

In another incident, Jamaat-Shibir men allegedly took a Judge out of his house around 3am and slaughtered him at Sarashkati village. OC of Kalroa police station Shahadara Khan said they could not reach in time as the Jamaat-Shibir men blocked the road by felling tree logs.

In Sadar upazila, lawmen recovered the bullet-hit body of Riad from Baladanga.

Family members of Riad, who are Awami League supporters, said Jamaat

cadres might have kidnapped Riad.

The marauding Shibir men torched nearly 100 shops and residences in Debhata upazila.

In Pirojpur, Jamaat activist Sukkur Ali, 25, sustained bullet injuries around 2:30am during a clash with AL men at Ghosherhat Bazar. He died around 5am at the Bhangaria Upazila Health Complex.

In Jessore's Bagarpara-Charabhita Road, Shibir activist Ashraful, 20, died after being run over by a truck when he tried to torch it. “They blocked the road by felling trees and were waiting to torch vehicles," police said.

In Noakhali’s Begumganj, clashes between law enforcers and Jamaat-Shibir activists left the chatpati vendor Khorsed Alam, 35, dead.

AL, BNP now discuss issues to create atmosphere for dialogue  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

dialogue could be created only if the ruling party accepted the conditions and then the formation of the pollstime government, restructuring of the Election Commission and freeing the administration from politicisation would be discussed, an Awami League leader told the Dhaka Tribune.

The Awami League, on the other hand, said the opposition party had to stop the ongoing destructive programmes for holding the dialogue. The Awami League said there was no scope of holding the next elections under

any unelected person, said an Awami League leader.

On postponing the election, the Awami League said the issue entirely depended upon the EC. In the presence of UNDP Resident Coordinator Neal Walker, the meeting was held at a UNDP project office two days after UN envoy Oscar Fernandez-Taranco had left Dhaka urging the two major parties to carry on the dialogue.

The two parties had met on Tuesday and Wednesday in the presence of Fernandez-Taranco.

Awami League leaders Amir Hossain

Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Gowher Rizvi and party General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, and BNP leaders Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, Abdul Moyeen Khan, party acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Vice-Chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury attended the meeting yesterday.

The next meeting of the two parties was not yet decided, BNP Standing Committee member Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune.

After the meeting, both sides went to their party chiefs to discuss the meeting minutes.

A BNP leader said party chief Khaleda Zia also discussed about the next course of action and wanted to wait until December 16 as the party has no programme until that date. He also said non-stop blockade or non-cooperation programme might be announced from December 17.

The BNP leader also said as the government wanted to hold elections at any cost, they were showing their power and forcing Ershad to participate in the polls.

He alleged that it was the government’s trick to buy time in the name of dialogue. l

The day this year to add new dimension  PAGE 1 COLUMN 4

that we could ensure justice,” said Shyamoli Nasrin Chowdhury, wife of martyred intellectual Dr Abdul Alim Chowdhury.

“We must mourn tomorrow [today] but this time we have an achievement as justice is being served through the implementation of the verdict against Quader Molla and I hope complete justice will be served only when trials of all war criminals are held,” Shyamoli, an eminent teacher, expressed her strong hope.

Abdul Alim was an eminent physician. He was actively supporting Bangladesh’s liberation struggle. He was picked up by Al Badr like other intellectuals and never came back.

The tribunal judges – Chairman Justice Obaidul Hassan and members Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Judge Md Shahinur Islam in their judgments summed up the descriptions of

intellectual killings.

The Judges in their judgment said: “Particularly in between 10-14 December of 1971 a group of notable intellectuals belonging to diverse professions were picked up forcibly from their homes by armed men belonging to Al-Badar, an auxiliary force comprised of members of Islami Chhatra Shangha, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami for collaborating with the Pakistani army.”

It stands proved that Mohammadpur Physical Training Institute was the A-Badr headquarters and it was known as “torture camp”.

Most of the great sons and daughters did not return and their dead bodies could not be identified and traced even, although many of the distorted corpses were barely recognisable on different killing fields on the outskirts of Dhaka city.

The nation with the highest and solemn tribute still remembers their sac-

rifice, their contribution to the cause of independence and liberation of our motherland.

Shomi Kaiser, an actress celebrity, a victim of the intellectual killing. Her father prominent journalist Shahidullah Kaiser was kidnapped by Al-Badr.

She was so upset about not getting justice even after 42 years that she refrained from going to Savar National Mausoleum on December 16, the victory day.

She has also stopped visiting the Martyred Intellectuals Monument in Mirpur on December 14 to pay respect to all the brave sons of 1971 who laid their lives for the independence of the country.

“Without ensuring justice for the liberation war crimes, I think, only placing floral wreath on the monuments of the martyrs does not show meaningful respect to the martyrs,” Shomi said.

“Only paying tribute to the martyrs by placing floral wreaths without delivering justice for 1971 is nothing but hypocrisy,”

she observed.

But last evening she was preparing to go to the Martyred Intellectual Monument to pay her tribute to them as the execution of Quader Molla on Thursday cheered her up.

“Struggle of the cross section of people for the trial of war criminals has finally seen the light,” said Shomi.

“But I think, still we have a long way to go to ensure justice for the killing of intellectuals,” Shomi said, “It will be better if the government can set up a separate cell for the investigation of intellectual killings because there were many other razakars involved in killing the intellectuals apart from Chowdhury Mueen Uddin and Ashrafuzzaman.”

“We should give special focus to all the perpetrators of intellectual killings and identify all others who aided and abetted Mueen Uddin and Ashraf to kill intellectuals to in a bid to destroy the Bangalee nation.” l

None of his own family members was seen when he was laid to rest.

After his body was taken to his village home at 3:15am it was handed over to his younger brother Mainuddin Molla, also the Union Parishad chairman of Vashanchar union of the upazila, in presence of UNO Lukman Hossain, Magistrate Shibli Noman, ASP Bejoy Boshak

and Officer-in-Charge of the local police station Mohammad Ali Bishwas.

A second namaz-e-janaza was held on Amirabad Fazlul Haque Pilot Institute ground about 3pm.

A number of Jamaat leaders told reporters that they were barred in different places from going to Quader Molla’s home. l

JP faces another split Reza Chowdhury and n Kamran Manik Miazee

Jatiya Party Chief HM Ershad’s claim that he was “detained,” not sick, has put the government in another apparently embarrassing situation.

Law enforcers, including Rapid Action Battalion members, picked Ershad up from his Baridhara residence and kept him at the Combined Military Hospital Thursday night, saying he was “ill.”

The former military ruler’s absence has reportedly plunged the party at the verge of yet another split as many of the contestants, including his wife, have decided to not withdraw nomination papers in violation of his instructions.

In a message issued from the hospital through his adviser Bobby Hajjaj, the Jatiya Party chairman said he was “adamant to boycott” the polls for the sake of the democratic process.

Ershad said his younger brother GM Quader and party Secretary General Ruhul Amin Howlader would issue statements in favour of the party.

“I am not sick; I have been confined for arrest,” Ershad said in the statement sent to media from Bobby Hajjaj’s e-mail address yesterday.

G M Quader, who also briefed media yesterday on behalf of Erhsad, confirmed to the Dhaka Tribune that his brother had issued the statement.

The statement said: “One leader [presidium member Mujibul Haque Chunnu] has been issuing statements

on behalf of the party. If someone does it, he must shoulder the responsibility.

This will be considered his own opinion. I can take action against anyone for breaching party disciplines.”

Ershad said many of the party candidates had started withdrawing the nomination papers.

“The Jatiya Party will not take part in the polls without the participation of all political parties. This is necessary for the continuation of the democratic process,” the statement quoted Ershad as saying.

However, Ershad’s wife Raushan and at least 10 presidium members have reportedly taken a stance to contest the polls for the sake of continuation of the democratic process, and the welfare of the party and its chief.

“Many of our leaders including Raushan Ershad have decided not to withdraw the nomination papers. We think it is for Ershad and the party’s good,” Mujibul Haque Chunnu, a presidium member of Jatiya Party, told the Dhaka Tribune last night.

He said at least 50 candidates refused to withdraw their candidature, going against Ershad’s instructions.

The number would rise, Chunnu said.

Raushan Ershad, Anisul Islam Mahmud, Syed Abu Hossain Babla, Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu, Moshiur Rahman Ranga, Tajul Islam Chowdhury, Mujibul Haque Chunnu and Salma Islam are the presidium members, who have reportedly rejected Ershad’s order for withdrawing nomination. l

Molla’s war crimes case most eventful so far  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

also labelling them as “atheists.”

Hefazat’s two major rallies – one in April and another in May – attacked the government, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League, often calling them atheist or patrons of atheists.

From May, Hefazat was helping the BNP-Jamaat alliance to topple the government. It did not want to leave the street after its May 5 rally at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel.

Even BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia asked her party men to join the Hefazat rally that night.

But a night-time police operation compelled Hefazat men to leave the street, but the BNP launched a propaganda that police operation killed 2,500-3,000 Hefazat men that night.

The propaganda was so strong and put the government in a huge embarrassment. Human rights organisation Odhikar’s report also created a controversy. Following this controversy, the government arrested top officials of Odhikar, and for this it was criticised widely at home and abroad.

Although the BNP, Odhikar and Hefazat’s claims did not stand, all these developments brought many challenges for the government: Hefazat men openly campaigned against the Awami League-supported candidates in the five city corporation elections after May. All the ruling party-backed candi-

dates conceded defeats.

Finally, obtaining the Supreme Court verdict that sentenced Molla to death, when the government took steps to execute the war criminal, known as the Butcher of Mirpur, on December 10 midnight a new drama surfaced.

Despite the debate over Molla’s scope of filing review petition, everything was set to execute Molla at 12.01am Tuesday night.

The prison authorities arranged the family members’ last meeting with the condemned war criminal at Dhaka Central Jail.

But, Molla’s counsels went to the residence of chamber judge Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain to seek a stay order on the execution and the chamber judge stayed the hanging until 10:30am on Wednesday.

Interestingly, Molla’s wife showed the victory sign on Tuesday evening on her way to meet her husband.

After around 38 hours, the Appellate Division on Thursday rejected Molla’s review petition, clearing all legal bars to carrying out the capital punishment.

The government finally executed the first of the war criminals on Thursday night.

But this brought another new challenge – containing Jamaat-Shibir’s widespread violence and killings across the country.

Earlier, Jamaat-Shibir threatened to wage a civil war and burn 56,000 sq-km of the country if Molla was executed. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Saturday, December 14, 2013

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Saturday, December 14, 2013

BRTA fails target of digitalising number plates n Abu Hayat Mahmud Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA)’s progress remains sluggish than expectation at the end of the first year of the five-year projects, “radio frequency identification number plate installation” and “providing digital smart card driving license” On October 31, last year Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the projects with an aim to bring discipline and improve services in the transport sector.

Under the system, it is mandatory for each vehicle to have a special kind of number plate containing its registration number that will be visible in both day and night time. The vehicle will have radio frequency system for easy tracking.

However, officials of BRTA informed that out of 17,51,834 registered motor vehicles, only 1,95,093 could be incorporated until November 15 this year.

The Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory (BMTF) has been providing around 1,200 number plates to motor vehicles per day.

Seeking anonymity, a BRTA official, said: “Initially, we hoped that the whole project would be completed by maximum two years.”

Bangladesh Navy receives BNS Somudro Joy n Tushar Hayat, Chittagong The Bangladesh Navy received “BNS Somudro Joy,” the largest and the heaviest Guided Missile Frigate to its fleet from the United States Coast Guard yesterday.

The US ambassador to Dhaka Dan Mozena and chief of Bangladesh Navy Vice Admiral Farid Habib welcomed the ship at the Chittagong Naval Base.

After visiting the vessel, the ambassador said the US was the largest export destination of Bangladesh and most of the export trades took place through the waterways.

The vessel would play a key role in providing a safeguard on the maritime boundary of Bangladesh, he added.

“I hope many more vessels will come to Bangladesh from the US, so that, gas, fisheries and other resources can be kept secured, alongside, curbing the rate of human resource and arms trafficking,” said Mozena.

The naval chief said they were optimistic about acquiring another frigate of such kind shortly.

“We won a maritime boundary larger than our land territory last year. The necessity of such giant frigates came following the victory to keep vigil on such a vast maritime boundary,” he added.

The 378-feet long and 43-feet wide warship had been sailing through the Pacific ocean and serving the US since 1972. It was decommissioned from the US Coast Guard in October last year. l

WEATHER

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

Night temperature might fall slightly and day temperature might remain nearly unchanged over the country, Met Office said.

The sun sets in the capital at 5:14pm today and rises at 6:33am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 29.5 degree Celsius was recorded at Cox’s Bazar and lowest 10.6 degrees at Srimangal yesterday. Highest and lowest temperatures recorded in some major cities yesterday were: City

High

Low

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

26.4 25.2 26.4 24.5 27.2 27.0 25.5 29.5

13.4 18.5 10.8 12.5 13.6 12.5 14.2 16.5

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

5:12am 6:32am 11:53am 3:37pm 5:13pm 6:34pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

However, now it seemed that the whole project would require total five years, he added.

“The motor vehicles owners’ were apathetic towards adopting the new system because of lack of promotional campaigns by BRTA to introduce the new system,” he added.

Under the 15-year digital smart card driving license project, that started from October 2011, the BRTA has provided 5,37,102 smart licenses to vehicles up to November this year.

BRTA Director (engineering) Md Saiful Hoque told the Dhaka Tribune: “We arranged a press conference to convene the vehicles owners to replace their old number plates and tag the digital retro-reflective number plates. We hope to replace all the number plates within the estimated time span of the project.”

The five-year RFID project began replacing the number plates from November last year. As per the project proposal, the army-run BMTF is executing the project as a contractor of the BRTA. BMTF is importing the digital number plates from Poland, RFID tags from the USA, and vehicle ownership cards from UK. l

Ganajagaran Mancha organises a rally in the capital’s Shahbagh yesterday, demanding execution of all the verdicts against other war crimes convicts

RAJIB DHAR

Ganajagaran Mancha demands Sangskritik Jote begins Victory Day celebrations execution of all war crime verdicts n Muktasree Chakma Sathi Joy Bangla (Victory to Bangladesh), the iconic slogan of the 1971 War of Independence has become more inclusive, 42 years into the birth of the country.

Sammilito Sangskritik Jote yesterday began their Victory Day celebrations with an extended version of that slogan, conveying how it has over time come to speak of Bangladeshis everywhere, of every religion and every era.

The three-day-long celebrations was inaugurated at the Central Shahid Minar in presence of family members of martyrs, particularly those who lost their near ones at the mass killing field in Mirpur and victims of the recently executed Quader Molla’s atrocities.

Hasan Arif, general secretary of the organisation, said the essence of “Joy Bangla” slogan included all, irrespective of their ethnicity, religion, caste or class-based affiliations.

President of the platform Nasiruddin Yusuf Bachchu said: “Taking steps

for ensuring equality for all citizens, including the communities, who do not fall under the criteria of Bengalis was called for now. We will not stop until we have defeated the evil force, Jamaat-Shibir and those who had committed crimes against humanity.”

Nasir, also a freedom fighter said: “Same kinds of attacks were launched in 1971 in the name of Islam. They always used religion for their own benefit.”

Dhaka University VC AAMS Arefin Siddique called upon all to unitedly resist all kinds of conspiracy against the country. Observing that the violence in 1971 would not have been so severe if there were no collaborators to help the Pakistani occupational forces.

“Ensuring punishment to these traitors is a must. The people of Bangladesh want the government to take necessary steps in bringing back some of these fugitive leaders. If we cannot ensure the perpetrators were being punished, establishing rule of law will not be possible,” Arefin Siddique said. l

n Arif Ahmed

The activists of Shahbagh Ganajagarn Mancha yesterday called for a ban on the Jamaat-e-Islami politics and urged the government to execute the verdict against all convicted war criminals in the quickest possible time.

Ganajagarn Mancha – a platform for people’s awareness – made the demand while addressing a rally at Shahbagh Projonmo Chattar yesterday afternoon.

Imran H Sarkar, convener of the organisation, said: “We have gained our primary victory through the execution of Quader Molla’s verdict.”

“The whole nation is elated after 42 years, and we will celebrate a complete victory when all war criminals would be hanged like Molla and anti-liberation forces (Jamat-Hafazat) banned in our country.”

Imran said the evil forces killed innocent people with a view to foiling the war crimes trials and making Bangladesh a land of racism.

The spokesperson of Ganajagaran Mancha called upon the government

to put an end to Jamaat-Shibir politics, saying that the Supreme Court had banned the party and so it had no right to do politics in the country.

Imran vowed that they would continue their movement till realisation of their six-point demand.

Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee President Shahriar Kabir termed Jamaat and Hefazat main enemy for Bangladesh and hindrance to its progresses.

He said the evil forces did not want the independence of Bangladesh in 1971 and also did not believe in people’s victory over Liberation War against Pakistan.

Shahriar came down hard on the western countries including US and England that opposed the execution of Quader Molla’s verdict.

“They opposed us when we declared our independence war against Pakistan in 1971, but we hardly took notice of their opposition, and this time also we did like 1971,” he said.

Shahriar urged the countrymen to elect those parties – that live up to the inspiration of Liberation War – in the next polls and to rein in violence com-

DCCI pleas for time extension to repay loans n Tribune Report

Computer education week being observed

n Tribune Report

Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) and BASIS Institute of Technology and Management jointly organised “BASIS Hour of Code” programme in the capital yesterday, said a press statement.

The event was organised to include students and interested people in learning computer science and eliminating computer phobia as part of Computer Science Education Week, which is the first event held ever in the country’s history.

Computer Science Education Week is being observed across the globe from December 9 and is due to end on December 15.

Anyone can take part in the BASIS Hour of Code daily for one hour in www.basis.org.bd Bangladesh IT Journalist Forum also took part in the event as an associate organisation. l

Explosives recovered n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong Rapid Action Battalion has recovered eight petrol bombs from a roadside ditch in Chittagong city’s Bahaddarhat area yesterday morning.

However, no one was arrested in this connection as the elite force found the explosives in abandoned condition, said Rab 7 officials.

Major Jahangir Alam, camp commander of Rab 7 Chandgaon Camp, told the Dhaka Tribune that miscreants might have left the explosives on the spot, sensing the presence of law enforcement agencies.

Later, the explosives were defused, he said. l

mitted by Jamaat and Hefazat with a heavy hand.

