December 21, 2013

Prescription

7

How to keep a healthy mouth in diabetes

Poush 7, 1420 Safar 17, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 1 No 267

International

9

Philippine mayor among four killed at Manila airport

Sport

13

Victory Day T20 tournament starts Dec 22

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2013 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION

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BNP-Jamaat men in Hefazat coax Dhaka rally Though yet to get permission for the Dec 24 rally, Hefazat is hell-bent on holding it the permission. But we will hold it at n Julfikar Ali Manik any cost, even if we are not given the Hefazat-e-Islam’s fresh announcement of holding another rally at Shapla Chattar in the capital on December 24 had come in the face of persuasion from its leaders with an inclination to the 18-party alliance.

A Hefazat activist, who closely works with the central leaders of the Qawmi madrasa-based organisation in Chittagong, said the persuasion had aimed at involving Hefazat in the street movement to eventually help escalate the opposition’s anti-government campaign.

Last month, Hefazat’s top leaders in Chittagong announced the rally for December 24 in view of the 10th parliament elections, which was later scheduled for January 5, he said.

Hefazat Literary Secretary Ashraf Ali Nizampuri last night told the Dhaka Tribune over phone: “We have applied for holding the rally but are yet to get

permission.”

The gathering and the programmes to be announced from the rally would help thwart the election without the BNP-led alliance, some Hefazat men said.

The Islamist organisation headquartered at Hathazari Madrasa in Chittagong has so far held two rallies at Shapala Chattar, courting a storm of controversy with its demands and alleged atrocities.

At its April rally, Hefazat announced 13-point demands, which included introduction of an anti-blasphemy law, execution of “atheist” bloggers and an end to “free mingling” of men and women.

The rally in May spilled out of the capital, leaving a trail of destruction causing 40 deaths in just two days.

Since the May mayhem Hefazat has refrained from holding any public rally

EU will not send election observers n Tribune Report

AL plans to work to increase voter turnout

BNP wants to ensure poor voter presence

n Emran Hossain Shaikh

n Mohammad Al-Masum Molla

The European Union has decided to not send observers to the January 5 parliamentary polls.

According to a statement issued yesterday by Catherine Ashton, spokesperson of EU High Representatives: “The High Representative regrets that the main political forces in Bangladesh have been unable to create the necessary conditions for transparent, inclusive and credible elections, despite many efforts, including most recently under UN auspices.”

The High Representative in the statement urged all sides to refrain from violence and encouraged leaders to respect rights to express democratic choices.

“The High Representative has decided to halt for now the preparations for the deployment of an Election Observation Mission.”

The EU, however, is ready to observe, should the political conditions allow for the holding of transparent, inclusive and credible elections. l

INSIDE Nation

5 When vegetable and potato prices have shot up in Dhaka and other cities for short supply, rural markets are replete with agricultural produces due to disruption in transportation because of frequent blockade programmes.

Feature

6 At the age of thirteen, when most teenagers are caught in the race to be part of “the cool group” at school, Atif Ahmed Akkhor started toying with graphic design on his brother’s handme-down computer.

Op-Ed

11 With the elections to be held on January 5, it seems that the government and the EC, much to the relief of people, have managed to slash their election costs in half, saving a substantial portion of taxpayer money.

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The ruling Awami League wants the highest number of voters to participate in the upcoming 10th national elections on January 5.

Yesterday after a meeting of the party’s election steering committee, party advisor and co-chairman of committee HT Imam told the reporters: “The electoral campaign has started.”

“We want a festive election with the turnout of the highest number of voters. This is why we are moving jointly with the parties that are participating in the polls.”

He said Awami League had decided to go for campaigning in favour of party candidate. Forming a committee led by central leaders, the party would start election tours from the next week.

The Awami League leader said polls would be held at 146 constituencies in 59 districts. Including the HM Er-

The usually traffic-heavy Bangla Motor intersection in the capital yesterday puts on its usual look that has become a rarity because of non-stop blockades

shad-led Jatiya Party, 12 parties and a numbers of independent candidates are taking part in the polls in which 386 candidates are contesting.

“Main opposition BNP cannot foil the upcoming 10th general election by any means,” Imam said in reply to a query.

Awami League had decided to go for campaigning in favour of party candidate.

A committee led by central leaders would start election tours from the next week “We will take tougher measures to maintain the law and order situation.

The government will adopt a hard line against the ongoing violence incited by the opposition.”

Imam said the law enforcement agencies were asked to ensure the people’s security at any cost.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

The BNP knows very well from its bitter and first-hand experience of the 1996 one-sided election that the Awami League-led 14-party alliance cannot hold on to power for too long after a polls without participation of a major player.

A number of senior leaders told the Dhaka Tribune that they had achieved what they had opted for. The election with 154 candidates elected unopposed has already sparked off controversy.

Now if they could ensure a poor voter presence on the voting day, it would provoke more controversy, they said.

On the prime minister’s statement that her government would dissolve the 10th parliament and hold a fresh election if the BNP cut ties with the Jamaat-e-Islami, stop killings and violence, the BNP leaders said it was nothing but “a ploy” to hold the farcical elections.

The BNP was now analysing the

action programmes the then opposition Awami League had taken up and devised ahead of the 15th February, 1996 elections. They were also studying Awami League’s pre-election programmes in a bid to thwart the January 22, 2007 elections and antagonise people against the polls, said an insider.

The BNP with the administration’s assistance was able to hold the February 15 elections in 1996 although it was forced to cancel it in the face of resistance from the Awami League-led campaign but it failed to hold the polls in 2007.

“The proposed election of January 5 has already turned into a farce. If there is a second example anywhere in the world in which majority of parliament have been elected to the House without going through any election proves. This reminds me of the time when a president was ‘deemed’ to have been elected as the president of Bangladesh without

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Pakistan: War crimes Bangladesh’s internal matter n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman Pakistan foreign ministry has said the happenings in Bangladesh related to its war crimes tribunal is its internal matter and by adopting a resolution the Pakistan parliament does not mean to interfere in the internal affairs of another country.

“What is happening in Bangladesh is essentially its internal matter. By passing a resolution, our parliament did not mean to interfere in the internal affairs of another country,” said a ministry spokesperson at a weekly regular press briefing yesterday.

She was asked about Pakistan’s final position on the Bangladesh situation and why there was a contradiction between the statements coming out from the foreign office and the resolutions being passed in the Pakistan parliament.

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Army to be deployed on December 26 n Mohammad Zakaria The Election Commission has decided to deploy army as an “aid to the civil authorities” for 15 days from December 26 to January 9 for maintaining law and order during the 10th parliamentary polls slated for January 5.

The EC has also decided to deploy RAB and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members alongside the army personnel.

Magistrates would accompany the army and BGB, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad told reporters yesterday after a meeting with government high officials and law enforcing agencies in a city auditorium.

EC officials, who were present at the meeting, told the Dhaka Tribune that while some returning officers and police officials had expressed fears that huge violence may take place centring the elections, others have said the law and order situation was now under control.

The returning officers also feared low voter turnout at the polling centres because of widespread fear of violence, the meeting sources said.

The CEC also told reporters after the meeting that many candidates had sought security from the commission.

The commission was yet to finalise

the list of vulnerable polling centres and law enforcers were constantly conducting drives across the country to recover illegal arms and weapons, the CEC said.

He also said the decision on whether to deploy law enforcers in the districts where all the constituencies would be seeing uncontested lawmakers, was still to be made.

Meeting sources said the inspector general of police had told the EC that the law and order situation was “good.”

A meeting source said: “The DG of RAB told the EC that the law enforcing agencies would have to arrest the identified criminals from now for holding the elections in a free, fair and neutral manner.”

Also present at the meeting, the deputy commissioner of Chittagong reportedly said voter turnout might increase on the election day.

For this, the chairmen of the union parishads should be trained up so that they could bring voters to the polling centres.

EC officials present at the meeting also said the commission had decided to deploy 15-20 army personnel depending on the situation in the respective areas. The RAB, police and BGB men would remain as striking forces. l

Ganajagaran Mancha yesterday protest the police action on its activists on Thursday in the capitial’s Gulshan

RAJIB DHAR

‘Police attack on Ganajagaran Mancha was pre-planned’ n Muktasree Chakma Sathi Thursday’s police attack on Ganajagaran Mancha activists in Gulshan was preplanned because they were there to condemn Pakistan’s stance regarding the execution of war criminal Quader Molla, the mancha said yesterday.

At a gathering in Shahbagh, speak-

ers also demanded punishment for those who charged batons on freedom fighters, war women, academics and activists.

Victims of the attack, especially the women activists of the mancha, alleged that apart from beating them up, the law enforcers also abused them sexually and verbally.

“My clothes were ripped apart. When I asked for water in the prison van, one of the policemen replied: ‘drink my urine.’ I am ashamed of what the police did to us. My family did not fight for this,” said Lopa, a mancha activist. She said eight members of her family fought in the 1971 Liberation War.  PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

2

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Pakistan should apologise for 1971 genocide: Mahbub

Ershad firm on not joining polls: GM Quader n Manik Miazee

The BNP leader says it seems Pakistan is not willing to maintain friendly relation On Taliban’s threat to the Banglan Mohammad Al-Masum Molla desh mission in Islamabad, he said: “It BNP Standing Committee member Mahbubur Rahman yesterday said Pakistan parliament’s adopting a resolution on the execution of war criminal Abdul Quader Molla proved that it did not want to maintain a friendly relation with Bangladesh.

Terming Pakistan audacious to have poked its nose into an independent and sovereign country’s internal affairs, he said: “Pakistan should rather adopt a resolution, acknowledging that genocide took place in Bangladesh in 1971 and seeking apology for that.”

Asked about Ganajagaran Mancha’s demand for severing diplomatic relations with Pakistan, the former army official said: “Pakistan is a Saarc member state. So, it is up to the government what decision to make.”

is a very ominous sign. We cannot tolerate such threats.

It is the government of Pakistan that should ensure the security of the Bangladesh mission.”

Responding to a query on the resolution passed by Pakistan parliament, BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said at a press briefing on December 18 that the government had split the country to thwart people’s movement which is why “a country could pass such a proposal.”

He said: “The government should have protested against the resolution much earlier. The BNP always demands trial of the war criminals, but what the government is doing is a trial of the crimes against humanity. The two are not the same.” l

100 crude bombs recovered, 2 detained n Kailash Sarkar Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) yesterday recovered more than 100 crude bombs and 1kg gunpowder, raiding a bomb-making den at the capital’s Geneva Camp in Mohammadpur, within a few hours of an explosion.

The explosion left two persons named Md Shaheen, 35, and Sabbir, 19, injured. They were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Shaheen’s condition was reported to be critical.

“They sustained injuries while making bombs at a shanty inside the camp around 2:30pm,” said Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Raihan Uddin

Khan, the operation officer of Rab 2.

He told the Dhaka Tribune that the bombs had been made for subversive acts during hartals and blockades and other criminal purposes. He added that they were trying to arrest the other members of the gang.

Injured Shaheen and Sabbir claimed that they had sustained the injuries while passing through the area by rickshaw as the bombs had been hurled at them.

Shaheen claimed to be a cook by profession living in a slum there. Sabbir said he hailed from Bhola and had sustained the injuries when the bombs had set off near a fowl market. l

Trucks, buses and other vehicles are stuck at Sitakunda on Dhaka-Chittagong Highway yesterday because of the countrywide blockade enforced by the BNP-led 18-party alliance BANGLAR CHOKH

Jamaat calls Tehrik-e-Taliban threat mere ‘independent reaction’ n Emran Hossain The Jamaat-e-Islami views the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan’s threat to attack Bangladesh High Commission an “independent” reaction similar to those that came from a number of world leaders like US Secretary of State John Kerry against acceptance of the war crimes trial and execution of war criminal Abdul Quader Molla.

Some Islamist politicians consider the TTP threat a potential expansion of an international conspiracy to incite sectarian violence – which is plaguing many Islamic countries, particularly in the Middle East – in Bangladesh.

Brushing aside the chances of any such conspiracy being of any use, the country’s eminent citizens warn the government against its failure to rally international public opinion in support of the cause of bringing war criminals to justice.

A day after the TTP threat was reported in a Pakistan’s English daily, The Nation, the Dhaka Tribune talked to a number of Islamist leaders and eminent citizens to get a perspective of the situation.

Shishir Manir, an executive member of Islami Lawyers’ Council, Jamaat’s

lawyer wing, said: “Kerry and Erdogan (Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan) had called the prime minister for not executing Abdul Quader Molla as they could not accept the trial. The same was the case for Talibans.”

The Nation news item, quoting a security agency report submitted to Pakistan’s interior ministry, reported that the Taliban were annoyed by the Bangladesh government’s decision to “kill” Molla and could attack the Bangladesh High Commission in Pakistan.

Manir denied that his party had any ties with the Taliban.

“It (TTP threat) brings a bad news for the nation. It can be assumed from this that Bangladesh is likely to face an international conspiracy setting off sectarian violence mainly in the Middle Eastern countries,” said Islami Shashontontro Andolon’s Secretary General Yunus Ahmed.

“What could be the other reason for such a threat coming from a banned organisation reigning in Pakistan and Afghanistan?” said Yunus.

Islami Oikya Jote’s Abdul Latif Nejami called the situation “a matter of concern” and is of the opinion that the threat could potentially give birth to

“hatred of crime”. Eminent personality Prof Anisuzzaman was hardly surprised by the TTP threat.

“Taliban’s philosophy is completely contrary to the ideology of Bangladesh.

They will try to take advantage of any opportunity and it is not unexpected.”

Prof Zafar Iqbal finds no reason to spend sleepless night on all these speculations.

“Sectarian violence can be incited only if a society carries the seed of it.

Our people have always proved to be secular. There may be some separate incidents, and that’s all about it.”

“Extremism becomes a threat only when male rules the society.”

Prof Imtiaz Ahmed drew attention to many rights bodies and general Pakistani citizens who rebuffed their politicians for siding with war criminal Abdul Quader Molla.

“We [the government] have clearly failed to rally international public opinion in support of our cause (war criminals’ trial). I believe our activities clearly manifested how inexperienced we had been in dealing with the matter.”

He suggested that the government move ahead with the issue as an agenda in official meetings with Pakistan. l

AL plans to work ‘Police attack on Ganajagaran Mancha was pre-planned’ to increase voter turnout  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

 PAGE 1 COLUMN 3

“People will be able to cast their votes in a secured environment as we are taking every possible step to ensure their security,” he claimed.

A total of 10 sub-committees have been reformed during the meeting related with the 10th national election.

The meeting was held at AL president Sheikh Hasina’s political office in Dhanmondi.

AL Advisers Mosiur Rahman and MK Alamgir, presidium member NuhUl-Alam Lenin, Media Adviser of Shekh Hasina Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, former foreign minister Dipu Moni, former state minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury were present among others at the meeting. l

Rights activists Shipra Bose said: “We were sexually harassed by the police.

All we were doing in Gulshan was condemn Pakistan’s stance on our country’s internal affair and asking the government to severe diplomatic ties with that country.

We were demanding justice for our country, for the freedom fighters and the victims of 1971. It is such a shame that we are still being targeted by Bangladeshi police.”

Bappaditya Basu, leader of leftist student organisation Chaatra Maitree, said: “A woman named Banani Biswash was with us [Thursday]. She was wearing shakha [white bangle that married Hindu women wear]. One policeman called her ‘malaun’ [a slang used by Pakistanis in 1971 to refer to Hindus]. How have the policemen in an independent democratic country become so com-

Pakistan: War crimes Bangladesh’s internal matter  PAGE 1 COLUMN 6

Pakistan’s official position is “while it is not Pakistan’s policy to interfere in the affairs of any country, we have noted the concerns raised by the international community and human rights organisations on the way recent trials have been conducted which have added to the current instability in Bangladesh.”

The spokesperson said the parliament was a sovereign body, the parliamentarians represented the sentiments of the people and had the right to make every statement they deemed appropriate.

When asked about her comments on the reports of Pakistani flags and effigies of leaders being burnt in Bangladesh, she said: “We would not like to get into responding to everything that may have been said in the public demonstrations because we do not want our response to be construed as recriminations.”

She called upon Bangladesh to adopt the spirit of reconciliation and cordiality in keeping with the tripartite agreement of 1974.

Meanwhile, supporters of Jamaate-Islami have tried to demonstrate in front of the Bangladesh High Commission in Pakistan but they were kept far away from the mission complex by law enforcement.

“Five groups tried to demonstrate

today [Friday] afternoon but they were kept out from embassy [sic] by a good distance,” said an official of the foreign ministry.

The Pakistan authorities had beefed up security to protect Bangladesh mission in Islamabad and deployed police and Rangers, she said.

The Nation, a Pakistani newspaper, reported on Thursday that “the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan had threatened to attack Bangladesh Embassy [sic] in Islamabad.in the wake of the killing of Abdul Quadir Molla [sic], Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) leader in Bangladesh.”

All the officials and staff went to office and performed their regular duties, the official said.

About 20 Bangladeshi officials and staff are posted at the Islamabad mission, which is located in the residential area of F-6/3, considered one of the most posh sectors of Islamabad.

The Pakistan authorities also sent a “note verbale” (unsigned diplomatic document) to the Bangladesh foreign ministry to protect its mission in Dhaka as demonstrators threatened to attack the high commission.

Police foiled a demonstration on Wednesday and resorted to charging batons on Thursday when protesters tried to move towards the Pakistan High Commission in Gulshan area. l

munal? It seems they still belong to Pakistan.”

Freedom fighter Nasir Udiin Yusuf Bachchu said a policeman kicked Azad, a freedom fighter who won the gallantry award of Birbikram, despite being told that he was a freedom fighter.

“We thank the prime minister for her bold stance against Pakistan. Now show the same boldness and find out the policemen, who still possess Jamaat’s mentality,” Bachchu said.

Shammi, who was beaten up by police, said: “I felt like I was in 1971.

I was unarmed and they were armed and were beating me without mercy.

I do not understand why they were so aggressive. We were only chanting slogans and nothing else.”

Writer Muhammad Zafar Iqbal expressed frustration saying: “I knew that Jamaat and razakars are against these youth group [the mancha]. But I

never thought Bangladeshi Police carried against them the same hatred that the anti-liberation force does.

I never thought Police would charge baton on these young men and women, who are fighting for their country’s dignity.”

Rights activists Khushi Kabir said: “The whole attack on the Mancha was preplanned.

There is no reason to believe that it was a sudden reaction. Police were deployed with arms and batons. It was a shameful step taken by the government. I am pretty much sure that the ghosts of Pakistan are still very much alive in the state and the law enforcement agencies. Eliminate them.”

Meanwhile, Md Kamal Hossain, senior assistant superintendent of the Chancery Unit of Police, ruled out all the allegations.

“There was no necessity and scope

of such type of misconduct by police.

If any such incident took place, there is no scope of hiding it because a large number of media personnel were also present at the spot and the programme had been broadcasted.”

He said they had tried their level best to keep the situation under control considering the diplomatic norms and image of Bangladesh.

The mancha announced a seven day campaign to be launched today, calling upon people to boycott all sorts of Pakistani products.

On Sunday, the mancha will submit a memorandum to the home ministry demanding punishment for those who charged batons on and abused the activists.

The mancha is also likely to file a separate memorandum to the foreign ministry demanding cutting of diplomatic ties with Pakistan. l

BNP-Jamaat men in Hefazat coax Dhaka rally  PAGE 1 COLUMN 2

and postponed one in Dhaka on November 15 because of Ashura.

The plan to hold a rally in Dhaka wants to press home its controversial demands and protest a poster with the caricature of its chief Shah Ahmed Shafi reportedly put up by unknown people.

Explaining the reason for Hefazat’s absence from the anti-government campaign, a close associate of its central leaders told the Dhaka Tribune that Shafi and its Secretary General Junaid Babunagari were indisposed.

“Moreover, many Qawmi madrasa teachers, students and their parents blamed them and other central leaders for involving madrasa students in destructive and violent activities in Dhaka and elsewhere.”

After the terror unleashed by Hefazat men in May, many followers conveyed their anger to the top leaders and blamed them for being used as a tool of the BNP-Jamaat alliance, insiders said.

They also blamed pro-opposition leaders inside Hefazat for making the “non-political” Islamist organisation controversial, said the sources.

In view of such negative reactions within the party and among guardians of the madrasa students besides the government moves, Shafi refrained from announcing any programmes.

“But there are many leaders in Hefazat who are either directly or indirectly involved in the politics of the BNP-Jamaat alliance and work as their active sympathisers,” said another close associate of Hefazat’s top brass.

He said these central committee leaders, including Mainuddin Ruhi, Azizul Haque Islamabadi and Mufti Faizullah, had been busy over the past few months persistently pursuing Shafi, Babunagari and other top leaders to announce mass agitation.

Other central leaders – Nayeb-eAmeer (vice president of the executive committee) Muhibullah Babunagari, Qateb Elias Osmany, BNP leader and former minister Mir Nasir’s cousin Moulana Mir Idris and others – also played significant roles in motivating majority Hefazat leaders to declare vigorous programmes before the polls.