Development activist and woman leader Khushi Kabir described the execution of Quader Molla’s verdict as a second victory for the Bangladeshis after 1791.

“It is the second victory for our country after 1971 and a complete victory will come only after all war criminals are hanged,” She added.

She also declared that they would continue their movement till Bangladesh became totally free from Rajakars and Jamaat-Shibir.

Freedom fighter Nasiruddin Yousuf Bachchu said the anti-liberation forces killed many people during the Liberation War, and in 2013, they were doing the same in an attempt to save the war criminals.

Among others, Ziaul Haque, president of Bangladesh Shommilito Islami Jote, Bangladesh Chhatra Maitri President Bappa Ditta Bashu, Chhatra Union President SM Shuvo and its general secretary Hasan Tarek, Jasad Chhatra League President Shamsul Islam Sumon spoke at the rally. l

Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Heather Cruden inaugurates a seminar and an exhibition yesterday arranged by the ULAB to celebrate the Nobel Prize winners in literature DHAKA TRIBUNE

ULAB celebrates Nobel prize in literature n Rabiul Islam University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh yesterday celebrated the Nobel Prize winners in literature, marking the 100 years celebration of Tagore’s Nobel Prize for literature.

On the occasion, ULAB organised a seminar on “Showcasing the Nobel Prizes for Literature” and an exhibition, titled “The Nobel Prize for Literature” at the auditorium of its campus.

In the seminar, speakers discussed the Nobel laureates on literature, especially Rabindranath Tagore and Alice Munro. Canadian writer Alice Munro received the honourable prize for literature in 2013, a century after Tagore got it, and was described as having rev-

olutionised the architecture of contemporary short stories. The 82-year-old becomes the 110th Nobel laureate in literature and the first Canadian to win and the 13th woman to do so.

Speaking as the chief guest at the seminar, Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Heather Cruden said Canada has been a proud partner for Bangladesh since its independence.

The dialogue and exchange of ideas about works across cultures, and between local and foreign experts was a good example of crossing international boundaries to broaden minds globally.

ULAB former vice chancellor Prof Rafiqul Islam said Gitanjali in Bangla is not similar to Gitanjali in English. Gitanjali is an entry of over 100 verses which

are songs not poems. In England, at the request of Irish poet WB Yeats, Rabindranath translated Gitanjali to English.

While giving vote of thanks, ULAB Vice Chancellor Prof Imran Rahman said through such occasions, the students would be inspired for creative writing.

ULAB board of trustees Vice President Kazi Anis Ahmed said: “I don’t want to be jubilant for execution of Quader Mollah but it is a sense of relief for the nation that the first of the war criminals have been hanged and there are more challenges ahead.”

At the seminar, Gitanjali centenary volume, commissioned by ULAB, was unveiled. Among others, department of English and Humanities Chair Kaiser Haque was present. l

Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) has requested the Bangladesh Bank to extend time limit for loan classification.

They asked for the extension so that the entrepreneurs could repay their loans as, because of the ongoing political unrest, strikes and blockades, the manufacturers, traders, small businessmen, transport owners and workers had to incur grave financial losses.

A letter was sent to the governor of Bangladesh Bank yesterday requesting him to extend the loan classification period to six months from existing three months and to nine months from existing six months.

DCCI has also requested the Bangladesh Bank to instruct the scheduled banks’ in this regard, according to a press statement.

The statement said the businessmen could not continue their businesses and make profit among the recent political tension. l

NU cancels winter holidays n Our Correspondent, Gazipur The authorities of National University yesterday cancelled the winter holidays scheduled from December 22 to December 26.

The NU cancelled the holidays because of admission test and other emergency academic and administrative activities, said a press release yesterday.

Md Faizul Karim, official of public relation, information and consultation department of the university, issued the press release. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

5

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Farmers in trouble as cattle contracts FMD n Our Correspondent, Lalmonirhat

Jamaat-Shibir activists set fire to a human hauler on the Dhaka-Pabna Highway in Pabna, protesting execution of Quader Molla’s death penalty

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Farmers in several upazilas of Lalmonirhat were put in an unpleasant situation as they struggled to vaccinate their cattle against a potentially fatal viral disease that broke out in the district recently.

The livestock department apparently has no vaccines for the disease – Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) – despite it being a common one for cloven-hoofed animals like cows and bullocks.

Sources said the disease broke out in many villages with the start of winter, prompting farmers and cattle growers to search for vaccination but their effort was mostly met with failure.

Many farmers have resorted to Ayurvedic treatment for their cattle that had already contracted the virus.

Some farmers alleged that they had returned empty-handed from the local livestock department as vaccines were not available there.

Usually, local markets do not sell the vaccines since those are supplied and sold only by the government agencies.

The farmers are worried that the affected cattle might not survive another week if they are not vaccinated now.

Azizul Islam, a farmer at Sakoya vil-

Blockade fallout: Price of crops fall sharply Farmers are counting losses as they cannot get the fair price because of unavailability of transport Official sources said farmers upazilas expressed their frustration.

Asked about the reason for the fertiliser during cultivation season. n Tribune Desk They are now worried about how At the beginning of the harvest, cultivated winter vegetables in about plummeting trend of paddy price, the Price of Aman paddy has registered a drastic fall in the markets of the district for the back to back blockade programmes enforced by the 18-party opposition combine.

The farmers are counting losses as they cannot get the fair price from their produce for its low sale because of unavailability of transport.

The Aman growers fear that they will not be able to recover the production cost from the present market price of the paddy this season.

During visit to different markets, farmers told the UNB correspondent that Aman price has dropped by Tk250 per maund in a span of one week.

At Shibganj, Goreya and Khochabari markets, Aman is now selling for Tk500-700 per maund whereas one maund of paddy sold between Tk750 and 800 a week ago.

farmers said traders from different districts cannot come to the markets here to purchase paddy for the political programmes.

Narrating their problems due to the programmes, local traders said after purchasing paddy at a little low price, they cannot send it to the large warehouses in different districts, including Dhaka and Bogra.

As a result, traders will have to incur losses as the purchased paddy is losing quality gradually, they noted.

The worried traders said they will not be able to purchase paddy further if such situation continues.

Belayat Hossain, deputy director of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) office in Thakurgaon, said there has been bumper harvest of Aman in the district this year as farmers could collect adequate seeds and

growers were delighted with good market price of the new paddy, he said, adding that they are now failing even to recover the production cost due to low market price.

The DAE official is of the view that the existing low price of Aman will affect the ongoing Boro cultivation.

Sources at the DAE office said about 4 lakh tonnes of Aman paddy have been produced in the district this year.

Meanwhile, hundreds of vegetable growers in the district face difficulties as they are not getting fair price of their produce in the local markets.

Narsingdi is one of the leading vegetable producing areas. Farmers of Shibpur, Belabo and Raipura upazilas under the district usually cultivate vegetables on commercial basis and generally supplies 50% to 60% of their production to the capital and other districts.

8,500 hectares of land in the district this season and were reaping a good harvest.

But during this winter, they are being deprived of fair price of their produce as there is no wholesale customer in local markets.

Sometimes, the growers stop harvesting vegetables from their field and as a result, a lot of them get rotten in the field.

The farmers are now worried about how they will maintain their families.

Abdul Jalil, a farmer of Masumpur village under Shibpur upazila, said he cultivated cauliflower, cabbage, beans and radish on 10 bighas of land and was having a good harvest, but because of hartals and blockades, he was compelled to sell his produce at lower prices in local markets.

Like Abdul Jalil, many farmers in the

they would lead their lives.

On the other hand, preservation of vegetables has become a difficult task for them as there is no cold storage in the district.

The situation has compelled the growers to sell the produce at a throwaway price, which does not cover even their production cost.

The farmers said they were selling cauliflowers at between Tk500 to Tk600 per hundred pieces as against Tk2,000 to Tk2,500 in the last season while radish at between Tk2 to Tk3 per four pieces and bean and brinjal at between Tk600 to Tk700 per maund in the local markets.

The farmers urged the political parties to stop hartals and blockades for the greater interest of people as well as farmers to facilitate communication across the country. l

Butterfly fair held at JU n JU Correspondent

A panoramic butterfly fair was held on the Jahangirnagar University campus yesterday amid different colourful events.

The Institution – with a campus sprawled over almost three square kilometres, is known for its rich greenery of grass and trees, providing a natural sanctuary to birds and flying insects, and hosts such festivals every winter.

Several hundred butterfly lovers attended the fair that was organised by the entomology branch of Zoology Department of the university with the theme: “Urley Akashe Projapoti, Prokriti Pai Natun Goti” [Flying butterflies give nature a new life].

Teachers and students of the Zoology Department have been arranging the fair since 2010.

Around 150 different species of butterflies were exhibited in the fair.

Over a hundred species of butterflies among some 500 species that are found in Bangladesh are seen at the university.

Acting vice-chancellor of the university Prof MA Matin inaugurated the fair

by releasing butterflies and balloons at the university’s Zahir Raihan auditorium premises around 11:30am, while pro VC Prof Afsar Ahmed, programme’s media partner Channel i Director Mukit Mazumder Babu, Zoology Department Chairperson Prof Sazeda Begum were present at the inauguration programme.

The acting VC urged all to conserve butterflies considering its usefulness and importance in ecological balance, and thanked the Zoology Department for such an initiative and promoting the university countrywide through the fair as well.

“I hope the Zoology Department will continue such initiatives in the future and uphold the university through their extraordinary academic activities and practical initiatives as well,” MA Matin said.

The fair Convener Prof Dr Monwar Hossain, also teacher of the Zoology Department said they should provide safety to butterflies because day by day the commercial value of butterflies is increasing and they had a significant impact on the nature and total ecosystem. l

Although the BNP-led 18-party alliance did not enforce blockade for yesterday, Jamaat-Shibir men put up barricade on a road in Bypass Mollapara area of Rajshahi city in a bid to disrupt communication DHAKA TRIBUNE

Robbery at expat’s Brahmaputra, Teesta count the cost of climate change houses in Sylhet tressed people have cultivated various climate change farmers have changed or Roumari by engine driven boat n Tribune Report as the water vessels slowly move crops on its beds this year like previous farming pattern.

Tribune Desk n Now they are cultivating maize, through huge zigzag channels due to The mighty rivers of Brahmaputra and years.

Robbers looted valuables worth Tk10 lakh breaking into the houses of an expatriates at West Charia village in Bianibazar upazila early yesterday.

Locals said some miscreants riding an ambulance came and stormed the house of expatriate Alauddin and made the house inmates hostage at gunpoint.

They looted 8/9 bhoris of gold ornaments, laptops, mobile phone sets and cash around 3:30am, reports UNB. Police said they had visited the spot and steps would be taken to arrest the culprits. A case was filed in this connection. l

Teesta have dried up at an alarming rate and almost turned into crop fields because of the adverse impacts of climate change.

The Brahmaputra has now the lowest water flow in some narrower channels that caused emergence of hundreds of shoals, hampering navigability throughout its courses both in the up and down stream.

At the same time, the Teesta has mostly dried up allowing its vast bed to wear a deserted look with only sand.

Hundreds of landless riverside dis-

The movements of engine boats on all routes to and from 28 river ghats in Kurigram, Gaibandha and Jamalpur have become hazardous and risky because of emergence of shoals in the Brahmaputra River, locals said.

Agriculture and Environment Coordinator of Rangpur Dinajpur Rural Service Bangladesh Mamunur Rashid said the century-old civilisation on the Brahmaputra basin, irrigation, navigation, ecology and bio-diversity was in grave threat causing threat to concern people.

To cope with the adverse impact of

Boro, ground nut, “china”, “kawn”, pulses, mustard, “gunji till”, wheat, tobacco, watermelon and other crops on vast tracts of sandy bed of these driedup riverbeds now.

Crop farming began long ago as the rivers dry up abnormally every year during dry seasons in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Bogra, Jamalpur and Sirajganj districts, said Nurul Amin Sarker of Chilmari and Abdul Wahed of Kawnia.

Taramon Bibi, Bir Pratik, said it took four hours in crossing the 25 km river-route from Chilmari to Rajibpur

appearance of hundreds of submerged shoals.

Drought, flash floods and massive erosion are occurring almost every year due to unbridled rise of riverbeds from abnormal deposition of silts because of the ongoing climate change throughout the globe, he added.

The experts said the future of human civilisation would depend on the success of adapting with the adverse impacts of climate change and innovating newer ways towards the directions in the region and the world as a whole. l

lage, said, “Two of my cows had contracted FMD and I have been giving them Ayurvedic medicines for the past one week because there are no vaccines.”

Another farmer, Atahar Hossain of Goddimari village, said three of his cows had been attacked by the virus in the last four days but he couldn’t provide them any treatment. “I went to the upazila livestock office but they have no vaccines in their store.”

According to an account, there are 358,034 cows and bullocks in the district. Among common cattle diseases, Tarka and Badla are wintertime diseases while FMD is found almost round the year.

While contacted, District Livestock Officer Dr Abu Hossain Sarker acknowledged the scarcity of vaccines.

“We cannot provide vaccines simply because we have none to give. We had informed the higher authorities of the situation about two weeks back but transportation of the vaccines was halted by the countrywide communication blockade.”

“Vaccines are regularly given to cattle to immunise them against FMD, but they can re-contract it coming in contact with the FMD-affected Indian cattle smuggled into Bangladesh without any health-check.” l

Six people killed in separate road accidents n Tribune Report At least six people were killed and six others injured in separate road accidents in Dhaka, Chittagong and Jamalpur yesterday.

Two people were killed as a covered van lost control and ran into a roadside makeshift house in the capital’s Uttara.

Witnesses said tire of a covered van was blown and the van ran into the house at Kamarpara area, leaving Nur Islam, 57, hailed from Kurigram, and Aminul Islam, 40, hailed from Sirajganj, spot dead while they were sleeping.

Sumon Chandra, sub-inspector of Uttara West police station, told the Dhaka Tribune: “On information, police recovered the bodies and sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy. An unnatural death case was filed with the police station in this regard.”

Hasina Begum, wife of Nur Islam, told the Dhaka Tribune that Nur was a construction worker and they have one son and one daughter, while Rekha, wife of Aminul, said Aminul was a day labourer and they have three sons.

On the other hand in Chittagong, at least three people including a woman and her son were killed and four others injured in a road accident on the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar highway at Chunti of Lohagara upazila yesterday afternoon, says our correspondent from Chittagong.

Mohammad Shahjahan, officerin-charge of Lohagara police station, told the Dhaka Tribune that the driver of a Cox’s Bazar-bound riceladen truck lost control and fell into an adjoining farmland, leaving the three spot dead and the others injured.

The deceased are Dilwara Begum, 45, and her son Tamim, 6, while police could not identify other deceased, police said.

Of the four injured, Maleka Begum was admitted into a local private clinic in critical condition, while the injured driver managed to flee away, the OC said, adding that police had taken the truck into their custody.

Elsewhere in Jamalpur, a motorcyclist was killed and two others were injured as a truck ran over the motorcycle on the Jamalpur-Islampur highway at Nayanagar in Melandaha upazila, reports UNB. The deceased was identified as Munna, 22, hailed from Bashudebpur village of the upazila, while the injured are Leion, 22, and Babla, 24, of the Shajahanpur village.

Billal Hossain, office-in-charge of Melandaha police station, said a speedy truck ran over a motorcycle carrying the trio around 7:30 am, leaving Munna spot dead and two others critically injured.

Locals took the injured to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, from where Leion was shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital as his condition deteriorated.

Police had seized the truck. However, its driver managed to flee. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Remembrance

Saturday, December 14, 2013

SAZZAD

The power of ideas n Zeeshan Khan

T

here is nothing new or unusual about the targeting of intellectuals during times of change and conflict. It has happened since time immemorial and there is nothing to say that it won’t continue in future.

Hypatia, the Greek philosopher, was famously murdered by a state-sanctioned Christian mob in the 4th century, when Hellenistic civilisation was being shown the door by the Greek Orthodox Church.

During the early days of Islamic scholarship, thinkers and philosophers were persecuted in the struggles for dominance between contending schools of thought, and in the 12th century when Bakhtiyar Khilji was conquering the Ganges delta, thousands of Buddhist intellectuals and monks from the nearby Nalanda University were put to death. When Mongol hordes invaded Iraq, the famous Bait-al-Hikmah, or House of Wisdom, was specifically targeted, as it represented the intellectual prowess of civilisations they were determined to destroy.

More recently, in the 1960s, millions of intellectuals and cultural personalities were persecuted in Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution in

China, which sought to obliterate all resistance to the Communist Party’s ideological stranglehold of that country. Very few events in history are as chilling as the Khmer Rouge’s “killing fields” of the 1970’s, when 1.7 million people were killed, many of whom were intellectuals, in an attempt to uproot Cambodia’s cultural heritage.

Almost the entire cultural elite of the country was murdered and people perceived to be intellectuals or even those that had stereotypical signs of learning, such as glasses, were selectively killed.

oldest cultures. Targeted assassination of over 400 academics, kidnapping and the flight of thousands of doctors, lawyers, artists and other intellectuals have left Iraq with a cultural vacuum that will take a few generations to fill.

In Bangladesh, intellectuals were targeted right from the start of the conflict with Pakistan. Prominent individuals like GC Dev were killed during the night of the March 25, 1971, along with scores of Dhaka University teachers and students.

Civilian and non-combatant doctors, engineers, writers and artists

If we are to truly honour the sacrifice these brilliant individuals made, we must never forget that they lived, and died, with an unwavering belief in their right to think freely and to use their minds for the betterment of mankind At present, a number of brilliant Iranian nuclear scientists have been mysteriously assassinated, as concerns about Iran’s progress in developing nuclear technology continues to occupy Western and Israeli thoughts.

When Iraq was invaded to overthrow Saddam Hussein, the occupiers’ inaction, along with their connivance, led to the ravaging of one of the world’s

were killed throughout the war, with the most diabolic attempt to stifle our intellectual heritage coming right at the end, between December 10 -14, when al-Badr and al-Shams hit-squads went house to house for rounding up people on a list that included some of the brightest minds of their time.

Official estimates put the number of dead during the nine-month war at

1111 - 991 academics, 13 journalists, 42 lawyers, 16 cultural activists and 49 physicians.

Why intellectuals?

Intellectuals are targeted because the represent something that is often more powerful than might and almost always more enduring. They represent the power of ideas, a power that propels a nation forward and gives it its place in the world of progress and enlightenment. This power has always been potent in Bengal, with numerous scientific, academic, cultural and literary disciplines boasting a Bengali or two among their greatest proponents.