Some of these bigwigs either belong to different Islamist political parties or have leaning towards the BNP-Jamaat politics.

These leaders told the Hafazat top brass that if they helped BNP-Jamaat to regain state power, they would also enjoy authority, even some might get berths in the cabinet, which would eventually help them implement their 13-point demand.

During a chat with his close associates, Ruhi once expressed his hope that he might be appointed at least a deputy minister if the BNP-led alliance came to power.

Faizullah has a plan to contest future national elections from Chittagong 6 (Rangunia) as BNP leader Salauddin Qader Chowdhury will not be able to take part because of his conviction in a war crimes case.

The sources said expectations and hopes were running high among many Hefazat leaders that they would be awarded in many ways if they could

help BNP-Jamaat go to power again.

The close associate of Hefazat central leaders said Muhibullah sometimes tried to convince others to join Jamaat to resist the Awami League.

Hefazat had, meanwhile, conducted some motivational programmes in different districts as a prelude to the December 24 rally, said officials of the Islamist outfit.

They said the group was planning to hold some “religious” programmes such as Shaan-e-Risalat in divisional headquarters and some districts aiming to “boost the morale” of their leaders and activists so that they join future programmes.

Many Hefazat leaders are mainly leaders of the banned Islamist militant outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad al Islami (Huji), which is blamed for attempts to kill Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina and other terrorist acts.

Hefazat Literary Secretary Ashraf Ali Nizampuri, however, told the Dhaka Tribune: “The Hefazat high command does not belong to any political party and so it cannot plan programmes according to the will of a few leaders in the organisation.”

He said they came up with the idea of holding a rally as they had recently observed that “bloggers are still writing much worse stuff about Islam and the Prophet.” A poster with caricatures of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Hefazat chief Shafi were put up in Sylhet recently.

“Of course, the rally will be held to press for our 13-point demands, too,” said Ashraf, who has not seen the poster yet but claimed a few leaders had. l

Jatiya Party Presidium member GM Quader yesterday reiterated that party Chairman HM Ershad was still determined not to take part in the upcoming 10th parliamentary elections.

Quader’s statement came a day after Kazi Firoz Rashid, another Presidium member, had said Ershad had nodded his approval to participating in the polls under the leadership of his wife Rawshan Ershad.

“The party does not want to have any involvement in an uncontested victory,” Quader told reporters at his Uttara residence, explaining their stance against a section of party leaders.

He also made it clear that no statement from the party would be considered official unless made by himself or Secretary General ABM Ruhul Amin Hawlader.

“A few people are continuously making contradictory statements on contesting the parliamentary polls,” said the brother of Ershad.

Quader, however, also said the media would have to “wait a few days to know our final decision.” l

Khilkhet OC returns n Kailash Sarkar Inspector Shameem Hossain, the officer-in-charge (OC) of the capital’s Khilkhet police station, returned to his workplace last evening after a weeklong mystery disappearance.

OC Shameem Hossain had been absent from his duties since December 14, prompting a rumour that he had left for USA with family members without informing the police department.

Police sources said he had gone to USA on December 15 by a flight of the Saudi Airlines and returned home two days ago. Sources at the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) headquarters said the OC had been suspended two days ago.

But Deputy Commissioner Masudur Rahman of the DMP’s Media wing said he was not aware of Hossain's suspension. "But he is being investigated by Khandaker Lutful Kabir, the DC of Gulshan Division."

Ashraf Hossain, OC (Investigation) of the station, confirmed the return of Inspector Shameem Hossain. “Sir (Shameem) returned in the evening, but left after learning about his suspension.”

He did not answer any questions on Hossain’s disappearance and the rumours of travelling to USA. Police sources said Shameem Hossain had been suspended for remaining absent without informing the authorities and leaving the country violating government service rules. l

BNP wants  PAGE 1 COLUMN 5

any election taking place whatsoever.

This election is just as absurd as that one,” Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, BNP’s Standing Committee member, told the Dhaka Tribune.

The former minister said: “Democracy right now is in a shambles, the avenue created for landing up once again into the BAKSAL system under a different name. This election does not exist for any practical purpose for the people of Bangladesh, nor for anyone outside the country. The prime minister’s recent statement in this respect is by itself a confession that the proposed 10th parliament is a futile exercise so that it has to be disbanded.”

Khaleda Zia was likely to call upon various professionals to non-cooperate the government terming it illegal.

Although she was frustrated by the senior leaders’ performance in the movement, she was still hopeful of the movement’s success, said another senior leader.

Khaleda’s Adviser Khandakar Mahbub Hossain also said she might take to the street in a few days to intensify the movement. Before that she is likely to address a press conference to relay her message to people.

Issuing a note of warning, Mahbub said if the government did not suspend the “one-sided” elections, the whole country would be set on fire. He asked the government not to involve army in the electoral process.

Senior leaders of the BNP are also holding meetings with diplomats to inform them about the latest political situation of the country.

“It now seems clear that even the diplomatic community is coming to a better comprehension of the fact that it is difficult to accept the 10th parliament election which has already been blackened by the election of majority of the MPs in a parliament of 300 without any elections at all,” Moyeen said. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

3

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Blockade hits the academia

Authorities of public universities fear prolonged session jam processes as soon as possible; but they n Mushfique Wadud are failing because of the consecutive Continuous hartal and blockade in the last one month have impeded the academic activities in at least 15 public universities.

Rescheduling of admission tests several times might result in prolonged session jam, fear University Grants Commission and the university authorities.

The public universities are not able to follow their year plans with many yet to conduct pre-schedule intake tests.

Students complained that rescheduling of admission tests over and over again had caused them manifold problems.

“I keep preparing for the admission tests in Khulna and Rajshahi Universities but every time it is postponed,” said Abdullah Al Arif, an admission seeker.

“I do not know when I would finally be able to take the admission tests and start classes,” he said in despair.

University authorities fear that the postponement of the intake tests would result in session jam.

UGC officials said in at least 15 public universities, admission tests for the fresh academic session had not been completed yet. “We are asking university authorities to complete the admission

hartals and blockades,” UGC chairman AK Azad Chowdhury told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

“In the last few years, all public universities except for three or four, had remained free from session jam. However, we are worried that the nuisance might hit the campuses again as the consecutive shutdowns and blockades are seriously hampering their activities,” he said.

University authorities said as students come from distant districts to take the admission tests, they cannot conduct the tests on Friday, the only day that remains free of political programmes.

Rajshahi University has already rescheduled its admission test a couple of times. The admission tests scheduled for December 25-28 have been rescheduled to December 28-31 because of the fresh spate of blockade.

Khulna University’s admission tests scheduled for December 7, 8 and 9, were cancelled. Fresh dates are yet to be announced.

Sher–e-Bangla Agricultural University postponed the Dec 14 admission tests.

New date has not been announced yet. l

Gana Sanghati Andalan protests in front of the National Press Club yesterday, demanding Pakistan’s apology for war crimes during the 1971 Liberation War

NASHIRUL ISLAM

Fifth spell of countrywide blockade begins Mobile network trouble n Tribune Report Yet another BNP-led opposition alliance sponsored nationwide blockade of rail, road and waterways began at 6am today.

The opposition has called the fresh 83-hour blockade hours before the fourth spell ended Friday morning. The fresh spell will end at 5pm Tuesday.

The opposition alliance has been enforcing back-to-back blockades since November 26, a day after the Election Commission announced the schedule for the 10th parliamentary polls. The alliance has been demanding the suspension of the election schedule, installation of a non-party polls-time government and the release of its leaders.

At least 115 people were killed and more than a thousand, including law enforcers, were injured in violence from November 25 to December 18.

Consequently, the home ministry has begun drives in 16 violence-ridden districts to bring the situation under

control.

In the latest development, the joint forces of mainly police, RAB and Border Guard Bangladesh, have picked up 22 leaders of BNP and its ally Jamaat-e-Islami from Patgram upazila in Lalmonirhat and 30 from Bogra yesterday for their alleged involvement with the recent sabotages and criminal acts.

Meanwhile, amid the drive, “unknown miscreants” torched and vandalised some shops and houses at Kaliganj upzila in Satkhira yesterday. Some of these shops and houses reportedly belonged to BNP-Jamaat men.

Police said the arson attacks and vadalisms took place at Nalta Bazar, Bishnapur bazaar and Gobindapur village in the morning. Fire Service, BGB and local residents doused the fires.

Md Abdullah, a witness and a victim, said all of a sudden some masked men swopped on a number of shops beside a mosque.

They masked miscreants, equipped with hockey sticks, machetes and axes,

torched and vandalised an oil depot and four cloth stores.

“I was asleep during the attack and was woken up by loud cries. But before a BGB patrol team could arrive at the spot, the attackers fled,” he said.

Local BNP leader Rafiqul Islam Khokon claimed activists of Jubo League and Chhatra League, associate wings of the Awami League, lodged the attack. However, local Awami League leader Shamsur Rahman denied the allegations.

At Bishnupur Bazar and Gobindapur village, some 30-40 young men, equipped with locally-made weapons, torched a grocery shop and a clothing shop on Thursday night. They also torched around 15 houses of BNP-Jamaat activists.

OC of Kaliganj police station Biplob Shaha said the attackers could not be identified.

In Tangail, “unidentified assailants” shot dead UP chairman and BNP leader Dainna Rafiqul Islam Faruque, 52.

Nazrul Islam, OC of Tangail Model

police station, said a group of criminals shot in Faruque in the head from point-blank around 6:30am at Battala Bazar near his house. The ciminals also stabbed him indiscriminately for confirming his death.

Local residents said Faruque was a popular third time UP chairman. His brother Azharul Islam Labu, president of a local unit of BNP’s student front Chhatra Dal, alleged that killers hired by the defeated chairman killed his brother.

Tangail district unit BNP is enforcing a dawn-to-dusk hartal in the upazila today protesting the killing.

Meanwhile, train communications on Dhaka-Sylhet and Dhaka-Chittagong routes remained halted for around eight hours after miscreants removed fishplates on the outer signal of Paghachang station in Brahmanbaria yesterday morning.

A Dhaka-bound advanced pilot train that was supposed to inspect any damage on the lines, derailed in Akhaura around 4am. l

No DGs for two departments of fisheries ministry n Mohosinul Karim

Activists of Jatiya Party Kazi Zafar faction rush out of the National Press Club yesterday after miscreants exploded crude bombs during a council meeting called by the faction chief NASHIRUL ISLAM

Bangladesh, Malaysia MoU on coalfired power project deferred n Aminur Rahman Rasel Signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Malaysia and Bangladesh to set up a 1320MW joint-venture coal-fired power plant in Cox’s Bazar has been postponed, after the parties reportedly failed reaching a consensus.

“We could not reach an agreement to form a joint-venture company to set up the power plant, compelling us to postpone the whole deal. We do not know when the agreement will be signed in future,” Power Development Board (PDB) Chairman, Md Abduhu Ruhullah told the Dhaka tribune yesterday upon his return from Malaysia.

“A deal for corporation in the power sector was also supposed to be signed

under the same arrangement, has also been delayed.”

The MoU was supposed to be signed on December 18 with Malaysia’s stateowned Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) and PDB, to set up a plant on equal share basis at Moheshkhali in Cox’s Bazar.

A high-powered Bangladesh team, led by Power Division Secretary, Monowar Islam, had flown to Malaysia on December 16 to sign the MoU. Earlier, the MoU was supposed to be signed in Dhaka in October, but was postponed for the same issue.

However, a PDB official seeking anonymity claimed, weaknesses in negotiations on Power Division’s part have lead to the deal being postponed.

The terms and conditions of the proposed MoU with TNB would be similar

to that of signed with India’s National Thermal Power Company (NTPC) to install a 1320MW power plant at Rampal in Bagerhat, he said.

The Power Division secretary said under the power sector master plan, the government would require producing 24,000MW of electricity by 2021 and 40,000MW by 2030. The government has targeted producing around 20,000MW of electricity by 2030 from coal.

The team that travelled to Malaysia, led by Power Secretary comprised a director general at the Prime Minister’s Office, PDB Chairman Md Abduhu Ruhullah, Power Division Joint-Secretary Md Anwar Hossain, PDB Director (IPP Cell-1) Golam Kibria and PDB Assistant Chief Engineer Mahbubur Rahman. l

Two most important departments – fisheries and livestock – of the ministry of fisheries and livestock are running its activities without any director general hampering its day-to-day works.

The offices of the directors general are run by deputy directors as the departments do not have any officials with the status of director or additional director general.

Ministers and secretaries of the ministry have taken initiatives to promote the officials to those posts several times but they failed to execute their decision because of some pending cases filed against the promotion process by a section of officials.

Earlier, former minister Abdul Latif Bishwas, also tried to get the case vacated but he failed. However, with the cases pending the minister had promoted some lower level officers.

But, none of the deputy director level officers were promoted to the post of additional director, director and additional director general.

According to the department of fisheries sources, a deputy director is discharging the additional charge of the director general for about six years.

Deputy Director of the department Syed Arif Azad is now performing as director general. Rafiqul Islam, who acted as director general in the department six years back, was the last director level officer.

Deputy Director of the Department of Livestock Mosaddek Hossain is now performing as director general of the department.

Earlier, Ashraf Ali who was also a deputy director, served as director of the department. But, after completion of his service age, he had received a contractual appointment as director general. l

worst possible n Muhammad Zahidul Islam Hundreds of thousands of mobile phone users, chiefly in the divisional headquarters, have been facing frequent network problems for the last couple of weeks.

Users in the capital and the major cities are complaining of call drops, long delays in SMS delivery and other problems.

They express their disturbance in different public places and different social media like Facebook also.

Some group of subscribers who have sufferings from different problems in quality services also created a set of platform.

Mobile company officials said they were setting up advanced mobile data services with 3G technology, which might be creating some disturbance.

The problems may continue up to March in Dhaka and the next three to four months outside the capital.

“We are trying to upgrade our network with modern equipment for 3G services from 2G services, so some of our users may face problems in different places in the capital,” AKM Morshed, the chief technology officer of Robi, told the Dhaka Tribune.

He said the operator needed more than three months to cover the whole capital with 3G. No other operator was willing to comment on the issue.

Ruhul Amin, an executive of a private company, who lives in Banashri, said: “Suddenly on Wednesday evening my handset lost signal on. I was panicked. But it came back after next morning.”

Tusher Bin Jubair, a university student, changed his old number to another operator but was frustrated when the same problems persisted.

Industry experts are saying 3G network optimisation is a very big challenge. Market leader Grameenphone, Robi, Airtel and

Banglalink are facing the same problems.

An official of one of the operators said his company was changing antennas with dual bands for 2G and 3G which was only used for 1800 bands. Under 3G, operators provide their service in 2100 band.

“We have started network upgrade in a large scale in the last few weeks.

We might do bigger network upgrades after the political turmoil ends, so problems may increase and continue for the next six to nine months,” a chief technology officer of a mobile company told the Dhaka Tribune.

Congestion problem may continue till March while upgrading 3G network State owned mobile operator Teletalk also faced this challenge when it rolled out 3G network after October 2012.

Md Muzibor Rahaman, the managing director of Teletalk, said: “Network optimisation is a big challenge from the operator’s point of view. When operators switch their network from one technology to another it creates problems. Optimisation also takes time.”

“We faced big problems just after launching 3G service last year. If new 3G operators did not take proper precautions, they will also have to face the same problems,” he added.

Market leader Grameenphone claimed it had almost completed their network upgrade in the capital but needed more time for tuning.

“It may create some problems, but that will be very nominal,” a high executive of the company said.

Airtel claimed it had upgraded 750 BTS from 2G to 3G and their problems were very few as its network was the most updated compared to the rest of the operators. l

Biswa Ijtema on January 24 n Rabiul Islam Biswa Ijtema, the second largest Muslim congregation in the world, is scheduled to be held on January 24-26 at Tongi on the outskirts of the capital.

A press note of the home ministry stated that the event would be held in two phases, each over three days, with

the second one beginning on January 31.

Officials at the ministry said security measures and other preparations were being taken care of. “The ministry will draw up an elaborate plan of security during a meeting to be held on December 23,” said a senior official on the condition of anonymity. l

4

DHAKA TRIBUNE

News

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Prices of essentials high in Dhaka n Rabiul Islam Prices of essentials, including winter vegetables, are high in the wholesale and retail markets of the capital.

Traders and retailers say the supply of commodities, including rice and vegetables, has been disrupted because of unrelenting blockades. Trucks carrying goods have not been coming in to Dhaka from across the country, especially from the northern regions, amid frequent blockades, they said.

Since November 26, the BNP-led 18 party alliance has enforced four road, rail and waterways blockades across the country trying to pressure the government into postponing the election scheduled to be held on January 5.

Traders in Dhaka said, cross-country transportation costs had more than doubled as the few goods trucks that were plying on the highways during the blockade had started charging higher than usual.

They feared that the prices of essentials may rise further as another of spell of an 83-hour blockade is scheduled to begin at 6am today.

Md Omar Faruk, a rice wholesaler at Mohammadpur Krishi Market, said the fare for a rice-laden truck used to be Tk12,000, but since the blockades it has gone up to Tk30,000.

“Which means we have to pay more than Tk106 per sack of rice for transportation,” he said.

“We are selling a 50 kg sack of miniket for Tk1,950, which was Tk1,850 before,” Faruk told the Dhaka Tribune at

Krishi Market yesterday.

“We used to sell nazirshail at Tk2,150 per sack, but we now we have to sell them for Tk2,250.”

However, in Mohammadpur’s Town Hall Bazar, a retailer said: “We are selling nazirshail at Tk44 per kg now but if carrying cost was not high we could sell at Tk40 per kg.”

Winter vegetables, which should be available for cheap right now, like onion, tomato, bean, gourd and radish are still rather high.

Speaking to this correspondent, Delwar Hossain, a customer at the Krishi Market, said prices of every commodity in general was high.

Tomatoes are being sold at Tk60 per kg and red radish for Tk25 per kg while gourds are Tk40 apiece.

“I have bought a gourd for Tk40. It should not be above Tk20 at this time of the year,” Amzad Hossain, a college teacher, told this correspondent.

Prices of commodities, however, vary from one market to another. One kg of potato is Tk20 at Krishibazar but in the Townhall Market it is Tk25 per kg.

Retailers at Mohammadpur Notun Bazar claimed prices of fish, beef and mutton were stable there.

Ruhi fish is being sold at Tk260 per kg while Telapia is Tk200 per kg. Beef is being sold at Tk260 and mutton at Tk450. However, price of broiler chicken has gone up by Tk5 per kg. It is being sold at Tk140 per kg.

The prices of dry items, including edible oil and dal, have remained stable in the retail markets. l

A child takes oral exams for admission to kindergarten level in the city’s University Laboratory School yesterday after 18-party alliance’s blockade ended in the morning

RAJIB DHAR

Trade facilitation needed to gain profit from globalisation: Experts

Tourism in Cox’s Bazar hit hard by political unrest

n Syed Samiul Basher Anik

The tourism industry in Cox’s Bazar has been hit hard by the regular spells of blockades, with over 200 hotels and motels in the beach town staying empty during winter – the peak season.

The political programmes have been causing losses to businesses for the past two months, with sources saying that around 250 hotels, motels and guest houses had lost around Tk100 crore till December 20.

More than 6,000 employees have reportedly lost their jobs, as 98% hotels have been almost closed.

Sohel Khondakar, manager of Hotel Media International, said only two or three rooms were booked every day among the 71 rooms being offered.

Saying that they faced losses worth Tk2.5 lakh in November, Sohel said other hotels were also facing losses of crore taka.

Hotel Shaibal’s manager Md Nu-

Trade facilitation between South Asian countries is needed to gain profit from globalisation, Centre for Policy Dialogue Executive Director Mustafizur Rahman said yesterday.

He said South Asia was an opportunity for Bangladesh, but it should not be the only opportunity, rather Bangladesh should look into other ways like Free Trade Agreement with the ASEAN, India and European Union.

“If South Asia wants to get into the process of globalisation, it has to make trade facilitation, which will not only decrease the costs of our business, but also help remove non-tariff barriers,” he said.

He was addressing a daylong conference titled “Globalisation and Trade: Perspective and Challenges for South Asia” at Brac Centre Inn at the capital.

The Department of Economics and Social Sciences at BRAC University arranged the event.

“Tariff is not the challenge, rather tackling mega blocks are the challenge for trade facilitation,” he said.

Addressing the keynote speech, former adviser to the caretaker government Wahiduddin Mahmud said South Asian countries have to negotiate with each other to make a global atmosphere of trade agreement.

United States has already withdrawn GSP facilities from Bangladesh, and European Union is also thinking about whether to withdraw it from Bangladesh or not, he said.

“Bangladesh has neither had a universal good education, nor created centres for excellence in higher education.

Half of our labour force is still illiterate,” he said.