That many intellectuals were involved with our liberation struggle (indeed, many of them virtually birthed it), is no surprise at all, since ideas are the building blocks of revolution and the greatest threat to a status-quo.

Intellectuals also represent a nation’s ability to develop and sustain itself, and to endow it with the benefits of civilisation and success.

Our adversaries were keenly aware of these facts, and were determined to try and deny us a chance to lift ourselves out of the ditch they had thrown us in. After all, a “headless” country will have no choice but to become a client state at best, a stagnant

and barbaric place at worst. They failed of course, and we are still here, still moving forward.

But an intellectual tradition is a living thing, and like any other living thing, needs constant watering. If we are to truly honour the sacrifice these brilliant individuals made, we must never forget that they lived, and died, with an unwavering belief in their right to think freely and to use their minds for the betterment of mankind.

Bullets robbed these individuals of their lives, but they can never rob them of their legacy, nor of the contributions they made to the future of our nation. Like bright lights, they will always remain relevant in a world that contains an abundance of darkness.

But their ability to keep shining depends on our ability to follow their lead. If we abandon our right to think, to speak, to dream, to demand change, to debate, to study and to excel, we will have turned our backs on all that they stood for.

If we let might replace reason we will have failed them, and if we, as a society, don’t let the full range of thoughts, ideas and values flourish, no matter how contrary they may be to each other, and to an established order, we will have allowed the perpetrators of those horrible crimes to win. l

In Loving Memory Of Assets of our nation lost at the hands of the Pakistani military, the al-Badr and al-Shams on December 14, 1971

Munier Chowdhury

Sirajuddin Hossain

Dr Abdul Alim Choudhury

Mufazzal Haidar

Shahidullah Kaiser

Dr Mohammad Fozle Rabbi

Nizamuddin Ahamed

Muhammad Anwar Pasha

Syed Nazmul Haque

Dr Abul Kalam Azad

Ghyasuddin Ahamed

Dr NAM Faizul Mohee

Dr Abul Khair

Zahirul Islam

Selina Parveen

Santosh Chandra

ANM Golam Mostafa

Desk calendar of Pakistani General Rao Forman Ali with the names of intellectuals who were abducted and killed by al-Badr SMA Rashidul Hasan

Dhaka University Teachers Dr GC Dev Muffazzal Hyder Chowdhury Anwar Pasha Jyotirmay Guhathakurta Abdul Muqtadir S M Rashidul Hasan Dr ANM Faizul Mahi Fazlur Rahman Khan A.N.M. Maniruzzaman Dr Serajul Haque Khan Dr Shahadat Ali Dr MA Khair AR Khan Kadim Muhammad Sadeque Sharafat Ali Ghiasuddin Ahamed

Ananda Payan Rajshahi University Teachers Prof Qayyum Habubur Rahman Shree Sukha Ranjan Samadder Names of MCAs Mashiur Rahman Amjad Hossain Aminuddin Nazmul Haque Sarker Abdul Haque Syed Anwar Ali AK Sarder Names of Journalists Sirajuddin Hossain

Shahidulla Kaiser Khondakar Abu Taleb Nizamuddin Ahmed ANM Golam Mustofa Shahid Saber Sk Abdul Mannan Nazmul Haque M Akhter Abul Basar Chisty Helalur Rahman Shibsadan Chakravarty Selina Akhter Names of Physicians Md Fazle Rabbi Abdul Alim Chowdhury Shamsuddin Ahmed

Azharul Haque Humayun Kabir Sulaiman Khan Kaiser Uddin Mansur Ali Ghulam Murtaza Hafez Uddin Khan Jahangir Abdul Jabbar SK Lal Hem Chandra Basak Kazi Obaidul Haq Mrs Ayesaha Bedoura Chowdhury Al-Haj Mamotazuddin Hashimoy Hazra Naren Ghose Zikrul Haq

Shamsul Haq M Rahman A Gafur Mansur Ali SK Sen Mafizuddin Amulya Kumar Chakravarty Atiqur Rahman Ghulam Sarwar R C Das Mihir Kumar Sen Saleh Ahmed Anil Kumar Sinha Sunil Chandra Sharma AKM Ghulam Mustafa Maqbul Ahmed Enamul Haq

Mansur Ashraf Ali Talukdar Lt Ziaur Rahman Lt Col Jahangir Badul Alam Lt Col Hai Maj Rezaur Rahman Maj Nazmul Islam Asadul Haq Nazir Uddin Lt Nurul Islam Kazal Bhadra Mansur Uddin Names of Educationists Zahir Raihan Purnendu Dastidar

Ferdous Dowla Indu Saha Meherunnessa Names of Artists, Professionals, etc Altaf Mahmud Danbir Ranada Prasad Saha Jogesh Chandra Ghose Dhirendra Nath Dutta Shamsuzzaman Mahbub Ahmed Khurshid Alam Nazrul Islam Muzammel Haq Chowdhury Mohsin Ali Mujibul Haq

Stamps courtesy: Jahangir Hyder

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Remembrance

7

Saturday, December 14, 2013

My Father’s War I meant to ask you how when everything seemed lost And your fate was in a game of dice they tossed There was still that line that you would never cross At any cost

From ‘Bang the Drum Slowly’ by Emmylou Harris and Guy Clark

M

n Tanvir Haider Chaudhury

y father was 45 years, 4 months and 22 days old when he was murdered, possibly around dawn on December 15, 1971. Roughly about 8 months younger than I am now. This thought haunts me. In the middle of a busy working day, or at night when I’m reading just before going off to sleep, these numbers grab hold of me and won’t let me go. I think about how much more I look forward to in my life, all that’s left to be done. And I think about my father. How many plans he would have had – that disciplined, conscientious, talented man. How many dreams and hopes. All those possibilities, extinguished.

He was murdered because of ideas. He was not a political man, not a strident person. He expressed his ideas softly. But he knew what they were, and the depth of his convictions was startling. He simply held that Bangaliness is his heritage and there is no reason to downplay that because of his political identity as a Pakistani. A simple enough idea, but it was enough to get him killed. Along with so many of his compatriots with similar beliefs.

Mufazzal Haider Chaudhury was my father. He was one of the country’s foremost educationists and a quite brilliant scholar. An Associate Professor of the Bangla department of (the erstwhile) Dacca University, he was an acknowledged expert specifically on the works of Rabindranath Tagore. Everyone who knew him saw him as a kind, courteous and generous man – the very embodiment of the cultured Bengali gentleman. Yet the forcefulness with which he put across his thoughts on the Bengali cultural identity is something to behold.

In the ‘50s, the “Tomuddon” movement was at its peak and a section of the local intelligentsia was proposing the creation of an East Pakistani literature that could contain no work by non-muslim, specifically hindu, authors. Some were going as far as to say it should contain nothing created before the partition of the subcontinent in 1947. My father countered by pointing out that this was imbecilic as well as farcical. “If we left out everything that came before,” he wrote, “some of the major works of Pakistan’s national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam would be lost,

as well as the works of other ‘Tomuddoni’ favourites like Golam Mustafa and Forrukh Ahmed.”

He was scathing on the irony of celebrating Nazrul as Pakistan’s national poet and playing him up as a Muslim icon, when in fact the great man had celebrated all the religions of our heritage, and indeed, the universality of the human experience. Here is one of the few instances of sarcasm in his writing: “How will we separate Nazrul’s ‘Islamic’ works from his ‘Hindu’ ones? By tearing out certain pages of his books? You can’t even do that, because ‘Islamic’ and ‘Hindu’ poems are written on different sides of the same page!”

He also took on the people who were conspiring to leave out Rabindranath from the University syllabus: “Some find an un-Islamic flavour in Rabindranath’s songs such as ‘Ekti Nomoshkare’ or ‘Amar Matha Noto Kore Dao’, when in fact these songs are expressing heartfelt devotion to a merciful and compassionate God, exactly as we do when we pray. The only difference is that the word being used is ‘Nomoshkar’ and not ‘Sizda.’”

These words were written in the profoundly xenophobic and paranoid climate of the East Pakistan of the ‘50s and the ‘60s. The dismal truth is, they still count as brave sentiments in the sovereign state of Bangladesh, 42 years after our independence.

So that is the way my father fought his war. He was never an overtly political man, unlike many of his contemporaries. He never did time as a political prisoner; possibly never

Sazzad

come stay with them until the worst of the danger passed, but he would not hear of it. His work, and by extension his life, was here. His was one of the purest examples I know of of a life of the mind, of the ideas being

He simply held that Bangaliness is his heritage and there is no reason to downplay that because of his political identity

shouted himself hoarse in a procession. Even in 1971, he took his classes and attended to all his duties while taking part in meetings denouncing the military action in East Pakistan and helping the cause of the Mukti Bahini. Friends from Santiniketan, London and elsewhere implored him to leave his devastated homeland to

inseparable from the man. And it was those ideas which led to some of his own countrymen colluding with the mass-murdering West Pakistani army to have him tortured and murdered at the prime of his life. That gentle soul with its instinctive generosity, that steadfast spirit with its singularly compassionate perspective, snuffed out.

Shahidullah Kaiser was active in politics and cultural movements from his student days. Following the formation of Pakistan in 1947, he joined the provincial Communist Party of East Pakistan. He started working as a journalist in 1949 with the Ittefaq in Dhaka. In 1952, he participated actively in the Language Movement. In 1958, Kaiser joined as an associate editor of the Daily Sangbad – a Bangla language daily – where he worked for the rest of his life. When the Military coup of 1958 put Ayub Khan in power, and martial law was proclaimed, Kaiser was arrested again on 14 October 1958 and remained in jail for four years till his release in September 1962.

Disappearance Kaiser was rounded up on December 14, 1971. He never returned, nor was his body ever found. It is assumed that he was executed along with other intellectuals. His brother, Zahir Raihan, a notable film-maker, also disappeared while searching for Kaiser This is a page from his draft of the enormously popular novel ‘Shangshaptok,’ considered one of the greatest works of fiction in Bangladesh’s literary collection.

All of its possibilities, extinguished.

In the end, it is how he lived his final hours that I think defines the man.

Chowdhury Mueen Uddin, one of his students from the University, was one of the young men of the Al-Badr who came to abduct him and take him to his death on December 14, 1971.

Mueen Uddin left my mother, uncle and aunt with the promise that my father would be returned unharmed; he would allow no harm to come to his teacher. My father was blindfolded and taken to the Mohammadpur Physical Training Institute with along Professor Munier Chowdhury and many other compatriots. They were left in a large room with other people who had been savagely tortured, their clothes drenched with blood, some with their eyes gouged out. A gentleman named Delwar Hossain, the only person to have survived the massacre of that day, has provided vivid eyewitness account of all of this.

Around 8:30 that evening, some young men entered that darkened

room with lanterns and iron rods in hand. They approached Munier Chowdhury first, saying something along the lines of ‘You’ve taught yours students a lot, now we’ll teach you a lesson.’ They asked him how many books he had written on Rabindranath Tagore. Munier Kaka – he was the father of one of my dearest friends, the closest person I have now to a brother – shook his head to say that he had not. They then asked my father the same question. My father said yes, he had written books on Rabindranath.

Those young men then beat them with their iron rods. Delwar Hossain describes Munier Kaka bleeding from the mouth from the severity of the beating at one point. In the early hours of the morning, they took all the people in that room - educationists, doctors, writers – drove them to a place called Katasur and bayonetted them to death. Only Delwar Hossain survived.

So that was the man. He stared death in the face and said he wrote on Rabindranath. l

8 Abbas rejects US plan for permanent Israel troop presence

n AFP, Ramallah

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has rejected US proposals for Israel to keep troops in a future Palestinian state along its strategic border with Jordan, a Palestinian source said on Friday.

Following a meeting on Thursday evening with US Secretary of State John Kerry in the West Bank city of Ramallah, “President Abbas has rejected the ideas presented by the secretary of state,” the source said.

Abbas also gave Kerry a letter on “Palestinian red lines,” the source added, singling out “the refusal to recognise Israel as a Jewish state.”

Abbas “rejected the ideas on security because there is not a third party.”

This refers to a plan by former US national security adviser James Jones under which a third party would deploy along the Palestinian-Jordanian border.

The Palestinian source said that “all disputed issues must be settled.”

Israeli and Arab media reports say the plan envisaged by Washington would see Israel maintain a military presence on the border after a peace agreement with the Palestinians.

An international force would be acceptable to the Palestinians, but Israel opposes such a solution.

Abbas’s comments were made public as Kerry met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem in his latest attempt at promoting an elusive Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. l

Ukraine’s Yanukovich to hold talks on political crisis

n Reuters

President Viktor Yanukovich, facing mass protests calling for his resignation, will hold talks on Friday on finding a way out of a political crisis that is weighing on Ukraine’s weak economy.

But with the opposition unlikely to take part, a breakthrough was unlikely at the “round-table” talks including other politicians, church leaders and former President Leonid Kravchuk.

Thousands of protesters have rallied in a square at the heart of the capital Kiev for three weeks over the government’s U-turn on policy away from the European Union towards Russia. They are demanding Yanukovich step down.

Yanukovich, who has said he still plans to sign an association agreement with the European Union, held talks with his three successors as president this week, but the opposition did not attend.

EU and US officials have called on Yanukovich to start a dialogue with all parties taking part in the protests.

Ukraine’s richest man, Rinat Akhmetov, added his voice to the calls, saying: “I am in favor of talks, so that politicians, authorities, the opposition ... sit at the negotiating table and agree on something we can be proud of.”

Vitaly Klitschko, a top opposition politician, said this week he would not hold talks with Yanukovich after protesters were attacked by riot police at a demonstration. A spokeswoman said on Friday Klitschko’s position had not changed. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Iran official says US sanctions French defence minister in strife-torn CAR violate Geneva deal spirit n AFP, Paris

n Reuters

Iran said on Friday that a new US measure targeting companies and individuals for supporting its nuclear program violated the spirit of a nuclear deal reached with major powers in Geneva last month.

The United States on Thursday black-listed additional companies and people under sanctions aimed at preventing Iran from obtaining the capability to make nuclear weapons, US officials said. Iran says its program is purely peaceful.

“We are evaluating the situation and Iran will react accordingly to the new sanctions imposed on 19 companies and individuals. It is against the spirit of the Geneva deal,” deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told the semi-official Fars news agency on Friday.

Araghchi, who is also a member of Iran’s nuclear negotiating team, was referring to a November 24 interim agreement with six world powers under which Tehran would curb its nuclear program in exchange for limited relief from economic sanctions over the next six months.

In Vienna earlier on Friday, the European Union said that Iran and six world powers needed more time to work out complex technical steps to implement last month’s deal after four days of expert-level talks.

It was not clear if Araghchi’s remarks were related to the need for more time.

The US Treasury and State Department said the blacklistings showed the Geneva deal “does not, and will not,

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi speaks during United Nations day in Tehran interfere with our continued efforts to expose and disrupt those supporting Iran’s nuclear program or seeking to evade our sanctions.”

Some US lawmakers want further sanctions on the Islamic state.

President Barack Obama’s campaign to hold off on new sanctions over Iran’s nuclear program won a key endorsement on Thursday when the chairman of the US Senate Banking Committee rejected tightening measures against Iran now.

Iran has repeatedly said it will not be pressured, warning that new sanctions “could kill the deal.”

The new measure, the first such enforcement action since the first step agreement was reached in Geneva, targeted entities that are suspected of

French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Friday arrived in the Central African Republic for talks with the interim leaders of the strife-torn nation, where Paris deployed troops last week, according to an aide.

The visit comes on the heels of that

by President Francois Hollande, who stopped in the country on Tuesday after attending Nelson Mandela’s memorial in South Africa.

Hollande admitted his country was facing a “dangerous” but vital operation to restore security in its former colony, terrorised by sectarian violence between Muslims and Christians since a coup in March.

Two elite French soldiers were killed Monday, just days after Paris finAFP

involvement in the proliferation of materials for weapons of mass destruction and have tried to evade the current sanctions.

Administration officials said Thursday’s targets include companies and individuals engaged in transactions on behalf of other companies that the United States has also previously designated under the sanctions. They include Mid Oil Asia, Singa Tankers, Siqiriya Maritime, Ferland Company Limited and Vitaly Sokolenko.

The US also named five Iranian entities it said are directly engaged in actions contributing to Iran’s ability to enrich uranium.

Several other entities related to Iran’s ballistic missile program were also targeted. l

Suspects escape as Iraq violence kills 12 n AFP, Baghdad At least 22 “terrorism” suspects escaped a Baghdad detention facility on Friday after killing two guards, though most were later recaptured, security officials said. One of the escaped detainees was killed by security forces, while other attacks in Iraq killed another nine people.

The escapes were the latest in a long line of jailbreaks in Iraq, including coordinated assaults claimed by an Al-Qaeda-linked group on two prisons in July,

UN confirms Syria chemical arms use n AFP, Damascus A UN report has concluded chemical weapons were used at least five times before Syria agreed to dismantle its arsenal, as Washington called setbacks for moderate rebels a “big problem.”

The report cites “credible evidence” and “evidence consistent with the probable use of chemical weapons” at Ghouta, Khan al-Asal, Jubar, Saraqeb and Ashrafieh Sahnaya.

“The United Nations Mission concludes that chemical weapons have been used in the ongoing conflict between the parties in the Syrian Arab Republic,” said the report, prepared by a team led by Swede Ake Sellstrom.

However, the report does not attribute blame for the attacks, as this was beyond the team’s mandate from the UN Security Council.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has admitted his forces hold chemical weapons, and has vowed to surrender them to international experts.

But he also insists his forces did not target civilians.

Western and Arab governments, human rights groups and the rebels fight-

ing to oust Assad accuse his regime of carrying out the attacks. Assad and his allies Russia and Iran blame the rebels.

The UN report concluded that banned chemical weapons had been widely used and there was clear evidence sarin gas was used in an attack in a district east of the capital known as Eastern Ghouta on August 21.

‘The United Nations Mission concludes that chemical weapons have been used in the ongoing conflict between the parties in the Syrian Arab Republic’

It was that incident that sparked international outrage and threats of US military action against Assad’s regime.

Under an international agreement brokered to avoid US military strikes – which resulted in a landmark Security Council resolution – Syria’s most dangerous chemical weapons have to be out of the country by December 31 and

destroyed by June 30, 2014.

The report has been distributed to Security Council members, and UN chief Ban Ki-moon is due to present it to the General Assembly later on Friday.

‘Big problem’ The United States, meanwhile, has called military setbacks for Syria’s Western-backed opposition a “big problem.”

Washington would continue to support “moderate” forces but will withhold non-lethal aid until it can assess who controls arms depots and border crossings, Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel told reporters.

“I think what has occurred here in the last couple of days is a clear reflection on how complicated and dangerous this situation is and how unpredictable it is,” Hagel said.

Over the past week, a powerful rebel faction, the Islamic Front, seized the Bab al-Hawa crossing on the Turkish border and nearby weapons warehouses from the mainstream Free Syrian Army.

Meanwhile, a former US Central Intelligence Agency chief said a victory for Assad could be the best outcome to avoid a regional spillover.

Michael Hayden, who headed the CIA

until 2009, saw three possible outcomes.

The first was for conflict between ever more extreme Sunni and Shiite factions, and the second, which he deemed the most likely, was the “dissolution of Syria.”

“Option three is Assad wins,” Hayden told the annual Jamestown Foundation conference of terror experts.

“And I must tell you at the moment, as ugly as it sounds, I’m kind of trending toward option three as the best out of three very, very ugly possible outcomes,” he said.

Human rights group Amnesty International said on Friday European leaders should “hang their heads with shame” over their treatment of Syrian refugees.

An Amnesty briefing said EU member states have offered only around 12,000 places to Syrians as part of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees’ goal of 30,000 places.

“The EU has miserably failed to play its part in providing a safe haven to the refugees who have lost all but their lives,” Amnesty chief Salil Shetty said.

“The number of those it’s prepared to resettle is truly pitiful,” he added. l

in which more than 500 inmates broke out and dozens of people were killed.

Accounts varied of the number of detainees who escaped from the facility in the north Baghdad area of Kadhimiyah on Friday. A police colonel said detainees had seized weapons from guards early on Friday, killing two, after which 26 people arrested for “issues related to terrorism” escaped.

Security forces killed one escaped detainee and captured 14, the colonel said, and a medical official confirmed two guards and a detainee had been killed. l

Drone strike in Yemen killed 17, mostly civilians: new toll

n AFP, Sanaa

A drone strike on a wedding convoy in Yemen killed 17 people, mostly civilians, medical and security sources said Friday, adding grist to mounting criticism of the US drone war. “Some” of the dead in Thursday’s strike near the central town of Radaa were suspected members of Al-Qaeda, but the rest were all civilians with no connection to the jihadist network, a security official said.

The death toll from the two-missile strike rose to 17 overnight, a medical source in Radaa told AFP. Two of the dead whose names were released – Saleh al-Tays and Abdullah al-Tays – had figured in the past on Yemeni government lists of wanted Al-Qaeda suspects.

But most of those killed were civilian members of the Al-Tays and AlAmeri clans headed to the wedding, the security official. He said one of the rockets scored a direct hit on a vehicle carrying at least 10 passengers. The other struck near the convoy. The US military operates all unmanned aircraft flying over Yemen in support of Sanaa’s campaign against Al-Qaeda and has killed dozens of militants in a sharply intensified campaign this year. l

World Watch

A FACE FULL OF FLUTTER

Police crack down on fugitive Mafia godfather

Italian police on Friday said they had arrested 30 people linked to Matteo Messina Denaro, the head of Cosa Nostra, including his sister and several cousins. The raids were in the region around Trapani in western Sicily, the police said in a statement, hailing the “tough blow” to Messina Denaro’s organisation. Messina Denaro, who has been on the run for years, is believed to be the successor of the jailed Sicilian mafia godfathers Toto Riina and Bernardo Provenzano. The people arrested “had put in place a complex system of companies that gave them a virtual monopoly in the construction sector,” the police said. The criminal organisation won tenders to build wind farms, industrial areas, roads and restaurants. The police said their investigation showed “the leadership role played by Matteo Messina Denaro.” The suspects are also accused of large-scale extortion.

Hefty fine for ignoring ‘Do Not Knock’ sign

A door-to-door salesperson who ignored a “Do Not Knock” sign to try to win over a gas customer has ended up costing their Australian employers Aus$60,000 (US$53,600).

The Federal Court ordered gas company AGL South Australia and marketing firm CPM Australia to pay the total penalty after an incident in Adelaide November 2011. “In this case, the sign was affixed to the consumer’s front door and contained an image of a fist knocking with a line through it and the words ‘DO NOT KNOCK. Unsolicited door-to-door selling not welcome here’,” the Australian competition watchdog said after Stella Ferruzola, 3, poses with a Blue Morpho butterfly on her nose at the Sensational Butterflies Exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London, March 25

ished deploying 1,600 troops in the resource-rich but impoverished country.

Like Hollande, Le Drian will meet with interim president Michel Djotodia, the former leader of the now disbanded Seleka rebel group which captured the capital Bangui and ousted president Francois Bozize in March.

Djotodia became the first Muslim president of the majority Christian country, but while some Seleka members remained loyal to him, others started terrorising the population and government forces were powerless to stop them.

Months of massacres, rapes and looting followed, with locals forming Christian vigilante groups in response.

Paris has accused the former rebel leader of doing nothing to stop the sectarian violence. l

REUTERS

the decision. “The salesperson nonetheless knocked on the consumer’s door and attempted to negotiate an agreement to supply energy.” The Federal Court ordered AGL to pay Aus$35,000 and CPM, who contracted the salesperson, Aus$25,000.

“These penalties reflect the need to deter conduct of such seriousness by the relevant respondents and others in the door-to-door selling industry,” judge John Middleton.

The maximum penalty for breaching the unsolicited consumer agreement provision is Aus$50,000, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said.

Skull And Bones

As opposite as George Bush and John Kerry may seem to be, they do share a common secret - one they’ve shared for decades. The secret: details of their membership in Skull and Bones, the elite Yale University society whose members include some of the most powerful men of the 20th century. Bonesmen, as they’re called, are forbidden to reveal what goes on in their inner sanctum. Bones has included presidents, cabinet officers, spies, Supreme Court justices, [and] captains of industry. They’d responded to questions with utter silence until an enterprising Yale graduate, Alexandra Robbins, managed to penetrate the wall of silence in her book, Secrets of the Tomb. “I spoke with about 100 members of Skull and Bones. They were members who were tired of the secrecy,” says Robbins. “But probably twice that number hung up on me, harassed me, or threatened me.” Skull and Bones, with all its ritual and macabre relics, was founded in 1832.

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

9

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Thai protest leader wants 12 months to push through reforms n Reuters, Bangkok

Anti-government protesters place a large Thai national flag on the gate and fence around Government House in Bangkok

REUTERS

The leader of a protest group trying to overthrow Thailand’s government and scrap planned elections said on Friday the prime minister should either step down or be forced out, and his movement would then need around a year to push through reforms.

Suthep Thaugsuban, a lawmaker who resigned from parliament to lead the protest, and his allies have spoken of a volunteer police force, decentralization of power and electoral reform - but apart from that have been noticeably short on specifics.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has called an election for February 2 in an effort to end the street protests but Suthep, knowing that allies of Yingluck’s brother, ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, would probably win any election, wants an unelected “people’s council” to take over.

Presenting his ideas to the media, Suthep said he would meet military chiefs on Saturday to discuss his strategy, but he rejected any idea of cutting a deal with Yingluck, who heads a caretaker government now that the king has endorsed the election date.

She will hold a forum on Sunday to discuss reforms but says they can only be drawn up and implemented after the election. “Yingluck’s invitations for national reform forums are nothing new.

We do not accept Yingluck’s offer. We won’t negotiate,” Suthep told reporters.

Thailand’s eight-year political conflict centres on Thaksin, a former telecommunications tycoon popular among the rural poor because of policies pursued when he was in power and carried on by governments allied to him when he was ousted.

Thaksin, who lives in self-imposed exile to escape a jail sentence for abuse of power, gained an unassailable man-

India summons US ambassador over diplomat arrest

Attacks on polio teams in Pakistan kill 3 people

n AFP, New Delhi

n AP, Peshawar

India summoned Friday the US ambassador to New Delhi to protest the “humiliating” arrest of a top diplomat while dropping her children at school in New York, the foreign ministry said.

Ambassador Nancy Powell was summoned to a meeting with Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh, the day after the detention of deputy consul general Devyani Khobragade, ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin told AFP. “We are shocked and appalled at the way she had been humiliated and this will be taken up forcefully with the US,” said Akbaruddin. “She was pursuing her duties and is entitled to courtesies of a serving diplomat.

“This kind of behaviour against the Indian diplomat, a young woman with two children is entirely unacceptable.”

Indian media reports said that the New York-based Khobragade was arrested and handcuffed in public for allegedly lying on the US visa application for an Indian national who worked for her as a domestic help.

The Indian embassy in Washington said the detention was based on “allegations raised by the officer’s former India-based domestic assistant”.

The domestic worker had “absconded” from her employer in June and was already the subject of an injunction issued by the High Court in Delhi, the embassy added in a statement on its website.

“The legal aspect of it is separate and there is no justification for what has happened to the young woman,” added Akbaruddin at a briefing with reporters in New Delhi.

In response to a question that the diplomat has been accused of forging

a visa or other documents, the spokesman said that did not justify Khobragade’s treatment.

“It still doesn’t absolve the US authorities of traumatising and humiliating the Indian diplomat who was doing her duties in the US,” Akbaruddin said.

“We are confident that we will be able to justify our stand on this issue,” he added. In its statement, the embassy said the US authorities had already been made aware of the injunction from the Delhi court and had been asked to “facilitate the service of an arrest warrant” against the domestic worker.

“The US side have been urged to resolve the matter with due sensitivity, taking into account the existing court case in India that has already been brought to their attention by the government of India, and the diplomatic status of the officer concerned,” it said. l

Attacks on polio teams in northwest Pakistan on Friday killed a polio worker and two policemen assigned to protect one of the teams, police and a government official said. In both attacks, gunmen fled the scene after the killings.

No group claimed responsibility for the attacks, but Pakistani militants have killed more than a dozen polio workers and police protecting them over the past year. They accuse health workers of acting as spies for Washington and claim the polio vaccine is intended to make Muslim children sterile.

In the first attack Friday, gunmen opened fire on two officers as they were riding on a motorcycle to the town of Swabi, where they were supposed to protect a polio team during a vaccination drive, according to po-

More purges may follow execution of Kim’s uncle n AP, Pyongyang The execution of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s uncle brought a swift and violent end to a man long considered the country’s second-most powerful. But while Jang Song Thaek is now gone, the fallout from his bloody purge is not over.

In a stunning reversal of the popular image of Jang as a mentor and father figure guiding young Kim Jong Un as he consolidated power, North Korea’s state-run media on Friday announced he had been executed and portrayed him as a morally corrupt traitor who saw the death of Kim’s father, Kim Jong Il, in December 2011 as an opportunity to make his own power play.

Experts who study the authoritarian country, which closely guards its internal workings from both outsiders and citizens, were divided on whether the sudden turn of events reflected turmoil within the highest levels of power or signaled that Kim Jong Un was consolidating his power in a decisive show of strength. Either way, the purge is an unsettling development for a world that is already wary of Kim’s unpredictability amid North Korea’s attempts to develop nuclear weapons.

“If he has to go as high as purging

and then executing Jang, it tells you that everything’s not normal,” said Victor Cha, a former senior White House adviser on Asia.

The first appearance of the new narrative came out just days ago, when North Korea accused Jang, 67, of corruption, womanising, gambling and taking drugs. It said he’d been eliminated from all his posts. Friday’s allegations heaped on claims that he tried “to overthrow the state by all sorts of intrigues and despicable methods with a wild ambition to grab the supreme power of our party and state.”

“He dared not raise his head when Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il were alive,” it said, referring to the country’s first leader and his son. But after Kim Jong Il’s death, it claimed, Jang saw his chance to challenge Kim Jong Un and realise his “long-cherished goal, greed for power.”

The purge also could spread and bring down more people, Cha said.

“When you take out Jang, you’re not taking out just one person — you’re taking out scores if not hundreds of other people in the system. It’s got to have some ripple effect.”

South Korean intelligence officials say two of Jang’s closest aides have already been executed last month. l

Many Indonesians think vote-buying ‘acceptable’ n AFP, Jakarta More than 40 percent of Indonesian voters consider politicians seeking to buy support at elections acceptable, a survey showed Friday, months before national polls in the graft-ridden country.

In what it described as an “alarming” survey, Jakarta-based pollster Indikator found that 41.5 percent of 15,600 people interviewed did not have a problem accepting cash or a gift from would-be lawmakers.

This compared to 57.9 percent who thought vote-buying was unacceptable, according to the survey. A tiny fraction were undecided on the matter.

However doling out money does not guarantee victory for a candidate, the poll showed – more than 55 percent quizzed said they would accept the cash but not necessarily vote for the person giving it.

The survey “shows our democracy is at an alarming stage as vote-buying at the grass roots has been found to be very high,” the pollster’s executive director Burhanuddin Muhtadi told AFP. “This will threaten the country’s democracy.”

The survey, conducted in 39 electoral districts between September and October, found that voters who lived in rural areas were more tolerant of vote-buying than those in urban areas. l

lice officer Khalid Iqbal. The town lies 100 kilometers (60 miles) northeast of Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Iqbal said authorities were trying to find the attackers and arrest them.

Hours later, a gunman killed a polio worker on his way home after vaccinating children in Jamrud, a tribal region located on the outskirts of Peshawar.

Government administrator Iqbal Khan said the slain worker was targeted for participating in the government-run anti-polio campaign in the tribal area.

Pakistan is one of only three countries where the virus is still endemic.

Militants have targeted workers vaccinating children, policemen escorting polio teams in the tribal and urban areas in the northwest and elsewhere, and have also threatened people who want to get their children vaccinated. l

date that he used to advance the interests of big companies, including his own. He has dismissed the graft charges as politically motivated.

Ranged against him are a royalist establishment that feels threatened by his rise and, in the past, the military.

Some academics see him as a corrupt rights abuser, while the urban middle class resent what they see as their taxes being spent on wasteful populist policies that amount to vote-buying.

They see Yingluck as the puppet of Thaksin, who is thought to determine government policy and has been known to address cabinet meetings by Skype.

“Instead of issuing laws that benefit the people ... they have used the parliamentary system in the wrong way to help just one group of people, ... to wash the guilt of Thaksin Shinawatra,” Suthep said, referring to a political amnesty bill that acted as a catalyst for the current crisis. l

Death for man who stabbed 22 children in China n AFP, Beijing A knife-wielding attacker who stabbed 22 students at a primary school in China was sentenced to death on Friday, a court said. The Xinyang City Intermediate People’s Court said Min Yongjun, 37, was found guilty of intentional homicide and condemned to death, almost a year after he stormed a school in the central province of Henan and slashed dozens of pupils.

No-one was killed but 22 children were injured in the brutal attack, which took place on the same day that 20 children were shot dead at a primary school in Newtown, Connecticut, in the United States.

Surveillance footage showed Min pursuing a group of panicked children through an unguarded school gate, before a group of adults entered equipped with straw brooms and chased him out. l

$16 million gold Mao statue unveiled in Communist China n AFP, Beijing

A gold and jade statue of Mao Zedong is displayed at an exhibition in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong province on December 13 AFP

A gold and jade statue of Mao Zedong worth more than $16 million was unveiled Friday, in the latest example of Communist China’s indecision over how to commemorate its founding father’s 120th anniversary.

The statue, 80 cm (32 inches) tall but weighing more than 50 kilograms, was put on display in the southern boom town of Shenzhen, China National Radio (CNR) reported.

The city was little more than a fishing village a few decades ago, and its booming prosperity epitomises China’s transformation since the days of Mao’s command economy.

The figure depicts the founder of the People’s Republic of China reclining in a chair, legs crossed.

A team of 20 artists took eight months to complete the 100 million-yuan ($16.5 million) work, which is accented with precious stones and rests on a base of white jade, CNR said.

It did not specify who had commissioned or paid for the statue.

But conflicting signals have emerged from China’s leadership about their approach towards commemorating the

Japan, China ties ‘critical’ for Asia: Indonesia n AFP, Tokyo A working relationship between Tokyo and Beijing, embroiled in a bitter territorial row, is “critical” for the region, the president of Southeast Asia’s largest economy said Friday.

Indonesia’s Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said China needed “an open line of communication to avoid miscalculation” in its various sovereignty disputes, including that with Japan over a chain of islands in the East China Sea. Speaking in Tokyo, where he is due to attend a special summit hosted by Japan, Yudhoyono said disagreements in Northeast Asia are “pertinent” for the rest of the continent. “In particular, it must be said that good relations between China and Japan are critical to the future of our region,” he said.

“When the border negotiations are still ongoing, having an open line of communication is crucial to avoid miscalculation that may occur in and around the disputed area,” he added, without naming a specific location.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is meeting leaders of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this weekend to mark the 40th anniversary of ties.

The summit is set to be dominated by the parlous state of relations between Japan and China, with Tokyo expected to try to rally support in its dispute with Beijing. It comes weeks after China’s declaration of an Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) over an area of the East China Sea, including the disputed islands, a move that ratcheted up an already-tense situation.

Beijing said planes entering the zone must obey its orders and provide a flight plan to Chinese authorities, or face unspecified “defensive emergency measures.”

Indonesia, the largest economy in ASEAN, is not entangled in a territorial dispute with China, but four other members of the bloc have overlapping claims in the South China Sea. “Indonesia is deeply concerned at the prospect of the disputes erupting into open conflicts, which will have adverse impacts on all countries in the region,” he said, speaking to a policy forum of the Japan Institute of International Affairs. Some observers have said Beijing’s ADIZ over the East China Sea is a precursor to a similar zone over the South China Sea, which it claims almost in its entirety. l

120th anniversary of Mao’s birth on December 26. President Xi Jinping, who has moved to cut back on lavish banquets and other over-indulgences since taking office, told officials in Mao’s home province of Hunan last month that celebrations should be “solemn, simple and pragmatic.”

The state-run Global Times, which is close to the ruling Communist Party, reported Thursday that an event titled “Reddest is the Sun and Dearest is Chairman Mao” scheduled for Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on the anniversary, has been rebilled as a “New Year’s Gala” and its poster redesigned.

Party authorities had informed the organiser any Mao-themed events required advance approval, he told the paper.