Commenting on the RMG sector, he

Givenchy Group factory in Gazipur Light rain at places catches fire n UNB n Our Correspondent, Gazipur Chances of light rain are likely at one WEATHER

or two places over Rajshahi, Rangpur, Dhaka and Sylhet divisions and the regions of Jessore, Kushtia and Comilla until 6pm today.

Weather may remain dry with partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the country, Met Office said.

Light to moderate fog may occur at places over the country during midnight till morning.

Night temperature may rise slightly and day temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country.

The sun sets in the capital at 5:17pm today and rises at 6:37am tomorrow.

Country’s highest temperature 27.5 degree Celsius was recorded yesterday at Khulna and lowest 10.6 degrees at Dinajpur and Syedpur.

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

High

Low

Dhaka Chittagong Rajshahi Rangpur Khulna Barisal Sylhet Cox’s Bazar

24.7 25.4 21.7 23.0 27.5 27.2 22.7 27.0

14.5 14.0 11.5 12.2 14.8 14.4 14.2 16.3

PRAYER TIMES Fajar Sunrise Zohr Asr Magrib Esha

5:16am 6:36am 11:57am 3:40pm 5:16pm 6:37pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

A fire broke out in a recycling plant of Givenchy Group yesterday noon.

However, no casualties were reported till the filing of this report and sources said the workers were out of the factory for lunch.

Gazipur Fire Service and Civil Defence officer Md Sahin Mia Valuka said the fire was doused after four hours of vigorous attempt around 4pm with the help of Mymensingh fire service unit but the cause of the fire could not be known immediately.

When asked about the loss, fire service officials said the amount of damage could not be estimated yet.

The Givenchy Group authorities claimed that the fire had burned down machineries, thread, cotton and many goods stored at the factory.

The group’s factory which burned down made threads from wastage clothes. l

said, “Other countries follow born and setup strategy in RMG sector. In East Asia, they go to domestic products, gather efficiency and then export products. This is reversed in Bangladesh.

It is a born to export market here,” he observed.

Tariff is not the challenge, rather tackling mega blocks are the challenge for trade facilitation Dr Mozibur Rahman, the chief executive officer at the Foreign Trade Institute, said Bangladesh was blessed with geographical location and could trade in both goods and services.

“RMG is a mobile business. It will move to others if we cannot make skilled manpower and to do this, we have to come out from traditional education,” he said.

Centre for Policy Dialogue fellow Debapriya Bhattacharya said Bangladesh has to take necessary steps to diversify its export-oriented products to meet emerging trade challenges of future.

The CPD fellow also said: “At least 55% of the country’s economy is somehow connected with globalisation and now the challenge is keeping the flow alive.”

Debapriya suggested market diversification and exploring new markets in potential countries like India, Brazil and Russia.

The CPD fellow also emphasised on strengthening regional cooperation to facilitate trade in the South Asia region and on ensuring quality on production process of goods.

“We need to strengthen our internal industries to make effective trade and for doing this, we need to formulate a second generation trade policy,” he said. l

n Our Correspondent, Cox’s Bazar

TIB voices concern over lawmakers’ wealth n Tribune Report

Corruption watchdog Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB) yesterday expressed deep concerns over some recent news that said some ministers and lawmakers had amassed huge wealth during the last five years, a written statement from the organisation said.

The information, published by different news media, was collected from the affidavits that election candidates have placed before the Election Com-

mission for the 10th parliamentary polls.

The anti-graft campaigners also expressed their dissatisfaction over the Anti-Corruption Commission’s decision that it would not go for investigation into the issues to avoid chaos before the election.

“If the huge wealth, amassed by the candidates, are inconsistent with their known sources of income, it will be unlawful and unconstitutional as per section 20(2) of the constitution,” TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman

said in the statement.

People do not elect the representatives to misuse the power by giving up public interests, the TIB chief said.

He said ACC’s incuriousness over the issue was dissatisfactory and requested the anti-graft body to take immediate steps on the issues following proper legal channels.

The failure to take immediate steps in this situation would render the mandatory rule for submission of wealth statement by lawmakers meaningless, the statement read. l

Husband throws acid at wife in Mirpur n Kailash Sarkar A man allegedly hurled acid on the face of his expatriate wife following a feud yesterday in the capital’s Mirpur area.

The victim, 26-year-old Fahima Akhter, was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital’s Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit in the evening.

According to the victim, her husband Monir Hossain, who runs a laundry at

Mirpur Section 5, poured acid on her after a quarrel between them in the morning.

Fahima, who was admitted to the DMCH around 8pm, said she had returned to Bangladesh last month after working in Jordan for almost two years as a housemaid.

“I sent all my earnings to my husband but since my return he has been misbehaving with me. When I ask about the money he would not tell me any-

thing about it,” she alleged.

She said at one stage of the quarrel, Monir had poured acid on her face from a bottle, leaving her throat and face scorched.

Fahima said she would file a case after her family members arrived in Dhaka.

When contacted, Officer-in-Charge Salauddin Khan of Mirpur police station said they were yet to be informed of any such incident. l

Weekends only option for city schools to hold exams and tests n Mushfique Wadud With political programmes almost sixdays a week, a number of city schools resorted to holding annual examinations and admission tests yesterday.

Most schools, which were unable to complete its scheduled exams because of 18-party alliance’s consecutive blockade programmes, utilised the only available day since the opposition has called for another spell of blockade programmes starting 6am today.

Sixteen of the city’s 24 government

schools held their admission test yesterday. The rest eight schools are scheduled to conduct the examination today.

Residential Model School, including some others, also conducted viva tests for the new students who passed the written examinations.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Aslam Alam, a guardian waiting for his son’s viva test said he was relieved that the school was conducting the test yesterday as he feared his son would not be able reach for exams during blockades.

Furthermore, admission tests took

place in Rajuk Uttara Model College for class VI students. The school will also hold the tests today and tomorrow.

Viqarunnisa Noon School and College held lottery for class I students yesterday and are scheduled to hold the same today and tomorrow.

Meanwhile, many guardians expressed concern over the limited number of vacant seats in government schools. They said they were worried about where to admit their children if they do not get a chance in the government schools.

Bishwajit Adhikari, a guardian pursuing for his son’s admission in Tejgoan Government High School, said: “There are only 24 vacant seats in every class but the number of candidates were much more.”

On the issue, Director General of the Directorate of Secondary Education Fahima Khatun said in usual circumstances, the schools already have students who would get promotion from previous classes and so it was not always possible to increase the number of seats in the schools. l

rul Islam said only Tk8 lakh had been earned last month, compared to expenditures of around Tk15 lakh.

Ocean Paradise, one of the five-star hotels, has been suffering monthly losses of more than Tk1 crore, said Communication Officer Syed Alamgir.

Cox’s Bazar Tour Operator Association President M Kibria said more than 600 staffs have become unemployed in 120 tour operator companies.

Five ships, usually used for carrying tourists from Teknaf to Saint Martin route, also stand idle.

Abul Kashem Sikder, general secretary of Cox’s Bazar Hotel-Motel and Guest House Owners’ Association, said the losses had reached almost Tk100 crore, while more than 5,000 staffs had lost their jobs.

Government is also losing revenue of Tk5 crore, he said, adding that the association has already sent a letter to tax and revenue department in this regard. l

Latest JP faction makes Kazi Zafar chairman, Mosih secretary n Manik Miazee A “special” council yesterday made Kazi Zafar Ahmed chairman and Golam Mosih secretary general of the newest faction of the Jatiya Party.

The special council of the party, which Kazi Zafar claims to be the main Jatiya Party, was held at the National Press Club in the city around 5pm.

Zafar was previously a presidium member of the HM Ersad-led Jatiya Party.

Earlier, miscreants exploded several crude bombs during a council of Kazi Zafar Ahmed-led Jatiya Party at the National Press Club in the city yesterday, leaving one person injured.

Identity of the injured could not be known immediately.

Witnesses said immediately after Zafar arrived at the venue around 2 pm, three bombs exploded near the dais that left one party activist injured The victim was admitted to a nearby hospital. Sub-inspector Sohel Rana of Shahbagh Police Station confirmed the incident.

Ershad expelled Kazi Zafar from the party over differing opinions on JP’s involvement with the national polls scheduled for January 5.

However Zafar, later in a statement, expelled Ershad from the party and announced the special council.

In the council, among others, Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh chief AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, BNP leader Lt Gen Mahbubuddin Ahmed, JSD chief ASM Abdur Rob, Krishak Sramik Janata League chief Abdul Quader Siddique were present. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Nation

Saturday, December 21, 2013

5

Vegetable growers victims of political unrest Farmers are selling agri-produce at lower prices, which are below the production costs n Tribune Report When vegetable and potato prices have shot up in Dhaka and other cities for short supply, rural markets are replete with agricultural produces due to disruption in transportation because of frequent blockade programmes.

As vegetables are perishable items, it requires quick transportation, but the lorry-charges have increased a lot due to the blockade. As a result, the supply has decreased to the capital and other city markets.

Our Jhenaidah Correspondent reports: Vegetable growers in the district have started selling their agri-produce at lower prices, which are below their production costs.

Over 50% of the vegetables produced in the district are being sent to Karwanbazar, Farmgate and Shyambazar wholesale market in the capital.

Abdul Mannan of village Khalishpur in Moheshpur upazila said he had produced cabbage and cauliflower on three bighas of land this year.

He had already harvested about 50% of the vegetables. But he was compelled to sell his vegetables at lower prices in local markets for non-availability of transport.

“After harvest, I thought that I will sell the vegetables at least at Tk60,000(per maund), but I sold the vegetables at only Tk17,000.

“There are actually no customers to purchase the vegetables from me, although my produces were of better quality in shape and size. At last to meet the prices of fertiliser, pesticides, irrigation cost and day labourers, I have sold them at marginal prices.” Abdul Mannan said.

Another vegetable grower Nitai Pada of village Barobazer in Kaliganj upazila said the blockade had slapped on his fate as he could not recover even 20% of the actual price selling his vegetables

Farmers have stockpiled various types of vegetables, including green chili, gourd and arum, at Nagarbathan kitchen market as they could not send their produces to different parts of the county because of non-availability of transport DHAKA TRIBUNE for the political unrest.

Vegetable vendor Nasir Uddin of Faridpur said the continuous blockade had marred their trade as they were not in a position to send any vegetables from Jhenaidah and Jessore markets.

A good number of vegetable growers had left their vegetable plots when

they failed even to harvest the cauliflowers, cabbage, pumpkin and some other vegetables from the plots as the crops could not cover the harvest cost, he added.

According to the Department of Agriculture Extension, the department had set a target to cultivate vegetables

on 10,608 hectares of land in the district this year.

According to Department of Agricultural Marketing (DAM), the average prices of per quintal cauliflower, cabbage, bean and brinjal at district level wholesale markets were Tk4,208, Tk2,560, Tk 4,778 and Tk 2,942 respec-

tively in October.

But the weekly price bulletins are showing a 30-60% fall in the prices in the first week of December. The DAM figures out the average district-level prices from the weekly bulletins prepared by 68 the DAM stations across the country.

70km tailback on Dhaka-Chittagong Highway

No specialised burn units at hospitals in Barisal

n Tribune Desk

Both public and private medical college hospitals in Barisal region lack specialised burn units to cater to patients with burn injuries depriving them from the specialised care.

These days the number of burn injury victims is reportedly on the rise.

The hospital sources said the ongoing political unrest, fireworks at different socio-cultural festivals, firing woods to keep warm in winter were reasons behind the rise.

Dr SM Nazrul Islam, associate professor and specialist of Barisal Sher E Bangla Medical College Hospital (SBMCH) surgery unit, said: “More than 5,000 burn injury patients in a year are admitted to the surgery unit and other units in the hospital.”

Though such patients require immediate specialised treatment, they are transferred to other units which also hamper the treatment of other patients of the ward, Dr Kamrul Hasan Selim, acting director of SBMCH said.

Burn-injury patients were found lying on the floor because of lack of space at the 45-year old hospital.

A 70 killomettres tailback was created on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway yesteday after a truck overturned and another broke down at different points in Comilla.

Mashiur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Mynamati highway police station, said a truck turned turtle on the highway in Chandia upazila around 2am while another went out of order at the Cantonment point at about 12:30am, blocking the highway.

Following the two incidents, a 70km tailback was created from Paduar Bazar Bishwa Road of Comilla to Bhaterchar of Gazaria upazila of Munshiganj, inflicting immense sufferings on the passengers.

Though the trucks were removed hours later, the gridlock was yet to ease on the highway due to heavy pressure of traffic after the end of the six-day opposition-sponsored road-rail-waterway blockade programme. Dense fog also worsened the situation, reports UNB. Large numbers of vehicles took to the

streets on the day as the BNP-led 18-party alliance is set to enforce another countrywide blockade at 6am Saturday.

Hundreds of vehicles, including, buses and trucks, remained stranded in long queues on the highway as of filing this report at about 7:30pm.

Meanwhile, ferry services on Maowa-Kewrakandi river route remained suspended for over five hours early yesterday because of dense fog.

The authorities suspended operation of six ferries on the important river route at about 3:30am for thick fog to avoid any untoward incident.

Sirajul Islam, manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation at Maowa ghat, said river communications on the route had remained suspended till 9am yesterday.

Six ferries with over 1,000 passengers and several hundred vehicles on board were forced to anchor at the midpoint of the Padma River, he said.

The suspension of the ferry services caused huge traffic jam on both sides of the river ghat, causing sufferings to the passengers. l

n Anisur Rahman Swapan, Barisal

The photo taken from Phultala of Bogra shows a good number of traffic got stuck on road yesterday following the end of six-day opposition-backed blockade FOCUS BANGLA

Dr S Mahmud, registrar of SBMCH surgery unit, said: “We often refer the critical victims to Dhaka and admit the rest to surgery and other units for providing first aid and primary care.”

‘However, none of these decisions were implemented and there is no burn-unit at any of the public or private medical college hospitals in Barisal division yet. Opening a burn-unit in the 45-year old SBMCH still remains a burning issue’ Such rudimentary medical care causes excessive time, risk, pain and expense to the patients.

Many of them die while many suffer permanent damage to body parts, said Dr Maniruzzaman Shahin, assistant professor of SBMCH surgery department.

In July 2010, Dr Md Mumtaz Uddin Bhuiyan, director (Hospital and Clinics), Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), issued a letter ask-

ing SBMCH authority to open a special burn unit in the hospital as soon as possible, SBMCH sources said.

In the same year, quoting Dr Samanta Lal Sen, director of burn unit opening project and a specialist of DMCH burn unit, Dr Nazrul said special burn units would be opened in public hospitals at divisional level by middle of 2011.

Though a circular was issued to open burn-units in 17 medical college hospitals and create 98 posts in those units, no initiative was taken, Dr Nazrul told.

On February 23, 2012 the then Health Minister Dr AFM Ruhul Haque, while inaugurating fifty-seat dental surgery course and eighteen-bed dental surgery unit at SBMCH, assured of opening a burn unit soon.

“However, none of these decisions were implemented and there is no burn-unit at any of the public or private medical college hospitals in Barisal division yet.

Opening a burn-unit in the 45-year old SBMCH still remains a burning issue,” opined Dr Shamsul Hoq, divisional director (Barisal), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. l

The December 4 bulletin by of the organisation said the vegetable basket of the country, showed that the wholesale prices of per quintal cauliflower, cabbage, bean and brinjal were at Tk1,800-2,000, Tk1,200-1,300, Tk1,500-2,500 and Tk1,200-2,000 Respectively in Jessore.

In Joypurhat the average prices of per kg vegetables are now varying from Tk20 to Tk30 against the average prices of Tk60 to Tk80 a month ago.

In the district, bean is selling at Tk20 per kg against Tk40 per kg about a month ago.

Brinjal is selling at Tk10-15 per kg against Tk40 per kg a month ago.

The DAM is struggling to figure out the average district prices up to dateas only a few of the 68 stations are being able to prepare their bulletins and send it to the Dhaka headquarters due to the transportation havoc over the last twothree months, said an official on condition of anonymity.

Deputy Director of the organisation Abdur Rashid said its stations in northern region of the country, and in Jessore-Satkhira belt, are reporting the fall of winter vegetables.

Meanwhile, the price of newly-harvested potato has also fallen drastically at the growers-level from Tk 1,200 per quintal to Tk 850 per quintal over the last seven days due to halt in transportation, according to farmers in the northern districts.

“Traders are offering very low price as transportation of the crop to Dhaka has almost been halted due to blockades and hartals,” M Shah Suja of Nilphamari said.

However, the price of newly-harvested potato was reported to be hovering around Tk12-16 per kg at the retail level across Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions, and around Tk25-35 per kg in Dhaka and Chittagong divisions Thursday, according to the DAM. l

Barisal University reschedules date of admission tests n Our Correspondent, Barisal Barisal University admission committee rescheduled the date of admission tests for the fourth time on Thursday.

The committee held a meeting on Thursday night and announced that the tests would be held on December 25.

The date was fixed on the Holy Christmas Day assuming that the day would be free from any political programme, said Bahauddin Golap, assistant registrar of BU. The first date of the intake test was scheduled to be held on November 28 and then postponed due to a blockade of opposition 18-party alliance.

The date was changed twice for the same reason. The changed dates were December 7 and December 21, 2013.

A total of 29,690 admission seekers registered to sit for the test against 1,160 seats of 16 departments of six faculties for the academic session of 201314, said Faisal Mahmud Rumi, public relation officer of BU. The seat plan and other details would be available on the BU website www.barisaluniv.edu.bd and www. barisaluniv.ac.bd, said Md Muhsin Uddin, acting registrar of BU. l

UP chairman shot dead in Tangail

Woman catches 3 robbers in Jhenaidah n Our Correspondent, Jhenaidah

n Tribune Report

A woman helped nab three robbers during robbery in Moheshpur upazila, Jhenaidah on Thursday night. The robbers were handed over to the police.

The detainees were Pintu of Bakshibazer, Dukhu Mia of Gurdah and Isharul of Garapota.

Rahima Khatun of Ruligram Mathpara said a gang of robbers, consisting of seven to eight members, entered into their house around 1am. They confined the inmates of the house. As Mijanur Rahman, husband of Rahima, was attacked by the robbers, she caught Pintu and started shouting.

The neighbours rushed to the spot, caught Pintu and two others, but the remaining others managed to flee. The villagers beat them up and informed the police.

Moheshpur police station Officer-in-Charge Akram Hossain said after the villagers of Ruligram Mathpara nabbed the three robbers, police arrested them and seized sharp weapons from them. l

A union parishad chairman was gunned down in Tangail while two young men were killed in Mymensingh and Madaripur yesterday.

Our Tangail correspondent reports: Rafiqul Islam Faruk, 47, chairman of Dhaynna union parishad was shot dead at Battala Bazar in the district headquarters in the morning.

Officer-in-Charge of Tangail model police station Md Nazrul Islam said a group of unidentified miscreants had opened fire on Faruk at Battala Bazar around 7am, leaving him dead on the spot.

The body of Faruk, who was also vice-president of Tangail sadar upazila unit and executive member of the district unit BNP was sent to the Tangail General Hospital morgue for post-mortem examination. No case was filed in the connection, he added.

Tangail district unit BNP called a half-day hartal for today in the district,

protesting the killing.

Meanwhile, police recovered the body of an SSC examinee from village Shibpur in Gouripur upazila in Mymensingh yesterday morning.

Family members said Mustafa Kamal, 16, a student of Char Nilaxmia High School of village Char Nilaxmia under sadar upazila, had gone out of his house with his auto rickshaw. Since then he remained missing.

Md Hamidul Islam, officer-in-charge of Gouripur police station, said miscreants might have killed Kamal after snatching his auto-rickshaw and dumped the body.

In Madaripur, police recovered the body of Tutul Sardar, 25, from Madra area of Madaripur on Thursday afternoon. Tutul had been missing for the last seven days, said Altu Sardar, father of the deceased.

Later, police arrested a man for his alleged involvement with the killing.

A murder case was lodged in this connection. l

6

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Feature

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Eye on design

An interview with Ionsketch’s 17-year-old founder, Atif Ahmed Akkhor

A

n Tasnuva Amin Nova t the age of thirteen, when most teenagers are caught in the race to be part of “the cool group” at school, Atif Ahmed Akkhor started toying with graphic design on his brother’s hand-me-down computer.

“I quickly discovered my knack for it,” Atif said.

After devoting a few months to teaching himself the nitty-gritty of graphic design, entrepreneurial Atif realised he could monetise his skills. In 2009, Ionsketch, the design studio he co-founded, was born.

more than the demands of a growing body, hormones and mood swings.

The ever-present pressure of living up to parental expectation could be deterrent enough for most young people, keeping them from pursuing farfetched dreams.

But when I met Atif, my notions about the average Bangladeshi teenager were completely altered.

This young man knows his capabilities and his limitations too. Atif decided at age 15 that he could never be anyone’s employee because he is not good at taking orders. He was gifted with leadership qualities, and did not want to waste them by following instructions. As he walked me through his adventurous journey as a self-starter, I could see how he came to find entrepreneurship so liberating.

Point of focus

“I love designing. Graphic designing is my way of engaging with designs and designers. As I learned about graphic design, I began to realise how poorly designed the things around me were. I knew I could fix them. My passion for designing coupled with the urge to address a real problem led me to start my own company.”

Atif gleefully admits that he has never taken any professional courses, and is entirely self-taught.

COURTESY

Initial sketches

Since then, Ionsketch has grown by leaps and bounds, making a name for itself as an advertising agency among national and international clients.

Now 17, Atif is a shining example for youngsters in Bangladesh. He already has four years of experience running a business, which is indeed something to be proud of.

The average teenager battles with

Ionsketch had a modest beginning.

Atif’s father later bought him his own laptop after seeing the budding designer in his son. Gradually the company started to grow, with international clients seeking Ionsketch’s help.

Soon it was time to hire more people and acquire office space and equipment. Recalling his initial days, Atif said: “I started with a passion for designing, but now I am attempting to change the industry of graphic design in Bangladesh.”

Golden ratio

With its first few contracts, Ionsketch managed to attract clients from the US,

Sparking a change: Bangladesh’s first female welder n Syeda Samira Sadeque

I

n a small village in a corner of Barisal lives Bangladesh’s first international certificate holding female welder, Nupur Hawladar.

Just 23 years old, Nupur now knows how to join metals, make materials and create sparks in a field that has traditionally been predominantly a man’s arena.

Nupur married at a young age. Despite passing her SSC exams with a 3.19 GPA, she was unable to continue her education due to financial restraints.

Her husband, Biplob Hawladar, was jobless when they married.

‘Men and women have the same rights, so there should be no difference or barriers in what jobs they get. If men can be welders, so can women’ After numerous efforts to find jobs had failed, the two saw an advertisement in the paper about the International Labour Organization (ILO)

COURTESY

supported training in welding, under the education ministry’s TVETReform Project funded by the European Union.

“We were excited at the prospect.

There would be six semesters, and it was free because it was a pilot, so we joined,” Biplob told the Dhaka Tribune in an interview. Both Nupur and her husband enrolled in the program with 16 other men and two other women.

From November 2012 to May 2013, they completed the first two semesters of the program and various other training sessions. They even came to Dhaka for training at Linde Bangladesh, where they had to pay a Tk5,000 deposit, refundable after completing the programme.

Nupur said she is proud of her achievement as the first-ever Bangladeshi woman to be a certified welder.

“I want to do this, and I want other girls to know they can as well. They haven’t learned that message, and they need to,” Nupur said.

However, despite holding such a record, both Nupur and Biplob have yet to get jobs.

Ionsketch’s design for Bangladesh’s World Expo 2012 pavilion in South Korea Australia, New Zealand and Switzerland.

His young and vibrant team was overjoyed when they landed the project to design the logo for Bangladesh’s World Expo 2012 Pavilion in South Korea.

Gradually Ionsketch started to establish its brand name among local and multinational companies in Bangladesh.

‘Not everyone will become an entrepreneur, but an entrepreneur can come from anywhere. And his or her vision could change an entire industry, country or even the world’ The jubilant teen also shares his experience dealing with offers for mergers and external investment from local as well as foreign companies. From such attention, Atif realised the potential of Ionsketch, but has declined all those offers.

“Losing control of something you dearly love is very painful,” he said.

“Also, I did not want the additional pressure that comes with these op-

portunities, as I also have my studies to concentrate on.” Atif is currently enrolled in Bir Shreshtha Noor Mohammad Public College, and finishes his school work before going to the office.

Among the milestones achieved, there were lows in Atif’s journey as well. He takes some time to explain the struggles he and his team experienced when they first launched as an advertising agency earlier this year. The first two companies Ionsketch worked with did not turn out to be the best clients.

But the prodigy continued with his dream of making a name in the advertising field.

Backup

What does it take for a school-going adolescent, equipped with nothing more than talent and passion, to start his own firm? Atif modestly says, “My biggest support system has been my family. Their unwavering assistance helped me get through tough situations.”

A little encouragement from the people around can go a long way to push young maestros to success, which the youth of our country crave for. With

COURTESY

talent and determination they can walk the rest of the path for themselves.

Perspective

While he needs to wait one more year to legally claim ownership of the company he founded, Atif needs no license to dream big.

Atif currently has 15 employees, both full-time and part-time, working for Ionsketch. It is a brand unto itself now.

In the future, Atif wants to get involved with more start-ups, using his knowledge, experience and insight to help young starters. He is already involved with two new startups.

He also wants to pursue further studies after completing his HSC exams to show his peers that it is possible to do something big while continuing to study.

His advice to those with passion and the will to make it big, regardless of social barriers, age, gender or family background, is: “Not everyone will become an entrepreneur, but an entrepreneur can come from anywhere. And his or her vision could change an entire industry, country or even the world.” l

A beacon of hope for a remote village n Feature Desk

R

ishad Ahmed and Islam Topu, two graduates of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, have brought light to the village of Sabdi.

Not being on the grid, the lack of electricity or cheap fuel for generators for lighting is a huge problem in the villages.

But thanks to these two engineers’ Roshnee project, this modern Dark Age may be coming to an end.

The people of Sabdi think their lack of electricity is part of a curse, a view more understandable when one learns of the other great burden borne by the locals: The town’s water sources are all polluted with industrial waste.

COURTESY

“Having the certificate means little when there is no job, when I don’t have any earnings,” she said.

She said both Biplob and she have been looking for jobs but have not been lucky in this regard.

“We were told that with certain trainings, we could have the chance to work outside the country. We even had our passports made, in that hope. But we are still waiting,” Biplob said.

When she began the training, Nupur’s family was apprehensive about her prospects in the field. They said there was little chance she would get a job after the training. She also faced challenges in defying cultural norms and gender stereotypes in a Bangladeshi village.

Today, although she was successful in breaking the gender stereotype, she has yet to prove her family wrong.

“We need the training to pay off.

We both need it. We want to implement our learning, and earn from it,” said Biplob, who, unlike Nupur’s family, has been supportive throughout her journey.

“I have assisted her in this project, despite our family’s discouragement, because I want to break the attitude that ‘girls cannot.’”

Nupur added: “Men and women have the same rights, so there should be no difference or barriers in what jobs they get. If men can be welders, so can women.” l

Thanks to the two BUET engineers’ Roshnee project, this modern Dark Age may be coming to an end

But now this curse has become a blessing, for the bacteria within the polluted water holds the key to Sabdi’s bright future.

The natural decomposition of the organic waste in the water produces small amounts of charged particles; with the help of a “Roshnee kit,” these can be harnessed to produce a weak electric current.

The current is enough to provide 12W of electricity per refill, No carbondioxide or harmful side products are created in the process.

The kit costs between $3-$4, and comprises a frame, 2 one litre plastic bottles, a light bulb, some wire, a pair of electrodes and a salt bridge. At onefiftieth the price of a solar panel, the Roshnee kit is a viable option for the villagers whose average income is just $160 per year.

“In the past the shortage of electricity has meant very few young villagers have been able to study. With only a few, who share great ambition, being able to make their way to college during daylight” says Abul Hossain, a local primary school teacher.

COURTESY

A few students who try to study at night depend on oil-based fire lanterns called “kupi.”

However, the prohibitive cost of the kerosene for a kupi, about Tk6.8 per 100ml, leads to a large number of college dropouts.

The dropout rate is particularly high amongst girls, who are then consigned to household chores and early marriage.

Rishad, who also runs a marketing blog called Rishadology, has high hopes that his scheme will change all that.

“Our vision is to provide lights to the 38% off-grid remote village students and women of Bangladesh, to find a way to study at night.”

The Roshnee kit was nominated as a semifinalist in Dell’s Empowering Women Challenge (DEWC). The challenge considered 600 projects, with entries coming from over 50 countries. l

8

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Rwanda to send troops to CAR n Agencies

An African Union peacekeeper stands on a chair as a small child sits of the floor at an Islamic center where Peul refugees have sought protection in Bangui

AP

Rwanda plans to send troops to assist an African Union-led force restoring security to Central African Republic, where a a peacekeeper died of injuries sustained in an attack.

“Rwanda was asked by the AU to contribute troops to the CAR and deploy urgently, and yes, right now the RDF (Rwanda Defence Force) is preparing to go,” Rwanda’s foreign minister Louise Mushikiwabo said on Friday in a message posted on her Twitter account.

Saying that Kigali troops will leave for Bangui “very soon,” the foreign minister did not give details of how many troops will be sent. Military spokesman Joseph Nzabamwita said the army would announce troop numbers “at the appropriate time.”

A Chadian peacekeeper injured in a Thursday attack on a patrol for the African-led International Support Mission to the Central African Republic died, AFP reported citing MISC’s spokesman.

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have both warned against escalating war crimes committed in the African nation that has left more than

a thousand killed since clashes started on December 5, and hundreds of thousands displaced.

Both human rights groups called on international community to aid the French 1,600-strong peacekeeping force deployed to CAR alongside AU forces.

The US has been airlifting Burundian troops into the country as part of that force.

Christian armed groups, known as the Anti-Balaka, attacked Muslim neighborhoods in Bangui on Friday, according to MISCA’s spokesman.

“Anti-balaka fighters attacked the PK 5 neighbourhood and another neighbourhood called Fatima,” he said, adding that MISCA troops were on their way to the fighting.

CAR has been reeling in sectarian violence which started in the capital, Bangui, with an early morning attack

by Christian militiamen from the Anti-Balaka group who went door to door, killing at least 60 Muslims.

A Muslim rebel group, the de facto government forces known as the Seleka, retaliated against Christians by killing nearly 1,000 men in two days, including a small number of women and children. l

French military source: Heavy gunfire at CAR capital army base

Poland to offer France logistical support in Central African Republic

n AFP, Bangui

n AFP, Warsaw

Heavy gunfire was heard for several hours late Thursday at a military base near the capital of strife-torn Central African Republic, a French military source told AFP. “There was automatic gunfire, with heavy artillery, during several hours at the army base at the airport,” the source said on condition of anonymity.

“It’s confusing, it happened at night.

For the moment, we don’t know what happened.”

The military base at the Mpoko airport in the north of Bangui hosts French and African Union troops that have been sent to the country under a UN mandate to try and stop the chaos in the notoriously unstable country.

Thursday’s gunfire left some AU troops wounded, a source with the force told AFP, without providing further details. No French soldiers were

reported wounded.

The Central African Republic spiralled into chaos after a March coup in which the mainly Muslim Seleka rebel group overthrew president Francois Bozize.

Rebel leader Michel Djotodia was installed as the first Muslim leader of the majority Christian nation and disbanded the Seleka, but many rebels went rogue, spreading terror which government forces could not stop. l

Poland said Friday it would send a manned military transport aircraft to back French troops in the Central African Republic in February.

“We will give France logistical support with a military transport aircraft and service crew,” of 50 soldiers starting on February 1, 2014 for three months,” Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said on his official Twitter feed.

Ukraine expels 8 jailed in corruption probe targeting govt Georgian journalist brother of the mayor of an Istanbul tions,” he said on his Twitter account. n AP, Ankara Fourteen top police officials at the district that is an Erdogan stronghold.

AFP, Tbilisi n Eight people detained for questioning They face possible bribery charges, ac- national police headquarters in AnkaUkrainian authorities on Friday briefly detained and then deported a Georgian journalist covering mass pro-EU demonstrations that have gripped the Ukrainian capital since November.

David Kakulia, a journalist from Georgia’s Rustavi 2 television station “was briefly detained by border guards upon arrival in Kiev airport and deported,” its director Nika Gvaramia told AFP. He said that Kakulia, who earlier covered Ukrainian police violence against protesters, “was banned by security services from entering Ukraine for one year over the groundless accusation of ‘suspicious activities’ – in violation of all international standards.” l

Safety reassurance after London theater collapse

n AP, London

An industry group sought to reassure theatergoers Friday that London’s elegant but aging venues are safe after chunks of ornamental plaster fell from a ceiling of the Apollo Theatre, showering patrons with dust and debris and injuring 79 people.

One line of inquiry for investigators is whether a brief but intense rainstorm was a factor in Thursday’s accident at the century-old building.

The Society of London Theatre said all theaters undergo “rigorous safety checks and inspections by independent experts, and incidents like last night are extremely rare.” “Our theaters entertain over 32,000 people in central London every night and all theaters take the safety of their audience, performers and staff very seriously,” it said.

Witnesses have described chaos and panic as large chunks of plaster, wooden beams and dust rained down on the audience 45 minutes into a performance of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.”

“I thought, maybe this is part of the play,” said Scott Daniels, an American tourist from the Dallas area. “All of a sudden, plaster starts raining down, huge hunks of plaster ... The lights went out and everything filled with dust — everybody was coughing and choking.”

London Ambulance Service said Friday that it had treated 79 people, 56 of whom were taken to local hospitals in ambulances and two commandeered London buses. l

this week as part of a massive corruption probe targeting allies of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan were formally arrested Friday, the state-run news agency reported.

The investigation has also ensnared sons of three government ministers and comes amid a power struggle between Erdogan’s government and an influential US-based Muslim cleric, Fetullah Gulen, who has a strong following in Turkey and is believed to have leverage within the country’s police force and the judiciary.

The Anadolu Agency said the eight who were ordered jailed include the

cording to the agency.

At least 27 other people were also being questioned by court officials on Friday. Erdogan has denounced the probe and the detention of Cabinet ministers’ sons as a plot to harm his government and has vowed to go after “gangs” of alleged conspirators.

Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag said Friday the investigation and arrests were aimed at discrediting the party ahead of elections in 2014.

“These dirty games, operations and traps are being carried out to break the party’s bonds of love with the people and affect the local and presidential elec-

WORLD WATCH LSE apologises over Muhammad image incident

A prominent London university has apologised for asking two students to cover up T-shirts depicting Muhammad and Jesus.

The representatives of the Atheist, Secularist and Humanist Society student union were wearing the shirts at aLondon School of Economics fair in October when they were told that displaying an image of Muhammad could constitute religious harassment and were asked to cover them up. Islamic law generally opposes any depiction of Prophet Muhammad. Chris Moos and Abhishek Phadnis filed formal complaints. LSE said Friday it has apologized to the students and acknowledged that, “with hindsight,” wearing the shirts did not constitute harassment or violate the law or university policies. The school said it takes free speech “very seriously” and will learn from the incident.

Pregnant girls freed in latest Nigeria ‘baby factory’ raid

Nigeria’s police said Friday they had raided a home where 19 pregnant women were staying with plans to sell their newborns, in the latest discovery of a so-called baby factory. The owner of the property, suspected of being a broker in a child trafficking ring, is on the run, said Geoffrey Ogbonna, police spokesman in southeastern Abia state.

Police “rescued 19 expectant mothers in different stages of pregnancy,” he told AFP. Southeast Nigeria is grappling with a human trafficking epidemic, with a series of black market maternity homes discovered in the last year. In most cases, young women have run to such homes to avoid the stigma attached to pregnancies conceived outside of marriage. They take a portion of

the money earned from selling the baby.

There have also been reports of young women kidnapped and forcibly impregnated by human traffickers, but such cases are thought to be extremely rare. Ogbonna said the details of the latest baby factory found in Abia’s capital Umuahia were not immediately clear. “The proprietress fled before our men got to the place. We met her son and his wife. They are in custody,” he said. Some of the pregnant women, aged between 15 and 23, told police they “ran from home to escape the stigma of having unwanted pregnancies they cannot take care of,” the police spokesman said.

The buyers are most often couples who have been unable to conceive and male children typically earn a much higher price than baby girls.

Aspirin may help in fight against ‘anger syndrome’

If you have a quick temper it may calm you to learn that bouts of rage could be cured by simply taking an aspirin. A study has found that uncontrollable anger may be the result of inflammation in the body. Intermittent explosive disorder (IED), which is known as “anger syndrome,” usually begins in the late teens and is defined as a “failure to resist aggressive impulses.”

US researchers found that IED sufferers had higher markers of inflammation in the blood. Levels of one protein were on average twice as high in those diagnosed with IED, while another marker molecule was present in those with the worst records of aggressive behaviour. “These two markers consistently correlate with aggression and impulsivity but not with other psychiatric problems,” said Prof Emil Coccaro, the lead scientist from the University of Chicago.

French President Francois Hollande said earlier that if Poland were to back 1,600 French troops in the CAR, their deployment would be “considered a European operation and there would be financial aid.”

The French soldiers were deployed earlier this month under a UN mandate to quell deadly sectarian violence between Muslims and Christians in the former French colony.

An ex-communist country of 38

million, Poland joined the European Union in 2004 and NATO in 1999.

The Central African Republic has spiralled into chaos since a March coup by the mainly Muslim Seleka rebel group overthrew president Francois Bozize.

Faced with reports of widespread atrocities, France on December 5 decided to intervene to prop up an African peacekeeping force already on the ground. l

Voters in Madagascar want end to crisis sparked by coup

ra were removed from office on Friday. That is in addition to more than two dozen who have been relieved of their posts since Tuesday’s police raids rounded up more than 50 people for questioning.

Opposition parties have denounced the police dismissals as an attempt by Erdogan’s party to cover up the scandal.

“The AKP has descended with all its might on those who are combatting corruption and bribery,” said Ozcan Yenicer, a legislator from Turkey’s nationalist party. “At this point, no one should expect anything to come out of these probes.” l

n Reuters

Spain seeks tighter abortion law, sparking protests

Uganda adopts draconian anti-gay bill

Spain’s government met Friday to tighten abortion laws, outraging pro-choice campaigners who warned of a return to the 1980s, when women had to go abroad to end unwanted pregnancies.

The government has not revealed details but has indicated it will roll back the previous Socialist government’s 2010 reform, which gives women the right to abortion on demand up to 14 weeks of pregnancy. That reform also allows women the legal right to abort up to the 22nd week of pregnancy in cases where the mother’s health is at risk or the foetus shows major deformities.

Under the previous 1985 law, abortion was a crime in Spain except in cases of rape, risk to the mother’s health or deformation of the foetus.

Justice Minister Alberto Gallardon has indicated he wants to return to something similar to the 1985 law, but also possibly go further, curbing abortions in cases of deformation. He has also said he wants to oblige girls under 18 to seek their parents’ consent to have abortions.

Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s conservative government presented the divisive draft reform at Friday’s cabinet meeting, Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz said, as pro-choice groups and political opponents called for nationwide protests. The deputy leader of the main opposition Socialist Party, Elena Valenciano, said defenders of abortion rights will “mobilise society against what is going to be an incomprehensible reduction in women’s freedom.” l

n AFP, Kampala

n AFP, Madrid

Madagascar’s voters cast ballots on Friday in a run-off presidential election, but many expect old political rifts to persist and see no quick fix for their battered economy after a coup five years ago drove away investors and donors.

Voters have a choice between a former finance minister backed by outgoing President Andry Rajoelina, the disc jockey-turned-statesman whom the army helped to power in 2009, and an ally of Marc Ravalomanana, the leader who was ousted in the coup.

Uganda’s parliament on Friday adopted an anti-homosexuality bill that will see repeat offenders jailed for life, with lawmakers hailing it as a victory against “evil” for the deeply religious nation.

Deputies voted overwhelmingly in favour of the text, which has been widely condemned by rights activists and Western leaders – with US President Barack Obama describing it as “odious.”

The lawmaker behind the bill, David Bahati, said a death penalty clause was dropped from the final version of the bill, which must now go to President Yoweri Museveni for approval.

“This is a victory for Uganda. I am glad the parliament has voted against

There is no clear favorite, as the candidates had little public prominence until this election. If neither wins a clear mandate, analysts say it could make for more political wrangling, prolonging the crisis on the poor island of 22 million people, of whom nine out of 10 live on less than $2 a day.

The economy contracted 4 percent after the coup.

“I hope that the next elected leaders are more concerned with the lives of ordinary people and are not selfish,” said textile worker Avo Ravonirina, 42.

“This election is not the end to all our difficulties.” l

evil,” Bahati told AFP. “Because we are a God-fearing nation, we value life in a holistic way. It is because of those values that members of parliament passed this bill regardless of what the outside world thinks,” he said.

First proposed in 2009, the bill had been shelved following international condemnation, but parliamentary spokeswoman Hellen Kaweesa said the changes meant that it had secured “majority support” among MPs. The initially proposed bill would have introduced the death sentence for anyone caught engaging in homosexual acts for a second time, as well as for gay sex where one partner is a minor or has HIV. l

Many gay Ugandans have fled the country, saying they are being persecuted

REUTERS

DHAKA TRIBUNE

International

9

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Philippine mayor among four killed at Manila airport n AP, Manila

Police investigators work at the crime scene after a local town mayor was ambushed in a shooting attack at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport

REUTERS

A gunman attacked a Philippine mayor as he left the country’s main airport on Friday along with crowds of Christmas travelers, killing him, his wife, a child and another man, authorities and witnesses said. The gunman fired on Labangan Mayor Ukol Talumpa outside Terminal 3 at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport, named after President Benigno Aquino III’s father, who was assassinated there 30 years ago. The terminal handles international and domestic flights, and is supposed to be a relatively well-guarded facility.