According to the Global Times, a 100-episode TV series on Mao slated to run in December on state broadcaster China Central Television will not be shown, with a series on a Chinese military leader running instead. Hunan provincial officials have spent 15.5 billion yuan ($2.54 billion) on 16 projects linked to the occasion, according to state media, including the renovation of a tourist centre and building highspeed rail stations and highways. l

Philippines typhoon death toll tops 6,000 n AFP, Manila The number of people dead after one of the world’s strongest typhoons struck the Philippines has risen above 6,000, the government said Friday, with nearly 2,000 others still missing.

Five weeks after Super Typhoon Haiyan destroyed entire towns across the nation’s central islands, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council put the official death toll at 6,009, making it the Philippines’ deadliest recorded typhoon. The council said it is still looking for 1,779 missing people amid an international relief and rehabilitation effort covering a large devastated area about the size of Portugal. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

Remembering our martyred intellectuals

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oday marks Martyred Intellectuals Day, when our brightest minds were kidnapped from their homes in the dead of night and shot dead, in an effort to cripple Bangladesh.

This is a dark day in our nation’s history, and one we cannot afford to forget.

Throughout our liberation war, many intellectuals had been systematically dragged away and executed by Pakistani soldiers and their cohorts, but on this night 42 years ago, over 200 intellectuals were executed, marking a great blow to our nation’s intellectual development.

These academicians, artists, journalists, writers and lawyers were our nation’s conscience.

They planted the seed of nationalism and democracy in the people’s minds, so that they became aware of their If we are to truly move rights, and fought for those forward and develop rights. into the democracy we Our intellectuals were a have dreamt of, we need beacon who showed us how to take our intellectuals’ to be citizens who would care ideals and teachings to for and work for our nation’s heart, and practice them growth. diligently We have come far in these 42 years, and achieved much, but we have a long way to go.

Our nation remains caught in a web of corruption and political violence, and, so far, the human rights of all Bangladeshis have not yet been acknowledged, at least not in practice.

If we are to truly move forward and develop into the democracy we have dreamt of, we need to take our intellectuals’ ideals and teachings to heart, and practice them diligently. We must not let their deaths be in vain.

LETTER OF THE DAY

We hope in the month of December, all conflicts will end December 13

The situation here is deteriorating fast; people live in great fear and anxiety. Political unrest is at the root of this because vested quarters are taking advantage of the current situation.

December, the month of victory has started, when people pay homage to the martyrs, and honour the freedom fighters. 42 years have passed since our liberation, but what a mess we have made. The martyrs must be turning in their graves. Is this the outcome of their supreme sacrifice?

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is a mother, so she must be able to feel the pain of those who are losing their children in the mayhem. She can stop the violence by agreeing to the demand of the people for a non-partisan poll-time government. She declared that she does not want to remain the prime minister and only wants the welfare of the people. So, why is she not stepping down and setting an example?

Nur Jahan Chittagong

Dhaka rejects Taranco’s request to meet president, army chief December 6 tuhin islam A very good decision to not allow him to meet military personnel. Elections and a country’s governance are matters dealt with by the political/civilian authorities in a democratic country like Bangladesh, not outsiders.

Ehsan Abdullah United Nations or any other nation must respect our sovereignty!! As they go around the world promoting and preaching democracy, what business can they possibly have with our army chief?? Our army is here solely to defend the country from external aggression, not internal politics or policy making. Very provocative!!

Obaidul: Polls must be held under Hasina December 6

rutland waters This is the man who in 2006 said the whole country would burn unless the dictator, Ershad, was allowed to contest the January 22 polls.

The very next day, Hasina with Ershad in tow announced AL and its alliance were going to boycott the elections under Iajuddin’s caretaker government. And when the army came in, AL not only welcomed it, the party chief even attended the inaugural! What hypocrisy!

RMG sector needs government help

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he finance minister has assured leaders of the BGMEA, BKMEA and BTMA that the government is looking at measures to support apparel makers affected by the political crisis.

Many of the measures being sought by the industry bodies relate to short to medium-term financing needs. With the supply chain enduring massive disruption, cash flow is tight so interest waivers and financial support are the most urgent priorities for many factory owners.

It is still important however to keep developing a long-term strategy. The industry associRMG entrepreneurs ations have rightly asked for need help to ensure that financial incentives to explore they can keep growing new markets and for measures such as reducing tax at source. exports, while also These need to be considered managing to invest in as well, because even without commitments to improve short-term disruption, Bangfactories and working ladesh’s RMG industry faces conditions increasing challenges from competitors as well.

For instance, the combined value of apparel exports from India and Vietnam is expected to be over $30bn this year. As established competitors to Bangladesh’s apparel sector, they have been in a good position to attract new orders as buyers have been deterred from visiting the country this year. And this is without considering the challenge posed by countries such as Myanmar which have been rapidly attracting investment.

RMG entrepreneurs need help to ensure that they can keep growing exports, while also managing to invest in commitments to improve factories and working conditions.

A long-term strategy is needed to further develop the sector. The government should work with industry owners and buyers to identify and to try and fill investment gaps.

CROSSWORD

the Editor

Arosh It is all clear from Obaidul’s words; they have to be in control of the polling booths.

Combined test is a good thing December 6

Exactly. This is Bangladesh and a Bangladeshi student has as much right to study in Sylhet as in Chittagong or Dhaka. If Sylheti students expect to get equal opportunities outside Sylhet, they must extend the same and equal right to their countrymen.

Ahnaf

One doctor for 19,000 people in Barisal December 7

It’s a common problem in our country.

Mahmid Abdullah

LETTER OF THE WEEK

BGMEA: Trained goons attack Standard Group factory

P Sarker Nafees Bin Zafar is a person who utilises his talent effectively. Hats off brother!

Faisal Mahmud Great piece!

Meer Sadi Loved the whole interview! Not to forget, he’s a great guy with amazing talents and the inspiration for many.

Rubana Something to be proud of … Oscar!

Mehedi Rahman Ehab Great interview!

Dr-Zakia Taznim A Bangladeshi Oscar winner!! :-D

1 burned as saboteurs attack Mawa river port December 7

It is time for the people, except the perpetrators and their sponsors, to resist and eliminate the arsonists before Bangladesh too becomes like Afghanistan. It is a sad turn in our history that the defeated forces of 1971 are destroying the progress of the country.

Binodbangali

December 8

This is an act of terrorism. The purpose was to scare the factory owners into surrendering to the mercy of the attackers. They destroyed property and put lives at risk. Furthermore they rendered thousands of workers out of work.

Though the cause of worker’s rights, fair wages and right to speak their demands must be upheld, this is not an example of the exercise of their rights. This was an act of war against the economy and people of Bangladesh.

F138

Be Heard

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PEANUTS

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS Crossword

DOWN 1 Jester (4) 2 Dwells (6) 3 Take as one’s own (5) 4 Wrongdoings (4) 5 Gratuity (3) 6 Greek letter (3) 9 Use a sieve (4) 11 Stain (3) 14 Writer of verse (4) 15 Become visible (6) 16 Fuel (3) 17 Tantalise (5) 18 Hurried (4) 19 Irritation (4) 21 Monkey (3) 22 Opening (3)

December 7

CALVIN AND HOBBES

SUDOKU ACROSS 1 Uproar (6) 5 Beverage (3) 7 Finger or toe (5) 8 Prayer (6) 10 Cushion (3) 12 Immerses (4) 13 Newt (3) 14 Wan (4) 16 Pith of a matter (4) 17 Spinning toy (3) 18 Ooze (4) 20 Droop (3) 23 Evident (6) 24 Steps (5) 25 Vigour (3) 26 Scarcity (6)

An Oscar winner of our own

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, December 14, 2013

What the ICC can do n Barrister Harun ur Rashid

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The Butcher of Mirpur gets punished

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RAJIB DHAR

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The promise of the war crimes trials

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n Zafar Sobhan

have long been a supporter and advocate of the war crimes trials.

I have always believed that not holding war crimes trials all these years was Bangladesh’s original sin as a country, and as long as we did not have a true accounting of the crimes of 1971 that we could never move forward as a nation.

I have always been shocked that those who committed the worst kind of crimes in their opposition to our independence should have escaped punishment and in some cases risen to the heights of power in independent Bangladesh.

I have always felt that it said something ignoble about us as a nation that we had been unable to bring the war criminals to justice, and that our failure to do so was an indelible stain on our national honour and self-respect.

I have always argued that until and unless we came to terms with our past and specifically the atrocities of our liberation war that there would be a shadow over the nation that would keep us from advancing and developing, and that we would continue to be a country that could neither look itself squarely in the mirror nor take our place among the nations of the world, equal in self-respect and self-confidence.

Most importantly, I believed that the trials would allow us to close the door, once and for all, on the contentious chapter of Bangladesh’s history, so that we would not forever be fighting the battles of the past, but could turn our face to the future and build

the country that our founding fathers and mothers dreamed of.

So here we are, the war crimes trials are winding their way to their inexorable end, and the first of the war criminals has been hanged. Now that the executions of the war criminals is a reality and no longer an abstraction, how do I feel?

justice.

The sad truth is that in Bangladesh, the powerful have always managed to escape justice by exploiting the weaknesses and loopholes in the legal system, and if we are to cleave to a maximalist understanding of the rights of the accused and the burdens of prosecution no one powerful could

The government could easily have conducted the trials more professionally and more punctiliously than it did. The defendants do not deserve better than they have received, but their victims and the Bangladeshi people did

I do not oppose the death penalty nor am I moved by procedural arguments in favour of the defendants. Due to the fact that more than 40 years have elapsed since the crimes at bar were committed and that those being accused have been important men who have had plenty of time to cover their tracks, dispose of evidence, and intimidate witnesses, to say nothing of the severe limitations of the prosecution, the trial process is certainly open to question. But this should not be confused with innocence.

The legal dictum that it is better for a hundred guilty men to go free than for one innocent man to be convicted only holds true if we presuppose the accused is powerless. When, however, the accused is the one with power, holding to such a standard is itself more likely to lead to a miscarriage of

ever be prosecuted for anything in Bangladesh.

Quader Molla was guilty as sin. The fact that the prosecution may not have done the best job of proving it does not in any way lessen his crime or justify his exoneration. He has received the justice he deserved.

The disquiet that I feel is not on behalf of Quader Molla, but on behalf of his victims. They deserved better.

They have received a measure of justice, but they deserved more. They are the ones who deserved an unimpeachable process that was not open to any question.

This could have been achieved.

The government could easily have conducted the trials more professionally and more punctiliously than it did.

The defendants do not deserve better than they have received, but their vic-

tims and the Bangladeshi people did.

These are the most important trials that we have ever had or will ever have. They will define us as a nation and a people forevermore. Not only respect for the victims of wartime atrocities, but respect for the honour of the Bangladeshi people required that the government do everything in its power to ensure that the war crimes trials be above reproach and be something that we can all point to with pride as a defining element of who we are as a people and a nation.

It is here that the process has failed us. I am glad that the war crimes trials are being conducted and that some of those who committed the worst atrocities during the war have finally been called to account for their wrongs.

I am glad that their days of impunity have come to an end and that they are finally being held accountable for the reign of terror that they unleashed across this land. I am glad that their victims are finally getting their day in court and no longer have to live in fear and shame and the knowledge that their oppressors have the freedom and respect of the nation.

But I wish that the government had taken its responsibility to the victims and the nation more seriously.

This is not about what is owed to the defendants.

This is about what is owed to the Bangladeshi people and our national identity and the momentousness of the war crimes trials for history.

It is here that the government has not lived up to its promise. l Zafar Sobhan is the Editor, Dhaka Tribune.

n December 1, United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Ms Navi Pillay, a former judge of the High Court of South Africa and a former judge of the International Criminal Court, said she was deeply worried by the “shocking” pre-election violence rocking Bangladesh, urging parties on both sides to peacefully resolve their differences over the January 5 polls.

Pillay also voiced concerns about the detention of key opposition leaders in the unrest, which has killed 50 people since late October when the date of the general elections was first announced The high commissioner pointed out that Bangladesh is a state party to the Rome statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). “In other situations, we have seen cases of political or election related violence where the perpetrators of such acts - including political leadership - have faced prosecution,” she said.

It is recalled that Bangladesh actively took part in the 1998 United Nations Conference on the establishment of an International Criminal Court held in Rome. In 1999, the government of Bangladesh signed the Statute of the ICC, the first country in South Asia to have signed the treaty and ratified the statute on March 23, 2010.

In Asia, there are 50 states including Palestine. Bangladesh is one of the 10 states which ratified the statute. As of May 2013, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Japan, Jordan, Maldives, Mongolia, South Korea, Tajikistan and Philippines ratified the statute.

China, India, Pakistan are opposed to the statute because of the non-immunity to the heads of state/government in the statute. The US and Israel have unsigned the statute. The United States not only opposed the statute but also prevailed strong influence on many Asian states in not ratifying the statute.

It is argued Bangladesh’s political leaders including the president, prime minister and elected and non-elected officials come within the jurisdiction of the ICC

By ratification, it is argued Bangladesh’s political leaders including the president, prime minister and elected and non-elected officials come within the jurisdiction of the ICC under Article 27 of the ICC statute which removes immunities for prosecution, ordinarily available to heads of state/ government.

It is argued that the removal of the immunity by Article 27 of the ICC Statute applies also at the national level, when national authorities act in support of the ICC. Part 9 of the statute requires all states’ parties including Bangladesh to “ensure that there are procedures available under their national law for all of the forms of cooperation which are specified under this Part”. Therefore many states parties have implemented national legislation to provide for the investigation and prosecution of crimes that fall under the jurisdiction of the court.

The ICC was created by the Rome Statute which came into force on July 1, 2002. The court has established

itself in The Hague, Netherlands, but its proceedings may take place anywhere. 18 judges are appointed at the court by state-parties. As of March 2012, the president is Sang-hyun Song from South Korea, Sanji Mmasenono Monageng of Botswana is first vice-president and Cuno Tarfusser of Italy is second vice-president.

The court can automatically exercise jurisdiction over crimes committed on the territory of a state party or by a national of a state party. State parties must co-operate with the court, including surrendering suspects when requested to do so by the court.

The creation of the ICC is felt beyond the courtroom.

Political leaders around the world are adjusting their standards of conduct in dealing with innocent civilians With the functioning of the ICC, the scenario of accountability of perpetrators of extrajudicial killings and deaths of innocent civilians related to political violence has dramatically changed.

As of date, seven African countries are already been investigated by ICC for alleged killing of innocent civilians during political violence. These countries are Sudan, Libya, Central African Republic, Congo, Mali, Ivory Coast and Uganda. Another two countries - Guinea and Honduras - are under preliminary investigation.

A warrant by ICC was issued on March 4, 2009 to arrest the sitting president of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, on charges of killing people in Darfur.

He now hardly goes abroad because he may be arrested overseas. Kenya’s President Kenyatta and Vice President Ruto have been charged in connection with 2007-8 post-poll violence that left over 1,000 people dead and several hundred thousand displaced, while Ruto appeared before the court, President Kenyatta has been asked to appear before the court.

It is noted that on November 25, the UN Security Council has rejected an African demand to suspend the International Criminal Court trial of Kenya’s president and his deputy for one year.

Given the background, it may be argued that if deaths of innocent civilians due to political violence continue, the ICC initially can ask the government to establish an independent judicial body to ascertain the reasons of political violence, identify the persons responsible for such violent deaths, and punish the culprits including political leaders.

If the government fails or is unable or unwilling to do so, ICC may intervene and commence preliminary investigation on its own and may frame charges against the political leaders of Bangladesh irrespective of their high positions.

Finally, the creation of the ICC is felt beyond the courtroom. Political leaders and law-enforcing agencies around the world, even of non-signatory states, are adjusting their standards of conduct in dealing with innocent civilians. The effective punishment under the ICC is an important element in the prevention and recurrence of such odious crimes and for the protection of innocent civilians. l Barrister Harun ur Rashid is former Bangladesh Ambassador to the UN, Geneva.

A fearless witness against the Butcher of Mirpur n Anwar A Khan

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t is a true story that I am going to tell you now. The other day I saw him after so many years. His full name is Syed Shahidul Haque Mama.

He came back to his beloved motherland only to give testimony against the ‘Butcher of Mirpur.’ He gave detailed but true revelations in the ICT

He was a valiant freedom fighter of 1971. His other identity is that he was a strong prosecution witness in the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) case against Abdul Quader Molla, the “Butcher of Mirpur.”

He is my friend. We studied together in the Department of History at the

University of Dhaka from 1972 - 1976.

A freedom fighter is honoured because he fights for a noble cause, which is the freedom of the motherland. He was a freedom fighter, a true hero who risked his life.

The people of Bangladesh fought a glorious war of independence in 1971.

They fought for nine months and defeated the well-trained Pakistani forces. Bangladesh became a free country.

Many freedom fighters sacrificed their lives in service of our nation.

We owe our freedom to these noble freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for the cause of the motherland.

Mama, the great freedom fighter, is one of them. Mama was greatly inspired by the speech of Bangabandhu, which drove him to become a freedom fighter. His valour still echoes in Mirpur. His determination, many say, knew no bounds. He was a great hero who gave new life to our war in the Mirpur area in 1971.

Mama recounts the liberation day of Mirpur on January 31, 1972, in which

he actively took part. He said: “This was also a great victory for us, since we fought against the last remnant of enemy. For us, that day was a day of celebration because with our own eyes we had seen the enemy crushed. We had seen the enemy frozen with fear and, surrendering.”

What could I really say of a gentleman like Mama? He is a man of the utmost civility, and authenticity, who lived self-exiled in Sweden for many years. When the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh was set up in 2009 to investigate and prosecute suspects for the genocide committed in 1971 by the Pakistan Army and their local collaborators, Razakars, al-Badr and al-Shams during the Bangladesh Liberation War, he could not remain silent and stay back in Sweden.

His conscience gave him a jolt. He came back to his beloved motherland only to give testimony against the “Butcher of Mirpur.” He gave detailed but true revelations in the ICT, so that

the tribunal could give the verdict of capital punishment to Abdul Quader Molla, the war criminal. We should salute him for his fearlessness, and for speaking up.

All those who worked with Mama during the war noted his humility, his charm, his deep concern for other fighters, and his incorruptibility. He refused to enjoy the privileges that his reputation might have earned him, and he ate, slept and trained in the company of his comrades.

I believe he can give us more information and more vivid pictures of our Liberation War. I have talked with many people of younger generation about his interviews on different TV channels, and everyone has shown tremendous interest in learning more from him about our supreme sacrifices, the extent of the atrocities committed by the brutal Pakistan Army, and their ugly and barbarous cohort Jamaat-e-Islami and their killing squads, al-Badr and al-Shams.