Talumpa had arrived from Zamboanga del Sur, the southern province where Labangan is located.

There was no word on a possible motive, but violent attacks linked to political rivalries, family feuds and business disputes are common in the

Philippines, and have left hundreds of people dead over the years. Talumpa himself had survived at least two earlier assassination attempts, according to local media reports.

The mayor and his wife were declared dead on arrival at a nearby hospital along with a 1 1/2-year-old boy and a 25-year-old man, said the airport’s general manager, Jose Angel Honrado.

Local radio reports said that the man was a nephew of the mayor, but that the boy was a bystander with no relation to Talumpa. At least five other people were wounded, including a niece of the mayor and a 3-year-old girl who sustained a head wound, hospital authorities said.

An uncle of the dead boy, Felipe Lirasan, told DZMM radio that the child’s family was staying at his home for Christmas. “Then this happened,” he said, his voice breaking. “There is nothing that we can do.” l

India government asks Angry India tells US ‘times have changed’ court to review anti-gay law after diplomat spat, seeks apology n AP, New Delhi

India’s government asked the Supreme Court on Friday to review a decision in which it upheld a colonial-era law that bans homosexual acts and makes them punishable by up to a decade in prison.

Law Minister Kapil Sibal said he hoped the court would overturn the law. “Let’s hope the right to personal choices is preserved,” he said.

The court is expected to take up the review petition soon.

The Supreme Court ruled last week that only lawmakers and not the courts can change the law. The ruling struck down a 2009 lower court decision that said the law violated fundamental human rights.

The Supreme Court ruling dealt a blow to gay activists who have fought for the chance to live openly in India’sdeeply conservative society.

Gautam Bhan, a gay activist, welcomed the government move Friday and said the Supreme Court was the forum that should decide the issue.

The law, dating back to the 1860s, when Britain ruled over South Asia, states that “whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal” can be punished by up to 10 years in prison.

According to international human rights groups, more than 70 countries have laws criminalizing homosexual conduct, with India by far the most populous. l

UN: 2 Indian peacekeepers killed in S Sudan; 1 hurt n AP, United Nations The U.N. peacekeeping mission in South Sudan says two Indian peacekeepers were killed at their base and one was injured.

India’s U.N. Ambassador Asoke Mukerji had said Thursday that three peacekeepers from his country were killed when armed youths breached a U.N. compound in Akobo, Jonglei state. But the U.N. mission said

Imran Khan threatened after polio remarks n AFP Pakistani politician Imran Khan has been threatened for describing polio vaccination workers as “soldiers of Islam.”

A senior member of Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI), Shireen Mazari, told the news agency AFP that Khan had received the threat from the armed group Ansarul Mujahideen after making positive comments about health workers and condemning those who undermined them.

The country is one of only three in the world where the disease is endemic, but attempts to contain it have suffered because of intimidation and violence.

Since July 2012, 31 people have been killed in Taliban-led attacks on anti-polio campaigners.

Most recently, two policemen providing security to polio vaccinators in Swabi were killed when gunmen on a motorbike attacked them.

In a separate incident, unidentified gunmen opened fire on polio workers in Peshawar, killing one.

The former cricket star made the remarks on Wednesday at a hospital in the northern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where his party leads the government.

Pakistan has reported 75 cases of polio this year, many of them from this area. “Those attacking polio workers and policemen deputed to protect them, are not doing any justice to humanity, Islam and people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan,” Khan said.

“Polio workers are mujahid (soldiers of Islam) and we stand by them.” l

the third peacekeeper was injured and evacuated to a U.N. medical facility in Malakal.

The U.N. mission issued a statement Friday that condemned “in the strongest terms the violence that occurred in Akobo and continues in other parts of the country.”

The statement said “we call on all parties to the crisis to refrain from further violence and seek a peaceful resolution.” l

n AFP, New Delhi India angrily brushed aside fresh efforts by the United States Friday to defuse a row over the arrest and strip-search of one of its diplomats, warning Washington that “times have changed.”

Diplomatic sources said Nancy Powell, the US ambassador to New Delhi, was holding talks with senior foreign ministry officials as part of efforts to resolve the crisis sparked by the December 12 arrest of Devyani Khobragade, India’s deputy consul general at its mission in New York.

Powell’s olive branch comes after top State Department officials called their Indian counterparts for the third time in two days to try to draw a line under the controversy over accusations that Khobragade underpaid her maid in New York.

Subsequent revelations that Khobragade was stripped by US Marshals and subjected to an invasive body search have caused outrage in India, whose government wants Washington to drop the case and offer an apology.

US Secretary of State John Kerry has expressed “regret” and stressed the issue should not be allowed to derail a “vital relationship” – a message amplified in a phone call Thursday by State Department number three Wendy Sherman to Indian Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh.

“What we’re focused on now ... is working to move the relationship forward,” State Department dep-

A National Student’s Union of India (NSUI) activist holds a placard during a protest outside the US Consulate in Mumbai AFP uty spokeswoman Marie Harf told reporters.

But there was no sign Friday that the calls had placated the government in India which sees itself as an emerging power that should be treated with respect by an ally such as the US. “They should tender a clear apology. We will not accept this conduct against India under any circumstances,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath told reporters.

“The US has to understand that the world has changed, times have

changed and India has changed.

“The conduct and attitude that the US has shown regarding the Devyani issue is a matter of concern not only for India but also for all countries and everyone should raise their voice.”

Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid said he expected to talk with Kerry later in the day in what is likely to be a tense phone call.

“The only question is what do you do when something happens that is irksome, that is hurtful and that is unacceptable,” Khurshid told reporters

China investigates vice public security minister n AP, Beijing

A Chinese vice minister of public security has been placed under investigation for serious violations of laws and regulations, the ruling Communist Party said Friday amid an ongoing crackdown on corruption and swirling rumors that more senior figures may be targeted.

No details were given in the one-sentence announcement about Li

Dongsheng, who was placed under investigation by the party’s disciplinary body. However, the charge usually relates to corruption and abuse of power.

Li, 58, has a number of other titles, including vice director of the office responsible for cracking down on the outlawed Falun Gong spiritual movement, forced deep underground in China following more than a decade of brutal suppression.

He is also a member of the party’s Central Committee, a body of about 350 of the party’s leading members, lending him added prestige, perks and opportunities for graft.

The announcement comes amid persistent rumors of an investigation into former security czar Zhou Yongkang because of his close association with disgraced politician Bo Xilai.

It also follows the establishment of a

national security committee strengthening President Xi Jinping’s control over the military, intelligence bodies and police.

Li spent 22 years working at main state broadcaster CCTV, rising to deputy head of the station. He then moved to the body overseeing film, television and radio, before becoming a vice minister of propaganda in 2002, less than three years after the banning of Falun Gong. l

ALL THE WORLD’S A SWIMMING POOL

Kate Smith (2nd L) and Matt Messina (2nd R) perform in a boat during a rehearsal for Chicago Opera Theater’s production of “Orpheus & Euridice” at the Welles Park swimming pool in Chicago, Illinois, December 18 REUTERS

after talks with Venezuela’s visiting foreign minister.

“You’ve got to find a solution, and we hope we will find a solution.”

Keen to project a muscular image ahead of a general election due in May, the ruling Congress party has taken a strikingly hard line in the dispute.

The vice president of the Hindu nationalist opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, which is expected to win the election, also warned that India expected a full apology rather than expressions of regret.

“The US will have to apologise,” Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India news agency.

“This is an extraordinary event and not about the US and India alone.”

The 39-year-old, who is now free on bail, was detained over allegations that she paid the domestic worker a small fraction of New York’s minimum wage and lied about the employee’s salary in a visa application.

US federal prosecutor Preet Bharara has insisted Khobragade was arrested in the “most discreet” way possible and that his sole motivation was to uphold the rule of law, protect victims and hold accountable anyone who breaks the law “no matter how powerful, rich or connected they are.”

India is trying secure full diplomatic immunity for Khobragade by shifting her to its UN mission in New York, although such a move needs State Department approval. l

North Korea threatens to strike South n Agencies North Korea has threatened to strike South Korea “without notice” in response to anti-Pyongyang rallies earlier this week, officials said.

The warning was communicated in a message sent on Thursday by the secretariat of the National Defence Commission, the North’s highest military body, through a military hotline, the South’s defence ministry said.

The message comes after South Korean conservative groups staged protests against North Korea’s human-rights record, marking the twoyear anniversary of former leader Kim Jong-il’s death by burning his photograph.

North Korea regularly issues idle threats of violence against South Korea and the United States.

In the latest threat, North Korea’s military warned of a possible strike and condemned the South Korean rallies as an insult to North Korea’s “highest dignity” - a reference to leader Kim Jongun, the South’s Yonhap news agency reported.

In response, the South Korean government vowed to “sternly react” to any provocation, the report noted.

The news comes a week after the North announced it had executed Kim Jong-un’s politically powerful uncle, Jang Song-thaek, who was branded a traitor and stripped of all his powers.

Despite the political uncertainty now gripping the country, North Koreans gathered earlier this week for a remembrance ceremony to honour Kim Jong-il. l

10

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Editorial

Letters to

www.dhakatribune.com

Combat malnutrition as a priority

I

t is shocking to note that 53,000 children are estimated to die in Bangladesh every year due to complications related to high rates of child and maternal malnutrition. This has grave consequences for development and must be tackled as an urgent priority.

Research has found that 45% of deaths among children under the age of 5 are caused by malnutrition. Those living with malnutrition also suffer from long-term developmental challenges such as stunted growth, chronic vitamin A and iodine deficiencies, and Focus is needed to psychological impairment. ensure appropriate Many factors contribute to nutrition for all and this problem, but one that clearly better education stands out is the state of health and awareness of of girls and young women. It has nutrition issues so been found that girls suffer from that this threat can be a greater degree of malnutrition eliminated than boys since they tend to be neglected in favour of boys.

Young malnourished girls not only suffer the consequences for the rest of their lives but their state of health also impacts future generations since malnourished mothers give birth to malnourished babies.

The scourge of child marriage also contributes to this problem since the bodies of adolescent girls are not equipped to give birth to babies of healthy weight.

While Bangladesh has made great strides in reducing the level of poverty and in banishing outright starvation, the dire statistics on malnutrition make it clear that there is still a long way to go in ensuring that we have a healthy and thriving populace.

Focus is needed to ensure appropriate nutrition for all young girls and better education and awareness of nutrition issues so that this threat to the future of the country can be eliminated.

Reviving the real estate sector

L

CROSSWORD

The V-sign that led to Quader Molla’s downfall December 13

After having been convicted, through eyewitness accounts, of multiple murders and rape, by the prosecution witness Momena, which could rarely be obtained after more than four decades of the occurrence, the leniency of a “life sentence” could hardly be justified, especially in war crimes and crimes against humanity charges.

V sign or no V sign, Shahbag youngsters would surely have risen to the occasion and they did. Hundreds and thousands of liberated people joined them in allegiance. The result is apparent. The souls of the martyrs may now rest in peace.

WaliulHaqueKhondker

My father’s war Shame on me December 13

Wakho We oversimplify an issue, because it is easy, makes sense quickly and readily accepted by most readers. Two egoist leaders are our problem! Is it as simple as that? I don’t think so.

Both the leaders and their allies are motivated by two opposing ideologies. One is inspired by the spirit of the liberation war and the other is inspired by anything and everything including a flavour of the liberation war. So when the time comes for a switch over from one to the other, it is not between two egoistic leaders but between two opposing ideologies.

In other countries, power changes hands on governance programs within the framework of the same ideology; that’s why it looks so simple.

But, in our case, it has to be a switch between two ideologies every five years; hence, it is so difficult!

Forwardbias If the special interest groups who benefit from the political parties stop giving donations, this problem will end right now. It’s our wealthy friends, the ones who run those special interest groups, who should be questioned.

December 14 A decent bit of historic recollection.

However, the issue remains, were the individuals who heart wrenchingly lost their lives targeted because of their so called “intellectual” credentials? Or were they singled out for their ideals of independence and secession from the larger idea of Pakistan? faiz

December 14

Armeen Musa Thank you so much for sharing. Salute to him, and to those who loved our beautiful heritage.

Ahsan Sajid What a great man he must have been! Out of all the content printed this December 14, I found this one the most poignant. nahiyan_dhaka1 Very touching account! May Allah rest him in peace. Amen.

Laila Shabeer Ahmed Heart-warming.

Mahmudul Islam A perfect article on a perfect day.

Wali Thanks for writing this piece, which radiates reassurance of justice having been served albeit, incomplete, because one of the convicted murderers, Chowdhury Mueen Uddin, is now at large. Let us hope that the long arm of justice will bring him to the noose someday. My salute to your great father, an accomplished intellectual and a perfect human being. May he rest in eternal peace. Ameen!

Mun Parbeen Wali: Mueen Uddin is not at large. We know exactly where he is and who is protecting him. His time will come too, for everyone has to pay for their sins.

Wali Mun Parbeen: By at large, I meant not in Bangladesh. Thanks.

Dhaka summons Pakistani envoy December 17

Yasmin Ahmed What audacity! They will never learn. Should be ashamed of their acts. Should apologise.

Mohsin Just like kids, who ask for things they won’t get.

Zafar Mahmood On a humanitarian basis, everyone has the right to condemn an execution which was carried out without due process by a shady tribunal whose veracity was doubted by international organisations.

LETTER OF THE WEEK

Can our politicians learn from Mandela?

December 14 I must congratulate a local English daily for having published a section titled “Wise Words From Mandela.” This must be read by all leaders, of all educational institutions and all political parties in Bangladesh. Hopefully they will understand and appreciate Mandela’s noble ideas and follow his sage advice.

Let the PM, for the sake of national interest, set a noble example by introducing the caretaker government, headed by a recognised and respected judicial mind like Dr Kamal Hossain, or even the last Chief Justice. Let there be five advisers nominated by AL, and from BNP, and two from Jatiyo Party to form the ad-interim government till the election.

Let us, for God’s sake, shun violence and have peace.

Frustrated Bangali

Be Heard

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

CALVIN AND HOBBES

PEANUTS

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the Editor

LETTER OF THE DAY

The power of ideas

ike other important parts of the economy, the real estate sector has been hurt hard by the political crisis. Sales of land and property have declined and the Real Estate and Housing Association has postponed its regular Rehab Winter Fair exhibition this month.

Political instability is clearly holding up construction projects and deterring new buyers from moving forward on purchases.

However, the government also needs to address longer term structural issues that impede the growth of the real estate sector.

Better collaboration The slow rate of increasing the between private provision of gas and electricity developers and the connections is a major obstacle. regulatory body The government has promised is necessary to action on this but industry improve use of land members report that utilities and overcome some are still not being delivered adequately. of the longer term A shortage of funding by banks impediments is also a factor, as the crisis and high interest rates have increased the level of defaults and slowed availability of new funds.

Planning perhaps remains the key long-term issue which needs to be addressed. Approvals of routine developments can face many bureaucratic impediments and delays.

Rajuk and other authorities concerned need to take heed of calls by the industry and the Housing and Public Works minister to improve co-ordination of approvals for new construction. It is encouraging to see that the National Housing Authority has met with Rehab to work together for development of the government’s housing sector.

Better collaboration between private developers and the regulatory body is necessary to improve use of land, and overcome some of the longer term impediments holding back the property sector.

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Saturday, December 21, 2013

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTIONS Crossword

Sudoku

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Op-Ed

11

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Drawing lines in water n By Barrister Harun ur Rashid

B

angladesh and India on December 18 completed their arguments at the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague on the dispute of the maritime boundary between the two countries.

It is reported that Judge Rüdiger Wolfrum of Germany presided over the tribunal, while judges Jean-Pierre Cot from France, Bangladesh nominee Thomas A Mensah from Ghana, and Indian nominee Pemmaraju Sreenivasa were its members.

When we think of resources, we imagine only the resources of the land, ignoring marine resources of the country.

Bangladesh is not only a riverine country, but also a maritime nation

An act of ultimate denial

W n Israfil Khosru

ith the election declared to be on January 5, 2014, it seems that the government and the Election Commission, much to the relief of the general public, have managed to slash their cost of conducting the national election in half, thus saving a substantial portion of taxpayer money at the expense of their right to vote.

More than 50% of the seats have been declared uncontested, and we, the electorate, are delighted to have our representatives elected without having to go to the voting centres at all. Such is the joy of democracy.

For those of you who are thinking that this sounds more like a fervent tirade of a frustrated citizen, I would like to say that you are spot on. A little bit of sarcasm never harmed anyone.

So, as the nation waits for the remaining, albeit fortunate, voters to cast their votes in January, there is no doubt about the fact that we are surely plunging into a deeper crisis. A country which is dubbed to be a beneficiary of electoral democracy where citizens only matter when they cast their votes, we seem to be heading towards a hybrid system of autocratic democracy where a democratic outfit will rule us with absolute power indefinitely and take our mandate for granted, thus deeming the electoral

system to be null and void. While our political government might think that it is eventually possible to give shape to such a system, I would humbly like to say that they are grossly mistaken.

The exclusion of the general populace from the political process is a common phenomenon during an ongoing term of a government in this country. The formulation and execution of the 15th Amendment by the current government is a prime example in this regard.

BNP. It is imperative to note that the electorate remained quiet through these two phases, where their voices were ruthlessly overlooked.

Now we come to the crucial third phase, where the ultimate act of denial awaits the people of this country. The act of denying their right to vote, or rather the denial of their right to make their votes count to reflect the change they want to see.

This, I must say, is chartering into a dangerous territory.

We seem to be heading towards a hybrid system of autocratic democracy where a democratic outfit will rule us with absolute power indefinitely and take our mandate for granted

The current government visibly proceeded with this almost unilaterally by virtue of the judiciary where they utterly disregarded the option of a referendum or another mode of accommodating public opinion.

In the second phase of their strategy, they concocted the system of an all-party government, which does not necessarily reflect the will of the people and looks to be rather ambiguous in its nature.

The current breakdown of candidates in all the 300 seats reveals that it is going to be a staged election of a single coalition in the absence of the

The current government can delve into relatively recent history to reconsider their strategy in this regard. On February 15, 1996, the then BNP government conducted an election without the participation of the now ruling Awami League, which eventually resulted in two prominent developments.

Firstly, it led to the constitutional inclusion of the caretaker government.

Secondly, the election held under that newly constituted caretaker outfit saw the AL come out victorious, and form a government.

However, it should be pointed out that there was scope of constitutional

reprieve then because a consensus was reached regarding the nature of the election period government, through which the BNP eventually handed over power.

The current AL government does not have that luxury today, because they have effectively done away with the very system which can ensure a smooth handover of power and enable a constitutional justification.

This has no doubt compounded the situation further, and put forward a new set of challenges which almost looks insurmountable for the current government. That February 15 election clearly reveals that the people of this country do not take a one-sided election too lightly.

The ball now lies in the government’s court. In the context of current political consciousness in Bangladesh, the days of holding on to power by ignoring the electorate are long gone. While we have a long way to go in terms of adhering to democratic principles that are participatory, we have, on the other hand, perfected the system of electoral democracy.

This essentially ensures the continuation of the democratic system, however imperfect, in this great country of ours. It is up to the government to take this into consideration and act accordingly, or pay a very high price. l Israfil Khosru is a businessman, and runs a youth-led think tank called The Bangladeshi.

The farce and its solution n Esam Sohail

I

n the good old days of the Soviet empire, client states like Poland and East Germany had their own public relations version of representative democracy, where elections were regularly held and pliant rumps of non-Communist parties were not only allowed to participate but often forced to do so for the sake of appearances.

In fact, there was an unwritten understanding that such “opposition” parties were to be given a percentage of seats in the largely impotent parliaments; this unwritten understanding was executed flawlessly through the Communist regimes’ total monopoly over the process of nomination, vote counting, and certification of the results by virtue of their exclusive control of the electoral commissions and civil administrations. To easily-duped journalists and starry-eyed idealists of the Stalinist model, this kind of “democracy” provided some justification that the ruling Communists were, in reality, democrats of the first rate.

Sounds familiar? Sadly, as Eastern Europe has moved from stage-managed farces of elections, Bangladesh seems to be moving precisely in the opposite direction. The prime minister’s ruse of using her Oxford-educated, Harvard professor-turned-adviser to lend a sheen of respectability to this farcical exercise is unlikely to fool anyone in either Boston or Barisal.

Even her most ardent ideological apologist in the country’s largest non-vernacular daily has bluntly said that an election where more than half

the candidates get elected unopposed is not really an election. The question is not if we will be shaken back into a reality that a power-drunk government refuses to see, but only how, when, and at what astronomical, social, and economic cost. The political cost, of course, keeps mounting every day.

Methodically, this government has destroyed the independence of the nation’s precious few respectable independent institutions that were painstakingly built up over the last twenty years in the public and private sectors: the Anti-Corruption Commission, the Election Commission, the National Human Rights Commission, Grameen Bank, Bangladesh Telecom Regulatory Commission, and, last but not least, the national parliament itself.

The leading lights of Bangladeshi politics believe that the government of the day owns the country and the PM of the day owns the government Every public agency, commission, and constitutional body is no more than a mere appendage of the prime minister’s office now, notwithstanding the vocal denials of the cerebral information minister of the comically named “all-party government.” The tragedy is that this state of affairs was unlikely to be much different if the prime minister’s main adversary was in power instead.

Thus, when we are shaken back

to reality, the temptation of finding a quick solution to regime overreach and fair elections should be checked in favour of longer lasting structural reforms that ensure an avoidance of election year mayhem routinely every five years. The cause of this mayhem is simple: the leading lights of Bangladeshi politics truly believe that the government of the day owns the country and the prime minister of the day owns the government, and therefore, any challenge towards the ambition of life-long rule is treason.

The solution, which has been fought tooth and nail by politicians of every stripe whenever it was tried in the past, is to put in structural roadblocks in the organic law of the land so that the integrity of democratic governance is not left to the mercy of men and women who have shown marked inability to resist the temptation of arrogating to themselves absolutism over their fellow citizens. That is exactly the approach that neighbouring countries like India and Pakistan have both adopted.

The key to a permanent solution is one that has already been tried successfully in both India and Pakistan: a truly independent and muscular election commission whose composition and plenary powers are spelled out in the Constitution, making it difficult for the government of the day to tamper with the commission’s neutrality.

Rather than make it simply another pathetic appendage of the state bureaucracy as it is today, constitutional amendments should ensure that the commission has its membership chosen by the president only on the

unanimous advice of an all-party parliamentary committee empanelled specifically for that purpose.

Such constitutional reforms also need to establish that the commission’s power during the period between the end of one parliament and the inauguration of the next is paramount in matters of deploying the civil bureaucracy, police forces, and election machinery, subject only to judicial review at the Supreme Court.

The original Constitution left out these details, perhaps under the illusion that Bangladeshi politicians had the democratic maturity and innate decency that their British counterparts did. After all, the model for its author, Dr Kamal Hossain, was the Westminster system.

Four decades later, we should be thoroughly cured of the nonsensical notion that our professional politicians are selfless, tolerant, decent democrats when in the saddle of power.

As any neutral observer looking at Bangladesh can see today, it far less resembles any normal democracy, and far more an autocracy that was once elected, and is gutting every institution and process that will cause it to submit to any real election ever again.

If the prime minister’s adviser doesn’t know the difference between those two resemblances, one has to shed tears at the precipitous decline of the quality of scholarship at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. l Esam Sohail is an educational research analyst and college lecturer of social sciences. He writes from Kansas, USA.

Lawyers RKP Shankardass, Alain Pellet, Michael Reisman, and Sir Michael Wood argued on behalf of India, while Lawrence Martin, Philippe Sands, Payam Akhavan, Paul Reichler, Alan Boyle, and James Crawford spoke for Bangladesh.

On the opening day, Bangladesh Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and Indian Attorney General Goolam E Vahanvati made opening statements on behalf of their respective countries.

Former Foreign Minister Dipu Moni also made introductory remarks as the agent of Bangladesh.

At the Tribunal, Bangladesh lodged its statement of claim by May 2011, while India submitted its counter-memorial by July 2012. (Originally, India was to submit it in May but took two month’s time to examine the ITLOS verdict of March 2012 between Bangladesh and Myanmar.) The rejoinder by Bangladesh was submitted on January 31 and India’s reply was submitted by July 31 this year.

Note that bilateral talks with India started in 1974, and the negotiations continued for almost four decades.

However, delimitation of the sea boundary could not be resolved through these bilateral negotiations because the two nations differed on what methods should be applied to delimit the boundary.

One may recall that in 1974, Bangladesh was the first South Asian country to enact a maritime law – the Territorial and Maritime Zones Act – to claim maritime areas in the Bay of Bengal. Under its law, as well as in the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNLOS), Bangladesh has claimed the territorial sea of 12 nautical miles, 188 nautical miles of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and another 260 nautical miles of seabed known as the outer continental shelf.

(One nautical mile = 2000 yards while one land mile = 1760 yards.)

Bangladesh is a coastal state with a highly indented coastline of islands and islets. The configuration of the coastal line is concave, similar to the shape of a semi-circular arch. It also faces the concave nature of the Bay of Bengal. Therefore, one can easily say that Bangladesh faces double concavity in the configuration of its coast.

In the negotiations, while Bangladesh insisted on applying the equitable method, India was firm about the equidistance method in drawing the boundary. The equidistant line is mostly applicable to opposite states (India-Sri Lanka). Furthermore, it can be argued that the equidistant method cannot be applied in the case of Bangladesh and India because it distorts the boundary due to the double

concavity of the Bangladeshi coast.

Distorting means the claimed sea areas of Bangladesh under UNCLOS are cut-off by the boundary line of its neighbours from the west and east, denying Bangladesh a 12-mile territorial sea, 200-mile exclusive economic zone, and outer continental shelf beyond the 200 miles of the seabed.

In short, Bangladesh becomes a “sealocked state.”

India ratified the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982 (UNLOS) in 1995, while Bangladesh ratified it in 2001 and are bound by rules of dispute settlement as envisaged by UNCLOS. Since the sea boundary could not be resolved bilaterally, the Bangladesh government, on October 8, 2009, initiated arbitration proceedings against India before the Court of Arbitration in The Hague.

UNCLOS provides general guidelines of delimitation of territorial sea under Articles 15, delimitation of EEZ under Article 74, and delimitation of continental shelf under Article 83. The interpretation and application of maritime law of delimitation have been expounded by the International Court of Justice and Tribunals.

On the maritime dispute on the North Sea among Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands, in 1969 the ICJ in its landmark judgment rejected the equidistance method and declared that: “Delimitation is to be effected by agreement, taking into account all the relevant circumstances … including general configuration of the coast of the parties, physical and geological nature.”

The most significant precedent in the case of the Bangladesh-India maritime dispute is arguably the judgment delivered by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) on March 14, 2012 in the Bangladesh-Myanmar Maritime Delimitation Case.

The ITLOS judgment accepted the Meghna estuary as part of relevant coastline, upheld that Bangladesh cannot be a “sea-locked” state by cutting off its boundary, recognised Bangladesh’s 12-mile territorial sea, 200-mile exclusive economic zone, and the rights of Bangladesh to the outer continental shelf (the exact area is to be decided by the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf under Article 76).

The most significant precedent in the case of the BangladeshIndia maritime dispute is arguably the judgment delivered by the ITLOS in the Bangladesh-Myanmar Maritime Delimitation Case

Taking into account the judgment of the ITLOS in March 2012, Bangladesh hopes that the Court of Arbitration will deliver its judgment in its favour.

In the meantime, let us wait for the verdict.

Finally, in our conventional way of thinking, when we think of resources, we imagine only the resources of the land, ignoring marine resources of the country. Bangladesh is not only a riverine country, but also a maritime nation that opens to the south toward the Indian Ocean through the Bay of Bengal. It was the ocean route that, in the past, led many foreigners to come to Bengal (now a greater part of Bangladesh), and Chittagong port was the conduit for interaction between Bengalis and foreigners, including European colonisers. l Barrister Harun ur Rashid is former Bangladesh Ambassador to the UN, Geneva.

Let’s hope the bilateral talks lead to a favourable outcome

AFP

12

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Entertainment

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Street theatre satirises political unrest

CHHAYANAUT’S CLASSICAL MUSIC FESTIVAL

n Afrose Jahan Chaity Celebrating ten years of Chhobir Haat, theatre troupe Pothonatoker Dol staged a street theatre production Open The Bioscope at the Chhobir Haat on December 20.

An audience of hundreds enjoyed the production written and directed respectively by the Pothonatoker Dol. They expressed realism with nostalgic expressions, as the eight minute production featured a childhood game with the popular poem Open the Bioscope and a parody of the poem.

The spectators were pleasantly surprised by the way in which all the crisis was presented and

addressed with humour. The play addressed the trial of the war criminals, one-eleven, nine-eleven, political leaders and their activities, safety crisis, Islamic views on women, political power struggle and other contemporary social issues.

The emotional and realistic dialogue uttered in a satirical manner managed to reach the audience and keep them enthralled throughout the entire performance. By playing a game on stage, they were clear to the audience about how mass people become pawns in political power struggles.

Raka Tabassum, Samir Ahsan, Mamur Akter, Asaduzaman Nur, Amio Sankar, Rakib Ahmen, Anas, Omar Faruq and Salauddin Adhar acted in the drama. l

The two-day classical music festival of Chhayanaut concluded today with festivity. The audience present were impressed by the dexterity and dedication of all the performers. The festival saw participation of noted local and two Indian vocal artistes – Saurav Kumar Nahar and Tushar Dutta who performed on the first session and third session respectively. The concluding session observed Khairul Anam Shakil, Fakir Shahidul Islam, Anil Kumar Saha, Rezwan Ali, Asit Dey and Priyanka Gope singing while Ebadul Haque Saikat, Md Maniruzzaman and Swarup Hossain played violin, the flute and tablas. Additionally, Chhayanaut artistes presented group performances in every session SADIA MARIUM SADIA MARIUM

My husband My hero airs today

TODAY IN DHAKA Exhibition

n Entertainment Desk

City of Rhythm Second phase of Kazi Salahuddin Ahmed Time: 12-8pm Shilpangan, House 7, Road 13 (New) Dhanmondi

Telefilm My husband My Hero will be aired today at 2:30pm on Channel 9.

Written by Shourab and directed by Nuzhat Alvi Ahmed, the telefilm features Shojol, Tarin, Jitu Hasan and others.

The story revolves around a girl named Nazneen, who is from a simple middle class family. She grew up in a household where they had to borrow money at the end of the month to get by properly.

Nazneen had an unrealistic fantasy, she dreams of marrying actor Shojol one day. It was her belief that all her unhappiness will evaporate, once she marries her dream guy. All around her, Nazneen saw that almost everyone admired Shojol.

However, her dreams never sees the light of the day. Nazneen gets married to Shah Alam, who belongs to her niche in society. She then starts to question whether her husband can meet her ecpectations and be her hero. l

To live is to be slowly born

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

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Poush Mela 1420 Time: 7am to 8pm Ramna Botomul, Ramna

Theatre

Sitar Aagniporikhha

By Shadhona Time: 6pm to 8pm Natmondol, Dhaka University

Amar Ami, the celebrity talk show will be aired tonight at 9:05pm on Banglavision. Produced by Sazzad Hossain and anchored by Rumana Malik, today’s guests will be singer Rahul Anondo of Joler Gaan and Tanzir Tuhin of Shironamhin

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Priyanka Chopra bags Rs6m for 7 minutes n Entertainment Desk Priyanka Chopra who has been riding high with the success of her films and singing career is reportedly getting paid Rs6m for a dance performance at a New Year’s Eve bash in Chennai.

According to a report in Mid-Day, Priyanka Chopra will be paid a whopping Rs6m for a seven minute dance performance at a New Years party in Chennai.

The organisers were in two minds before giving their nod to Pee Cee’s exorbitant fee as the actress wasn’t going to sing but only dance at the do.

However, the organizers eventually gave in owing to Pee Cee’s popularity amongst the crowd which will ensure they too make all the money they can because of increase in footfalls.l

The Voice

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Bradley Cooper wanted to kill himself n Entertainment Desk

Big B honoured with Star of the Millennium award n Entertainment Desk

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan was honoured with the Star of the Millennium award at the Big Star Entertainment Awards 2013. He says he was “embarrassed” when the audience stood for him as he received the award.

The 71-year-old received the award for his movie Satyagraha at the event held at the Andheri Sports Complex on Wednesday.

“The audience stands for me...So embarrassing to be in front of them. I quickly gesticulate to them to be seated...some did, others did not...still embarrassing,” Amitabh posted on his blog srbachchan. tumblr.com on Wednesday.

The gala also saw some sizzling performances by actors Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Sunny Leone, Elli Aavram, Nakuul Mehta and Mukti Mohan.

The fourth edition of Big Star Entertainment Awards was co-hosted by funnyman Sunil Grover and actor Shreyas Talpade. The duo had the audience in splits with their entertaining on-stage camaraderie.

Other celebrities in attendance included Shah Rukh Khan, Shilpa Shetty, Deepika Padukone, Aditya Roy Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Siddharth Roy Kapur, Rakesh Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Ayan Mukerji, Rohit Shetty and Tigmanshu Dhulia.

The Big Star Entertainment Awards 2013 will air December 31 on Star Plus. l

Bradley Cooper has revealed that before making it to Hollywood, he was going through such a low phase in life that he wanted to kill himself.

According to the latest issue of GQ, the 38-year-old American actor opened up about just how bad his life was and admitted that he had hit an all-time low when his role in the TV show Alias was reduced in 2002, and he wanted to kill himself, News. com.au reported.

American Hustle star added that he almost quit acting when he struggled to find other gigs.

He also revealed

that he was battling drug and alcohol addictions in the early 2000s which hindered his work.

American Hustle is the story of a con man, Irving Rosenfeld, along with his seductive British partner, Sydney Prosser, is forced to work for a wild FBI agent, Richie DiMaso.

DiMaso pushes them into a world of Jersey power brokers and the mafia. l

Did you know?

Despite missing nine premier league games through suspension, Luis Suarez has had 25 more shots on target than any other PL player in 2013

Sport

Saturday, December 21, 2013

DHAKA TRIBUNE

14 Suarez pens new long-term deal with Liverpool

15 Pujara, Kohli put India in command

0 8 5 DAYS TO GO

BCB unconcerned about possible Pakistan pull-out n Minhaz Uddin Khan The Bangladesh Cricket Board is not worried about the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) hint that they might pull out of the ICC World Twenty20 2014 and the Asia Cup next year.

A PCB source yesterday told the Press Trust of India (PTI) of the board’s concern about the political unrest in Bangladesh and growing anti-Pakistan sentiments in the country might force them to pull their team out of the ICC Twenty20 and the Asia Cup next year.

“We are monitoring the situation but we are waiting to see what the International Cricket Council (ICC) decides in January, whether to hold the World T20 in Bangladesh in MarchApril or shift it somewhere else,” the PCB source said to PTI yesterday.

However the BCB is not at all troubled with the statement.

“First of all this is not official and secondly the source was not revealed.

Why should we worry about such news which has no authentication?” Jalal Younus, BCB chairman of media and

communication, said to the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.

Jalal further said that the events in question were not arranged by the BCB and that the PCB would have to deal with the ICC and ACC if they were to pull out.

“They will have to deal it with ICC and ACC. As said before, the situation will never be the same for long. Both ICC and ACC are monitoring the situation here and we have nothing to worry about until they (ICC and ACC) say anything to us on the issue,” he explained.

Earlier this month, Bangladesh cricket was left stunned after the West Indies Cricket Board withdrew their U-19 side from a seven-match youth ODI series against Bangladesh U-19 after a crude bomb exploded a short distance from the team hotel in Chittagong. The incident caused many around the world to raise eyebrows about the security situation in Bangladesh but the BCB said it was an isolated incident and cricketers were not a target. l

Iran clinch contact karate title n Raihan Mahmod

Winners of Open Contact Karate organised by Kyokushin Bangladesh pose with their trophies at the wooden floor gymnasium Paltan Ground yesterday COURTESY

Victory Day Twenty20 tournament starts Dec 22 n Minhaz Uddin Khan

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is set to hold the Victory Day Twenty20 tournament in Sylhet from December 22 announced board president Nazmul Hasan at a press conference at the Shere-Bangla National Stadium yesterday.

The four teams - which was earlier named Red, Green, Yellow and Blue have been sold to four different parties.

A lottery was held to determine the owners of the team in which Mohammedan Sporting Club roped Mashrafe bin Mortaza’s side. Abahani Limited got Mushfiqur Rahim’s team and Prime Bank CC bagged the team led by Shakib al Hasan.

In the absence of a fourth interested party, the BCB itself took up the role and got Tamim Iqbal’s team. Soon after however, the BCB received confirmation of United Commercial Bank’s interest in

BCB president Nazmul Hasan briefs the media about the V-day T20 at the SBNCS yesterday

Fahad wins in UAE n Raihan Mahmood Bangladesh’s youngest Fide Master Mohammad Fahad Rahman beat Ter -Saakian Grigorii of Russia in the second round of the Open Under-10 Group of the World Youth Chess Championships at Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates on Thursday.

Fahad with two wins in two games, Fahad has collected the maximum available 2 points at the end of the second round, along with 38 other players. He received a walkover in the first round when his opponent, Tamir Mohammad of Egypt, failed to show up.

The 3rd round was scheduled to start on Friday evening and Fahad was pitted against CM Aronyak Ghosh of India. A total of 207 players – including 10 Fide masters - from 74 countries are participating in the Open Under-10 age group.

Computer accessories sellers Computer Source has sponsored Fahad and his father Md. Nazrul Islam for the tour. l

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taking over the fourth team.

The 10 day tournament will be sponsored by Amber, a glass manufacturing company, and run in a double league format with each side playing two games against the other three teams. The first eight games will be played at the Sylhet Divisional Stadium. The last four league stage games along and the final will be played at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

MUMIT M

Each of the four teams has three Grade A players, while the remaining squad members are of Grade B. Grade A players will receive a tournament fee of Tk250,000 while the fees for Grade B has been fixed at Tk150,000.

“We have World Cup Twenty20 ahead, for which the cricketers need to practice. We needed an alternative tournament since we are not able to hold BPL (Bangladesh Premier League). This is why we took the challenge and arranged the tournament on short notice and we have achieved it,” said Nazmul Hasan.

The BCB boss gave special credit to former national skippers Akram Khan and Khaled Mahmud, who are now directors of the board, for arranging the tournament.

Tickets to the matches will be sold for Tk50. A spectator will be able to watch two games for one ticket. The first game will start at 1pm and the second at 5pm on match days.

“This tournament might not be as big as BPL and not have international cricketers but we have stars like Shakib, Tamim and Mushfiq playing in the tournament. The tournament will be a competitive one and I believe it will create hype across the country and this is why we have decided to sell tickets,” informed Nazmul.

The BCB boss added that the board is in talks with a private satellite channel in order to at least televise the matches at Mirpur live. l

Iran emerged as the champions of 3rd Open Full Contact Karate organised

by Kyokushin Karate Bangladesh at the wooden floor gymnasium of Paltan Ground yesterday. Bangladesh clinched the runners-up trophy in the U-18 section of the meet.

Meanwhile, Iffat Hasan Maria won the gold medal in the Individual Kata for the women’s senior section in the Victory Day Karate Championship at the National Sports Council gymnasium yesterday. Shakia Shamma captured the silver and Momena Khatun grabbed bronze in the event.

In the Boy’s 10-12 year section, Naimul Islam won the gold while Jewel Rana and Afnan Hossain earned the silver and the bronze respectively.

In the men’s junior section, the gold in the individual Kata was snatched by Nazim Rahman, Arman Hossain earned the silver and Nurul Toufique captured the bronze. In the event of team Kata, Sensi Newton won the gold, while the silver and the bronze were won by Hope World Wide Bangladesh.

Md. Mujibul Haque, the minister of railways inaugurated, the two day meet as the chief guest. Shivnath Roy, the secretary of NSC and Md. Mokhlesur Rahman, the president of karate federation were also present on the occasion.l

Afusi predicts competitive BPL n Raihan Mahmood The Nigerian coach of Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club Josef Afusi feels winning the title of the Bangladesh Premier League will be a difficult task as all the BPL clubs showed good composure in the recently concluded Federation Cup. Though the country is caught in political turmoil, Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) is hoping to kickoff the sole professional league of the country from December 27. BFF is still trying to confirm its sponsor but political unrest has made the matter difficult. However, all 11 clubs have started their preparations for the tournament.

Sheikh Jamal, who won the curtain raising Federation Cup which also was Afusi’s first title, started their full scale practice sessions a few days ago.

“The three phase league will be a hard task to cope with. I have observed that all the BPL clubs, though they couldn’t practice too much, played a good brand of football in the Federation Cup. It will be a road of lots of ups and downs and I think three or four teams will be the title contenders,” said Afusi.

Dhaka Abahani will welcome their successful Iranian coach Ali Akbar Parmoslemi tomorrow. The Iranian, who guided the sky-blue outfit to the BPL title in 2011, agreed to return after Australian coach Nathan Hall was sacked by the club. Hall was at the helm of Abahani for three weeks

before the club took the decision to terminate him.

Last year’s treble winners Sheikh Russell are working hard to continue their success streak under Maruful Haque. Maruf is trying to get his foreign recruits up to par with the team’s style and approach.

Traditional crowd pullers Dhaka Mohammedan are still struggling to appoint a full-time coach after Saiful Bari Titu decided to work with the national coaches. Club director in

The three phase league will be a hard task to cope with. I have observed that all the BPL clubs, though they couldn’t practice too much, played a good brand of football in the Federation Cup charge Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan said the issue will be settled today.