He is a special kind of hero who

fights with nothing more than ideas and the truth. He slays falsehoods with truth. He fights bad ideas with good ones. He wants to fight despair with hope, fear with courage, anger with reason, arrogance with humility, ignorance with knowledge, intolerance with forbearance, oppression with perseverance, doubt with trust, and cruelty with compassion. Above all, he speaks truth about those who abuse, misuse, overuse and are corrupted by power.

When speaking of my great friend Mama, I could be accused of exaggerating his virtues, and his contributions to the war of independence, and overstating his importance to the cause of truth.

Perhaps I am biased, because I hold this great man in such high respect.

If I am guilty of bias, it is because it seems that in Bangladesh, people have stopped making genuine heroes like Shahidul Haque Mama. l Anwar A Khan is a freelance contributor.

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Album with 71 bands break Guinness World Record

Lead vocalist of Durbin, Syed Shahid

n Entertainment Desk Farooki’s film Television won the Jury Grand Prize at the prestigious Asia Pacific Screen Awards 2013. Screenwriter of the film Anisul Haque and actor Nusrat Imroz Tisha received the prize on behalf of Farooki at the gala ceremony in Brisbane, Australia on December 12. For the first time, an Asia Pacific Screen Award has gone to a film from Bangladesh. India’s The Lunchbox, directed by Ritesh Batra, won the second Jury Grand Prize along with the best screenplay award.

Omar, Palestine’s entry in Oscar for the best foreign language film took the top prize of best film at the programme

A mixed album consisting of a total of 71 tracks from 71 Bangladeshi bands is on its way. The announcement came out at a programme at the Russian Cultural Centre on December 12, where band Durbin celebrated 10 years of its journey.

The second surprise is that the album, titled Amader 71, made it to the famous Guinness Book of World Record as the most number of participating bands in a single album. As the title suggests, the album brings together songs upholding the spirit of the Liberation War of Bangladesh. The album will be unique for having songs reflecting the vision of the new gener-

Supti’s canvas narrates tales of suppressed women n Shadma Malik Feminist artist Nurun Naher Supti’s second solo exhibition titled Woman in Gossamer is a bold expression of the artist’s inner self which weeps over the sufferings of women on the backdrop of patriarchal society. The exhibition at the Alliance Française de Dhaka will continue till December 19.

The paintings, depicting the oppression of women, stand out portraying the feeling of their melancholy through the artist’s choice of colours, and their ability in portraying subtle expressions on the faces of her subjects.

About the ongoing exhibition, the artist said: “This exhibition represents the invisible sufferings of women and the social obstacles faced by them every day that crushes their inner spirit.

Women are said to be sheepish, soft and reluctant to raise their voice. The vehement force of uncertainty compels them to obey the ‘higher’ authority.”

She also added: “I used my daily experiences and realisations as the inspiration for my artworks. Being a female artist, it has become easy for me to translate the inner feelings of wom-

en into paintings. The varied media helped me to display those expressions vividly, that are widely seen in our surroundings. Through the paintings, I wish to introduce the hindrances plaguing women.”

“One of my paintings, Oppose a Nature, is about a web, indicating the complex mental state of a woman attempting to reach their goal. The artworks do not give possible solutions, but they address the emotional state of a woman. Such an endeavour will help to stir conscious minds to extend their benevolent hands to the deprived lot.”

Supti obtained her MFA from the department of drawing and painting,

ON TV MOVIE

Institute of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka. After completion of her BFA from drawing and paintings department, she devoted herself to experimental artworks. Her first solopainting exhibition was held in the same venue in 1996. l

7:00pm Fox Movies Premium The Expatriate

11:20pmWB

Sherlock Holmes

COMEDY 11:00am Star World

Two And A Half Men

930pm FX

It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia

NEWS 6:00pm Boishakhi Tv

Evening news bulletin

7:00pm Desh TV

Shongbad Shomoi

MIXED 11:30am Discovery

Secrets Of The Taj Mahal

10:30pm TLC Defeated Soul

Ravinder’s Kitchen

Preventing

TODAY IN DHAKA Film

Pacific Rim in 3D Purno dhorgho prem kahini Riddick, The Conjuring Titanic (3D) Level 8, Bashundhara City Panthapath

Exhibition

Solo Painting Exhibition

By Nurun Naher Supti Time: 3pm – 9pm

Alliance Francaise de Dhaka 26 Mirpur Road Dhanmondi Return to Eden

By Nasima Khanam Queenie Time: 10am to 8pm Alliance Francaise, Dhanmondi, Quest for Reality

By Rafiqun Nabi Time: 12pm-8pm

Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts House No 42, Road No 16 Sheik Kamal Sarani Dhanmondi To live is to be slowly born An architectural exhibition of some current works

By Kashef Chowdhury Time: 12 – 8pm Bengal Art Lounge 60 Gulshan Avenue. Circle 1

Theatre:

Bishad Shindhu Time: 6:30pm to 8:30pm Nat Mondol Dhaka University Bagher Manush Shomoy Time: 6:30pm to 8:00pm Experimental Theatre Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Shegun Bagicha

Bhager Manush to be staged today

A scene from the Liberation War based movie Guerrilla

Guerrilla to be screened at IGCC today n Entertainment Desk The award winning film, Guerrilla, based on the unforgettable Liberation War of Bangladesh will be showcased at the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre today. The programme, arranged in association with Asian Paints, IRCON and Marico Bangladesh, is an open for all event and requires no ticket for entry.

Directed by noted Bangladeshi film and theatre personality Nasiruddin Yousuf, the film that depicts the days of Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971 detailing the intensive struggle undertaken by progressive minded Bangladeshi nationals - muktijoddhas - against the heinous torture, crimes against humanity and subjugation by Pakistani forces to attain independence. The film tries to relive the memories of Bangladesh’s Liberation War as seen through the eyes of a female muktijoddha whose husband went missing on the infamous Black Friday of March 25,

1971, possibly nabbed by the Pakistani forces. Throughout the film, she wages a relentless covert war and provides support to her fellow muktijoddhas even through her limited means to help attain independence for her country.

The film represents a landmark in Bangladesh film history. Film lovers across the world would get an insightful picture of the details of Bangladesh’s Liberation War of 1971 through Guerrilla. Nasiruddin Yousuf was a muktijoddha himself and hence was best able to picturise this period of Bangladesh history through his film. The film received support from both the Bangladesh Government and the High Commission of India in Dhaka for its making, which has been duly acknowledged. It is a tribute to all the muktijoddhas of Bangladesh and the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre invites all progressive minded Bangladeshi nationals to view the film at the centre’s auditorium in Gulshan at 6.30 pm today. l

Beyonce surprises fans by releasing self titled album n Entertainment Desk

n Entertainment Desk Observing the Martyred Intellectual Day, Samay Natyasampradaya will stage Bhager Manush today at the Experimental Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. The acclaimed play was premiered in 1997 and so far has been staged over 150 times.

Mannan Heera has adapted the play from a popular Urdu short story Toba Tek Singh by Saadat Hasan Manto.

Here, the play satires the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947 which brought immense suffering to the people living in the border areas of the two countries - India and Pakistan.

The play highlights the “exchange agreement of the lunatics” between the governments of India and Pakistan, two or three years after the Partition (1947). Directed by Aly Zaker, it shows many historical characters like Gandhi, Jinnah and others. They are represented as a contrast to those who are labeled insane by society.

Legendary Sikh religious figure Tek Singh is featured as one of the central characters in the play. Singh strongly opposes the partition that has separated people of a nation in the name of religion. l

ation about the glorious war.

Coordinated by Durbin Entertainment, the album will be released on March 12, 2014. Amader 71 was initially scheduled to be launched in December this year, marking the month of victory. But the current political unrest pushed back the release date.

Along with band Durbin, renowned bands Dolchut, Feedback, Shunno and many others are lending their songs to the album.

A concert celebrating the 10th anniversary of the band Durbin was also held at the Russian Cultural Centre on the same day. The band members entertained their fans by performing their popular tracks one after another. l

Marking the Martyred Intellectual Day, a special film titled Shilalipi will be aired on Maasranga Television tomorrow at 2:30pm.

Directed by Shamim Akhter, seasoned actors such as Aly Zaker, Sara Zaker, Nasrin Siraj and many more acted in the film.

Surprise! Friday the 13th proved to be a lucky day for Beyoncé fans, with the unexpected release of a new album. The 32-year-old singer released her self-titled fifth album on iTunes early Friday, with no announcement beforehand.

The “visual album” features 14 songs and 17 videos, with collaborators such as Frank Ocean, Drake, her husband Jay Z and their daughter Blue Ivy, who turns 2 in January.

“I see music,” the Texas native said about the album’s visual element. “It’s more than just what I hear.”

“When I’m connected to something, I immediately see a visual or a series of images that are tied to a feeling or an

emotion, a memory from my childhood, thoughts about life, my dreams or my fantasies. And they’re all connected to the music,” she said.

The videos were shot mainly during her Mrs Carter Show World Tour in locations such as New York City, her native Houston, Paris, Sydney and Rio de Janeiro. Beyoncé said the surprise release gave her the opportunity “to speak directly” to her fans.

“There’s so much that gets between the music, the artist and the fans,” she said in a statement.

“I felt like I didn’t want anybody to give the message when my record is coming out. I just want this to come out when it’s ready and from me to my fans.” l

Did you know?

Everton’s 20 consecutive home wins over Fulham is the longest of any team against one opponent in English football history

Sport

13

Saturday, December 14, 2013

DHAKA TRIBUNE

14 PSV exit as Spurs, Salzburg win again

15 Lightning Boult leads NZ to big win

0 9 2 DAYS TO GO

RESULT Sk Jamal

Nasir Uddin 83”

1-0

Muktijoddha

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS receives a long cross 14”Wedson from Mamunul, skips past a

defender and unleashes a shot from the edge of the box that just goes wide.

Sony Norde curls a pin-point free kick that finds Jamal defender Abdullahi inside the box who outmuscles his marker and heads the ball over the crossbar.

Norde delivers a defensesplitting through pass for Wedson but the Haitian can only make a weak left-footed shot.

Muktis goalkeeper Liton denies Wedson with a brave effort in goalmouth action.

After one-two with Eleta Kingsley, Biplob enters the penalty area but shoots straight to the keeper.

GOAL! Nasir Uddin Chowdhury seals the victory for Jamal, heading in a Sony Norde corner to send the ball past Liton.

34”

39”

45” 56” 83”

Mamunul signals out teamwork, Benjamin hails Norde

n Raihan Mahmood Sheikh Jamal players and officials celebrate with the Walton Federation Cup trophy after beating Muktijoddha SKC at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday

MUMIT M

Sheikh Jamal lift Federation Cup n Shishir Hoque A late 83rd minute header from national defender Nasir Uddin Chowdhury was enough to give Sheikh Jamal DC the season’s first tournament Walton Federation Cup title with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Muktijoddha SKC at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

It was Sheikh Jamal’s second Federation Cup title in four years, despite reaching the final in every edition they have taken part in. The Dhanmondi based club finished runners-up in three professional tournaments last season, including the Federation Cup were they lost to Sheikh Russell. They bolstered their squad for this season

with an eye to winning all the titles and yesterday’s victory was the first step towards that goal.

Prior to the game, Muktijoddha’s probably major concern was how to deal with the best attacking line-up in the country, especially the Haitian international Sony Norde. The eventual runners-up executed their strategy well in the game and presented a rock solid defensive display till the goal.

Muktis coach Shafiqul Islam Manik brought tactical changes game with an enchanced defensive approach and gave the highest attention to containing Norde.

Norde, who scored seven goals in the tournament and scored in every match except the final, struggled to

Afusi delighted, Manik downhearted n Raihan Mahmood Sheikh Jamal coach Josef Afusi seemed to be flying in the air after his team clinched the title of Walton Federation Cup by beating Muktijoddha in the final at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. His counterpart Shafikul Islam Manik meanwhile, felt he was unfortunate come out second best.

Afusi thought his team was focused towards winning the title as Jamal lost in the final to Sheikh Russell last year. “We are deserving winners. I always said that the going will be tough and it was tougher than I expected, but I was never thinking of losing. We were always focused upon winning the title.

Last year we finished runners-up, so this time we were hungrier and reaped the fruit of our hard work,” said the Nigerian, who claimed his first title with Jamal after finishing runner-up in two tournaments last year.

The tall coach had foreseen that Sony Norde would be given a tough time, but surprised just how tough.

“They made Sony Norde’s life hard. It was always one against three, it was not unexpected, Manik is a good coach with a good tactical set up, he read our strategy well but we knew our time

will come and it arrived duly. I always believed our chance would come as we were knocking at the door of the goal consistently.

“The teamwork was good but I think we would have scored a goal much earlier. With the Fed Cup, the first mission is accomplished and now it’s time to look ahead to the league and we have earned the motivation to win it all,” summed up Afusi.

Shafikul Islam Manik did not look dejected but was gloomy. “If you want to summarize my loss in a phrase, I would say that it was just a bad luck.

My overall observation is Muktijoddha was playing according to their plans, we wanted to go slow but steady and we created some chances but failed to convert them. My goalie missed the flight and we failed to mark Nasir who headed the ball home. Just one mistake and it cost us the match,” said Manik.

Manik, however, took in the positives from the result. “We finished as second best, overall we were not outplayed. I am a little dissatisfied with my forward line as Nkwocha and Elita would have done a little better. I put Biplob behind them to stop their three pronged attack, he was put in a dual role. We lost the title but Muktijoddha has showed they are a good team” said Manik who has won three Fed Cups as the coach of Muktijoddha in the past. l

find space to move forward as he was tightly marked by right-back Saidul Hoque. Furthermore every time the Haitian got the ball, two or three players surrounded him. However, this did not stop him from creating chances for his teammates from a number of precise set pieces, one of which led to the all-important winning goal.

The attention the Muktis defenders gave Sony opened up chances for other forwards like Wedson Anselme to move more forward. Wedson initiated the first real attack of the game in the 14th minute when he unleashed an 18-yard shot after skipping past a defender, which was off target.

In the 34th minute, Sony Norde curled an accurate free kick that found

Jamal defender Abdullahi inside the box. The Jamal player outmuscled his marker before heading the ball over the crossbar.

Four minutes later, Jamal had the best chance to break the deadlock but Haitian forward Wedson wasted his opportunity with a weak left-footed from inside the box. Sony delivered the through pass that split Muktis defense to find Wedson.

Muktijoddha had their first real chance 11 minutes into the second half.

After a one-two with Eleta Kingsley, Biplob broke into the penalty area but his shot went straight to the keeper.

Jamal continued to attack and as the game wore on, Sony Norde started to beat off his markers. Though the for-

mer Sheikh Russell forward failed to be on target he set up the only goal of the match.

It was a perfect corner from Norde.

Defender Nasir Uddin Chowdhury, who was once a striker, slid down his head to meet the ball and sent it home past the half-stretched Muktijoddha goalkeeper Rasel Mahmud Liton to seal the victory.

After emerging in the top flight football in 2010-11, it was Jamal’s third trophy overall and second Federation Cup. They have also won the premier league title.

Wesdon Anselme was adjudged the player of the final while Sony Norde was named the player of the tournament. l

Jamal skipper Mamunul Islam praised his side’s teamwork while Muktijoddha captain Elita Benjamin of Nigeria thought Sony Norde made all the difference at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

Mamun was happy with the consistency his side showed throughout the tournament. “I think we never fell below a good level, we improved in every match, we were focused towards our responsibilities, we knew the final will not be an easy game, we showed perfect teamwork. I’m proud of the players because they deserved to go through and they proved they are a very good team,” said the national midfielder.

Elita Benjamin, a defender, played a big role in the match. In addition to defending, he played behind the attacking line and took the long throw-ins.

“Maybe Sony Norde was the inspiration for Jamal. He played well and was continuously leading the attacks. We lacked that and maybe Sony made the difference in the end,” said the tall defender. l

VICTORY DAY SPORTS

Final T20 today

Blazer BD V-Day Table Tennis starts

n Mazhar Uddin

n Raihan Mahmood

The Bangladesh national team led by Mushfiqur Rahim lost the first two matches of the T20 Challenge series to Nasir Hossain’s A team and pace bowler Mashrafe Mortaza was injured while taking a return catch off Mominul Haque. The third and final match takes place today at the Mirpur Sher-eBangla National Stadium.

Though Mashrafe’s injury initially looked to be serious, assistant physio of the national team Dr. Amin later clarified the damage was minor and the Narail Express might play today.

The national side will be worried about their batting, which has failed to

A total of 40 matches in the five events of the Blazer BD was held on the opening day of the Blazer BD V-Day Open Table Tennis at the wooden floor gymnasium of Paltan Ground yesterday.

In the men’s team event, Paradise beat Mohammedpur Green 3-0, Club Technic outplayed Ekata Sripur 3-1, Spin overpowered Udayachal

3-0, and Mohammedpur Red conquered Ajax TT 3-1.

In the girl’s singles Naima defeated Lopa 3-2 and Sharmin routed Tamanna 3-0. Professor Anisuzzaman inaugurated the meet as the chief guest. BOA treasurer Kazi Razibuddin Ahmed Chapal, handball federation general secretary Asaduzaman Kohinoor and table tennis federation general secretary Zobera Rahman Linu were also present on the occasion. l

Walton Television V-Day Volleyball Defending champions Bangladesh Army made a winning start in the Walton Television V-Day Volleyball, beating title contenders Border Guard Bangladesh 25-8, 25-12, 25-15 at the volleyball stadium yesterday.

In the other matches of the day,

Titas Gas beat Bangladesh Police 27-25, 18-25, 25-21, 25-17 in a fiercely contested encounter, PDB beat Bangladesh Navy 26=24, 25-14, 25-16 and Bangladesh Navy handed Bangladesh Police their second defeat of the day 25-19, 25-21, 25-16. l

click so far. The opening pair however, have given the side solid starts in both games with Anamul Haque making 30 and 39.

The middle order is the main concern for the national side and it was learnt that all-rounder Ziaur Rahman, who batted lower down in both matches, might get the chance to bat at the top.

The first two matches of the series were played under lights and the third but the final match will be a day game. The Bangladesh Cricket Board arranged the T20 series between the national side and the A team to prepare the players for the upcoming T20 World Championship, which Bangladesh is scheduled to host next year. l

BGB outplay Police in V-Day Kabaddi Border Guard Bangladesh, the traditional powerhouse of the local Kabaddi arena, had to toil hard against Bangladesh Police in the opening match of the Victory Day Kabaddi at the Kabaddi stadium yesterday.