Soccer Club, Feni have kept their squad at BKSP with a view to fine tuning them before the big challenge and Federation Cup runners-up Muktijoddha are also working hard to prove their prowess under seasoned coach Shafiqul Islam Manik.

Indian football legend Naeemuddin has put the focus on raising the fitness levels of his Brothers Union side over the last few days while Team BJMC, Uttar Baridhaha and Chittagong Abahani are trying to hit peak form before the final challenges. l

Kool 2nd division football starts today n Raihan Mahmood After a gap of a year and nine months, the 2nd division football league of the Bangladesh Football Federation starts at the Bir Shreshta Shahid Shiphai Mostafa Kamal Stadium Kamalapur today.

The 15 team league will be sponsored

by Square Toiletries, who have chosen their popular brand Kool to be attached with the title.

The 15 clubs will play in a single league system with four teams to be promoted to the first division while two will be relegated to the third division. The league is set to take two and a half months to complete.

Sqaure Toiletries have a long history of sponsoring sports events, but have recently not been involved with the

BFF. They have signed for a Tk1m deal for the league.

PWD will face East End Club in the opening match today. DMP commissioner Benazir Ahmed will be inaugurating the league as the chief guest. Malk Md. Saeed, the head of marketing of Square Toiletries Ltd, will be the special guest on the occasion.

At a press conference at the BFF House yesterday, Sheikh Md. Maruf Hasan the chairman of Dhaka Mahanagori Football League Committee, announced news of the league to the press. Md. Fazle Mahmud Rony - Asst.Manager, Marketing, Square Toiletries, Chowdhury Nazmus Saqib - Brand Executive, Square Toiletries , Abu Nayeem Shohag , general secretary, BFF and other league committee officials were also present on the occasion. l

Md. Fazle Mahmud Rony - Asst.Manager, Marketing, Square Toiletries and Sheikh Maruf Hasan, the chairman MFLC are all smiles das the sponsorship cheque is handed over at the BFF House yesterday MUMIT M

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DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Liverpool look to topple Gunners off top n AFP Second placed Liverpool will eye a win over minnows Cardiff at Anfield today to knock leaders Arsenal off the top while Manchester City, currently three points behind Arsenal in fourth place, travel to second bottom Fulham hoping to transfer their free-scoring home form to a vital away game.

Manuel Pellegrini’s team have hit 35 goals in eight home league games, but have won just two of their eight matches away from Manchester.

Sergio Aguero’s calf injury, which will keep the Argentine forward out for up to eight weeks, doesn’t help City’s cause, but Bosnian forward Edin Dzeko is confident he can fill the gap.

“Sergio has had an amazing season, scoring a lot of goals, and he is an important player for us,” Dzeko said.

“I am a striker that has scored goals

all my life, and I love to do it. When I get a chance I try to do my best.”

Seventh placed Tottenham visit Southampton for their first league

FIXTURES Crystal Palace Fulham Liverpool Man United Stoke Sunderland West Brom

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Newcastle Man City Cardiff West Ham Aston Villa Norwich Hull

match since Andre Villas-Boas’s sacking on Monday. Tim Sherwood took charge on a caretaker basis for the midweek League Cup loss to West Ham and his first move was to bring back Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor, who had been dropped by Villas-Boas.

Adebayor responded with a brilliant strike against the Hammers and he said: “I was hanging in there waiting

for my chance. Tim gave me the chance to play football again.

“I’ve still got my smile on my face.

I got a chance, I took it well. We just have to keep working hard, put more heart into it and it will be better.”

Meanwhile, Manchester United, languishing 10 points behind the leaders, host West Ham looking to build on their back to back away wins at Aston Villa last weekend and then Stoke in the League Cup on Wednesday.

Manager David Moyes is hopeful Wayne Rooney will have recovered from a groin injury in time for the tie.

Rooney, 28, missed United’s 2-0 win at Stoke, but Moyes is desperate for the England forward to be fit to face the Hammers as he tries restore the champions to the Premier League title race.

With Robin van Persie out for a month with a thigh problem, Moyes needs Rooney, who has scored 10 goals so far this season for his club, to climb off the treatment table. l

Suarez pens new long-term deal with Liverpool n AFP, London

A picture released by Liverpool yesterday shows striker Luis Suarez signing a new longterm deal with the club

Luis Suarez has committed his future to Liverpool by signing a new long-term contract, the club confirmed yesterday.

It was not immediately clear how long the deal was for, but Suarez told the club website: “I am delighted to have agreed a new deal with Liverpool and have my future secured for the long term.”

Suarez, 26, has been in impressive form after a turbulent summer in which he suggested the club had reneged on an agreement to sell him if they failed to qualify for the Champions League.

It had been expected that talks would continue throughout the season and that the Uruguayan would want to wait and see whether the Reds secured a Champions League place for next season, but the club confirmed he had signed a new deal.

Suarez told the official website www. liverpoolfc.tv: “Without doubt the backing I have received from the Liverpool fans has influenced my decision. I am so proud to represent them. l

Barca brace for tough test n AFP, Madrid Barcelona will have to do without both Neymar and Lionel Messi as they try to ensure they finish 2013 at the top of La Liga when they visit Getafe

Barcelona forward Pedro Rodriguez (front) dives with sharks to celebrate Christmas time at the Aquarium of Barcelona on Thursday. Banner reads "A sea of hope for a better future."

AFP

Rivals out to attack absent Bayern’s lead n AFP, Berlin With runaway leaders Bayern Munich involved in today’s Club World Cup final, their Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen will be aiming to trim the Bavarians’ lead.

Second-placed Bayer Leverkusen face Werder Bremen away on Saturday with the hosts winless in their last five games.

Leverkusen can set a new club record of 40 points for the first half of the season with a win at Bremen on what will be the final Bundesliga weekend of 2013.

Third-placed Borussia Dortmund, who are 12 points behind Bayern and five adrift of Leverkusen, host Hertha Berlin looking for only their second league win in five games.

Four points from those five matches has been a poor return and coach Jurgen Klopp is hoping to get some of his stars

off the injured list to try to turn things around.

Nuremberg host Schalke 04 on Saturday evening still looking for their first win of the season – the only team in Europe’s

FIXTURES Dortmund Werder Bremen Freiburg Hamburg Braunschweig Nuremberg

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Hertha Berlin Leverkusen Hanover 96 Mainz 05 Hoffenheim Schalke 04

major leagues without a victory so far.

Should Dortmund falter against Berlin, fourth-placed Borussia Moenchengladbach can usurp them from third when they host VfL Wolfsburg on Sunday.

Gladbach are unbeaten in their last seven games and enjoyed a sixmatch winning streak before being held to a goalless draw at Mainz last Saturday. l

tomorrow.

Neymar had just hit top form in front of goal for the first time since his summer arrival from Santos with six goals in Barca’s previous three games.

However, the Brazilian has already travelled back to his homeland for an early Christmas break after picking up a suspension with his fifth yellow card of the season in last weekend’s 2-1 win over Villarreal.

With Messi also still recovering from his hamstring tear, the focus will be on Cesc Fabregas, Pedro Rodriguez and Alexis Sanchez to score the goals needed to keep Barca on top.

Moroccan minnows out for CWC glory n AFP, Marrakech Moroccan minnows Raja Casablanca are hoping to cap their dream run to Saturday’s Club World Cup (CWC) final by toppling European champions Bayern Munich.

The Moroccan champions, who only qualified by being hosts have won all three matches on their run to the final, beating Auckland City 2-1 in a play-off, then Mexico’s CF Monterrey by the same margin in the quarterfinals.

They saved the biggest surprise for Ronaldinho’s Mineiro when they floored the Brazilians to become only the second African side to reach the Club World Cup final.

Their run comes after a remarkable few weeks for the Moroccans, who saw coach Mohamed Fakhir depart days before the tournament started after a run of defeats. l

Barca did receive a boost on Thursday with the news that Andres Iniesta is to sign a new deal that will keep him at the club until 2018.

And with Fabregas set to play in the false nine role, Iniesta should be restored to the starting line-up in midfield alongside Xavi Hernandez and Sergio Busquets. Getafe will also face Barca in

FIXTURES Villarreal Real Betis Atletico Madrid Granada

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Sevilla Almeria Levante Real Sociedad

the next round of the Copa del Rey as both sides eased through their fourthround ties in midweek. Atletico trail Barca only on goals scored and will move top as long as they better Martino’s men’s result at Getafe.

Diego Costa will return for Diego Sime-

one’s side after being rested in the Copa del Rey in midweek, and he too is looking to finish the year on top La Liga’s scoring charts after moving level with Cristiano Ronaldo on 17 with a double in last weekend’s 3-0 win over Valencia. Real Madrid also face a tricky encounter to close the year as they travel to Valencia.

Madrid’s defensive crisis has been eased by Sergio Ramos’ successful appeal against his 18th red card for the club in last weekend’s 2-2 draw away to Osasuna.

However, Pepe does remain suspended as he picked up his fifth yellow of the campaign, whilst Raphael Varane’s on-going knee problems mean Nacho will start alongside Ramos at the heart of the defence. Gareth Bale is also expected to be fit to play despite missing Wednesday’s 2-0 win over Olimpic Xativa in the Copa del Rey due to a calf injury and Ronaldo returns after being suspended in midweek.l

PSG host Lille in crunch tie n AFP, Paris Two points clear going into the final round of games of 2013, Paris Saint-Germain can clinch the symbolic title of autumn champions when they entertain challengers Lille tomorrow.

PSG come into the weekend two points clear of Monaco at the top of Ligue 1, with Lille a further two points adrift in third, so a win for Laurent Blanc’s side would open a significant gap to their opponents.

Champions in 2011, Lille have surprisingly emerged as a threat to the current title holders thanks largely to a miserly defence which has conceded just six goals in 18 matches.

While the two sides either side of them prepare to play each other, Monaco could go provisionally top with a win at home to struggling Valenciennes at the Stade Louis II on Friday.

Claudio Ranieri’s squad is boosted by the return of nine-goal top scorer

Radamel Falcao, who has not played in almost a month due to what his club have described as a minor hamstring injury.

However, Monaco have won all four games in the Colombian’s absence and he may have to settle for a place on the bench at kick-off against opponents who lie in the relegation zone, five points from safety.

Marseille will have the chance to leapfrog fourth-placed Bordeaux in the table when they entertain Les Girondins at the Stade Velodrome on Sunday.

There has been a slight improvement in OM’s performances since coach Elie Baup was sacked and replaced on an interim basis by sporting director Jose Anigo a fortnight ago, and the latter has now announced that he is likely to remain in the dugout until the end of the season.

Also on Sunday, Lorient, who have won their last five matches, entertain Lyon in Brittany, with OL on a run of one defeat in 11 in all competitions. The pick of the Saturday games sees SaintEtienne host Nantes. l

Messi fends off money-laundering claims n AFP, Barcelona Barcelona star Lionel Messi defended himself, his family and fellow players yesterday against press reports linking charity football matches he played in to alleged laundering of Colombian drug money.

In his first personal reaction to the allegations that emerged on Monday, the striker insisted the benefit matches were “100 percent charitable”.

“I deeply regret what is being said not only about me but about people I love such as my dad and players who are my friends,” the Argentine international told Spanish radio station Rac1.

Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported on Monday that the player’s father Jorge Messi is suspected of being involved in an operation to launder Colombian drug money through charity football matches featuring Messi and some of his Barcelona teammates.

“What we do in those matches is 100 percent charitable,” Lionel Messi said in the radio interview.

Spain’s police and the Interior Ministry say a Colombian promoter is suspected of laundering drug money through concerts and sporting events in Spain, South America and the United States.

But they say there is no evidence of wrongdoing by Messi, his family or other players who featured in matches organised by the Colombian promoter at the centre of the affair.

Barcelona’s president Sandro Rosell on Thursday branded the reports an “attack” on Messi’s family. l

'BRAZIL HAS ALWAYS INSPIRED ME' Brazil have figured prominently on Zinedine Zidane’s path to greatness. His brace against A Seleçao in the 1998 Fifa World Cup Final and his performance in the quarterfinals classic versus the same opposition in 2006 helped secure him a special place in the footballing pantheon. Fifa.com recently talked to the former about his World Cup memories and his unique relationship with the land of Pele.

How does it feel to see the footage from the 2006 World Cup quarterfinal against Brazil, in which you starred?

Zinedine Zidane: It’s a nice feeling. Truth be told, I don’t often watch videos of my matches, but the good memories quickly come flooding back. There was magic in the air that day out on the pitch; both my team-mates and I felt it. We really did have

a wonderful generation of players. It was a special time.

produce your best efforts. That’s the way it worked out for us.

Was that the crowning performance of your career?

You virtually humiliated Brazil over the course of those two matches, yet the Brazilian people don’t seem to hold it against you. Do you feel at home in Brazil?

So they say, but to be honest I’m not so sure. It’s right up there with my best displays. But what does “crowning” mean, anyway? I really don’t know. I think there were a few others that rivalled it, at least in my opinion.

But there is no denying Brazil were a team that inspired you. As well as that match in 2006, the final in 1998 is another obvious example. You could say Brazil were your best enemy.

It’s odd. When I talk about Brazil with some former players, they see them as a top footballing nation, but that’s about it.

But in my case, they always inspired me.

Against them I always managed to raise my game and so did my team-mates. Every time we faced A Seleçao, we felt like we were capable of anything. We were always the underdog, but that’s often when you

I think “humiliate” is going a bit far. We won and that’s all there is to it. [Smiles] But it’s true, I don’t get the sense they harbour any grudges. Every time I’ve come here, the people have given me the impression they admired what I did against them, when you might have expected them to greet me with stones! [Laughs] Incidentally, the other day I bumped into Mario Zagallo, who was the Brazil coach back in 1998, and I was very touched by something he said.

He told me that if he could have picked one non-Brazilian to play in his team, he would have chosen me. Coming from Zagallo, The Professor, that’s quite a compliment.

In a way, you could say your game was steeped in Brazilian football.

Absolutely. When I was a kid and I used to play with my friends from the neighbourhood, we would stage mock World Cups.

Who do you think everyone wanted to play as? Brazil. So it’s a country that’s always been part of my life... And then the dream came true: I played in the World Cup for real and I had the chance to face Brazil. So I said to myself: “This is it! Go out there and enjoy it. What’s the worst that can happen? Even if you lose, no one will be mad at you. Do your best and have fun. And if you can beat Brazil, it will be quite something to look back on at the end of your career.” [Smiles]

There are too many to list. But, having had the chance to rub shoulders with him, for me the best has got to be Ronaldo, whom I played with at Real Madrid.

What are your earliest memories of Brazilian football?

They qualified – that’s the good news.

France is a country that quite simply has to be at the World Cup. What happened in qualifying is in the past now: what’s important is that we’ll be there. That’s what it comes down to.

The 1982 World Cup, without a shadow of a doubt. I was ten at the time and I can still picture the likes of Socrates, Zico and Julio Cesar wearing that yellow shirt… There were so many stars in that team.

Which Brazilian player influenced you the most?

What sort of words spring to mind when you hear the name “Brazil”?

Celebration, joy, happiness, the yellow shirt! Class, pure bliss. And the people know their stuff, too. I think it’s going to be a fantastic tournament full of fantastic players.

France will be there. What did you make of their qualifying campaign?

How do you rate Les Bleus’ chances at the upcoming World Cup? They have a good chance. The players are

already gearing up for it... But, they will have to be ready when the moment of truth arrives. We can speculate about how good they are now, but it’s in six months’ time that they will need to be firing on all cylinders and prepared to do something big. They have what it takes: France have the players to make an impact.

How does it feel to win a World Cup? What does it mean on a personal level?

The World Cup is the icing on the cake.

It’s the pinnacle: something that can’t be topped. Every player dreams of playing in the tournament and very few manage it. Then when you get there, the goal becomes to go as far as possible, to reach the final, to try to win it, to score… And when you’ve done all that, you feel on top of the world! It’s every footballer’s biggest dream.

Do you see anyone as favourites?

It’d be nice if a European team won in South America, but I don’t see anyone in particular as favourites. There are no more minnows at this stage. There used to be a big gulf between the big guns and the rest, but that gap has really narrowed. l

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Sport

Pujara, Kohli put India in command

QUICK BYTES Arsenal night-out Cole’s own business: Mourinho Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is keeping his views on Ashley Cole’s decision to join Arsenal players on their Christmas night out this week to himself, but he revealed on Friday the full-back would not face the Gunners on Monday. Cole was photographed at the London venue where the Arsenal squad were celebrating with a fancy dress party. And with Cole and his team-mates due to face the Gunners at the Emirates Stadium just a few days later, the incident inevitably raised eyebows. Mourinho, though, insisted he will keep his views to himself when quizzed about the night out although he confirmed Cole had not broken any club rules. He said: “I have my opinion but I keep it for myself. It was a free day for them, so I’m not a father. I’m a manager. “I can control what they do when they are with me. I cannot control what they do when they are not with me. I don’t want to comment.

–AFP

n AFP, Johannesburg

Brazil police arrest 28 over football violence Brazilian police Thursday said they had made 28 arrests in a crackdown on football violence following a recent outbreak of hooliganism. The arrests included 20 fans involved in clashes a fortnight ago at a top flight match between Atletico Paranaense and Vasco da Gama which made headlines around the world. The giant country, which will host next year’s World Cup, is no stranger to football hooliganism after a swathe of recent violent incidents. But the nation was left reeling after four fans were injured on December 8 in the southern city of Joinville. Atletico Paranaense and Vasco da Gama were fined and told to play several matches behind closed doors as a punishment after shocking scenes which were televised nationwide and beyond.

“Operation Red Card” involved a police sweep in three states -- Rio de Janeiro, Parana and Santa Catarina, police commissioner Dirceu Silveira Junior said.

–AFP

Wilshere handed two-match ban Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere was handed a two-match suspension on Thursday after he admitted a misconduct charge over an offensive hand gesture made towards Manchester City fans. Wilshere was caught by television cameras raising his middle finger at City fans during the second half of Arsenal’s 6-3 defeat at Eastlands on Saturday.

Although the incident was missed at the time by referee Martin Atkinson and his officials, the English Football Association was able to retrospectively implement disciplinary proceedings against the player under a new pilot scheme for ‘not seen’ incidents in Premier League matches. As such, an independent three-man panel agreed if the gesture had been viewed during the game, then it would have merited a dismissal.

–AFP

Neville brothers’ father cleared of sex assault

Neville Neville, the father of former England footballers Gary and Phil Neville, was found not guilty Thursday of sexually assaulting a woman. The 64-year-old, who has worked as an agent for his sons, breathed a sigh of relief before mouthing “thank you” towards the jury at Bolton Crown Court in northwest England. Gary Neville, who gave evidence in the trial, wept as the verdict was delivered after 75 minutes of jury deliberation. The Neville brothers were part of Manchester United’s championship-winning teams under manager Alex Ferguson during the 1990s and 2000s. Neville Neville admitted he engaged in sexual activity with the middle-aged complainant in her car outside his house but insisted it was consensual. He imperilled his marriage and his children’s trust, his lawyer told the court. The woman told the jury that Neville drunkenly forced himself upon her in the early hours of March 23.

Neville Neville is a former director of fourth-tier League Two side Bury. Gary Neville, 38, is England’s most-capped right-back, making 85 appearances for the senior team.

–AFP

DAY’S WATCH Ten Sports 02:00PM South Africa v India 1st Test, Day 4 Star Sports 4 6:45PM Liverpool v Cardiff City 9:00PM Man United v West Ham

15

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Cheteshwar Pujara embraces Virat Kohli after bringing up his hundred on Day 3 of first Test against South Africa in Johannesburg yesterday AP

Tendulkar exit fails to mask problems n AFP, London Sachin Tendulkar finally retired in 2013 but the outpouring of emotion at the end of his illustrious career could not disguise cricket’s ongoing struggle to combat the menace of spot-fixing.

At the age of 40 and following his 200th Test, Tendulkar, bowed out last month with more than 34,000 international runs to his name, plus most of cricket’s major batting records.

Beyond the statistics, the fact he was so outstandingly good for so long since his debut as a teenager in 1989, and yet so level-headed, having been raised to the status of a near deity by so many of his adoring fans, were both remarkable achievements.

“Cricket will go on and records will be broken, but there will never be a player like Sachin again,” said Kapil Dev, India’s first World Cup-winning captain.

“He was truly one in a billion. We should celebrate his retirement, not regret it.”

Not long after Tendulkar retired, fellow Mumbai batsman Rohit Sharma showed there was life after the ‘Little Master’ by emulating the great man in scoring only the third one-day

international double hundred, against Australia.

The national mood was rather different when Tendulkar’s former team-mate Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, was arrested by Delhi police and, in May, taken to court on allegations he’d been bribed to concede an agreed number of runs in the country’s cash-rich Indian Premier League. Sreesanth and two other cricketers were released on bail, protesting their innocence.

Meanwhile former Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful confessed to match-fixing in his country’s Twenty20 tournament while former New Zealand batsman Lou Vincent said he was one three ex Black Caps being investigated for alleged match-fixing.