BGB earned 27 points with a Lona

while Police managed to earn 22 points. Bangladesh Army however had a cakewalk against Fire Service, winning their match 52-10 with four creditable Lona’s. K.H. Masud Siddiky, the Liberation War Affairs ministry secretary inaugurated the meet as the chief guest. l

Action from the opening day of the Blazer BD V-Day Open Table Tennis at the wooden floor gymnasium of Paltan Ground yesterday MUMIT M

14

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Saturday, December 14, 2013

PSV exit as Spurs, Salzburg win again n Reuters, London

Tottenham Hotspur striker Roberto Soldado celebrates after scoring during their Uefa Europa League match against Anzhi Makhachkala at White Hart Lane on Thursday

Bayern host looking to learn from City defeat n AFP, Berlin

Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich host Hamburg today with coach Pep Guardiola hoping the champions have learned from their shock midweek defeat at home to Manchester City.

Bayern had their record 10-match Champions League winning streak abruptly halted when City hit back from two goals down to inflict a 3-2 defeat on Guardiola’s side, who nonetheless still qualified for the last 16 as group winners.

Bayern can extend their record unbeaten run in the Bundesliga to 41

games against Bert van Marwijk’s Hamburg. Third-placed Borussia Dortmund go to Hoffenheim looking to close the ten-point gap to Bayern.

Sami Hyypia’s Leverkusen, four points behind Bayern, are at strugglers Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday having booked their place in the last 16 of the Champions League with a 1-0 win at Real Sociedad. l

FIXTURES Bayern Munich Hanover 96 Hoffenheim Mainz 05 Augsburg VfL Wolfsburg

v v v v v v

Hamburg Nuremberg Dortmund M'gladbach Braunschweig VfB Stuttgart

AFP

PSV Eindhoven’s disappointing season took a turn for the worse as they went out of the Europa League after losing 1-0 at home to Ukrainians Chernomorets Odessa, who pipped them to second place in Group B on Thursday.

Former European Cup winners PSV, languishing 10th in the Dutch league, needed a point to make the last 32 but were undone when Odessa’s Franck Dja Djedje netted a second-half header.

With 18 teams having already booked places in the knockout round as group winners or runners-up and eight sides dropping into the competition from the Champions League, Thursday’s action concentrated on the six remaining places up for grabs.

Maribor, Swansea City, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Dynamo Kiev and Slovan Liberec all joined Odessa in wrapping up the runners-up spots in their groups to secure a place in Monday’s draw.

Salzburg won 3-0 at home to Danish side Esbjerg to finish with a perfect 18 points in Group C and Tottenham Hotspur also recorded a sixth straight win in Group K by beating Anzhi Makhachkala with striker Roberto Soldado netting a hat-trick.

Tottenham have also struggled for consistency domestically, but a string of impeccable performances in Europe have helped them cruise through the group by winning every game, scoring 15 and conceding two.

Even striker Spaniard Soldado, who has struggled for goals in the league this season after a 26 million pounds ($42.45 million) move from Valencia, found his scoring touch, with three goals, including a penalty, to round off qualifying in style.

Welsh side Swansea sneaked through from Group A despite losing 1-0 at Swiss team St Gallen, while Maccabi Tel Aviv won 1-0 against visitors Girondins Bordeaux to qualify second in Group F. Swansea would have gone out had Kuban Krasnodar beaten group winners Valencia away, but the Russians could only muster a draw and finished two points adrift in third. l

QUALIFIED TEAMS FROM GROUP STAGE Valencia (ESP), Swansea City (ENG), Ludogorets Razgrad (BUL), Chornomorets Odessa (UKR), Salzburg (AUT), Esbjerg fB (DEN), Rubin Kazan (RUS), Maribor (SLO), Fiorentina (ITA), Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk (UKR), Eintracht Frankfurt (GER), Maccabi Tel Aviv (ISR), RC Genk (BEL), Dynamo Kiev (UKR), Sevilla (ESP), Slovan Liberec (CZE), Lyon (FRA), Real Betis (ESP), Trabzonspor (TUR), Lazio (ITA), Tottenham Hotspur (ENG), Anzhi Makhachkala (RUS), AZ Alkmaar (NED), PAOK (GRE) AS 3RD-PLACE FINISHERS IN CL Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR), Juventus (ITA), Benfica (POR), Viktoria Pilsen (CZE), FC Basel (SUI), Napoli (ITA), FC Porto (POR), Ajax (NED) NB: group winners and four best thirdplace finishers in Champions League cannot play each other. Teams from same country cannot be drawn together.

Gunners face another tough trip n Reuters, London Arsenal’s lunchtime game at Manchester City today could be a defining one for their Premier League title hopes, even if Arsene Wenger has greeted that idea with a typically Gallic shrug.

The Gunners have a comfortable cushion over second-placed Liverpool, who travel in the opposite direction on Sunday for a clash in North London with sixth-placed Tottenham Hotspur (1600 GMT), and Chelsea.

City, who surged back from 2-0 down to beat European champions Bayern Munich 3-2 in Germany in their final Cham-

pions League group game, are fourth and six points behind Wenger’s men.

Despite their position, Arsenal will be the underdogs against a side who remain unbeaten at home in the league this season and see no reason why they cannot at least match Manchester United’s 1-0 win over the north Londoners last month. Neither of City’s top two league goalscorers played in Munich with Sergio Aguero, the second most prolific scorer in the Premier League after Liverpool’s Luis Suarez, rested and Yaya Toure suspended.

Arsenal were held 1-1 at the Emirates

by Everton last weekend but their defence has been tough to penetrate with three clean sheets before the Everton game and two goals conceded in their

last nine league and European games prior to Wednesday.

Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea, at home to struggling Crystal Palace on Saturday

FIXTURES Cardiff Chelsea Everton Hull Man City Newcastle West Ham

v v v v v v v

West Brom Crystal Palace Fulham Stoke Arsenal Southampton Sunderland

(1500), play at Arsenal before Christmas and could be in a position by then to take the overall lead if Liverpool stumble at Spurs. They have let in six goals in their

last two Premier League games, however, and the leaky defence will have to be made watertight.

While Suarez is on fire, with 15 league goals in 10 matches after being belatedly awarded a second from last weekend’s 4-1 thrashing of West Ham United, Liverpool will be without England captain Steven Gerrard.

Media reports indicated he would be out for at least a month with a hamstring injury, joining striker Daniel Sturridge on the sidelines for the busy Christmas period and matches at Manchester City and Chelsea.

Fifth-placed Everton, a point behind Manchester City, are at home to Fulham (1500) today while seventh placed Newcastle United host Southampton. l

Crucial ties for La Liga contenders n AFP, Madrid

Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid were all convincing winners in the Champions League in midweek, but could face a more difficult time on their return to domestic action this weekend.

League leaders Barca have bounced back from defeat in their last league outing away to Athletic Bilbao by scoring 10 times in their last two matches against Cartagena and Celtic respectively.

However, they welcome a dangerous Villarreal side to the Camp Nou today aware that their visitors have already taken points from both Real and Atletico this season.

Winger Pedro Rodriguez has more than played his part in the Catalans’

return to form with three goals in the last two games and he is looking for a strong end to the year with just three matches to go until the winter break.

Neymar was the star of the show as Barca demolished Celtic 6-1 on Wednesday with his first hat-trick for the club.

FIXTURES Osasuna Rayo Vallecano Barcelona Malaga

v v v v

Real Madrid Granada Villarreal Getafe

Coach Gerardo Martino described that performance as his side’s best of his first five months in charge and he may well be tempted to retain the Brazilian through the middle in the “false nine” role despite Cesc Fabregas’ return from suspension.

Andres Iniesta, Jordi Alba and the fit-again Dani Alves are all likely to return, but Lionel Messi and Victor Valdes remain sidelined by injury.

The task is somewhat different for Real Madrid as they face the difficult conditions of an away trip to Osasuna on Saturday.

Osasuna are just one point above the relegation zone, but Real have only won once in their last five league visits to Pamplona and Osasuna also held Barca to a 0-0 draw earlier this season.

Madrid will at least be able to count of their lethal frontline of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema who have scored a combined 21 goals in their last five league games.

However, Luka Modric is a doubt after being forced off with an ankle injury in Madrid’s 2-0 win over FC Copenhagen on Tuesday.l

Guangzhou target Bayern at Club World Cup n AFP, Agadir

Marcello Lippi, coach of China's Guangzhou Evergrande, attends a training session in Agadir Stadium on Thursday REUTERS

China’s Guangzhou Evergrande are out to beat African champions AlAhly in today’s quarter-finals of the Club World Cup to set up a last four clash with European titans Bayern Munich.

The regional champions from each of the FIFA regions are gathering in north Africa to decide which is the best domestic team in the world.

Oceania’s representatives Auckland City FC lost Wednesday’s opening playoff match when they went down 2-1 to host club Raja Casablanca, who now meet meet Mexico’s CF Monterrey on Saturday in Agadir after the Guangzhou-Al Ahly showdown.

Guangzhou were crowned Asian champions by beating South Korea’s FC Seoul last month and are eager to down Al Ahly to set up a clash with

German giants Bayern Munich in next Tuesday’s first semi-final.

Both Bayern and Copa Libertadores winners Atletico Mineiro of Brazil, representing South America, have been given byes through to next week’s semi-finals.

Bayern are favourites to lift the Club World Cup trophy in Marrakech on December 21 with the Bavarians aiming to win their second piece of silverware under Pep Guardiola after winning the UEFA Super Cup by beating Chelsea in a penalty shoot-out in Prague last August.

Having been part of the Bayern team which won the 2001 Champions League title in Europe, midfielder Hasan Salihamidzic said Guardiola’s side will take some beating in their quest to add a first global title to their European crown. l

A fan of Argentine football team Boca Juniors confronts police during riots after celebrations of Boca Juniors Fan Day in downtown Buenos Aires on Thursday REUTERS

Messi departure impossible: Rosell n AFP, Madrid Lionel Messi will be going nowhere as long as Sandro Rosell is in charge at Barcelona, the Catalans’ president said Thursday.

“As long as I’m president of Barca, everything will be done that is possible and even impossible so that Messi stays at the club,” said Rosell at an event to present a partnership with American electronics giant Intel.

“It is extremely difficult, not to say impossible, that Messi will leave the club.”

Four-time Ballon D’Or winner Messi is currently injured and out of action until January. He is under contract until 2018, which will take him almost up to his 31st birthday.

According to media claims in Spain, Messi has a 250 million euro ($344m) buy-out clause, although teams that could afford that are few and far between.l

Falcao denies injury ‘mystery’ n AFP, Paris Radamel Falcao has insisted he is happy at Monaco ahead of today’s trip to Guingamp, despite continued speculation over his “mystery” injury.

The Principality club have been in fine form recently and trail leaders Paris Saint-Germain by just two points following four successive wins.

But the continuing absence of record-signing Falcao, who will sit out his fourth match in a row with a hamstring problem, has seen the rumourmill spin into overdrive.

On Thursday, leading sports daily L’Equipe said the Colombian’s continuing absence was a “mystery” and that all the elements needed to create a “problem” existed.

But the player himself swatted away any such suggestions.

Monaco have been flying without

Falcao, although he was instrumental to their fine early season form when he shot to the top of the scoring charts.

Even without having found the net since scoring in the 1-1 draw at home to Evian more than a month ago, he

FIXTURES Rennes Ajaccio Evian Guingamp Nantes Nice

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PSG Lorient Reims Monaco Toulouse Sochaux

is still third in the charts, behind only star PSG pair Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Edinson Cavani.

The champions travel to Rennes on Saturday ahead of which a curious dispute has sprung up after the local police chief banned all PSG fans from entering the Ille-et-Vilaine department where Rennes is located unless they have tickets for the game.l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

QUICK BYTES Blackburn’s Campbell given time off amid fixing probe

SCORE CARD, DAY 3

New Zealand 1st innings 441 R Taylor 129, B Watling 65, K Williamson 45; T Best 4-110) West Indies 1st innings (overnight 158-4) M Samuels c Watling b Boult 60 N Deonarine c Taylor b Boult 22 D Ramdin not out 12 D Sammy b Boult 0 S Shillingford b Boult 0 T Best b Boult 0 S Gabriel b Southee 0 Extras (lb8, w1, nb4) 13 Total (all out; 49.5 overs) 193

Blackburn striker DJ Campbell has been given time off by his Championship club after he was bailed this week following his arrest as part of an investigation into spot-fixing. Rovers confirmed over the weekend that the 32-year-old was one of six people detained by the National Crime Agency (NCA), who acted on information passed to it by the Sun on Sunday newspaper. Campbell, whose former clubs include Blackpool, Birmingham, Leicester and QPR, was bailed on Monday until April but will not feature in Saturday’s second tier clash against Millwall at Ewood Park. It remains uncertain if he will feature in Rovers’ games in the foreseeable future after they decided he should step away from the spotlight this weekend. As part of the investigation, The Sun on Sunday claimed NCA detectives were likely to review a booking Campbell received in the first half of Blackburn’s league game against Ipswich on December 3.

–AFP

Bowling Boult 15-5-40-6, Southee 15.5-2-58-2, Wagner 7-1-37-0, Anderson 7-1-20-2, Sodhi 3-1-18-0, Williamson 2-0-12-0 West Indies 2nd innings K Edwards c Williamson b Southee 35 K Powell b Southee 36 D Bravo c Watling b Wagner 0 M Samuels c Anderson b Southee 12 S Chanderpaul not out 31 N Deonarine b Boult 12 D Ramdin c Boult b Anderson 19 D Sammy lbw Boult 0 S Shillingford c Taylor b Wagner 1 T Best c Fulton b Boult 21 S Gabriel b Boult 0 Extras: (lb6, nb1, w1) 8 Total (all out, 54.5 overs) 175

Liverpool’s injured captain Gerrard out for a month

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard will be sidelined for at least four weeks with the hamstring injury he picked up last weekend, manager Brendan Rodgers said on Thursday. Gerrard suffered the problem during Liverpool’s 4-1 win over West Ham United in the Premier League on Saturday and had to be replaced after 56 minutes at Anfield. “Steven is, as reported, probably going to be (out for) up to about four weeks or so,” Rodgers told the Merseyside club’s website (www. liverpoolfc.com). “So he’ll go through an extensive treatment programme over the next numbers of weeks and hopefully we can get him back that little bit sooner. “But certainly at this stage, it was a four to six-week injury and we’ll see how we look with that.” Rodgers had better news on Gerrard’s fellow England midfielder Jordan Henderson, who suffered an ankle injury from a tackle by West Ham skipper Kevin Nolan. Nolan was sent off for the challenge. “Jordan trained so he’s fine,” said Rodgers. “It was just precautionary the last few days.

It was a bad challenge that was made on him, but thankfully he’s okay.”

–Reuters

DAY’S WATCH

15

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Trent Boult (C) of New Zealand leads his team from the field after winning the second Test during day three of their second Test against West Indies at the Basin Reserve in Wellington yesterday AFP

Lightning Boult leads NZ to big win n Reuters, Wellington Seamer Trent Boult delivered careerbest figures of 10-80 as New Zealand thrashed West Indies by an innings and 73 runs inside three days to complete their first test victory in more than a year yesterday.

The 24-year-old Boult had taken 6-40, including five wickets in 15 balls, to help bowl the West Indies out for 193 in the first innings of the second test.

He then took 4-40 in their second innings of 175 to put the hosts 1-0 up in the three-match series.

The left-armer, who scored 38 not out while batting at number 11 in New Zealand’s 441, completed a remarkable match when he dived full length to his left to a full-blooded cut shot from Denesh Ramdin that sparked the sec-

ond innings collapse after tea.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul was left on 31 not out after Tino Best’s counterattacking innings of unorthodox shots was ended by Boult on 21 runs, while Shannon Gabriel was bowled by the seamer for a duck to end the game at about 1625 (0325 GMT).

The victory was the first for New Zealand since Brendon McCullum took over as captain late last year. They had drawn six and lost four of their previous 10 tests before the victory inside three days at the Basin Reserve.

“I didn’t envisage it happening the way it did today, but thoroughly pleased and proud of these guys,” McCullum told reporters.

“They’ve worked incredibly hard over a long period of time, and put ourselves in winnings positions in last few

matches and haven’t been able force the result.

“I thought we played some excellent test cricket.”

The win expunged the frustration they experienced in the drawn first test at University Oval in Dunedin when they required 33 more runs to reach the 112 victory target only for rain to wash out the final session on the fifth day.

It also puts them in strong shape to win their first test series against a major cricketing nation since 2006, when they beat West Indies 2-0 in a three test series at home.

Since then they have only beaten Bangladesh or Zimbabwe in test series.

New Zealand’s pace bowlers had shared the workload on Friday as they captured 16 wickets in 67.4 overs, with Boult ripping through the West Indies

batting order in their first innings.

“We didn’t foresee 16 wickets falling in probably three hours, I think it was,” West Indies captain Darren Sammy said.

“For a team that’s been under the gun for some time, it could be very disappointing.

“I’ve guess we’ve found ourselves in these situations a few times and I believe we have the mettle in the dressing room to come back and keep remaining hungry because we value the fans back home.”

Tim Southee captured three second innings wickets in quick succession after lunch to put the home side into a strong position to win the test before Boult’s catch lifted the team and allowed them to run through the tail.

The third match in the series begins at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Dec 19. l

Bowling Boult 12.5-2-40-4, Southee 11-2-24-3, Wagner 17-2-67-2 (nb1), Anderson 11-129-1 (w1), Williamson 3-1-9-0 NZ won by an innings and 73 runs

Rain hits India’s Test preparation n AFP, Benoni India’s preparation for the first Test against South Africa suffered a setback when rain and a wet outfield prevented any play on the first day of a two-day match against a South African Invitation XI at Willowmoore Park yesterday.

With the outfield wet after heavy rain in the previous week, and more rain expected later, the umpires took an early decision to call off play for the day.

The first of two Test matches starts at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Wednesday. With the tour having been shortened after the Indian board refused to accept the itinerary announced by South Africa, the twoday match was the only fixture scheduled between a three-match one-day series and the Tests. l

Star Sports 1 8:30AM Australia v England Third Test, Day 2 Sony Six HD

Smith's ton saves Australia's day

NBA 2013-14 7:00AM Oklahoma city vs LA Lakers 9:30AM Golden State v Houston

n Reuters, Perth

Fifa Club World Cup 2013 10:00PM Guangzhou v Al Ahly 1:30AM Raja Casablanca v Monterrey Ten Sports Junior Hockey Mens World Cup 2013 1:45PM Match 37, 38, 39, 40 Ten Golf 10:00AM Thailand Golf Championship Day 3 4:00PM Nelson Mandela Championship Day 4 Star Sports 4 English Premier League 6:30PM Man City v Arsenal 9:00PM Chelsea v Crystal Palace La Liga 11:00PM Rayo Vallecano v Granada 1:00AM Barcelona v Villarreal 3:00AM Malaga v Getafe Star Sports HD1 11:30PM English Premier League Hull City v Stoke City Star Sports HD2 11:00PM Italian Serie A Catania v Hellas Verona Ten Action 1:00AM French Ligue 1 AC Ajaccio v FC Lorient Ten HD 6:15PM Sky Bet Championship Leicester City v Burnley French Ligue 1 10:00PM Stade Rennais v PSG 1:00AM AC Ajaccio v FC Lorient

Australia's batsman Steven Smith celebrates scoring a century against England on their first day of the third Ashes Test in Perth yesterday AFP

Nadal wins Prague charity poker event n AFP, Prague Rafael Nadal showed he was not tired of dethroning world number one players when he saw off Daniel Negreanu to win a charity poker tournament in Prague on Thursday.

The 100,000-euro ($137,000) tournament was the first-ever live poker event for the 27-year-old Spaniard, who had stripped Serbia’s Novak Djokovic of the world’s top spot in tennis this year.

Nadal has been a fervent poker player since a knee injury sidelined him from his day job last year, but had so far only played in online poker tournaments.

“I had fun. I had a great experience here playing with friends, playing for a good cause, for charity,” Nadal said after the game.

“The next thing I know is that tomorrow morning I will be on court at

9am practicing tennis.”

Besides Negreanu, the world number one poker player, Nadal beat Italian downhill star Alberto Tomba, past football legends Ronaldo and Andriy Shevchenko, and finally Dutch field hockey champion Fatima Moreira de Melo in the heads-up.

“My life is still tennis, playing poker I have fun. I am learning, but at the same time I try to ... be competitive,” Nadal told reporters before the tournament.

Like tennis, poker is “a competition, you need to control your emotions, you need to be focused all the time.”

“You need to have self-control, you have to wait for your moment,” he said.

Nadal made a blistering return to tennis since his career-threatening knee injury, winning 10 titles – including the French and US Opens – and closing out the 2013 season at the top spot of ATP rankings. l

Australia’s Steve Smith scored a brilliant century to help wrest control of the third Ashes test back from a revitalised England on a sweltering opening day at the WACA yesterday.

The hosts, who will recapture the urn with victory in Perth after winning the first two tests, looked in real trouble when the dismissal of George Bailey before tea reduced them to 143 for five.

Smith and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, however, put on 124 for the sixth wicket with circumspect and, occasionally, aggressive innings that contrasted sharply with the cavalier efforts of their team mates and Australia reached the close on 326 for six. They were separated when Haddin, who has scored half centuries in all four innings in the series, spooned the ball to James Anderson at midwicket off the bowling of Ben Stokes for 55 an hour before stumps.

Smith reached his second test cen-

WINNERS OF ICC AWARDS Cricketer of the Year Michael Clarke (AUS) Test Cricketer of the Year Michael Clarke (AUS) ODI Cricketer of the Year Kumar Sangakkara (SRI) Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year Suzie Bates (NZL) Emerging Cricketer of the Year Cheteshwar Pujara (IND) Associate Cricketer of the Year Kevin O’Brien (Ire) T20I Performance of the Year Umar Gul (Pak) (SL) – 2.2-0-6-5 v South Africa, Centurion, 3 March 2013 Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year Sarah Taylor (Eng) Umpire of the Year Richard Kettleborough LG People’s Choice Award MS Dhoni (Ind) Spirit of cricket award Mahela Jayawardena (SRI)

tury, however, and will resume on Saturday on 103 not out with Mitchell Johnson, unbeaten on 39.

“Yeah it was nice,” Smith told reporters. “Obviously under a bit of pressure there losing a few wickets in the middle but ... hopefully we’re in a decent position. “If we start well tomorrow, we can post a really good score.”

England were left ruing a missed opportunity to take control of the test and bowling coach David Saker was disappointed his paceman had let Australia off the hook by not bowling a consistent length.

“No doubt we let it slip,” he said. “It’s probably not the first time this series as well we’ve had them on the ropes to a degree and we haven’t finished the job.”

After losing the toss for a third successive match and the chance to bat on what looked like an excellent surface, the tourists initially responded to their do-or-die situation with their sharpest display of the series to date. l

SCORE CARD Australia 1st innings Chris Rogers run out (Anderson) 11 David Warner c Carberry b Swann 60 Shane Watson c Swann b Broad 18 Michael Clarke c Cook b Swann 24 Steve Smith not out 103 George Bailey c Pietersen b Broad 7 Brad Haddin c Anderson b Stokes 55 Mitchell Johnson not out 39 Extras (lb5, w3, nb1) 9 Total (6 wickets; 87 overs) 326 Fall of wickets 1-13 (Rogers), 2-52 (Watson), 3-106 (Clarke), 4-129 (Warner), 5-143 (Bailey), 6-267 (Haddin).

Bowling Anderson 17-4-44-0 (1w), Broad 17-178-2 (1w), Bresnan 21-4-72-0, Stokes 14-2-52-1 (1nb, 1w), Swann 17-0-71-2, Root 1-0-4-0.

Toss: Australia

Clarke dominates ICC awards n AFP, New Delhi

Australian captain Michael Clarke stole the honours in the International Cricket Council awards announced yesterday, winning both player of the year and the Test cricketer of the year.

Clarke, whose Australia team have taken a firm grip of the ongoing Ashes series, beat five other nominees including England skipper Alastair Cook to bag the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the player of the year.

“I was very surprised, to be honest, probably because there are so many guys who are playing so well around the world at the moment,” Clarke told the cricket.com.au website. Hashim Amla, James Anderson, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Kumar Sangakkara were the others on the shortlist to miss out.

In the Test player of the year category, Clarke scored over five other nominees –

Amla, Anderson, Ravichandran Ashwin, Cheteshwar Pujara and Dale Steyn.

Sri Lanka’s Sangakkara was named the one-day player of the year, while Indian batsman Pujara was voted the emerging player of the year.

New Zealand captain Suzie Bates was named the women’s one-day cricketer of the year and Pakistani seamer Umar Gul won the Twenty20 performance of the year award for claiming five wickets for six runs in 2.2 overs against South Africa in March this year.

Ireland’s Kevin O’Brien was voted the best player from non-Test nations, while Richard Kettleborough of England was named the umpire of the year.

Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene won the spririt of cricket award for not waiting for the umpire’s decision after edging a catch when he was on 91 against New Zealand in a Test match in Galle in November 2012. l

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

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Saturday, December 14, 2013

Under the shade of flags n By Ahsan Sajid The MRI test at Dhaka Medical College Hospital shows over 70 splinters in Shanto’s skull, left. A woman with her head fully bandaged lies on a DMCH bed after she received splinter injuries during the clash between Jamaat-Shabir activists and police at Fakirapool yesterday. Physicians said she might lose her eyes permanently MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Another minor falls victim to Jamaat-Shibir terror n Mohammad Jamil Khan Before he realised what was happening a hail of rubber bullets knocked Shanto down to the ground.

He was lying on chest unconscious pressing his mouth against the cobbled street.

Dripping blood soaked his off-white T-shirt before he was whisked away to hospital yesterday.

Nine-year-old Shanto Islam along with his younger brother Shawon Islam was going back to their aunt’s house in Fakirapool area after serving lunch to their father at his shop at Kamalapur Railway Station.

Shanto fell in the line of fire during a street skirmish between Jamaat-Shibir activists and police as soon as his brother and he reached Fakirapool Intersec-

tion in the capital.

Shanto’s brother Shawon, however, managed to escape unscathed as he manoeuvred himself into a nearby shop.

Shanto, a Class III student of Rupganj Agarpar Government Primary School, came to his aunt’s house four days back from Munshiganj with his mother Asma Begum to see for themselves the new shop of his father. His father rented the shop only a week ago.

The boy is now undergoing treatment in the child ward of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH). His mother was crying hysterically on the floor just beside her son blaming her husband and cursing her fate.

“Please save my son. I will never forgive you,” she was flying into a rage and crying uncontrollably.

Just next to the gate of the emergen-

cy ward, Mohammad Sobhan Howladar, the father of the victim, was found crying silently with tears in his eyes.

“My son is suffering from excruciating pain; I do not know what to do,” said the helpless father.

Like Shanto 12 others are also suffering from bullet injury at the DMCH. Among others, Amena Begum, 20, wife of Raju Mia, received bullet injury to her two eyes in Rampura area. She was on her way home.

The on-duty doctors fear that her eyes might have been severely damaged and for that reason they transferred Amena to National Institute of Eye after giving her primary aid.

Garment worker, Forhad Hossain, 40, son of Mobarak Hossain sustained bullet wounds to his back, Rina, 30, wife of Harun-or-Rashid, received bullet injury to

her head and hand, Mohammad Farid, 26, a cloth trader, to his right leg.

Apart from them Atiar, 28, son of Aziz Bepari, Kibria, 18, a staff of Mama-Bhagina Hotel and the manager of the hotel, Oli, 50, Shibli Sadek, 28, a daily worker, also sustained bullet wounds in Rampura area.

Besides, Shibir cadres beat up Babu, a driver of Great Bikrampur Paribahan, and on-duty traffic constable Jakir Hossain, 45, at Fatulla in Narayanganj. Jakir is now undergoing treatment at Rajarbagh Police Line Hospital.

Two Jamaat-e-Islami activists are also suffering from wounds at hospital.

They are Shahidul Haque, 24, and Roman, 25.

All of them received rubber bullets, said Ashrafuzzaman, residential surgeon of the emergency unit of the DMCH. l

Giasuddin is a flag seller.

For a man at his age, on the wrong end of 60 and with deteriorating eyesight, it is not easy to find gainful employment.

But over the last five to six years, Giasuddin has found seasonal work during the months the average Bangladeshi feels a sharp surge in patriotic fervour: March and December.

His typical day starts, during the season leading up to Victory Day or Independence Day, by making the long trip to Sadarghat on foot, where he purchases flags in bulk.

He then ties the flags up according to size on the long pole, which he will be carrying over his shoulder all day – from the giant marquee sized banners to little pocket sizes ones, he’s got a flag for every purpose.

From Sadarghat, the rest of the day is a slow-paced walk around town – to Shahbag, Banglamotor, Begunbari, Farm Gate, Panthapath, Gulistan.

As we chatted, I almost envied him. A nice stroll across town seemed more ap-

pealing than sitting behind a desk all day.

Of course, the job is not without its challenges. Once, Giasuddin’s main worry was erratic weather. These days, he has to contend with lack of safety on the road.

“There aren’t as many people in the streets. And when there are, they have too many things to be constantly worried about to take the time to stop and purchase a flag. Safety comes first.”

Giasuddin came to Dhaka six years ago in search of work. He finds odd jobs throughout the year, but during these patriotic months, selling flags used to be his most lucrative business.

Previously, he would sell an average of Tk3,000 worth of flags, wristbands and headbands per day, which set him up for months to come. This December however, his record day’s earning was only Tk700.

But Giasuddin goes back out there everyday, because he has to. As I watched him walk away, I began to understand the resilience of the Bangladeshi people. They carry on, undaunted, firmly hopeful. l

Do you know: Who holds the current record for the World’s Largest Human Flag?

Email your answer to info@dhakatribune.com for a chance to win exclusive passes to the World’s Largest Human Flag event on December 16, and see history in the making.

RANA PLAZA DISASTER

Families of DNA-identified victims still await financial aid n Moniruzzaman Uzzal The families of the Rana Plaza victims – who were recently identified through DNA tests – are still waiting for financial assistance, although the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has already received the “Inheritance Verification Reports” on the victims.

Out of 157 individuals, the identities of 155 were confirmed by the offices of deputy commissioners of the respective districts after visiting the addresses given against the victims’ names. One address was found to be wrong, while the other could not be verified by anyone.

It has been learnt that as part of the PMO’s plan to provide financial assistance to the lawful heirs in phases, a list of 132 victims has been prepared for the first phase. The victims’ families would receive between Tk100,000 to Tk500,000, based on the number of family members who depended on the victims.

However, sources said although the cheques were ready, those could not be delivered to the relatives because of the ongoing political turmoil.

Dr Julfikar Lenin, director (hospital) of the PMO, confirmed receiving the verification reports and said the prime minister would hand over the cheques herself if possible, or else it would be distributed through the offices of the DCs as soon as possible.

Earlier in November, the identities of 157 victims among the 322 unidentified bodies from the Rana Plaza disaster were determined through DNA tests at the National DNA Profiling Laboratory of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

While disclosing the DNA test result before the media, Labour Secretary Mikail Shiper had said the identities of the remaining 165 unidentified victims would be disclosed in phases, while the head of the DNA laboratory also expressed hopes that a second list of identities would be provided within November 30.

Seeking anonymity, a senior official of the labour ministry said the test could not be completed because of a shortage of specialized chemical materials needed for the DNA tests.

An official of the DNA lab also told the Dhaka Tribune: “They bought certain amount of the chemicals for a year.

As the DNA test of Rana Plaza victims needed much chemical use, the chemical stock ended before time. Besides, the other shipment of the chemical was also delayed.” However, the official expressed hopes that the required chemicals would arrive within this month.

The PMO and the BGMEA, the apex body of apparel makers and exporters, have reportedly so far donated over Tk300m to the victims of Rana Plaza disaster.

The PMO has donated more than Tk188.56m from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund to the families of 777 deceased, as well as 31 victims who lost their limbs.

The BGMEA has also reportedly donated more than Tk125.5m to a total of 2,785 victims.

At least 1,134 people were killed and thousands more were injured when the nine-storey Rana Plaza in Savar collapsed on April 24 this year. l

Youth found dead in CID custody n Kailash Sarkar A youth has been killed allegedly in the custody of the Criminal Investigation Department at its headquarters yesterday.

Police recovered the body of Mohammad Aziz, 32, hanging from the iron bar gate of a cell on third floor of the CID office at Malibagh around 10:30am.

Aziz was found dead a night after a CID team had arrested him in connection with a case filed for killing and abduction of an 18-month-old child.

Family members alleged that Aziz had been tortured to death and then his body was hung for concealing the truth.

CID sources said Aziz had been kept in a room along with another detainee named Tanvir Ahmed Sharif, and he

was found hanging from the gate with his lungi in the morning.

Despite repeated attempts, CID Chief Additional Inspector General Moklesur Rahman could not be reached for comments.

Golam Sarwar, officer-in-charge of Paltan police station, claimed that Aziz committed suicide when the other inmate, Sharif, was asleep. Sharif could not say anything about the incident.

The OC, however, could not specify the reasons for his claim. He said the body had been sent to the Dhaka Medical College morgue for a post mortem examination.

Sub-Inspector Md Morshed of Paltan police said they would be sure of the cause of the death after the autopsy. l

Two Jamaat-Shibir activists vandalise and torch a Moitri Paribahan bus in the capital’s Kamalapur yesterday

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Violence, blockade hit essentials’ prices Low-income people suffer people’s suffering in this period. n Aminur Rahman Rasel “People consume more when esPrices of essentials in the market have already gone up and it will go through the roof if the present political unrest prevails, traders and retailers have said.

The businessmen said normally, in winter season, prices of vegetables fell, but this time it was an exception that the prices were getting to be exorbitant gradually.

The traders attribute continuous blockade and hartal to the rise in commodities’ price.

“We will not be able to rein in price for too long time if the volatile political situation persists. The supply of vegetables is already lower than expected in this season,” a retailer Amirul Islam at the Karwan Bazar kitchen market told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

The back-to-back blockade on road, railway and waterways began on November 26. Hartals over Jamaat leader Quader Molla’s execution added salt to

sentials are cheaper but they tend to buy less when prices go up,” Amirul said, expressing disappointment over the sale of goods.

He also said they had been carrying needful commodities at night amid strikes but blockade forced them to stop doing so this time round.

A recent survey of the city’s different kitchen markets reveals that vegetables and fish prices are up by Tk5-Tk10 and Tk20-Tk30 per kg respectively.

But prices of chicken, mutton, beef and bottled edible oil of different brands maintained the earlier trend.

Vegetables are brought to the city’s kitchen markets from the remote districts of Jamalpur, Tangail, Narsingdi, Comilla, Gazipur and Munshiganj.

For paying high freight cost, the traders charge extra in Dhaka’s kitchen markets, said Abdul Halim, another

trader at Karwan Bazar.

“The extra charges of transportation hike the price of essentials, especially kitchen items,” he said.

“It has become very difficult to budget the household expenditure as prices of almost everything are rising whereas my earning remains the same,” said Sonia Begum, a schoolteacher who lives in Mohammadpur.

Md Kamrul, a vegetable trader at Mohammadpur Town Hall Market, blamed the price hike on the short supply of vegetables because of continuous blockade.

“Vegetables prices increase by Tk5 to Tk10 during this period, he said, adding that they do not have any choice but to observe the blockade in silence,” kamrul claimed.

Onions, a key-cooking ingredient, were selling at Tk90-Tk100 a kg in Town Hall Market.

Broiler chicken was selling at between Tk165 and Tk170 per kg on Fri-

day while beef Tk275-Tk280 and mutton Tk420-Tk450.

Ginger’s price ranged between Tk100 and Tk120 a kg while that of Garlic Tk100-Tk140.

Brinjal was being sold at Tk40, ladies finger Tk40, bitter gourd Tk70Tk80 and green papaya Tk30-Tk35.

The green chili was retailing at Tk50-Tk60 while tomato Tk60-Tk70 a kg.

A pair of medium-size hilsha was selling at Tk800-Tk1,000, ruhi Tk250Tk300 per kg, katla Tk250-Tk280 per kg, tengra Tk350-Tk450 per kg, pangas Tk110-Tk120 per kg and tilapia at Tk130-Tk150 per kg.

“Everyone understands that the prices are going up for volatile political situation and we are going to face a crisis over the supply which will need time to recover,” Consumers Association of Bangladesh General Secretary Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan told the Dhaka tribune. l

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