On the field, India pounded Australia 4-0 and problems intensified for Australia when opener David Warner was left out of the side for the first two Ashes Tests for punching England’s Joe Root in a Birmingham bar.

More controversy arose when Australia coach Mickey Arthur was sacked just weeks before the Ashes, where England batsman Ian Bell made up for top-order collapses by scoring centuries in England’s three victories. l

Shehzad takes Pakistan to fighting total n AFP, Dubai Opener Ahmed Shehzad hit a brilliant century to guide Pakistan to 284-4 in the second day-night international in Dubai on Friday.

The 24-year-old right-hander smashed 124 off 140 balls for his fourth one-day century as Pakistan used the favourable conditions at Dubai stadium to their advantage after being sent in to bat.

Shehzad added 76 for the second wicket with Mohammad Hafeez (32) after Pakistan lost Sharjeel Khan for just seven in the second over, leg-before to paceman Lasith Malinga.

Hafeez was run out after a laborious 52-ball knock which featured three boundaries.

Shehzad then added another 105 runs for the fourth wicket with skipper

Misbah-ul-Haq (59 not out).

He took a single off Malinga to reach his hundred, which came off 121 balls with the help of six boundaries. But he was finally trapped leg-before by Nuwan Kulasekara in the 46th over.

Misbah kept the charge going alongside Shahid Afridi (30 not out in 15 balls) as Pakistan scored 92 in the last 10 overs.

Misbah hit two fours and a six in his 34th one-day half-century while Afridi hit two sixes and a boundary.

The Sri Lankan bowlers, who conceded 322 in the first game in Sharjah, kept a tight line and length but were hurt because of injuries to skipper Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera who couldn’t complete their overs.

Pakistan lead the five-match series 1-0 on account of their 11-run win in the first game in Sharjah on Wednesday. l

Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli batted India into a position of dominance on the third day of the first Test against South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium on Friday.

Pujara hit his sixth century in only his 16th Test as India piled up 284 for two in their second innings, an overall lead of 320, against a depleted South African bowling attack.

The foundation was laid by Pujara and Murali Vijay (39) during a watchful second wicket stand of 70.

Pujara (135 not out) and first innings century-maker Kohli (77 not out) shared an unbeaten third wicket partnership of 191 on a pitch which for the most part has been difficult for batsmen.

But as the South African bowlers wilted the batsmen were able to score freely, adding 175 in 38 overs between tea and the close.

South Africa were without Morne Morkel for most of the innings after the tall fast bowler suffered a strained right ankle while fielding. The injury is likely to keep Morkel out of the second and final Test starting in Durban on Dec 26.

In Morkel’s absence, the Indian batsmen were able to blunt the threat of Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander, batting with discipline and leaving most deliveries outside the off stump.

South African captain Graeme Smith was forced to juggle an attack in which spin bowlers Imran Tahir and JP Duminy were ineffective, even turning to wicketkeeper AB de Villiers for one over before tea.

Pujara was cautious at the start of his innings, taking 127 balls to reach his fifty but he then blossomed, needing only another 41 deliveries to reach his century. By the close he had faced 221 balls and hit 18 boundaries.

Kohli, who made 119 in the first innings, was content to play a secondary role and his 77 was scored off 132 balls with eight fours. South Africa’s only successes came from Philander and Jacques Kallis, who dismissed Shikhar Dhawan and Vijay respectively. l

SCORE CARD, DAY 3 India, first innings, 280 South Africa, first innings (overnight 213-6) G. Smith lbw b Zaheer Khan 68 A. Petersen lbw b I. Sharma 21 H. Amla b I. Sharma 36 J. Kallis lbw b I. Sharma 0 A. de Villiers lbw b Mohammed Shami 13 J. Duminy c Vijay b Mohammed Shami 2 F. du Plessis c Dhoni b Zaheer Khan 20 V. Philander c Ashwin b Zaheer Khan 59 D. Steyn c R. Sharma b I. Sharma 10 M. Morkel b Zaheer Khan 7 Imran Tahir not out 0 Extras (lb4, nb3, w1) 8 Total (75.3 overs) 244 Bowling Zaheer Khan 26.3-6-88-4 (1w), Mohammed Shami 18-3-48-2, I. Sharma 25-579-4 (3nb), Ashwin 6-0-25-0 India, second innings S. Dhawan c Kallis b Philander 15 M. Vijay c De Villiers b Kallis 39 C. Pujara not out 135 V. Kohli not out 77 Extras (b5, lb5, w8) 18 Total (2 wkts, 78 overs) 284 Bowling Steyn 21-4-64-0 (2w), Philander 18-5-53-1 (1w), Morkel 2-1-4-0, Kallis 144-51-1, Imran Tahir 11-0-55-0, De Villiers 1-0-5-0 (1w), Duminy 11-0-42-0 Match situation India lead by 320 runs with eight wickets remaining in the second innings

Chanderpaul ton gives Windies edge n AFP, Hamilton Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s record 17th unbeaten Test century and a masterclass from a patched-up spin attack gave the West Indies the edge over New Zealand as they chased a serieslevelling win Friday.

Chanderpaul’s 122 not out, overtaking Sachin Tendulkar’s record and putting him sixth on the all-time scorers’ list, left the tourists at 367 all out be-

SCORE CARD, DAY 2 WEST INDIES 1ST INNINGS (overnight 289-6) Brathwaite c Williamson b Southee 45 Powell c Watling b Wagner 26 Edwards c Watling b Southee 6 Samuels c Williamson b Anderson 0 Chanderpaul not out 122 Deonarine lbw Anderson 2 Ramdin c Watling b Anderson 107 Sammy c Watling b Southee 3 Narine b Boult 2 Permaul c Fulton b Southee 20 Best c Watling b Sodhi 25 Extras (lb6, b2, w1) 9 Total: (all out wickets; 116.2 overs) 367 Bowling Boult 26-2-84-1 (w1), Southee 28-379-4, Wagner 21-4-67-1, Anderson 19-3-47-3, Williamson 5-0-17-0, Sodhi 17.2-0-65-1 New ZEALAND 1ST INNINGS

P. Fulton c Sammy b Narine H. Rutherford c & b Sammy K. Williamson lbw Narine R. Taylor not out B. McCullum not out Extras (b6, lb2 nb 2) Total: (3 wickets; 64 overs)

11 10 58 56 11 10 156

fore New Zealand finished day two of the third Test on 156-3.

Ross Taylor, seeking his third century in as many Tests, was on 56 and Brendon McCullum was on 11 after New Zealand lost openers Hamish Rutherford and Peter Fulton cheaply.

Taylor stood in a 95-run partnership with Kane Williamson (58), the second victim for Sunil Narine who was called into the side after Shane Shillingford’s ban for an illegal action.

The many variations in the twin spin assault of Narine and Veerasammy Permaul caused multiple problems for the New Zealand batsmen, who struggled to read the turning ball.

Williamson, playing on his home wicket, said the spin was not expected when New Zealand won the toss.

But the real honours for the West Indies lay with Chanderpaul, who came to the rescue and rewrote the record books into the bargain when the tourists were in trouble at 86-5 on the first day.

His 200-run partnership with Denesh Ramdin (107) and late cameo stands with Permaul (20) and Tino Best (25) gave the West Indies a respectable total to defend. When Chanderpaul reached his 29th Test hundred by smacking Tim Southee past gully to the boundary, he immediately went down on his knees to kiss the pitch.

It was a gesture to celebrate the hundred as well as the achievement of batting his team out of trouble as the West

Indies, 1-0 down in the series, fight to win the third and final Test.

Chanderpaul’s 122 not out lifted him to 11,199 runs from his 153 Tests, overtaking Allan Border (11,174) as the sixth most prolific run-scoring Test batsmen, and 754 behind fifth-placed Brian Lara.

His 17th unbeaten century also put the 39-year-old one ahead of recently retired Indian great Tendulkar as the batsman holding the most unbeaten Test hundreds.

New Zealand made an uncertain start to their response with openers Fulton and Rutherford struggling to find runs and both removed by snappy catches by Darren Sammy.

The West Indies captain, celebrating his 30th birthday, just snuck his fingers under the ball at ground level to have Rutherford caught and bowled for 10.

The introduction of spin saw Fulton out for 11 when he flicked the third delivery from Narine down the leg side where Sammy grasped a sharp, reflex catch. But while the spinners kept Williamson and Taylor guessing, and beat the bat several times, the partnership survived 34 overs before Narine trapped Williamson lbw.

McCullum appeared mesmerised by Narine at first and could not get bat to ball with the first two deliveries he faced before he belted two boundaries to try to put the spinners off-line.

For the West Indies, Narine has two for 43 off 22 overs. l

Bowling Best 9-1-29-0 (1nb), Sammy 10-5-17-1 (1nb), Permaul 23-4-59-0, Narine 229-43-2

West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul plays a shot during day one of the third Test against New Zealand at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Thursday AFP

16

DHAKA TRIBUNE

Back Page

Saturday, December 21, 2013

RANA PLAZA DISASTER

Over 100 victims to remain unidentified DNA Profiling Laboratory of DMC has so far identified 157 of 322 bodies n Moniruzzaman Uzzal More than 100 ill-fated victims of the Rana Plaza tragedy are likely to remain unidentified forever, as the second phase of the DNA sampling nears its end at the National DNA Profiling Laboratory in Dhaka Medical College.

Following the identification of 157 victims from the 322 unidentified bodies in the first phase of the process, laboratory chief Dr Sharif Akteruzzaman told the Dhaka Tribune: “Among the 165 [still] unidentified victims, we would finally be able to identify 50 to 60 of them.”

Although a total 548 DNA samples from victims’ relatives had been submitted to the laboratory against the 322 unidentified bodies, more than 100 victims’ DNA did not match with any submitted samples.

After the Rana Plaza collapse, more than 800 bodies were handed over to relatives without having any DNA samples kept from either the victims or the relatives – a procedure which Dr Akteruzzman said was unscientific.

“The Rana Plaza disaster was a new experience for us. So we failed to follow the principle rules,” he said.

The team from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which came to install the Combined DNA Index System (Codis) at the DNA laboratory, also said the handover of bodies was inaccurate as no DNA sample had been collected. The handover of any dead body from the disaster is strictly prohibited in order to identify the unknown body.

“It’s possible that people received bodies without confirming the identity,” said Dr Akteruzzaman.

For example, he said four bodies – from which DNA had been collected for the lab – were taken and buried by people claiming to be those victims’ relatives, without completing any scientific identification procedure. It was later found that three of the four samples actually matched with DNA samples from other people who gave samples to the lab to find their missing relatives.

However, Dr Akteruzzaman said there was still some hope in identifying the 100 victims were the government to take an initiative in collecting DNA samples from each of the relatives who had earlier collected the bodies of the victims, as those samples could match with the 100 unidentified.

Most of those who remain unidentified are female.

With the DNA from 50 to 60 bodies already partially matched with relatives’ samples, the doctor said a supplementary chromosome (X and Y) test was needed to verify the relation between the victim and the person claiming to be the relative.

Although the laboratory was running low on chemical reagents to run the final test, the lab chief expressed hope that a supply of those reagents would reach their hands soon.

He informed that in most cases the relatives – who claimed their family member was missing – gave one sample for the DNA test. But to ensure the relationship, it was mandatory to collect samples from three people (victim/son/ daughter).

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

Passengers throng the capital’s Kamalapur Railway Station yesterday after the 18-party alliance’s blockade ended in the morning

MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Commuting woes for RMG workers in Chittagong n Tarek Mahmud, Chittagong

A routine task such as getting to and from work can be pretty daunting in these days of communication blockade but for the RMG workers, fresh out of a crisis surrounding revision of their minimum wage, it has become something of a torture.

The workers have to endure various hassles in order to keep the wheels of the billion-dollar industry turning.

While some have access to staff transport services provided by their employers, others are not as lucky and have to travel on their own.

Many of these workers have complained of scarcity of public transports

and increased fares as a consequence of the risks associated with commuting during blockade hours.

According to an estimate of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), there are several thousand workers – a good number of them female – employed by different apparel factories in the port city’s Chittagong Export Processing Zone, Karnaphuli Export Processing Zone and other areas.

The hassles of travelling means that not only do they have to risk their lives to come to their workplace and back, they also have to spend extended hours in the absence of public transports.

Asma Khatun, a worker of Crislen Garments residing in the city’s Bahadd-

arhat area, said the factory managed a truck for staff transportation but it was hardly accessible.

Salma, a colleague of Asma, said: “I have to start for office around 6am. My office starts at 8. I cannot come back home before 11 because of scarcity of vehicles.”

The problem of transports led many to walk. Rafiza, a worker of Modern Garments, residing in the Kadamtoli area, said she preferred walking to her office which was around seven kilometres from her residence.

“This way it is safer and more hassle-free, although it takes much time. I have to start at 6:30am,” she added.

Some workers, desperate to find alternatives to passenger buses and

trucks, are compelled to take rickshaw for a slower but more expensive ride to their office.

However, the problem was further exacerbated by the icy winds of winter which, according to Mokhtar Hossain, a worker of Stylish Fashions, could be very difficult at times. “I have been sick for the past few days but not getting to work is not option. Going out in the cold in the morning can be very difficult.”

Another worker, AKM Saiful Islam, who works at the Youngone Factory, said the obligation of having to attend office under any circumstances was not duly compensated. “Our employers only give us salary but who will pay for these risks and hazards?” l

Huge traffic rush during break in blockades Bakar Siddique and n Abu Tarek Mahmud

Khaled Khan passes away n Afrose Jahan Chaity Eminent actor and director Khaled Khan died at Birdem Hospital in the capital last evening. He was 55.

Brigadier General (Rtd) Shahidul Haque Mallik, director of Birdem, told the Dhaka Tribune that Khaled Khan was declared dead at 8:10pm.

The body of the actor will be taken to the Central Shaheed Minar at 10:30am today so that people from all walks of life can pay their respects.

Khaled Khan was born in Tangail on February 9, 1958 and joined the leading theatre group Nagorik Natya Sampradaya in 1978 The famous actor was suffering from motor neuron disease for the last 12 years which left the lower part of his body paralysed.

Earlier on Monday, Khaled Khan had been put on life support after he got a respiratory attack in the afternoon.

Khaled Khan gained his popularity both on television and on stage playing roles in numerous plays. He joined the leading theatre group Nagorik Natya Sampradaya in 1978. He has received many awards including the IT Theatre Award 2013.

He was born in Tangail on February 9, 1958. He worked as treasurer for the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh.

He was previously the finance director of the institution and had earlier served as the registrar and deputy director of administration. l

The bus terminals and train stations in Dhaka and Chittagong experienced an overflow of passengers yesterday, with commuters desperate to make their trips before a fresh spell of blockade by the opposition alliance began today.

The passengers, however, had to face immense woes as there were only limited transportation facilities available because of the ongoing political tension.

In the capital’s bus terminals, many people had to wait several hours to get tickets, as most seats in the popular bus services were already sold in advance.

“We are waiting here from 7am and do not know whether we could start our journey or not, as we are yet to manage the bus tickets,” said Abdus Sadeq at

11am, who was waiting with his family members at the Gabtoli bus terminal to catch a Lalmonirhat-bound bus.

Similar sufferings were experienced by the passengers of Dhaka-Mymensingh –Netrakona-Sherpur-Jamalpur route, because of the shortage of transportations against the demand of passengers.

Meanwhile, hundreds of passengers were stuck for several hours in a 50kmlong traffic jam on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway, after a goods-laden truck broke down on the road in the early hours of yesterday.

On the other hand, city dwellers also experienced a heavy rush of traffic with an increased number of vehicles on the streets during the brief break between blockades.

The main routes of the city including Mirpur-New Market, Farmgate-Moti-

jheel, Uttara-Mohakhali-Moghbazar, Sayedabad-Rampura-Uttara stayed packed with traffic throughout the day.

“It took almost four hours to reach New Market from Bashundhara Residential area; which is absurd,” said Rajib, a student who took a bus at 10am yesterday.

Hundreds of passengers were stuck for several hours in a 50km-long traffic jam on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway In addition to the passengers’ sufferings, the traffic rush also hampered the income of the transport workers.

Rasel, a supervisor of Winner bus service in the city, told the Dhaka Tribune that the usual six to eight trips during a regular day – was halved be-

cause of the traffic jam.

Some people also claimed that they had to pay extra fare for rides on CNGrun auto-rickshaws or taxicabs.

Sirajul Islam, an auto-rickshaw driver, said the drivers had no other choice but to charge extra fare as they failed to manage their regular earnings during the blockades.

Meanwhile in the port city, people thronged the Chittagong railway station to travel to their desired destination.

Manjurul Karim, seeking a ticket for Dhaka, said he thought he could reach his destination in time on a train, rather than a bus.

Babul Miah, a banker who travelled to Dhaka a couple of times a week, said he chose to travel on train as he was attacked by blockade supporters several times while making bus journeys to the capital earlier.

Mukta Salma, a job seeker, told the Dhaka Tribune that train’s commuting price was cheaper than other vehicles, while the bus services were asking high fares for the ongoing political unrest.

Mohammad Rokonuzzaman, divisional commercial officer of Bangladesh Railway (East Zone), said the rush in the railway station was more than bus counters, as train had become a dependent vehicle for its better and safer service.

“Railway authorities also increase security measures to evade any accident and untoward happening; that is more than bus service,” he said.

Train service, however, was temporarily disrupted when miscreants uprooted the fishplates of uplink rail track near Akhaura railway station early yesterday, causing the derailment of a patrol coach and an engine. l

Veteran AL leader Zohra Tajuddin dies Joynagar housing project n set to miss deadline Emran Hossain Shaikh

Awami League Presidium member Syeda Zohra Tajuddin, wife of Bangladesh’s first Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmad, died in the capital yesterday.

The 81-year old Awami League leader, who was suffering from various old age complications, was undergoing treatment at the United Hospital when she breathed her last at 10:20am.

Her daughter Simin Hossain Rimi, an Awami League lawmaker, told the Dhaka Tribune that she would be buried at the Banani graveyard in the capital after her son Sohel Taj, a former state minister, comes from the USA today.

President Abdul Haimd, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and opposition chief Khaleda Zia issued separate messages expressing condolence.

Her first namaz-e-janaza was held after Asr prayers at the Azad Mosque at Gulshan and the second at Bangnabandu Avenue after Magrib prayers.

Zohra’s body is kept in the mortuary of the United Hopital.

Hearing the news of the veteran leader’s demise, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina went to the United Hospital in the morning. The premier, alongside many other Awami League leaders, placed a floral wreaths at Zohra’s coffin

at Bangabandhu Avenuve in the afternoon.

Zohra underwent surgery at the Medicity Medanta hospital in Gurgaon of New Delhi in India for a hip-fracture few months ago. She was admitted to the United Hospital 18 days ago and had been on life support for a number of days.

Zohra Tajuddin was born on December 24, 1932. She studied social science

at Dhaka University and got married to Tajuddin Ahmed in 1959.

After the killing of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Zohra held of the party’s helm and kept it together before handing over charge to Sheikh Hasina.

She is survived by three daughters Sharmin Ahmad Reepi, Simeen Hussain Rimi and Mahjabin Ahmad Mimi; and only son Tanjim Ahmad Sohel Taj. l

Awami League leaders, including PM Sheikh Hasina, pay homage to Zohra Tajuddin in front of the party office on Bangabandhu Avenue DHAKA TRIBUNE

n Abu Hayat Mahmud The construction of Joynagar apartments for the government and semi-government officials in the capital’s Mirpur is set to miss deadline as much of the groundwork is yet to be laid.

Undertaken in July 2011, the project was supposed to be completed by December 31 this year.

A sheer dilly-dallying in land-acquiring move and negligence in starting the groundwork are attributed to the procrastination.

The likely missing of deadline for the housing project dissuaded the government and semi-government officials from purchasing Joynagar residential apartments.

The government approved the Tk321.86 crore housing project on a four-acre area at section 15 in Mirpur.

The residential project will feature 520 apartments – each having 1,500 square feet – in five 14-storey buildings.

National Housing Authority (NHA) is entitled to implement the project.

The NHA officials now said the timeframe for the implementation of the government-run housing project had

been extended to December 2016.

Md Didarul Alam, a Bangladesh Bank official, told the Dhaka Tribune, “At a time I was more interested to buy an apartment in Joynagar housing project, but now I am faced with a dilemma.”

“Checking on the progress, it seems that the National Housing Authority will not be able to meet the new deadline,” he added.

NHA Executive Engineer Md Khaled Hossain, also the project manager, said: “It will take more than one year to take possession of the housing project land now illegally occupied by grabbers.”

“When we go in for an eviction drive, the grabbers file writ petition with the High Court against us. But at last we got permission from the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court to reclaim the land from the grabbers,” he said.

The project manager added that according to the present market rate, each apartment would cost around Tk60.9 lakh, and its selling price would be around Tk68.1 lakh depending on the price of construction materials.

The NHA officials said buyers would be able to purchase apartments by installment for 20 years. l

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